It was early morning as the warriors ran through the woods as Jeremie was timing them.
'Come on! Move it! Pick up the pace!" Jeremie said.
Soon enough, they all collapsed in front of him as Espio, Chopper and Charmy watched.
"Something tells me Jeremie isnt the best physical trainer." Espio said.
"You think? Hes always focused on getting them better in shape for XANA." Charmy said.
"If he keeps pushing them like this, they'll collapse of exhaustion before even reaching the scanners." Chopper said.
"So all they need is a new trainer." Espio said.
"Jim said he used to be in Special Forces, but Military Style isnt what they need. They could try, but someone else has to be there. Who do we know on the teams thats a good trainer?" Chopper asked.
Charmy got a light bulb. "I got it! He's gonna love this idea." Charmy said.
Later…
Jim grasped hands with Nekomaru as they looked at the warriors.
"So you said someone recommended you to help? I didnt actually think training Belpois and the others would be worth the Ultimate Team Manager's time." Jim said.
"Hahahaha! When I heard I had the chance to whip these wimps into shape, I jumped at the chance!" Nekomaru said.
"Nekomaru? Really?" Chopper asked.
"Dont worry, i told him about the situation. He said he's used to training underdogs, though I dont know how he does it…" Charmy said.
"So you asked Nekomaru to help… without actually asking how he works in the field?" Espio asked.
"Please, if he could coach a baseball team to nationals, he can coach those five." Charmy said.
"I hope no one finds out this was your idea…" Chopper said.
"Don't worry. I was super anonymous." Charmy said.
As Jim was grilling them about being late, Nekomaru was thinking.
"I know charmy said the heroes know them, and when I train with Akane, we destroy stuff. Hmm… I think I'll tone it down, just for these kids." Nekomaru thought.
"Okay Nekomaru, whaddya want to do first?"Jim said.
"Push ups. Give me 20. NOW!" Nekomaru said as hey got down on the ground.
It was a bit of a training trial, but they got through it, and rested after some other exercises.
"So you got into this Team Management thing when you were in the hospital?" Jim asked.
"Yeah. I shared a room with a manager. If it weren't for that guy, I probably wouldn't even be here training these guys." Nekomaru said.
"What about you, Jim? I know youre not really much for talking about your past life, but we are in a solo group…" Yumi said.
Jim was hesitant.
"Ah, let em hear that stuff. We are alone." Nekomaru said.
"Well alright. Especially for you, I'll give you a quick rundown. It all began after I finished my training to become a physical education instructor, I was also a licensed scuba diver, which is why the Marines recruited me for their special forces. NASA had heard of me since I was now a special forces diver, they had me test out their space suits underwater. So after I had received a medal from the president, I was selected to join his secret service." Jim said.
"Huh." Chopper said before perking up. "Theyre not alone."
After running some more, Chopper was right as a boar was in the clearing.
"What is that?" Ulrich asked.
"A wild boar. But hold up, somethings not right…" Nekomaru said.
"Ah, dont be ridiculous, I handled much worse in Burma." Jim said attacking and dodging the Boar. As it got angry, it struggled until the mark of XANA showed in its eyes for a second.
"XANA." Jeremie said.
"You guys….get to safety now." Nekomaru said.
"What about you?" Odd asked.
"I'm about to beat on some pork for dinner." Nekomaru said.
Chopper then turned around.
"Keep watching them. I'm making a run for the factory!" Chopper said.
"By yourself?" Charmy asked.
"If Im lucky, Im not the only one hunting that boar." Chopper began before hearing some flapping. "What the?"
Chopper looked above to see a large prehistoric like pterodacyl like creature with a pointed tail over the trees as it roared.
"Hey, wait, youre supposed to be extinct!" Charmy said.
"I've seen those in old history books from other worlds. Thats...an Aerodactyl." Chopper said. "But you're right. They're suppose to be extinct."
It roared as it swooped down at the three.
"It sees us as a meal. Move!" Espio shouted.
They dodged as Aerodactyl came out of the clearing and crashed into Jim, Neko maru and the boar all at once, causing a huge pileup.
"Oh my gosh!" Jeremie said. "Jim, are you okay?"
Jim was a little dazed. "I'm fine. Did you get the number of that flying bird?" Jim said.
The Aerodactyl quickly regained its sense as it turned back to the three animals as it roared in anger.
"We've succeeded in making it angry." Espio said.
"I saw Aeilta, Odd and Yumi go for the factory. Ulrichs distracting the boar." Chopper said.
"Which leaves the rest of us with this thing!" Charmy said.
"We can't just let it do whatever it wants to our pals. We're making our stand here and fighting it." Chopper said.
