Author's Note
This is an old piece. A very old piece. Do I like it? Meh... *hand-waggle* Will I ever continue writing for it? No. Not now, not ever. Why? Because I'm the writer, dammit. *punch* Now go make me a sandwich!
.:.:.:.:.
The Oreburgh Mines were eerily quiet at night. Compared to the loud rumbling of Machop and Geodude destroying boulders that rang through the city by day, the Mines seemed haunted by nightfall.
At least, that's what one girl thought as she carefully, oh-so-quietly snuck her way down the underground tunnels.
She knew that she probably wasn't allowed to be here at this hour, but she had come a long way to catch herself an Onix and by golly, she was gonna get one!
Well, she got her wish; now she just had to find the way out. After tripping over her own feet twice and bumping right into the smudging walls for what felt like forever, she was starting to think that maybe waiting until morning would've been the better choice.
She stopped her blind trudging and leaned against the wall guiding her, sighing in anguish. "Mom always told you, Emily; 'Think first, then act.'"
Tears welled up, but she forced them back. Strong girls don't cry, she reminded herself.
Grimy hands balled into fists. "Why'd I have to be so stupid!"
The sound of her fist thundering against the wall echoed through the Mines.
So did the monstrous cracking and rumbling from above her.
Chapter 1: The Danger Zone
Roark winced as sunlight yanked him from a pleasant night's sleep. He groaned, sat up, covered and rubbed his eyes, and fumbled for his glasses.
Geodude left the shades and pounced on his friend and master, knocking him right back onto the bed with a loud doof!
The Pokémon laughed at the odd angle his glasses had shifted into. "Mmmmfff... Geoduuude..." Roark slurred and playfully shoved him off, then adjusted his specs. "It's not even a work day. Let me sleep!"
He grabbed the covers and threw them back over his head.
Geodude sighed, hopped off the bed, and rolled to the doorway, where Cranidos stood impatiently.
~He's not budging,~ Geodude remarked, frowning, and hand-walked down the hall to the kitchen.
~Oh he's not, is he?~ Cranidos grumbled in the odd English accent he was so known for, and stomped into the room. He clutched the bed sheet and swiftly yanked it off the bed. ~Wake up, lazy!~
Roark scrambled and shot up. "Wha-? Cranidos!"
The dinosaur-like creature stuck out its tongue and dashed to catch up with his boulder of a colleague.
He stared at the doorway, and couldn't help laughing, shaking his head. "Alright, you win this round."
It was actually closer to thirty rounds.
The Gym Leader yawned, stood up, and stretched to the ceiling. A twinge in his side caught him. "Mm, must've pulled something yesterday."
He threw on his slate-grey robe and, once in the kitchen, fixed them all some breakfast. He made a 'Super-mega-ultra-Flamethrower-inducingly-spicy-hotdamn!' Poffin for Geodude, a Shuca and Iapapa cream/paste for Cranidos, and a couple of plain PB&J sandwiches for Onix, who was patiently waiting outside. For himself, he ground up some Mago, Sitrus, and Aspear berries into a fine powder and used it as flavoring for some pancakes. He may not have been a five-star chef, but Roark did enjoy cooking on occasion.
Seated and eating away, Cranidos looked up. ~Say Geo, did you hear that rumbling last night?~
Geodude swallowed, panted, then replied, ~Yeah. Woke me right up. I'm surprised Roark didn't even budge.~
~You know Master Roark; he loves rocks, and sleeps like one, too.~
Geodude chuckled.
Roark ignored that comment. "Rumbling? From where?"
Cranidos nodded in the Mines' direction. ~Inside the Mines, I would think. It was probably just a cave-in. Nothing the crew can't handle, right?~
"A cave-in... wouldn't just happen out of the blue," he said, growing suspicious. "There had to have been a catalyst."
~Maybe ol' Onix was heading in for a midnight snack,~ Geodude joked.
There was a grinding noise from outside, followed by Onix's eye peering through the open kitchen window. ~Somebody call me?~
"Did you go into the Mines at any time last night, Onix?"
~What? Me, go in there, at night! Roark Sir, I may have a Rock Head, but my skull isn't that thick!~
Roark nodded solemnly. "I'm glad."
He turned back to the other two. "It wasn't any of you, and it couldn't have been one of the crew members..."
~Maybe we should check it out?~ Onix offered.
The young man nodded, and cleaned his plate. He really hoped that nobody had gotten caught in the Danger Zone.
I*~*I–I*~*I
"Be careful, guys. Step lightly and stay close, and Onix, please be careful about hitting the walls."
The three Pokémon heeded their owner's warnings as they progressed into the Danger Zone. When wandering that part of Oreburgh Mines, it was impossible to be too careful.
The Danger Zone was a highly unstable section of the Mines. Nothing had been abnormal when the tunnels were first dug out, but over time the air had drawn down water from the nearby ocean. The rocks grew heavily cracked with erosion and the soil became endlessly moist, making the walls so weak that they could crumble apart in seconds. The slightest tremor might cause an entire tunnel to collapse, which is why Roark had canceled any expansion projects aiming south. The tunnels were abandoned and because every crew member knew where the Danger Zone was, Roark had neglected to seal the tunnels off.
