Pokémon Adventures: GAMER PATH

~Azure S. POV~

[Hisui Region, Days Later, Alabaster Icelands – Bonechill Wastes]

For the next few days, we've traveled around the Hisui Region. We started in the Obsidian Fieldlands, a vast expanse of green that reminded me of home, yet felt infinitely more dangerous.

I saw herds of Bidoof working on dams larger than any I'd seen, and a Shinx that looked at me not with curiosity, but with guarded animosity. My team was invaluable in these searches around Hisui.

Dragonite carried me over impassable rivers, Scizor cleared paths through dense thickets, and Alakazam's telepathy gave me early warnings of aggressive Pokémon in the area. We were ghosts in this ancient land, observing, learning, surviving.

Our journey eventually led us north, into the domain of white. The Alabaster Icelands. The temperature plummeted, and a biting wind whipped across the frozen landscape, carrying flurries of snow that stung my cheeks.

The very air seemed to crackle with cold. Feeling the cold, I said cautiously, unclipping a particular Poké Ball, "Alright, big guy, I need you."

*Pop*

I tossed it, and with a flash of light, Arcanine burst forth, his magnificent, orange-and-black striped fur a stark contrast to the endless white. A wave of glorious heat washed over me as he shook his magnificent mane.

He pressed his side against my leg, a low, happy rumble in his chest. He was my furnace and my most steadfast protector.

Pikachu and Eevee climbed over to Arcanine. They both sighed in relief, feeling his warmth, as I chuckled at the two.

We pushed on together, his paws barely sinking into the deep snow as he carved a path for me. We were in a particularly desolate area, using the Map App were in a place called the Bonechill Wastes.

The name was apt. Jagged spires of ice clawed at the sky, and the silence was broken only by the mournful howl of the wind.

Then, we heard it. Two cries...

"ABBOOO!!!"

"Zoou!!"

It wasn't the wind. It was a roar. A deep, guttural sound filled with rage, followed by a high-pitched, terrified yelp.

Arcanine and I froze simultaneously, our heads snapping in the direction of the sound. No words were needed.

My hand rested on his back, and we moved as one, cresting a snow-covered ridge with practiced silence. The scene below stole the breath from my lungs. A colossal Alpha Abomasnow, nearly twice the size of a normal one, was thrashing about in a fury.

Its tree-like arms slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves of snow and ice into the air. Cowering before it, backed against a sheer cliff of ice, was the source of the terrified yelps that made my eyes widen.

It was a Hisuian Zorua, but like none I had ever seen before. Its fur was a ghostly silver-white, and the wisps around its neck and on its tail were tipped in a striking, blood-red for a normal variant…

But the blue color on its wisp… It's a Shiny Hisuian Zoura.

Its body was trembling violently, its large, golden eyes wide with a terror so profound it felt like a physical blow. It was so small, so utterly helpless before the lumbering, icy behemoth.

My blood ran cold, then hot. This was a creature in need, a bully, and a victim.

It was the simplest, most fundamental rule of my life as a trainer. My voice cut through the wind as I gave my command, "Arcanine, go!"

*Zoooom*

Arcanine needed no further encouragement. He shot down the slope like a comet, a blur of orange and black against the white as Pikachu and Eevee climbed to me, jumping off of Arcanine's body.

He let out a mighty roar of his own, challenging the Alpha and drawing its attention away from the terrified Zorua, "GRAOOOO!!!"

The Abomasnow bellowed, turning its furious gaze on us. It swung a massive arm, launching a volley of Razor Leaf sharp enough to slice through rock.

Scoffing at this Alpha Pokémon, I commanded coldly, "Dodge it, Arcanine! Use Agile Style! Extreme Speed!"

*BOOOM*

Arcanine became a flicker, weaving through the leafy projectiles with impossible grace before slamming into the Alpha's side. The giant stumbled, roaring in frustration.

It retaliated with a Wood Hammer, its arm glowing with green energy. I countered by ordering calmly, "Flare Blitz! Meet it head-on!"

*Sssss*

Fire consumed Arcanine as he charged, a living meteor of righteous fury. The collision was apocalyptic. Fire and nature energy exploded outwards, melting a massive crater in the snow around them and sending up a huge cloud of steam.

