Part LVIII: Riddles and Rewards
"Well this place is packed." Misty said her eyes slightly wider than normal when they reached the Cinnabar Island Pokémon Center to find it bursting and a rather harassed looking Nurse Joy trying to deal with it, her Chansey doing her best to help out. "I guess this place is still a tourist hub."
Ash and Misty had arrived at Cinnabar Island the day before but had decided to stay on the ship for the night. After Gloom evolved they needed to sort that out and Ash had a feeling that they would need the whole day to deal with the island, especially with challenge that was apparently going on. It turned out that it had been a good idea seeing as the island was as packed as Ash remembered it being.
"Alas it's been like this for years young ones." A man said from behind them causing the couple to leap up in surprise, and Piplup to squawk before falling off Misty's head and onto the ground as the man chuckled at them. "Sorry I couldn't resist startling you. So what brings two young trainers to Cinnabar Island? It's certainly not the tourist sights, I can tell from your Pokémon."
Ash and Misty, who was picking up a grumbling Piplup, looked at the odd man who had seemed to appear out of thin air. He was smiling at them as he slightly leaned on a wooden cane with a large hook on the end. He wore a simple pair of khaki pants, a red button-down shirt and a white waistcoat.
Ash couldn't see the man's hair color as he wort a simple white hat with a small brim and a red band on his head that hid any hair there. However, the man had a thick, impressive white moustache that flared out and up at the end giving some indication to his hair color. He also wore a pair of black circular sunglasses that were perched on his nose with no apparent connection to his ears.
"No, we're here to see Blaine." Ash said to the man. "I have a scheduled full battle with him in a few days and we were hoping to stay at the Pokémon Center until then but alas it appears to be packed."
"Well that and the challenge thing I heard a rumor about." Misty said with a smile. "I'm a coordinator and seeing as there isn't a Contest here I'm just with Ash to support him but I heard of a challenge going on so wanted to give it a go."
"Ah yes that." The man said with a nod as if he completely understood what Misty was saying. "I happen to have the first clue to that challenge on me for it is my challenge. Alas no one has solved it yet it seems but perhaps you will be the first young lady. As for Blaine, I heard that he's unavailable young man but if he accepted your challenge he must already deem worthy. I would relax and get ready for when he returns, he only sees serious challengers these days."
"I know, I've beaten him before so he knows I'm here only to face him, not for this tourist stuff." Ash said seriously. "Though it appears to be just like the last time I was here so I am going to presume that the hotels will be full as well."
"Oh they are but there is one place that has vacancies right now as it is too far from the tourist areas to attract them, thankfully." The man said as he pulled a card out of his waistcoat and handed it to Misty. "It's actually part of the challenge. Find it and present this and the second card to the manager there and you will get free lodgings and meals there but only if you show the cards."
"Huh?" Misty asked as she turned over the card to read what was written on it, Ash, Pikachu and Piplup all looking at it as well. "What's the…"
Misty had looked up to ask a question only to see that the odd man had vanished. She blinked in confusion before looking down at the card again. It had an odd symbol on it that looked like a red three tower castle with an orange drop thing in the center.
"That looks familiar." Ash said knowing he'd seen that symbol before. "I know I've seen something like that in the past but I can't recall where."
"Many things are familiar to you babe." Misty pointed out before turning over the card again and reading it. "Let's see what this says."
Riddle Challenge
I was once strong and sturdy, sought by all around for a good work out. I'm still here, in front of you if you know where to look, but no longer seen as I atrophy with no more exercise. Find me for the next clue.
"Looks like the challenge is some sort of riddle-based scavenger hunt." Misty mused as she reread the card. "So what does this mean?"
"I have no idea what that could be." Ash admitted helpfully, looking blankly at the card. "But then again I never got the riddles last time. I guess it's something the locals like here seeing as Blaine also loves his riddles."
"I wouldn't know, never met him or been here before, remember." Misty said as she thought of the riddle and knew that she almost had it as it was at the tip of her mind but she couldn't quite figure it out but she had a feeling Ash knew it even if he didn't realize. "Ash, when you were here last time, what exactly did you do?"
"Well Gary was here and this was at the peak of our old rivalry." Ash said thinking. "He was a real dick back then but he's a lot better now."
"The poetry man's grandson?" Misty asked confused. "He was here as well?"
"Yup him." Ash said with a nod. "He was here at the same time and this was when we were bitter rivals in everything. He told me that the old gym hadn't been used since Professor Oak's day because of the tourists. I didn't believe him until Blaine, in disguise, gave us a riddle that Dawn solved and I saw the abandoned gym for myself."
"Abandoned gym?" Misty asked confused. "Blaine had a building on the island that was his gym before he built that secret one?"
"Yup it was just over there." Ash said pointing down a nearby street to a really run-down building behind a broken-down wooden fence at the very end that looked like it would fall over from a stiff breeze. "Wow it looks even worse than before but I haven't seen it in over half a decade so I'm not surprised."
"Just in front of you." Misty muttered as she thought on the riddle in her hand. "A place to work out that has atrophied from lack of exercise and that is sought by all. That's it!"
"What's it?" Ash asked confused.
