Inside the forest, the transmigrated trainer from Earth and his Charmeleon were slowly trudging their way through the dense shrubbery that littered the forest floor. The ground was almost invisible, covered with a plethora of large boulders, creepers, shrubbery, and thorny branches and roots spread out all over. The effects of that Dragon Rush had caused quite an amount of injury to the boy, making it almost impossible to even consider another 'leap into the sky multiple times' way of traveling back to the camp. It would have been much faster, and the truth is told, Austin could have somehow borne it, but he had thought better. Going down via the mundane way would get both of them some time together, and Charmeleon would get some more time to familiarise himself with his new form before they encountered Cynthia and her Garchomp again. As much as he believed that the newly evolved draconic Pokémon would pay heed to his commands, he didn't want to risk it. Besides, Charmeleon wasn't really-

No. I can't keep calling him that. He needs a name. A name with which he can associate himself, a unique name for a unique individual.

That was true.

"Hey Charmeleon?"

Said pokémon grunted in acknowledgment, slashing against the shrubbery and branches for the nth time. One thing was certain, by the time they would have descended to the foothills, he would have mastered dragon claw to the finest.

"I was wondering if you would like to have a name of your own."

That stopped the draconic creature short, before he grunted back, almost as if wanting more explanation.

"Well, you are the only one of your type in the world, and much more than a Charmeleon. I don't want to… you know, keep calling you Charmeleon to remind you of something that you aren't." Austin paused. "With a new name, you wouldn't have such… issues to deal with."

Charmeleon grunted though it seemed like indecision more than anything else.

"I was thinking along the lines of… Magnus. It means 'great', and you are going to be a great and powerful dragon in time. I think it would be quite… fitting for someone as prized and strong as you are."

Charmeleon snorted. His trainer did have a way with words, as far as boosting his draconic pride was concerned. With nary but an afterthought, he shook his head as even though he wasn't a normal Charmander, he didn't want to forget his roots as to where he started from.

"You're choice, buddy ." Austin chirped.

Charmeleon, let out a roar, clearing out the path in front with a burst of draconic energy in the form of a dragon pulse, which cleaved the forest ground until it hit a rather large and ancient-looking tree, which cracked at the base of its trunk with a groan.

Austin got a nasty feeling that whatever had just happened was going to leave some repercussions. Almost as if in answer, several figures jump down the ancient tree on the ground, jumping their way through the shrubbery as they surrounded Austin and Charmeleon from all sides. Even in the somewhat dimmed light, Austin could make out the wooden clump-like appendages, and the white mane overflowing from their head.

"Shiftry…." Austin muttered his danger senses on high alert. After seeing the pre-evolved form of the one that Ritchie had gotten as his prized pokémon, Austin had made it a point to get a detailed look at the species. From what he had found, it was clear that a herd of rogue Shiftry wasn't something to take lightly.

It wasn't something to even consider 'lightly' at all.

The four dark types circled Austin and Charmeleon, growling predatorily as they circled their prey, their appendages glowing with dark energies, as they readied to pounce on their prey.

With the knowledge he had gotten about the Shiftry species, they were extremely territorial but if a challenge of 1 on 1 was ever given to the leader. They will always accept it.

"Listen," he replied in his best-intimidating voice. "We are not here to cause trouble for any of you, or the forest. We were simply returning to our camp. There is no need for any kind of battle."

The sudden roar from Charmeleon that accompanied his statement might not have been that helpful, considering he was trying to achieve peace. Then again, the dark pulse fired at him from one of the Shiftry—intercepted by a dragon pulse from Charmeleon—was a clear indication of that prospect anyway.

Austin cast another glance at the glowing claws on Charmeleon's arms. "All right, if you want to battle, a battle is what you will get." He remembered something that he read in one of the books at the Pokémon center. "Charmeleon will battle with your leader."

The Shiftry stopped moving, and instead, simply glared at him. Then, they barked at each other and one of four stepped forward to battle Charmeleon, who roared challengingly.

The Shiftry growled in return before leaping up to one of the nearby trees, and much to its surprise, Charmeleon leaped off the ground, chasing after it.

"Look at him go," Austin whispered, more to himself than to the others, watching in awe as Charmeleon kept on jumping from one tree to another, his powerful claws giving him the ability to simply shift his direction and momentum midway as he leaped from one tree to another, firing draconic attacks at the elusive pokémon who seemed to vanish its way through the dense canopy of the forest.

A sudden growl attracted Austin's attention, as he looked in horror at the other three Shiftry, who seemed to have returned to the cognition that Austin was the prey and they were the predators, making him step back gently.

"Uh... guys, my—Charmeleon is fighting your leader. Doesn't that mean that you will wait till the battle is over?"

The sudden attack of razor leaf that shot past him, tearing a little laceration on his cheek made him drop the idea instantly.

Damn. What do I do? His fingers automatically went to his belt, where he didn't have any Pokeball.

' Fuck! Sometimes I think this world just hates me.'