*BOOOM*

Arcanine was pushed back, shaking his head from the recoil, but the Abomasnow was scorched and reeling in pain. But it was an Alpha. It was unnaturally tough as I checked its level, frowning as it would difficult.

[Abomasnow [Alpha] (M) Lv.78 Forest Tree Pokémon]

It began to gather the cold around it, the temperature dropping even further. A Blizzard was coming.

I couldn't risk Arcanine taking a direct hit like that. I yelled, grabbing another Poké Ball to help Arcanine out, "I need your help, my friend! Gengar, let's go!"

*Pop*

I threw the ball, and it spun open mid-air. From my own shadow, a darker, more mischievous shade of purple coalesced.

My Shiny Gengar materialized with his trademark wide, unsettling grin and glowing red eyes. She cackled, a sound that seemed to warp the air around him, "Gen! Gengar! (I've returned, folks! Whose the victim!)"

The little Zorua, who had been watching Arcanine's defense with stunned disbelief, now froze completely. It saw me, a human, commanding these powerful creatures.

And then it saw Gengar, another Shiny, a being of shadow and spectral energy. Its fear was warring with a dawning, confused sense of wonder.

I have an idea how this Zoura lived, judging it was by itself. But I shifted my attention to the battle with the Alpha Pokémon as I ordered, "Gengar, Shadow Ball! Arcanine, cover her with Flamethrower!"

Arcanine unleashed a torrent of fire, forcing the Abomasnow to shield itself. Under the cover of the flames, Gengar formed a crackling orb of dark energy and launched it.

*BOOOM*

The Shadow Ball struck true, exploding against the Alpha's chest and making it cry out in spectral agony. The combination of Fire and Ghost-type attacks was overwhelming it. One final, desperate Flare Blitz from Arcanine sent the behemoth crashing to its knees.

It looked at me, then at my two powerful Pokémon, and with a low, defeated groan, it turned and lumbered away into the swirling snow, leaving behind only silence and the smell of burnt pine. Ahh... the smell of victory.

The battle was over. I immediately ran to Arcanine, feeding him a Sitrus Berry and praising him. Gengar floated over, phasing slightly in and out of existence, looking immensely proud of herself….

*SLURP*

… then proceeded to lick my face. I felt my eyebrow twitch as I said bluntly, "Really?"

Gengar only cackled in delight, kicking her legs back and forth, "Gen! Gengar! (Hahaha! Yes! I'm just marking my territory!)"

We all sighed at Gengar's antics, but we turned our attention to someone else. Then, all three of us turned our attention to the Zorua.

It was still pressed against the ice wall, trembling, but its eyes were locked on me. Not with the wild terror of before, but with a cautious, soul-searching curiosity.

It had seen humans before, I was sure of it. But they had likely thrown rocks, shouted, and driven it away.

But judging from how Zoura work in groups, it's odd to find this Zoura alone and not with its kind. Although this is assuming here, perhaps it had been ostracized for its different, beautiful coat.

I bet its perspective must be in chaos. To be saved by a human, to be protected by another Shiny… this was outside its entire understanding of the world.

I approached slowly, my hands open and visible. I knelt in the snow, making myself smaller using my Viridian Force to soothe its worries.

Arcanine lay down beside me, radiating warmth. Gengar floated just behind my shoulder, her usual chaotic grin softened into something more gentle.

Pikachu was over my shoulder, and Eevee was on top of my head. I said kindly, my voice soft, "Hey there, little fella. It's okay. You're safe now."

From my satchel, I pulled out one of my custom Poke Blocks— a pale blue one made with Oran and Pecha berries, specifically designed for Fox-like Pokémon. I placed it gently on the snow, a few feet away from it.

The Zorua's nose twitched. It was hungry, but a lifetime of fear held it in place.

It took a hesitant step forward, then flinched back. This was the final barrier.

But I couldn't cross it alone. I looked at Gengar and asked softly, "Can you talk to it? Let it know we mean no harm. Let it know… It's not alone."

