6 Years Later

Stlix slowly opened his eyes in the dim light of the cavern and yawned. He pushed himself out of the mossy mound slowly rubbing his eyes. He clipped the large raticate skin around his waste and moved out of his room. Buddy was curled up in a large coil in the middle of the main room. Over the seven years he had lived with Buddy the steelix had only grown longer and the cave had to be made bigger a few times over the years so he could fit comfortably.

During the years, the surroundings had been explored very thoroughly by him and Buddy. Where the cavern breached the surface was surrounded by forest on the lower part of the mountain range, there was large amounts of berry bushes and many Pokémon with a large amount being predominantly bug types like caterpie, weedle, wurmple, pinsir, pineco, kricketot and their evolutions. Other Pokémon like rattata and pidgey were also rather common and had been a staple of Stlixes diet as time went by. Before Buddy had learnt fire fang, so he could eat cooked meat again, he had eaten many berries and therefore knew where the bushes were nearby.

After he had eaten, he walked back to cave to see if Buddy was awake. He had taken an interest in the abilities or moves that Buddy could perform when he was younger and to his own great disappointment could not copy. At that time, he had resolved to help Buddy improve by offering suggestions on what might improve the moves power or ease of use.

As he neared shouts and loud rumbling drew his attention, he was no stranger to earthquakes or rockslides, they seemed to happen a few times a year, whether they were natural or the result of a battle between two powerful Pokémon. The loud metal screeching drew his attention along with the shouting voices. He quickly hurried to get Buddy and help because something or someone were attacking their neighbours. The metagross hive.

When he was back in the cave Buddy was already awake and looking at him with eyes that knew what he wanted.

"I think people like me are attacking the metagross hive." The steelix's eyes became a bit more understanding but still unwilling to let him help.

"I think Floaty is in danger." A great huff of air left the Buddy's mouth as he sighed in resignation. He nodded his agreement and motioned for Stlix to clamber up. With a grin he leapt at the metal snake and held tight as Buddy slithered out of the cave. As they moved towards the hive Stlix thought about Floaty, his friend.

When he was smaller and walking around the mountainside he had stumbled near a large fissure and had started fallen with Buddy to far away to help. But before he fell out of sight, a large metal cylinder hit his stomach and stopped him falling. As he stood back on his own feet and Buddy checked him, he came face to face with a large eye framed by a metal ball and met his first beldum. Seeing the Pokémon hovering off the floor the beldum was quickly dubbed Floaty.