Chapter 21
Sunlight
Heavy footsteps and labored breaths echoed down the underground corridor.
Patrick's muscles ached and joints groaned as he stumbled forward, his eyes felt heavy, and he was barely able to see the uneven stone floor. The two trainers and their Pokémon fled down the subterranean tunnel, a jagged natural cavern that zig-zagged east. They were guided only by the pale blue aura from Hypno's psychic that held Miguel in the air ahead of them.
Minutes earlier they had nearly been knocked off their feet as an earthquake shook the ground underneath them while dust and pebbles fell from the ceiling, threatening to collapse. However, the tremors had died out and the roof of their narrow tunnel held for now. Unwilling to tempt fate they pushed on, despite the fatigue clawing at their eyelids, desperate to finally reach sunlight and the end of this subterranean adventure.
Peering ahead of them, Patrick squinted into the darkness of the tunnel. Trying to pick out any uneven footing, twists, or turns ahead of them. It was only due to his careful inspection he noticed a shadow on a nearby wall start to swirl and darken.
"Wait!" Patrick hissed, arm reaching out and grabbing the back of Tasha's leather jacket, pulling her to a stop.
Immediately everyone tensed. Tasha dropped low into a boxing stance, Meowth's fur stood on end, doubling the cat's size, and psychic fires burst to life in Hypno's eyes.
Trainers and Pokémon held their breath, waiting to see what the patch of darkness would do. It was nearly the size of a man now. Manifesting on the wall ahead of them, its positioning prevented them from going any further. Behind them, they had left a titanic battle between Aggron and Tyranitar. With no clear paths, they waited.
As they watched, the shadow bulged outwards. Grasping fingers formed at the end of a dark hand, reaching into the tunnel.
Everyone took a step back in shock as a second, a third and a fourth arm followed the first, pushing into the tunnel. Humanoid torsos formed from the abyss; faceless horrors summoned from darkness… Finally, the darkness broke, revealing a middle-aged man in a dark blue cloak and a blonde woman in black leather.
"If my map is correct, this should be the correct… Oh, hey gang!" Joven said cheerfully looking up from his Pokédex, waving at the stunned trainers.
"Kecleon's aim is better than I expected," Jane conceded, giving an appreciative nod at Joven's shoulder.
"Where did you two come from? What happened back in the cavern?" Tasha all but yelled.
"Tactical retreat, I'm sorry to say," Joven said grimly, "The cavern was structurally compromised after an earthquake attack and was beginning to cave in. We had to use Kecleon's shadow sneak as a makeshift teleport to get out of there before the ceiling collapsed."
"You can teleport people through a shadow sneak?" Patrick asked, in amazement.
"What kind of idiot uses earthquake underground?" Tasha muttered.
"Short distances, and with a lot of training. Yes." Joven nodded, answering Patrick's question while ignoring Tasha's. "The more shadows there are around you, the easier the teleport. Being underground is ideal."
"We need to get going," Jane said curtly, already turning to continue down the tunnel. "We left two extremely dangerous trainers at the mushroom grove and most of our Pokémon aren't battle-ready. There's no telling if they have a Pokémon that can track us. We need to put distance between us and get reinforcements before going back."
"Going back?" Patrick asked incredulously, matching Jane's jog despite his aching legs. "Why? You just said the ceiling was going to collapse."
"The Paras and Parasect still need medical attention," Jane said darkly, "and we need to gather as much information about their operation as we can before they destroy evidence. If they haven't already.
"Oh… Right." Patrick said, sobered by the thought of the trapped mushroom Pokémon.
"Swellow should be near the exit by the time we get out. She'll take Jane or me to the Cerulean Gym to rally a strike team and we'll be back as soon as possible. Your job is to get the suit to the authorities. He's now our only link to this drug-op." Joven piped up from behind them, where he and Tasha ran, taking up the rear. With the danger behind them, Hypno and Kecleon were on guard for any pursuers.
"Those two trainers knew you." Jane suddenly said, turning to Patrick and raising an eyebrow. "And you knew what Pokémon that thing was. How?"
"I've met them once. In Viridian city." Patrick admitted. "But only for a moment. They tried to sell me black market Pokémon, but I declined. I said I work for Professor Oak, and I think that made them suspicious of me. I'm a researcher looking for new Pokémon evolutions, I was hoping to study them, but they thought I was looking to buy."
"You likely spooked them by name-dropping Oak… And is that when you saw their Weavile?" Jane pressed.