Now, he was beginning to regret it.
The four maneuvered along the tunnels, their crunching steps and the occasional dripping water breaking the thick silence. Deeper and deeper they ventured, without any sign of a recent collapse...
Turning the corner, the miner's helmet light caught a cave-in debris pile that nearly sealed off the tunnel, and a young girl's limp body caught underneath.
"Oh, no..." He nearly choked, but didn't waste any time.
Roark dashed to the scene with comrades close behind and they all began heaving boulders aside. Cranidos smashed the stones using Headbutt, since his arms weren't the longest or strongest, which made things go even faster.
Within minutes of relentless work, she was completely freed. Roark checked her neck for a pulse, and was glad to know it was stable.
When his light shined on her face, she began to stir. Roark recoiled slightly, perplexed, but relieved. She groaned and weakly rubbed her eyes. "Mmmmmff... 'uts with th' light...?"
Roark sighed; she'd been asleep, not unconscious.
"You were in a cave-in. We've cleared the debris, so you're okay now. Don't move," he continued when she tried to sit up. "I'll have my Onix take you up to Nurse Joy."
Even as he said it, Onix was already moving her onto his back. The girl didn't reply, only sighed.
Roark nodded to his friend. "Be careful, Onix."
The Rock Snake Pokémon nodded and soon departed. Taking injured people to the Pokémon Center was nothing new to him.
The miner then turned his attention to the rubble. "What would a girl like her be doing down here in the middle of the night?"
I*~*I–I*~*I
...
... "Mmmmnnnnnnngg..."
Bright lights startled her vision back in gear, only to find that it was the sun. The coal transport belts seemed to tower overhead, like train tracks in the sky.
Then, Emily remembered what had happened. She grunted sharply when something in her right ankle shifted that probably shouldn't have. The Onix carrying her must've heard her because he tried evening out his undulating motions. Though she couldn't muster the strength for words, she was grateful for its consideration.
The short ride ended in front of the Center, where a Chansey and Blissey came out to collect the injured party. She was surprised that Pokémon with such small arms could carry her so carefully.
She was vaguely aware of being taken inside, where Nurse Joy carried her somewhere... down a hallway, past several injured Pokémon... God, was she tired... so, very tired...
...
That man... who was he? He looked familiar... she'd seen him somewhere before... on TV, maybe? Yeah... yeah, on TV...
When she'd woken up, he didn't gasp or anything... he must not have seen her... her... mark... well, good... it was just as well... one less person to look at her funny... it wasn't like she was going to see him again, so there...
... so tired...
I*~*I–I*~*I
When Emily woke up hours later, a figure was sitting by her bed.
She grunted, rubbed her eyes, and peered over. Through the blurriness, she made out something blue and gray. A Pokémon, maybe?
"Crai, dos!" It cried, and hopped off its chair to push it closer.
She blinked into focus. "A... a Cranidos?"
It climbed back onto the chair and looked at her. "Dos! Cranidos."
"What're you doing here, little guy?"
It balked, then huffed and crossed its arms, clearly disapproving of the label.
"Oh, uh... sorry... do you have a Trainer?"
It nodded, then shot up as it remembered something. The Cranidos hopped down and jogged to the doorway. It stuck its head out and called for something, though Emily couldn't tell who or what.
When the Cranidos turned, it was soon followed by a capable-looking Geodude, and... no... could he be...?
He peered in with a bright smile. "Ah, cool; you're awake."
Roark slid through the wide open doorway with a tray of food she assumed was for himself. He sat in the chair Cranidos had been saving.
"Man, I've gotta hand it to you," he said. "Exploring the Mines at night? That takes guts and stupidity."
She leered at him. "'Scuse me?"
He chuckled, and bit into a churro. "You're not from Oreburgh, are you?"
She scoffed and let her head fall back. "What gave me away?"
The Cranidos hoisted itself onto the bed and sat beside her.
He nodded to the dinosaur. "Cranidos doesn't typically like girls, but he seems okay with you."
It nodded.
"What's your name, by the way?"
She finally raised her head and looked at him. "Emily, from Jubilife."
Roark was about to nod, but caught himself recoiling, shocked. Geodude gasped, too.
Emily sighed. "I know. It's a birth defect, okay? I'm not completely blind in this eye. I don't know why, nor do I understand the science behind it, but it is what it is."
Roark shook his head slowly, freaked-out and fascinated. "No... it's not bad, just... it caught me off guard, that's all."
Her eyes were wide open, so Roark could plainly see the strange phenomenon. The right eye was darkened, almost blacked out completely, except for the pupil, which was a pale white.
"Dude," Geodude remarked, and rolled out of the room. Roark watched him go and sighed, shaking his head.
"What's with him?" she asked.
"Geodude's..." he hesitated, "Not the most tolerant Pokémon in the world. You'll have to excuse him."
Cranidos shook his head and crossed his arms. "Crai, crai, crai."
She chose to get off the subject. "You're this city's Gym Leader, right? Rorak the Rock?"
