Chapter 10:

The Cry of Union Cave

Phillip dashed off towards the cry. He went deeper into the darkness of the cave until he approached the ladder. In a quick move he was sliding down the ladder. The research team, Kathy and Nathan all looked at each other.

"What should we do the blonde girl said?"

Another moment of silence passed. Kathy summoned up her courage and finally spoke up.

"Phillip is our friend. I'm going after him."

She took off. Nathan bounced his eyes between Kathy running towards the ladder and the research team. Nathan closed his eyes, clenched his fists and tightened every muscle in his body.

"Agh! Wait for me Kathy!"

Nathan took off. In seconds the research team looked around at each other and followed after them.

"This is crazy! A blue haired boy with glasses shouted. We weren't recruited for chasing ghosts."

Once they all descended down the ladder the cave grew colder. Visibility was lower on this level, but they could still see a few feet in front of them thanks to Mareep's flash. Kathy and Phillip were a few steps ahead of the rest of the group as they slowly made their way through the cave.

Phillip ran into a dead end. The rest of the group caught up to him. Kathy punched him in the arm.

"You can't just go running off into some dark cave alone towards some creepy cry!"

Phillip put his finger over his lip signaling to Kathy to talk softer. Kathy looked at him.

"Why did you do that?"

"There's something about this cry. It's familiar to me. It's drawing me in."

"A terrifying cry echoes through a dark cave after we hear rumors of a haunting and you feel drawn in?" Nathan asked. "It's a ghost! It's drawing us in so it can eat the flesh off our bones Phillip!"

"Now your just being dumb. Even if it was a ghost it couldn't bite us."

"So you're saying it's a ghost huh Phillip?"

"That's not what I-"

Another cry echoed through the cave. Phillip waved the rest of the group in the direction. There were a few huffs and sighs, but they all followed hesitantly. After a few more turns the group was met with the smell of salt water. Phillip stopped them from walking as he listened in more closely. The sound of flowing water could be heard in the distance. Phillip's pace quickened as another cry bounced off the walls, this time very close.

The group ran into the edge of a lake that flowed from the nearby bay into the cave. A red-haired researcher shouted out.

"I didn't even know there was water in this cave!"

Phillip looked around as the blonde researcher, clearly the lead researcher said what he was thinking.

"It's flowing in and out from the Azalea bay."

In the corner of the lake Phillip identified a Pokemon with a blue hide and darker blue spots and a cream-colored underside. It had large brown eyes, a short horn on its forehead, and tightly curled ears, with a long neck and four flippers. Its foremost flippers were larger than the hind. On its back was a heavy, gray shell covered in blunt knobs.

"A Lapras?" Phillip was thinking out loud.

Nathan pulled out his Pokedex.

LAPRAS, A WATER AND ICE POKEMON, A GENTLE SOUL THAT CAN UNDERSTAND HUMAN SPPECH. IT CAN FERRY PEOPLE ACROSS THE SEA ON ITS BACK.

"But how did it get here?" Phillip continued thinking out loud.

He looked around and saw several rock walls that could have easily been passed over during the high tide. The blonde researcher noticed the same set of rocks.

"It probably got separated from its family when the tide changed."

Kathy put her hand on her mouth in awe.

"It's beautiful."

The entire group took in the sight. Nathan tensed up and got excited. He began to move closer to challenge it to a battle.

"I'm gonna catch it!"

Phillip shoulder charged Nathan to knock him down to the ground.

"Oh no you don't!"

Nathan bounced up and got in Phillip's face glaring at him with his left hand out and clenched into a fist.

"Hey! What's the big idea!"

"Nathan you can't catch this Pokemon. Lapras are extremely rare in Johto. They've been hunted almost to extinction. It would be wrong to keep it from its family. We have to help it get out of here so we can return it to the wild where it belongs."

Nathan gritted his teeth together. Everyone around him agreed.

"Fine. Let's help it get out of here."

