Pokemon : Negative Emotion System

Inside the enormous, creepy labyrinth of the Mystery Zone...

David proudly marched at the front, leading the group deeper and deeper into the cave. With every step, the air got colder, the walls narrower, and the smell… more mysterious.

Ding!

The system alert popped up in front of David's eyes like a blessing from heaven.

[Alert: 20 meters ahead, ancient Pokémon fossils detected.]

David's eyes lit up like he just won the lottery. "Hold on—this could be it!"

He sprinted ahead like a caffeinated Zigzagoon, skidding to a stop in front of what appeared to be a stone embedded in the cave wall. It looked ancient. Mysterious. Potentially life-changing.

Without hesitation, David slammed his face right against the wall. "My precious…" he whispered, rubbing his cheek against it like it was a long-lost lover. "If this is a Tyrantrum fossil, I swear I'll kiss it."

Behind him, Luna gagged audibly. "Ew. Is he... cuddling a rock?"

Tom squinted. "Maybe he's finally lost it. About time, honestly."

David was already lost in his fantasy. If this was a genuine ancient fossil, it might be worth more than his entire stockpile of Power Cubes. Heck, it might even be rarer than a shiny Charizard with a top hat.

Then—another ding from the system.

[Ancient Pokémon Fossil: Tyrantrum... feces. High scientific research value.]

David froze. His smile vanished. His face turned pale. Then green. Then fifty shades of why me.

He stumbled backward, wiping his face aggressively on his sleeve. "Blech—what the hell?! That's not a fossil, that's fossilized poop!"

He began spitting onto the floor, frantically trying to erase the taste of humiliation. "I just nuzzled dinosaur crap. I need therapy."

From behind, Luna chuckled. "So how'd it taste, fossil enthusiast?"

David shot her a look. "Like regret. And failure."

Just then, Ling Qi—known around these parts as "Uncle Ling"—walked up, eyeing the wall curiously. "Hmm? What'd you find there?"

David cleared his throat, hiding his mortified expression. "Nothing important! Just, uh… admiring the ancient cave art!"

Uncle Ling leaned in, examining the 'fossil' with the intensity of a university professor. "It does have a... certain elegance," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

David blinked. "Wait… what?"

"I mean, look at the texture. The form. Almost abstract." Uncle Ling turned to the rest of the group. "This mural tells a story, you know."

David slowly nodded along, resisting the urge to cry. "Yes. A tragic, smelly story."

Then—BOOM!

A thunderous, guttural roar erupted from deep within the cave. It echoed off the stone walls like the sound of a mountain groaning in pain. Dust fell from the ceiling. A few pebbles dropped onto David's head.

Everyone froze.

"What... the hell... was that?" Jake whispered, clutching his Poké Ball like it was a teddy bear.

Luna's eyes went wide. "That did not sound friendly."

Even Uncle Ling, who had faced down more Pokémon than David could count, looked rattled. "That roar… it wasn't wild. It was... s

despair and angry."

Before David could respond, another system alert flashed in front of him.

[Alert: Champion-tier Tyranitar detected two kilometers ahead.]

His eyes widened. "Champion-tier? Tyranitar?!"

His brain kicked into overdrive. That roar must've come from it! This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

David was already creeping toward the sound when Uncle Ling grabbed him by the collar like a misbehaving Meowth. "Nope. Absolutely not. Turn around. We're leaving."

David wriggled like a fish on a line. "But Uncle Ling! It could be a rare strong pokemon."

Uncle Ling's grip tightened. "David, are you planning to fight it with friendship and questionable decisions? We are in a cave that's not even on the map! Whatever's in here is leagues above our pay grade."

"Come on! I've got Ralts with me!" David gestured dramatically, pulling the small Psychic-type from his backpack like a magician pulling out a bunny.

Ralts blinked, completely unaware of the mess she was now involved in.

"She can teleport us out if things go south! It's safe! Ish!"

But Uncle Ling was having none of it. "Teleport or not, I'm not letting you run off into a death trap just because you smelled a fossil—or poop pretending to be one!"

