Chapter 6: Things Get Worse

"What! What do you mean you're going after Steelix?" Javed and Ghamidi were in an uproar."This was not part of our deal young turtle."

"I know and I'm sorry" Torrent apologized, "But our duty as a rescue team means we are obligated to fight injustice by any means necessary." He flashed his badge valiantly. He turned to his teammates.

Static's cheeks sparkled with electricity and the flame on Blaze's tail flashed white hot. He knew they were with him and he felt a feeling of warmth and anxiety on the inside.

"Fine then do what you have to do young one, but my brother and I will wait out here where it's safe."

Torrent nodded his head in agreement, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Blaze was the first to break the silence as Static stood there playing with his tail. "What the hell are we standing around for? Let's do the damn thing!"

"Well he's an eager lad" Razor smiled.

"After a while it gets pretty annoying." Torrent replied.

Using his tail as a torch, Blaze led the way through the dark sandy tomb a chill ran down his spine. He looked over at his teammates who seemed occupied by the hieroglyphs on the tomb walls. He swallowed hard somewhat out of anticipation and somewhat out of anxiety. If this Steelix was as large and powerful as that little Sandshrew said then this would be the fight of his life.

Not knowing whether or not his call would go through, he attempted to make contact with Artie. To his surprise the communicator actually worked but the reception was riddled with static. "Static, help me out here."

The Pikachu gave the communicator a small spark from the shock pads in her cheeks and the reception cleared. "Hey Blaze how's the desert out there?" The Abra laughed

"Can it bookworm. Do you have any information on a Pokémon called Steelix?"

"Steelix?, hmmm. Let me check my Pokedex." He began typing rapidly on the computer. "I can't find much but it says Steelix is the iron snake Pokémon. Basically it's a giant mutated Onix with a coat of steel armor grafted onto its body making it a Steel/Ground type. According to the Pokedex, Steelix is impervious to physical attacks but with a fire and water type on your side you might have a chance."

"Hey I'm here too" Static chimed in.

"Steelix is a ground type doofus. Your Thunderbolt won't do squat. And with Torrent's water weakened by the sun I'm the best chance you got" Blaze teased.

Static rolled her eyes "Blaze is right for once. Now there's a scary thought."

"We're going to die aren't we?" the little Sandshrew pouted.

"No one's going to die, we'll get through this" Torrent assured the child with a pat on the head. But he was more so trying to assure himself than anything.

"The only one dying around here is that Steelix, when I get my claws on him" Blaze boasted while baring his fangs.

"With our combined efforts we should be able to pull this off, but we'll have to ambush it as a full frontal assault would be suicide." Razor explained.

Blaze completely brushed off her statement "Sorry lady but cheap tactics and dirty tricks aren't really my style."

Torrent looked at Blaze with impatience "Blaze this is not the time to be childish," He turned to Razor, "Razor you know this cave better than anyone so you take the lead. Static keep the signal on the communicators open if all else fails Artie can at least teleport us out of here"

After two hours of traveling through the arid caves the rangers reached a large den. It was dark, dank, and reeked with sour stench of death. Bones of deceased Pokemon scattered the floor some with chunks of decaying flesh still attached. "This is disgusting" Static though to herself.

Torrent clambered aimlessly through the den looking for clues to the abhorrent creature's whereabouts. After searching for clues nothing showed up. Just numerous carcasses. That's when he felt something on his shoulder he turned around to see Razor staring at him blankly.

"Razor? What wrong?" Torrent asked to no avail. Razor still just stared at him blankly and coughed up blood.

Torrent looked down to see a chunk of Razor's lower body missing.

Razor had been bitten in half.