It was just approaching afternoon when we reached the base of the Mt. Chimney volcano, several days after we'd left Fallarbor Town.
"Lavaridge Town is just on the other side of the volcano, which is where the next gym is." I said.
"Do you remember the story of what happened here when our parents traveled together?" Megan asked.
"Yeah, they ran into Team Rocket, Team Aqua, and Team Magma."
"All searching for the meteorite to activate the volcano, using a machine."
"Thankfully, my dad was able to stop Team Magma from succeeding and they destroyed the machine and the meteorite in the lava."
"Remember how your dad had to escape the cable car because it had been taken over?"
"Yeah, he ended up being the only one who was able to escape it. Your mom and uncle and Brock were stuck there."
"I would've been terrified of the height!"
"Well, my dad has always been fearless. That's what makes him so good at his job."
"Yeah, and protecting his friends, too. My mom never gets tired of telling my the story of their adventure with Manaphy."
We then headed towards the cable car to cross the volcano.
"How has your Aura training been going since we left Fallarbor Town, Adam?" Megan asked.
"I'm now able to sense yours and Jason's Aura, letting me know where you are when I can't see you." I replied. "It's like how in Johto I was able to sense Michelle's Aura when she had been captured by Team Rocket. This also means that I've grown so close to you and Jason, that I've established an Aura Bond with both of you. This is something that only exists between those who you are very close with and have a strong relationship with."
"I'm glad that we've grown so close, Adam. I feel as though I can trust you with my life." Megan replied with a smile.
"You can, Megan. That's a promise." I said confidently.
She responded to that statement with a warm hug, which I was more than happy to return. Like my dad, I'd never let anything bad happen to her, or to any of my friends!
As we reached the cable car station, there was a sign.
"Closed?!" Megan cried.
"It's out of service. Looks like we'll have to go around the volcano. It'll take longer, but we have no other option." I said with disappointment.
"What about flying over Mt. Chimney?" Jason questioned.
"My Pidgeot is the only Pokemon that we have that could do it. Your Swellow and Megan's Beautifly are too small. And Pidgeot can only carry two people at a time, so someone would be left behind."
"Well, then we have no other choice. Let's start walking."
After a few hours of walking, we came across a large tunnel going down into the side of the volcano and it didn't look like a natural formation.
"This looks man-made." Jason said.
"Why would someone want to drill into the side of a volcano?" Megan asked.
"There's only one thing to do. We need to check this out." I said.
"Right!" they agreed.
We removed our flashlights and headed down the steep tunnel. The deeper we went, the hotter it got. I could feel the sweat running down the back of my neck and soaking my hair underneath my cap. I could see Jason and Megan wiping at their faces.
"I know how my dad felt now when he first battled Blaine on Cinnabar Island in Kanto." I muttered to my friends.
After a while of walking down, we heard noises. Listening closer, I could pick up voices and the sounds of drills and machinery.
"Someone else is down here." I commented.
We saw light at the end of the tunnel, so we turned our flashlights off and put them away. We ended up in a large cave where we saw Team Rocket grunts standing outside of a small command post. Drills, metal crates of supplies, and makeshift buildings filled the area.
We hid behind some crates, away from their sights.
"I wonder what they're doing down here." Jason whispered.
"They must be looking for something important to have a small base set up. If they wanted to simply cause destruction by erupting the volcano, they would've already." I said.
"Well, whatever it is, we can't let them get their hands on it!" Megan stated.
Jason and I nodded our heads at her words. Whatever it was, it wasn't good news if Team Rocket was looking for it.
"It sucks to be working in this heat!" a female grunt cried.
"Yeah, but this is the closest to the magma chamber that we can get without needing those heat-resistant suits and Team Rocket doesn't want this base too far away from the grunts using those drills in the deeper tunnels." another female grunt said.
"Well, the orb had better be down here, or else Hunter Michael's going to hear it from me!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You obviously don't know what he does when punishing his female grunts. Anyway, how's the prisoner doing?"
"She's inside a cell in one of the buildings. She was passing by, outside the cave entrance this morning when a shipment of supplies was coming in. We can't afford to have any witnesses, so they captured her and brought her here. She'll be disposed of later."
"Knowing what Hunter Michael does to female prisoners, it's probably better for her if he decides to leave her down here to quickly burn to death in the lava, instead of his...usual alternative option."
As I listened to the conversation between the two grunts, I remembered what had happened to my old friend Nikki in Kanto when she had been captured by Michael. We needed to act and help the girl that was captured and put at stop to Team Rocket's plans!
"We need to rescue that prisoner, whoever 'she' is. After all, it could be someone we know." Megan stated, as she looked and Jason and I.
"Maybe I could use my Aura to sense what building she's being held in."
"Sounds like a plan." said Jason.
I took a breath, closed my eyes, and focused. After a few seconds, I felt a reaction in my Aura.