David pouted. "That was a low blow…"

The rest of the team gathered around, watching the debate unfold like it was a soap opera. Tom leaned in to Luna. "Ten Pokédollars says David runs off the moment Uncle Ling blinks."

"Twenty says he trips on his own ego and faceplants into another fossil turd," Luna replied.

David, still protesting, tried to twist free again. "Just one peek! One tiny peek ! Think about the research value!"

Uncle Ling turned to face the others. "No one splits up. We stick together. This cave is too dangerous. Whatever made that roar is not something we're equipped to deal with."

David stood frozen at the fork in the cave path, staring into the darkness ahead. His knuckles were white from gripping Ralts just a bit too tightly. The sound of that roar was still ringing in his ears, shaking his bones like a drum solo from an angry Tyranitar. And yet... his eyes burned with determination.

He took a deep breath, exhaled like a man about to make either history or a very bad decision, and declared:

"Ralts! Use Teleport—send Uncle Ling and the others back to the surface!"

"Lalu!" Ralts responded enthusiastically, its little red horns lighting up with a soft psychic glow.

A wave of psychic energy burst out and enveloped Uncle Ling, Tom, Luna, and Jake before any of them could protest. Within seconds, poof—the group was gone, teleported far away from whatever was roaring like an angry blender in the cave.

David glanced at the empty space where they'd stood moments ago. A part of him felt bad… okay, not a big part. Mostly he felt excited.

"If I want to become stronger," he muttered to himself, gripping Ralts like a determined Pokémon mom, "then I can't keep running from every champion-tier Pokémon I meet. That Tyranitar… I'm going to see it with my own eyes!"

With that, he took a deep breath, braced himself, and stepped forward into the shadows, Ralts nestled safely in his arms.

*****

Meanwhile, back on the surface...

Pop!

Uncle Ling, Luna, Tom, and the others reappeared on solid ground in a burst of psychic energy. It took a moment for everyone to find their footing and blink away the dizziness.

Then they looked up.

Their jaws dropped in unison.

A wall of blazing fire roared across the forest before them, smoke curling into the sky like angry dragons. Dozens—no, hundreds—of Pokémon were fleeing toward the garrison camp in a chaotic stampede.

And behind the stampede, like a boss at the end of the world, stomped a Nidoking.

But not just any Nidoking.

This one looked like it had been hit with a Mega Mushroom from Mario. It towered over the trees like a kaiju, its purple armor glinting in the firelight, red eyes glowing with fury, and its biceps bigger than Jake's entire Onix.

"Rooooaaaaarrrr!!!"

Everyone froze in horror.

Tom stared at the thirty-meter-tall monstrosity in disbelief. "Wait… this thing looks like it came straight from the deepest part of the Mystery Zone!"

Uncle Ling's face turned so dark it could've been used to summon Ghost-types. He gritted his teeth, voice sharp as a blade. "Run!"

Nobody needed convincing.

They bolted for the garrison camp like their lives depended on it—which, frankly, they did.

Tom was already two hundred meters ahead before anyone else blinked. Luna was muttering something about "I swear, I'm never going on a trip with David again." Jake tripped over his own backpack but kept running anyway, flinging his Poké Balls behind him as if they could stall the monster.

As they fled, a string of furious system prompts rang out in David's ear back in the cave:

[+200 Negative Emotion from Uncle Ling...]

[+70 Negative Emotion from Luna...]

[+70 Negative Emotion from Tom...]

David scratched his head as the system notifications piled up like complaints at a customer service desk. "Oof… Sorry, guys."

He sighed and shook his head, holding Ralts close. "Uncle Ling, I couldn't let you risk your life with me. If that Tyranitar wakes up on the wrong side of the cave, someone's gotta survive to tell the story."

He patted Ralts gently. "Besides, let's be real. If this goes south, it's way easier for you to teleport just me and Pikachu out of here. Less baggage."

Even Ralts looked slightly unimpressed.

Back on the surface...

The chaos hadn't stopped.

Trainers were screaming. Some were trying to ride their Flying-types out of there. Others were diving into bushes or climbing trees.

Meanwhile, Uncle Ling sprinted like a man possessed.

