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Chapter Two:

New Friendships

Cora contentedly swam in the stream to cool off as Dale, Castor, and Sekani munched happily on some poffins that Healer Miltank had baked with Castor's help. The morning had worn off into a hot afternoon and a break had been called, so now the four Pokemon were off to themselves enjoying the well deserved breakfast they hadn't gotten a chance to eat that morning.

Small, round, and slightly puffy, the treats were sweet and filling to the hungry friends. Dale dangled his tail into the water, letting it get thoroughly soaked before removing it and shaking it vigorously in the direction of Sekani. Sekani squealed, his voice high and clear enough to put a Jigglypuff to shame and attempted to shield his poffin from the assault, getting well splattered with water in the process. Sputtering in surprise at the sudden attack, Sekani shook his poffin at Dale, "What was that for? You could have ruined my food!"

Dale was giggling too hard to answer, his back on the ground and his three good legs waving wildly in the air. Castor gasped for air between peels of laughter, barely able to keep from rolling off the bank and into the stream. Even Cora, a member of a naturally aquatic species, was having trouble staying above the water because she was laughing so hard.

Sekani blinked, "What in trees is so funny? He could have ruined my poffin with that water! His tail is dirty!"

Castor sat up, wiping tears from his blue eyes, "Sorry, its just ... you sounded like a newly hatched Igglypuff, Sekani!"

Cora slapped the water with her paws happily, "Yeah! Can your squeal go any higher?"

Sekani muttered under his breath and chomped on the last of his poffin, "Some friends I have. Trying to ruin a hard earned breakfast."

Dale stretched out on his stomach and placed his head on his front paws, "Sorry, Sekani ... I'm not sure what came over me. I hope I didn't ruin your meal."

Sekani blushed a little bit, probably ashamed of having made such a fuss over a bit of water, "No, it's okay. That was a really awesome prank now that I think about it. I guess that cave-in shook me up more than I thought if I can't take a joke."

All four Pokemon suddenly went quiet, their thoughts turned grim. Cora looked down at the clear blue liquid flowing around her as she bobbed gently, one paw gripping the bank as an anchor. She spoke quietly, "Even with all of the villagers working together, it will take weeks, probably months to rebuild and repair all the dens."

Castor nodded solemnly, over half of the dens had collapsed and the rest had been severely damaged. Even Healer Miltank's stone home was looking a bit shaky. "If only we had some Diglett or Dugtrio living here ... they would be able to rebuild everything in days. Probably make the dens better than before."

Dale thoughtfully washed one of his front paws, "Its not like your dens were poorly built, Castor. I've never heard of an earthquake that bad before today. I was about a mile outside of the village when it hit and even out there it was really strong. It also lasted for a record time."

Cora clambered onto the shore and plopped down next to Dale, "A mile out? How did you get to the village so fast?" She blushed, suddenly realizing what that sounded like and hurriedly apologized.

Dale flashed a smile at her and continued to wash his paw, "It's fine. Like I said before, Pokemon ask questions like that wherever I go. Some of them can't believe that I get around so well ... until I outrun them in a race."

Sekani slapped his tail-hand against the side of his head in surprise, "You race?"

Dale nodded, "Yep, sometimes win them too. Just because I have a bum leg doesn't mean I have the inkling or even the right to lay around all day. If anything, I should be even more active than if I had four good legs."

Castor blurted out the question that popped into his head before he lost the nerve to, "Why do you think that? I mean, doesn't it make more sense to take it just a touch easier if you have three legs rather than four?"

Dale used his wet paw to scrub one ear as he answered, "Not at all. I may not have the usual number of legs for an Eevee, but legs aren't the only important things for a Pokemon to have. I have strong eyes, a keen sense of smell, I can hear things others would miss, my teeth are sharp, and so is my mind. I can get around just fine on three legs, so a fourth would have simply been a pleasant bonus."

Sekani clapped wildly, "You go, Dale!" the Aipom promptly danced a congratulatory jig around his new buddy.

Cora rubbed her chin thoughtfully "I never thought about like that, Dale," she lightly patted Castor on the shoulder, "and you should be one to ask, Castor. You're one leg less than he is when it comes to walking or running!"

