Chapter 38: Finding the Mushroom

Ricky

The sun had set and Pueltown was bustling. It was warm with a cool breeze. I scanned the crowd and walked around the crowds of men. Some eyes stayed away while most eyes followed. I gingerly led Molly away from the view of the other civilians.

"Ricky, where are we going?" Molly asked, slightly annoyed.

Her eyebrow twitched as I softly dragged her away, like she could be broken. I knew she was a tough cookie. She was only a few inches shorter than I and she could probably beat me up if she wanted to.

"A surprise," I told her. I couldn't tell her the secret spot.

Molly ripped her wrist from my hand and glared at me with the intensity of a thousand suns. I smiled weakly at her.

"Ricky, ya got a death wish?" she said in a low, menacing voice, menacing enough to turn me to stone.

No matter hold cold she was, I still found her unbearably attractive. I never saw past her aggressive streak when we were younger. We were on the date she promised. I made sure to iron my light green button-down shirt. Molly looked stunning in her lavender dress that showcased her mile-long legs. I half-expected her to show up in her greasy jumpsuit with her hair in her usual bun, but she surprised me with her cascading brown hair similar to a waterfall.

"No, it's just that you're so stubborn that I have to pull you everywhere," I replied.

That was a dirty lie. I just wanted to hold her hand, but I settled for the wrist. She would probably slap me if I held her hand.

A defiant smile formed on her tan face. She held out her arm and said, "Well… Pull on."

I laughed a little and wrapped my rough hands around her smooth wrist. I took her out of Pueltown and near the outlook.

I set up a picnic for us. I even made the food. I thought catering would be a nasty touch. This may be my only date with her, so I need to make it count.

"A picnic? How romantic," she said sarcastically.

"Well, you know me. I'm the most romantic guy around."

We plopped down on the blanket. I reached for the cooler and dug around. The ice was slightly melted and turned my skin red.

"Water or pop?" I asked.

"Pop, please."

I grabbed a can and tossed it towards her. I grabbed a pop for myself and opened the basket full of the "main course". I had made fancy sandwiches with tomato and lettuce. I even spent the extra money and bought the more expensive ham. I handed her a sandwich and she wasted no time. She dug in and so did I.

She sat in silence for a few minutes. She kept her eyes on the view of Pueltown while I kept my eyes on her.

"I know you hate when I say this, but I'm sorry for all the grief I gave you," I told her.

She turned her pretty face and swallowed. "I know, I know. Ya tell me every five seconds."

"I just can't stress it enough."

"Don't worry about it."

"But-"

"But nothing. I've forgiven you already."

That shut me up. We sat in silence once again. My mind was blank.

"Why did ya take me so far away?" asked Molly.

I laughed as if it was oblivious. "Do you not notice all the guys that drool all over you? I didn't want to have to fight guys all night."

"Fight? Now why would ya have to do that?"

I scratched the back of my neck nervously. "You're really going to make me say it? It's 'cause you're gorgeous. I don't want guys thinking that they have a chance with you while we are on this date."

Molly's lips dared to curve into a smile. She tried to keep her face stoic, but her faint blush betrayed her.

"Don't get too cocky," she softly giggled.

I gave her a toothy grin and she returned it. It was a pleasant date with small talk and small flirtation, mostly on my side. When we finished and cleaned up, we walked slowly back to the Union.

"What made you think of me when you were asked to move to the Union?" asked Molly.

"Heh, I knew you deserved it. You are quite different compared to me. Whereas I'm a traditional Mechanic, you are special and unique. Not many people are Inventors like you are. I guess I could say I'm jealous of you," I responded honestly.

"Why do ya comliment me so much? Ya deserve just as much praise."

"I believe you are much more amazing than I am."

Molly turned to look at me with wide eyes. Her big green eyes bore into me. I don't think I've said that to anyone.

"You've changed, Ricky. I like it."

Our hands brushed and my body stiffened. Molly looked uninterested in my sudden change of mood. Her smooth, warm fingers tangled with mine. She squeezed my hand lightly to catch my attention. She wasn't even fazed even though I was red faced and surprised.

Her hand was so different than mine. It was slender and not at all clammy like mine. I was starting to think that she didn't care as much as I, but her racing pulse could be felt through her fingers.

Kellyn

We were sinking closer and closer to the sea floor. The Dim Sun hideout was built on the side of a rocky, underwater cliff. My ears started to feel the pressure. I popped them and grit my teeth.

We stepped off the elevator and met the faint aroma of hairspray. Sven wrinkled his nose and coughed.

"I'll go find Wailmer. You keep investigating," I told Sven and Luxray.