Patrick quickly described the video Professor Oak had shown him months ago when he had first arrived in Pallet. He gave a summary of how Weavile had fought, their theory on it being an evolved Sneasel and anything else he thought might be useful for the ranger to hear.
As he spoke, the tunnel around them slowly began to light, more details stuck out from the wall and soon they didn't need their flashlights at all. As Patrick finished his story, the four trainers rounded a sharp corner and the exit of the tunnel came into view, a portal of bright light ahead of them marked the end of their underground nightmare.
Squinting, they exited the subterranean world and stepped into the sunlight. Patrick's eyes burned as they slowly adjusted to the brightness, and he gasped at the sight before him.
"Whoa…" Patrick whispered.
"Yeah…" Tasha agreed.
The tunnel had exited them nearly at the top of a sheer cliff, onto a narrow grassy plateau. The jagged peaks of the Moon Mountains soared above them. Cautiously Patrick peered over the edge, the wind blew in great gusts that threatened to off-balance him. He hastily backed away from the ledge.
The sun was steadily rising from the east indicating it was about mid-morning, a full 24 hours since the Charizard had chased them into a tunnel and forced them underground. With the loss of their packs and Pokédex, Patrick and Tasha had no way of telling time while in the mushroom grove.
As it had been on the other side of the mountain, a dense carpet of dark green trees and shrubs covered the base of the mountains, fed by the near-constant drizzle that the region was known for. The lush forest spread outward, stopping abruptly at the shores of a massive lake.
Cerulean Lake dominated the land before them. The lake was a deep blue and from this height looked perfectly calm, distance flattening out any waves and ripples on its surface into a perfectly smooth navy. Along its edges, the deep blue brightened to a teal, as the stony bottom shone through. The lake spread out for miles before them and as far as they could see to their left, winding north up between two mountain peaks and disappearing. The lake was fed by dozens of tributaries that wound through the mountains, collecting rainwater and glacier melt and depositing it into the lake's basin.
In the distance, the city of Cerulean sat on the lake's southern shore. Rows of wooden houses clung to the river's edge. Narrow, winding streets split the buildings into uneven, misshapen blocks. A thick perimeter wall wrapped around the edges of the city to the south, starting on the lake shore on one side before winding around and ending on the lake shore on the other side of the city.
Effectively blocked from expanding more inland by their defenses, the city had instead expanded into the lake and the majority of the city consisted of houses and buildings on raised platforms, jutting out of the water, or nestled on the scores of the small island that dotted the coast. A web of wooden walkways and bridges connected them all.
"I knew Cerulean was on the lake, I didn't realize it was on the lake," Patrick muttered.
"First time to Cerulean? You'll love it! Just bring an umbrella." Joven said, before bringing his fingers to his lips and letting out a sharp whistle. "Now, where did Swellow go off to…"
Seconds later a piercing cry sounded from below them, and the four trainers cautiously peaked over the cliff ledge. A huge navy-blue bird with red-and-white markings on her breast and head was flying up towards them. Below her, on a faint dirt path that switchbacked up the side of the mountain, a small group of men and women in dark blue uniforms were slowly making their way up the mountain.
"Police are already on their way," Jane remarked, watching their slow progress. "They'll be useless against a Tyranitar. Joven, you stay here with Kecleon, I'll go with Swellow to the Gym and bring back as many high-level trainers as I can."
"You're the boss!" Joven said with a small smile, clearly unbothered by his partner's commanding personality. "I'll update the fuzz while you are gone and get this guy properly arrested." Resting his foot on Miguel, who was lying on the grass beside them.
As they spoke, Swellow rose over the lip of the ledge they were standing on. Beating her great wings slowly to stay aloft, she boasted an impressive 15-foot wingspan, and from beak to tail she was nearly as long as Joven was tall. With one final downbeat that buffeted the trainers, causing Jane and Tasha's hair to whip around wildly, she cleared the ledge and landed lightly next to them.
"Hey, Beautiful," Joven said, stepping forward and scratching Swellow's thick neck. "Thanks for leading the police to us."
Swellow cooed happily, leaning into the scratching.
"Swellow, we need you to take me to the Cerulean Gym as quickly as possible and then fly back here. Understood?" Jane said stepping forward and interrupting the moment. Swellow cocked her head at Jane before turning back to Joven, who nodded confirmation. The proud bird wouldn't take commands from just anyone, even her trainer's partner.
With her trainer's consent, Swellow ruffled her feathers, turned to face the ledge and lowered herself down for Jane to lightly hop on.
As soon as Jane was carefully perched on top of the swallow Pokémon, Swellow unfurled her wings and with a single flap shot off the cliff and immediately dove, angling towards Cerulean city far below.