Castor grinned sheepishly, it was true after all. Charmanders were bipedal by nature and only ran on all four when they had too. It was simply more comfortable because of how their bodies were built. "I don't count, Cora," he muttered mock sullenly, "I'm supposed to walk on two legs, all members of the Charizard clan are." All four laughed, temporarily forgetting their grim mood.

When they couldn't hold off going back to work, they all got up and began to trudge back to the main worksite. Just as they reached it, a sad thought popped back into Castor's head, it really is a pity that we don't have any Dugtrio living in the village. Even a single Diglett could probably cut the rebuilding time in half. But the only sure place to find them is Kasai Desert. Wait! He stopped dead as an idea took form in his mind. His tail began to quiver with excitement and his face split into a toothy grin. Cora gently placed a paw on his shoulder, "Hey, are you okay?"

Castor had to put out an effort not to shout from excitement "I just got an idea on how we can cut the rebuilding effort from months to mere days!" Instantly, his friends were paying rapt attention to him.

Sekani bounced from one foot to the other and began babbling at the prospect of less work, "How, how? You have a plan? Oh man, I love it already! What does it involve? How can you be so sure it will work? Does-"

Cora sucked in air and sprayed the chattering monkey with WaterGun. Sekani shrieked at the cold water. Cora stopped spraying and placed her paws on her hips, "Will you be quiet? I'd like to actually hear Castor's plan." Sekani fell sulkily silent, but was now paying rapt attention again.

Castor nodded thanks to Cora and started explaining, "Thanks Cora. Anyway, I was just thinking about how some Dugtrio would be able to half the rebuilding time of the dens and how it was a pity that none lived here. Then it hit me," he spread his paws wide for effect, "why not go to where they live and ask them for help!"

Sekani deadpanned at him, "You can't be serious." He reached over and felt Castor's forehead with one paw and his own forehead with the other, "How hot is your forehead supposed to be compared to mine? Do you have fever or a concussion?"

Castor swatted Sekani's paw away, "I am perfectly fine and dead serious! We could use some members of clan Dugtrio and we'll never get them unless someone goes to their home and asks!"

Cora shook her head, "Cast, the only sure place to find clan Dugtrio would be their Home Den hidden somewhere inside the Kasai Desert caves! The trip just to get there could take up to four weeks and then we'd have to navigate the caves, find them, ask them, and then there's only a small chance that they would help us. That is a lot of traveling and danger for such a small chance Castor, it would be better if we stay here and help."

Castor frowned, he had expected Cora to be a little bit skeptical, but Sekani was usually much more adventurous. He folded his arms over his chest, "What happened to your adventurous spirit, Sekani! The Dugtrio clan is known for being friendly and industrious, the chance of them helping isn't small at all! Besides what's a few weeks of travel for us when it could cut down on months of the village young ones having to live out in the open!"

Cora rubbed the back of her head thoughtfully, "I know that Castor ... but the Dugtrio will want something in return for their help. You can't just go to their home and expect them to help you for no reason!"

Dale suddenly spoke up "The soil, that's how you would pay them."

Castor looked over at Dale, "What do you mean?"

Dale motioned to the village with a nod of his head, "I mean that the Dugtrio spend their lives in the dirt, the softer and more fertile the better. In fact, I was shocked to learn that none of them had moved here what with how soft the field soil is."

Cora shrugged, "That's because Shimai Mountain has good soil and is closer to them. I also hear that it has a couple of caves just perfect for Rock-types. Another detraction is the fact that the West River lies between us and them. Why bother trying to come here when Shimai is closer and can be reached without the hassle?"

Dale nodded, "Ah, that makes sense. But still, if we went there and asked for help, they might agree because of how soft and rich the soil is here. All we would have to do is find a way for them to cross the river without getting wet."

Sekani waved his tail frantically, "What do you mean 'all we would have to do is find a way for them to cross the river without getting wet'? Am I the only one who realizes how hard that would be? You wouldn't be able to do that unless you built a dam and none of you guys know how to do that!"

Dale answered with an almost unnerving calm, "I'm sure that together, we would think of something. It will easier to make a successful plan when we can see the situation with our own eyes." Sekani muttered something about that making sense before he froze, Castor was sure he heard an actual click sound come from inside his friend's head.

Sekani jumped straight into the air with a yelp, "Hey! What do you mean by 'we' Eevee? You can't possibly mean to go! Check that, you can't possibly mean to imply that I am going with you! Because I am not!"

