Over the next few weeks, Julian threw himself completely into training Sandshrew.
Every morning, he'd wake up before dawn, count out a portion of his dwindling savings, and head to the supply store to buy raw materials. Berries, grains, protein supplements—he'd haul it all back to his tiny apartment and spend hours in his cramped kitchen making custom energy cubes and Pokemon food.
The process was tedious and precise. Get the ratios wrong and you'd waste expensive ingredients. But Julian had gotten good at it, and more importantly, he could tailor the nutrition exactly to what Sandshrew needed.
Every single day, he was out in the small courtyard with Sandshrew, drilling moves and building stamina.
"Sandshrew, use Scratch on the dummy! Put some power behind it!"
Julian pointed at the beat-up training target he'd set up—basically just some wood and padding, but it worked. His voice was firm, encouraging.
Sandshrew's eyes flashed with determination. The little Ground-type rushed forward, claws extended, and struck the dummy hard enough to make it shake. A gust of wind kicked up from the force of the attack.
"Yes! Just like that! Keep going!"
Julian couldn't help but grin. Watching Sandshrew improve day by day gave him this warm feeling in his chest—pride, maybe, mixed with hope.
As the days turned into weeks, the results spoke for themselves. With proper food and consistent training, Sandshrew's condition improved dramatically. His fur went from dull and patchy to smooth and glossy. His eyes, which had been tired and wary when Julian first found him, now sparkled with energy and confidence. His movements became faster, sharper, more controlled.
Julian ran another system scan one morning and felt his heart skip.
[Sandshrew – Level 15]
Level fifteen. From basically starving and injured to this. In just a few weeks.
We're actually doing it, Julian thought, staring at the readout. This is real. I'm really training a Pokemon.
But reality had a way of crashing the party.
Julian looked at his remaining savings—what was left after buying all those materials and covering rent and food—and felt his stomach drop. The numbers didn't lie. At this rate, he'd be broke in a month. Maybe less.
He'd known this was coming. Had known it from the start, really. But seeing it in black and white, knowing he was on a countdown... that hit different.
No more stalling. It's time.
Julian stood at the edge of Viridian Forest one morning, Sandshrew at his side, and took a deep breath.
The air here was different from the city. Fresher. It smelled like earth and leaves and growing things, but underneath that was something else—something wild and unpredictable. The scent of Pokemon. Dozens of species, all living in the same space, competing and hunting and surviving.
Julian's heart hammered in his chest. He was nervous as hell, but underneath the fear was genuine excitement. This was it. The real deal. Time to put everything he'd learned to the test.
"Sandshrew, let's go."
Julian clenched his fist, squared his shoulders, and walked into the forest. Sandshrew followed without hesitation, claws ready.
At first, everything went surprisingly well.
The system's scanning function turned out to be an absolute lifesaver. Julian could detect wild Pokemon before he actually saw them, which meant he could avoid the dangerous ones and only engage the weaker targets. Rattata, Caterpie, the occasional Pidgey—nothing too threatening.
More importantly, he found resources everywhere.
Oran Berries growing on bushes. Medicinal herbs tucked in the underbrush. Pecha Berries, Cheri Berries, even some Sitrus Berries if he searched carefully. Each one worth money. Each one something he could either use or sell.
Julian filled his bag, heart racing with excitement. "Holy crap, this is actually working! Look at all this stuff!"
Sandshrew chittered happily, running circles around him, clearly picking up on his master's joy.
Two months passed like that.
Two incredible, profitable, exhilarating months.
Julian established a routine: venture into the forest early morning, gather resources, have Sandshrew battle weak wild Pokemon for experience, return by evening, sell what he didn't need, repeat.
His savings, which had been circling the drain, suddenly started growing again. After covering all expenses—food for both of them, supplies, emergency funds—he'd managed to save up over a hundred thousand dollars.
This is insane, Julian thought one evening, counting his money. Two months and I've made more than I did in half a year at the breeding center. No wonder everyone wants to be a Trainer.
The danger, the freedom, the potential rewards—he finally understood the appeal.