"Got it! And it's someone we know, one of our friends. That makes things even worse!"
We stayed low and crept around the crates and into the correct building. We hit the button to open the door and closed it behind us as we entered. As we turned, we saw that our captured friend was...Amber!
Amber smiled at us in relief and said, "I'm so glad to see you guys! But be careful."
"We need to get you out of here, and quickly." I told her.
I untied the ropes around her ankles and wrists as Jason helped her to her feet.
We turned to leave, right as the door opened in front of us, causing us to freeze. Two men in heat-resistant suits and helmets were blocking our escape. Their visors were mirrored, hiding their faces. We were caught!
"Amber, it's me." one of them said.
We all recognized his voice instantly: Antonio!
"Dad! I'm glad you're here...but how?" she asked.
"There's no time to explain. We have to get out of here!"
Antonio and his partner turned to the door and looked to make sure that the coast was clear.
"Let's go."
We followed after the two men and we all took cover.
"We can't climb out, since the path down was too steep, so we'll have to commandeer a drilling machine and dig our way out." Antonio explained.
As we approached one of the drills, we stopped as we heard the voice of Hunter Michael speaking on the other side of it.
"Sir, we've done it! I've just gotten word that the excavation teams below have acquired the orb embedded in the wall outside the magma chamber." a male grunt said.
"Excellent. Have everyone prepare for an immediate retreat back to the ship. We're done down here. Once everyone is out of the tunnels, detonate the bombs to flood the tunnels with magma from the volcano's magma chamber. It will melt all of our equipment, destroying any traces of us ever being down here."
"But sir, why not cause the volcano to erupt, destroying the surrounding area?"
"Because that's not how Team Rocket operates. We try to be subtle until our plans for world domination are complete. Only then do we strike. We have to do this in secret so that the authorities don't interfere or get wind of what we're doing."
"What about the prisoner?"
"Oh, her? Leave her locked in there to burn in the magma. Considering her alternative, I think that she'd be grateful, having a mercy killing."
"Yes, sir."
Amber looked shocked at what was just said about her. "He's just so ruthless..." she muttered in horror.
As we heard their retreating footsteps, Antonio told us to climb into the drilling machine while he and his partner kept watch. Once we were all inside, Antonio and the other agent worked on getting the drill running and we soon began to dig out of the tunnel and to the surface. We had to move quickly because Team Rocket could detonate the bombs at any moment and we would be burned alive in the magma that would flood the tunnels!
After what seemed like forever - but it was only several moments - the drill burst through the ground and onto the surface, a few miles away from Mt. Chimney.
As we climbed out of the drill, we looked up, hearing noise, and saw Team Rocket's ship flying off into the sunset. The ground then shook suddenly, indicating that the bombs in the tunnels had been set off.
Antonio looked towards the volcano and said, "At least it didn't erupt."
The two men then removed their helmets, revealing Antonio and another man. Amber ran and hugged her dad, sighing in relief.
"Thank you for saving me and my friends."
"I would never let anything happen to you." Antonio said as he released her.
"Why are you here anyway, Dad?"
I had to admit, I was curious as to why he was investigating Team Rocket again, hiding in their ranks.
"Once the International Police got word from Master Ketchum that Team Rocket was operating in Hoenn, they sent me in undercover to investigate, having just finished all of my training. They chose me because nobody knows Team Rocket better than I do and I've infiltrated their ranks in the past." he explained.
"But many of the agents still don't fully trust me, so they sent along another agent to keep an eye on me and help me to accomplish my mission." Antonio motioned to the man beside him. "He's also here to make sure that I don't try to double-cross them and go back to Team Rocket.
"If I were to betray their trust, the lives of my own past Team Rocket operatives would hang in the balance. I would not only be executed, but they would kill Annie, Oakley, and the others as well. Thankfully, they promised to leave you alone, Amber."
Amber stared at her father in disbelief and cried, "How can they not trust you?! After all you've done and the oath you swore when you became an agent! I can't believe that they're threatening your life! I just met you not too long ago, but I trust you completely and it's not just because you're my father. I trusted you when I had to help Adam and the others when they were captured, back when I first met you in Johto. I disobeyed your orders that day and you could've hurt me, but you didn't. You let me help you."
Amber took a breath to calm herself and her dad hugged her once again, comforting her.
"I know how you feel, Amber. But there's nothing that you, me, or anybody else can do about it. The only way for me to prove myself to the International Police is to keep stopping Team Rocket, wherever they go. It's my job, my duty, and my promise." he told his daughter, causing her to calm down.
"So...what did Team Rocket want inside Mt. Chimney? I heard them mention an orb of some kind." I asked.
"Do you remember Team Magma and Team Aqua?" Antonio asked.
"Yes, I remember stories that my dad told me about them. He told me a story of how they found two orbs that could summon and control the Legendary Pokemon Kyogre and Groudon; a red orb and a blue orb."
