Kay moved like a shadow within the forest, blending seamlessly with the trees as he made his way toward his target's location.
Every step was deliberate, every breath was measured. The urgency pulsed in his chest, but he didn't allow it to cloud his senses. He knew that speed was important, but being seen now, in such a crucial moment, could destroy everything.
The earlier gift from the organizers had given him a golden opportunity. It had lasted only seconds, but Kay's eyes had memorized enough to know where to go next. Player 27 had been here, standing alone in this very clearing. And now, he was gone.
Standing still among the forest shadows, Kay's fingers unfolded his hand-drawn map. He traced his finger over the rough sketch of the island he had created from memory after observing it from the cliff.
His eyes landed on the position of Number 27; he had noted it down right here in this open field.
Kay's gaze moved from the field to the two potential paths his target could have taken: the small forest to the east or the coast to the south.
He frowned, thinking deeply. If he had been in 27's shoes, what would he have done? The eastern forest was close, filled with cover and places to hide.
It might have seemed like the ideal place to run. But Kay remembered something critical from the figure shown on the Pokédex; there had been three players already near that forest.
Even if Player 27 had thought to go to the forest, if he had seen these players in the forest to his right, he would change his mind.
And no one would willingly run toward danger when they had another option. The coastline, in comparison, had been mostly empty.
It was risky in its own way, with fewer places to hide, but it was also quiet and less populated. If Kay's target was smart, and he had no doubt that he was, he would have chosen the coast.
With that, Kay made his decision. He folded the map again, slid it into his bag, and turned to the south, moving swiftly through the underbrush without a sound.
As he approached the coast, the sounds of the forest began to fade, replaced by the rhythmic crash of waves against rocks and the soft hiss of sand shifting with the wind.
The smell of salt filled the air, fresh and sharp. He could see the water glimmering through the trees, reflecting the afternoon sun like a sea of diamonds.
But he didn't leave the safety of the trees. The beach stretched wide and open before him, and while there were a few boulders scattered along the sand, most of the coastline was exposed.
It was the kind of place that offered little protection from prying eyes. If someone had chosen to hide in the forest and watch from above, they would see anyone who dared walk openly along the beach. Kay wasn't going to make that mistake.
He stayed low, crouching between thick tree trunks and high bushes, moving parallel to the coastline while keeping his eyes locked on the open area.
He scanned carefully, examining every large rock, every patch of tall grass or driftwood, looking for movement.
The forest gave him cover, and from here, he could search safely without revealing himself.
Eevee walked beside him, alert and silent, its ears flicking at every sound. Kay gave it a small nod of thanks while Eevee barked back, "Eevwee..."
The beach stretched on for quite a distance, and Kay knew this wouldn't be easy. If his target was hiding among the rocks or had gone further down the coast, it would take time to find him.
But Kay wasn't in a rush anymore. He was close. He could feel it in his gut. His earlier gamble, choosing the coast over the forest, was going to pay off. All he needed now was patience, silence, and a little luck.
He pressed his back against a wide tree trunk and took a deep breath, letting his mind settle.
Kay stood hidden behind the final line of trees at the edge of the forest, staring out at the vast coastline that stretched in both directions.
The ocean wind swept past him, carrying the scent of salt and freedom. But Kay had no time to enjoy the scenery; he had a decision to make.
After reaching the coast, he was left with two possible directions: east or west. Somewhere down one of those paths, his target had gone. But which one?
He pulled out his hand-drawn map again, unfolding it carefully. His eyes scanned the paper as he searched for any clues, any hint that might help him guess which way Player 27 had gone.
He had marked down the numbers of the players he had seen earlier during the brief display on the Pokédex, but this area was empty.
No players had been close enough to force his target in either direction. He frowned. The four seconds he had to memorize that image hadn't been enough to retain every detail of such a large island. There just wasn't enough information to decide confidently.
Realizing that the forest would not provide him with any more answers, Kay finally stepped out of the cover of the trees and walked directly toward the shore.
The coast was wide and open, with the tide gently washing up on the sand and retreating again.
His eyes scanned the ground carefully, searching for anything: footprints, signs of movement, broken branches, anything at all.
With no clear direction, he followed his instincts and began moving east. He decided that if this direction didn't lead to anything useful, he would simply come back and check the west. It was the best he could do with what little information he had.
Kay walked for several minutes, eyes constantly scanning the sand and the edges of the forest.
Then suddenly, his steps halted, and his eyes widened. A grin spread across his face as he whispered to himself, "Bingo."
Right there in the sand before him were clear signs that a battle had taken place. The ground was disturbed, the footprints chaotic and messy, as if two powerful creatures had clashed violently.
The sand was tossed up in every direction, and drag marks showed that something big had moved or been pushed with great force.
Then, just a few meters away from the center of the chaos, he saw a large Kangaskhan lying on its side, unmoving.
The Pokémon's thick hide was covered in scratches and bruises, and one of its massive arms was twisted unnaturally.
Its eyes were closed, and its body had gone still. Around its chest were deep cuts and signs of heavy impact.
What made Kay pause, though, was what wasn't there. Kangaskhan's pouch, which always held its young, was empty.
There was no baby in sight. Kay's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right.
He stepped closer, crouching down near the scene and examining the footprints left behind
He could clearly see the heavy, wide prints of the Kangaskhan; deep footprints with rounded toes and a long stride.
But near those tracks was a different set of footprints. They were tiny, almost delicate compared to Kangaskhan's, and they didn't match any large Pokémon.
The small, narrow tracks had little claws at the front, and they moved quickly and with agility, circling around the larger prints.
Kay's mind started working fast. These tiny tracks weren't from the Kangaskhan's child, he was almost certain of that.
The direction and the number of footprints showed the speed of the movements, which wasn't possible for a baby Pokémon.
No, these belonged to another Pokémon entirely. Possibly a small fighter, maybe even a Ground type, judging by the way the feet had kicked up the sand during the fight.
He also considered the possibility that he couldn't see all the tracks. If the other Pokémon had been flying or floating, that would explain the absence of prints.
That theory matched his earlier thought, maybe the baby Kangaskhan had fled, and its attacker was a Flying or a floating Psychic-type Pokémon.
Kay took one last look at the battlefield, then straightened up. He was almost certain now.
His target's Pokémon had defeated the Kangaskhan here, and the player must have kept moving to the east after the fight. He had to be close.
Without wasting another second, Kay continued on his way along the coastline, walking to the east.
See you in the next chapter...
Drop some Power Stones to motivate me to write more...