Espio drew a kunai. "Indeed."
"Were with you, Nekomaru!" Charmy said as they saw Jerime taking a wounded Jim to hide and recover.
"This is a good training exercise. The objective: Beat that thing before it hurts anyone." Nekomaru said.
"Its not gonna hurt anyone." Chopper said as the four of them stood firm.
Meanwhile, Ulrich was running from the boar as he made his way back to the training course and started climbing the net. The boar charged at him as he was climbing, but then something came and tackled it to the ground.
"WHoa." Ulrich said. "OF course you would come running, given the chance to get some meat outta this boar."
"Huh?" said a voice as the figure was revealed to be Zexi. "You talking to me?"
"Oh. I uh.. Thought you were someone else." Ulrich said.
"You mean that gymnast? She's busy raiding a butcher shop across town. Besides, this is MY meal." Zexi smirked as the boar got up. It charged at him as Zexi lifted a hand in the air as it glowed with a rainbow aura. With a powerful chop, it took down the boar with one clean hit.
"Whoa." Ulrich said.
"Now, let's fix you up." Zexi said as his other hand glowed and jammed it into the boar's heart, making a dark substance leave its body as the boar looked around confused. "Go. You're free now." he said as the boar ran off.
"Thanks. You uh… dont wanna come with me to the factory and help more?" Ulrich asked.
"Think I'll pass. Besides, I gotta bring home dinner. Think I'll go fishing." Zexi said as he leapt off.
"What a strange guy…." Ulrich said.
Back in the forest, the three animal members continued to counter the Aerodactyl with ease as it continued to attack.
"This thing has no attack plan, no intellect. Its just going on instinct." Espio said.
"Show us something new, fossil!" Charmy said.
It roared as it showed a stone was in its talons.
"You should really stop talking." Chopper said as Aerodactyl entered a cocoon before emerging with spiky black rocks on its body as it roared in anger and went berserk all over the forest.
"If it cant control its Mega Stare, there wont be anything left of the forest!" Nekomaru said.
"Its afraid. Don't worry. I'll make sure to cure you!" Chopper said holding a rumble ball. "Rumble!" he said taking it as he grew into his large monstrous form. "Monster Point!"
"Now THAT…" Nekomaru said. "Is what i call a monster!"
"Clover Rose, Palm!" Chopper shouted hitting Aerodactyl head on with an open hand sending it and its stone flying clear out of this world.
"Yeah! Home run!" Charmy said.
"Yes. Our prehistoric attacker is gone. But something bothers me. Why was an Aerodactyl even here?" Espio wondered.
"Yeah." Chopper said reverting back to Brain Point. "I mean, Aerodactyl can only be revived from Old Amber and….oh...I think I might have an idea."
Further in the forest, they found a small container that seemed futuristic.
"I found this last time we were in the past. It was filled with fossils." Chopper said turning it over to show it empty with the timer flashing at 0.
"What the heck is with the timer?" Charmy asked. "What is this thing?"
"I've seen this in technological logs. Its a miniature restoration device. It was developed in order to revive extinct plants and animals using things such as hair or bones or blood. Even works on fossils." Espio said.
"So what youre saying is…" Nekomaru said.
"Every ancient pokemon...every region….here." Espio said. "Judging from the capsule, it was left dormant until you dug it up. That was when our prehistoric friends woke up. But what I cannot get is why this was even here."
"Uh, I might have an explanation." said a voice as they saw a small Darumaka behind the tree. "Hi. My name is Darumaka, a general from Cragspur."
"Cragspur? So what they did here, is this the reason they left without putting up a fight?" Chopper said.
'Uh, not exactly. You see, we were attacked by 8 strangers one day. They completely overtook us with sheer strategy alone. The fossils we had were rare so I was tasked with guarding them. But I was afraid the invaders would wreck them. So I loaded them all into that capsule along with the mega stone for Aerodactyl and sent it down here so I could retrieve it later." Darumaka said. "I did set the timer, but it was only suppose to activate after I dug it up."
"But I dug it up on that treasure hunt. I dropped it when the bear chased us off." Chopper said.
"Yeah. I know. The camera in the device showed the whole thing. It was pretty hilarious." Darumaka said.
"But who were these guys?" Nekomaru asked.
"The weird thing is we never got their names. But they conquered us either way. So we returned them to their world and I rushed here to the past as fast I could to retrieve the fossils before they awoke." Darumaka said. "Guess I was too late."
"So we're stuck with prehistoric pokemon roaming the forest?" Charmy said in shock.
"Yeah, so….okay good luck with that." Darumaka said turning to leave.
"We'd best tell the others." Chopper said.
"Indeed." Espio said.