"From what I've gathered, multiples of those orbs are hidden all across Hoenn. Team Rocket is looking for both of them and are planning to summon and control not one of those Pokemon, but BOTH! And what's worse, they've now found one orb buried under the volcano."
"But my dad has the mark of Arceus on his hand. That should let him have control over the Legendary Pokemon." I said.
"While that would normally work, using the orbs to have direct control over the Legendary Pokemon would be equal to Ash's power. So if Team Rocket gets both orbs, they'll destroy Hoenn with fire and water and use those powers to threaten and subjugate everyone else in the world to their will!"
Megan's mouth was open in shocked. Amber's eyes were wide with fear. Jason seemed unfazed, but I knew that he was just hiding it. His eyes looked over to me and I nodded my head.
"I have to let my dad know. We have to stop Team Rocket whenever we see them or else it might be too late!"
"We'll be reporting our discovery directly to the International Police as soon as possible. And don't worry, Ash and the Hoenn Elite Four are also being kept up to date on our progress." Antonio explained.
He then looked up at the sky and told us, "It'll be dark soon, so you kids should head to Lavaridge Town before it gets dark. You're on the correct side of Mt. Chimney now."
"Before we go, I want you to clarify something for me, Dad." Amber requested.
"What is it?"
"What did you mean when you asked me about me possibly having a new mom? Were you being hypothetical, or have you found someone that you're actually developing feelings for?"
"Amber...I have indeed found a woman whom I have feelings for. It's the first time that I've felt that way about anyone since your mother died. She's one of my operatives that's currently being held in prison. I've seen my team while they've been in custody and talked to them about how they can use their talents for good like I am and how they can change their mindsets and ways. I've spoken to her a lot and we've grown closer with our talks and time spent together, despite her being in custody. Are...you okay with me finding someone new and you possibly having a new mom someday?"
Amber was quiet for a few moments as she processed what her dad had just said. This was a big new step in their lives.
"I'm happy for you, Dad. You deserve a chance at happiness again. Mom wouldn't want you to be alone forever and she would want me to have a chance at having a mom, since I don't remember her. Plus, I know you would never abandon me." Amber replied.
With one final hug and goodbyes exchanged, the four of us headed for Lavaridge Town.
As we walked, I thought back to how I'd used my Aura to find Amber and I realized that, like with Megan, I had formed an Aura Bond with Amber, which had allowed me to sense her location. That meant that I felt just as strongly about her as I did about Megan.
But...I'd never considered Amber to be one of my closest friends like how Jason, Megan, and Michelle were. At least...not until now, now that I'd really thought about it. But the fact that I clearly had an Aura Bond with her was clear proof that she was one of my closest friends. I just hadn't realized it before.
And knowing that fact made me wonder just how strongly Amber might be feeling about me.
After an hour or two of walking, the sun had set and we had just reached Lavaridge Town. We headed for the Pokemon Center right away. We were all tired, hungry, and in desperate need of showers. We'd had a long day and had gone through a lot.
As we entered and headed for the front desk, Nurse Joy looked up.
"You must want a room. Judging by your tired expressions, it's obvious to me."
We nodded our heads.
"There's only one spare room available, but it has two bunk beds. Is that okay for the four of you?"
"That's fine."
"Here's your room key. Enjoy your stay and rest well."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy."
We found our room and as I unlocked the door, I threw my bag on the bottom bunk, claiming it. Amber tossed her bag on the top bunk above mine. Megan chose the other bottom bunk and Jason was left with the bed above her.
"Anyone hungry?" I asked.
"Don't have to ask me twice." Amber replied.
So we all made our way to the cafeteria to eat, with Pikachu and Espeon chittering happily at the thought of food.
Once we had eaten and made our way back to the room, Megan spoke.
"We should all take a shower before we go to sleep. We're all filthy from the ash and sweat from the volcanic heat."
"We'll have to take turns, since there's only the one shower in our room's bathroom. Unless...one of you girls wants to shower with me, saving us some time?" I joked.
Megan and Amber just laughed.
Once we had all showered and changed into our pajamas, we climbed into our beds and quickly fell asleep. Pikachu and Espeon cuddled up to me and Megan respectively. As I drifted off to sleep, I wondered what else would happen to us while we were here in Lavaridge Town.
Author's Note: Team Rocket has appeared once again and our heroes are able to rescue their friend Amber and escape, with some help from her dad.
But now, Team Rocket's full plan has been revealed to the kids by Antonio! Team Rocket is after the same two orbs that Team Aqua and Team Magma were after when Ash was traveling across Hoenn! And to make matters worse, they've found one of the orbs, which was underneath Mt. Chimney!
But what are these new thoughts about Amber that Adam is having? What do they mean? And how will the boys fare in their upcoming gym battles in Lavaridge Town?
Find out in the next chapter of Pokemon NG!