The morning light spilled into The Hidden Junk as Arlo stood at the counter, the weight of the Threaded Cane still fresh in his hand. Michael Seaworth leaned against the counter, arms crossed, his usual grin plastered on his face.
"So," Michael began, tilting his head slightly, "you're finally an official Pioneer now, huh?"
Arlo nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, passed the test. It was tougher than I expected, but I made it."
Michael chuckled, nodding in approval. "Good for you, kid. That's no small feat. Congratulations."
"Thanks," Arlo replied, smiling faintly.Michael's grin faded slightly as he leaned forward. "Let me ask you something serious, though. Have any guilds come knocking yet? They tend to swarm new Pioneers like vultures." The question caught Arlo off guard. He hesitated before replying, "Not exactly. But my guide—Aria Hartman—invited me to join her guild."
Michael blinked, his brows raising slightly in surprise. "Aria Hartman? You mean the Aria Hartman? The A-Rank Pioneer who just advanced?"
Arlo nodded. "That's the one."
Michael let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Well, kid, I don't usually say this about guilds, but if Aria's the one inviting you, you might want to seriously consider it. She's one of the good ones."
Arlo raised an eyebrow. "Good ones?"
"Yeah," Michael said, his tone more measured. "Most guilds treat their members like disposable assets—tools to complete quests and fill their coffers. But Aria? From everything I've heard, she runs her guild differently. She treats her people like family. She's earned their loyalty, not demanded it."
Arlo thought about the Trailblazers—Otis, Orson, Maria, and the rest. Michael wasn't wrong. The group felt more like a close-knit team than a collection of mercenaries.Michael smirked, clapping Arlo on the shoulder. "You're lucky, kid. Getting invited to a guild like that doesn't happen every day. If I were you, I'd seriously think about it."
Arlo returned the smirk, nodding. "Thanks, Mr. Seaworth. I'll keep it in mind."
Michael waved him off. "Ah, don't mention it. I'm just an old man handing out advice to you young bloods."
Arlo chuckled, stepping away from the counter. "Still, I appreciate it. I'll see you around, Mr. Seaworth."
As he left the shop, the cane tucked securely under his arm, Arlo couldn't help but reflect on Michael's words. Aria's invitation wasn't just about recruiting—it was an opportunity to belong to something real. But first, I've got to prove I'm ready for it.
Next stop: Maria's shop. He was running low on potions, and if he was going to take on back-to-back quests, he needed to stock up.
---
The bell above the door chimed as Arlo stepped into Fantastic Alchemy. The familiar scent of herbs, potions, and faintly charred metal filled the air. Maria stood behind the counter, her usual sharp, practical attire replacing the elegant outfit she'd worn at the celebration party.
She looked up from a ledger and waved cheerfully. "Well, look who it is! Back so soon, Arlo?"
Arlo gave a small wave in return. "Yeah. I need to stock up on potions. I've got a double quest lined up."
Maria blinked, her hand pausing mid-wave.
"Double quest?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Are you crazy? You just became an official Pioneer, and you're already going for back-to-back quests?"
"Pretty much," Arlo said with a straight face.Maria's cheerful expression morphed into irritation. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. That's how rookies get themselves killed. You're seriously diving into this with no hesitation?"
"I've thought it through," Arlo replied calmly. "The quests I picked are manageable. I wouldn't take them if I didn't think I could handle it."
Maria let out a long, exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Those," she said dryly, "are the famous last words of rookie Pioneers before they end up dead or worse."
Arlo smirked faintly. "I'm not that incompetent, Maria. I'll be fine."
"Fine," she muttered, dropping her hands to her sides. "What do you need, then?"
"Let's start with nine low health potions and eight low mana potions," Arlo said, tapping his BrainLink to bring up his shopping list. Then he hesitated before adding, "Oh, and do you have anything for curing Zombie infections?"
Maria raised an eyebrow again, this time in curiosity. "Why? What kind of quests are you taking?"
"One of them involves an infection risk," Arlo explained. "I'd rather not take any chances."
Maria stared at him for a moment before nodding. "I've got a [Anti-Viral Potion]. It's pricey, though—300 credits per bottle."
Arlo sighed, already feeling his wallet groan. "How many do you have?"
"Ten in stock," Maria replied.
"Alright," Arlo said reluctantly. "I'll take all two."
Maria quickly tallied the total. "Nine health potions at 450 credits, eight mana potions at 400 credits, and three Vaccine Potions at 600 credits. That comes to 1,450 credits altogether."