"The answer to the riddle." Misty said with a grin as she put the card away, grabbed Ash's hand and dragged him to the gym. "I solved it, It's the old gym."
"How'd you get that?" Ash asked amazed as they walked, the tourists seeming to disappear as they did given how dilapidated the gym was. "I don't see how it's the answer at all."
"It was simple once you told me there'd been an actual Pokémon Gym here before." Misty said happily as they walked. "A gym is where you work out and if you don't exercise your muscles atrophy so both parts indicate that the answer is a gym of some sort. Then there was the right in front of you but unseen part which is obvious as that gym is right in front of us but because of its condition you would overlook it. The last thing that points to the gym was the sought by all part. A Pokémon Gym is sought by all trainers who wish to earn a badge regardless so it has to be the abandoned Pokémon Gym."
"Oh I get it now." Ash said as they reached the now abandoned building and began to look at it. "So now what?"
"Now, I don't know." Misty admitted as she peered into the gym area. "I was so happy at figuring it out that I wasn't sure what to do when we got here."
It was deserted and looked dangerous to be near just in case it fell over. She was positive that it was the correct location but for the life of her she didn't know what to look for or even where to start. There were no signs, cards, or clues of any kind near it.
"Can I offer a pair of groovy teens like yourselves some of my homemade wares? Or maybe you're looking for something more intangible?" A slightly odd, male voice said from off to the side of them causing the pair to jump for the second time in a matter of minutes, as well as sending Piplup to the ground again. "You two look like your searching for something. Perhaps I may have the enlightenment you are seeking."
Misty and Ash turned to see a man they hadn't noticed before sitting on a worn, dirty, red rug with his back to the broken fence as if it was not a danger to lean on. He looked up at them as they approached and smiled at them not getting up as he watched them from behind large, spherical, mirrored shades. At least Misty thought he was smiling; it was hard to tell with all the hair.
The man had long, lank, greasy, dirty, brown hair that fell down to his waist and pooled around him as he sat cross legged on the ground in front of them. He had an equally long, dirty, brown beard fell all the way to his lap as if he'd never cut, and barely washed, either in his life. His clothes were just as unkept and poorly maintained as his hair.
He seemed to be wearing a smock-like thing that was probably once red atop and blue around the waist. It was so ripped and filthy that Misty couldn't tell. Similarly his pants were so dirty and torn that she couldn't tell what color they were supposed to be. Around his neck hung a green, beaded neckless that had chips in the beads and almost fully hidden by his beard. He also wasn't wearing shoes so his feet were blackened and a little gnarled looking. Yet despite all this, he didn't smell which surprised Misty.
In front of him, on the rug, were a series of odd, what looked like a mix handmade, things that had no rhyme or reason to them and stones of different colors that were clearly just picked off the ground. In his lap was a recorder like instrument with a Poke Ball design at the end of it that lay between his dirty hands as he interlocked his fingers and looked at them.
"We're sorry, we're not looking for wares." Misty said politely as she pulled out the card the old man gave her and showed the man who Misty figured was a hippie of some sort. "Rather we were wondering if there was something like this was around here. You wouldn't happen to be able to help?"
"Possibly." The man said with a nod. "But first, do you know the history of the building behind me lass?"
"I know what my boyfriend has told me as I'm not from Kanto so this is my first time here." Misty admitted pointing to Piplup who waved from her head where she had put him back after another fall to emphasis her point. "But I know that it was once the Cinnabar Gym but the leader here closed it down due to not liking having to battle tourists and not trainers who actually cared about the badge he awarded. This was many years, decades even, ago though."
"That is correct, you know the negative flow of this island well for a first timer." The hippie said to Misty before looking to Ash. "So you have been here before then? I can feel it in your chi, you've experienced the soothing waters of a hot spring and not one of the tourist ones, one of the few pure ones remaining."
"I, er, have, yes." Ash said a little surprised by the hippie's accurate observations. "I even faced Blaine in battle and earned a Volcano Badge while I was here. I'm back for a full battle with him as training for the Indigo Conference, a battle he has already agree too.."
"Yes I feel in your energy that you are one of the few who are worthy of Blaine's attention." The man said with approval in his tone. "He will only face those who are worthy of his time. You aren't here for the packed hot springs like most, that was why the gym closed in the first place. Too many tourists and that bad juju polluting the island. That is why Blaine found a purer place only for the good of heart."
"The springs, the true ones that is, are nice but only after I've faced Blaine." Ash said not understanding half of what the hippie was saying. "As you noted I've been in them before and will be again but only after my business with Blaine is concluded."
"A young man with his priorities in order." The odd hippie said. "I like that, so rare to find these days."
"So can you help us?" Misty asked trying to avoid sounding impatient but the word games with the strange man were getting a bit much for her. "I'm on some sort of riddle challenge. We have to wait for Blaine to be ready to face Ash so this seemed like something fun to do in the meantime. I'm sure that this is the location but I can't find the next clue."
"Oh this is the right place; you are the first to find it." The man said before he lifted up his recorder from his lap. "But before I help you, you must answer one more question. Do you know what this is?"
