CHAPTER 6

Not many things can slip past his scrutinizing senses. This was a trait he had since childhood, and it had been integral in undercover operations. Be it the subtlest movement, lightest whiff in the air, or slightest change in pitch or tone, he was sure to catch on. Anything out of place in the ordinary and mundane would surely pique his interest.

The circumstance at the moment isn't any different.

For the nth time since he arrived home, Lance gazed at the boy sitting on a sofa in the living room. He himself was in the kitchen eating a serving of late night dinner. A bar counter separated the living spaces of the kitchen and living room, thus allowing a clear view between sides.

There was nothing out of the blue at their current situation. In fact, their nights were often like this. In days where he doesn't partake in missions, Lance would return home late in the evening, which meant Clark had already prepared & ate a simple dinner (at times, he would leave a plate for Lance). As the older cousin eats, the younger one would busy himself with homework, then video games. There were instances when Lance was free and would teach Clark the basics of Pokémon Battles and the essentials to being a Pokémon Trainer, or to just simply spend time with his younger cousin.

That said, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Then again, it was not their current interaction— or lack, thereof— that troubled Lance.

It was the boy's brooding silence.

Clark wasn't talkative, although he tends to ask a lot of questions. Often, the boy would badger Lance to share about his day at work; he always seems so fascinated no matter how mundane Lance tries to make the story sound sometimes, or how much information he leaves out (his undercover missions must remain in secrecy after all). Tonight, Clark opted to simply recognize his presence with a flatly toned "You're home,". Lance considered that it was likely from exhaustion, especially when the boy had to train at the Dragon's Den after his classes.

Then, there was that look in Clark's eyes.

Said eyes were very expressive, the mirrors to his feelings. Those orbs glimmered in curiosity, unblinking when at lost, glassy in the brink of tears, and with a youthful sparkle when happy. But at present, they were dull.

"Great-gramps gave me a long lecture about our clan's virtues today," Clark finally spoke, his gaze never leaving the television screen.

"He did?" Lance replied as he resumed the remainder of his dinner.

"Yes. Power, Pride, and Wisdom. After that, I trained to calm a baby Dragon Pokémon," said Clark. Still not turning to Lance's direction, he bent slightly forward as his hands adjusted the controller for better grip. His fingers moved with speed as he pressed a combination of buttons, occasionally flicking the analog stick.

"I see he is taking it slowly with you. He used to be stricter when we were kids," the man pondered as he took a sip from his mug.

Something about the remark made Clark turn to his direction and shooting him a blank expression. It wasn't particularly unsettling, but Lance felt the need to further elaborate his previous point.

"He is old; not any younger even during our youth," referring to the Dragon Tamer Clan Elder, "The old man can't keep up like he used to. Your slow progress in training is not because he thinks of you as weak," Lance continued, hopefully clearing things for his young cousin.

Clark's eyes lingered on Lance's own. His expression remained blank, yet his eyes were probing… inquiring. He was looking for something. Lance anticipated a question or any utterance from his cousin, but the boy blinked once and tore his gaze from him. Silence descended the space.

"GAME OVER", a robotic voice declared. The same words were flashed in red boldfaced letters on the television screen. Clark made no attempt to restart his game; he did not move or speak and opted to stare at the screen.

The same can be said for Lance as the utensils he held remained hung above his plate. Something was definitely troubling Clark. Much as he wants to question the boy about it, there was something else that was needed to be brought into attention. Lance just hoped that it wouldn't further upset his cousin.

"Clark, I need to tell you something," he started, "Remember what I said about taking you with me tomorrow to Silver Town? Well… It looks like I have to break my word on that. Something important came up,"

Clark took a minute before he replied. "It's okay. Jace did ask me to help him with something tomorrow,"

Lance simply nodded in response and began clearing the table. Jace was Clark's closest friend in the neighborhood as both boys are of the same age and attend the same Trainer's School.