"I know Jane left a little abruptly, but from both of us, I'd like to say thank you for all your help on this job," Joven said, turning to the younger trainers. "You both performed your duties flawlessly and without you, we never would have been able to capture their leader. You both have what it takes to go far as trainers, and I hope to work with you again in the future."
"Thank you," Patrick said beaming, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten about. Beside him, Tasha was speechless, opening and closing her mouth like a Magikarp.
"Ranger Joven! We came as quickly as we could. What's the situation?" A breathless voice called from far to the side, interrupting them.
"Hello, Captain! Good to see you!" Joven said cheerfully, waving at the men and women who were climbing the last switchback up to their plateau. "It's a bit of a mess, I'm afraid."
The group was led by a portly man with a bushy, brown mustache breathing heavily from his long run up the mountain. His age and belly better suited for paperwork, rather than fieldwork. Behind him, the five younger cadets jogged up the hill behind him, not nearly as out of breath.
"Your note indicated there was a mass arrest in progress?" The captain pressed, looking around the plateau, eyes briefly lingering on Miguel lying on the grass.
"Yeah… Sorry, but… they all got away." Joven said with a sheepish shrug. "Everyone but the leader, that my friends here secured for us." Gesturing to Tasha and Patrick, who shuffled uncomfortably under the police captain's gaze.
"They… all got away? How did common criminals escape two rangers?" the captain asked incredulously, crossing his arms. Making eye contact with one of the cadets behind him, he gestured his head to Miguel, and the cadet quickly broke away, whipping out a pair of handcuffs and clamping them around the unconscious man's wrists. "And where is Ranger Jane?"
"Ahh, she's gone to get back up at the gym." Joven explained, "We, unfortunately, had to retreat due to a cave-in while we were battling."
"Who's the tough bastard who drove off you two?" the captain asked, gruffly.
"I believe their names were Ted and Bundy…" Joven said pausing, but when the captain showed no recognition, he moved on. "They were quite powerful, way more skilled than I would have thought for just a random drug op. They also had a Tyranitar which is what caused the cave-in."
"A Tyranitar!" The captain roared, "There is a Tyranitar this close to the city and you're just now telling me? Mickelson, Radio HQ! We need the city on lockdown, rally the trainers!"
"Easy, Captain! Easy!" Joven said putting his arms up, attempting to calm the policeman. "There is a mile of stone between us and the Tyranitar and Jane is likely speaking with Misty right now. The Cerulean Gym and Triton are more than enough to drive off a Tyranitar. Aggron and I already fought it to a draw, it's nowhere near full health."
"Radio in anyways, Mickelson. The more people that know the better." The captain said, and one of the cadets took a few steps further away onto the grassy ledge and grabbed a radio from his belt.
"Now… Tell me everything that happened." The captain said sternly.
And Joven launched into his story. Starting with Jane and him searching cave and tunnels until they had heard the echoes of Pokémon battling. Discovering the drug lab in the mushroom grove, sending a note with Swellow to the police station before investigating. Finding Tasha and Patrick as they were breaking out. The Paras. And the epic, final battle.
Throughout the story, the captain said nothing, his mustache twitched slightly at the mention of the captive Paras, but that was all.
"They called their trainers 'Shadows'?" the captain asked, after a moment of thought.
"Just the two we fought were Shadows, I think the others were just grunts and lab techs." Joven clarified.
"I don't know of any gangs that use that moniker, but I'll look into it… You lot!" The captain said, turning to the cadets and making them jump. "Take their leader to HQ, I'm going to wait with Joven here until the gym trainers come to secure the area.
"You two. Your Pokémon are injured?" The captain said in a quieter voice, turning to Patrick and Tasha, who both nodded. The captain turned back to the cadets, "And escort these two trainers to the Pokémon center!"
"Yes, Sir!" The cadets said in unison before breaking into groups. Two of them ran over to Miguel and unfurled what turned out to be a collapsible stretcher and rolled the drug boss onto it. A third ushered Tasha and Patrick down the path toward Cerulean. Hypno and Meowth obediently followed.
"See you at the debrief!" Joven said cheerfully, waving as the younger trainers were herded away.
0000
The trek to Cerulean passed uneventfully and Patrick spent the trip enjoying the feeling of sunlight and wind against his skin. Cerulean was enjoying a rare sunny day, although Patrick would have been happy to feel the rain as well. Anything besides the still air and darkness of the caves. Although they'd only been unground for a short time, he vowed never to take natural light for granted. The lack of Zubat's dropping from the ceiling to attack was also a bonus.
