'Can he read my thoughts?'

"Does it look like I know how to read, dumbo?"

'Oh crap, he can! Wait, that's not what I meant and you know it!'

"Yes, kiddo, I can hear your thoughts. It's the only way us mon's can communicate without grunts. You should be thanking me for even listenin' to you in the first place."

'I have so many questions! Who are you? Where are we? Is there a town nearby?'

"Hold on there buddy! Who said I would tell you anythang' in the first place? I certainly did not!"

'... Pretty please?'

"Hmmm. How about this! There's a big mountain near here, called Rakou mountain. It's the one with the smoke comin' out, ya can't miss it. If you reach the top, I'll tell you everything ya' want ta know."

'We have a deal old man!'

"Waddaya mean 'man'? Anyways, I'll see ya there. Don't make me wait, berryboy!"

The old monkey turned into a blur, before disappearing entirely.

'Is that the move 'teleport'? Lucky... Traveling up a mountain huh. A mountain with smoke? That has to be a volcano! Did that monkey try to trick me into climbing a volcano?!'

Felix debated standing the monkey up, but decided against it. He convinced himself he needed answers, but perhaps it was just the companionship he craved. After stuffing himself with oran berries, he departed. Felix took his time, exploring the forest as he approached the rakou volcano, stopping frequently to take a break, battle some of the local mons and eat any berries he came across. Life seemed good, being this much stronger than everything else. But good luck doesn't tend to last.

As Felix reached the end of the forest and the trees started to thin, he came across a particularly large tree, filled with spearow. A swarm this big would normally be a death sentence, but dragon breath can knock out multiple mons at once. Due to Felix' rash nature, he made a mistake.

He decided to torch the entire tree for easy exp.

It did not work quite as intended.

The first few spearow got hit with a solid blast.

'Hahaha, die chickens! Give me your strength so that I can stand atop this entire world! DRAGON BREATH!'

This second blast managed to knock out a few, but didn't reward felix with a level up. The issue, however, was that now the entire group of spearow was awake. They charged at felix using a variety of attacks. Felix could make out several pecks and quick attacks.

'Oh shit....'

Several spearow hit him, and each felt like he was hit with a hot iron, burning through his skin. Beat up and bloody, Felix turned in a circle while spouting a dragon breath to make some space.

Thinking on his feet, Felix ducked for cover behind a boulder, spouting another dragon breath as he did so. This time, he had more luck.

Congratulations! Felix grew to level 10! Ability [Hustle] awakened. See ability tab for more information.

HP

33 (+2)

Atk

21 (+2)

Def

18 (+2)

Spec Atk

18 (+2)

Spec Def

16 (+2)

Spd

15 (+1)

'Ability tab? I don't have time for the ability tab right now! Go away screen, I'm fighting for my life here!'

The spearow circled around the boulder, looking for an angle to attack from. Felix attempted a few more dragon breaths each time they came too close, but had little success actually knocking out any of his opponents. He started looking around searching for an escape route. Soon, he settled on a little burrow a few trees away.

'Hopefully nobody is home. I would rather fight rattata than this flock, but still.'

Felix charged towards the burrow, dodging between trees, and spouting as much dragon breath as possible. The spearow caught on to what he was doing and decided to attack all at once one final time. A huge group of sprearow, so thick he couldn't even see through it, charged at Felix. Deciding it was now or never, Felix arched his back, took a deep breath and roared. He put as much strength and will as he could into a single dragon breath, covering the entire flock.

Ding! You landed a critical hit!

Congratulations! Felix grew to level 13!

HP

40 (+7)

Atk

25 (+4)

Def

22 (+4)

Spec Atk

22 (+4)

Spec Def

19 (+3)

Spd

18 (+3)

Winded, he arrived at the burrow and dug himself in before any of his adversaries noticed in the chaos.

Not finding any mons in the burrow, he happened on a little chamber filled with moss, where he laid himself down to rest. The spearow would probably fly around the area for a little while longer, but Felix doubted that they would risk a dragon breath in an enclosed space. Convincing himself of this idea, Felix, totally exhausted, fell asleep.

The next morning, he awoke feeling well rested. His deeper wounds had scabbed over and his shallow ones had mostly recovered.

'Thank god for pokemon physiology.'

Deciding it was time to get back to work, he mentally commanded his ability tab to open.

[Hustle] Lv.1

Hustle increases the user's Attack stat by 50%, but lowers the accuracy of the user's physical moves by 20%. Special moves and status moves are unaffected by Hustle.

{Lv.1 effect: [Choose one]}

'What do you mean choose one?

...

Choose effect.

...

Choose one!

...

Uhm... Choose ability level one effect?'

Third time's the charm, because this time a new blue screen popped up in Felix' minds eye.

Cautious (Common) Hustle gains 10% accuracy back but loses 15% bonus to the attack stat. Requirements: none Brash (Common) Hustle loses a further 10% accuracy, but gains 15% bonus to attack stat. Requirements: none Quick footed (uncommon) Hustle applies to the speed stat instead of the attack stat. Accuracy deficit applies to both physical and special attacks.

Requirements:

28+ IV's in the speed stat.

Tough skin (uncommon) Hustle applies to the special defense stat instead of the attack stat. Accuracy deficit applies to special attacks.

Requirements:

28+ IV's in the special defense stat.

Tough muscle (uncommon) Hustle applies to the defense stat instead of the attack stat. Accuracy deficit applies to physical attacks.

Requirements:

28+ IV's in the defense stat.

Strong spirit (uncommon) Hustle applies to the special attack stat instead of the attack stat. Accuracy deficit applies to special attacks.

Requirements:

28+ IV's in the special attack stat.

Versatile (Rare) Hustle applies to the attack stat and the special attack stat. Accuracy deficit applies to both physical and special attacks and is increased by 10%.

Requirements:

28+ IV's in the special attack stat and the attack stat.

Lucky (Rare) Hustle now increases the chance of a critical hit by 25%. Accuracy deficit applies to both physical and special attacks and is increased by 10%.

Requirements:

Defeat an opponent 10 levels higher than you with a critical hit, while below level 10.

Jack of all trades (Epic)

Hustle increases all stats by 12%. Accuracy deficit applies to both physical, special and status attacks and is increased by 10%.

Chance to land a critical hit increases by 5%.

Requirements:

28+ IV's in all stats.

Strength of a lord (Epic) Hustle increases the attack and special attack stat by 35%. It no longer decreases accuracy. You can no longer land critical hits.

Requirements:

Defeat 15 opponents 10 levels higher than you with one attack, while below level 10.

All IV's 26+.

'Oh dear... So many choices, and all of them of both upsides and downsides... What to choose, what to choose...'