Pokémon Adventures: GAMER PATH

Chapter 124: Mythical Pokémon [Bonus]

~Third POV~

[Johto Region, Ilex Forest]

Azure, having accidentally bonked Celebi on the head too hard, tried another approach to appease the Time Traveler Pokémon. Azure resorted to his tried and true method… bribery and persuasion.

With one hand, he pulled out a Poke Block from his Sub-Space, and with the other, he activated his Viridian Force. Sensing the forest's essence radiating from Azure and the soothing aura of familiarity, Celebi's anger wavered.

It didn't resist Azure as he used his power to heal the bump on its head. Then he handed over the Poke Block.

Celebi hesitated, glancing between Azure and the fragrant treat, then cautiously took a bite. The complex blend of berries burst across its taste buds – a perfect balance of flavors as Celebi thought, stunned, 'Delicious.'

Celebi's eyes lit up and flew around happily, "Cel! Bei! Bei!"

With its anger waning, Azure took this chance to check his Arc Phone. He was stunned reading Celebi's status and info.

[Celebi the Time Traveling Pokémon. Often found in forests, Celebi is a Mythical Pokémon, known in legend as the "Voice of the Forest." It can travel through time and exist simultaneously throughout time, and plant life flourishes wherever it has been.

The plant life can heal Celebi when it is dying and restore the flora around it to perfect health. Celebi can also heal wounds and can release a telekinetic energy wave to defend itself. Celebi has the power to instantly cause the Purification of any Shadow Pokémon and can be summoned at Relic Forest with the melody of a Time Flute.

Despite living in forests as its guardian, Celebi only shows itself in areas and times of peace. It has been regarded that if Celebi are seen throughout the world, a prosperous and bright future is still in store for the Pokémon world. Celebi can sense if something is a temporal anomaly in the current timeline and will bring it back to its original timeline. Celebi has been referred to as a forest deity.]

|Name: Celebi (Time Traveling Pokémon)

|Type: Psychic/Grass

|Level: 80

|Gender: Genderless

|Held Item: None

|Ability: Natural Cure

|Nature: Modest

|Moves: Confusion, Heal Bell, Leech Seed, Recover, Safeguard, Ancient Power, Future Sight, Baton Pass, Perish Song, Magical Leaf, Natural Gift, Heal Block, Healing Wish, Leaf Storm, Grassy Terrain (IM), Psychic Terrain (IM) (31 moves left to learn)

Azure looked stunned, seeing how powerful Celebi is at Lv.80, but then turned his attention to Celebi as it began to float around him excitedly. For Azure, this encounter felt surreal.

He had come to Ilex Forest using the plot of Gold, battling the Masked Man first encounter to capture Celebi. Yet by sheer coincidence, Celebi seemed fine being captured by him, leaving him baffled as he thought, 'Don't Mythical Pokémon don't like being captured? Or is it because of my badges? But first, I'll need to have Celebi willingly follow me.'

Intrigued by Azure's Viridian Force, Celebi couldn't resist following him with his connection to nature. Then, in a show of goodwill, Azure pressed the release mechanism on his GS Ball, surprising Celebi.

*Click*

With Celebi released, it floated around Azure thankfully. But then Azure asked curiously, earning Celebi's attention, "Say, Celebi, what do you intend to do next?"

Celebi tilted its head again, a puzzled expression on its face. Azure clarified his words as he spoke again curiously, "I mean, eventually you'll leave. But the world is a dangerous place. As human technology advances, there will always be people who try to capture you using machines. Not everyone you meet will be like me."

Celebi fell silent, deep in thought. It knew Azure was right.

Celebi's frequent time travel gave it a unique perspective on humanity's progress. It preferred peaceful eras, avoiding conflict whenever possible, but with technology advancing, finding safe havens was becoming increasingly difficult.

Remaining in primitive times or eras without humans might be the only way to ensure its safety. But such isolation would be unbearably dull for it.

Seeing Celebi's hesitation, Azure decided it was time to act as he suggested, "How about this? Become my Pokémon, and no one will be able to capture you."

Celebi's eyes sparked with excitement at Azure's words. Just as Azure said, if it were captured by him, no one else could capture it again.

If it had to choose someone, it would rather be Azure, whose aura made it feel safe and comfortable thanks to his Viridian Force effects. Besides, he wouldn't restrict its freedom as he released it, and he gave it delicious Poke Blocks tempting it more.

With Azure showing he cared about Pokémon, releasing Celebi, it showed a good impression on him. It was simply perfect from Celebi's perspective being simple minded.

Without realizing it, Celebi had fallen into the trap of Azure's carefully crafted words. Azure's argument relied on the assumption that Celebi would inevitably be captured by someone in the future.

But would that happen? Of course, it wasn't certain.

But considering the future, at the very least, Celebi wouldn't be captured in the present along side him along with free snacks. Celebi stretched out its tiny hand and pressed the button on the GS Ball that Azure was holding, willingly be captured again.

A beam of light engulfed Celebi, and it was drawn into the GS Ball. Without even a hint of resistance, this time the ball clicked, signaling Celebi's capture.

