Chapter 9: Kadelast Region: Chapter 8

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

--[Mini] Pov--

[...]

[...]

[...]

[System Update Received]

[Updating]

[Updating]

[Updating]

[Update: Complete]

[Update System Plan: Time Until Host Unlock System: Set Time: 5 Seconds]

[5: 4: 3: 2: 1: 0]

[Initiate Protocol(RVL)]

An invisible small orb of light 'blinked' as it sent out a burst of energy to scan its surroundings. The Orb found itself at the edge of a small town next to a large forest. Floating above it hosts a boy around 9 years old with short brown hair happily playing catch with 3 other kids. Finishing its scan, the Orb focused on its host as it 'thinks' about what to do.

[Protocol(RVL): Reviewing Gathered Data]

[Protocol(RVL): Reviewing Gathered Data]

[Protocol(RVL): Formalating Plan Of Acion]

[Protocol(RVL): Formalating Plan Of Acion]

[Protocol(RVL): Plan Of Action: Complete]

[Protocol(RVL): Initiating Plan Of Action]

After sending a small portion of itself toward the forest, the Orb's larger half silently waited in the air. After a few moments of waiting, the Orb finally chose to strike. One of the kids tossed the ball to the young boy, who started running to catch it. Before he can jump to grab the ball, the orb launches a strong gust of wing toward the kids. As the group braced themselves against the wind, the ball flew over its host's head and straight into the forest behind him. Once the wind stopped, the 4 kids stood in silence staring at where their ball flew to for a solid minute before a red-haired boy spoke up.

"Whose turn is it?"

"I think it's Antony's turn to get the ball." Answered a green-haired girl.

"Yeah, I got it!" Replied its host as he ran into the forest with the Orb following close by. As the boy chased after the ball, the Orb subtly led it along with the boy deeper into the woods. When the boy would get close, something would get in his way and knock the ball away from his reach. Sometimes it would be a sudden gust of wind, a branch seemingly moving on its own to hit the ball away or a Pokemon like a Combee getting in his way. "COME ON!" Its host shouted in frustration when he barely missed the ball because a Burmy fell onto it, bounced off and hit him in the face. 

As its host chased after the ball, determined to catch it after all the frustration it caused him. The Orb's smaller half found its target, a Ursaring with her Teddiursa cubs. The small Orb approached the Teddiursa furthest away from the rest and started emitting a sweet scent. Smelling the scent, the Teddiursa stood up and started to walk in the direction of the scent. When the Teddiursa was far enough away from their family, the small Orb emitted purple and pink energy knocking the cub unconscious. Right on time for the Orb's bigger half to lead the boy right toward the sleeping cub. 

"Finally!" The boy yelled, grabbing the ball that finally stopped right in front of the Teddiursa. "Huh? What's this?" The boy cautiously examined the sleeping cub. "A Teddiursa?!" He almost screamed before quickly covering his mouth with a free hand. While the kid fearfully looked around for the cub's parent. The Orb sent 2 smaller orbs toward two different locations, one flew back toward the panicking mother. While the other one flew towards a large colony of Beedrills. The Orb with the Ursaring let out a sound mimicking the cry of a distressed Teddiursa. Hearing the cry, the Ursaring roared before charging toward the direction of the sound. Meanwhile, the Orb with the Beedrills mimicked the smell of distressed Kakunas. Sending the large group of Beedrills into a frenzy determined to hunt down the intruder that would harm their young.

While the two groups charged toward the boy's location. Its host was examining the sleeping cub, "Why is a Teddiursa sleeping by itself?" He took a glance around him, but when he failed to locate any other Teddiursa or Ursaring he turned back towards the cub. "Should I leave them here?" The boy tapped his chin as he thought about what to do. "Oh, I know! I'll just ask the professor if he can send a Ranger to help." However, as he was about to head back home, the sound of buzzing caused him to pause. He frantically looked around for a place to hide, as the buzzing sound which kept getting louder started to surround him.

"URSARING!" Before the boy could find a place to hide, the Ursaring mother burst out from behind the trees. The sight of the boy with her unconscious cub made her see red. He screamed before falling onto his back, he winced from the pain before trying to crawl away from the angry mother. He managed to reach a bush before the Ursaring charged towards him. Reaching him, her claw glowed white before rapidly slashing at the boy, but before he could be shredded a large stinger intercepted the attack. 

The group of Beedrills didn't fully understand what was going on. At first, they went into a frenzy because they thought Kakunas and Weedle were in danger. However, despite not seeing any of their young, something about the human kid made him feel like a part of the colony. And that means protecting the human kid from the enemy in front of them. The boy could only fearfully watch as several dozen Beedrills started surrounding the Ursaring. While all this was happening the Orb just coldly watched the brutal sight.

