“Huh.” Onyx thought about the odds of finding an Unown out of all the myriad of Pokemon. Even in places where one type seemed more prevalent than the others, it was still a daunting task. It seemed a lonely one, as well, and this was coming from a naturally lonely individual.

“So when you unlock a word,” he ventured, still trying to wrap his head around it, “does it show up for everyone, or just you?”

Zia had found a Dreepy and grabbed it by the tail, shaking her head back and forth and whipping the little dragon like one of those gummy hands you win in a 50 cent toy machine outside a grocery store.

What a very bizarre and specific analogy.

Onyx made a noncommittal noise and waved his hand, grabbing a Pokeball and bagging his own prize.

catch attempt dreepy
adrian boutta make a friend
Adrian Malcolm

☉

Onyx, too, ignored the wild Pokemon, insofar as he didn’t have to deal with them, quite yet. He stepped a smidge closer to Adrian, head canted down over the man’s phone as he watched, and learned.

To Onyx, it seemed… well, there was a reason he didn’t get paid to think. On the one hand, it had to be no accident. “I don’t believe in coincidences,” he said, cadence on the thoughtful side of slow, “but… where would something like this come from?” There had to be... a server, right? Someone had to upload this information. No river ran without a source. It had to come from somewhere.

It wasn’t that he was dumb. But he was so, so much better equipped for action.

Ziadem pounces on the Gardevoir from behind, pinning it and roughing it up before it can think to escape. She delivers a fierce drill peck right between its shoulder blades and it cries out, head arcing up, making a perfect target for Onyx to hit with a Pokeball.

“I think it makes my head hurt,” he said, honest.

catch attempt gardevoir
Adrian Malcolm

☉

Onyx made a face. “But they seem so simple,” he said, voice sounding a little distant because he realized how foolish he sounded. One of the first things you learn in his line of work is don’t assume, don’t take things for granted. So it just went to show that this species of Pokemon that everyone sort of underestimated would be capable of such crazy shit.

Zia knocks into a Slowbro, descending on its shoulders from above, striking at its head with drill peck until the thing collapses, partially to hide. Onyx secures it in a Pokeball.

“That’s all too theoretical for me,” he confesses, hand in his pocket, “I’m much better with threats that can be punched or stabbed. But if I find any Unown, I’ll bring ‘em to you, yeah?”

catch attempt slowbro
Adrian Malcolm

☉