Castor looked between Sekani and Dale, "So, you mean you'll go with me Dale?"

Dale nodded firmly, "I will, Castor. I needed to go to the Kasai desert on my Discovering anyway. I might as well help you while I'm doing it."

Cora smiled, "If you really think it would work ... then I guess I'm in too! I can't let the two of you go wandering around the island without me. Plus, if it does work, it would be really good for the whole valley."

Sekani flung his paws in the air, "You are all nuts! Now I suppose you're going to want me to come along!" Castor and Cora skewered Sekani with a united glare that made him visibly squirm, "Stop glaring at me like that! I have a right to be a bit of a coward after what happened this morning..."

Dale straightened, padded over to Sekani and stared him dead in the eye, "Just because you had troubles this morning does not give you the right to desert your friends. Your skill set would be most useful on the trip." He cocked his head to one side smugly, "But if the incident that happened today is truly your excuse, than it is my duty as your new friend to help you get over your fears."

He stamped a paw firmly on the ground, "I claim your loyalty as is my right earned by saving your life. You must follow me wherever I go until I deem your debt repaid or I die," he smirked at the open mouthed Sekani, "and I am going with them."

Castor found himself just as shocked, even though Dale was correct in his right to Sekani's loyalty, he hadn't really thought the laid back Eevee would claim it. Sekani sputtered, "But ... but ... you can't! I don't!" He sighed and his shoulders slumped, "Oh, fine. I'll come ... but I'm not going to like it."

Castor gently patted Sekani's shoulder, "Don't take it so hard, buddy. This will be fun, I'm sure." He turned to his other friends, "Okay, let's get some supplies together. Cora, remember how you mentioned once that you'd found Akos weed in the stream? I want you to grab as much as you think we'll need. Sekani? I need you to go to Healer Miltank's den and grab some of those woven bags she gives out to those on their Discovering."

He turned to Dale, "You're with me, when Sekani gets back with those bags, we need to have a pile of berries waiting for them."

Dale nodded, "Understood, what kind of berries are we looking for?"

Castor took off for the fields surrounding Nagai Kusa Village with Dale on his heels, ignoring the odd looks and whispers he was getting from the hard working residents who wanted to know why their native Charmander would suddenly slack off and leave. As they went, Castor answered Dale's question, "Any kind really, there are lots of different ones growing around here and all of them are useful one way or another."

The two Pokemon spent the next hour gathering as many berries as they thought they would need from the now fallen trees scattered here and there across the open grasslands. Cora and Sekani soon joined them, having acquired what Castor had asked for. Working together, the four friends soon had a healthy but modest pile of Cheri, Pecha, Rawst, Persim and Sitrus berries at their feet.

Sekani began to carefully divide the pile into four equal piles and place those inside the four woven grass satchels. He looked nervously at the satchels, "Are you sure that's enough berries, Castor? The Kasai Caves aren't exactly next door. Maybe we should pick some more..."

Castor shook his head firmly and gently slung his bag crossways on his shoulders, "No, those are just to ensure we make it till we find another berry patch. If we pick enough berries to last the whole trip then there will be none left for the families that live here."

Cora mimicked him with her bag and looked over in the direction of her life-long home, "I find it really hard to believe that we're just going to up and leave ... I feel like there should be more steps and complications to leaving the only place one's ever known..."

Dale stood still as Sekani cleverly fastened the long strap of the satchel in a way that kept the bag firmly on the Eevee's back so it wouldn't hinder his movements. Dale hesitantly nuzzled his new Squirtle friend, "It's okay, you aren't leaving forever. You'll be back in a few weeks with enough Diglett to rebuild your home a dozen times over."

Cora smiled gratefully at Dale, causing a weird twitch to form in Castor's chest, Cora usually doesn't let anyone but me or Sekani nuzzle her and then under protest. She always wants to be the one to initiate a nuzzle or hug. But Dale just did it and she didn't seem to mind in the least. We haven't even spent a full day with him and already it seems like we've known him all of our lives.

Castor mentally shook away the twitch, it was nothing, Cora was simply glad to get advice from someone who had already started his Discovering. He raised his right paw into the air and waved his tail like a flag, "Let's get started guys. The sooner we get going the sooner we will be back." The others all lifted a paw, or tail in Dale's case, in agreement and without saying goodbye or looking back, set off to find clan Dugtrio.