[Protocol(RVL): Plan Of Action: Complete]

[Calculating Possible RVL Paths]

[Calculating Complete]

[Chance Of Host Being A Worthy RVL: 95%]

[Protocol(RVL): Complete]

[System Shutdown]

The Orb started to rapidly shrink as the energy it was made out of returned to the young boy. The Orb fully disappeared as the battle between the Ursaring and the Beedrills intensified. Leaving Antony with tears running down his face all alone, only able to watch as the brutal battle continued in front of him. 

You are reading story The Finite Path at novel35.com

--Antony's Mother's Pov--

Ever since this morning, I had a foreboding feeling that something bad is going to happen. However, the feeling was soon forgotten as the day went on with nothing new occurring. But Antony's friends banging on my front door soon had the feeling quickly returning with a dreadful vengeance. Opening the door I answered the screaming kids, "Is everything ok? What's going on?"

"Miss Maple! Antony is in danger!" 

"What!? What's going on Allie? What do you mean my son is in danger?"

"He went into the forest to get back our ball, but when he didn't return after a few minutes we went looking for him."

"Where is he then?! Is he hurt?!" I felt bad for raising my voice, but at the moment I couldn't help but yell.

"We're not sure. We had to run back because we saw Beedrills going berserk!" 

"Nononononono, he can't leave me too." I walked past them as thoughts of the worst popped into my mind. 

"Miss Maple?"

"You three go home and tell your parents what's going on. None of you should leave until everything calms down."

"What about you?" 

"Don't worry about me, I'm just going to ask the professor for some help." The kids nodded before running back home. With them gone I rushed into the Laboratory. "Ted! I need to borrow one of your Pokemon!" It was times like these that I regretted never training any of my Pokemon for battle. Don't get me wrong I love my Wurmple and Spewpa, but they can't do anything against an angry swarm of Beedrills.

"Lena? What's going on?" Ted asked as he and the rest of the researchers turned to look at me. 

"It's Antony! He's in danger!"

"What?!"

"The kids said he's in the forest while a colony of Beedrills are in a frenzy!"

"Shit." He grabbed two PokeBalls from a scanner and ran past the other panicking researchers. "Bob, call the Rangers and tell them it's a code o-15. Also, make sure no one else enters the forest before they get here."

"Got it, Professor!" Before I could leave the lab with him, Ted turned around and grabbed my shoulders.

"Lena you're staying here."

"No! He's my son and I'm not going to stay here knowing he could be in danger" He looked like he was about to refuse. But he hesitated under my glare.

"Ok Lena you can come, but promise me that you'll run away if things get too dangerous." I nodded. 

"I promise." He sighed before turning around to leave the lab with me following close behind. Once we were outside Ted pressed the button on both his PokeBalls. After a quick flash of light, Ted's Vikavolt appeared hovering in the air and his Scolipede with a loud thud. As we ran into the forest, Ted started giving commands to his Pokemon.

"We are facing a code o-15, so get ready to face a large swarm. Volt you protect Lena and make sure to listen to her commands, while Millie you stay with me. Our main goal is to find a young boy in the forest and hopefully, we could find out why the Beedrills are in frenzy."

"Vika!/Scol!" It didn't take long before we ran into the frenzied Beedrills. The sight of countless Beedrills coming out of the darkness of the forest to attack you is honestly quite terrifying. Along with the fact that the deeper we got into the forest, the thicker the swarm we had to fight through.

"Volt Agility then Discharge," I yelled while ducking under a Beedrill stinger.

"Intercept their Attacks with Poison Tail, then clear the path with Rollout!" After a few minutes of fighting while looking for Antony, we finally saw what could have been the source of all this chaos. A large Ursaring rampaging in the middle of several dozen Beedrills while protecting an unconscious Teddiursa. 

"Shit an Alpha Ursaring." Ted cursed, and I couldn't blame him. I'm still not sure what could have caused the Beedrills to go berserk in the first place. But a rampaging Alpha Ursaring would definitely cause already angry Beedrils to go into a frenzy. "This makes no sense, there aren't any Beedrill colonies near here! Why would they be so desperate to hold their ground here!?" Ted screamed while dodging a Fury Cutter.

"Scolipede!" 

"What you found him?!"

"What where?!" Scolipede tilted her head and used her antenna to point past the Ursaring towards a bush. I squinted my eyes and gasped when I saw a pair of shaking shoes.

"Wait, Lena!" I ignored him as I ran towards the bush.

"Volt cover me!/ Millie we are going as well!" When I got closer to the bush I noticed a head of brown hair. "Antony!" A shaky hand parted the leaves of the bush to reveal a familiar face.

"Mom!"

"Don't be scared mommy is almost there!"

"Don't come near!" Before I could register his warning, something descended from above and blocked my path.

"Vespiquen!"