"David!!" he shouted into the flames, even though there was no way the boy could hear him. "You better not be dead, or I'll kill you!"

The rage on his face made a few wild Pokémon actually change direction and flee the other way.

"Who sends someone to safety by teleporting them into a disaster?!" Luna shrieked as she ducked under a stampeding Arcanine.

"This was worse than the Gyarados poop storm!" Tom added, dodging a flaming log as he ran past.

Everyone agreed unanimously: David had clearly betrayed them... again.

****

Inside the depths of the Mystery Zone…

David crept forward, Ralts tucked in one arm, Pikachu clinging to his shoulder like a tense yellow parrot.

[System prompt: 30 meters ahead, Champion-tier Tyranitar detected.]

"Okay…" David whispered, eyes scanning the rocky tunnel ahead. "We are officially out of the tourist section."

Every step felt like he was walking into a boss fight he didn't sign up for. But curiosity (and potentially, greed) kept his legs moving. Slowly, he stepped into the chamber at the end of the path—and then stopped dead in his tracks.

His pupils shrank.

"...What the actual hell."

Right in front of him, lying in a pool of dark, drying blood, was a massive creature clad in battered emerald-green armor. Its scales were cracked, jagged pieces missing like shattered armor. A hole the size of a fist pierced straight through its chest. Its arms twitched weakly, eyes wide with pain and disbelief.

Tears trickled down its cheeks—scarlet, thick, and heart-wrenching.

It was a Tyranitar. A monster. A desert tyrant.

And now… it was barely breathing.

David's system chimed again and displayed the data.

[Tyranitar – Rock/Dark Type – Gender: Female]

Level: 81 → 75 (Champion → Quasi-Champion)

Ability: Sand Stream

Nature: Stubborn (Attack +, Sp. Atk -)

Stats: Maxed values in HP, Attack, Defense, Speed; Near-max in others

Held Item: None

Potential: Champion level

Special Status:

Pokémon has been subdued and cannot be captured again.

Critical condition: If further injured, death will occur within two hours.

Weak: Cause unknown.

David's mouth was dry. He backed up a step. Then another.

This wasn't just a strong Pokémon—it was the kind of Pokémon you built a team around. A literal tank. A monster with sandstorms in its veins. Now reduced to a dying wreck.

"…What the hell kind of maniac can do this to a quasi-legendary champion-level Tyranitar?" David whispered, already sweating like a Torchic in July.

Cold dread spread up from his toes to his scalp.

His legs told him to turn and run. His brain agreed. His entire soul yelled: RUN, DAVID, RUN!

"Ralts, Teleport us out of here. Now," he said urgently.

But just as the psychic glow began to build, a weak, heart-piercing growl cut through the silence.

"Rrrr…raah…"

Tyranitar opened its bloodshot eyes and stared at David.

It didn't growl in anger. It didn't charge.

It pleaded.

It was asking for help.

Its gaze flicked past David—towards something deeper in the cave.

David froze. He looked where Tyranitar was trying to point with its twitching claw. Then he noticed it—

Nestled behind the massive body, barely visible under a soft layer of moss and stone debris… was a nest with a missing egg.

"...Its kid was taken," David whispered.

Tyranitar growled again, her voice full of pain and desperation. She didn't care about herself anymore.

She just wanted her child tobe safe.

Ralts gently tugged on David's sleeve. Pikachu reached up and nudged his jaw.

"Pika… pika."

"Lalu…"

Their voices were soft, but their message was clear.

Please.

David bit his lip.

"No. Nope. I'm not a hero! I came in here to sightsee, maybe catch something small, and now I'm looking at a dying mother begging me to go full-action movie mode? This is not in the plan!"

He spun in a circle, pacing. "That thing has champion-tier stats! If something did this to her, I'd be atomized in one sneeze!"

Ralts stared up at him, her large eyes pleading.

Pikachu crossed his stubby arms and glared.

David sighed. "Why do I even ask, you guilt-tripping cuddly rascals…"

He knelt beside them. "Do you two really want to help her?"