"It's about the missing people around Silver Town, isn't it? Why I can't go with you?" Clark asked suddenly, "I heard the teachers talking about it. The strong trainers in Mt. Silver were asked to leave and no one is allowed to go to the forest," he added.

"You're correct. I was asked by the Mayor of the town to help find those people. It's one of my duties as Champion," Lance explained. "When they're rescued, I promise to tell you a lot about it," he reassured Clark knowing of the boy's curiosity in his experiences as a Champion.

The younger one gave him that look again. It was the same blank expression from earlier. Clark's eyes narrowed infinitesimally for a fraction of a second, but Lance saw it as quickly as it vanished.

"I'm going to bed, now" declared Clark casually in a low voice as he stood to shut down the gaming console.

"What's bothering you, buddy?" asked Lance calmly. He approached his young cousin in the living room.

The boy hesitated as he shifted between his feet and avoiding eye contact with the man in front of him. "I guess I'm just scared that people in Blackthorn will start to go missing too,"

"Clark," Lance crouched to meet his young cousin at eye level, placing both of his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"That's not going to happen, not as long as I'm here. I will not make the same mistake I did before because if that happens, there is only myself to blame this time," he continued, "I always regret what happened that dreadful night, more so when I see a reminder of the consequences of my decision. But I'm trying, Clark. I really am. If only I could bring them all back, I wouldn't care if it's my own life in the line. I will—" Lance spoke in a hoarse voice. Realizing his spur-of-the-moment utterances, the man stopped himself abruptly.

On the other hand, Clark's expression contorted into one of confusion and puzzlement as he stared at his older cousin's widened eyes. "I-I don't g-get it, Lance. What are you talking about?"

The man quickly collected his composure. "It's nothing, forget about it. It's just something I did years ago. No big deal,"

"You sure? It sounded… painful. Did someone get hurt?" Clark asked cautiously.

"Yeah, you could say that," he let out a humorless laugh, "I did something that not only hurt a lot of people, but also two very important persons,"

"They didn't forgive you yet?"

"I don't know. One day, I hope one of them does," replied Lance as he gazed at the boy's eyes with a wistful expression.

Silence passed them for an unknown amount of time until the red-haired man stood up.

"Go to sleep, Clark"

"Okay. Good night, Lance"

POV: Clark

Twenty-six minutes and ten seconds…

Twenty-six minutes and eleven seconds…

Twenty-six minutes and twelve seconds…

"CLARK! LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!"

Jace's voice caught my attention, but my eyes remained on the digital watch I wore. I was counting along the time since we left Blackthorn City. It was a good way to practice my numbers.

And to ignore the fact that I could bump into Lance any moment.

Speaking of my cousin, he wasn't around for breakfast when I woke up. He did leave me a plate of pancakes and a note on the fridge telling me to lock the house before I meet up with Jace. My friend asked me yesterday if I could help him with some errands. I knew Lance wouldn't take me with him when I heard about the missing people in Silver Town. He needed to be there.

"…. I was asked by the Mayor of the town to help find those people. It's one of my duties as Champion", I remember him saying last night. As a Champion; yeah sure, he could say that again.

Since I'll be alone at home with nothing to do, I decided to help out Jace. I went to their house after breakfast, and got to eat some more when his grandmother baked a bunch of cookies for us. While I munched on the snacks, I remember Jace being given instructions for his errand; he was supposed to pick up some herbs from the PokéMart where his mom worked (I can't remember what kinds of herbs because they were too hard to pronounce; Jace was given a list anyway).

Turns out, the family Granbull was sick due to its old age. The herbs can help it to get better, but the Blackthorn PokéMart ran out of stock. Luckily, a final batch was secured by Jace's mom from the mart where she worked; we just needed to pick them up.

That was now the problem. Actually, it's more of my problem.

You see, I was so busy eating the cookies that I didn't bother to ask Jace one important question. As we left the house, his mom's Staraptor & Pidgeot waited outside (the Pokémon were going to bring us to her). Just as both of us were settled and ready for flight, I asked Jace where his mom works.

Silver Town's PokéMart.

