Pokemon: Reborn as a Pokemon 57. Rhyperior

◉◉◉◉◉

The evening sky blushed with ribbons of color, soft twilight spilling across the quiet forest.

Beneath the thick canopy, a lone figure moved swiftly, weaving through the undergrowth without breaking stride.

Matt's breathing was steady, his footwork confident each step instinctively adjusting to the uneven ground.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. Muscles tensed, he lunged sideways without hesitation.

Zzzzt!

A jet of dark-purple liquid hissed through the air from the shadows ahead, splattering against the grass.

Smoke curled upward as the ground blackened, the corrosive stench hanging in the air.

A sharp pulse of danger surged through Matt's chest. His hand shot to his belt, yanking free a Poké Ball and hurling it forward.

Clack!

Crimson light burst forth, solidifying into a massive, armored figure that hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Its body was sheathed in rugged, stone-gray skin, overlaid with orange plates like natural armor. Thick, muscular arms each ended in three blunt but deadly claws.

From its head jutted a spiral horn like a drill, and behind it swayed a heavy, hamr-like tail.

This was Matt's long-trained ace: Rhyperior.

From the shadows, his attacker erged as a massive Arbok. Its long, violet body coiled around tree branches, tongue flicking as faint black fus seeped from its open jaws.

The hood at its neck flared wide, its eerie face-like pattern shimring with a hypnotic gleam.

Hssss...

The serpent swayed, trying to ensnare its prey's mind.

"Don't look at its hood!" Matt barked.

"Rhyperior Hamr Arm!"

Rhyperior's eyes narrowed. The muscles of its right arm bulged to twice their size, white light glinting along the rough skin.

Its stumpy but powerful legs slamd into the ground as it charged faster than sothing its size had any right to move.

The Arbok's predatory eyes flickered with surprise. Its hypnosis faltered for the briefest mont and that was all it took.

BOOM!

The glowing fist smashed down on the serpent's head with bone-cracking force. Blood sprayed as the blow ripped it from its perch, shattering the branch beneath it.

Not done yet, Rhyperior drew on deep-yellow energy that pooled in its feet.

"Stomp!" The rightful source is n0velfire

Its massive foot crashed down on Arbok's skull. The long tail thrashed wildly in the air for a few seconds... then fell limp.

Matt recalled Rhyperior, though his expression stayed grim.

Another dangerous wild encounter was survived. But this was already his second week deep in the forest.

The Clara Mountains lood larger every day, yet he knew they were still far away.

And his food supply... was almost gone.

The plan had been to bring two weeks' worth of preserved rations and rely mostly on hunting to stretch them out saving the packs for when he reached the mountains themselves.

But reality had been cruel. There were no normal animals here.

Every living thing was a wild Pokémon and most, like the Arbok, were venomous or otherwise unsuitable for human consumption.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he glanced at the sky. Dusk had settled in. He found a small clearing and lit a campfire, the flas flickering defiantly against the dark.

He sat by the fire, sipping hot broth, and looked up. Above him, the night sky glittered with a spray of stars clearer and more vivid than anything visible under the smog of the cities.

For a mont, the beauty eased the weight on his mind.

ow~

The soft call made the hair on his neck stand on end. Years of experience scread a warning: in the wild, the stranger the sound, the greater the danger.

He shot to his feet, tossing a Poké Ball into the air. Rhyperior materialized at his side with a solid thump.

The gentle owing continued. The fire crackled. Shadows swayed.

Closer. Closer.

"It's coming," Matt murmured, heart pounding.

ow~

The source stepped into the firelight. Small, delicate, covered in snowy-white fur, with a scarf-like ruff of indigo around its neck.

Bright amber eyes glead under long, floppy ears that brushed its cheeks.

Matt recognized it instantly owstic, the Psychic-type from Kalos. But he didn't relax. He knew the kind of power that could lurk beneath that cute exterior.

"Stop!" he ordered. "Leave now, or I'll attack!"

The owstic's eyes glimred with faint disdain. Its lips curled in a smirk, ears snapping upright.

A wave of raw psychic energy burst forth, faintly pink and strong enough to be seen with the naked eye, surging toward Matt and Rhyperior.

◉◉◉◉◉

For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:

P-atreon/iamxeno

(Just remove the - hyphen to access Patreon normally)

Thank you so much for your support and for reading!