Chapter 11

Dig site Gamma

With one paw pressed firmly against the ground, the mole Pokémon gently tapped its sickle-like claws of the opposite arm against the hard grey stone. Feeling nothing of note, the Sandslash walked several meters before crouching down on another flat of bare stone and gently tapping it with its claws. Focused intently on its work, the Sandslash paid no attention to the circle of humans and Pokémon that surrounded it. Kneeling next to the focused Ground-type, its trainer, an elderly man held a pickaxe loosely in his right hand and he too tapped the ground gently with its metal tip, feeling intently for the vibrations with his left hand.

Trainer and Pokémon methodically paced the valley floor, crisscrossing the bare stone and stopping to lightly tap with a pick or claw every few meters. Murmuring to themselves as they continued working, occasionally the old man would place a small red or black flag on the ground before moving on.

As the minutes dragged on, the workers and trainers of Dig Site Gamma slowly returned to their designated job sites and left the two to their surveying mission.

Dig Site Gamma was the newest operation of the Garnet Mining Company located on the floor of a great valley nestled between several towering mountains. A sparse, rugged forest covered the majority of the valley floor and lower slopes of the mountains. Higher up, these slopes gave way to bare expenses of grey stone, where waterfalls dotted sheer cliff faces and massive caves left shadowy scars on the landscape. This late in the summer, the rocky summits were bare of any snow that blanketed their peaks the rest of the year.

Having just been cleared of most Pokémon by the advance team days prior, workers, engineers, and miners could finally set up camp. Quickly assembling drilling equipment, unpacking tents, digging latrines, and erecting a massive mess hall to feed all the working humans and Pokémon.

Located a three-day march north of pewter, and barely a dozen miles from the southern border for the Sinnoh region, this site was the furthest Garnet had ever ventured into the untamed mountains. This far from civilization, powerful Pokémon were unaccustomed to the presence of humans and were prone to react in unpredictable ways if startled. Advisers warned that the roar of drills and the acrid smell of oil could enrage local Pokémon and great care had been taken to avoid any conflict with the local wildlife. Trainers had been sent in to drive off the herd of Rhyhorn and troop of Mankey and Primape that had been living in the valley previously and although it wasn't possible to check every cave, crack or crevasse, no Pokémon bigger than a Pidgey had been seen since.

"What exactly is he doing again?" Ed whispered to his brother, glancing back at the crouching duo. The two were pacing the northern edge of the dig site, checking behind boulders and around shrubs to ensure no sleeping Pokémon had been overlooked by the sweep of the site days prior.

"One of the workers called him a Stone Whisperer, but I have no idea what that means," Rob replied, ducking down to peer into a dead, hollow log before jogging to catch up to his blonde brother.

"He's listening for ore." A third voice cut in. Stepping around a massive boulder, a trainer wearing a blue coverall and orange hard hat approached them. At his side, a large rodent hopped from rock to rock. Orange fur crackled with static electricity and a lightning bold tail waved casually behind the Raichu as it kept pace with its trainer. "I've already cleared west of here; we can head back to the camp." The trainer added once he'd reached the pair.

"Hey, Jimmy." Ed waved at the other trainer. At his side, Electrode grunted a quick greeting to its fellow Electric-type.

"What does that mean?" Rob asked as the three trainers headed back to camp. One of his Ekans had taken up its customary position, wrapped loosely around Rob's neck and soaking up any excess body heat.

"He has the ability to tap the stones with his pick and listen for vibrations that'll tell him if there is ore below that spot or not," Jimmy explained, leaping over a small crack in the jagged valley floor and then waiting for Rob and Ed to do the same. "One or two Stone Whisperers will appear in a generation in Pewter. They'll always be a trainer and they always say their Pokémon showed them how to do it."

"That sounds… unbelievable," Rob remarked as they approached the cluster of tents and machinery that made up the dig site. "How do you know he's not just randomly choosing where to dig."

"Warren is the real deal." Jimmy replied, "His Sandslash and him have made this company a lot of money in the years he's worked here. Always marks within a few feet of the best ore veins in the area. His Sandslash is just as good. So, they split up the area to make it go by faster… It looks like they've finished now."

