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***
As Luna watched David unpack his bag like a lunatic prepping for a five-star picnic in the wilderness, she slowly lost the will to speak.
One by one, the absurd items kept coming—pots, bowls, a hamster cage (why?), and even a fishing rod. The pièce de résistance? A bottle of facial cleanser, held aloft like a sacred artifact.
Luna stared blankly at the growing pile. Her expression screamed, Are we going camping, or entering the freaking Hunger Games?
"David," she asked, voice trembling with restraint, "um... didn't you pack anything actually useful for exploring the Mystery Zone?"
David beamed. "Of course I did! I'm not an amateur."
He slapped his chest confidently. Pikachu mimicked the gesture with its tiny paws.
"I asked Tom to handle all the survival essentials," he continued, completely oblivious to Luna's twitching eye. "You told us we'd be out there for months. Months! You think I wouldn't be ready? Tom! Show her the goods!"
Luna and Captain Ling Qi—who was driving and increasingly regretting all his life decisions—looked over expectantly.
Tom, reclining smugly in his seat, gave them a confident nod. "Relax, people. You're in good hands."
He unzipped his massive backpack like he was about to reveal ancient treasure, and began pulling out items.
"First, the fat beef rolls—a hot pot essential," he said, holding them up with reverence.
David gave a thumbs up. "Solid start."
"Next—hot pot base! Spicy Szechuan style, of course."
"Flawless taste."
"Then... mahjong tiles! Gotta pass the time, right?"
"Oh, excellent call!"
"And finally—poker cards! For versatility!"
Tom's backpack was like some chaotic black hole of home comfort. A bottomless pit of ridiculousness.
Luna's smile stiffened. Ling Qi's hands clenched tighter around the steering wheel.
David leaned toward Tom, eyes narrowed. "But bro... no chessboard? What if we get bored of cards and tiles? What about Uncle Ling and the rest of the team? Not everyone plays mahjong."
Tom blinked. "Ah. You're right. Missed opportunity."
Ling Qi, up front, was rapidly descending into a state of full-blown existential crisis. The shadows under his eyes deepened. His right eye twitched.
Vacation. They think this is a vacation. I will bury them in the zone myself.
Meanwhile, Luna had melted into her seat like a depressed puddle of logic.
"You two…" she muttered, rubbing her temples. "You two are exactly why I lose faith in humanity."
She turned toward them with a deadpan stare. "When you act like this, what does your doctor say?"
David and Tom answered in perfect harmony, without missing a beat:
"He died!"
Luna: "...What?"
Ling Qi: "WHAT?!"
Even the car seemed to pause in horror.
[Get negative emotion value +100 from Ling Qi...]
[Get negative emotion value +70 from Luna...]
[Get negative emotion value +110 from Ling Qi...]
[Get negative emotion value +70 from Luna...]
A beat of silence passed. Then:
Luna slumped against the window. "It was a mistake… a huge mistake… I should never have brought you two. I should've just gone alone with Captain Ling. Or better yet, with a pack of Rattata. At least they don't carry hot pot base into the Mystery Zone."
Captain Ling nodded solemnly. "I've seen a lot of reckless trainers. But this… this is new. This is performance art."
In the backseat, Pikachu raised its little paw and gently patted Luna's shoulder in sympathy.
"Pika pickup!"
It was a sweet gesture.
Luna, still emotionally spiraling, glanced down at the tiny yellow creature, blinked, and then scowled.
"You're no better," she muttered. "Your trainer's a lunatic, and you wear a hat. What kind of serious Pokémon wears a hat?"
Pikachu: ∑(°△°|||)
[Shocked.jpg]
Pikachu blinked twice. Then slowly retracted its paw, clearly wounded.
Wow, its expression said. I comforted the wrong human.
Clearly, Pikachu had learned an important lesson today:
Never try to console someone on the brink of madness.
Because sometimes, it's not just the trainer who's unhinged.
Sometimes, the whole backseat is cursed.
The drive to the Mystery Zone was supposed to be long, quiet, and uneventful.
It was none of those things.
Roughly ten minutes into the journey, David had already propped his feet up against the front seat like he was on a cruise and shouted, "I CALL JUNGLE!"
Luna groaned. "Ugh, again? Fine. I'll support. Tom?"
Tom, still munching on a granola bar like he was the only sane person left in the car, shrugged. "Top lane, obviously."
And so began the most chaotic mobile game session in the history of vehicular travel: Pokémon Glory. A cheap knock-off of League of Legends but with more Pikachu skins and fewer rules.
David's in-game name was BloodyDarkKing, because of course it was.