"Heh, bossy," he said while walking away.

The dark hallway we followed was eerily quiet. As we got closer, a faint buzzing noise could be heard.

Watch your step. The ground is electrified.

"Is there a generator nearby?"

Yes, but it is guarded by some Dim Sun Goons.

"Hm… I can't be showy. I'll have to take matters into my own hands. Which door?"

Right.

I slowly opened the iron door. Two goons stood guard of the generator with their backs to me.

Lucario taught me a little about sleath. I controlled my breathing and crept heel first. I got really close and looped my arm around one of their necks so that their throat was in the crook of my arm. With the hand of the choking arm, I grabbed my other bicep, then clapped my free hand over their mouth. They struggled for a little and then they went limp. I slowly placed them down and did the same to the other goon.

Good job. I couldn't have done any better. How do you plan on turning off the generator?

"Good question. Knowing Team Dim Sun, I bet there's an on and off switch."

We walked up to the buzzing generator. Heated radiated off the rumbling machine. As I believed, there was a lever. I careful turned it down and all the lights went out.

I sense Wailmer. Follow me!

I used the wall to keep my sense of direction. Lucario can see in the dark by sensing aura. Goons started shouting and running around. As long as I kept close to Lucario, I'd be safe.

Lucario growled and smashed an unknown object.

"What was that?"

This is a miniremo factory.

I felt a clammy hand grab my shoulder and I turned around and punched it figure. It must have been a goon because he whimpered and ran away.

The next door led to a tube. The lighter were on in this area. Mama Wailord could be seen if I looked up. I picked up my pace and opened the net door.

Some grunts were dragging Wailmer into a special door. Wailmer cried and cried.

"Hey! Stop!" I shouted.

I got their attention and they shoved the poor baby pokémon through the door.

"Get away, Ranger! I bet you can't break door this door!" shouted the admin.

There was a small entrance next to the door. Lucario slide under the door and broke open the door from inside. I charged in.

Lucario already destroyed the miniremo the goons had with them. Lucario was knocking them out left and right. I dodged a kick from the admin and gave him an uppercut. I was met with a sucker punch. I recoiled a little and punched the admin hard in the gut. He fell back and scrambled.

Another goon tried his luck against me. I grabbed his wrist and tossed him into the admin. As he tried to get up, I slammed him back down.

Lucario and I noticed that Wailmer was not with them. We reached the door and ran into the tube. We blockaded the door and continued to a control room.

The control room was full of sleeping goons. They must have been overworked and the stench of hairspray probably knocked them out. There were lots of cool machines. We walked into a workroom and saw Sven interogating a mushroom head.

"Isaac?" I asked.

Sven and Isaac turned around. "You know him?" asked Sven. "I got blueprints for their Incredible Machine from this boy."

"I went to school with Isaac," I told Sven.

"What kind of room has no doors or windows?" asked Isaac.

I smiled and remembered his silly riddles. "A mushroom."

He laughed a little and begged, "Kellyn, help me. This guy is roughing me up."

I glared at Sven and he gave me a smug smile. Isaac wore a fancy coat with the Dim Sun emblem. His name tag said 'Professor Isaac'.

"Are you working with Team Dim Sun?" I asked angrily.

"Yes…"

"Why?"

"We don't have time for this. We're taking him to the Union," said an annoyed Sven.

"Would I meet Professor Hastings?" asked Isaac.

"You'll get to spend a lot of time with him," said Sven.

"I don't mind going. As long as I research, I'm happy. Can I say good-bye to Mr. Kincaid?" asked Isaac.

I eye twitched. Does he even understand what is going on? Does he even know what Team Dim Sun does? Does he know that Kincaid is evil?

"Well, why don't we all pay him a visit. It's courtesy," I grumbled.

We followed Isaac to an elevator that took us to a posh door. It was the door to Kincaid's quarters.

The room smelled like we walked into a beauty store. Purple carpet lined the walls and floors. I heard Wailmer cry and I snapped my head to a throne. Yes, Kincaid was sitting on a throne.

"I asked the minions to capture Wailord and they bring me this abomination? Such disrespect. How am I to become better than those brats called the Sinis Trio?" said Kincaid.

The back walk was completely glass. The sides coming up to his throne were full of knick-knacks.

"Kincaid…" I grumbled.

"I really do hate you. You represent everything I wanted to be. Now, I'm just sitting underwater, away from the action. A bunch of brats are more respected than I. Plus, I'm the assistant to a sicko," Kincaid hissed.

Isaac walked out from my shadow and Kincaid's eyebrow twitched. "Professor Isaac? What are you doing with them?" Kincaid asked.