*BON*

Celebi has officially been captured. Azure looked at the GS Ball in his hand and smiled as he thought happily, 'Heh. It feels good to capture a Mythical Pokémon. Twice. At least this way, Celebi will listen to what I say. And having a guarantee to travel into the pass means the Hisui Region and Paradox Pokémon just opened for me.'

While he had played a bit of a word game to convince Celebi, his argument wasn't entirely wrong. Given Celebi's uniqueness, there would always be ambitious individuals coveting it for their purposes.

It was a simple matter of risk management. It was why Azure released Celebi so that he could genuinely be friends with it, as it was angry with him forcibly being captured thus tried to befriend it instead.

Capturing Pokémon was sometimes akin to navigating a relationship. The timing and sequence of actions could make all the difference.

And even if Celebi didn't want to battle Azure was fine with that. After all, having a Mythical Pokemon that specalizes in healing is far better than one suited for combat.

*Pop*

Tossing his Poke Balls into the open Azure addressed his Johto Team as they continued their travels in an excited tone, "Alright, everyone! I want to introduce you all to our new friend Celebi!"

Having been introduced to the Azure team, his Pokémon openly greeted Celebi, welcoming it with open arms. Celebi smirked, seeing the chance to enjoy an era of adventures ahead with its new trainer and friends.

With that, the group will eventually lead to the gates of Route 34. And with it, new changing possibilities ahead as the future drastically takes a turn into the unexpected path ahead, derailing the plot…

//////

[Johto Region, Later, Azalea Town – Pokémon Center]

Managing to escape the Masked Man Gold and the worker returned to Azalea Town hoping to recuperate from the encounter. As Gold recuperates at the Pokémon Center, he makes a call to Prof. Elm.

Professor Elm inquires about his condition through the computer at the Pokémon Center in a concerned tone, "Are you all right, Gold?!"

Gold bandaged up along with his Pokémon, curtly replied, "Depends on your definition of 'all right.'"

Prof. Elm sighs in relief as Gold explains that he is fine, but then Elm asks, concerned, "How are the Pokémon and the Trainer you rescued?"

Looking at the Trainer and his Pokémon, he curtly replied, "Alive, but barely."

Gold explained that the worker he saved is still unconscious. Professor Elm reveals that a thorough analysis of the material the figure was wearing is a crucial clue to unraveling this mystery, as he said seriously, "Meanwhile, I'm analyzing the gold powder you scanned and sent to me. It may be important. I'll let you know as soon as my chemical analysis is complete. In the meantime… I want you to be careful from here on out!"

However, Gold wasn't paying attention as he thought about the battle against the Masked Man in a frustrated tone, 'The kid with the Croconaw he was talking about… has got to be Silver. The Totodile must have evolved. That guy's got nerve saying Silver's better than – '

But Prof. Elm's words interrupted Gold's thoughts as he yelled, "Gold!! Are you listening?!"

Gold said absentmindedly, looking at Elm, "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Right. Careful."

/////

[Johto Region, Meanwhile, Goldenrod City]

Meanwhile, Silver was in Goldenrod City as he checked his Rotom Phone, recognizing the number shown as he thought, 'Must be from Lance. What info does he have?'

*Beep*

Picking up the Rotom Phone, he began to pay attention to what Lance had to say in a serious tone, "Silver. New data. The kid encountered the masked man. It was in the forest in question. Afterward, light was seen emanating from the shrine… but the masked man failed to obtain the light. I want you to keep up with your surveillance of the Masked Man."

Silver is informed by Lance that Gold has encountered the Masked Man and that he should keep a close eye on Gold. Silver nodded as he said, "I'm on it."

Before ending the call, Lance also added something that made Silver pause, almost ending the call in a curious tone, "Ah. And one more thing, sightings of Azure Sky have been seen as he exited Ilex Forest and entered Route 34. I have a gut feeling he knows than he let on in that forest."

Silver looked at Lance, confused, as he couldn't help but ask in a baffled tone, "But why? I don't see him being involved with the Masked Man."

But Lance curtly replies in a confident tone with a smug grin on his face as he states, humorlessly, "True. But he knows how to dismantle Team Rocket. If there is someone who can destroy evil plans most annoyingly and unexpectedly, it's him. He knows more than he lets on."

It was when Lance explained he'd gotten reports of Azure clashing with Team Rocket arriving in the Johto Region. However, Silver couldn't fathom the same guy that Lance praises got hit by a Yawn from a Slowpoke to be useful.

However, he never doubted Lance's words as they were all true. Even Silver had to admit that much as he pondered deeply, 'Not only that, he also extended a hand to help Green once before, but she turned it down, saying it's our fight, not his. But currently, with him here in Johto, fighting the Masked Man, he doesn't have his main team…'

Silver frowned at the implications Azure was causing with him in Johto. He knew he was a skilled trainer, seeing him take out the Team Rocket Grunts from Slowpoke Well, but his fear of the Masked Man clouded his judgment.

Silver contemplated what to do next with the information given. He sighed as he focused on his objective for now…

/////

A/N: Reach the new goal of 300PS to get Bonus Chapter!