Tom was BoundlessOcean, even though he rarely left his own turret.
And Luna, to absolutely no one's surprise, had a username that screamed pain and regret: Lingxue_QAQ.
The game began.
"I play jungle," David announced proudly, as if anyone had doubted it.
"Please, just gank the lanes this time," Luna begged, already stressed before minions had even spawned.
"I am ganking!" David said defensively. "I'm ganking the wild Pokémon population. What do you think 'jungling' means?"
From the front seat, Captain Ling Qi let out a sigh so deep it probably shortened his life expectancy.
In the game, Luna's support Pokémon was getting absolutely demolished every three minutes.
"DAVID!" she shrieked, after her fifth death. "What kind of jungler just farms wild monsters and never helps?!"
David, grinning, continued grinding in the jungle while softly humming the background music. "You told me I was jungle. That means I'm in the jungle. Why would I go fight?"
"Because that's literally your job!" Luna howled.
[Negative emotion from Luna: +100]
[Negative emotion from Luna: +100]
[Negative emotion from Luna: +100]
"Tom!" Luna shouted, hoping for backup. "You're top lane! Come help me at least!"
Tom blinked at his phone. "There's too many enemies down there. I'm scared. Emotionally."
"You're 0-0-0 in twenty minutes! You're not even playing!"
"I am too! I'm guarding the tower. That's important."
Luna stared at him like he'd just confessed to eating soup with a fork.
By the end of the match, Luna's team had lost. Badly.
Her kill/death ratio was the only thing that moved—downward.
David and Tom? Still 0-0-0.
"Well," David said, stretching. "I think you need more practice, Luna. You died nine times. Kinda rough."
Tom nodded in solemn agreement. "Yeah. You talked big. But those deaths? Brutal."
Luna slowly turned to face them with the expression of a woman one sneeze away from snapping completely.
"If I ever play another game with you two," she said through clenched teeth, "I'm a dog."
From the front, Ling Qi whispered under his breath, "We've all made mistakes… but hers was fatal."
Three hours later.
The convoy of two matte black off-roaders rolled to a halt at the southern edge of the city. They'd finally reached the threshold of the wilderness—an uninhabited, dense forest thick with underbrush and tangled trees. Hidden birds screeched in the distance. A few scattered camo-clad rangers stood nearby, checking passes and keeping an eye out for unauthorized wanderers.
On the winding mountain road ahead was Rocky Town—a remote settlement built specifically by the Pokémon Alliance as a staging ground for exploration into the West Lake Mystery Zone. The town got its name from the many cave networks spread across the zone, each one hiding strange Pokémon, forgotten ruins, and the occasional overconfident intern.
Captain Ling Qi parked the vehicle, let out a long breath, and looked like he wanted to retire immediately. The other off-road vehicle pulled up beside them, and the rest of the team climbed out.
David, Tom, Luna, and Pikachu tumbled out of the back like a bunch of children being dropped off at summer camp—one where everyone might die.
This was the first time David had seen the entire expedition team gathered together.
They didn't look like people. They looked like Pokémon-themed action figures.
One guy had scars down both arms and a Gengar tattoo on his neck. Another woman carried a Pokéball in one hand and what appeared to be a literal flamethrower on her back. The rest all had that same "I've seen things" look in their eyes—battle-hardened, rugged, and very much not here to mess around.
In contrast, David was holding a fishing rod, Tom had hot pot ingredients strapped to his backpack, and Pikachu was wearing a tilted fedora like it was ready to perform jazz at a subway station.
David whispered to Tom, "Hey… do you think they'll mind that we didn't bring any actual gear?"
Tom shrugged. "I brought beef rolls. That counts as survival, right?"
Luna looked at both of them and sighed so heavily it nearly summoned a sandstorm.
Captain Ling Qi eyed his expedition team, then looked at the trio of chaos in front of him.
He didn't say anything.
But deep inside, a voice screamed: Why… why did I agree to this mission?
The forest loomed ahead. The Mystery Zone was near.
And somehow, David had a feeling they were about to ruin everything.
****
The moment they stepped into Rocky Town, it was clear where the money went. While the rest of the area looked like an abandoned campsite crossed with a haunted summer retreat, the Pokémon Alliance Headquarters stood out like a celebrity at a PTA meeting. It was a towering, polished building with a massive red and white Poké Ball logo hovering above the entrance like a UFO about to abduct underperforming trainers.
Captain Ling Qi stood at the front, arms crossed, full military posture.
"Alright, let's head to the lobby of the Alliance," he said sternly, like this was some kind of covert op. "We'll check what tasks are available. Luna, you're leading this one, so pick something that'll actually push you."
