After they concluded their unexpected meeting with their old friend Lenny, Colin and Karen continued into the passage that was said to lead them out of the temple. It was a relatively narrow passageway with similar wear and tear that the rest of the place had. This room was much darker but not completely pitch black as there were windows on the other side illuminating the way just enough for the two to see. Not long after, the two would soon come across the exit to the outdoors. It was back out in the cold for them!
"Brrrrr! Back in the cold we go!", the ele-Squirrel would exclaim in an annoyed tone.
"Looks like it…", the Buizel would confirm. Then as he looked straight ahead, he noticed something, "Wait a minute…"
The two would run a little further, stopped a bit away from the edge as they gazed down the mountain. "Hey, we made it to the peak!", the Buizel cheered. "Yay!", the Pachirisu would cheer as well.
"Look.", Colin pointed toward a small coastal town that seemed to be ahead that could be seen since they're on the other side of the mountain. Water stretched away from the coast as far as the eye could see. It was clear that this was the ocean and the coastal town was Derecha Town, the town Lenny had alluded to that had a ferry to the Treasure Continent. "That must be Derecha Town…", the Buizel would then put on a confident smile, "That's our next destination!"
Karen was anxious to start climbing down the mountain path to escape the cold and get to the town, "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
The two would begin to make their way down the mountain path. It seemed easier since they knew they were on their way off the mountain and they had a clear destination. The time seemed to slip right by as they continued down the snowy path and eventually they would come to the base of the mountain. They were happy to finally be walking on green grass now after treading through all that snow, not to mention feeling a more comfortable temperature rather than the cold of the high altitudes.
"Finally off those mountains!", Karen joyously blurted out.
"It's not far now! To Derecha Town!", Colin would enthusiastically declare before the two continued, straight ahead eastward from the mountain toward the direction of that town they saw back on the mountain peak.
After a great deal of walking to the east, Colin and Karen finally made it to Derecha Town.
"Yay, we're finally here!", Karen cheered.
"Yeah!", Colin joined, "Now we just have to find where the ferries are…"
Derecha Town was a small town with a few buildings and a dock at the end of town. An Inn, a few homes, and then a bit of a marketplace in the open space between the homes and the dock. The two Pokemon weren't too interested in the stalls as they went straight for the dock. They would then get to the wooden pier and look around. They only observed a single boat, not quite as small as a simple rowboat but not as big as a ship either. It didn't look all that impressive either, not even seeming to sport a symbol of any kind on its relatively small sail or the boat itself.
"A single boat…? Is this the ferry?", the Buizel blurted out.
Just then, a Crawdaunt approached them from behind. "Hey hey! What are you two looking for?", the Pokemon said in a crusty yet playful voice.
Colin and Karen kinda jumped, surprised by the Pokemon. "W-well, we're trying to look for a ferry.", Colin said, still kinda out of it from being caught by surprise.
"I'm sorry to say, but all the ferries just closed down not too long ago, hey hey…", the crustacean regretfully replied.
"What!?", Colin blurted, not really paying attention to the time. He was so focused on their objective that he didn't notice that the sun was setting. Even so, he wasn't aware of the schedule either. Lenny did say he wasn't aware of the schedule either when he told the two about the ferries.
"Awwwwwww, that stinks!", Karen complained in a rather annoyed voice.
The red Pokemon, taking on a curious look, would ask, "Say… where do you two plan to go, hey?"
"Well… we were planning on going to the Wigglytuff Guild and-", upon hearing the Wigglytuff Guild, the Pokemon would then cut Colin off, "Hey hey! The Wigglytuff Guild, huh!? That's where I'm from, hey hey!"
The two young Pokemon lit up a bit hearing that, "Really!?", Karen said with a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Yes! I actually work for the Guild, hey hey!", the Pokemon replied.
"That's great!", the Buizel expressed with a renewed confidence, "Maybui we can ask for a ride?"
"H-hey hey, hold on there, kiddo! I still have something to do here!", the crustacean nervously responded. He would think a bit, rubbing his pincer along just below his mouth. "Hmmm… say, would I be wrong in assuming you two are planning on joining the Guild by any chance, hey?"