Jace's mother works there as a clerk. It was the only mart within a few kilometers from Blackthorn that had a batch of the herbs. In other words, we were going to the same town where people have gone missing, where Lance went this morning, and where Lance would be displeased to find my presence.

Fast forward to the present, I am currently on Pidgeot's back still glancing at my watch. I could feel the wind blowing against me even as the Pokémon flew at a steady speed. Sometimes, I try to suppress a giggle when its feathers brush against my legs whenever it flaps its wings continuously for better elevation. If only I wore pants instead of shorts…

"EARTH TO CLARK! I SAID, CHECK THIS COOL TRICK I CAN DO!", Jace shouted against the wind.

Deciding to forget about counting time, I turned to Jace's direction beside me. My eyes grew wide as I saw him standing on Staraptor's back, arms extended to his sides at a certain angle to maintain balance.

"I don't think that's a good idea!" I said loudly, my voice muffled by the wind.

"WHAT?! MY MOM IS A BIRDKEEPER AND MY DAD IS A COORDINATOR. PUT THOSE TOGETHER, YOU HAVE ME—AND WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO!"

Jace signaled Staraptor to fly towards higher elevation. The Pokémon flapped its wings vigorously and allowed airflow to assist its lift. I'm both surprised and impressed that my friend managed to maintain his footing and balance.

"LET'S SHOW HIM HOW IT'S DONE, STARAPTOR! FULL SPEED AHEAD!"

With that, Jace bent slightly to grab a hold on Staraptor's back. In a second, the Pokémon plunged through with great speed, wings pressed to its sides for better maneuver. They're nearing our level in the sky, so I wrapped my arms around Pidgeot's neck and nestled my face on its nape. I squinted as I kept my eyes on Staraptor's diving form with Jace on its back. From my viewpoint, they appeared as a silhouette against the sun, with rays shining behind them.

Staraptor took a sharp 360 degrees vertical loop the moment it levelled with Pidgeot's flight. Surprisingly, Jace remained rooted to his position, striking a pose when Staraptor resumed flying steadily a few feet beside us.

Pidgeot ignored their little show as if it was used to these things happening. On the other hand, I'm completely astonished because I never knew that Jace was skilled in aerial displays. I had the impression that he was trained to specialize in battling using Flying Types, but he combined his parents' area of expertise instead.

"What do you think, Clark?" he asked, gently settling himself on the Pokémon's back.

"That was so cool! You were like surfing in the sky!" I replied admiringly.

He shot me a smile before extending a clenched fist into my direction. I returned the gesture as if punching thin air, a sort of fist bump between the two of us.

"My dream is to perform like that in front of many people one day. My dad even says I could bring Contests to a whole new level if I performed with my Pokémon," he glanced downwards before turning his attention to me, "What about you? Will you be a Dragon Master like a lot of people in your clan? Maybe you could be Blackthorn's next gym leader one day, or even better— a Champion like Lance!"

"I… don't know, really," I said sheepishly. The truth is, I always admired Lance. I wanted to be just like him; a powerful trainer, a Dragon Master, and a man of justice.

These days, I'm not so sure anymore…

"Oy! We're here!" Jace exclaimed suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I gazed at the town below that was surrounded by lush greens and two lakes on either side. The clear waters glimmered under the light, a gentle breeze blew in our direction, and the sound of swaying leaves reached our ears. It was as peaceful as I remembered from my last visit months ago.

However, something stood out rather oddly from such scenery.

Police officers scattered around the town conducting interviews and inspecting the withered plants from the gardens of several houses. What do the plants have anything to do with the missing people?

I noticed that more officers were gathered near the lakes and the forest entrance. Yellow tape barricaded every footpath and entryway into the forest that led to the foothills and Route 29. No wonder Lance cancelled the trip he promised me.

Speaking of Lance, I surveyed the people roaming around and searched for any familiar figure with strikingly red hair and a cape. There seems to be no sign of him anywhere, but I still need to be careful just in case.