David, of course, had no idea what that meant. He just followed the group like a guy who'd wandered into a work meeting for the free snacks.
The inside of the lobby was clean, high-tech, and very obviously designed by someone who loved status screens. A giant LCD panel stretched across one wall, flashing task listings like some kind of RPG supermarket.
Each mission was color-coded, ranked by difficulty, and clearly marked for Trainer level. Some were even animated with flashing icons, which immediately distracted David and Tom, who treated the board like a gacha game.
"Yo, look!" Tom whispered, pointing to the screen. "They have a berry collection mission! Easy win!"
David squinted.
[Task: Collect 20 Cherry Berries]
Difficulty: Common
Reward: 40 Water-type Energy Cubes
David tilted his head. "Wait, that's it? Just... pick berries? No explosions? No evil organizations? No lawsuits?"
Tom was already nodding in approval. "Perfect. This quest was made for legends like us."
Next to it, however, was a far more intimidating entry:
[Task: Capture Five Gyarados]
Difficulty: Elite
Reward: Intermediate Secret Treasure
"Oh," David whispered. "That one sounds like a good way to die."
"Or win big," Luna muttered, stepping forward. She studied the board with laser focus, her arms folded.
"Young Miss," Ling Qi said in that mentor voice that made everything sound like it came from a fortune cookie. "Choose something with some bite. This is your chance to gain real experience."
Luna nodded, sharp-eyed. "I'll take the Gyarados mission."
Tom almost dropped his Pokéball. "Wait—you serious? You wanna go slap a Gyarados?"
"Not slap. Capture." Luna glanced at Pikachu, who gave her a thumbs up from the floor. "We've got type advantage. It's fine."
She handed over her official Trainer Certificate to the receptionist, who processed it with the kind of dead-eyed stare only customer service workers could master.
"Reward is a gym-grade Staryu egg," the receptionist said, barely looking up. "Approximate value: two million Alliance Coins. Good luck not getting eaten."
David leaned over to Tom. "Two million? For catching five temper tantrum sea serpents?"
Tom whispered, "And here I was proud about the cherry berries."
After Luna's daring choice, Tom waddled forward and casually accepted the berry-picking mission, clearly choosing life over glory.
"I'm just here for vibes," he announced proudly. "Berries are great. Very… low-pressure."
The receptionist looked at him like she couldn't believe he was part of the same team.
And then came David.
Everyone turned to him, waiting to see what path he'd take. A fierce mission? A strategic play? A test of strength?
David folded his arms, cleared his throat, and said with pride: "I pass. I don't like violence. I'm a pacifist."
Luna's face twitched. "You what?"
"I prefer peace, harmony, and long naps," David continued dramatically. "Fighting is a tool of the immature. My soul transcends such primitive—"
"Who was it," Luna cut in, "that singlehandedly challenged Jake to a real battle in the middle of class?"
"Who's got a Pikachu that bodyslams like a wrestler on Red Bull?" Tom added.
David frowned. "That wasn't violence. That was... emotional release."
[Negative emotion from Luna: +50]
[Negative emotion from Tom: +60]
[Negative emotion from Luna: +50]
[Negative emotion from Tom: +60]
Meanwhile, Ling Qi had been nodding along to David's speech like it was a TED Talk.
"Very good," he said, eyes slightly misty. "Many forget that Pokémon are living beings. Peace is the true path of a wise Trainer. It's not about domination. It's about respect."
Luna and Tom stared at him like he'd just praised a goldfish for inventing algebra.
Ling Qi kept going, clearly moved. "The Pokémon within the Mystery Zone may be preserved by the energies within... but still, kindness is paramount. You understand this, David. I misjudged you."
David tried not to look smug, but failed spectacularly.
Luna, meanwhile, was gripping her Trainer certificate with such force it was crumpling. "I swear, if he quotes another inspirational slogan, I'm putting him on the Gyarados bait line."
Tom nodded solemnly. "I'll bring the berries to mourn him."
David smiled peacefully and clasped his hands. "Namaste."
"SHUT UP."
And with that, the mission assignments were made.
Tom had his fruit-picking adventure ahead.
Luna was gearing up for a death match with aquatic monsters.
David? He was walking the noble path of not doing anything at all—and somehow getting praised for it.
All was right in the world.
For now.
****
The moment Luna finished accepting the mission to wrestle Gyarados into submission—because apparently she'd lost her will to live—Captain Ling Qi gave a proud nod and turned toward the back of the Alliance hall.
"Alright," he announced, "time to head into the Mystery Zone."