Jimmy pointed over to the trainer and Pokémon who were leaving the stony expanse. Dozens of small black flags littered the area, forming snaking rivers that crossed the valley floor, with a few pockets of red flags dispersed throughout. Already men were setting up drilling equipment around the red flags.

"The red flags mean he's found something, precious metal or mineral. The black flags are hollow, caverns or tunnels dug out by any subterranean Pokémon, he marks those, so we don't set up any heavy machinery on unstable ground." Jimmy explained.

With a roar, one of the massive drills sprung to life. Even from a distance, the trainers flinched at the high-pitched grinding sound as the drill first contacted the grey stone. The stone put up little resistance before it turned to rubble and was funneled into a waiting wheelbarrow, manned by a Machoke.

Under the watchful eye of Warren, the drill operator carefully drilled into the earth, making sure to drill adjacent to the hidden ore veins and not to pulverize any precious resources. Slowly the driller angled downwards, creating a sloping, spiral tunnel that would wind around the ore zone and allow easier access from extraction at all levels.

As the trainers watched from their high vantage point the driller disappeared underground, a line of Pokémon and workers began entering the hole with empty carts and wheelbarrows and quickly leaving with them heavy and overflowing with gravel.

"We better do another sweep. If there were any Pokémon sleeping nearby that drilling would have definitely would have put them in a bad mood." Jimmy said jumping down from the tree branch he had been sitting on. "I'll do a clockwise lap if you do a counterclockwise lap. We'll meet on the opposite side."

With nods from the two brothers, Jimmy and Raichu departed tracing a wide arc around the dig site. Turning to face the other direction, Ed and Rob did the same.

0000

"This cave hasn't been cleared!" Ed called back to his brother, staring into the inky depths of a cave hidden near the base of one of the towering waterfalls that dotted the mountains.

"Are you sure?" Rob called, barely heard over the roar of crashing water. Hopping down from his perch on the riverbank, he jogged along the pebble beach to stand by his brother.

Squinting against the spray of water this close to the fall, Ed once again scanned the edges of the cave looking for the tell-tale yellow chalk that showed the cave had been cleared already. "Yup, No chalk." He confirmed.

A missed cave was not a rare occurrence, and a few were expected to be found after camp had already been set up. The standard protocol was to explore the entrance of the cave, to get a feel for the size and depth of the cave before returning to camp. From there, an elite trainer would be dispatched to either confirm the cave was empty or to safely drive off or capture any Pokémon lurking within.

While confident their Pokémon could drive away most low or mid-level Pokémon, the sheer size of the cave made the brothers pause. The shadowed alcoves, hanging stalactites and monolithic stalactites created dozens, if not hundreds, of possible ambush spots. With so many dark recesses and a ready source of fresh water just outside, the cave would be a very attractive rest stop for a wandering Pokémon.

"We'll go in just far enough to see if any tunnels are branching off the main cavern and then head back to camp to report it," Rob whispered to his brother, who readily nodded, neither keen on spending any more time in the darkness than necessary.

With a plan in place, the two trainers tentatively crept into the shadow of the cave. Pidgeotto remained where she was, perched on a dead log on the river shore, and kept watch for any threats. Like most flying types, Pidgeotto had severe claustrophobia and being unable to see the sky would quickly drive the bird to panic. Unbothered by the depths and confident in his strength, Electrode quietly floated in behind the humans.

As their eyes adjusted, the cavern grew even larger around them. The ceiling soared away from them, disappearing into the darkness overhead. Likewise, the back of the cave was hidden, obscured by rock formations jutting up from the floor and down from the distant ceiling.

Inside the cavern, the air was still and the soft, periodic drip of water from the stalactites echoed through the otherwise silent cave.

Taking another step forward, Ed almost twisted his ankle as his foot landed on the edge of a thick gorge in the stone. Squinting at the ground, Ed made out a trio of slashes, each as wide as his hand and a foot long.

