Patrick stood, his back stuck to the back wall of the Pokecenter as he waited for screams. Sweat dampened his hair as it ran streaks down his temples. The sun was up and about and people were heading to their jobs, including Nurse Joy and the mart clerk. Shrieks from Nurse Joy got Patrick’s heart pumping. Bells rang as Zigzagoon sped outside the Pokecenter and into the alleyway.

  “Anyone following you, bud?” Patrick asked.

  Zigzagoon looked behind it, eyes wide. A nod. Patrick didn’t hesitate and took off running, they both sprinted for it, spinning from one alleyway into the next. A roll of aloe vera bandages hung off of Zigzagoon’s mouth, fluttering in the wind. Zigzagoon moved in zigzags, running in a diagonal line to the next, never running straight. The burn and bruises were taking quite the toll on Patrick’s mental state as painful serous fluid oozed out of the popped blisters. The footsteps behind them died down and pants receded as Patrick and Zigzagoon kept up the run. Patrick’s legs were screaming in pain, but he forced them to move, the brief energy he got from his sleep pushing him forth.

  A tall line of metal fence got into view as it lined the outer border of Wedgehurst. It was too tall for Patrick to climb, and despite his small frame he couldn’t squeeze between the bars either. It was made to keep Pokemon and humans away, so any sliver of opening would’ve led to a Sizzlipede invading Wedgehurst. That little, multi-legged fire bugger could burn down a few buildings despite its size.

  Patrick stood there rubbing his chin, thinking of answers when he realized the persistent pull in his pocket that followed him this whole way. He rummaged through his pocket feeling the cold touch of metal. The Pokedex. He didn’t burn it back there. The Pokedex listed off facts on Zigzagoon once Patrick pointed it at it.

  “Galarian Zigzagoon, the tiny raccoon Pokemon,” the woman’s voice rattled off, as Patrick tried to find purchase on the device, looking for any way to lower the volume, he found the button and the device continued in a whisper, “thought to be the oldest form of Zigzagoon, it moves in zigzags and wreaks havoc upon its surroundings. Its restlessness has it constantly running around. If it sees another Pokemon, it will purposely run into them in order to start a fight.”

  “Please don’t.” Patrick replied to the last section. “But that explains the zigzag run.”

  He scrolled down the Pokedex entry to find what he was looking for. Move list.

  Moves:

  Moves learnt by level up:

  The rest didn’t catch Patrick’s attention as Zigzagoon was set to evolve to Linoone at level 20. His eyes ran down another list, looking for a solution till he found one.

  Moves learnt by TM:

  There it was: Dig. That would solve their issue instantly but where would Patrick find TM 15? The same Pokecenter they just robbed? Patrick clicked his tongue and looked at Zigzagoon panting with its tongue out beside him. Patrick’s unkempt shoes were digging into the ground, the dirt piling up beside it. The dirt was soft, easy to move.

  “Zigzagoon.” Patrick said as Zigzagoon flicked its head toward him, awaiting orders. A Tackle, a Leer, a Sand Attack, maybe even a Lick. “Dig. Not the move, just dig, use your claws and dig under this fence.”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Zigzagoon tilted its head. Patrick sighed and knelt down on the floor. He used his bruised, bloodied hands to dig down the dirt. His fingers pulsed with every movement. The blood stained the dirt red as he swiped at it. He whimpered with every swipe, his hand screaming in pain. Zigzagoon butted him aside. Its eyes filled with worry, it took over, digging with a much faster pace, its claws throwing piles upon piles of dirt behind them. It wasn’t powered by the ground typing, it wasn’t clean, but it worked. A small makeshift tunnel went under the wall, into the wild area.

  Dirt fell onto his back as he crawled, his breaths came ragged as the walls closed in from the sides. Patrick could hear Zigzagoon’s pants from the other side; it was already waiting for him. A wet, earthy smell covered the entire tunnel, digging deep into his nostrils. Dirt gave way to grass and light streamed into the tunnel, illuminating the exit.

  Patrick hoisted himself out of the tunnel, Zigzagoon bit his arm softly and helped him out as well. Everywhere he looked, trees stood tall. The smell of earthy dirt got replaced by the smells of leaves and dung. This was where Pokemon had their own civilization, devoid of human intervention. A fair and just world. Patrick took one glance back, looking at the human civilization he was leaving behind. He wrinkled his nose and walked towards the edge of the forest. After a long day of mishaps and felonies, the adrenaline pumping in his body evaporated, and his legs gave way as he slid onto the tree, his back meeting the rough bark. His first moment of safety. He settled on the ground, huffing and puffing as he looked at his miserable hands. Zigzagoon approached him and dropped the bandages on the floor.