David blinked. "Wait. Already? No warm-up? No last meal?"
Tom leaned over and whispered, "Bro, we didn't even do stretching exercises."
Ling Qi ignored their nonsense and led the group toward the back of the building. The hallway stretched on with statues of stern-faced Trainers glaring down from both sides, their eyes silently judging every kid who forgot to pack potions. It felt less like an adventure and more like walking into a trap built by your high school principal.
David stared at the stone-faced figures. "Are these… the ancestors of the Alliance?"
Luna nodded. "Legends. Each one probably fought fifty wild Charizards while making a sandwich."
Tom added helpfully, "And all without crying once."
Ling Qi turned his head slightly, picking up on their curiosity like a tour guide who moonlights as a drill sergeant.
"Every Alliance building is built directly above the entrance to a Mystery Zone," he explained, voice firm and full of purpose. "It's a strategic design. One, to prevent poachers from sneaking in. Two, if anything inside ever tries to escape or riot, the Alliance Trainers are right above—ready to respond instantly."
David blinked. "Wait… we built the HQ on top of an active wild Pokémon volcano?"
Tom let out a low whistle. "Talk about high-stakes real estate."
David stared at the floor. "So technically, we're all walking over a landmine made of angry Gyarados and hormonal Rhydon."
"Don't be dramatic," Luna muttered. "It's fine. Just don't provoke anything."
"Provoke? Me?" David looked personally offended. "I am the human embodiment of restraint."
Luna and Tom exchanged a synchronized are you hearing this guy? look.
As they reached the end of the corridor, two guards in heavy armor stopped them, arms crossed and expressions like they hadn't laughed in two decades.
"Identification. Entry permits," one barked.
Ling Qi stepped forward with the efficiency of someone who had clearly done this a thousand times. He handed over a neat stack of documents. The guard scanned them using a device that beeped approvingly.
"All good. You may enter."
With a grunt and a wave, the guards stepped aside to reveal a misty portal framed by polished stone. Beyond it was only swirling fog and a faint, humming energy.
David squinted. "So we're just… walking into the fog?"
"Yes," Ling Qi said, already stepping through. "It's a dimensional gate. Don't resist the pull."
Tom clutched his backpack nervously. "Should we hold hands?"
"No," Luna said instantly.
Too late. David had already grabbed Tom's hand.
FLASH.
The world spun for a moment—light, sound, gravity twisting in on itself—and then, just as quickly, it all settled.
David blinked.
The world on the other side was something straight out of a dream. Or possibly a government-funded jungle gym.
Rows of sturdy tents and field stations lined the open clearing like a military base at summer camp. Patrols flew above on giant Pidgeots, circling like airborne lifeguards. The air smelled of trees, smoke, and someone grilling berries.
Massive Pokémon roamed the area like roaming tanks. Rhydon stomped past with a rumble. Nidoking and Nidoqueen stood like living statues, their horns gleaming under the sunlight. None of them were leashed. All of them looked like they could erase David's GPA with a sneeze.
David's jaw dropped. "So… this is it."
"The entrance camp," Luna confirmed. "They've been developing this Mystery Zone for years."
David gawked at a Rhydon that walked past dragging an entire tree trunk with its face.
A squad of Trainers stood near the entrance, all armed to the teeth and wearing uniforms that screamed "Don't even think about it." One of them gave David a brief glare that suggested he'd already considered tossing him back through the portal.
Ling Qi gestured at the surroundings. "This is the garrison force that guards the Mystery Zone. They maintain order, prevent chaos, and keep things from spilling into the outside world."
"Spilling?" David echoed. "Like, they do that often?"
Ling Qi's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned to face David directly.
"Let me be clear. This is not a playground. If you make trouble here, I will not be the one getting you out of it. That's assuming there's anything left of you to retrieve."
David blinked. "Are… are you saying that because of my history? Because I feel like there's a tone."
Tom leaned in with a whisper. "Bro, he just gave you the 'behave or die' look."
David placed a hand on his chest, hurt. "Do I look like someone who causes trouble?"
Luna, without looking, said, "Yes."
Tom nodded, "Absolutely."
"Rude."
David sighed and adjusted his jacket, taking one cautious step forward as he took in the view. He was now officially in the wild unknown, surrounded by elite Trainers, terrifying Pokémon, and at least three ways to accidentally get himself erased from existence.
But hey—at least he wasn't the one fighting Gyarados.
Yet.
The group didn't waste much time lounging around the camp—mainly because there was nothing to sit on except rock-hard tree stumps or the faint smell of "Gyarados probably passed through here." With Captain Ling Qi leading the way, they headed out into the Mystery Zone, excitement buzzing in the air like a Magnemite with a caffeine addiction.
