The Numelian Ruins, a sea of ravaging sandstorms.
It had been several hours since the boys left Lavaridge Town; now trailing through Route 111. The wind blew throughout the desert as the sun beat down with heat that could melt even crazy diamonds.
Benedict looked down at his badge case; he just couldn't believe it. The four badges sparkled under the daylight. A voice echoed in his head;
"I only take challenges from trainers with four badges"
Right. Butch!
He had no clue how long it'd take to get all the way back to Petalburg City, but he knew everything would work out in the end. And with his boyfriends by his side, Benedict felt like the world was his Cloyster.
Route 111 hadn't changed in the past few days, the same paths and trails still there. Only one thing had changed; the sign blocking off the desert had finally been removed.
The heavy sandstorm whipped through the air, thrashing around several cacti plants. A wave of tumbleweeds danced in the wind, like a plastic bag through a city street.
Tank zipped up his jacket. He pulled out the package from Professor Nook, opened it up, then put on a pair of red and green goggles. A Hawkian Corp logo adorned each pair, two wings framing an eagle silhouette.
He handed everyone else their goggles, watching as the tornado of sand ravaged through the dry air.
After everyone put on their goggles, they trekked through one of the desert paths. Several wild Pokemon ran next to them, scurrying about their business.
Tank pulled out his Rotom Phone and took a picture. He scanned the wild Pokemon;
"Trapinch, the Ant Pit Pokémon. A ground type. Trapinch's nest is a sloped, bowl-like pit dug in sand. This Pokémon patiently waits for prey to tumble down the pit. Its giant jaws have enough strength to crush even boulders"
Interesting, Tank thought to himself. His train of thought was interrupted;
"Greetings, gentlemen"
The boys looked ahead. Another animal slowly approached them; a light green frog with pink blush on her cheeks. She dressed like an extra on a cartoon; dark brown leather jacket, white button-up shirt, beige pleated khakis, short Victorian boots and an ushanka with brown goggles on top. Hold up. She wasn't wearing her goggles in the desert? Guess the sand didn't bother her anyways.
"I'm sorry to alarm you," she smiled, her dark eyes full of kindness. "But my cohorts and I have been separated. May I join you for now?"
"Sure?" Tank asked. "What's your name?"
The frog held her hands together
"Sunny Grenouille," she formally introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you, Sunny," Tank waved. "I'm Tank Pepper, and these guys are Benedict Sussex and Kidd Chavignol"
"Hey"
"Howdy"
"I'm pleased to know you all" Sunny shook their hands. She was surprised at how warm their hands felt. Must've come back from a warm place, she thought.
"See, my cohorts and I had heard of rumors of a special Pokemon in this very desert," she explained. "However, an earthquake had separated us all. Sad, really"
"Special Pokemon?"
Benedict asked. "Like a shiny?"
"Not quite, dear Benedict"
Sunny smiled with a chuckle. "More like….legendary. Let us traverse, hm?"
The boys felt confused; there was no way a legendary Pokemon could live in a desert like this! Unless it was a Pokemon that was meant for the desert, like a rock type. But, Sunny was polite, didn't ask for much, and was probably scared out of her mind being split up from her group. There was nothing to lose from traveling with her.
Sunny led the boys through a secluded path in the desert. A horde of Sandshrew rolled through the sand, running away from a crowd of furious Cacnea. The group stopped in the middle, then followed Sunny to the left.
A tall beige tower stood in the middle of the desert. It blended well with the ravaging sandstorm, flickering in its spot. Something sparkled from the highest window. Treasure, maybe?
"Yes, this is the place"
Sunny led them inside.
After everyone was inside, the boys looked behind them upon hearing a loud thud. What the… The entrance closed in and was gone. They looked again; but where did Sunny go?
The ceiling crumbled above them, small chunks of pebble falling onto the floor. Cobwebs were formed in each corner, and bones were scattered everywhere on the ground. The bones were long decayed, impossible to tell if they were animal or Pokemon bones.
The walls were decorated with interesting artwork, dated to the ancient Lewekan period. But what was it doing in a region like Hoenn…?
Benedict pointed at one of the walls
"Hey, y'all, look!"