Tasha and Patrick walked behind a pair of cadets who each had a hand on Miguel's shoulder as they marched him to the city. He had woken up shortly after their descent and had raged against them for several minutes before giving up and going quiet. Now he sulked and alternated glaring at both Tasha and Patrick.
A third cadet, 'Mickelson' the captain had called him, led the way back. Accompanied by a Growlithe panting happily at his heels. Above their heads, a Hoothoot and Pidgey circled, courtesy of the other two cadets. Feeling relatively safe in such a large group, Patrick relaxed and admired the scenery.
The trees they walked through were the same species as the other side of the mountains, conical pine trees with thick trunks and wide branches lined the path. Once they had gotten to the base of the cliff, via dozens of switchbacks, it took only a few minutes of pushing through dense foliage to emerge onto the main road that cut through the mountains from Pewter to Cerulean.
If they hadn't been driven underground, Tasha and Patrick would have passed along this road already.
As they neared the city, the trees thinned and patches of blue sky peaked between the branches. Low tree stumps dotted the land around them with growing frequency as they walked until there were no trees left and all that stood before them was the thick wooden perimeter wall of Cerulean several hundred meters away. The forest here had been cleared to give those on the walls a better view of anyone approaching, and the lumbar had been used to construct homes and buildings of the city within.
Patrick gazed out over the wooden fortifications and spied half a dozen flying-types rise into the air, quickly gained altitude, and raced overhead back toward the mountains. Although they were little more than specs in the sky, Patrick was reasonably certain a blonde woman on a Swellow led the way.
Approaching the city, the party was waved through without a word from the gate guards.
As Patrick passed under the gate's portcullis, he felt the tension in his shoulders bleed away and a deep exhaustion settled in. For the first time since he'd left Pewter, he felt truly safe.
0000
"Report."
Far away, beneath miles of earth and stone, two figures knelt in a small cavern. One huge, the other petite, both had their heads bowed and their fists resting on the stone. Before them, a black brazier stood. A dark fire burned within and illuminated the cavern in a flickering purple glow.
"Spore Lab 3 has fallen," Bundy said darkly, glaring at the stone. She didn't dare raise her eyes.
"How." The single word reverberated in the air and sent a shiver down Bundy's spine.
"Bad luck all around." Ted rumbled from where he knelt, before giving a brief overview of the past day's events. From imprisoning two trainers and their subsequent breakout, followed by the attack by the rangers and the final battle against them.
"All equipment and anything that could implicate us has already been cleared from the mushroom grove," Bundy added, after her partner's gruff summary.
"And the rangers?" The flames pressed.
"They… escaped. They stepped through a shadow and disappeared." Bundy admitted.
The fire was silent for several seconds. The ethereal flames required no fuel to burn and didn't produce the pops or crackles that natural fire did. Bundy couldn't feel any heat coming from the flames, either.
"No matter. The lab was nearing the end of its usefulness. The Paras wouldn't have survived more than a few more harvests." The fire said, "Send the workers to the remaining two labs and begin preparations to shut them down. The underground will be crawling with gym trainers within the week. We will move our focus to the Paras colonies in Viridian Forest. With the Pinsir hive finally driven out, we'll be able to bring in non-combatants to begin refining spore there."
"Understood." Bundy and Ted said in unison.
"Additionally…" Bundy said, uncharacteristically hesitant. "Miguel has been captured."
The ethereal flames were deathly silent, and the two trainers held their breath. Minutes stretched on and Bundy began to doubt if the flames had heard her. She didn't dare repeat herself however and instead waited in silence.
"You have your orders, complete them." The fire hissed. "Dimitri will deal with Miguel."
"Please allow us to atone for our mistakes! Dimitri doesn't need to be involved." Bundy said desperately, head snapping up and eyes pleading to the dark flames. "We won't fail you again!"
"YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS!" The fire roared, flames erupting from the brazier and scorching the ceiling black. "Dimitri will clean up your mess. Ensure that the forest labs are established. Do not contact me until after your first harvest."
"Yes, Monarch," Bundy said quietly with her head down, tears of anger welling in her eyes and fists trembling.
The fire burned itself out and the brazier was lifeless.
"That pompous ass is never going to let us hear the end of this," Ted growled, his eyes furious. Dimitri, their rival Shadow, would use their failure to strengthen his position with Monarch while chipping away at Ted and Bundy's.
"We know their names. We know what they look like. Next time we cross paths with those trainers, they're dead." Bundy said darkly, pushing herself to her feet. Opening her fist, four lines of blood dripped from her palm.