And then… the view hit them.
Spread out before them was a shimmering lake so massive you couldn't even see the other side. The water stretched all the way to the horizon, reflecting the perfectly clear blue sky above like someone had installed a giant mirror on the earth. Surrounding the lake were ancient, towering trees climbing up the distant mountains like nature had something to prove.
Overhead, Wingulls flapped lazily through the air in formation, squawking like they had nothing better to do. On the lake's surface, little pods of Marill floated about, sunbathing like overconfident pool noodles. Not far off, on the grassy edge of the lake, a few Oddish were munching on fallen berries with the enthusiasm of toddlers at a candy buffet.
David stopped dead in his tracks. "Okay, this is ridiculous. Why does this look like a vacation brochure for a luxury forest spa?"
Tom's eyes were wide. "Bro, I've never seen anything this peaceful. Are we sure we're not hallucinating from backpack sweat?"
Even Luna was visibly impressed, her usual no-nonsense expression softening as she took in the scenery. "It's… beautiful," she said quietly.
David took a deep, dramatic breath. "I take back everything I said about this being a death trap. This is a five-star nature retreat. All we need now is a floating bar with free lemonade and we're golden."
Ling Qi, hearing their awe and sounding like a man who'd seen one too many rookies bitten by carnivorous fish, interrupted the good vibes with a healthy dose of reality.
"Before you all get too comfortable," he said, arms crossed, "two things."
Here it comes.
"One, under no circumstances do you go swimming in that lake. It may look like paradise, but there are Gyarados in there. Big ones. The kind that think humans make great chew toys."
Tom took a cautious step back from the shoreline. "Copy that. No synchronized swimming with the sea serpents."
"Two," Ling Qi continued, "don't wander too far into the forest. That's Ariados territory. You get stuck in a Spider Web trap out there, and you'll be wrapped up like a protein bar before you can yell 'HELP!' Also, watch out for Ekans and Weedle. They don't exactly hand out hugs."
David raised his hand. "So what you're saying is, don't swim, don't wander, don't breathe too loudly, and don't do anything fun."
"Correct," Ling Qi said, completely serious.
The group's mood dipped faster than Tom's grades during finals week. The cheerful sparkle in their eyes dimmed as they realized this beautiful postcard was actually a death trap with very nice lighting.
But Ling Qi—perhaps feeling a little guilty for crushing their souls—offered a small mercy.
"Relax. This is the outer edge of the Mystery Zone. We're not in any real danger here. You're safe as long as you stick with us. You can release your Pokémon and let them enjoy the fresh air."
David brightened. "Now that's more like it."
He reached for his Pokéball and released Ralts, his tiny psychic-type who emerged with a happy chirp of "Lalu!"
Luna and Tom followed suit. Tom's Squirtle materialized with a confident spin and a little flex of its stubby arms. It was already level 14, having scarfed down an energy-rich secret treasure like it was protein powder. Gym-level potential? Absolutely. Brain cells? Questionable.
Luna's Charmander emerged with a poised elegance that clearly said I know I'm better than all of you. It had already reached a quasi-Elite potential and was practically glowing with smug charm. If it had a LinkedIn profile, it would already say "Future Dragon Champion."
David took a moment to cuddle his sleepy Ralts, who blinked up at him before hopping down and making a beeline for the woods—without any hesitation.
"Hey! No! Don't run toward the spider nest!" David called out, already chasing after her.
Meanwhile, Tom watched with barely disguised jealousy as the elegant Ralts floated around like a mystical fairy while his Squirtle struggled to blink in both eyes at the same time.
[+50 Negative Emotion Points from Tom…]
Ralts did a happy spin in midair.
[+60 Negative Emotion Points from Tom…]
Then she stopped and gave Tom a smug little look.
[+70 Negative Emotion Points from Tom…]
David picked her up and gave her a proud pat. "That's my girl. Emotionally damaging others just by existing."
Then he turned to Squirtle and Charmander and gave them a cheerful wave.
"Hey there, Bald Turtle and Eruption Lizard! How's it going?"
Squirtle blinked, looked personally offended, and slowly turned away in protest.
Charmander raised one claw, paused, then dramatically flipped its tail like a snobby waiter declining a tip.
Tom stared at David. "Why are you like this?"
David grinned. "Because I'm the comic relief, obviously."
And just like that, the scenic Mystery Zone had turned into a chaotic pocket of Pokémon personality clashes, emotional damage, and verbal roasting—just the way David liked it.