Tank and Kidd looked over at the wall in question.
Several hieroglyphs framed a large mural. It depicted a yellow and blue cat sitting atop a throne. She wore a long white dress and Arbok-shaped crown atop her head. Several animals were worshipping the cat, offering her valuable goods such as bronze wine glasses and elaborate jewelry.
"That's weird"
Tank shook his head. "What's Lewekan art doing in a Hoenn desert?"
"Lewekan?"
Kidd asked.
"It's a far away region," Tank explained. "In fact, it's where Pokemon civilization began. Well" he snorted. "That's what I remember from history class"
Benedict stayed quiet. His eyes sparkled as he placed a hand on the mural.
"Wow…."
Kidd looked at the same spot; a colony of black shadow Pokemon carrying gold masks, their faces somber.
"Are those?"
"Yeah. Yeah these are Unova Pokemon!" Benedict took his hand off the mural. "They're called Yamask. I've seen them here an' there back in Castelia City!"
While Kidd looked at the mural, a ghostly black hand wrapped around his lower leg. He screamed and jumped up in his spot. Benedict and Tank looked over; but nothing was there…
"You okay?" Tank asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine!" Kidd turned his chin up and blushed. His heart was still racing from whatever had grabbed him
"I just felt something weird, that's all"
Tank shrugged. He grabbed onto Kidd's hoof
"Does this feel better?"
Kidd sighed in relief. His heart rate slowed back down to a normal pace
"Yeah, it does actually"
"Just stick by my side, dude" Tank winked. "We'll find a way out of here soon"
Benedict walked around the room; he stopped near a ladder and waved
"Hey y'all, look over here!"
Tank and Kidd looked over; oh, finally, a way out!
The boys climbed up the ladder and onto the second floor. Benedict looked down; the ladder crumbled into pieces. It had to be made out of old wood, and his footsteps were the straw that broke the Camerupt's back.
The floor looked eerily identical. Same mural of the cat worship, same ambiguous bones in the corners. Even the cobwebs were in identical patterns, some broken and others perfect.
Tank took a few steps, then jumped backwards. A massive hole formed in the floor, tiles falling through onto the first floor.
Kidd walked to another part of the room, but was also stopped by massive holes forming. He shuddered from a small wind passing through the air.
The boys looked ahead; there was a ladder on the other side, but both paths were falling apart to the touch. One area looked sturdier; the grey floors looked to be made of concrete.
"I got it!"
Benedict grabbed one of his Poke Balls. He tossed it upwards and released Freiza.
"Can y'all jump over those holes?"
"Manec!" Freiza barked. He looked back up at his trainer; hey, this makes sense!
The lightning Pokemon crouched down, standing still as Benedict climbed on top of him.
Benedict grabbed onto Freiza's fur
"Can y'all carry anyone else or just me?"
"Tric, tric!"
The electric type woofed. Just one trainer would be enough for now.
"Aight" Benedict turned around. "I'll have 'im get back over when I'm safe"
He looked back at the walls
"Now, Freiza!" he pointed up. "Jump!"
Freiza leaped into the air and across the floors, easily avoiding the rotting grounds and landing onto the concrete surface with no problem.
Benedict climbed off his Pokemon and yelled
"No holes over here!"
"Perfect!" Tank hollered back.
Freiza took a step backwards and jumped back to the other side of the holes. The electric type stood still as Kidd and Tank climbed onto his back.
"Manecccc-" Freiza took a deep breath in "TRIC!"
He howled as he leaped over the craters, landing onto the concrete with a heavier thud.
Tank and Kidd climbed off the Pokemon, then looked back at their past spot. The ground sunk in on itself, dirt falling into the black hole of a crater.
Benedict petted his Pokemon on the head, then returned him to safety. He charged forward, jumping over each hole like clockwork.
"This way, guys!"
he shouted before running off again.
The other two boys followed suit, looking around for any signs of ladder. After ten minutes of checking the rest of the floor, they finally found one. This time, it looked brand new, with a fresh coat of paint and no splinters poking out.
The boys climbed the ladder, the steps creaking from the pressure. Once reaching the third floor, they felt confused.