Eyes widening slightly, Ed quickly and quietly scurried over to Rob who was tentatively peering around a stalagmite mound. Grabbing his arm, Ed quickly put a finger over Rob's mouth before he could utter a protest. Dragging his protesting brother over to the scratch mark and pointing urgently at his discovery.

His protest stopped immediately, Rob's eyes flashed all around them, growing warier of the dark shadows that surrounded them. Mind quickly running through their options, Rob's eyes landed on Electrode who was still dutifully levitating near his master.

Rob flashed a few quick hand signs to his brother. Though barely able to make out his older brother's fingers, Ed got the message and relayed the message to Electrode. Instructing the speedy, silent Electric-type to scout the cavern quickly for any Pokémon and meet them back outside.

With a nod, that rotated its entire body, Electrode rose several inches higher and shot off into the darkness, a blur of red and white. Satisfied his Pokémon was fast enough to keep out of danger, Ed followed his brother out into the light.

0000

A few minutes later, Electrode hovered out of the cave entrance to join the rest of his party standing on the riverbank, far enough away from the waterfall to not get soaked by the spray. Even from a distance, Ed could see his Pokémon's customary smirk had been replaced with a frown, its eyes looked off into the distance as if in deep thought.

"Were there any Pokémon inside?" Ed asked his Pokémon as it got closer. Rotating its body left and right, the Electrode shook its head 'No'.

Both brothers sighed in relief.

"Were there any branch tunnels leading off from the cavern?" Rob asked the ball Pokémon. After a second's thought, the orb rocked forward and back, nodding 'Yes'.

"We'll need to report this back to camp and have Anders come out to clear the cave then…" Rob said, already turning back to camp to relay their discovery.

Before he could take another step, however, Electrode swept around the group to block the dark-haired trainer's path.

"What's up, Electrode?" Ed asked, coming to stand next to his brother. Even Pidgeotto cocked her head, perplexed by her teammate's odd actions.

In response, Electrode turned back to stare at the cave, before looking back at the brothers, and then at the cave once more.

"Is… there something else inside? Something that isn't a Pokémon?" Ed asked.

Electrode nodded vigorously.

"Is it dangerous?" Rob quickly asked, already taking a few more steps away from the cave. Ekans slithered down from around its trainer's neck, and stared into the cave, flicking its tongue out to taste the air.

Electrode paused for several moments to think, before uncertainly rolling side to side, as close to a shrug as a spherical Pokémon could manage.

"If there are no Pokémon… It should be safe to just see what Electrode is talking about…" Ed said after a moment.

Looking in the direction of camp and then back to the cave, Rob sighed. "Fine, let's quickly see whatever this thing is and then head back to camp."

0000

The brothers once again crept silently through the great stony pillars that jutted out from the scarred cavern floor. Slipping from shadow to shadow they dared not use a flashlight, as it would only serve as a beacon to anything lurking in the dark.

Despite Electrode's assurance that they were alone, they were taking no chances.

Leading the way, Electrode confidently hovered forward, retracing its figurative steps. Both Ekans had been released and they slithered into the dark, periodically tasting the air and securing their perimeter on either side.

Inside the cave, the still air and silence felt like a physical weight pressing down on the pair and they cringed as every breath sounded like a hurricane.

Ed quietly placed one boot down in front of the other, careful not to slip on the slick cave floor. This close to the crashing waterfall outside, nearly every surface had a damp slippery coating of moss or algae. Ed gulped silently as he passed another scratch on the cave floor, not as deep as the first but it had cleanly scrapped away the algae on the floor, leaving bare stone.

Whatever had left the marks had been here recently.

A soft buzz from Electrode let Ed know they were close to their destination. Turning back to his brother, who was barely distinguishable from the gloom around them, he pointed ahead and gave a small nod. Relaying Electrode's message that they were close.

Stepping around another stalagmite, Ed entered a circular clearing, devoid of stone pillars. Except in the center, which stood a jagged, broken stump of a massive stalagmite, the remains of the stone formation lined the edges of the clearing.

Without hesitation, Electrode zoomed forward and up on top of the stone pillar. Spinning excitedly.

