Chapter Eleven – Watch Your Step OR The Crumbling of Confidence
Dewford had always been Riley's favorite place to visit with her Dad. The small coastal shops, the wide variety of Pokemon you could see, the interesting people and most importantly, the caves system. She'd been in the caves and surrounding woods many times when on a hunt with her old man.
As Riley led Heidi from the docks and into the small coastal town, she couldn't help but smile. She had two things immediately on her mind. First, she needed to shower. Second, and more importantly, make it to the small cave on the north side of the town as quickly as possible afterwards. She'd explored many caves on the island, but there was a specific reason she liked this one so much. While everyone made their way to the larger system, known for its odd murals and wall carvings, she and her dad had discovered a great little system where the fresh water from much further inland ran into this specific cave.
Fresh water meant water Pokemon, while she already had a great water teammate on her team, it didn't mean she couldn't catch some for training later on. It'd also give Heidi an opportunity to sell them to the listings on the GTS. The other great thing about this cave was other than the large entry, if you didn't know where you were looking, it looked to be empty. She knew better than that, and even knew the nooks and crannys that contained small openings for them to crawl through. She was really looking forward to it.
As the girls slowly made their way through Dewford, Riley made it a point to make sure Heidi knew where a few important shops were located. The first being a small store on the far southern edge of town. "That's where you'll want to look if there's any evolutionary stones you are seeking. They range from a few thousand to thirty or forty, depending on the rarity. This island is known for producing large amounts of water and grass stones, so they'll be the cheapest. If you come across rarer stones, they also purchase them." Riley recalled the last time they'd been there, she found a small Thunderstone while she and her dad were spelunking, netting her a a few thousand bucks for her troubles.
The next important location was Byron's. It wasn't a store or anything of that nature, but the home of a very knowledgeable local that could help you find anything available on the island. He was an older retired man, so he didn't typically require money as compensation. He usually just wanted someone to talk to, after his wife had passed away a decade ago, he's really just been lonely.
Lastly was the only Trader's Guild in Hoenn. People would either consign Pokemon for sale, or make a posting for a specific breed. They may be looking to hire guides, or sell their wares from places all over the world. Riley loved popping in there. The first time she did, she saw the only Charmander she's ever seen in person. It was for sale, and as much as she begged, her father had told her no. When she sold her thunderstone, she returned, hoping to see another of the tiny fire lizard. Someday she'd get her fire lizard, she was sure of it.
As the girls finally made it to the center of town, the Poke Center came into view. Riley was ready for a shower, and Heidi wasn't going to turn down a chance to get clean. The girls turned over their Pokemon to Nurse Joy and received their room keys. They'd be sharing a room which was fine by them. Riley jumped in the shower first, basking in the hot water as she let the cascade of warm water wash away the stresses of traveling. Begrudgingly, she exited the shower and got dressed, it wouldn't be fair to use all the hot water before her friend had a chance to do the same. Heidi jumped in and quickly scrubbed the dirt from her body. She quickly jumped out and got ready, as much as she'd like to relax, she had some exploring to do.
They quickly made their way to Nurse Joy and retrieved their teams. "We'll probably be in the cave system until late tonight or sometime tomorrow, depending on our luck." Riley bid her farewell to the friendly caretaker and exited the Center. With any luck, she'd find what she was looking for and be back in time for dinner.
The girls made a quick stop at the Poke Mart to replenish their food supply and stock up on potions and pokeballs, then made their way north. There was a fairly steady stream of folks heading to the popular cave system, some adventurers looking to strike it rich with rare gems. Others were hoping to hunt the fighting types known to inhabit the area. Some even made the trek just for the sights, the coast and cave systems were a huge tourist draw for the area. The girls had no plans on sight seeing, and as the path split, they kept west while the rest went north.
Riley quickly spotted their destination and made a point to mark the entrance on both of the girls Pokedex. She knew her way fairly well, but she didn't know the whole cave, and if they were split up, Heidi could easily be lost for days.
The brave trainers entered the mouth of the cave, ready for whatever was thrown at them. "I'd keep Edward with you at all times. Being a ghost type, he'll be able to help you out in the darkness far better than any others on your team. It wouldn't hurt to keep Nova out too, that glowing orb on her tail should help keep a steady source of light, making life a bit easier." Riley had planned to keep Cole and Asher out with her, so the two would be as prepared as they could be.
