Something was bound to happen

It was a good morning. Or at least it was the best it could be. After pulling two all-nighters consecutively and drinking my nth cup of coffee, Nurse Joy had given me a notice that Vulpix might be awake and be able to be released today. So, all in all, I was pretty happy.

It was enjoyable here, but the idyllic lifestyle of the town was starting to get on my nerves. I had taken to messing with ideas for camouflage.

Then, I decided to look at arrest records. Somehow, and I can't guess how, the three members of Team Rocket had gotten out of jail. In the dead of night, they had escaped, and the police can't find any clues.

I sip on the bitter, black coffee. I might be confident, but I don't have the confidence to deal with psychos with massive amounts of funding and a massive lack of morals.

"She's ready to see you now," Nurse Joy notifies me. Nodding, I roll up the newspaper, shove it in my coat, and follow her behind to the back area of the Pokémon Center.

Walking through the halls, I'm led to a brightly lit room with a sleeping Vulpix laying on an examination table. The door slides open with a hiss, waking the Ice-type Vulpix, signified by a twitch of her ears. She perks up her head as we walk in, head tilting as she unblinkingly stares at me.

We walk up to the table, and Vulpix looks up at me. I kneel to look at her, eyelevel.

"Hello, Vulpix," I say with a soft voice and gentle smile. "My name is Nicole; I'm the one who brought you here." She sniffs, standing up and moving slightly closer. "You were starving in the forest, weren't you?" She nods. "Was there anyone that was there…maybe?" She pauses, think, then shakes her head no.

Nurse Joy and I share a worried glance. I'd like to find out how Vulpix got left there, but we don't have the capabilities needed for that. Unfortunately, there will just have to be a note in her patient file for unknown cause of dislocation, or some variant thereof.

"Well, then…" I pause, collecting my words. "Vulpix, would you like to come with me? On my journey, I mean."

She pauses. "Vul!" She chirps, bounding up at me and rubbing her head to me. With an approving nod from Nurse Joy, I pull out a pokéball and press it against her little head. Her form dissolves into energy and flows into the ball. With only a few shakes, Vulpix is caught.

I'll hold off on naming her for now, given my poor track record. She'll just be Vulpix for now until I can think of something satisfactory.

Giving thanks to Officer Jenny, I leave the Pokémon Center to a changed sight. The town has started putting up decorations around as if for some approaching festival. Quickly doing an about-face, I go back inside.

"Nurse Joy, quick question: can you tell me about the decorations outside?"

"Oh! Those? They're for a festival to celebrate the Snorlax that helps our town with our crops. He comes down and uproots our crops, eating the leftover roots. When he does this, it helps cultivate the fields and allows us to grow better crops. Afterwards, the people throw a festival in his honor."

I purse my lips. Honestly, just sounds like Snorlax uses this town for a free meal, but at least the townspeople are getting something useful out of this.

"I'm probably going to get going on my journey. I want to get my gym badges before the league competition rolls around." Similar to a framerule, if I miss this year's competition for the Champion title, then I must wait until next year. Like a bus stop, if one wanted a more common analogy.

"Okay! Be safe!" Saying a quick goodbye, I leave the center and subsequent town. The idyllic lifestyle there is grating to my psyche, and I feel a need to get going. Just…get out of there.

———————————————————————————————————————

"Tiffany?"

"Vul."

"Kaitlyn?"

"Vul."

"…Theopania?"

"…"

"Oh, okay! Fine. My naming skill needs some work, but you still need a nickname, so we'll keep trying."

"Ulpix."

For once, I am taking my time, walking down the well-trodden dirt path. I'm currently trying to only use my Octillery Arms for light uses right now. The new servos on the arms are similar to a new pair of shoes where it needs some continuous use before it can be put under load.

So, to put it simply, they can't do jack right now. Hmm, that isn't right. No, they can wave around and illuminate. They could restrain a person, though, if I wished. They can also act as storage for pokéballs with some little compartments in the arms and claws.

I put Vulpix away back in her ball, enjoying the breath of fresh air. I like calm environments like this, but to be honest, if there's little change in the environment, then it starts driving me mad.

Hearing an uncharacteristic sound not of nature, I slow my already crawling speed. It's dirt being stomped. It's grass being trampled. It's sticks snapping under another's weight. It's either another trainer or a pokémon.

It's a person and a pokémon—a hooded woman, and a Malamar. Okay, red flag right here. Malamar are a heavily regulated pokémon here in Kalos for several reasons. Primarily, they have the strongest hypnotic abilities of any Psychic-type pokémon, and they have been historically powerful to deal with.

It's such a security issue that the League has an entire list of those with a registered Malamar, which is a whole other discussion, but I know that there's a total of 34 people on that list.

I don't think this woman is one of them.

"Malamar," she…almost drawls, "get her." Faster than I can close my eyes, faster than I can send out a pokémon, the hypnotic lights of Malamar reach my eyes.

I-I try to move my hand, my leg, my anything! But nothing responds. My bodily motor control is no longer mine. I couldn't look away if I want to.

But! I can still think, and if nothing else, I can try to resist!

My body tingles. My limbs grow heavy with an increased feeling of pins and needles… My…forehead…burns with a psychic heat.

…The… The Malamar… Is it rooting in my head? …Establishing a seed? A…parasite? I-It looks confused… What is… What is wi- What am I to…confuse it?

I-I move. Forward…against… Against my will… Vision…grows…fuzzy. I-I hope…I'm not going to…be erased…

…Tha-t's a…fate worse than…death…

Complete Annihilation.

Oh…There's still…a thing. Towards…the back of…my mind… The A.I. chip… I…could…l-latch on…some…how… Need to…secure body…

Init…command: Dead…lock…

Metal moves…Malamar's opponent. It…u-u-ses. Use Coil.

N-Nicole's attack…defense…a-accuracy…rose…hehe…

Metal hugs…me…Clamps down…physically. Shuts…down…arms…

I…now…weigh…at least…a c-car…

Should…lay…off…beignets…

Now…to hide…in the…only place…a psychic…can't reach…