"Mom said we shouldn't let Staraptor and Pidgeot touch down where police are investigating. We'll go straight for the PokéMart," I heard Jace say from somewhere beside me.

That's a relief.

The two Pokémon flew towards the direction of a small building with a vibrant blue roof, and a huge, white Pokéball logo mounted in its front. Soon, we descended slowly in front of the entrance.

"Finally! We made it!" said Jace as he raised a fist in the air, "Staraptor, Pidgeot, you two wait out here while we collect the herbs from mom, okay?"

The Pokémon let out low screeches in agreement.

The moment we stepped inside, we were immediately greeted by a clerk standing in the counter. He was a tall guy with brown hair parted in the middle. He also wore a white collared shirt under a blue apron; it was the standard uniform for PokéMart employees.

"Wait, is that you Jace?" the man questioned as he leaned forward on the counter trying to identify my friend standing beside me. I could tell that he had poor vision as he tried to squint his eyes to get a better look at Jace. "It is you little man! You sprouted!" the man beamed.

He didn't lie. Jace was quite tall for our age, although I was near his height. In fact, as I stood beside him, I reached the level below the soft part of his ear.

"I guess it's because I eat a lot," said Jace as he let out a chuckle. "Oh yeah, this is my friend Clark. He's helping me with the herbs," he continued, "Clark, this is Ivan. He and my mom work as clerks here,"

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Ivan," I extended my hand in greeting.

"Pleased to meet you too, Clark. Also, Ivan would do just fine," he replied as he shook my hand.

A sudden gasp from behind caught our attention. Jace and I turned to one of the shelves and saw a tall woman wearing a similar shirt and apron like Ivan. She had dark, wavy hair— just like my friend beside me.

It was Jace's mom.

"Jace!" she exclaimed before setting down the box of potions she carried. My friend ran towards her with outstretched arms. She returned the gesture and hugged Jace.

"I missed you so much," she said, tightening the hug and kissing the top of Jace's head.

I remained where I stood and watched the two of them talk. The conversation was obviously meant for their ears only since they spoke in low voices. I didn't want to stare at them for too long so I made my way to the nearest aisle.

I absentmindedly looked at the items displayed on the shelves to my left. There was an assortment of Pokéballs stacked together according to type and manufacturing company. My eyes landed on a pure white Pokéball with red locking bars. I moved closer and read the label attached to its body.

PREMIER BALL

Manufactured by Devon Corporation

A Pokéball with a matte-finish to its pristine white metal shell. It boasts of light weight, corrosion-resistant material of titanium alloy. It is often used to commemorate achievements and/or events.

Devon Corporation, the company owned by the Stone Family based in the regions of Hoenn and Sinnoh. Lance is actually good friends with them and would sometimes take me with him when he visits the family in Sinnoh. Mr. Steven and Champion Cynthia would let me play with their daughter, Garnet, but I always end up keeping an eye on her. She always gets herself into trouble.

"… and we borrowed the Pokémon at school for the battle. Our teacher even said I was good with Flying Types!"

"Well, you definitely got that from me!"

The sound of Jace and his mom's cheerful laughter caught my attention. I tiptoed and peeked from behind the shelf to my right. Both of them were currently emptying a box of potions and arranging the items on a small shelf. They sure are having fun, if the smiles they give to each other were anything to go by.

Is that what it's like to have a mom?

I don't remember anything about mine. My relatives told me about her being a powerful trainer and the former Gym leader of Blackthorn City. She also trained to be a great Dragon Master and has travelled to far regions to reach that goal. And that's all I know about her. Lance said she died when I was 1 year old because of a vehicular accident. That's what he told me.

I wish my mom was alive.

