Chapter 30:
We're Back! A Fossil Story.
Location: Route 6
Thanking the Deerling Scientists again for their hospitality, me and Bianca hit the road.
"Chargestone Cave. I really can't wait to see what kind of Pokémon there are!" I said as we walked to the rocky entrance. We looked around. All the once golden trees were almost completely bare. "We started our journey on the first day of Autumn. When we emerge from this cave, it'll be Winter."
"That's if we can get in," Bianca pointed out. Blocking the entrance to the gaping hole was a giant yellow web that let of sparks. On it were multiple yellow four-legged Pokémon with multiple eyes.
Galvantula (デンチュラ)
102
Bug/Electric Type
EleSpider Pokémon
2'07" (0.8 m)
31.5 lbs (14.3 kg)
They employ an electrically charged web to trap their prey. While it is immobilized by shock, they leisurely consume it.
Joltik -Lv 36- Galvantula
"This can be easier cleared," I said.
"NO!" Bianca yelled. As I put my hand on the web, I was shocked. I'm not looks obsessed or anything, but my hair was ruined. "Oh great. Now what? I don't want to take down the web with Drilbur. I could hurt the Galvantula."
Just then, we heard something come from underground. A few yards away, a piece of the ground slowly started to come up. Then, Excadrill and Clay popped out.
"Well Hilbert, I knew a Trainer of yer strength would be at the entrance to Chargestone Cave already. I forgot to give ya the TM a couple days ago." He handed me the disc. "This is TM78, which includes Bulldoze. It's moderately powerful and can lower the opponent's speed. Here's one fer you to Bianca."
Bianca thanked Clay and put the TM in her Bag. "Mr. Clay. How are we going to get into Chargestone Cave? Those Galvantula are blocking the way."
Clay tipped his hat. "No biggy. Krokorok! I choose you!" Clay sent out his Pokémon. "Okay, use Crunch!" Krokorok bit the web through the middle. All the Galvantula scurried away.
"Thanks Clay!" we both said.
"No problem. You two stay safe. By the way, Cheren's one strong Trainer. More than worthy of the Plate Badge!"
Location: Chargestone Cave
It was just like the Town Map said; blue sparking rocks were floating everywhere. There were also large grounded rocks, also emitting electricity. It didn't seem real. It was like something out of a video game.
"Amazing!" Bianca said. "Hey, let me try touching one!"
Now I was going to question why touching a sparking rock was a good idea considering the fact that touching an electrified web (or Electroweb as the move is called) caused me to have a massive shock. But Bianca is so carefree that I didn't blame her.
"Just a boop!" she said, pushing it. Suddenly, the floating rock went zooming off down the cave until it stopped at the wall. "Wow! Are there more like that?"
On another rock, I saw a very small yellow Pokémon with four legs latched onto one of the bigger rocks.
Joltik (マチュル)
101
Bug/Electric Type
Attaching Pokémon
0'04" (0.1 m)
1.3 lbs (0.6 kg)
Joltik that live in cities have learned a technique for sucking electricity from the outlets in houses.
"Hey Bianca, look at this thing! It's tiny!" I poked it and, suffice to say, Joltik didn't like that. It spat an Electroweb in my face. My hair was now even worse.
"Bianca mind if I borrow a comb?" Without hesitation, Bianca went into her Bag and took out a green comb.
"I'll do it for you!" she said as she combed my hair back to what it was. She made a far better job than I ever could.
"What an interesting Pokémon," I said, as Joltik angrily jumped off the wrong and scuttled away.
"That's nothing!" Bianca said, completely looking over the fact that I had received a face full of electricity for the second time that day. "Look at those!"
Bianca pointed to multiple grey Pokémon. There were two of them spinning like gears in a factory.
Klink (ギアル)
105
Steel Type
Gear Pokémon
1'00" (0.3 m)
46.3 lbs (21 kg)
Interlocking two bodies and spinning around generates the energy they need to live.
"What fascinating Pokémon," Bianca said.
"Aren't they just?" said a familiar voice from behind a blue rock.
"Professor!" I shouted as she walked out from behind the corner. Her hair was as messy as mine. In all the chaos I forgot Bianca was meeting her.