"A Poke Flute." Ash said surprising Misty as she had no idea what the instrument thing was. "It can be used to wake, and even control, a sleeping Pokémon as well as to play a musical number if the owner has to skills to do so."
"And how do you know this?" Misty asked curiously. "I know I shouldn't be surprised but this is another story I haven't heard."
"I met a different hippie once many years ago who used one for his Snorlax and to get food." Ash said with a shrug. "Back on my first or second journey I think. That's why I remember it."
"Of course you have." Misty said with a chuckle and slight shake of her head. "So what about it?"
"This is not a Poke Flute, well not exactly." The man said as he opened the ball at the end to reveal another card in that part of the instrument. "It is all part of the test. The man who set up this hunt is an old friend of mine and asked me to hold onto some of these cards for him to give to those who found the abandoned gym, knew what it was and could identify my Poke Flute. You have done all that so here is the next clue, may the nature spirits guide you on your quest little ones."
"Thank you." Misty said with a smile as she took the card from the man.
"I hope that you finish the hunt and earn the reward that is at the end, it's a groovy thing I promise you that." The man said before he reattached the flute and blew into it causing orange smoke to come out of it and obscure him though he kept talking. "You have come farther than any before you so you deserve it, if you can keep up the good work that is."
Misty and Ash coughed and closed their eyes as they inhaled the cinnamon flavored smoke, something that again made no sense but Misty was already feeling like it would be just one of those days. When the smoke disappeared and they'd stopped coughing the hippie was no longer there with no trace that he had been there other than the card in Misty's hand and an odd yellow stone with a dark center that he must have failed to take with him.
"Did that happen last time?" Misty coughed as she looked at the card, it was the same as the one she'd gotten at the Pokémon Center only likely containing a different riddle on it. "Cos that could get annoying."
"No that is new." Ash admitted picking up the stone on instinct and putting it in his pocket for latter inspection. "Though the outfit looked similar but it was too ripped up for me to truly identify it."
"Well let's see what the next riddle is." Misty said flipping over the card.
Riddle Challenge II
Congratulations on figuring out the first riddle, here is the second. Figure it out for a small reward that is free of tourists:
If you look near the swing, You'll see my hands, or at least your face.
"Now that riddle does look familiar." Ash said as something nagged him in the back of his brain at it. "I think that was one of the riddles that we were asked last time but I was stumped by it. Dawn was the one who solved all of them, she really gets them."
"Well that doesn't surprise me, riddles take a subtle touch that you, no offense, lack." Misty pointed out.
"What?" Ash asked confused. "I'm just not good at reading into them."
"I know." Misty said with a sigh at Ash not getting it so she just looked around and thought on the riddle. "What does this mean?"
Misty looked back at the riddle and thought. It was staring her in the face and she knew it. She was certain that there was something more to it and that it lay in the hands and face though the swing part made no sense to her. It wasn't about human hands or face, she knew that, but Misty wasn't sure what they were. What else would have hands and a face.
As if on cue there was a loud gong from somewhere outside of town. It sounded a further 11 more times that began to annoy Misty. She'd heard something like that before but wasn't sure what it was.
"I guess its noon." Ash said idly from next to her as his stomach growled in confirmation of the time. "I'm going to need lunch soon."
"It's noon?" Misty asked looking at her poketch to see that it was 12:01. "So it is, how'd you know?"
"Well there's a clock just outside the city." Ash said as if it was obvious. "I guess it now rings as I don't know if it did last time. I do know that it's where the Big Riddle Inn is located up in the hills outside of town as the clock is atop the in. I remember seeing it at night, there was a swing set as well but can't remember where that was. That may actually be a good place to stay. Blaine runs it and it's out of town so no tourists. It's where I stayed last time."
"A clocktower that you saw in relation to a swing set." Misty said thinking, clocks had hands and a face and if she was to look at one she'd easily see its face but probably not its hands, add in the swing set fact and Misty smiled. "That's, that's it!"
"What's it?" Ash asked confused.
"The answer to the second riddle." Misty said with a grin. "Do you remember where the Big Riddle Inn is? That's where we need to go."
"Yeah I think I do." Ash said as he recalled where the Big Riddle Inn was. "It's near the volcano in the center of the island. If we see a swing set, look up and behind it and we should see the clock atop the inn."
"Then lead the way." Misty said taking Ash's hand deciding not to point out that he'd just solved the riddle for her with his description of where it was. "We have a challenge to win."
Ash just nodded and they set off trying to find the Big Riddle Inn. It took an hour, at least 2 wrong turns and finally Misty letting Shuppet out and having it fly up and scout for them before they saw the swing set. It was the Puppet Pokémon saw it and from there they saw the clock further up the hill.
After that, they made their way out of town and to the quiet inn that was not busy unlike the other hotels on the island. It was just what they needed. Even if it wasn't the answer, they could stay here and wait for Ash's battle with Blaine but Misty knew that this was the right place.
Ash and Misty entered the lobby of the Inn and looked around. It hadn't changed much since Ash was last here so he confirmed that they were in the right place. Standing behind the front desk was a tall man with shoulder length light brown hair and a short, slightly scruffy beard wearing a long-sleeved red shirt and blue pants. The only odd thing was the pair of circular black shades he wore that hid his eyes.