Arlo let out a quiet groan but nodded, transferring the payment through his BrainLink. "There goes another chunk of my savings."
Maria smirked as she packed up the potions. "Better broke than dead, Arlo. You only get one life out there, remember that."
He took the bag of potions and nodded. "Thanks, Maria. I appreciate it."
"Good luck out there," she said, waving as he headed for the door. "And try not to die. I'd hate to lose my best customer."
Arlo grinned faintly over his shoulder. "I'll do my best." Before leaving the shopping district, Arlo made one last stop to pick up delicious snack for Link. By the time he boarded the train back to the residential district, his bag was heavy, and his wallet was lighter.
***
Two days passed, and Arlo was nearly done preparing for his quests. Early in the morning, he headed to the Battle Brawler Club with Link. It wasn't for training this time but for a precautionary measure—vaccinating Link against zombie viruses.The club was noisy as usual, with sparring sessions echoing through the training halls. Arlo entered the side clinic attached to the facility, where a few other Pioneers were having their Pokémon checked or vaccinated.
"Ruff Ruff!" Link barked, wagging his tail nervously.
Arlo crouched to ruffle his fur. "Relax, buddy. This is just a shot. You'll be fine."
The nurse, a tall woman in a lab coat, approached. "Is this your Rockruff? You're here for the zombie virus vaccination, right?"
"Yeah," Arlo replied. "I'm taking a quest with infection risks, and I'd rather not have Link turn into some kind of zombie dog during my quest."
The Nurse chuckled. "Smart choice. You'd be surprised how many rookies overlook this kind of thing." She prepped the vaccine and administered it quickly.
Link flinched but stayed still, his ears drooping slightly.
"All done," the Nurse said, patting Link gently. "Just keep him hydrated and rested. He'll be good to go."
Then the nurse informed Arlo that the Anti-Viral Vaccination cost 500 credits. Without hesitation, Arlo accessed his BrainLink and authorized the payment. A small confirmation chime rang in his ear as his credit balance updated, and the transaction was complete.
Arlo thanked the nurse and left the clinic, feeling a little more at ease knowing Link was protected. The Link trotted beside him, his tail wagging slightly, though he still looked a little miffed about the shot.
"See? That wasn't so bad," he said to Link as they exited the building.Link gave a small, unimpressed bark, but Arlo laughed and continued on.
After leaving the clinic, Arlo made his way toward one of the shop in the Battle Brawler buy some on potions for Link. The shop was small but packed with shelves of Pokémon-related items—everything from healing potions and berries to special equipment designed for combat.
A cheerful attendant greeted him. "Welcome! What can I get for you today?"
"I need some Standard Pokémon Potion for my Rockruff," Arlo said. "Three potions should do."
The attendant nodded and quickly retrieved three bottles of the familiar blue liquid, placing them neatly on the counter. "That'll be 300 credits."
Arlo once again used his BrainLink to complete the payment. The shop's system processed the transaction instantly, and the receipt was sent directly to his interface.
"There you go!" The attendant handed him a small bag with the potions. "Good luck out there."
Arlo thanked the shopkeeper and left, feeling a bit lighter in the wallet but better prepared for the challenges ahead.
---
With his basic supplies secured, Arlo decided it was time to improve Link's battle capabilities. He needed a move that could help mitigate the Link's weaknesses, and one skill immediately came to mind—[Protect].
After searching the area, Arlo found a specialized TM shop, its bright neon sign flashing [TECHNICAL MACHINES & MOVE TUTORS].
The interior was sleek and organized, with displays showcasing different TM discs behind glass cases. The air carried the faint hum of machinery, and holographic screens provided descriptions of various moves.
A salesperson, a young woman in a futuristic-looking uniform, approached him with a polite smile. "Welcome! Looking for a specific TM for your partner?"
Arlo nodded. "Yeah, I'd like to buy TM17—Protect for my Rockruff."
The salesperson tapped on a holographic console, bringing up the listing. "Good choice! Protect is a widely used defensive move, especially for survival situations. That'll be 3,000 credits."
Arlo raised an eyebrow. "Three thousand? Why is it so expensive?"
The salesperson chuckled. "That's actually on the cheaper end. High-quality TMs require advanced energy encoding and memory imprinting to ensure seamless move transfer. The more powerful or rare the move, the more expensive it gets. Moves like Hyper Beam or Earthquake? Those go for 40,000 credits or more."
Arlo sighed but understood the reasoning. Since [Protect] was a universal move that most Pokémon could learn and focused on support rather than offense, it wasn't priced as high as some of the top-tier battle moves.
