Descending through the tunnel signs of battle could be seen everywhere. Claw marks scraped down the walls, the blood splatter across the floor and the broken body of a beldum that made his heart clench in worry for Floaty. He started moving faster hearing my brother behind me, his great metal bulk scraping across the stone floor. His blood that calmed down after the sprint from the thugs above, started pumping again as Stlix heard great metallic roars that I knew came from a metagross.

He slowed down before the first room he pushed myself against the wall so that Buddy could go past him. He was comfortable here, enclosed by the earth, his eyes were well adjusted to the dim gloom and his muscles tensed and untensed as he prepared to remove other people's strange capture devices. As Buddy slid past, he sped up as went through the doorway and lashed forward with dark energy flowing around his maw, enhancing his bite.

As Stlix followed Buddy his eyes caught the broken form of a metang on the floor. His heart dropped as he recognized the Pokémon we freed upstairs, and anger filled his mind.

"Death, so much death. And I don't know why." Shaking the thought away Stlix focused and caught sight of people dressed in the same uniforms as above. Like before he watched Buddy lashing out with powerful moves that slammed aside the Pokémon attacking him, Stlix ran at the people his arm ready to lash out and to take the belts of the ball shaped devices. Elation filled him as blood pulsed through his head.


Up above a massive bird of prey touched down upon the plateau, upon its back was a person dressed in an orange uniform and a cap showing a symbol. A Ranger. The touched the dead Pokémon and smiled sadly before their face warped into a dark smile looking at the injured Rockets. They lifted a device wrapped around their wrist to their ear and spoke into it.

"Need backup. Call the league to get ACE Trainers here. Any Elite Four or Champion able should follow as well. Massive Rocket activity. Attacking a metagross hive, their motive currently unknown. Possible third party and signs of the biggest steelix I could conceive." The device crackled and then a voice floated from it.

"Copy that Ranger Four, ETA of four minutes on other Rangers and 10 minutes on league backup. Stay distant and wary, do not engage unless an opportunity presents itself." The Ranger frowned as the last part of the order transmitted.

"Copy that, I will restrain unconscious Rockets for arrests. No pokeballs I can see." The Ranger then dropped their wrist to their side and walked towards the thugs. The great bird following him in quick hops.

"Fly up, see if any of their Pokémon are alive after being knocked of the cliff, dead Pokémon can be placed by the Incineroar. The bird nodded its head and unfolded its great wings. With a massive flap pushed itself of the cliff and soared. The man stared for a moment before turning to the entrance of the metagross hive and pulled another pokeball from his belt. He pressed the button on the front and watched as a massive four-armed humanoid took shape with a jubilant cry.

"Maaachamp." The fighting type cried. A smile spread across its face at seeing the ranger but that faded as it looked around seeing dead and unconscious.

"Bad things have happened Machamp. This is not a natural territory war of battle of starving Pokémon. Human greed for rare and powerful Pokémon to fund their own twisted aims." Spat the ranger. The machamp nodded sadly then nodded at the cave entrance.

"Orders are not to engage yet. To hold off until reinforcements arrive." The machamp nodded acceptance than thought about what could be happening below.


Stlix panted as he stared at the floating metagross in front of him. He smiled as the steelix pushed his massive head under his arm to help him balance.

"Floaty?" He questioned the metagross. It dipped its massive head and spoke in his mind.

"People came. Attacked hive. Fire hurt and dark ones can not hear. Human greed. Colony hurt. Glad for help." Its speech was jerky a sure sign that Floaty had recently evolved in the battle.

"Come more intruders further down. Fight as well? Together?" The steel type questioned. Its red eyes peering out of the metal bulk.

"Sure Floaty." The 9-year-old replied with a tired smile. "Together."