"Can I help you kids." The man, likely the Inn's manager, said in deep voice that seemed out of place for his relaxed demeanor. "We don't get many customers this far out so unlike the rest of the rest of the island that is overrun with annoying tourists we mercifully don't have any here. However, I get the feeling that you two aren't tourists."
"You can tell?" Misty asked surprised.
"It's pretty easy when you've been in the business as long as I have." The manager said. "You both are only carrying a simple bag that likely has your bare essentials and not something large that the tourists carry. Plus you have your Pokémon out showing you are at least knowledgeable about them. At a glance I can tell that the young gentleman is a standard trainer from his Pikachu, that's a Pokémon that has the look of years of battle experience."
"Pikachu." Pikachu said with a nod from Ash shoulder, the man, who smelt familiar for some reason, knew his pedigree well. "Pika, Pikachu."
"And the young lady is a coordinator who is likely from the Sinnoh region." The manager continued surprising Misty before he pointed out the obvious. "That Piplup on her head shows both. I've met enough travelers from Sinnoh to know that it's the water type starter out there and the closeness is has with you ma'am indicates that it is indeed your starter. As for being a coordinator, well Piplup's gleaming coat making it look attractive indicates it's used to showing off so either a coordinator or a performer. You aren't from Kalos I'm guessing so coordinator."
"Piplup." Piplup said with a happy nod, this human knew he was special so he liked him.
"Um correct." Ash said surprised at the man's observational skills but chalking it up to managing a hotel. "We're here so I can face Blaine in a full battle."
"Ah and I take it you know about his, er, policy regarding challenges." The manager said. "It's been in place for years but I can remind you if necessary."
"I do know his policy." Ash said with a nod. "I actually stayed here many years ago and found his secret gym back then. I remember where it is and how to access it so staying here is for the best but that's not the only reason why we're here."
"It's not?" The manager asked with a curious tone to his voice, his eyebrow raising as he spoke. "Then why else are you here?"
"Because solving these led us here." Misty said laying down the two cards she had on the desk. "And I believe we get free lodging and meals with these, that's what the first man said anyway."
As if on cue Ash's stomach roared to remind them that he was very hungry. The manager laughed at that.
"I take it you will be wanting food soon." He said to Ash.
"Um, yes." Ash said a little sheepishly.
"Well why don't you go and settle in your room and I'll make your lunch, both the room and the food is on the house." The manager said as he reached under the desk for a key and put it down on the counter. "Does a double bed work for you?"
"That would be ideal yes." Misty said with a smile glad that the manager realized that they were a couple. "Thank you."
"Of course the rooms are through there." The manager said pointing to a corridor before pointing to another. "And the dining room over there."
"Thank you, we'll be down shortly." Misty said as she took the key and her two riddle cards before her and Ash left.
It didn't take them long to reach the nice cozy room that they would be staying in while on the island. it was a simple room with a comfortable looking double bed, a few chairs for Pikachu and Piplup to sleep on, a table and an en suite bathroom complete with shower. They quickly dropped off their bags, making sure that they had everything important on them and headed back downstairs for lunch.
The dining room was equally quaint with sturdy wooden furniture and pictures of the island from years ago on the walls. Ash wasn't focused on any of this he was looking around for the manager who came out a moment after they had sat down at one of the tables by the window with tray containing two bowls of local noodles, a carton of milk, and some bread in a basket for them as well as bowls of Pokémon for Pikachu and Piplup. He quickly set it down and left as they thanked him telling them to put the plates in a special area for him to collect later.
Instantly Ash dove into the food and began eating and gulping the milk when he realized how hot the noodles were as apparently local meant rich in spices with a hint of cinnamon for some reason. Misty just rolled her eyes and went easy with the meal, savoring the delicious, if slightly too spicy, noodles.
It was a good meal that seemed normal until they reached the bottom of the break basked. Under the bread was a third card with the same symbol on it as the other two. It looked like the manager had slipped it there for them to find during lunch.
Curious, knowing that it was another riddle in the hunt, Misty picked up the card to read the riddle. Oddly, it felt heavier than the others, thicker and made of tough plastic rather than the thin plastic the other two cards had been made of. It was strange but Misty felt that there had to be a reason for it. Flipping it over as Ash continued to eat, Misty read the card aloud so that Ash could hear it.
Riddle Challenge III
Well done! If you are reading this then you are one riddle away from your reward. Keep this card, you will need it when you figure out the following riddle:
I used to restore life to long lost Pokémon. Then I went the way of the rest of the Island. Now I have be reborn and like what I restore, I lay beneath the earth below where my façade is.
"What does that mean." Ash said through a mouthful of noodles that got him a glare from Misty for his poor table manners so he swallowed. "Sorry."
"I have no idea." Misty admitted with a sigh, this one really made no sense to her. "It has to do with something on Cinnabar Island but I don't know this island at all. Do you have an idea what if could be? It has to be something that is known to be here."