Motioning to his brother that he would go, and Rob should stay at the edge of the clearing, Ed followed his Pokémon. Quickly crossing the exposed stone floor, Ed made it to the stump and putting both hands on the edge, heaved himself up and over.

Once on top of the stone stump, Ed was surprised to find it was layered with soft foliage that formed a circular depression several feet wide. And in that depression, next to his Electrode, was a small dark orb.

Peering closely at the orb, Ed noticed a very soft purple glow emanating from it and lighting the top of the pillar. Gently picking up the orb with both hands, Ed was surprised to find it was warm to the touch and completely dry, unlike everything else in the cave. Despite the soft light emanating from the strange ball, Ed was unable to make out any designs or patterns on the otherwise perfect sphere.

Holding the orb above the circle of leaves, branches, and long grass. Ed noticed small, broken shapes hidden among leaves. Picking one up, Ed saw it was off-white and slightly curved. In fact, it almost looked like a broken…

Egg.

Ed's stomach dropped and cold sweat dotted his forehead as he realized what he was standing in. The clearing, the broken stalagmite, the depression of foliage. It was a nest. A massive nest. Likely created by whatever knocked over the stalagmite and gouged the stone floor.

Dropping the orb in his pack, Ed dropped down from the mound and jogged as silently as he could back to his brother. Not bothering to explain, Ed motioned for Rob to follow and the two quickly and quietly exited the cave, Electrode, and Ekans in tow.

0000

Blinking they emerged from the dark, shielding their eyes from the bright sunlight. Once they had gotten their bearings, they quickly broke into a jog as they angled back toward camp. Pidgeotto was sent ahead to let the Site Boss, Otis, know they were on their way with news.

With practiced ease, the two trainers leaped over boulders and ducked under tree branches as they navigated the now-familiar terrain. The days of patrols in the wilderness around the camp had given them a good lay of the land and they cut the most efficient route through the undulating hills and pockets of dense forest.

Bursting through the final line of trees to enter the campsite, Ed and Rob found that Otis, Jimmy, and the head trainer, Anders, waiting for them. A squat, grey pachyderm with a thick, black band of tough hide ran from trunk to tail, and Jimmy's Raichu stood patiently behind the trainers. Pidgeotto was perched on the pole hub of a nearby tent.

Slowing down to a walk, Ed and Rob quickly caught their breath as they approached the trio.

"Yer bird flew in here like a Charizard was on its tail and pestered me til I followed it here. I take it ye found somethin?" Otis drawled in a thick accent.

"A cave… Unmarked… Orb inside… Nest…" Ed said between gasps.

The two trainers and site boss exchanged perplexed looks.

"What kinda nest?" Otis finally asked, stroking his bushy grey beard.

"It had to have been 4 feet wide… On top of a broken stalagmite… Made of leaves and branches." Ed said, describing the nest he had stood in.

"Big enough for an Onix egg. But they usually use stones for a nest. Not leaves." Anders rumbled. A mountain of a man, with tanned, scarred skin and a mane of thick black hair. He had been working in the mountains his whole life, serving as a guard for various mines over the years. Boasting an impressive 7 badges, Anders was the head trainer on this expedition and Ed and Rob's direct superior. "Any signs of recent activity? Could be an abandoned nest…"

"We found a few scratch marks in the algae on the floor of the cave. The edges were sharp, no algae had grown back yet. I'd guess a few days old. A week at most." Rob explained.

"Hmmm… how big were the scratch marks?" Anders asked, after a moment's thought.

"The biggest one we saw was a foot long and almost an inch deep," Ed answered.

"Best case scenario is a Sandslash or Rhydon marking its territory. Worst case…" Anders didn't need to finish that sentence. Grabbing one of the Pokéball from his belt, he tossed it in the air.

In an explosion of light, a huge blue bat materialized. Spreading out its leathery wings, the Golbat took several flaps to steady itself in the air before turning to its master. A gaping maw of needle-sharp teeth took up the majority of the bat's compact body.

"There is a cave north of here, at the base of a waterfall. Inside is a nest. Scout out the area and come back to me. Tell me what Pokémon you think it is." Anders instructed. With a nod and a flap of its wings, the bat shot into the sky before veering north.