"I'm here studying the Klink," she said. "Klink seems to have been around in the era Unova was in the age of gears and steam power one hundred years ago. I believe these Pokémon seemed to have been born from the amount of energy provided. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh never went through this age at least to the extent of Unova, hence why Klink is native to Unova only."
"Amazing!" Bianca said. "Professor. If I may, could I stay with you to study the Klink?"
"Sure!" Juniper said. "You okay with that Hilbert?"
I put my thumb up. "Whatever makes you happy Bianca. Me? I'm going to traverse through this cave."
"Good luck!" Bianca told me. "And leave the Joltik alone!"
I continued to make my way through the cave. It was weird thinking that throughout the entire journey, I had only been in two caves. Unova is so industrialized that it's often easy to forget that nature exists.
As I walked by another rock, I felt something spiky and heavy attach to my back.
"OUCH!" I yelled. "What's on me?!" I shook about as if I was dancing until it finally came off. It fell on the floor with a thud. It was round, grey and had multiple green spikes coming off it.
Ferroseed (テッシード)
103
Grass/Steel Type
Thorn Seed Pokémon
2'00" (0.6 m)
41.4 lbs (18.8 kg)
They stick their spikes into cave walls and absorb the minerals they find in the rock.
"That wasn't funny, that hurt! Show it Karma Scraggy!" I yelled as Scraggy came out onto the rocky ground. "Brick Break!" Scraggy chopped Ferroseed. It's Defense was high as it didn't even do half. Scraggy shook some of Ferroseed's thorns of it. It must have been its Ability, Iron Barbs. It damages the opposition a bit if they used a direct contact move like Brick Break on it. Ferroseed started spinning. It then rammed into Scraggy. "Gyro Ball! What a strong one to. Okay Scraggy, enough it enough. I choose Pansear!" When Pansear came out, Ferroseed fired many of its green thorns at Pansear. They did little damage each. That move was the Bug Type move Pin Missile. "Finish with Flame Burst!" Pansear spat a flame at Ferroseed. It exploded, finishing it off.
After the battle, I needed to sort the thorns out. They had dug right into my bag.
"Pansear, get them off please." One by one, Pansear yanked each of them out. "OW!" I yelled each time. This went on for about ten minutes. After which, my back was bleeding like mad. "Well, let's continue on."
"CAW! CAW!" A sound was coming from deep within the cave.
"Hello?" I called back.
"CAW! CAW!" There it was again, closer this time.
"Something's coming. Dewott, come out!" Dewott entered the electric covered floor. "Get ready, something might attack."
It's then I saw it. On the wall, illuminated by the blue rocks, was a large shadow. It had feathery wings and a large beak. It was getting closer.
"Dewott, on my mark, aim a Water Pulse." Instead, Dewott was covering itself in a jet of water. "Dewott, what's going on?" Then, Dewott leapt in the direction of the shadow, water gushing by it as it went. "Aqua Jet?!" I yelled. "Nice one!"
When Dewott landed, something went flying out It went into the air, and in front of me. It had a red beak, a yellow body and red and blue plumes.
Archen (アーケン)
072
Rock/Flying Type
First Bird Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
20.9 lbs (9.5 kg)
Said to be an ancestor of bird Pokémon, they were unable to fly and moved about by hipping from one branch to another.
Revived from a Plume Fossil.
"A Pokémon that lived millions of years ago!" I shouted. I went over to check on it; it hadn't been hurt too much. Aqua Jet is a move that strikes fast but isn't very strong. It's best described as a Water Type Quick Attack. Dewott came over and started apologising. Upon closer inspection, there was something on its wing. It was a note.
"Please return to Dr. Alan Hammond if lost. This Archen has just been revived from its Plume Fossil within the week and this world is very different to the prehistoric world it once lived in. We are currently researching in Chargestone Cave, so hopefully it hasn't left the cave as it can't fly."
"Archen, let's get you back."
Archen started flailing about wildly. I tried to restrain it, but it but down on my arm. I cried out in pain as I slowly find myself being more and more unable to keep it still.
"ARCHEN! I JUST WANT TO HELP YOU!"