"I mean there's not much here other than tourist locations and hot springs." Ash said with a shrug as he finished his food and belched in satisfaction at the meal. "There's Blaine's secret gym but that is it and I doubt that's what the riddle means as there's no reference to fire or lava in it."
"I see." Misty said thinking as Ash pulled out an odd yellow stone with a dark center from his pocket and began looking at it intently. "Um, Ash, what is that?"
"I don't know." Ash said helpfully. "I picked it up from where we met that hippie dude, it was where he was sitting so I figured he left it for some reason. I was going to examine it when we have time so I'm doing that now while you work on the riddle."
"Is it an Evolutionary Stone?" Misty asked. "It kinda looks like one but I haven't seen many so I don't actually know."
"It's not one that I've seen and it's not rock." Ash said passing it over to Misty to feel it. "See for yourself."
Misty felt the stone and looked at it. It was hard, harder than it looked, but at the same time it didn't feel like any rock she had held, it was too smooth and cool to be a rock. Add in the color and it was probably not a rock but she couldn't fathom what it was. After a moment she handed it back to Ash as he had found it so it was his.
"It's got to be old." Misty concluded. "If it has that texture."
"Old, yes that could be it." Ash said with a furrow of his brow. "Perhaps it's a fossil, the island is known to have some history with fossils so it makes sense for there to be some here."
"A fossil?" Misty asked confused at everything Ash had said, why would the island have a history with fossils. "It doesn't look like one."
"No it doesn't but we could go to the lab on the island after you solve that riddle and see if the person running the gift store there know what it is." Ash said and instantly Misty's attention was brought to what Ash had said. "Or at least has a book that could identify it."
"Lab?" Misty said recalling that Ash had mentioned something about a lab on the island but he hadn't elaborated on it. "What lab?"
"The Cinnabar Lab of course." Ash said as if it was nothing. "Back in the day it was apparently a top tier lab that dealt with research on prehistoric Pokémon. From what Gary once told me, it was the first place that developed technology to recreate an extinct Pokémon from a fossil. However when we were here last it was nothing more than a tourist destination with a gift store and some workout facility on the second level that Team Rocket attacked. It's not great but on short notice it will help and if it turns out they don't know I can always ask Professor Oak."
"If it is a fossil, will you get it restored?" Misty asked and then looked at the card as she spoke, her brain in overdrive now as she began to put together the pieces of the riddle.
"Probably just to see what it is." Ash said not realizing that Misty wasn't listening as she figured out the riddle. "There's not many it could be. It's likely it's one of the 5 Kanto extinct Pokémon but it could be from another region. There are 4 extinct Pokémon native to Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova each and at least one we know of from Kalos thanks to May so it could theoretically be any of them or even one we've never seen before."
"Restore long lost Pokémon." Misty muttered to herself as Ash was talking. "And gone the way of the rest of the island which is something that tourists go to."
"Misty, are you ok?" Ash asked a little worried for his girlfriend.
"What?" Misty asked confused looking up at Ash. "Yes I'm good. Just out of curiosity, for the most part, fossils are found underground, right?"
"Yeah they are." Ash answered with a confused look on his face. "I went on a dig once back before I visited Cinnabar the first time. Didn't find anything but an egg that ended up being Togepi though we did have a run in with all the extinct Pokémon in Kanto that weren't quite extinct and very much alive. Ended up with an Aerodactyl terrorizing the dig site. I tried to use Charmeleon but he wouldn't obey me, then he evolved into Charizard to fight the Aerodactyl and won mainly because that accursed Jigglypuff showed up and began singing again."
"Alright, ignoring your irrational fear of a Jigglypuff." Misty began.
"It's not irrational you've never met it." Ash said his eyes wide with fear at the memory of Jigglypuff. "Brock, Dawn and Pikachu can attest, that Jigglypuff is a nightmare."
"Pika, pi." Pikachu said looking up and agreeing whole heartedly with Ash about that Jigglypuff.
"Alright ignoring that." Misty said still unsure why Ash and apparently Pikachu were scared of a cute little Jigglypuff but deciding to leave it for now. "Why am I not surprised at any of this story."
"Because it's me." Ash said simply. "And this was an average week for me during my first year as a trainer."
"True." Misty said. "Though I think it's still an average week for you."
"Besides, remember how both Roark and his father loved to dig up fossils." Ash said agreeing that his average week had at least one unusual event in it. "That was Byron took the gym leader position in Canalave City, so he could use the mines on the Iron Islands to hunt for fossils."
"Yeah I remember that." Misty said recalling the interesting adventures they'd had out on the Sinnoh islands as the last piece of the riddle fell into place. "Ok that helps. I know where the final location is."
"You do?" Ash asked confused. "Where?"
"Well as soon as you mentioned that the lab was used to restore extinct Pokémon to life it all began to hit me." Misty explained. "That's what the first line was referring. Then you mentioned that it was now a tourist destination, which is the way the rest of the island has gone so that was the second line. Lastly fossils, which is what the lab restores, are found underground which is the last part of the riddle. That means that the lab is below what is now a tourist location. So we can go to the lab now and finish this and find out if that is a fossil at the same time."
"Then what are we waiting for." Ash said getting up. "Let's get going."