"We also found this…" Ed said, suddenly remembering the orb in the bottom of his pack. Carefully placing his bag on the ground, he rummaged around the bottom until his fingers touched the smooth, warm surface. Gently taking it out of his bag, he lifted it for everyone to see.

In the bright sunlight, the soft purple glow was too dim to be seen, however, the contents of the orb were far more captivating. Swirling dark mist dissolved and reformed within its depths, trapped in a perfect sphere, occasional flashes of amber cut through the swirling clouds before quickly being obscured once again.

"We don't know what it is," Ed added after a moment when no one spoke.

"Neither do I…" Otis muttered, "And I've been in these mountains fer over 50 years…"

"I too, haven't seen anything like it." Anders agreed.

"Oi! Bruce! Git over here!" Otis shouted in a booming voice, startling a man in a white lab coat who had just exited a nearby tent.

"Right away, Sir!" The balding man called as he jogged over.

"Whatdya make o' this?" Otis asked, pointing at the swirling orb in Ed's hands.

"Oh my…" Bruce said, peering closely at the orb and adjusting his thick glasses.

Reaching into the depths of his coat, he pulled a small hammer and with practiced ease, gently tapped the orb. A clear note reverberated from the orb for a few seconds before fading. Taking the orb in his hands, Bruce performed a few more tests on the strange object. Shinning a light into its depth, holding a magnifying glass to it, and cupping his hands over its surface to see it in the dark.

"I'm sorry… But I also am not sure what this is." Bruce said after several moments.

"Bah, what good are ye?" Otis complained. "I'll ship this back to Pewter and see if them geologists know anything about it."

"If I may, sir…" Bruce interjected and with a nod from Otis, continued. "Geologists specialize in natural formations, rocks, and minerals. If I don't recognize what this is, my colleagues at the Museum will likely be equally confused. Might I suggest sending it to Silph? Their R&D is unmatched in Kanto. If anyone will know what this is, the researchers there will."

"All the way to Saffron? That's mighty long way fer a rock…" Otis grumbled, staring into the orb.

"If the orb turns out to be something rare or valuable, which I believe it likely is. Selling it to Silph will likely fetch the highest price." Bruce added.

"Now yer speaking my language!" Otis cried. "Let's get this rock packed up and shipped out! Anders, which o' the trainers do ye think'll get to Saffron fastest?"

"Unfortunately, none of the trainers, except I, have flying mounts. But over land, Tasha will likely be fastest. She also is from Saffron, so will know the way better than most." Anders replied after a few moments of thought.

"Donphan, find Tasha and bring her to me tent. I'm sending her off immediately." With a slow nod, the light grey elephant lumbered away.

"Come to me tent," Otis said to the brothers. "We need to discuss yer finder's fee in the event of a sale. Ander, I'll leave ye to take care of the cave."

0000

"You called for me, Sir?" Tasha said, pushing her way through the tent flap. Inside the tent was sparsely furnished, with a cot, table, and rack for hanging work clothes as the only furnishing.

"Tasha, I've got a new job for ye." Otis said, standing up from the thin folding table he, Rob, and Ed were seated at. Otis had just finished explaining the customary 10% finder's fee for all discoveries and subsequent sale of items not related to the mine itself. Both brothers were eager to make a little more money on top of their wages and quickly signed the contract, 5% each.

"Yer needed to take an item from here to Saffron and deliver it to Silph. They'll be expecting ye." Otis explained. "And no, yer not allowed to open the package. It stays sealed until Silph!"

"But sir! Getting to Saffron will take weeks! And I'm needed here, to protect the mine!" The red-haired women protested, indignant at being sent off on a simple courier mission when the rumor was that Anders was organizing a team to clear an undiscovered cave.

Holding 4 badges, Tasha was more than able to handle herself against most Pokémon in the region and was eager to explore the dangerous cave. In the last 6 months, the most action she had gotten was tricking a dim-witted Rhyhorn into charging in the wrong direction, away from camp. She worried her Pokémon might lose their edge if they didn't get in a good fight soon.