Sandshrew had grown even more. The consistent battles and quality nutrition had pushed him all the way to Level 22. His body had filled out, becoming more muscular and compact. He moved with confidence now, a far cry from the half-starved Pokemon Julian had found on the side of the road.
According to the system, Sandshrew was close to evolution. Just a few more levels and he'd become a Sandslash.
Everything was going perfectly.
And that's exactly when Julian's luck ran out.
It happened on what should've been a routine gathering trip.
Julian had been moving through a familiar section of the forest when his eyes landed on something he'd passed by dozens of times before: a Beedrill hive, hanging from a thick tree branch about twenty feet up.
He'd always avoided it. Beedrill were aggressive, territorial, and traveled in swarms. Anyone with half a brain gave their hives a wide berth.
But today, for some reason, Julian found himself staring at it.
Beedrill honey was valuable. Really valuable. A single jar could sell for thousands, and that hive probably had multiple pounds of the stuff. He could pay his rent for months with one good haul.
Just thinking about it won't hurt, he told himself. I'm not actually going to do it. That would be stupid.
But the thought wouldn't leave. His savings were good, but not great. Winter was coming, which meant heating costs. Sandshrew would need more food as he got bigger. There were always unexpected expenses.
One quick grab. Just a little bit. Beedrill don't attack unless you threaten the hive itself, right? I could be careful...
"Sandshrew," Julian said quietly, his voice tight with nerves and greed. "Let's try to get some honey. Should be fine if we're quick."
Sandshrew looked up at him with uncertainty in his eyes, but he didn't protest. Loyal to the end.
They approached slowly, carefully. Julian pulled out a jar from his pack, hands shaking slightly. The hive was quiet—most of the Beedrill were probably out hunting. This was the perfect time.
He reached up, used a stick to carefully break off a piece of honeycomb, and let it drop into the jar. The golden honey gleamed in the filtered sunlight.
Got it. Now we just need to—
A buzzing sound. Faint at first, then rapidly growing louder.
Julian's blood ran cold.
No. No no no no—
They exploded out of the hive like a dark cloud. Twenty Beedrill. Maybe more. Their wings created a droning sound that seemed to fill the entire forest, like an alarm screaming danger.
"Sandshrew, get ready!" Julian shouted, stumbling backward.
Sandshrew immediately jumped in front of him, claws up, growling defensively. But Julian could see the fear in his partner's eyes. They both knew this was bad.
The Beedrill attacked as a coordinated swarm.
Sandshrew fought like hell. He slashed with his claws, sending two Beedrill spinning away. Dodged a poison sting. Caught another Beedrill and threw it into a tree trunk. For a few seconds, Julian thought they might actually make it out.
But there were too many.
Way too many.
They came from every angle—diving from above, darting in from the sides. Sandshrew couldn't block them all. Needle-sharp stingers found gaps in his defense, puncturing his hide again and again. Blood started seeping through his fur, matting it down in dark patches.
"No! Sandshrew, fall back!" Julian grabbed rocks from the ground and hurled them at the swarm, trying to distract them. It barely helped.
Then several Beedrill broke through entirely and came straight for Julian.
His eyes went wide. He tried to dodge, stumbling over a root, and—
Pain. Sharp, burning, horrible pain.
Three stingers hit him nearly simultaneously—shoulder, side, thigh. Julian screamed, the sound ripping out of his throat before he could stop it. "Ahhh! God, it hurts!"
His vision swam. The venom felt like fire spreading through his veins, radiating out from each sting site. His legs nearly gave out.
We're going to die here. This is it. This is how I die. Because I was greedy and stupid and—
"The burrow!" Julian gasped, remembering the emergency escape route he'd made Sandshrew dig weeks ago. He'd thought he was being paranoid. Turned out it was the smartest thing he'd ever done.
"Sandshrew, run! The burrow! NOW!"
Sandshrew, bleeding and exhausted, immediately turned and ran. Julian stumbled after him, the Beedrill still pursuing, their buzzing following like a death sentence.
They reached the entrance—just a hole in the ground near a cluster of rocks—and Julian practically threw himself inside. Sandshrew tumbled in after him. Using the last reserves of his strength, Julian dragged the heavy stone slab he'd prepared and shoved it over the entrance.