"We need to clear the plates." Misty reminded Ash as she picked up her bowl, Piplup's dish, and the bread basket while putting the third card away in her pocket. "Then we can go."
"Oh right yeah we do need to do that." Ash said embarrassed as he did the same with his and Pikachu's lunch.
They quickly bussed their plates to the small area in one corner of the room labeled for them. Once that was done they picked up their Pokémon and made their way out of the inn. The manager was nowhere to be seen but that wasn't a big surprise, he was the only staff they had seen so he was likely busy sorting something out in the inn. Ash and Misty just left hand in hand and began walking back into town.
As expected, it got a lot busier as they got nearer the lab. It didn't take long to find it, they just had to follow the people and signs until they found a large two-story white and glass building with a giant Poke Ball design on the face of it and many souvenir and tourist stalls hawking their merchandise outside it.
Ash and Misty ignored the stalls selling a variety of things that would appeal to tourists to the island which included everything from books on the island, to replicas of fossils, to 'genuine' hot spring water. It wasn't what they were looking for so they ignored it and entered the lab to find more of the same.
The lower floor was just a massive tourist mall dedicated to the history of the island and the old research of the lab while the signs to the second floor indicated that it was a training center of some sort. Again Ash and Misty ignored it and walked around until they found an elevator in a corner that looked forgotten and overlooked by the crowd while being near a display about the old lab. This had to be it.
Looking over the card once more, Misty pressed the down button on the elevator and the doors chimed open at once. They walked in and the doors closed behind them. However, when they looked at the buttons inside there weren't any that indicated a lower level.
"What now?" Ash asked but Misty just hushed him as she noticed something interesting at the bottom of the button panel.
Underneath the button for the first floor was a rectangular card slot. It was one of those card key activation systems, the ones that used a toughened plastic key card, the same material that the third riddle card was made of. The very card that was still in Misty's hand.
Slowly, Misty inserted the card with the emblem on it facing up and then removed it. Instantly there was a chime and the elevator began to descend into the earth.
"Well that was useful." Ash said as they went down. "How'd you know that would work?"
"The card." Misty said handing it to Ash to look over and note how it felt. "It's not the same material as the other cards and once I saw the slot I knew that it was a key card as well so I figured it would work."
"Clever, I wouldn't have thought of that." Ash admitted as he handed it back to Misty who blushed slightly at the complement. "Well done, let's get your reward and find out what this stone thing is."
They rode the rest of the way in silence as the elevator went deeper underground. Finally, after what felt like an age, though was only a few seconds, it dinged and the doors opened to reveal a long, white, sterile looking corridor with thick glass windows on either side.
"Congratulations!" A man said happily as Ash and Misty walked out and were startled to find a welcome party though this time Piplup managed to stay on Misty's head when she jumped.
Standing in front of them was a man who was clearly the head scientist down here. He was an older man, likely in his 60s, who was completely bald but he had a light gray moustache that sagged slightly at the ends. He wore the standard white lab coat over a black button-down shirt and khaki pants. He wore a red tie around his neck but it was loose, the top button undone, and the bottom of it seemed to be charred off somehow and a pair of circular shades for some reason despite being underground. On either side of him were two younger scientists, one man and one woman, who were clearly his assistants.
"I'm sorry." Ash said as they stepped out of the elevator. "Congratulations?"
"Yes on solving the riddles and finding the true Cinnabar Lab." The scientist said happily. "You are the first to succeed in finding this place. We, er don't get out much."
"Well it was all Misty." Ash said and Misty smiled at the scientist and his assistants. "I'm just here because she's my girlfriend and I have this fossil to check out. I was hoping that you can help me with it."
As Ash was speaking he removed the stone thing from his pocket. Instantly the assistants muttered at the sight of it while the main scientist seemed to look intently at it, it was hard to tell with his shades. All this confirmed to Ash that it was a fossil of some sort.
"Ah I see you found a piece of Old Amber." The scientist finally said coming up to them. "We can address that in a moment but first the young lady here must receiver her reward for solving the riddles that led you two here."
"Thank you but can I ask a question first?" Misty asked as Ash listened to what was going on, he had no idea what an Old Amber was so he would deal with that when they addressed it. "Before we get to any rewards that is."
"Certainly, you just did." The scientist said with a laugh at his own joke. "But yes of course you may as a question for what is science but for questions."
"Why all the riddles?" Misty asked, it was something she'd wanted know all day. "And why have them lead here?"
"That's two questions but I will still answer both for they are basically the same answer." The scientist said. "The riddles because our benefactor, the man who helped restore this lab to its former glory before those damned tourists came along, and who owns that inn you are staying at for solving the first two riddles, loves them. As for why here, well this is where he keeps the reward because he trusts us and we have the technology to monitor it. The Pokémon Center has that as well but it is lousy with tourists so he prefers to leave it here."
"I see, that makes sense I guess." Misty said deciding to just go with it, this was an adventure with Ash so the odder it became, the more normal it was. "Well I had a lot of fun on the riddles and it got me to see a good bit of the island, though part of that was getting lost trying to find the Big Riddle Inn. I wasn't doing it for the reward, that's just a bonus."