If she were, I wouldn't ask for anything else! I'd be happy just being with her. I don't need new action figures or videogames, I'll only want her hugs—many hugs! I wouldn't complain if she was busy working, because I can wait until she comes home. I'll even make us dinner! Then we'll eat together, talk to each other, and we'll even make fun of Lance! I bet my mom would teach me about battling too. We'll have Pokémon battles in the backyard and she can take me with her to the Dragon's Den to train. She'd definitely be the coolest mom! If only…

"There you are Clark, dear," A voice said from beside me. "I'm sorry for not greeting you earlier. That was rude of me. Jace kept talking about his week and I had to finish stocking the shelves,"

I didn't notice them approach me, so I turned to face their direction. "It's okay Mrs. Willo. I understand," I replied with a smile.

"What are you doing anyway? You want to buy Pokéballs?" asked Jace as he reached for a Great Ball and read the attached label.

"Not really. I was just checking them out,"

"Well, how about I buy you that Great Ball, Clark? You did help Jace with his errand today, plus I have an employee discount," Jace's mom suggested.

I tried to kindly decline her offer, but she wouldn't take 'No' for an answer.

"You boys wait by the counter. I'll just fetch the herbs in the storage," said Jace's mom as she approached the counter and handed the Great Ball to Ivan. "I'll be right back," she added before entering through a door with an "Employees Only" label.

"Does Lance know you're here?" my friend asked as we slowly made our way to the front where Ivan was sealing a small, blue cardboard box containing the Great Ball.

"Y-yeah. Why?"

"Mom said she'll take an early break and treat us to lunch before we go home. She doesn't want us to stay in Silver Town for too long because the bad guys taking people are still out there, but she doesn't want us to be hungry too!" he laughed at his last statement.

Plink. Plink. Plop. Plink

Water trickled down from the stalactites above, landing in soft echoing splashes on the waters below. A Mismagius floated about, a dull shimmer of light emitting from the elliptical gems embedded on its body. It provided for the only source of illumination inside the dark cave.

Another Pokémon, a red Gyarados, steadily swam along as its trainer rode on its backside. Said trainer was currently drenched as he had dived into the water in search for any bodies or secret hideouts.

"Nothing. Let's take a short break before moving to the next cavern," said Lance as he placed his soaked goggles and flashlight inside the pocket of his small, waterproof duffel bag.

Gyarados swam towards a dry portion of land, the Mismagius following closely behind. Lance got off his Pokémon before recalling it back to its Pokéball. He began searching the bag for a change of clothes and his cape; he had been on the water for too long and was slightly shivering.

"You should take a break too, Mismagius. I can use a flashlight for now," he told the Ghost-type floating behind him, still using the move Flash. Lance wanted to save the Pokémon's energy as much as possible since none of his own could use said move. Plus, he was going to change his clothes and wanted the much-needed privacy the darkness could offer. Any Pokémon could care less seeing him bare, but there still might be trainers left roaming around the mountain.

Lance was currently inside one of Silver Cave's underground lakes. He had examined every body of water inside in search of any secret entrance to a hideout, or possibly a body belonging to one of the missing people in Silver Town. As nothing significant came up from this 1st phase of his investigation, he is now set for the 2nd phase which is to take place in the higher sections of the cave (and quite possibly, up to Mt. Silver's Summit).

Searching the entirety of Mt. Silver on his own would take weeks on end. He needed results as early as possible. With this, Lance knew he would need to enlist the help of the G-Men to hasten the process. He had the specifics of a plan outlined in his mind; they only need to be written, organized, and directed to his men.

But first, he needed to finish his current task.

Fully clothed in his spare jumpsuit and cape, Lance took a flat circular object from the bag and held the device in his palm. Pressing the activation switch, a holographic map of Silver Cave's lower levels was projected as it glowed a luminous green. Several red 'X' symbols were marked in the locations of underground lakes and waterfalls; it was an indication that Lance had finished searching these places since he entered.

Bringing a finger to the holographic map, he made a cross-pattern motion on his current location in the map. A red 'X' formed on the hologram where he made the mark.

Lance sighed in exhaustion. This was the last underground lake in the lower levels. He will now begin his search on dry land around the lower section cave system. It shouldn't take him more than a few hours before sunset since he only had about two to three caverns left to search.