The Buizel would think for a bit. They had planned on becoming explorers eventually, though they hadn't really thought about doing it right away yet. Mulling over the fact they were going to the guild anyway, that it was a goal at some point, and that this could give them opportunities to investigate more on their enemy, he'd resolved that that's what they were going to do. Karen was likely thinking of the same thing. "Well, we did plan on becoming explorers eventually… so no, you wouldn't bui wrong at all in assuming that."
"Hey hey! That's excellent!", the Crawdaunt seemed rather happy about this. He would calm down and continue, "I think I should give you two… a little test, hey hey."
"A test?", Karen asked.
"Yes.", the crustacean would then explain, "You see… there is a cave a ways to the northwest of this town. Locals call it Derecha Cave. I was sent here to look for this mighty rare rock that's said to be within that cave. Though… we're unsure if the reports are true or if there's even any more traces of this rock left, hey hey…"
"Wait, so you're not even sure if the rock is there?", Colin would ask.
"Nope, hey hey…", the Pokemon sulked for a bit, but then sprang back up, "But we won't know unless we try! This leads us to where you two come in! Would you two be willing to go fetch that rock for me, hey hey?"
"Hmm…", the Buizel rubbed his chin, "I suppose this could give us a taste of what exploring is like…", then enthusiastically declared, "Sure thing!"
"Yeah! It sounds easy enough!", Karen cheered, "Just a rock, right?"
"Hey hey, that's great!", the red Pokemon replied in glee. He then calmed and explained some more, "Now, this rock… it's rather rare and magical. Looking for it shouldn't be that difficult. It looks so different from the rest in the cave, it will more than likely stick out like a sore thumb, hey."
"So a rock that looks different from all the rest.", the Buizel reviewed, then answered with a confident "Gotcha!"
"Good luck on the hunt, you two, hey hey!", the Crawdaunt wished as he waved at two Pokemon that were waving back as they walked away. "Don't worry, we'll get ya that rock!", the Buizel promised.
Colin and Karen, now in front of Derecha Town's Inn, had conversed a bit as it was getting dark out.
"It's getting pretty late. We should probably get some rest.", Colin said.
"I agree! We had quite a day! I'm so tiiired!", Karen would reply.
"Alright, tomorrow morning, we set off! To Derecha Cave!", Colin declared.
"Yeah!", Karen cheered, eager to get a good night's sleep before continuing.
The night had come and gone, and the sunshine of a brand new day shone on the town. It wasn't long after that the two exited the inn and went into town to buy a few supplies. Some apples, berries, seeds, the works for a mission like this. Their times playing Explorers and stories from their fathers had prepared them a bit on what one should get to prepare.
"I think we're all set!", Colin said as they were about to walk out of town.
"Yup! Now, onward to the Derecha Cave! What are we waiting for!? Let's go!", Karen chattered excitedly before they began on their journey northwest-ward toward the cave.
They would transverse through the grasslands that made up the Derecha Coastline. Off in the distance to the west was the range of the Derecha Mountains they had just departed from the day before, towering high to block the view of their homeland on the other side. They'd progress toward the northwest and before they knew it, they were facing the opening of a cave. This cave was on a different part of the Derecha Mountains a ways north of the mountain path the two crossed before.
"So this is Derecha Cave, huh?", Colin questioned.
"Huh…", Karen then thought a bit, "Heeeey, isn't this that cave that Merton said that he and his dad had to go through to get to his hometown from ours?"
"Hey, ya know, that's right!", Colin answered, "Though, getting to Mephia is no easy task… you'd need an experienced guide who knows the way and how to get through those steep rocks to get there." He had also told Lenny this was a reason he didn't go to the Guild up that way for answers on their enemies.
"Yeah…", Karen said.
"Anyway, this is the place that Pokemon told us that rock was at…", Colin then would go into thinking again, "Say… he never did tell us his name, huh?"
"Yeah, that's right!", Karen added, "He sure liked to say 'Hey' a lot… let's call him Mr. Hey!", she said playfully.
"Haha, no complaints here!", the Buizel slightly giggled at the name, than snapped out of that to face the cave once more with a confidence grin, "Alright, Karen… let's go look for this rock for Mr. Hey!"
"Right behind ya, Collie!", Karen answered before the two started into the cave.
