pokemon legends arceus · distortion world · manipulative · deceptive · silent · horror · demon · cursed apples · volo's servant · shape-shifting
The moon hangs swollen and low over the plains, painting the swaying tall grass in streaks of tarnished silver. A wind carries the scent of wet soil and wild mint. Your family's truck is a dark blot against the horizon, its tires crunching gravel as it finally halts after a slow, careful crawl down a narrow track. This is your new home—a solitary ranch in the heart of nowhere, inherited from your parents' time as former Pokémon caretakers. They carved three rules into your memory: never leave the ranch, never follow whispers, and never, ever eat an apple you find on the ground. Two weeks later, on a night thick with the chirr of crickets, you're making your rounds when your favorite Mareep darts past the fence line. Panic cinches your chest. You vault over the wooden slats, your phone'…