"Thanks Nathan."

Phillip took a deep breath. He began to inch towards Lapras. Lapras moved back and shouted. Every time Phillip tried to get closer the Lapras would let out a scream and move away. This continued for several minutes. When no progress was made Phillip began to back up. His heart was sad. He wanted to help the Lapras, but he couldn't help it if it didn't want to be helped.

Phillip turned back towards his companions.

"I don't know what to do…"

Suddenly a soft gentle voice entered Phillip's mind.

"Stop. You may come."

Phillip turned back in surprise. He made eye contact with Lapras and nodded. He began to swim out to the Lapras. The tide was too strong. No matter how hard he tried he could not break through the tide. The blonde researcher spoke.

"Perhaps… maybe… you could catch it and release it into the Azalea Town bay south of the city. It's only a few hours hike from the town border."

Phillip looked at her with great hesitation.

"But then I would have to catch it…"

Phillip turned back to Lapras. He was looking all around for another way. He began to get frustrated. Lapras looked into Phillip's eyes, Phillip stared back. Both of their eyes began to well up.

"I sense the battle within you. I will go with you, but you must promise to protect me."

"I promise! I will protect you and I will not make you battle Lapras!" Phillip shouted out.

Both Lapras and Phillip nodded at each other. Lapras began to swim towards Phillip. Phillip looked at the Pokeball in his hand. He looked back up to Lapras. He threw the Pokeball and Lapras jumped into it. After bouncing around a few times, the Lapras stayed in the Pokeball. The ball disappeared in his hand.

"What happened?" Nathan asked.

Phillip looked up.

"It went to Professor Elm. A trainer is only allowed to carry six Pokemon at a time. Once you exceed that the Pokemon return to the home base where we got our first Pokemon. For us. When we catch seven or more Pokemon they will return to Professor Elm."

"So its gone forever?"

"No Nathan. We can trade for it once we get to a Pokemon Center. I'll send Horsea to Professor Elm. Once I've released Lapras I'll get Horsea again."

A few minutes later the team began to go back towards the exit of Union Cave. The blonde researcher told the team about their team leader as they made their way to the exit. As they left Union Cave night had fallen, and a boy with purple hair and eyes, carrying a net was waiting for them. He wore green shorts, suspended by a belt and brown shoes and a neckerchief, and yellow-striped knee socks.

"Took you guys long enough. What was the hold up?"

The blonde researcher stepped forward.

"There were… unforeseen circumstances waiting for us."

"And who are these kids with you?"

"This is Nathan, Kathy and Phillip. We were ambushed by Team Rocket, and if not for Nathan and his Cyndaquil we may never have gotten out of there."

The boy stepped forward.

"Well Nathan, I am eternally grateful for your help. We will talk about a reward later. For now, let us be off to my gym. The name's Bugsy."

Bugsy shook everyone's hands before they embarked for Azalea Town. Phillip stopped at the Pokemon center along the way to trade his Horsea for Lapras. Nathan approached Phillip.

"So you're really going to release Lapras?"

"Of course. I made a promise."

"But it's such a rare Pokemon."

"A promise is a promise."

They arrived at the gym to stay for the night. Bugsy approached the two trainers.

"I hear you guys are going to be competing in the Johto tournament. Well Nathan, as a thank you for saving my people I bestow upon you the Hive badge."

Nathan jumped back.

"For real!?"

"Absolutely Nathan. You overcame insurmountable odds to save my team. And if their story is correct, you defeated a Spinarak to do so."

Bugsy turned to Phillip. His eyes narrowed.

"As for you Phillip. I will escort you to the bay first thing in the morning to make sure you release that Lapras."

"Make sure I release the Lapras? I don't need you babysitting me. I got this."

Bugsy crossed his arms.

"I'm sure you do. I am just making sure you do."

Phillip glared at him.

"Fine. Do what you want. First thing in the morning, we head to the Azalea Bay."

To be continued…