The third floor looked almost like the first two, except with stable floors and thick rocks blocking every path.
Tank squinted at the rocks; these looked just like the ones he saw on the outskirts of Mauville City. He grabbed one of his Poke Balls and sent out Grevillea.
"Nuzleaf?"
Grevillea looked at her trainer.
"You know Razor Leaf, right?"
he asked her.
"Leaf, leaf!"
Grevillea chirped. She shadow boxed the air, the leaf on her head whipping around like a tornado.
Perfect. Tank pointed at several rocks
"Grevillea! Use Razor Leaf!"
"Nuz!"
Grevillea nodded. The leaf on her head glowed as she blasted a ray of sharp leaves. The rocks exploded into small clouds of dust.
Tank returned Grevillea to her ball, then walked through the path. Kidd grabbed his arm, not wanting to be separated at any point.
Benedict hollered
"Guys, look!"
He pointed at something unusual; a staircase made of sand! But why would this floor have this instead of ladders?
The boys climbed up the staircase. Once everyone reached the fourth floor, the sand dissolved into a large pile. Everyone gasped at what they saw.
The last floor was completely different. It looked well furnished; no bones or cobwebs in sight. The walls were made of plain brick. Instead of an empty room, there were many wooden tables pushed against the walls, carvings and scratchings trailing each surface. It was like walking into a street fair, but without any customers or vendors.
The first table had two large boulders placed on top; one with a claw fragment, and the other shaped like a plant root.
Another table had several armfuls of beautiful gems in different colors. Despite the dimmed lighting, the gems sparkled like they belonged in a museum. A purple pouch was placed next to the gems, with elaborate gold hiragana sewn on one side.
A third table had much less on top; just one vase. The vase was tall, painted brown and had yellow suns wrapped around the center. Several paint chips cracked off and landed on the table.
Tank walked up to the first table. He picked up the boulders; despite their size, both of them were light enough to hold at the same time. They felt rough on his skin, but not rough enough to cut. Something white was sticking out from under the rocks.
The floor quaked underneath everyone's feet, while pebbles fell from the ceiling and onto their heads.
"Everyone!"
Kidd yelled. "Grab something!"
Benedict grabbed the vase off the table. He held it close to his body, making sure nothing would grab it. The vase felt warm to the touch, like it sat in the sun for hours.
Holes formed in the floor. Kidd grabbed an armful of gemstones off the table. He shoved some of them in his messenger bag, then used his scarf to carry more gemstones.
The ceiling cracked, bright rays of sun poking through the cracks. The boys ran across the floor, dodging each falling section of ceiling.
The floor collapsed underneath them; the boys screamed as they fell through each floor. The tower slowly faded into disappearance, yellow orbs of light flickering in the sky.
Everyone crashed onto the ground; splayed out and panting heavily from the fall.
Kidd got up first, wiping some dust off himself. A dull pain throbbed in one of his shins. Despite the pain, he walked over to Benedict and helped him back up on his feet.
Tank groaned as he climbed back up. Despite the long fall, the boulders were completely intact. Not a single crack had formed.
The boys looked around their surroundings. All they saw for miles were pink desert skies and crimson sand. Nothing remained of the tower; no chunks of ceiling, wall fragments or even what remained on the floor.
Tank pulled something out from under the boulders. He opened it up; it was a letter. Benedict and Kidd looked over his shoulder as he read it,
"Dear gentlemen,
My apologies for disappearing on you. You see, I had to make sure I was still here. My cohorts were all here as well, but they were recovered long ago. Sadly, I was not, for some particular reason. I had hoped someone kind enough would find me and return this vase to my family. If you happen to know any Grenouilles in Hoenn, please inform them when you can. Benedict, Kidd, Tank?
Thank you all for your kindness,
Sunny Grenouille"
Tank gulped. A cold breeze blew across his body.
"What does she mean by Grenounilles?"
"Oh, I know one," Benedict brought up. "Frobert! He'd probably like getting whatever this is"
He held up the vase.
Kidd looked over
"I think you should open it"
"Alright"
Benedict opened the vase. He looked inside; the vase was filled with nothing but fine grey powder. He sniffed the air; why did it smell metallic? This powder… the way Sunny just disappeared on them… did it have something to do with her?
