Chapter 13

Surprising Developments

Alex was pacing around Sharpedo Bluff, muttering to himself. Blaze was giving Blake her beginning sword lessons. After a solid ten minutes, he placed down his expedition orb and said, "call Tesla."

A hologram of a certain electric type appeared with a smile on his face and said, "Alex...it's been a long time!"

"We need to talk about something. Are you alone?" The Haxorus said in a very serious voice.

Tesla flinched, the former human was always pleasant when he called, so this was very troublesome.

Tesla nodded, and Alex began with, "a week ago, Koh, the Xatu who predicted the meteor, called Paul and me to a meeting."

Tesla nodded again but said nothing.

"Koh then informed the two of us that a calamity is on the horizon, one as dangerous as the falling star and that the architects of this calamity would make their first move in around eight months," Alex explained. He was careful not to mention Guise as the Gengar wanted to remain anonymous.

Tesla seemed unsure and said, "Koh had a vision that the meteor would destroy the world, and that changed. How can you be so sure?"

"Because Koh also told me that two former humans have arrived in this world, one on the Grass Continent and one on the Water Continent. I located the one on the Grass Continent," Alex revealed.

Tesla gasped, "there are two...and one is on my continent."

"Yes, and now I need you to begin searching, discreetly" Alex requested.

Tesla nodded and said, "I understand, but I have no idea how to begin; there's no way to know without asking around, and we can't reveal you and Paul's secret. Mass panic would ensue with everyone learning humans are real...no offense"

Alex shook his head and replied, "no need; with some of the legends I've heard of humans in this world, it's for the best."

"So, what do you suggest?" Tesla inquired.

Alex sighed and said, "you need to identify candidates; the one I've found, Blake is a Meowstic, so perhaps a second stage evolution, or a pokemon that seems around teenage given what little Blake remembers."

"And if I find such candidates?" Tesla pressed.

"I'll warp over and introduce myself; you can disguise it as I'm passing, though, so I can use the dimensional scream. That's how I confirmed with Blake," Alex explained.

Tesla nodded and said, "Lana and I will get on it; I'll inform the other guildmasters as…."

"NO!" Alex shouted.

Tesla jumped, her hologram flickering as she backed out of range of the orb.

Alex held his hand to his forehead and said, "I'm sorry...we just need to keep this between you, me, Wallace, and Lana for now, at least until we find the other former human."

Tesla gave a concerned look and asked "you doing ok? you look tired" noticing the dragon type's weary eyes.

"I'm fine, just keep me updated" Alex requested.

"Ok...take care of yourself," Tesla said kindly before his hologram disappeared.

Alex picked up his orb and left Sharpeado bluff, he needed a drink at Spinda's cafe…

Ruby and Tide ran through Nectar meadow into a wooded area, Ruby told Tide what she saw on their way.

Basil was a few dozen yards ahead in a clearing when four pokemon appeared, they were hovering and had round heads with slightly pointed mouths, large, red eyes, and black antennae with a sharp bend in the middle. Their forelegs were tipped with long, conical stingers. They had two pairs of rounded, veined wings, and another stinger on their yellow-and-black striped abdomen.

"What are you doing here!" One of the Beedrill demanded.

Basil gave a frightened look and stuttered "Im here to b-buy some honey".

"You want to take our HONEY! NO!" The group of Beedrill shouted; they barely even listened to what the young grass type had said.

The Beedrill lunged, but before their stingers hit, a volley of embers stopped them.

Basil cowered behind Ruby and Tide as they came onto the scene.

"MORE INTRUDERS! ATTACK!" the Beedrill shouted.

Ruby and Tide jumped away, with Tide tacking Basil as they narrowly avoided a volley of poison stingers.

Tide shot a water gun while Ruby shot an ember; the four Beedril were felled quickly by the fire and water combination.

As the bug types fell to the ground smoking, Ruby and Tide turned to Basil and asked, "are you ok?"

The young grass type nodded, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the Beedrill raising his arm to attack and shouted, "look out!"

Tide acted without thinking and jumped between Ruby, taking a volley of glowing purple needles before Ruby finished off the Bedrill with another ember.

Ruby then turned her attention to her friend and asked, "you took another hit for me? Why?'

"Because I care about you," Tide explained nonchalantly, earning a slight blush from the Fennekin, though he didn't notice it.

Tide fell down as the poison took effect, causing Ruby to gasp; just then, the Beedrill got airborne again.

Ruby took a fighting stance as the Beedrill threatened, "we will defend our honey!"

Before the fight could continue, there was a louder buzzing sound as small pokemon resembling flying honeycombs arrived, all following a large pokemon whose gaze caused the Beedrill to freeze in place. It was larger than them with a three-part body, divided into an abdomen, thorax, and head. It had a yellow- and black-striped abdomen, which flared out from a thin, waist-like protrusion under its thorax in a manner that resembled an elegant ballgown. It also had black arms that each consisted of two narrow, conical segments. Each arm ended in two tiny, orange claws. It flew with a pair of relatively small wings, each of which consisted of two stacked, translucent teardrop segments. Finally, its head consisted of its face and horns. Its orange face has fierce red eyes, yellow mandibles that protruded from its face and connected to its horns, and a large, red gem on its forehead.

"Beedrill, CEASE! Your opponents are mere children!" the Vespiquen ordered.

Ruby walked back in fear, only for the Vespiquen to look at Tide wincing from the poison and unleash a soothing pink mist from her body. Tide smelled it and stood up, healed, the aromatherapy completely curing the poison.

As the Beedrill hung their head waiting for scolding, the Vespiquen sighed and said, "I sincerely apologize for this; with the honey-making season, emotions run rather hot….I am Ambrosia, queen of the nectar meadow hive."

Ruby nodded and said, "we were just trying to keep Basil safe."

"I was just going to buy some honey for my mom, she's been sick, and I know your honey is excellent at healing grass types," Basil explained before opening up the flower on his head, revealing a glass dish with some poke-coins in it.

Ambrosia gave a sympathetic look and said, "I'm sorry to hear that.. No need for the poke; take this to your mother," as she revealed a jar of honey from behind her. some of it was already in jars ready to be sold, even though more was still being made.

Ruby smiled and put the jar in her bag; the two then took Basil home, happy to have protected him, their job complete. Unbeknownst to them, there was a rather nasty scolding waiting for them when they got back to Serene Village.

Author's note-Sorry for the long break, had a major case of writing block...

1. Set up some character stuff for later, even if it's obvious I'm trying something new

2. Leave a review, that was part of my writer's block as I didn't have anyone's opinions. I've noticed a bunch of new follows/favorites, so even if there's nothing specific to say, leave a review about what you like/ dislike and how I could improve.

Next Time- Ruby formally meets Tide's old pops and Blake has her first swordfighting lesson.