"If its OK with you Riley, can we make our way to the water first? I think it'd be a good place to set up a base camp, that way I can concentrate on training Naga along with the rest of my team, and hopefully catch a Pokemon or two." Heidi tried not to sound over anxious, but she was champing at the bit to begin training in earnest. "That's a good idea, when we get there, make sure to drop a pin on your Pokedex GPS so you can make it back if necessary." Riley released her Helioptile, and made sure he and Cole were on the same page.
The journey to the underground water reservoir was not without excitement. Shortly after crawling through a small tunnel the girls came upon a wild Makuhita. Riley flinched at the sight of the sumo, and Heidi took advantage. "This one is all you Nova, use thundershock!" The electric sheep identified its target and unleashed the bolt of electricity. The spear of energy struck with perfect accuracy, temporarily stunning the Makuhita as thousands of volts coursed through its body. Heidi quickly tossed a pokeball, trying to capitalize on the stunned foe. The ball found its mark and light quickly consumed the Makuhita, sucking it into the red and white orb. Shake.. Shake.. Shake.. Click. Heidi had captured another Pokemon, but curiously she didn't release him to indoctrinate the fighter to her team.
"I saw the way you reacted to him, there's no way I could keep him with me if you have an aversion towards Makuhita. I needed to catch Pokemon to sell or trade, and a young fighting Pokemon should be an easy sale." Riley was shocked with the matter of factness of the statement, but it all made perfect sense, so no need to rock the boat on the issue.
The girls moved forward, slowly making their way through the small tunnels descending further and further below ground level. During one of their treks across a smaller cavern, Riley saw a flash of the prize she came here for. "Asher, thunder wave quick!" By the time Asher had found his target, it vanished without a trace. Riley knew it wouldn't be that easy, but she hoped she'd get another chance.
After hours of crawling through narrow tunnels, climbing rocks to reach their paths and carefully jumping holes in the floor, they finally made it to their destination. "OK Heidi, pin your location, I'm going to be searching around, so I may not be that close if you get lost. Reception is spotty down here, so don't close your Pokedex, the map will continue to track your location until its shut off. You may not have service again for the remainder of the time we are here." Riley dropped her bag, retrieved her flashlight and prepared to depart.
Riley's game plan was clear, use Asher to light up the area, Cole to make sure nothing left in the shadows, Joy followed in the rivers when possible and Kek followed by her side. She didn't trust Crash enough yet to let him walk freely, one wrong headbutt from the Dino could lead to serious problems. For hours they crept through caves, tunnels, caverns and waded through rivers. She encountered a few Pokemon worth pursuing, and managed to catch a Golbat and a Geodude. She had no intent to keep them with her, but she was beginning to formulate a plan for life and her team moving forward.
Riley grabbed Crixus' ball and released the psychic, she may as well find out if her plan for the future would work. As the Gallade materialized, she felt the tingle in her mind instantly. "How can I serve you my lady?" He was always so formal, she'd break him of that habit eventually. "I've been thinking Crixus, I know you wish to fight and prove your worth. I also know that I won't use you in battle, and we don't know when Nick will be back. Have you given any thought to life after battling?" Here it came, the moment of truth.
"If I can no longer fight, I have no reason to exist. I was created for one purpose. I was given blades on my arms for combat, I was given a psychic ability to read my opponents thoughts and ensure my trainer's safety. If I can't battle, I am nothing." Crixus had an air of finality in his tone, he was almost expecting to be released.
"That's what I wanted to talk with you about. I've been thinking, with all of the uncertainty in the Region, I think it'd be wise for us to plan for the future. I can only carry six Pokemon registered to me until I've defeated at least one Elite Four member. I only have two badges, so that'll be a while. I plan on catching more than six Pokemon, how am I going to have them ready to battle if they spend their time in stasis?" Riley knew a type advantage at a gym meant nothing if her Pokemon were under prepared.
"I only know how Master Nick trained. He would bring myself and the other five of his Champion Team with him everywhere. He typically left the remainder back at home, where the Pokemon could rest and relax. Once a week he'd swap one of the five for a Pokemon back home, allowing them to train while giving a Champion Pokemon a rest. Until I was injured, I was the only Pokemon always at his side. That's how he kept us fresh, and that's how he kept around twenty of us at the peak of our abilities."