"Let's move, Mismagius. Just a little more and I can return you back to the Mayor," Lance said to the Ghost-type that hovered beside him. The Pokémon seemed to cheer at the thought of reuniting with its trainer after spending hours with a stranger.

Lance trudged along the uneven ground that was occasionally rocky and slippery. He was extra careful in areas with limestone formations and columns. Still, he kept his pace. With a slight glance at his wristwatch, the time read 12:57 pm. In a few hours, the culprits could be on the move; he partly deduced that they often strike during the hours nearing dusk. Where they would come from and who they would target next are still part of the mystery.

He should hurry his search on the final caverns in this level. If luck was on his side, he might cross paths with one of the culprits.

Despite the complexity of Mt. Silver's cave system, there was only a single entrance. Anyone who wishes to enter or leave the mountain would pass through the same point. Lance considered the possibility of a new entrance dug up by the culprits, but he knew that even they wouldn't be too careless as to cause a landslide. Not only could that bring attention to their activities, but they would also be buried alive.

The sudden trembling of the ground stopped Lance in his tracks.

Mismagius let out a nervous whimper and floated closely beside him. A few seconds later, the temperature inside the cave quickly increased. Lance could feel sweat forming on his forehead and behind his ears.

"Mt. Silver isn't secretly a sleeping volcano is it?" he said apprehensively.

Upon hearing this, Mismagius clutched itself behind Lance and cried out in fear.

"Wha-?! Calm down, Mismagius," the man said, trying to step down from the flowstone where he stood. From his peripheral vision, he could glimpse the telltale flicker of flames. Turning to the direction of his periphery, Lance nearly lost his footing from the sudden appearance of an avian creature shrouded in scorching flames.

"Moltres!" he exclaimed in astonishment.

The Legendary Pokémon let out a piercing screech, its plumage becoming a raging inferno. Lance leaped behind a protruding part of the wall to shield himself and Mismagius from the heat. His cape caught on fire which made him untie the cord securing the article of clothing to his body.

As he watched the cape burn, his hand reached for Dragonite's Pokéball. Gyarados may prove to be an advantage in this situation, but he can't risk water collecting in the narrow passageways. He needs to get out alive.

Just as he was about to call on Dragonite, the avian Pokémon abruptly dropped to the ground. The flames shrouding its golden plumage loss intensity. Moltres lay feebly as it unsuccessfully tried to take flight with its wings, talons helplessly forcing its body upwards.

"You stay here. Keep yourself pressed to the wall to avoid the flames," Lance instructed Mismagius.

The red-haired man cautiously approached the Legendary in front of him. Carefully, he moved a large rock that pinned Moltres' left wing; it must've rolled slightly when the Pokémon fell on the ground.

Lance backed away slowly as it began to stir. His eyes checked if there were injuries present on its body or if it was pinned down by any rocks. As he examined Moltres, his eyes caught sight of something red and swollen somewhere on its neck. However, the flaming plumage obscured his view causing Lance to move closer. The man squinted against the bright blaze as he tried to see the swollen area.

Then he saw it. Those red, raised whip-like marks incised on the Pokémon's neck. Lance instantly froze; they were eerily familiar.

Trident-shaped scars.

The marks resembled those streaked scars that he had not seen since… the Blood Moon Invasion.

"Pika!" A Pikachu appeared out of nowhere and tackled the man to the ground. At that moment, Moltres summoned all of its remaining strength to take flight. It whizzed past the cavern, but the flames on its wings made contact on the side of Lance's left leg.

"AH!" the man cried out in pain as he felt the fabric of his jumpsuit scorched, leaving a burn on his skin underneath.

Mismagius approached Lance with worry. The man grunted as he attempted to sit up, trying to ignore the stinging sensation of his burn. "It's fine. I can manage," he said through gritted teeth.

A person appeared in front of him, extending a hand. Looking up, he saw a teenage boy. Said teenager wore black sleeves underneath a red coat, and a distinct red-white cap.

"Red," Lance recognized who stood before him, "I see you didn't leave Mt. Silver even with the League's orders," he reached for the young man's hand and stood up with assistance.