Isaac showed no fear with his response, "I'm going with them. I've come to say good-bye to you, Mr. Kincaid."

Kincaid paused and fixed his already perfect hair. "I never thought I'd see this. I've been wronged by Rangers twice already."

"Three times," Sven said while waving the blueprints.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kincaid shouted. "I need that back. I guess I need to take it by force…"

Kincaid pulled out a miniremo and a Gliscor appeared with savage ferocity.

"Sven, take Isaac and the blueprints and escape. I'll hold back Kincaid," I told Sven.

"You got it, Chief," said Sven while escaping. Now it was only Kincaid and me.

"Capture On!"

Gliscor sent whirlwinds at me, and I dodged. My charged styler spun around the flying pokémon with vigor.

Gliscor charged at me and knocked me into the carpeted wall. I wobbled to my feet and continued. Lucario and Gliscor fought head to head. Lucario punched Gliscor hard and was met with a claw to the gut. Lucario fell and was out.

Gliscor turned to me and picked me up with its claws. It threw me into the glass wall and cracked the surface.

As I reached my feet Gliscor turned the ground under me to mud. I couldn't move. I spun the styler around an a blue orb formed.

Kincaid simply laughed. He sat in his throne and laughed mechanically at me. Water filled the quarter.

"The Incredible Machine is already 99% complete. When the Big Boss switches on the Incredible Machine… Team Dim Sun's future will shine with the colors of darkness. Dim Sun's future is built of my sacrifice. I wish I would get some recognition. I recruited the boy genius. A boy like him comes once in a generation. That genius is Isaac," Kincaid told me.

"The Ranger's will stop you," I told him while struggling in the shin-deep water.

"Don't interrupt. You shouldn't worry about me as much as you should worry about the Big Boss and his sadistic son, Vance." Kincaid pressed a button and the room shook. "I'm going to end you. Have fun, Kellyn."

Kincaid's throne was covered up with a sphere and it left the room. Lucario and I were by ourselves in a sinking room and the back door is locked.

"Voicemail! Voicemail! Kellyn speaking! Lucario and I are in a bit of trouble."

"What kind of trouble? Sven is already out," said Linda.

"We happen to be in a room that is filling with water and sinking."

Rhythmi

"Get out of the way," I told Linda.

"R-Rhythmi?! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home with your family?" asked Linda.

"Perhaps, but I had a bad feeling and I was right."

Everyone around me was in shock. Not even my sister was here. Chairperson Erma placed a hand on my shoulder, but I wasn't in the mood for comfort. My swollen eyes flashed back and forth, reading Kellyn's statistics.

"Kellyn, tell me what you are around?" I asked me.

"Rhythmi? Is that you? Where have you been? I missed you…"

"Answer!"

"Uh… The glass wall is cracked. Water is pouring in. The room I'm in is sliding down a cliff. Lucario is knocked out and my feet are trapped in some weird mud."

This was dire. I need to think. "Kellyn, dig yourself out with your knife. Swim to get Lucario and find something to break the door open. If that glass breaks, you might drown," I told him.

"Got it Rhythmi."

Everyone in the Union at this point was in the Operation Room. We waited to hear back from Kellyn. My heart races and my fingers couldn't keep still.

Kellyn gasped for air and started to cough. "Free. I've got control of Lucario. We are swimming towards the door," Kellyn gasped. "The water is over my head."

"You have aproximately thirty seconds if the statistics from your styler are correct. Kellyn, please make it back," I said softly.

Slushing could be heard and then a crash. His signal became faint.

"Kellyn, what was that!?

"Th-The glass broke! I'm being dragged under," he shouted.

"Grab the door handle! It will break under the pressure! Kellyn, you cannot die! I've lost too much and you can't leave me!" I shouted desperately.

The line became fuzzy and all signals became nonexistant. My breathing quickened and my throat suddenly became dry. I choked a little. I turned on 'Float Mode' on his styler.

We waited for five minutes. There was no response. Soft tears dripped down my face, but they were no stranger to me. I didn't even sob. I sat there, numb. My fingers trembled and I grit my teeth in order to hide the growing sobs.

"Voicemail! Voicemail! Sven speaking! I fished Kellyn and Lucario out of the ocean. I had to revive them slightly, but they are breathing now."

Everyone cheered. I whipped the tears and smiled. I did it. Everyone hugged and congradutated me. They called me a hero. I was too in shock to even speak. He's safe.

Hello

I know I said that I wouldn't be updating in a while, but I couldn't stay away. I can always retake the SAT. Haha, just kidding, I studied.

A sequel is planned for the future, so be ready for that.

Remember to review!

Peace (งσヮσ)ง