"Yup, I'm– wait, what!" He blinked, very confused.
"Rorak, Oreburgh's Gym Leader and head of the Oreburgh Mines."
Roark wasn't sure if he wanted to scoff or laugh, but bravely kept quiet. "Ah, the name's Roark, actually."
She paused and blinked. "... How do you spell your name...?"
"R-o-a-r-k."
She looked away, sorting through the puzzle in her head, when it finally dawned on her.
She started laughing. "Ooohohoho! My bad, my bad. If I don't read certain words letter by letter, then I get them all mixed up. I'm sorry, Roark, right?"
Cranidos burst out laughing too, but over how she'd slurred his master's name.
Roark smiled. "It's okay. Actually, I have something to ask you; what were you doing in the Mines last night?"
"I wanted an Onix."
No details; no explanations.
"You... couldn't wait until morning?"
She smiled bitterly. "I'm not exactly known for thinking first."
He frowned. "If you want to be a good Trainer, you'll have to–"
"Break the habit, I know, and believe me, I've been trying," she huffed.
Roark didn't quite have a response for that, so he said nothing.
Silence held the room for a few moments. Cranidos laid down on the bed's empty space.
Emily carefully sat up, and eyed the food tray. She opened her mouth to ask, but her stomach chose to do the honors. Loudly.
Cranidos shot up, startled, and Roark just laughed. He offered her a Watmel Muffin, which she graciously accepted.
"So, did you travel here from Jubilife alone?"
She nodded and took a bite.
"Without any Pokémon?"
Another nod, swallowing her bite.
"... How'd you pull that off?"
She smirked. "Assiduously."
He snorted. "You mean you managed to sneak in the dead of night along Route 203 and through Oreburgh Gate without encountering any wild Pokémon? I find that hard to believe."
Emily finished off her muffin. "I left in the early evening, actually. You learn how to sneak around when you live in a city. Plus, young Pokémon are pretty easy to distract."
"Why didn't you just catch one and make the trip that much easier?"
"There aren't any Onix in the Oreburgh Gate."
Roark held up a hand. "Okay, why are you so bent on catching an Onix?"
She closed her eyes and sighed, though still smiling. "In less than a hundred words: when I was little, these performers visited Jubilife. They had an Onix, and the moment I saw it, I wanted one. They just look so cool. I mean, a giant serpent, made entirely of stone? They're just so powerful, and yet beautiful all at once."
Roark smirked. "You like 'em that much?"
"Yes, I do. Despite the short distance, it wasn't an easy trip from Jubilife without any Pokémon. I didn't catch any because I wanted Onix to be my first one. Thing is, I took so much time slipping past wild Pokémon that by the time I actually got here–"
"The Mines were closed," he finished, beginning to see where this was going.
"Yeah. Basically, I got impatient, stormed in without thinking, caught an Onix, but got lost in the process. Got ticked, hit the wall, and, well, yeah. Now, I'm here."
Roark smiled. "Reminds me of the good ol' days... Nurse Joy said the damage was minor for a cave-in. You should be okay by tomorrow."
"Damage?"
He stood up. "You were lucky; she said it was just a couple bruises, sore joints, and a swelling ankle."
"Swelling ankle? You mean, it's broken?"
"Nah, probably just a minor sprain at the worst. You'll be fine." He walked to the door, Cranidos sliding off the bed to join him.
Emily sighed and fell back, beyond relieved. Then, something occurred to her.
"Roark?"
The Gym Leader stopped. "Hmm?"
"If you're the Gym Leader and the Mining Head, then why are you here, checking up on me? Don't you have, like, a full schedule?"
Roark shook his head. "Today's my day off. And since I found you in the rubble, I just figured I'd check up on you. Y'know, make sure you're not dead or anything."
Emily snorted. "Tcheah. Nothing serious like that."
Roark nodded to her. "Later."
She nodded back.
Cranidos followed, but not without eagerly waving good-bye first.
Roark and Cranidos were about halfway down that hallway when the dinosaur began slowing his pace. He looked back in Emily's direction, and then stopped.
Roark stopped and looked back, worried. "Cranidos? You forget something?"
Cranidos glanced back at his human friend. ~Master Roark, would you have anything against me staying with her a while?~
He blinked. "You... wanna stay with Emily? I thought you hated girls."
~Highly dislike, Master Roark; rarely do I hate. However, there's something odd about this one; something I can't place. I'd like to stay with her, just this once if I may?~
Roark considered it. "It's... not gonna be 'just this once,' is it, Cranidos."
He smiled. ~No, probably not. But if it will help persuade–~
"Yes, Cranidos, you can stay."
The Head Butt Pokémon cheered and scurried to squeeze Roark's leg. ~Oh, much appreciation, Master Roark! You can trust me, I promise!~
"Yeah, just exercise your 'proper manners' with her, got it?"
~You mean my 'forced respect for young women'? Oh, I'll do far better than that; I can assure you!~
"Hokay," he laughed, and watched his short friend scurry away.
"You're one curious little hard head, Cranidos. What's going on in that head of yours?"