[attr="class","samjermain"]Arceus does not choose to send a sign. There is no meteor or mysterious voice to guide the lost soldier on her way. No mythical Pokemon appears to usher in a new era of adventure. Instead, the Zebstrika continues to plod calmly forward through the thinning forest. With a shake of her head, the young woman brushes tears from her lower lashes. Arceus is right to ignore me. It is best to find our own way.

The sound of their footsteps transforms. Suddenly, the crunch of leaves is traded for the grating noise of gravel. Resigned eyes lift to face forward. A curving road cleaves the forest in twain. A tiny guardrail—dented beyond imagining—sits at the heart of the curve. Around them, the trees are just stragglers. A powerline runs through them, many branches sliced behind it.

“Whoa.” Lydia pulled gently on the Zebstrika’s reins. However, this was more out of instinct than necessity as the equine was already slowing. Around the bend, the blonde could hear something. It was music of some kind, but she could not identify which. Her mount’s angle adjusted as the electric-type gingerly toed its way into a culvert. But, from the hidden pipe, something darted into the open.

It was brown, cream, and serpentine. With an instinctual fear, the Zebstrika bolted into the street. “Strika!” Sparks flew around its body, locking Lydia’s hands around the reins. Her teeth gritted as she tried to bark out an order. “Wait!” Blue eyes turned just in time to see the white car come around the corner. Suddenly, the last thing she wanted was to wait.

Arceus! No! She kicked roughly at the equine’s side as it reared. “Hyah!” It bounded forward again, but would it be in time?