Pikachu hesitated, ears drooping. Even he could feel the overwhelming strength still leaking out of Tyranitar's ruined body.

But Ralts? Ralts didn't hesitate.

She nodded firmly, eyes shining with empathy.

David paused. For a second, he didn't understand why Ralts was so determined… and then it clicked.

Ralts had been a stolen egg. Taken from her home. Sold. Abused. Imprisoned until David stumbled into her life and cracked open her world again.

She knew the pain of being taken from a parent.

And she wasn't going to let it happen again.

David looked down at her, lips twitching.

"Alright, alright. Fine. But you two owe me a lifetime supply of Poképuffs."

He sighed dramatically, pulling off his backpack and digging through his supplies.

"There better not be a single other injured giant Pokémon around here, or I swear I'm putting in for early retirement."

Finally, he pulled out a green glass vial sealed with a golden stopper.

Inside was a swirling liquid that shimmered like moonlight on a lake.

"The only Rejuvenation Pill I've ever pulled from a lottery ," David muttered. "Rare as heck. Could've sold this for a fortune. Could've used it to regrow my eyebrows after a Slugma incident."

He stared at it with genuine heartbreak. "You owe me, Gojira lite."

Tyranitar blinked slowly, her breath shallow but eyes filled with gratitude.

David knelt beside her and gently pried open her jaw. "Easy, girl. Don't bite me and ruin the gesture."

He dropped the pill into her mouth.

The reaction was instant.

A soft hum vibrated through the cave. The shadows seemed to retreat. Warm golden light spread from Tyranitar's chest outward, pulsing through her cracked armor like veins of healing energy.

Ralts and Pikachu watched in awe as the wound on her chest began to close—slowly, but visibly. Her crushed ribs shifted back into place. The shattered energy core at her center sparked once more, like a failing light bulb flickering back to life.

David stepped back, shielding his eyes. "Whoa... okay, that was actually kind of beautiful."

Tyranitar's eyes widened in shock. Even she hadn't expected this. Her breathing steadied. Her body, though still far from full strength, had clearly pulled back from the brink of death.

The golden light gradually faded, leaving behind a faint, warm glow.

David whistled low. "That's it. I'm putting 'medic' on my résumé."

Ralts turned and hugged his leg tightly. Pikachu gave a small salute.

Even Tyranitar, still lying down, blinked at him with something close to reverence.

David scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Yeah, yeah… You're welcome. Just remember me when your kid hatches, alright?"

*****

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Mystery Zone…

A figure stood ominously atop the hulking back of a giant Nidoking, looking like the final boss in a Pokémon horror movie. Clad in flowing black robes and with a suspiciously unsettling calm, the man gently cradled a Pokémon egg etched with glowing emerald patterns.

With a look of deranged devotion, he held up a vial of glowing green liquid and plunged it into the egg like he was marinating a steak.

"Larvitar…" he whispered hoarsely, eyes gleaming with fanaticism. "You will be the crown jewel of this glorious experiment… The perfect Pokémon born from human hands!"

Yeah, totally normal behavior.

Suddenly, a Trainer swooped down from the sky on a Toucanon, landing with a bit more style than needed, like he'd practiced it in a mirror.

"Boss!" the Trainer called out respectfully. "We've got word—the Alliance might've caught wind of our operation. Most of the Trainers nearby have already retreated to the garrison camp. We haven't seen any Alliance agents yet, but they could be arriving soon."

At this, the man in black—still perched like a vulture on Nidoking—paused. His eyes narrowed behind the hood.

"The Alliance knows…?" he murmured, skeptical. "Impossible. I've been operating inside this Mystery Zone for years. No one should know I'm here!"

He fell silent for a long moment, thinking.

Then… he grinned.

It wasn't a nice grin. It was the kind of grin that made you consider switching regions.

"Hmph," he muttered. "Let them think they're safe at the garrison. It doesn't matter. None of them are leaving this place alive."

As if on cue, the four monstrous Pokémon surrounding him—Nidoking, Alakazam, Rhyperior, and Dracovish, all looking like they'd been hit by a curse and force-fed steroids—turned as one. Without a single word or command, they began stomping toward the garrison camp, their eyes glowing red with unnatural rage.