No, wait. It WAS her.
Benedict's blood ran cold once he realized what he was holding.
This was no vase….it was an urn! He grabbed the letter and placed it back in the urn, then shut it tight.
"You okay, dude?"
Tank asked.
"Nah, it's just," Benedict gulped. Despite realizing what it really was, he refused to let go of the urn.
"Well, I know what cremation is, but it ain't too common in Unova"
"I kinda figured that"
Tank pointed out. "There's a law here in Hoenn that only Pokemon can be buried"
"Huh" Benedict shrugged.
"Guess I learn somethin' new every day"
"I don't know about you guys" Kidd shrugged as he placed more gemstones in his messenger bag. "But I want to get out of here"
"Same" Tank nodded. "Professor Nook asked me about fossils here, and" he held out the boulders. "I'm sure this was what he was talking about"
"Yeah, an' I wanna get back to Petalburg soon" Benedict joined in.
Kidd tried not to laugh
"We'll get there soon!"
The boys trekked through the desert, holding onto their goods and protecting them from the ravaging winds.
Loud footsteps echoed from behind them.
Tank adjusted his goggles; the desert cleared just a few feet ahead. Something ran next to him, just a black blur with a pointed head.
"See anything?" Kidd yelled.
"Yeah" Tank hollered back. "I think we're out of here!"
Tank stepped forward, then jumped backwards.
A wild Pokemon stood in front of the group. The Pokemon was a green cactus with a pointed hat, small spikes across its body and a large grin on its face.
"Cac-cac-TURNE!" it cried out, swinging its arms around the air.
Without any warning, Fern released himself from his Poke Ball. The gecko Pokemon boxed the air, glaring down its opponent.
"Oh, you wanna battle? Okay!" Tank yelled. He tightly held the rocks to his chest
"Fern, use Fury Cutter!"
"GrovYLE!"
Fern hissed, his arms glowing lime green. He jumped up and slashed his opponent.
The wild Cacturne yelped and flinched from the attack. It shook the attack off, then planted its feet into the ground. Light green roots curled into the ground, absorbing nutrients from the desert.
One of the roots wrapped itself around Tank's leg, keeping him in place. Fern jumped before anything could tangle him up.
Despite the roots digging through his pant leg, Tank stayed eerily calm. His hair rustled in the wind, like a leaf in the fall wind. Something about this Cacturne resonated with him…
He looked up with a calm resolve in his eyes.
"Fern! Fury Cutter! And don't stop!"
Fern roared again. His entire body glowed light green as he repeatedly attacked the Cacturne, screaming after landing the last hit.
Despite the hits, the wild Cacturne stood still. A pastel green energy glowed from its hands. The grass type lifted its arms up, like calling upon Arceus itself.
Tank tried to free himself from the roots, but cringed once the roots dug in harder. There was only one way to escape this cactus…
He held the boulders in one arm, rummaged through his backpack and grabbed an Ultra Ball. Tank closed his eyes and hurled the Ultra Ball at the wild Pokemon.
A loud 'donk' echoed through the desert. The Ultra Ball absorbed Cacturne, then landed into the sand. The ball rotated three times, then stopped with a ding.
Tank opened his eyes. He lifted his leg off the ground; the roots were gone! But the resonation was still there… He returned Fern to his Poke Ball, then walked over and grabbed the Ultra Ball and put it away in his backpack.
"What happened out there?!" Benedict hollered. "Tank, I haven't seen y'all that calm before!"
"Hm?" Tank looked over his shoulder. "Oh, I guess that Cacturne wanted me to catch it"
"That's weird though" Kidd shook his head. "I've never seen a Pokemon act like it before"
"Yeah"
Tank looked ahead. "Let's keep going, we're almost out"
The other two boys nodded. They trekked through the last of the desert sand, until the dry storms faded away into cool air. Grassy trails were freshly watered, most likely by wild water-type Pokemon.
"Hey, look!" Kidd pointed at one of the trees. There was a small clearing underneath the tree, with several flat rocks and a small patch of flowers.