"…?" Red's gaze landed on the man's leg.

"It's nothing serious," Lance replied. He was used to the boy's way of communicating; Red was the silent type, a man of few words (if any at all). He makes use of gestures, actions, or short vocal sounds to get his message across. The only times he is heard uttering several phrases at a time is during battles, or when his input on matters is needed.

Despite his reserved and serious demeanor, Red is a renowned trainer in the world of Pokémon Battling. He is regarded as a prodigy, a legendary Trainer on par with the regional Champions in terms of skills. In fact, he was supposedly the Indigo League Champion after defeating his own rival and claiming the title for himself. However, Red declined to be crowned as Champion as he sought greater strength. Thus, he made it a goal to conquer the challenge of Mt. Silver. It didn't take long before he became the first Trainer to ever reach the mountain's summit; another achievement added to his profile.

"Why are you still here anyway? I presume you're aware of what's happening in Silver Town," asked Lance. He now sat on a rock, bandaging the burns on his left leg.

"…" Red handed him a PokéGear. The screen displayed several messages received from fellow Trainers around Mt. Silver.

'Is this Red? Could we use your help? Moltres appeared out of nowhere and it's attacking everyone here.'

'Red! I sent you our locations. We really need you now. Our Pokémon are seriously injured.'

'I'm at the southern room in the upper levels. I'll send my location. Moltres is out of control and keeps flying around Silver Cave.'

There were several more messages with similar concerns.

"So, you stayed because of Moltres? Have you been battling it alone all this time?" asked Lance.

Red simply looked at the Pikachu perched on his shoulder. The Electric-Type had cuts & scrapes all over its body, its fur unkempt and covered in dirt.

"I see. That's why it was weak a while ago,"

"I used its own nature against it. Weakening Moltres will force it to leave Mt. Silver," Red finally spoke.

Lance understood immediately. Moltres was known to plunge itself into magma when in need of healing. It will leave Mt. Silver to seek a volcano. He was about to ask if Red would head out to search for the Legendary. The teenage boy was known for his kindness to Pokémon, and Lance was sure he wouldn't let Moltres roam the world without making sure it was fully healed. However, something surfaced on the man's mind.

'Those marks on the neck. Have they been a result from battling, or was I correct to assume that they're the same as…' Lance thought to himself.

"Red, did Pikachu happen to directly strike Moltres? Perhaps in the neck area?" he asked suddenly.

"No. We only attacked from a distance, like Thunderbolt," replied the young man, shooting a questioning look at the man.

Of course. Even if Pikachu did attack directly, it was quite impossible to specifically form Trident-shaped marks unless it was done in purpose. Pikachu's finger-paws weren't even shaped like a Trident.

A feeling of dread descended on Lance as realization struck him. Could it be?

He stood up abruptly, ignoring the sharp pain on his leg. "I have to report back. The situation in Silver Town might be graver than I thought,"

Blood.

The red liquid dripped down the side of his face from the wound on his head.

He was at a daze. He tried to remember how he ended up surrounded by the forest trees. His back was against a rock as he limply sat, bleeding. It wasn't serious. In fact, his presence in this very place presented a lot more danger than the trickling blood.

The sound of wings flapping alerted him. In an instant, he remembered how he got in this situation.

The sound grew louder as it neared his location. Not wanting to be seen, he pressed himself further against the rock sandwiched between two boulders. He could only hope that the shade they provided can keep him hidden.

As he waited for what was to come, he couldn't help but tremble in fear. Would he die? Would he live?

He didn't know.

All he could do was trust everything Lance had taught him when it comes to facing dangerous situations.

The man's voice echoed in his mind. 'Fear is a normal response, but you shouldn't let it get to you. Focus on your breathing to calm yourself. Always be alert and keep a level-head. You got this, Clark"

One more chapter left for this arc and the Stone Family will be back in the spotlight! But the Stones will be sharing that spotlight because a certain couple will finally make their graceful appearance in the story.

Until the next update!