"Anders assures me a trainer such as yerself can get there in 12 days. I'm giving ye a month to get there, deliver the package and get back here. You'll be paid at 1.5 times normal wages throughout." Otis said, with finality.

"I'll need to pack rations, gather my gear, collapse my tent-" Tasha exclaimed.

"Done and done. Yer stuffs in the corner. The package already in yer pack." Otis cut her off, pointing at the neatly packed pack in the corner of the tent.

"But I… How would I… When do I leave?" Tasha said with a sigh.

"Right away! Say yer goodbyes as yer leaving. We need this package to Silph on the double!" Otis exclaimed, picking up the full pack and pushing the woman toward the entrance.

0000

"And once each branch cavern is confirmed empty, use chalk to mark the passage. Once all caverns have been marked, the cave will be deemed cleared and we can head back to camp." Anders explained, pointing out a rough map of the interior cave he had created with the help of Golbat's echolocation.

The four trainers were standing around the head trainer as he laid out exact procedures once they entered the cave. Within the safety of the campsite, they were making last-minute preparations, packing extra batteries for flashlights, escape ropes so they wouldn't get lost, and a pouch of bright yellow chalk each.

Jimmy, Rob, and Ed had all released their Pokémon as they had listened intently. Raichu dutifully sat at Jimmy's feet while Beedrill buzzed in lazy circles above the group. Electrode was resting on the ground near Ed and Pidgeotto was perched precariously on his shoulder, talons gently gripping his tough jacket. Like always, Rob had an Ekans draped around his neck, a second had curled into a perfect circle on the warm stone ground. As Anders described the Pokémon they would likely encounter, Rob noticed that Anders had yet to release any Pokémon himself. The Pokéballs clipped to his waist, untouched.

Just as Anders was finishing his extremely detailed plan, Ekans hissed a warning. Raichu cocked its head to the side and after a moment grunted in agreement, pointing toward the border of camp. Humans and Pokémon alike peered into the line of bushes and scraggly trees, which had just enough foliage to obscure the view of anything deeper in the forest.

"Some small Pokémon must have slipped by the patrols." Jimmy offered as the silence stretched.

"No one has patrolled the northern perimeter this morning," Anders growled, fingers hovering over his Pokéballs. "We are meant to clear it as we head to the cave."

"Even if it is a bigger Pokémon, there are four of us. We should be able to drive anything off with ease. Especially with you here, Anders." Ed reasoned.

"You'd be surprised-" Anders muttered.

A rustle of the bush nearest to them caused three of the trainers to jump. Raichu leapt forward, cheeks sparking as he stood protectively in front of Jimmy. Pidgeotto took to the skies then, joining Beedrill above the group.

As the trainers watched, the bush shook more vigorously until a white snout pushed its way through the leaves, followed by a light blue serpentine head and body. Snagging its long body on a branch, the serpent struggled for a moment until it finally broke through and tumbled onto the stone ground. Shaking out its small body it turned its gaze to the stunned trainers and Pokémon, watching with curious, innocent eyes as the tiny dragon trilled and cocked its head to the side.

At the sudden appearance of the dragon, the trainers froze as one, hearts pounding at the implication of a DRATINI entering the campsite.

First to recover, Anders slowly grabbed a scrap of paper from his jacket pocket along with a pencil. Ripping it in two, he quickly scribbled on each piece.

"Slow steps backward... No sudden movements… If you have any food in your pockets, place it on the ground. We don't want this dragon following us to camp." Anders said in a soft, low voice. Eyes scanning the foliage behind the young Pokémon, searching for a nearby parent. "Jimmy, give this to your bee and send him to Otis. He needs to power everything down, now."

Slowly handing the paper to the younger trainer, who passed it along to the Beedrill as it hovered down to the group. Understanding the importance of the situation, Beedrill slowly flew away, picking up speed as it got further away until it was in shooting across the campsite in search of the site boss.

The dragon trilled again, confused by the retreating trainers as they slowly took steps backward. Sniffing the air, the Dratini weaved its head back and forth excitedly, slithering across the stone directly toward Ed.