"Hey!" In the distance, I saw two Scientists running towards me. There was a male and female Scientist. With them was a male Pokémon Breeder.
"What are you doing?" asked the Breeder. "That's not yours to catch!"
I got off Archen. Big mistake. Since it was free, it started lashing out again. It jumped up onto my face and started attacking.
"That's enough Archen. Tirtouga, go!" the female Scientist said. She went out a blue Pokémon with a large grey shell.
Tirtouga (プロトーガ)
070
Water/Rock Type
Proturtle Pokémon
2'04" (0.7 m)
36.4 lbs (16.5 kg)
About 100 million years ago, these Pokémon swam in oceans. It is thought they also went on land to attack prey.
Revived from a Cover Fossil.
"Aqua Jet!" Tirtouga charged into Archen as water gushed by it. Being a Rock Type that was weak to Water Type moves, Archen was knocked back.
"Are you alright?" the Breeder asked.
"I wasn't trying to harm or catch Archen. I want to return it to its owner. Do you know Dr. Alan Hammond?"
The Breeder pointed to himself. "You're staring right at him my friend! The world renowned, DR. ALAN HAMMOND!"
World renowned? I had never heard of this guy. Well, maybe I had actually. There was an article in National Pokégraphic where he sent all of his findings to the Nacrene City Museum, but they all got turned down because all his discoveries had been found years ago.
Alan picked up the Archen. "Come with us," he said.
Alan and the Scientists took me to an excavation site where multiple Scientists were unearthing Fossils.
"Why is Chargestone Cave so full of Fossils?" I asked.
"We don't know, but we have been excavating them. Archen itself is very interesting because, like the Pokédex said, we think it might be the ancestor of all bird Pokémon. Pidove, Ducklett, Rufflett and many more. Archen could be potentially where it all started!"
At this point, my right arm was really starting to bleed from the bite Archen gave. I put my hand over the wound to stop the blood flow. My jacket wasn't damaged too much thankfully, but I did require medical assistance.
Within an hour, my arm was bandaged up by a Nurse on sight. It still felt painful to move it though.
"I know you haven't gone far today but we think you should stay at our base until tomorrow. It will be a slow and potentially painful recovery unfortunately, but it's better than going to hospital. We'd recommend taking the bandage off after a week."
It was like everything in this cave was out to kill me. But at least the group of people took me back to the base with minimal issue. Well, as minimal as you can with a sore arm.
There were tents set up in the cave, and they thankfully had a spare for me. First of all, sleeping in a cave isn't comfortable. I had to sleep on an inflatable mattress, but the underground punctures a whole in it and it kept deflating. If that didn't keep me up, the constant hissing did. The pain from my arm didn't help matters.
After two attempts at inflating it again with a foot pump, I just gave up and went for a walk. It was only eleven at night, but being deep in a cave, it didn't feel any different from two in the afternoon.
I felt like something was watching me. I wasn't talking about the Joltik or Woobat on the ceiling either. I mean, humans.
Suddenly, three ninjas dressed in all black appeared around me in a puff of smoke. They all had long white hair. I was surrounded.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"We are the Shadow Triad," one of them said. "Don't even bother with introductions Hilbert. Team Plasma told me about you."
"You're part of Team Plasma?!" I asked. I couldn't be as shocked as I wanted to as to not wake the excavation team up; hearing that Team Plasma was in the area would really make them worried.
"We were given a message by Lord N; to notify you about Team Plasma's presence. They are one floor down. I'm guessing you will try to stop them tomorrow."
"I mean… I don't know. Breaking a promise to Ghetsis is one thing, but N is a cool guy despite being part of you guys."
The three ninjas shook their head. "This isn't about Ghetsis, this is about N. And he gives you permission to take us on. If you want to of course."
With that, the Shadow Triad disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Well now I certainly wouldn't get to sleep.
Today I've been shocked, spiked and bitten like some sort of slapstick cartoon character. Despite all that, Chargestone Cave is one of the most fascinating places in the entire Unova region. Plus, seeing ancient Pokémon up close and personal is also not something you see everyday (unless you revive a Fossil at the Nacrene Museum). Tomorrow though, I face Team Plasma once again.