"Here's my proposal to you. Until I've got a competent psychic, or make a deal with Cole, I'd like you to remain with me. Once I have a full team and effective communication in place, I'd like you to go to my house, and act as my proxy with my caught Pokemon. You can train them as Nick trained you, you'd be the Master of the Dojo I plan on creating. I don't know what the future holds for Hoenn, but I do know that things are rapidly changing, and if I ever want to be able to defend myself, I need to know that in any situation my team can handle it." Preying on the Gallade's sense of duty and drive for combat was a low blow, but she desperately wanted this to work out.
"You ask me to give up on fighting and instead train others to fight for me? I can see the honor in this request, and I'll consider the proposal. In return, I ask that if I accept, you allow me to help choose which Pokemon are caught and trained for battle. I've fought countless enemies of all breeds and elements. I know which Pokemon offer the most power, but I also know who the fiercest warriors truly are." He was wavering, Riley knew she had him.
"You'll be my mentor. You'll have a say in any major decisions made on this team, I trust you with my life." Riley smiled, she could feel the his mood shift. It was a warm feeling, happiness she guessed, and she really liked the way it felt. "You can read my mind, you know what I'm after. If I'm able to catch it, I think it'll really give us a good start. What do you think?"
"I think this is a foolish errand. Not because I don't think you'll succeed, but because I believe you will. I do not think you need it to grow your team, but I will assist in anyway I can and hope you prove me wrong." The Gallade nodded towards the next series of tunnels, ready to help if at all possible.
As Riley spent the next two hours winding down paths and through crawl spaces, she finally found her prize. This time, she was ready. She would not be yelling orders to her team, this time the honor of commanding the battle would be left to Crixus. It was time for him to prove himself, and he was ready for the challenge.
Without a sound, Asher launched a thunder wave at the unsuspecting Pokemon. As the blanket of paralytic energy washed over the wild Pokemon, Asher prepared his next attack. Asher stood deathly still, and Riley could feel wind beginning to whip around the small cavern. The Helioptile did not budge, slowly developing a cloak of gale force winds. Asher lunged forward, releasing the blade like shards of wind quickly cutting through the air and towards their target.
The sounds of steel being battered and broken was all that could be heard. As the tempest barrage continued to slash its opponent, Riley got the signal. It was time, and she did not hesitate. Riley hurled the blue and white greatball, striking her target directly on it's maw. Shake... This is it. Shake... Finally I've found what I was looking for. Shake... Come on!. Click. The sweetest sound she'd ever heard, she'd caught her illusive prize. Riley quickly recovered the great ball and began her trek back towards her friend.
Heidi looked on as her team sparred. Instead of the traditional one on one training, she decided teamwork was the best way to really grow. Eloy was clearly an offensive monster, but defensively he had a lot of work to do, so she had his teammates launching attacks at him. He was allowed to parry and dodge when able, but otherwise would need to absorb the blows to build a stronger defense. After a few minutes of being pummeled, she called switch.
Naga sat there, trying to figure out what she'd been signed up for. The sea horse fluttered its tiny wings at rapid speed as it attempted to dodge the small bolts of electricity darting towards her. Heidi had ordered low power attacks while Naga was the target. She was the smallest and the youngest, she needed time to adjust and grow as she learned. As the sea horse got into a rhythm, Heidi called switch, and it was the Ghosts turn.
Edwards parried with ease, effortlessly avoiding the oncoming attacks. Heidi commanded Edward to begin attempting to redirect the attacks with it's demonic energy. She'd read a story once of a Pokemon that could reflect an attack with concentrated energy, it was a Gengar, but she hoped the ghost typing was all that was necessary. As the water projectiles sped towards the Honedge, he concentrated as much energy as possible at the point of impact. Occasionally the water would be redirected towards the walls beside him, but mostly he ended up in pain. A lot of pain. Switch!
Nova sat still, trying to determine where the assault would originate. Without warning, the Breloom launched it's seeds in attempt to tie the sheep down and sap it's energy. As they were within inches, the Mareep released her electric shroud, frying the seeds as they harmlessly fell to the ground. As the Mareep preened at the success of her new defensive shield, she was struck in the back of the head by a shadowy orb, refocusing her attention. The Mareep was the target of the attacks for much longer than the others, Heidi knew she was growing closer to evolving, and she was trying to force the issue. After an hour of training, the group took their first break.
Heidi sat, reflecting on the training session and what she'd like to have each teammate work on. Without warning Edward launched over her head, taking a defensive position at the girls back. Heidi quickly scrambled to her feet, searching for the intruder.
