| May POV |
The clink of mugs and soft hum of the cafeteria's vending machine are the only sounds as Roxanne and I sit at a corner table, nursing our drinks. It's a rare moment of peace — the first real one since Devon.
Roxanne stirs her tea, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So. Type: Null. You're certain he isn't hostile, he won't suddenly decide to make you into lunch?"
I nod absently, scrolling through my PokéNav, still thinking about that weird feeling I had near Null. Like…
"Positive. He's just... sad. And kinda adorable, in a terrifying way. You saw how fast he rolled over for belly rubs."
Roxanne snorts. "Define safe. That thing's basically a Frankenstein's monster wearing prison gear. Devon claimed it's under control, but you saw how fast it changed its mind.."
Before I can respond, my PokéNav buzzes. Dad. I quickly tap to accept.
"Hey, Dad!"
"May! Its good to see you!" Professor Birch's face fills the screen, breathless, like he ran to the phone. "Listen — I've been reading through the reports you sent, and I looked through team rocket's connection to both the aether Foundation and Devon. That creature, Type: Null… I don't know what they were thinking keeping it active. Its original purpose was to counter Ultra Beasts — it was designed to break gods. To make their goals easier to achieve—"
CRASH!
The entire cafeteria shakes, dust drifting down from the rafters. Plates rattle, my drink topples over, and somewhere, a poor vending machine tips onto its side with a defeated clunk.
Roxanne and I exchange a single look.
"Training room?" I guess.
"Training room," she confirms, already on her feet.
Dad's voice crackles through the speaker. "May? May! What was that?!"
''Uh... Rio probably figured out how to weaponize oxygen or something, we'll go check.''
I stuff the PokéNav in my pocket as Roxanne and I sprint down the hall, our boots thudding against the tile. The Gym's familiar corridors blur past, and my heart sinks with every new dent or scorch mark we pass.
When we burst into the training room, I half expect to see the ceiling caved in or the floor turned into a crater.
Instead, we find exactly what I should have expected.
The far wall of the Gym is just gone — a fresh, smoking hole opens into the forest beyond, with debris still settling. A deep trench stretches through the trees, the remains of shattered boulders scattered like confetti.
In the middle of it all stands the team:
Combusken, feathers singed at the tips, looking sheepish as she brushes ash off her talons.
Ralts, hovering slightly above the ground, cheeks pink, looking anywhere but at us.
Type: Null, calm as can be, tail swishing, as if this is perfectly normal.
Rotom, projecting a giant neon sign that flashes: "DEATH TO THE VERMIN!"
Rio, standing proud — or maybe trying really hard to look like this was intentional.
And at Rio's feet…
A featherless Pidgey, its tiny legs pumping as it tries to make a break for the treeline, looking like it's questioning every life choice that led it to this moment.
Roxanne just stares. "Do I even want to know?"
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Probably not."
Null gives a soft whine, as if asking if he should go after the Pidgey.
"No, big guy," I mutter. "I think it learned its lesso… whatever it did to deserve that."
Before I can even think about feeling sorry for the poor thing, I hear Rio shout:
"Huh? Hell no! I'm cooking that bird!"
And just like that, Rio's off — flames licking at his paws, eyes blazing, aura flaring like he's suddenly decided he is a fire type. He rockets after the Pidgey, leaving scorched footprints in his wake.
I stare after him, jaw slightly slack. "Is he… is he seriously on fire right now?"
Roxanne pinches the bridge of her nose. "Apparently he's diversified. Great. Just what we needed."
The Pidgey vanishes into the underbrush, leaving only a single, sad feather drifting through the air — a feather that sizzles and turns to ash before it even hits the ground thanks to Rio's fiery pursuit.
Roxanne crosses her arms, watching the chaos unfold. "So... should we even ask what move caused this?"
Rotom helpfully zips between us, screen flickering as it replays the scene in glorious, slow-motion high definition:
Ralts, completely deadpan, eyes glowing like twin stars, casually launching a hill-sized boulder through the Gym wall like it's nothing.
I bury my face in my hands. "I'm gonna have to explain this to Dad, aren't I?"
Roxanne claps my shoulder with mock sympathy, her expression the picture of innocence. "I'll send you the repair bill."
I groan louder, dragging a hand down my face as the sound of crashing branches fades into the distance. "This is all Rio's fault."
Null lets out a soft chuff, tail thumping as if in agreement.
Roxanne snorts, unable to hide her smirk. "It's always Rio's fault."
And somewhere out there, through the shattered wall and into the woods beyond, I can still hear him —
"GET BACK HERE! I'M GONNA TURN YOU INTO SPICY NUGGETS!"
The forest echoes with the poor Pidgey's frantic chirps and the sound of Rio crashing after it like a tiny, cursed tornado.
I stare at the gaping hole in the Gym wall. The trench. The smoldering trees.
It never not Rio's fault...
I rub my temples, trying to will away the headache forming as I stare at the wreckage. The fresh hole in the wall, the trench through the forest, the faint smell of burnt wood… I don't want to deal with this.
But before I can even start thinking of what I'm going to tell Dad, I feel a gentle tug at my sleeve.
I glance down.
Ralts hovers there, cheeks pink, hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of my jacket. Her gaze doesn't quite meet mine, as if bracing for scolding.
"…Um… May?" she asks softly, voice echoing in my head. ''Did I do something bad?''
I kneel so we're eye level, offering my best you're not in trouble smile. "No, sweetie, you're not in trouble. I just…" I glance at the shattered remains of what used to be the training field. "…I need to know how you did that. The boulder? The trench? The forest-clearing meteor shot?"
Ralts shifts, shyly tucking her face behind her hands. I just… thought about making a big rock like Rio said. So I gathered up the pieces and… pushed?
She peeks at me, wide-eyed and innocent.
I stare at her for a long beat.
"…You pushed," I repeat flatly. "That wasn't pushing. That was launching an entire mountain range at Mach speed."
She tilts her head, worried now. Did I push too hard?
I glance back at the gaping hole, the obliterated trees, and — if I squint — Rio still chasing that featherless Pidgey into the horizon.
"…No, sweetie. I think you pushed just the right amount. Maybe next time… just aim up a little?"
Ralts brightens, relieved. Okay! I'll try that!
Null rumbles approvingly beside us, like he's proud of her handiwork.
I sigh, patting Ralts gently on the head. "Let's… not tell Dad about the part where you could probably level half of Hoenn if you felt like it, okay?"
She giggles softly, hiding her face behind her hands again.
Word Count: 1229
When I said the team was going to train hard, I didn't mean terraform the gym and start a barbecue party. But here we are. Poor Pidgey.
MC: You're invited too.
Are there any vegan options?
MC: You are no longer invited.