The blonde trainer froze in fear as the serpent reached him, slithering around him and sniffing at his legs. Electrode stared intently at the Pokémon so near its master, unsure whether to stay calm or unleash a bolt of lightning at it.

Sniffing up his pant leg to his pack now, Dratini bumped its snout against the fabric, a soft crying sound escaping its mouth.

"Drop the pack, Ed." Ander's said, barely above a whisper. They had retreated almost to the line of tents now. In the distance, the sound of mining equipment slowly faded one by one. Beedrill must have delivered the message.

Moving slowly, Ed unclipped his chest strap and carefully placed his pack on the ground, quickly retreating a few steps when the dragon's attention switched from him to the now discarded pack. Rejoining his brother and fellow trainers, they watched intently as the Dratini dug through Ed's pack. Tossing supplies out before diving back in, searching for something.

"Do you have food in there?" Rob whispered to his brother.

"No, all my food is over there where we dropped it," Ed replied, pointing to the pile of wrappers and cans closer to the forest.

"You said you found that Orb in a nest, didn't you?" Anders said, not taking his eyes off the dragon.

"Yes," Ed gulped.

"And the Dratini ignored us and went straight for you." Anders pressed.

"Yes…"

"And now, it's digging through your pack. That used to hold the orb."

"… Yes…"

"You stole from a Dragonite's nest," Rob said, understanding what Anders was getting at.

"And now the Orb is halfway to Mt. Moon and there is no way to get it back." Anders finished.

As the trainers spoke in hushed whispers, the Dratini's search became more frantic. Ripping through spare clothes and gnawing at closed pockets. Its frustrated cries were escalating to full-blown wails as it realized the Orb was no longer in the pack.

"Do you think I could just catch it?" Jimmy whispered, already fingering an empty Pokéball. "The crying would stop and I would be unstoppable with a Dragonite." Already daydreaming about the fame and glory he could achieve with such a powerful Pokémon.

"Put that away. If its parent sees you with a Pokéball so near their offspring, you'll be vaporized by a Hyper Beam instantly." Anders snapped. "Plus, you'll be dead from old age long before this little dragon evolves. If you want a Dragonite, you need your grandfather to train a Dratini for you."

"Guys! Ekans says something is coming" Rob cut in, his two snakes flicking their tongues out, tasting the wind to try and identify what was approaching.

"If what I think is about to happen happens, your Pidgeotto needs to get this to Brock." Anders hissed, handing Ed a piece of paper. "Our lives will depend on it."

Gulping, Ed looked down at the crumpled piece of paper, Gamma #149 was hastily scrawled in the center.

The sound of splintering wood and the crash of a felled tree echoed from deeper in the forest, loud enough to echo through the mountain valley and briefly distract the distressed dragon. Teary-eyed, Dratini turned to the line of trees. A second crash echoed as another tree toppled. With a sniff of the air, the Dratini trilled happily and raced across the stone towards the tree line.

"Now!" Anders cried, grabbing all the red and white orbs from his belt, and tossing them in the air.

"Now, Pidgeotto!" Ed cried, holding the paper high above his head.

Like an arrow from a bow, Pidgeotto dove from the sky. Talons cleanly snatched the paper from Ed's fingers as the bird shot past him. Quickly banking to the side, Pidgeotto pumped her powerful wings and raced across the campsite, quickly leaving it far behind as she angled towards the Pewter gym far to the south.

Refusing to look back, lest it slow her flight, Pidgeotto pushed herself to go even faster. Praying she could deliver her message in time.

0000

Back at the campsite, Ander's team had fully materialized. Golbat fluttered above the group, eyes already locked on the approaching threat and teeth gnashing nervously. On the ground, a hulking, green amphibian pawed at the ground and shook out its great leaves and flower petals, small red eyes squinting at humans and Pokémon around it.

Next to the great Grass-type, Rhydon spun its sharp horn threateningly and punched its stony fists together. Finally, a short and slender pink-and-white humanoid was quickly signing its displeasure to Ander.

"I know, Mr. Mime. But we don't have to win, just survive." Anders replied to his Pokémon's silent tirade.

Another crash signified another tree toppling over and a bronze snout emerged from the tree line.