At the top of the cavern Heidi could hear something stirring, but couldn't make out what had approached. As soon as she thought she'd spotted the creature, it vanished back into the shadows. This kept up for quite some time, slowly aggravating the young trainer. Edward remained focused on the dark void above. Heidi thought she saw a flash of red, and as she began to focus, Edward disappeared.
As the team looked on from below, all they could see were bursts of the shadowy energy as the Pokemon above waged battle. Edward had proven himself quite adept at the use of shadow sneak, darting around the ceiling of the cavern in an instant, looking for his opening. He'd disappear without warning, only to appear behind his opponent, launch a shadow ball and disappear back into the darkness.
The game of cat and mouse carried on for over twenty minutes before Edward finally "spoke" to Heidi. "This demon has worn down my patience, I intend to end this battle immediately. Be prepared to capture this creature so we can get back to training." As he finished his statement, a chromatic cloak coated the ethereal sword, and with a blinding burst of light, the Honedge struck the finishing blow.
The ghostly imp fell towards the ground, unable to regain consciousness before it hit the floor. Heidi threw her pokeball and crossed her fingers. Shake... Shake... Shake... Click. With a deep sigh of relief, Heidi gathered her prize. She still hadn't seen what the Pokemon was, it seemed to have the ability to effortlessly blend with the darkness and shadows, but if it gave Edward that much difficulty, she'd be happy to give it a shot.
"Sableye, the dark and ghost type. This Pokemon is feared. When its gemstone eyes begin to glow with a sinister shine, it's believed that Sableye will steal people's spirits away." Sableye, she'd never even heard of it. But with a ghost/dark typing, it'd be a heck of a competitor if she could gain the mischievous imp's trust.
Heidi returned with her group to their training exercises for the remainder of the afternoon. A couple of times they would need to stop their training, deter wild Pokemon from lingering, and then return to training.
The only other matter of real importance was the squads encounter with a powerful foe. As the team continued their defensive training, Naga was suspended in the air and then launched into a wall nearby. Immediately the team rallied to their fallen teammate, ready to exact revenge. The only issue was, whatever had attacked the Horsea was below the surface of the water, so they were fighting an unknown foe completely blind at the beginning.
Nova walked towards the edge of the water and concentrated a charged thundershock into the water. As the electricity pulsated through the water, a purple figure made its way to the surface. It was a Starmie, a foe Heidi had seen on the Johto League Watch for years as trainers challenged the Cerulean Gym.
Nova quickly launched another lightning strike hoping to quickly incapacitate the psychic and water type. As the bolt struck its target, Nova was encased in a pink glow, lifted off of the ground and launched towards the wall. This Starmie was strong, and it quickly became clear this was a battle for survival.
Eloy and Edward made their way to the front lines, prepared to fight to the bitter end. Eloy began by launching his parasitic seeds at the feral Starmie, and they found their mark. As the seeds began to sprout roots and take hold of the water type the Honedge launched the first shadow ball. With the Starmie trying to remove the seeds, it was defenseless and unaware of the incoming attack. The lightless orb struck the Starmie in the back, and immediately Edward snuck through the shadows to the other side of the lake.
Eloy began to use his absorb attack, and the Starmie launched a high pressure jet of water towards the grass and fighting time. Eloy absorbed the blow and continued with his absorb, stealing energy from the deadly Starfish. Edward hit again unexpectedly, sneaking behind the Starmie and pulling it into the shadows.
It had only been seconds, but it felt like an eternity for Heidi as she waited for her defender to return. Edward appeared first, battered and looking worse for the wear, but still conscious. Seconds later the Starmie appeared, the color had faded in the star fish, but the glow of its red gem faintly flashed. It was alive, and Heidi knew she couldn't leave it here to perish. She threw her greatball and waited. It didn't take long, with the Starmie in such bad shape, the ball didn't even complete its first shape before the ball clicked signaling a successful capture.
By the time Riley had arrived, Heidi had captured the Sableye, Starmie, an Aron and another Makuhita. Not bad for a quick jaunt in the cave, she should be able to sell the Aron and Makuhita and earn a nice sum for her efforts.
Riley finally rejoined her friend at the lake, and after a short conversation with Heidi, decided to make their way back to the surface. The first three quarters of their journey was relatively uneventful, other than the occasional Zubat or Geodude they ran into little resistance.