  “Thanks, bud.” Patrick found it in him to smile, a small quirk of the edges of his mouth. He understood Pokemon better than humans, they didn’t have ulterior motives, they were an open book. Zigzagoon looked behind him at the vast wilderness and back at Patrick. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, go do whatever you want to do.”

  Zigzagoon hopped in joy in a zigzag and went off. Patrick got a twinge of worry, could Zigzagoon just run away and abandon him here in the middle of a wild forest?

  An image of the Scorbunny with drooped ears popped into his mind’s eye and he realized that it would be a just fate.

  He sighed and wrapped the aloe vera bandages around his hands. The coolness of the mixture inside seeped into his body, and his tense body relaxed for the first time in what seemed like eons.

  And, to his misfortune, he had time alone with his thoughts.

  The image of his house burning filled his mind as he thought of his poor mother inside that raging vortex of flames. Amber was talking to her as well when he got to his room, but surely she wasn’t inside, right? He shook his head. Why would he care? It wasn’t his fault, it was theirs. They were the ones who stole his Mimikyu, who crumbled his house, who killed his mother.

  Zigzagoon interrupted his downhill line of thought as it dropped something beside him. Patrick jolted out of his trance and looked at Zigzagoon, warmth swelling in his chest as he realized that it didn’t abandon him. A fruity aroma came from the object. An Oran berry. Dented in a few spots, a bit of dirt covering its surface, but an Oran berry nonetheless.

  “How did you find this?” Patrick tilted his head. He opened his Pokedex and pointed it at Zigzagoon.

  [Zigzagoon’s Abilities]:

  Pickup

  Gluttony

  Patrick clicked on Pickup.

  [Ability: Pickup]

  The Pokemon may pick up the item an opposing Pokemon used during a battle. It may pick up items outside of battle, too.

  Well, that’s nifty. Patrick thought, but his stomach’s rumbles interrupted his thoughts as he remembered the last meal he ate. It was his dinner two days ago. He wasn’t much of an eater but…he was human. He took the berry and munched on it instantly. The juice inside exploded into his mouth, covering every crevice with tangy, sweet nectar. He gulped down the bite and went for another before looking at Zigzagoon watching him. He ripped a small section of the berry out and extended his hand out to Zigzagoon.

  “Sorry, you’re the one who found it. You deserved the bigger portion.”

  Zigzagoon hopped in a zigzag and nuzzled his thigh, its spikes poking his skin. It took the berry section and munched it down. As soon as it finished the berry, it left back into the depths of the forest. It returned much faster this time, not giving him time to finish his own portion. It came empty-handed but tugged at his shorts, pulling him with it.

  “You want me to follow you?”

  Zigzagoon nodded vehemently as it ran off. Patrick tried his best to keep up, but failed. Zigzagoon had to come back every few seconds to check on him. Sounds finally reached Patrick’s ears, and he realized what Zigzagoon was bringing him to. A smile crept up his cheeks as the sound of running water filled the forest. They entered the borders of a clearing with a river cutting down its middle. A Skwovet knelt by the river, filling its already large cheeks with water. Beside it, a Rookidee wet its beak with water as it took a drink. A pang of regret caught Patrick as he realized going in to take a drink would scare them off. But…survival of the fittest.

  He exited the shade of the trees and entered the clearing. Skwovet and Rookidee ran off instantly, hiding in the shade of the trees on the other side of the river. Patrick knelt by the river, he looked at the bandages on his hands and sighed.

  He laid flat on his stomach as he caught the water by his mouth, not wanting to dampen his bandages. The ice cold water shocked him awake. It quenched his thirst and ran down his throat, tasting exquisite, wiping away the pent up exhaustion. He gulped down a few more mouthfuls before noticing Zigzagoon drinking beside him. He felt at ease. In the middle of the wilderness, with his partner—not Mimikyu—drinking water and surviving off nature.

  He cocked his head back, satisfied and noticed a glint of orange in the distance. A Nickit sat in the bushes, glaring at Patrick and Zigzagoon as they drank. Patrick immediately feigned ignorance. He got up and stretched his body out in an exaggerated manner, hiding his mouth as he did so.

  “Zigzagoon,” he whispered, his extended arm hiding his mouth, “to your right in the corner of the clearing. A Nickit is watching. Careful, they’re sneaky foxes.” Zigzagoon looked straight at the Nickit, lacking any tact.

  The Nickit jumped into the clearing, flopping on its side. It whimpered, squeezing its eyes shut as if immense pain was ravaging it.

  A trap.

  “Zigzagoon, wait!” Patrick shouted.

  Zigzagoon bolted forward, running around the edge of the clearing towards the whimpering, sly fox.

  Whether out of aggression or concern, it paid no heed to Patrick’s warnings as it cut the distance and got close to Nickit in mere seconds.

  The Nickit smiled.

  A silent sneer painted its face as it bared its fangs at the unknowing Zigzagoon.