Back at the camp, chaos had a new name: What-the-hell-is-that?!

Trainers were pointing skyward, their faces stuck somewhere between horror and a bad acid trip.

"Dude… are we being invaded by dinosaurs?!"

"Are those… prehistoric Pokémon? Why are they the size of buildings?!"

"Wait—wait—there's a guy RIDING Nidoking like it's a pony!"

Captain Grant, the garrison commander, squinted toward the horizon. His blood ran cold.

He recognized the figure immediately.

"Pidgeot! Get me in the air—NOW!"

With practiced speed, he tossed a Poké Ball, and his Pidgeot materialized with a cry. Grant leapt on, and they soared into the sky, straight toward the black-robed figure.

As they got closer, Grant's voice boomed over the battlefield:

"Giovanni! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

That name echoed across the camp like a thunderclap.

"Giovanni?" someone muttered. "Wait… that name sounds familiar."

"Wasn't he some top-tier Alliance scholar years ago?"

"I remember now!" another Trainer exclaimed. "He was the guy who researched that super-ancient Pokémon tech! He and Elite Four Aron went into the Dragon Frontier Mystery Zone together."

"Didn't the Alliance shut down his work because it was… y'know… mad-scientist-y?"

The whispers spread quickly. Everyone in the camp started to remember the legend. The name Giovanni hadn't been heard in years—but the story had never gone away.

Up in the sky, Giovanni let the hood fall from his face.

The crowd gasped.

His skin was ghostly pale, his eyes sunken, and his cheekbones jutted out like a Halloween mask. He looked like someone had halfway turned into a Dusknoir.

"Do you really need to ask what I'm doing, Grant?" Giovanni rasped, his voice like gravel and venom. "I'm here to borrow your lives."

With that, he flung off his robe, revealing his grotesque skeletal frame. Even the air around him seemed colder.

His voice dropped into a dangerous hiss as he began to rant:

"Five years ago… Aron and I entered the most dangerous Mystery Zone in the world—Dragon Frontier! I brought back tech that could change everything. I brought power. I offered it to the Alliance."

He glared at Grant, spitting every word like venom.

"And what did they do? Shut me down. Canceled my research. Feared it. Stole it."

"My Tyranitar… contaminated by that ancient power… it was killed by the very same Alliance that once begged me for results."

His voice rose to a roar.

"ARON… that coward, killed my partner because he feared power he couldn't control!"

Down below, even the wind seemed to stop.

Captain Grant's expression twisted with unease. He'd heard whispers of the Dragon Frontier incident. He remembered the political chaos that followed. The way Giovanni vanished, and Aron was suddenly promoted to Elite Four.

Giovanni hadn't just disappeared.

He'd been erased.

And now, here he was again. Stronger. Crazier. Riding a mutant Nidoking and threatening to flatten the garrison camp like a pancake.

Grant glanced at the camp entrance, sweat forming at his temples.

So this was why they had the guts to lock the Mystery Zone.

They weren't worried about what Aron left behind to guard the zone…

They knew Giovanni was here—and they were trying to keep him in.

Grant muttered under his breath. "Aron… wherever the hell you are, I hope you're already on your way…"

Outside the Mystery Zone

Just outside the sealed rift, Trainers, officials, and panicked bystanders were gathering in droves. A fleet of Alliance agents stood at the ready. A ring of Pokémon lined the perimeter, waiting for the signal.

Inside a mobile command van, a technician looked like he'd aged ten years in ten minutes.

"I'm telling you," he shouted, pointing at the screens, "whatever is inside that Mystery Zone, it's messing with our readings! We're locked out!"

In the middle of the chaos stood Elite Four Aron—tall, tense, arms crossed as his cape flapped in the wind.

He looked at the technician with the face of a man who wanted to punch time itself.

"How long until we can breach the zone?" he asked.

The technician gulped and raised one trembling finger.

"…One hour. At the absolute fastest."

Aron didn't speak.

He just turned and stared at the sealed portal—his jaw clenched, his brow furrowed.

In one hour, it might already be too late.