"Ah and that makes you the perfect recipient of it." The scientist said nodding his head vigorously before addressing his assistants. "Bring it out and give it to our lucky winner will you."
Ash and Misty watched as the male assistant went into one of the side rooms. A moment later he came out with a large contraption in his arms. That was when Misty gasped at what it was, it was an egg incubator with a Pokémon egg in it. The egg itself was a burnt orange in color with jagged brown markings encircling it in places so Misty had no idea what it contained, not that she ever did when it came to Pokémon eggs.
"Th, thank you." Misty said gratefully as the assistant gave her the egg, letting go of Ash's hand to hold it as carefully as possible. "How did this become the reward?"
"Our benefactor found it a few weeks back up in the woods and couldn't find its mother." The scientist said. "Spent a few days out there looking while leaving the egg where it was but couldn't find it and there were a few predatory Pokémon looking at it hungrily so he rescued it and brought it here. He then devised the riddle challenge and got the word out to find a worthy trainer for it. Most tourists don't care and the few trainers here would rather take the riddle to find Blaine's true gym than a longer challenge. You are the first to solve all 3 so the egg is yours. Please take good care of it."
"I will." Misty promised with a nod marveling at the egg in her arms. "I've raised a Pokémon from an egg before, a Cyndaquil that is now a Typhlosion, so I know how to do it."
"Excellent." The scientist said clapping his hands and turning to Ash. "Now young man, shall we address that Old Amber you found. What do you want to do with it?"
"Um yes please." Ash said a little shell shocked at what had just happened but deciding to go with it. "I was wondering what it would be and if you could restore it to what it once was. After that I don't know what to do with it, likely let the Pokémon go free."
"That wouldn't do, not with an Old Amber." The scientist said shaking his head. "If you want to restore it we can do it but you will have to catch and raise the Pokémon that it is. It's a little too unpredictable to let into the wild and as an extinct Pokémon we rarely let them out once restored. We have a facility for the smaller ones here but not the Pokémon that can be restored from an Old Amber."
"That works for me." Ash said surprised but not questioning it, he'd never caught an extinct Pokémon so this was a great opportunity that he couldn't pass up. "Where will it be done?"
"Follow me." The scientist said and turned to walk down the corridor, as and Misty following him.
"If you give me the Old Amber I will set it up in the restoration machine." The female assistant said kindly and Ash did just that before they continued on to the door at the end of the long corridor.
Ash looked through the glass plain to see a large, bare concrete, room inside. The only thing in it was a large, tubular machine in one corner that the female assistant entered the room and went to. She pressed a few buttons on the side and a tray popped out of the side. She then put the Old Amber on it and then closed it and the machine came to life and she hurried out.
"Go in and the machine will open in a few minutes with the restored Pokémon in it." The scientist said to Ash. "You have empty Poke Balls right?"
"Always." Ash said with a nod.
"Good and that Pikachu will do nicely as well, he will be super effective against it." The scientist said. "Catch it any way you like but catch it, nonetheless. You will see why in a moment."
"Ok." Ash said nervously. "I'll do that."
With that, Ash walked into the room with a few nerves as to what he would be facing but smiling. He had already opened his heart to the Pokémon telling it that he wanted to be its friend. He didn't usually catch a Pokémon by battling it, he always preferred the bonding first, but he'd still do it and the scientist was pretty insistent so it might be something good. He wasn't wrong.
There was a loud cry from the machine and it opened along a seem that ran vertically up the tube. A cloud of white smoke billowed out and out of the smoke shot a large, winged, gray, Pokémon that Ash had seen a few times before shot out of the smoke. The Old Amber was apparently the fossil for an Aerodactyl.
"Alright Pikachu, be ready for…" Ash began as the Aerodactyl saw him and made a beeline for him, slamming into Ash knocking him to the floor before he could finish his sentence.
Misty gasped at the sight but her fears were allied a second later when Ash started to laugh. The Aerodactyl, a Pokémon she'd seen once before out by Oreburg City when Team Rocket restored one and Misty had to knock it out so the scientist could catch it to stop its rampage, was licking Ash happily, it's tail wagging while Pikachu gapped at it.
"Ah it is a juvenile and one with a friendly disposition." The scientist said with a nod as if that explained everything. "Not common for sure and most of them go berserk when restored due to the surprise but I guess this one was calm when it was fossilized and something about your boyfriend makes it happy."
"Ash does have a special way with Pokémon." Misty said with a smile at the sight, it looked like they'd get another overly affectionate Pokémon to the team. "He always gets along with them or tries to at least."
"Woah there." Ash said patting the Aerodactyl's neck before scratching it behind its ear which it seemed to love as it closed its eyes in pleasure. "You're an affectionate one."
Aerodactyl nodded and cawed again. Ash laughed and continued to pet it to keep it calm. This was somehow going to be easier than he had expected.
"So will join me and my if I asked you to?" Ash asked and Aerodactyl gave him a quizzical look, it didn't know what the nice Pokémon that had given him life again was talking about in its funny but understandable language. "Er, Pikachu, a little help here bud."
