Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

Cain appeared once again at the foot of that small hill.

This time, he didn't bother looking for a random cave. With total determination, he ordered Drapion to dig one.

As a Pokémon with incredibly powerful pincers, digging a habitable cave was an easy task for Drapion.

Once Drapion finished carving out the terrain and shaping a suitable cave, Cain and his Pokémon settled inside.

After distributing food to his Pokémon in a simple manner, Cain decided not to assign them any training tasks that night, as it was already quite late.

After completing the basic tasks before bed, he allowed his Pokémon to rest. However, he himself couldn't fall asleep.

The reason was simple: the three symbols that had suddenly appeared on his wrist deeply unsettled him.

He didn't understand why those three Unown, instead of staying quietly inside their Pokéballs, had decided to attach themselves to his wrist.

Since they had done so, they hadn't shown any other activity. Cain stared at the three black symbols on his skin as if they were ordinary tattoos. Even when he touched them, the texture felt just like his own skin.

With no other options, Cain decided to use his last resort: telepathy.

He slowly concentrated his psychic energy, directing it toward the three symbols on his wrist.

At first, he couldn't find a clear target to connect his telepathy to—something that had never happened to him before. He decided to expand the reach of his perception.

At that moment, the three symbols on his wrist began to twist and appear to float. Suddenly, a blinding white flash filled his vision, forcing him to close his eyes.

When he opened them again, he found himself in a chaotic space.

"Is this... an alternate space?" Cain thought as he observed his surroundings.

Soon, he noticed something strange: he seemed to have transformed into an Unown.

Around him, more Unown were floating, each with different characters. After a quick scan, he realized that two Unown were missing—one shaped like an "A" and another shaped like a question mark.

Cain seemed to be seeing from the perspective of the Unown "A." But where was the Unown in the shape of a question mark?

Despite this revelation, Cain had no control over his body or consciousness. It was as if he were a spectator trapped in a movie.

The experience reminded him of the time he had interacted with Mew's hair, though this time, his memories were much clearer.

From the perspective of an Unown, Cain experienced days that felt endless and monotonous. The Unown, trapped in their alternate space, lived such a dull existence that sometimes they ventured into the real world to play with humans or Pokémon. This explained why they were known as mysterious Pokémon.

However, Cain noticed that the Unown seemed to be searching for something: the missing question mark Unown.

Days passed in the blink of an eye. Three Unown, tired of the monotony, decided to leave their group and seek fun on their own. It was during this escapade that Cain encountered them, becoming the only person capable of capturing them.

When Cain threw the Pokéball and "captured" the Unown from his perspective, the vision ended abruptly.

Although their existence seemed to be tied to some kind of mission, neither Cain nor the Unown themselves knew what it was. Perhaps only the exclamation mark Unown had the answer.

As for why these three Unown had decided to attach themselves to his wrist, Cain still had no clear answers.

Suddenly, his mind was filled with unknown symbols. Cain was certain these characters didn't exist in the history of the Pokémon world.

Even though he couldn't read them, he instinctively understood their meaning, as if the experience of "being" an Unown had granted him that ability.

The Unown's messages were clear:

"We are tired of the monotony of the alternate space and want to experience something different in the Pokémon world. We are willing to follow your orders, but we will not participate in battles."

Cain felt encouraged by this.

Unown weren't known for their combat strength. Their true value lay in their mysterious abilities. Moreover, when multiple Unown were together, they could manifest a special power known as Secret Power.

The more Unown gathered, the greater their power and effects would be.

As if to demonstrate this, the three symbols on his wrist glowed faintly, creating a twisted portal in front of him.

Intrigued, Cain extended his hand toward the portal and felt an empty space on the other side.

Did this mean he could now create a shelter wherever he wanted?

Although it seemed like a limited ability, it was better than nothing. Besides, he had no way of getting rid of the Unown now that they were attached to him. He would have to accept the consequences of having captured them.

At least there were some advantages.

Cain could communicate with them, and he was also learning a new writing system. With his internal system, he could record the characters and their meanings, making learning easier.

That night, while his Pokémon slept, Cain decided not to use the alternate space. He knew that, in the future, he would no longer need to carry tents or worry about nighttime safety, as few Pokémon could interfere with that space.

With a wave of his hand, the symbols on his wrist glowed, and the portal disappeared.

Cain nodded, satisfied.

Even though the ability was basic, it had potential. What would happen if he managed to gather more Unown?

As he closed his eyes to sleep, the three symbols on his wrist glowed faintly, as if they were recovering energy.

At the same time, Cain noticed that his psychic power, which had been stagnant for a long time, was now showing signs of progress.

(End of Chapter)