Riley filled Heidi in with her plan to train Pokemon with Crixus at the breeding grounds and recommended Heidi take advantage of the program. As they were only a few tunnels away from fresh air and sunlight, all hell broke loose.
A chasm opened between the party and their destination, seemingly as if out of nowhere. As the girls retreated to the opening of the tunnel they'd just exited, the ground began to shake violently. Heidi quickly reached for her Honedge, knowing from past experience he was the only chance for balance. Riley was not so lucky, as her footing gave way she began to slide down the gaping hole.
Crixus disappeared in a flash, ready to retrieve the girl from whatever danger lurked. Kek burrowed into the freshly churned rock, searching for his trainer. The Gallade found her first, clinging to the armored skull of a giant metal beast. "We must leave, now. Take my hand." Crixus issued the order as he quickly focused his energies towards escape. Riley took his hand and was instantly teleported back to the opening. Riley grabbed Heidi and returned to the Gallade, preparing to exit the cave before they were swallowed by the destruction below. As Crixus prepared to teleport, Riley noticed Kek had not returned.
Riley pointed the Pokemon's ball towards the hole below and clicked the return mechanism. Nothing happened. Fear gripped at Riley's throat as she tried again, pressing the return mechanism and hoping her friend would be recalled. Either the Sandile was obstructed by too much debris between he and Rile, or he was dead. The ball remained empty, and the Gallade transported them back to the entrance. Riley screamed at the Gallade, demanding to be returned so she could retrieve her friend.
"The crocodile is still living, but is too far into the cavern for you to recall him. Give the ball to the ghost, have him search out your missing friend. We can wait here, the rock can not crush us if we are outside of it." Crixus spoke the truth, going back in there would most likely be a death sentence. Riley quickly released Cole and issued her commands. "Find Kek, and when you do, push this button with his nose. It'll return him to his ball, and as soon as that happens return to me. I'll be here waiting no matter how long it takes." She was hysterical, her friend was left behind and there was nothing she could do but put her hopes into the hands of a ghost.
The girls made camp, prepared to stay for as long as necessary to regain their companion. Heidi tried to take her mind off of the situation, showing her the Sableye and relaying the battle she'd helplessly watched. Riley loved Sableye and was pretty jealous her friend now had one. They were devious, but they were cute. They sought out rare gems and minerals, and if it cooperated, could even be trained to hunt rare gems, sharing them with its trainer. As much as she wanted to gush over the imp, she couldn't take her mind off her missing friend.
Late into the night, Heidi finally gave up and went into the tent to try and rest. Riley sat motionless at the fire, waiting for any sign of her friends. Crixus remained at her side, prepared to stand guard through the night if necessary. As the hours passed, Riley began to lose hope. There was no way her little crocodile would survive if that Steelix decided to bring the cave down. As she dwelled on the thought of a lost teammate Crixus' eyes began to glow. "My lady, the spirit returns."
Riley turned her attention towards the cave, spying the small floating candle as it slowly floated towards them. Cole still had a pokeball in his possession, now she just prayed that Kek was inside. "He wishes you to know that he is a hero. He valiantly fought off the large serpent to recover his friend, he wishes you to know that he's the greatest Pokemon alive. I want you to know that was a direct translation, clearly I do not believe those words. He's not even alive." Crixus did not understand humor, and sarcasm appeared to be lost on him as well.
"Come forth my hero, release your companion and claim your prize." Riley held her breath and prepared some potions just in case. The Litwick pressed the release, and Kek appeared. He was bruised and haggered, but he was alive. Riley tended to his injuries, applying a potion to the scaly exterior of her friend before recalling him to his ball to rest. "Cole, you've proven yourself to be trustworthy. I owe you a debt I'm unsure I'll ever be able to repay. You risked everything to save a teammate, let me know when you think of something worthy of this heroic feat, we could not have done this without you."
Riley nodded to Cole, and felt the weight of exhaustion hit her body. The girl struggled to make it to the tent before passing out, Crixus had to assist her into her sleeping bag. As Cole and Edward stood guard at the tents entrance, Crixus remained by the fire constructing his ideal training squad. Early the next morning, the girls headed directly to the Pokemon Center. Gym battle be damned, they needed sleep and they needed to relax. Yesterday had been awesome, it'd been terrifying, and it reinforced to Riley that her team needed to grow stronger. Steelix were imposing Pokemon, but they'd be seeing much worse. Currently, they didn't stand a chance. They handed their pokeballs to Nurse Joy and retreated to their room.