The air grew thin and sharp as Kamala, Doreen, and May climbed higher into the Aurawood Preserve's mountainous section. Towering pines stood like silent sentinels over winding dirt paths, their branches whispering secrets on the cold breeze. Kamala's bright voice bounced off the rocks as she pointed out a patch of blue berries to her Eevee, her optimism echoing in the quiet.
Doreen was busy plotting a perfect gliding route for her Emolga, her finger tracing imaginary lines between the tallest trees. Tippy-Toe chittered excitedly on her shoulder, a tiny general overseeing the aerial maneuvers. May walked a little behind them, a content smile on her face as she felt Joltik's faint static prickle on her shoulder, a soft, crackling comfort against the growing chill.
"Emolga loves spots like this," Doreen explained, her words coming out in cheerful puffs of steam. "The taller the trees, the longer the glide. It's all about momentum and having a good nut stash at the landing site."
"Joltik's static helps it stick to anything," May added quietly, her voice carrying clearly in the crisp air. "Even smooth rock. It makes climbing easy."
Kamala laughed, the sound bright and clear. "Eevee almost tackled a big patch of moss last week, thinking it was a sleeping Snorlax! You should have heard the little 'vee!' of surprise." Her Eevee, trotting at her heels, let out a confirming chirp that seemed to hold a hint of sheepish pride. The shared story hung in the air, a warm thread of camaraderie woven from lighthearted mishaps and deep understanding.
May's gaze drifted from the path, catching on a splash of vibrant color. High up on a jagged rocky outcrop, far off the marked trail, a small cluster of berries gleamed a deep, almost electric purple. They looked different from the others.
"Those are a really pretty color," May mused aloud, her tone a little wistful. "I wonder what kind they are."
On her shoulder, Joltik twitched its antennae. Its bright blue eyes fixed on the distant berries, and it let out a soft, inquisitive chirp that carried a faint buzz of static. The sound was a question, an offer, and a shared curiosity all at once. For a moment, the serious mission ahead was forgotten, replaced by the simple, innocent allure of a small adventure waiting just off the path.
Kamala, Doreen, and May rounded a bend on the winding mountain path. The cheerful, sun-dappled trail ended abruptly.
The trees gave way to a wide clearing, dominated by a large, dilapidated power plant. Its metal shell was a patchwork of rust and peeling paint, covered in thick, tenacious vines that aggressively reclaimed its structure. The air around it felt different, heavy with a low, mechanical hum that contrasted sharply with the natural sounds of the preserve.
The joyful chatter from their hike died instantly.
"Wow, that's… a lot creepier than I expected," Kamala murmured, her voice a little smaller than before.
She looked at the vine-covered structure, its broken windows staring out like empty eyes. The steady hum was a wrong note in the forest's song.
"Probably should check it out, though," she added, more to herself than to anyone else. "It's on the map."
"Yeah… yeah, we should," Doreen agreed, her usual optimism now tinged with a slight apprehension. Her Emolga tightened its grip on her shoulder, its tiny claws digging a little deeper.
May nodded, a quiet seriousness settling over her young face. Her small hand reached for Joltik, who clung to her backpack strap, ready to move.
They walked toward the entrance, a broken door hanging off its hinges. The hum grew louder as they approached, reverberating through the decaying metal. A faint smell of rust and ozone drifted out.
They stepped inside, and the world changed.
The hum became a roar, vibrating through their bones. Sparks danced along exposed wires, crackling with sharp blue light. The air crackled with static electricity, making Kamala's nose twitch at the thick smell of ozone.
The interior was a maze of corroded machinery and shadowy corners. It felt more like a haunted relic than a power source.
As they moved deeper into the plant, navigating through twisted metal and overgrown flora, they encountered several Magnemite. The small, gray Pokémon floated silently, their red and blue magnets humming softly as they drew power from the plant's residual energy.
They eyed the group with indifferent curiosity, their single eyes glowing a soft, steady yellow. Kamala felt a moment of relaxed guard, a temporary return to the mundane in this decaying facility.
"They look pretty harmless, but still, stay close, Eevee."
Kamala, Doreen, and May quickly pulled out their Pokédexes, aiming the devices at the floating Magnemite. The Pokédexes whirred softly as they scanned the creatures.
"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokémon. An Electric and Steel type. It attaches itself to power lines to feed on electricity."
Doreen's device chimed in right after, its tone a bit more cheerful. "Its habitat includes industrial areas and power plants. It uses electromagnetic units to float!"
May's Pokédex added a final, less comforting detail. "Known to cause power outages when they gather in swarms." A small shiver went down her spine at the thought.
They continued deeper, the hum of electricity growing stronger, until they found themselves in a larger, central chamber. In the middle of the chamber, nestled among some broken machinery, they spotted a gleaming red and white orb.
It looked exactly like a large Poké Ball, lying perfectly still on a moss-covered control panel. May, curious, took a tentative step forward, drawn by its familiar shape.
"Is that… what I think it is?"
As May took another step, her Spider-Sense erupted.
It wasn't a gentle tingle or a quiet warning. It was a sharp, insistent buzzing that drilled into her skull, cutting through the low hum of the power plant. Her head throbbed with the intensity of it, a sudden, urgent alarm that made her vision blur at the edges.
The feeling was overwhelming, a raw signal of immediate and overwhelming danger.
"Get away from the orb! Get back, now!"
May's voice was tight with panic, the words tumbling out before she could think. Her body reacted almost before her mind could process, pulling back instinctively. A raw, protective urge for her friends overrode everything else.
Kamala and Doreen froze, their cheerful expressions dissolving into confusion.
The red and white orb on the floor began to wobble. Then it spun rapidly, a faint, high-pitched whine emanating from its core. It wasn't a Poké Ball at all.
It was a Voltorb. The Pokémon, now fully aware of their presence, started to glow with an intense, unstable red light. It emitted a furious, crackling energy, its slanted eyes fixing on the group as a clear threat.
Before anyone could react, the Voltorb let out a high-pitched, metallic shriek. Its red light flared to an unbearable intensity.
It unleashed a devastating Self-Destruct attack.
The chamber was instantly engulfed in a blinding flash of white light and a deafening roar that echoed through the entire power plant, shaking its rusted foundations to the core.
***
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