"Pika pi, Pikachu." Pikachu said to the Aerodactyl before launching into a diatribe to it that was a condensed version of what had happened to Aerodactyl, its restoration, the modern world, humans, human Pokémon relations, trainers, battles, and all that. "Pika, Pikachu, pika, pi, Pikachu."
Aerodactyl looked at Pikachu confused for a moment as he listened to the Pikachu, a Pokémon he didn't know as he'd never seen one before, tell him what was going on. It was hard to believe but at the same time, he had been dead, he remembered dying, and was now alive again so he guessed that things had changed since his day. Plus this Pikachu was saying that there was no better trainer than Ash and if he liked Ash he should join him and learn about the world again.
Aerodactyl would first be sent to a place that would help him adjust to the new world under another man that understood Pokémon. While there he meet many of Ash's other Pokémon who would help but in a few days he'd be back with Ash for some more bonding with their trainer.
It was an interesting offer, one that Aerodactyl had nothing to lose by accepting it and learning about the new world. He had seen his parents and other Pokémon battle in the past but this sounded more straightforward and with more opponents. Plus this human cared for Pokémon, Aerodactyl could tell that without being told by Pikachu. He cawed an agreement to Pikachu.
"Pi Pikachu." Pikachu said with a sigh of relief as he walked over to Ash, who was still underneath the excited Aerodactyl, and pulled an empty Poke Ball from Ash's waistband and gave it to his trainer with a nod. "Pikachu, pi, Pikachu."
"Thanks buddy." Ash said as he expanded the ball and held it up to a still slightly confused but happy Aerodactyl. "Can you explain what it has to do so that I can catch it?"
"Pikachu." Pikachu confirmed before explaining what Aerodactyl had to do. "Pi Pikachu."
Aerodactyl cawed before he headbutted the ball in Ash's hand a little harder than necessary but it still worked. Instantly it opened and he was sucked into it in a red light. It shook in Ash's hand a few times, the center button flashing red as it did, before it dinged to signal a successful capture. Then the ball shrunk and vanished, returning to Professor Oak's lab with its contents. Ash would have to call Professor Oak as soon as he could to explain what had just happened.
With a sigh, Ash got up and rubbed his face on his sleeve to try and get rid of the Aerodactyl saliva there. Then, with Pikachu hopping up onto his shoulder, Ash left the room to see two stunned assistants, an amused scientist and Misty just looking like this was an average weekday for them which in a sense it was, though a little more crazy than they'd dealt with recently.
"No kiss for that capture." Ash teased his girlfriend not doing his usual pose as the ball wasn't with him anymore.
"You're covered in Aerodactyl spit." Misty said back with a laugh. "So you are getting nothing until we get back and you thoroughly wash your face with soap and water. Also I am holding an egg so I need to focus on that right now."
"Yes and it should hatch within a week." The scientist said helpfully. "So keep an eye on it. The incubator will help and it won't need a Nurse Joy when the time comes, I think, but be careful with it regardless."
"Of course and thank you, for everything." Misty said with a bow of her head.
"Yes thank you." Ash agreed with a more formal bow. "This was certainly not what we expected when we set foot on the island this morning."
"We I am glad that worthy trainers solved the riddles." The scientist said with a smile. "But we do have work to get to work so please take your leave, you won't need the card to exit as it is only to get down here. Have a good time on Cinnabar Island, just avoid the tourists."
"Will do." Ash said as he and Misty bowed again before they left.
It had been an interesting and busy day for sure, more than they had expected, but it had been a lot of fun. They'd seen the island, found a place to stay, partook in a challenge and acquired two new Pokémon in the process. Ash couldn't wait to start working with Aerodactyl after he faced Blaine and Misty was excited to see what was in the egg.
However, right now they just needed to get back to the Inn and rest for a bit. They had a few days before Ash's battle with Blaine which would be devoted to training but after today's excitement they needed to rest, after sorting a few things out first that was. One thing was certain, their stay on Cinnabar Island had really started with a bang. They couldn't wait for the rest of the stay.
As the elevator doors closed and the assistants went back to their work, Blaine grinned at the leaving couple. When he had found that egg he'd set up an elaborate riddle challenge to find the right trainer or coordinator to take care of it but in all his time handing out cards no one ever got the first clue until today, not that many had tried to begin with. What luck it was that it had been Ash's girlfriend who was worthy of it.
Naturally he'd been watching them the entire time, he was the one who had given them all their cards so he knew that the egg was in good hands. In addition Ash was clearly still worthy, his capture of the Aerodactyl that Blaine had deliberately left for him in that piece of Old Amber proved that, not that Blaine doubted Ash wouldn't be after what he had seen the last time he'd met the young man.
In fact, Blaine had a feeling that Ash was even more worthy than before. That meant that their upcoming battle was going to be fun. He couldn't wait to see how much Ash had grown when they dueled in the volcano in 4 days' time.
First though, he had to get back to work, whatever that was at the moment. With a smile, Blaine walked to the locker room in the lab to change outfits once more, he had some promising looking trainers to give riddles to and see if they could find the Big Riddle Inn so that they could face him for their Volcano Badges. It was time to have some more fun.