"Alright," he said, authorizing the payment through his BrainLink. His credit balance ticked down again, and he tried not to dwell on how much he had already spent today.
The salesperson nodded and retrieved the TM disc from a secured case before leading Arlo to the installation machine—a sleek, metallic device designed to imprint new moves into Pokémon memory.
"Please, place your Pokémon's Pokéball in the slot," she instructed.
Arlo unhooked Link's Luxury Ball from his belt and set it into the designated slot. The machine's interface scanned the ball, confirming the Pokémon inside.The salesperson inserted the TM disc into the machine and pressed a sequence of buttons. The screen lit up with a processing bar:
[Installing TM17: Protect…]
The Pokéball glowed faintly as the machine transferred the data into Link's neural pathways, encoding the move into his memory. After a few moments, a soft chime indicated completion.
[Installation Complete. Rockruff has learned PROTECT.]
The salesperson removed the disc and retrieved Link's Pokéball, handing it back to Arlo. "That's it! Your Rockruff now knows Protect. Just be mindful—like all moves, it has limitations. It won't work indefinitely if used repeatedly in succession and it is important to practice first the move to better familiarize."
Arlo nodded, clipping the Pokéball back onto his belt. "Got it. Thanks for the help."
"Anytime," the salesperson said with a smile. "Good luck on your quests!"
Arlo left the shop, feeling satisfied with his purchase. Link was now better prepared for tougher encounters, and while his wallet had taken a serious hit, the investment was worth it.
---
The rest of the day was spent practicing with the Threaded Cane. Arlo found that his Clown's Bodily Control ability made wielding the Threaded Cane proficient enough. Switching between cane form and whip form felt fluid and instinctive, and the balance of the weapon suited his style perfectly.
By the end of the second day, Arlo's mastery of the weapon was solid. He could twirl it, crack the whip-like segments, and return it to cane form seamlessly, almost like he'd been using it for years.
I can almost hear the Bloodborne soundtrack playing every time I use this thing, he thought, a grin tugging at his lips.
Also during in those times Arlo and Link to train the newly learned move [Protect] and practiced repeatedly until it is second nature.
Arlo crouched down, rubbing Link's head. "Alright, buddy. Protect is a move that creates an instant barrier, blocking almost any attack. But it only works if you time it right. We need to train your reaction speed and precision."
Link barked excitedly, his tail wagging. He was always eager to learn, but the idea of blocking attacks without taking damage seemed to thrill him even more.
"Okay, let's start simple," Arlo said, stepping back. "I'm going to throw some balls at you. The moment you sense it coming, use your new move Protect."
Link crouched low, ears twitching in anticipation.
Arlo extended his hand, small ball then with a flick of his wrist, he launched it toward Link. "Now! Link use Protect!"
Link barked and concentrated, but nothing happened. The energy pulse struck his fur, making him stumble back slightly.Link shook his head and huffed, clearly frustrated.
"Don't worry, buddy," Arlo reassured him. "The timing is tricky. Try picturing a shield forming around you the moment you feel the attack approaching."
Link nodded and got back into position.
Arlo fired another weak energy pulse. "Protect—now!"
This time, a faint shimmer of green energy flickered around Link for half a second, but it vanished before the attack hit. Link let out a disappointed whimper.
"Almost there," Arlo encouraged. "That was the barrier trying to activate. You're on the right track!"
They repeated the drill for the next hour. Each time, Link's barrier lasted longer, its green translucent energy becoming more solid with each attempt.Then, on the seventh try, something clicked.
Arlo throw a slightly faster ball. "Now, Link—Protect!"
A greenish translucent dome instantly materialized around Link. The incoming energy attack slammed against the shield and dispersed, leaving Link completely unscathed.
Link's eyes widened in realization before his tail started wagging furiously. He leaped in excitement, barking happily, and ran in circles around Arlo.
Arlo laughed. "That's it, Link! You did it!" Link pounced toward Arlo, pressing his paws against his trainer's chest, his tongue lolling out in pure joy. He ruffled his fur. "Told you you'd get it. You just needed time."
Arlo grinned, watching his Pokémon stand confidently after successfully blocking ball. "Looks like you're ready for whatever comes next."
Link barked in agreement, full of pride.
***
That evening, a package arrived from the Alteration Boutique. Inside was the suit he'd ordered—a black, wide-collared jacket with contrasting buttons, flap pockets, and folded-back cuffs. Underneath was a waistcoat in a windowpane check pattern, paired with a gray scarf for flair.