The buzzing became muffled. Distant.
They were safe. For now.
Inside the burrow, it was pitch black. Julian's eyes couldn't adjust—there was literally no light. The air was damp and musty, thick with the smell of earth and blood. His blood. Sandshrew's blood.
Julian slumped against the dirt wall and slowly slid down until he was sitting. His whole body felt wrong. Heavy. Weak. The pain from the stings was getting worse, not better, and his head felt fuzzy.
Poison. He'd been poisoned.
His face had gone completely pale, he could feel it. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead. His hands were shaking uncontrollably.
"I'm so stupid," Julian whispered, his voice cracking. "So damn stupid. Why didn't I bring Antidotes? They're not even expensive. I could've made them myself. I've been doing this for months and I just... I got cocky. Thought I was invincible because things were going well."
He laughed, but it came out bitter and choked. "I forgot where I was. This isn't a game. This is a dangerous world. Pokemon kill people. I knew that. I knew that."
Sandshrew lay beside him, panting heavily. Even in the darkness, Julian could hear the wet, labored sound of his breathing. His partner was badly hurt—multiple wounds, maybe poisoned too.
And it was Julian's fault. All of it.
The toxins continued spreading through Julian's system. His vision, already compromised by the darkness, started to blur at the edges. His thoughts felt slow, disconnected, like trying to think through cotton.
He thought about the orphanage. About the years spent studying in the library while other kids played. About finding Sandshrew and thinking, finally, that his luck was changing. About the brief, shining moment when he'd thought he might actually make it as a Trainer.
I haven't done anything yet, Julian thought desperately. Tears pricked at his eyes but he was too weak to cry properly. I haven't become strong. Haven't seen the world. Haven't... haven't...
His consciousness started slipping away, like water through his fingers.
Is this really how it ends? After everything, I'm just going to die in a hole in the ground?
Julian's eyes drifted closed.
And then—something happened.
A warmth bloomed in his chest. Not painful, not burning like the poison. This was different. Gentle. Powerful.
The warmth spread outward like ripples in water, flowing through his entire body. As it moved, it brought light—a soft, golden glow that pushed back the darkness of the burrow.
Julian's eyes snapped open. What—?
He could feel it happening. The poison in his system, which had been slowly killing him, was... dissolving. Disappearing. Like ice melting under sunlight. The pain receded. The weakness faded.
And it wasn't just the poison. The mysterious energy was fixing other things too—lingering damage from his poor childhood nutrition, small injuries he'd ignored, things he hadn't even realized were wrong. His body felt lighter. Stronger.
Sandshrew, lying beside him, stared with wide, shocked eyes. His mouth hung open slightly, completely baffled by what he was seeing.
I have no idea what this is, Julian thought distantly, feeling the energy work through him. But I'm not complaining.
The process took maybe a minute, though it felt both longer and shorter than that. When it finally finished, the glow faded away, leaving just the darkness of the burrow again.
But Julian could breathe. Clearly. Easily. The poison was gone.
He still felt exhausted—the energy hadn't fixed that—but he was alive. He was going to survive.
"Holy hell," Julian whispered. His voice was still weak, but it was his voice. "Sandshrew, I... I don't know what just happened, but—"
He looked over at his partner, ready to reassure him, but Sandshrew had already collapsed. The Ground-type was breathing, steady and even, but he'd passed out from exhaustion and his injuries.
He needs rest. We both do.
Julian let his eyes close again. This time, it wasn't the darkness of death pulling him down. It was just sleep. Normal, healing sleep.
In the quiet burrow, their breathing gradually synchronized—in and out, steady and calm.
The Beedrill had probably given up and left by now. Tomorrow, Julian would push aside the stone, and they'd return to the city. He'd treat Sandshrew's wounds properly. Figure out what that mysterious energy had been. Regroup.
But for now, they just needed to rest.
One adventure had ended. And somehow, against all odds, they'd both survived.
Next time, Julian promised himself as sleep claimed him, I'm bringing Antidotes. And a whole lot more caution.
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