The boys headed to the clearing for a much needed break. They set their treasures down next to the rock. Benedict snacked on a box of almond crunch pocky, Kidd sipped from his water bottle, and Tank pulled out his Rotom Phone. He dialed Professor Nook's number and waited.
The phone ringed twice before being picked up. He set the phone down on another boulder, adjusting it so Nook could see everyones' faces.
"Oh, good afternoon boys!" Professor Nook greeted them. "I was wondering why you tried to call me earlier, yes yes"
The boys' faces turned white. None of them had even grabbed their phones the whole time they were in the tower! How did any of them CALL him?
"So, Tank, what was it you wanted to talk about, hm?"
Professor Nook asked, typing away on his computer about electromagnetic fields.
"Well, it's kinda weird, but" Tank explained. "We found this tower, and a woman led us there. Do you know anyone named Sunny Grenouille?"
Tom Nook nearly dropped his phone in his coffee mug, catching it just in time
"Sunny Grenouille's been dead for decades, boys!"
"Yeah, I kinda figured," Tank shrugged. "Benedict grabbed her urn in the tower we found. Do you know what happened?"
"Yes yes" Tom Nook nodded twice. He sipped at his mug before explaining "See, Sunny was a member of a Pokemon expedition party. Years ago, she and twelve other animals traveled the Hoennian desert"
He took a deep breath in
"And according to existing documents, one of the party members accidentally summoned a powerful Pokemon made entirely of stone"
So that's what Sunny meant by a powerful Pokemon, Tank thought to himself.
"Yes, yes" Tom Nook nodded. "Unfortunately, the wild Pokemon attacked the party, killing seven explorers. But it doesn't stop there, no?"
"Was Sunny one of those explorers?" Tank asked.
"No, she survived at first, but" Tom Nook continued, still typing away on his computer. "The six remaining travelers were impossible to find. Food ran dry, so they had to eat their Pokemon to survive"
Tank shuddered; so that's why there were cobwebs everywhere. The ghosts of Bug-type Pokemon that could spin webs… At least one of them had to be an Ariados, or due to the Unovan influence, a Galvantula.
"What did they eat next?" he braced himself.
Tom Nook gulped
"Well, they had to draw straws, to pick someone to eat. And just her luck? Sunny had the short straw"
Tank's blood ran cold from the implications
"She told me nobody came for her"
"Unfortunately, yes"
Tom Nook shook his head. "What did remain of her was cremated, placed in that urn, and somehow left behind by someone with a grudge against her family"
Benedict carefully picked up the urn and showed him it
"Well, Tank grabbed some letter when we were in that tower, an' she asked us to give this back to a Grenouille"
"I see"
Nook looked at the urn. "Well, I do have Cousteau's number saved. In fact, I'll call him after you guys"
Benedict sighed in relief as he set the urn down. At least he wouldn't have to lug it around for much longer.
"Oh, Professor Nook?" Tank asked. He showed him the boulders "Were these the fossils you were talking about?"
Nook's eyes lit up
"My Arceus! Yes, Tank, this is it! In fact, if you boys don't mind, I have to take care of another call, hm"
"That's alright!" Tank waved. "We'll talk to you later!"
"Take care, boys!"
Professor Nook waved back before hanging up. He dug through his contact list, found Cousteau's number, and dialed. The phone rang three times before he picked up.
"Tom Nook, hello!" Cousteau sounded cheerful. "How's everything going?"
"Quite well, Cousteau," Nook explained. "My research assistant's hard at work, he just finished his trip to Route 111. Oh. And he found something that belongs to your family"
"Something?" Cousteau frowned, his heart pounding against his chest. "Like what? An heirloom?"
"Not quite" the professor shook his head. "He found your mother's urn"
Cousteau choked twice, breaking into sobs
"My…. my mother?! I thought she was gone forever! My pop always told me she disappeared during an expedition, that she would be back in a week, but weeks were months then years! She never saw me sail my first boat, Croque graduate engineering school, or even Frobert be born! Tell me, Nook! How did she end up in an urn?!"
Professor Nook looked down and frowned
"Cousteau? Would you rather hear about what happened at my lab?"