Arlo tried it on and stood before the mirror. The suit fit perfectly—stylish, practical, and designed to allow full mobility in combat. Attaching the Threaded Cane to his waist, he turned to Link.
"Well, what do you think?" Arlo asked with a playful grin.
Link barked in approval, his tail wagging.
Arlo nodded at his reflection, imagining himself as a Gehrman Sparrow. "Now all I need are golden glasses and some stealth skills, and I'd be become full-blown cosplayer."
Satisfied with his preparations, Arlo packed his gear. He pulled out Link's Luxury ball, and with a soft flash of red light, the Link entered it without complaint.
The next morning, Arlo left the Quantum Cube apartment, his bag slung over his shoulder. He took the residential district train to Aerith Tower, the towering structure that housed the Quest Hall. The train ride was smooth and uneventful, the city's skyline blurring past as Arlo mentally reviewed his plans.
Arlo arrived at Aerith Tower, he building gleamed under the sunlight, its walls made of reflective metal and glass, pulsing faintly with embedded energy conduits. The entrance slid open as he approached, revealing a vast lobby filled with holographic displays and wandering Pioneers preparing for quests.
As Arlo walked through the main doors, a holographic panel materialized before him, glowing softly. A smooth, synthetic female voice echoed from the panel.
"Identity verification required," it said, accompanied by a faint chime.
Arlo placed his hand on the glowing surface, the panel scanning his palm with a soft hum.
The voice returned, this time warmer. "Identity confirmed. Welcome to the Quest Hall, Pioneer Leeroy."
With a soft whoosh, the heavy doors ahead slid open, revealing the inner workings of the Quest Hall. Arlo stepped inside, taking in the sight of the cavernous chamber. Rows of terminals lined the walls, each surrounded by Pioneers reviewing quest details or finalizing their plans. The hall was abuzz with activity, the air filled with murmured conversations and faintly humming technology.
Arlo made his way directly to the receptionist's desk, where a young woman in a sleek uniform stood behind a glowing counter. She greeted him with a polite smile.
"Hello," Arlo said, nodding slightly. "I've selected two quests. Sending the details through my BrainLink now."
The receptionist crossed her arms, her tone shifting to one of concern. "Are you sure about this? Rookie Pioneers typically stick to one quest at a time. Taking two in a row—especially with different difficulties—can be dangerous."
Arlo met her gaze with confidence. "I've prepared extensively for these quests. I know what I'm doing."
She sighed, clearly unconvinced, but nodded. "Alright Pioneer Leeroy. If you've made up your mind, I can't stop you. Just... be careful out there. We've lost too many rookies who bit off more than they could chew."
"Thanks for the warning," Arlo said, giving her a small, reassuring smile."But I'll be fine."
The receptionist entered the final details into her terminal, and a faint chime confirmed the approval. "Your quests are registered. Head to Platform Six, and the portal will take you to your first destination. Good luck, Pioneer Leeroy."
"Thanks," Arlo said, nodding as he turned away. He walked through the bustling hall toward the platform area, his heart pounding faintly with a mix of anticipation and excitement.
At Platform Six, a glowing portal appeared in the ground, faint arcs of energy crackling across its surface. As Arlo approached, a notification popped up in his BrainLink:
---
[Disney Multiverse: Caribbean Universe]
[Warning: Portal Transfer Imminent]
[Accept Transfer? Y/N]
---
Arlo pressing Yes.
The circle beneath him flared to life, the energy spiraling in front of him into a swirling portal. The air around him grew charged, and he could feel the pull of the portal's energy beckoning him forward. Taking a deep breath, Arlo stepped into the portal. The sensation was immediate—his body felt weightless, like he was falling through an endless void. Colors swirled around him in chaotic patterns, and a low hum filled his ears.
____________________________________________________________________________
[Inventory] - 25 Slots
TTI JW4 Pit Viper [Rare] -Equipped (Sidearm)
Seraphim Bracelet [Unique] - Equipped (Left Arm)
Threaded Cane [Unique] - Equipped (Main weapon)
Fragment of Creation 1.5% [Phantasy]
Feather of Michael 1x [Epic]
10 drop of Archangel Gabriel's Blood [Legendary]
Low Health Potion 10x [Common]
Low Mana Potion 10x [Common]
Anti-Viral Potion 3x [Rare]
Marie's Regular Health Potion 3x [Common]
Slumber Charm 8x [Unique]
Standard Pokemon Potion 3x [Common]
Cleaning Orb 10x [Common]
Ritual Tools
Bag of Clothes
Divination Tools