Gengar's red eyes glowed softly. She floated forward, her form becoming less threatening, more ethereal. She didn't speak in words, but I could feel the gentle pulse of her psychic communication.

She was showing the little fox flashes of our journey together, of laughter, of care, of camaraderie. She was conveying my intent, my respect for its courage. And I suspect she was also sharing something of her own experience—the feeling of being a Gengar, often feared and misunderstood, and the joy of finding a trainer who saw past that.

She was showing what it was like to belong. Slowly, tentatively, the Shiny Zorua crept forward. It sniffed the Poke Block, then took a delicate bite.

*Gulp*

Its eyes widened, and it quickly devoured the rest. It looked up at me, its fear replaced by a glimmer of hope.

It took another step, then another, until it was standing right before me. I murmured, my heart swelling as I said softly, "You're a brave little Pokémon. You don't have to be alone or scared anymore. I came here to see the past, but meeting you feels more important than any historical sight. Would you… Would you like to join me? To join our team?"

I held out an empty Poké Ball. The Zorua looked at the ball, then at Arcanine's warm, steady presence, then at Gengar's encouraging nod.

Finally, its golden eyes met mine. It saw no threat, no malice. It saw an offer of safety, of adventure, of a family. With a soft, happy yip, the Hisuian Zorua touched its nose to the button on the Poke Ball, "Zou!"

A gentle red light enveloped it, pulling it inside with a quiet click. It didn't even shake. The capture was instant, an agreement.

*BON*

I smiled, a wide, genuine smile. A moment later, I released it. The little silver-and-red fox reappeared and, without a moment's hesitation, trotted forward and nuzzled its head against my leg, finally letting out a contented sigh.

Smiling as I fed the Hisuian Zoura, I checked my Arc Phone to see its status. I almost froze seeing the info provided as Zoura eats happily.

[Zoura (Hisuian) the Spiteful Fox Pokémon. Exiled from other lands by humans because of their illusions, and unable to survive in the Hisui region due to the harsh environment and conflicts with other Pokémon, the souls of deceased Zorua linger on in a new form, reborn by their malice towards humans and Pokémon alike.

Unlike Unovan Zorua, it has a melancholy expression rather than a mischievous one. Hisuian Zorua retains its ability to cast illusions but accomplishes this by constantly unleashing its spiteful power of malice through its ghostly fur, specifically atop its head.

It can attack its target with a spine-chilling resentment. This power comes from Hisuian Zorua's resentment of everything. If it encounters a lone human or Pokémon, Zorua may appear to them masked in a horrifying illusion of their likeness. It seems to draw strength from the terror it inflicts on its victims.

Hisuian Zorua tends to reside in cold areas where it lingers. Like its Unova counterpart, Hisuian Zorua can make its illusion of other Pokémon, to the point of easily fooling anyone into getting food.]

|Name: Zoura (S) (Hisuian) [Alpha] (Spiteful Fox Pokémon)

|Type: Normal/Ghost

|Level: 6

|Gender: Female

|Held Item: None

|Ability: Illusion

|Nature: Timid

|Moves: Leer, Scratch, Shadow Sneak, Snarl, Torment, Detect (IM), Night Daze (IM), Bitter Malice (EM) (0 Moves left to learn)

Well damn… another future Alpha Pokémon. I mean, I encountered a few Hisuian Pokémon, but they didn't meet my taste, but this one?

Unova or Sinnoh Team for sure. It had found its place. And in the harsh, beautiful wilderness of Hisui, so had I.

My journey to the past now had a new, living purpose, curled up right at my feet. But then we were interrupted by a new voice from the skies, "Hey! A fellow traveler! Braviary, take me over there!"

Without hesitation, I looked up to see a Trainer wearing Team Galaxy's uniform come down riding upon a Hisuian Braviary as I recalled Zoura. She waved enthusiastically from the sky, her voice carrying across the distance, "Hey there! Did you come out of that space and time distortion portal? Hey, that's a Kantonian Arcanine!"

Well seems like I get to meet a protagonist. Judging from her knowledge and surprise at seeing my Arcanine, it's Hisui, probably the only official Pokémon Trainer Akari. This will be an interesting experience.

/////

A/N: Reach the goal of 100 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!