Cousteau sniffled
"Yeah. I do. Peeko and I will be right there"
An hour later, Cousteau walked to Littleroot Town. He knocked on the lab door. Professor Nook opened the door, his usual cheery facade gone.
"Come in"
Cousteau headed inside, his face still wet with tears. He walked to one of the couches and sat down. The downy fabric felt warm to the touch.
Nook sat down next to him, placing a paw on his shoulder
"Are you ready?"
"I am now," Cousteau nodded. "I knew she left when I was eight, but what happened next?"
Tom Nook gulped. He pulled an old book from the table and opened it. The right page showed thirteen animals smiling together in front of a flag, while the left page showed recovered documents.
Cousteau looked at the book; one of the documents was recovered two months after the "Beast of Stone Attack". It delved into eating leather, then every Pokemon the explorers brought, and the drawing of straws….
He gulped and shut the book.
"I've seen enough," Cousteau sighed. He handed the book back.
Professor Nook nodded. He placed it back on the table
"Do you still want to get her urn?"
"Of course"
Cousteau stood up. He placed a hand on his own chest
"The sooner I get her back, the better"
Nook pulled out a black and yellow Poke Ball
"Do you need to borrow one of my Pokemon?"
"No thank you" Cousteau shook his head, then smiled. "Peeko's big enough to fly me now"
Nook placed the Poke Ball back in his pocket
"I understand. The boys are on Route 111 by the way"
"Thank you"
Cousteau nodded. "I'll call you when I'm there"
He headed outside. The frog grabbed one of his Poke Balls and tossed it up. A large blue and white pelican popped out, one of her wing feathers colored green.
"Peeko-chan?" Cousteau asked her. "Can you fly me to Route 111?"
"Pelip!"
Peeko saluted her trainer. She spread her wings out, staying still as her trainer climbed on top.
"Let's soar," Cousteau pointed up at the sky. He held on tight as Peeko took off into the air. The water bird Pokemon chirped as she soared high in the Hoennian skies. Flocks of wild Pokemon flew carelessly in the wind.
Cousteau hummed a song to himself as he felt the wind flying in his face.
Soon enough, Peeko made a sharp turn and dived to their destination. Cousteau wrapped his arms harder around her body. He flinched as the warm wind pounded against his face.
Peeko landed smoothly onto the grass trails of Route 111. She cawed twice as her trainer climbed off of her.
Cousteau refixed his mustache, then walked to where the boys were. He saluted them and called out
"Greetings, gentlemen!"
"Hey Cousteau!" Tank waved.
Benedict got up from his spot
"Peeko evolved? Sweet!"
Kidd tried his best not to laugh
"Yes, Benedict, she evolved. So, how've you been, Cousteau?"
"I'm doing fine, thanks,"
Cousteau shrugged. "Well, as best as a man in my situation can be. And yes, Benedict, Peeko-chan did evolve"
"Pelipper!"
Peeko chirped out. She hovered next to her trainer.
"How'd she evolve exactly?" Benedict asked. He reached up and petted her on the beak.
"Well" Cousteau patted his Pokemon on the wing. "I had some Pastel grunts try to hijack my boat. Fortunately, I hadn't left yet. I had to battle them, and what do you know, Peeko evolved after we beat the last one"
"Yeah, we dealt with Pastel a lot too" Tank said. "So, do you need help with the stuff?"
"No thank you" Cousteau shook his head and explained.
"Now that Peeko-chan's evolved, I don't need to carry anything myself. Right?"
"Pelipper, peli-pe!"
Peeko whistled a joyful tune.
"You can just place everything inside her beak"
Cousteau pointed at his Pokemon. "And she'll keep it in place"
The boys got to work with placing the goods inside. The rocks went first, then the urn, and several gemstones. Peeko stood still, her tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth so she wouldn't taste anything.
"There we go" Cousteau patted Peeko on the head. He climbed on top of his Pokemon
"Well, I should get back home. You boys have a good day!"
Peeko flew up into the air. The boys waved goodbye as they watched Cousteau fly back home. They sighed in relief, knowing they wouldn't have to carry the tower goods anymore.
