Chapter 15 – Treasure Hoax
It has been a week since Lenora captured that Darmanitan. Only four more days to go until my gym battle with Burgh. My team and I have been spending most of our time practicing moves in the desert.
Victini took to the training really well. She is learning moves twice as fast as the rest of my team and even came up with one on her own. By cloaking herself with her own flames and smashing into her target dealing moderate damage. After using that move, Victini becomes even speedier than she already is. Recognizing the move for what it was I shared the details of flame charge with the rest of my team. Rena and Numsy’s feelings of competitiveness were stoked, and they are now trying to emulate Victini by trying to learn flame charge themselves. As her seniors in the team, they started working harder to try and keep up with her explosive growth rate.
The items Aurea promised in return for our corporation came back with the camp’s latest supply run. A bag of tamato berries for Numsy and a bag of Custap berries for Victini. In addition, Rena’s tiara was now sporting actual rubies. She now goes prancing around wearing her tiara trying to show off to other trainers’ Pokémon. Specifically, a liepard who she is in competition with for acting the most spoiled in camp. Their rivalry started when the Liepard’s trainer kept showering Rena with attention. Since then, the Liepard has been successfully trying to get attention from me in order to make her own trainer jealous which in turn miffed Rena continuing the cycle.
“Nyaaaar!”
“Yes, you are a very pretty cat. How’s about going back to your own trainer? She must be worried sick.”
That sentence did the trick the cat Pokémon giving me a small huff before returning from whence she came.
“Rena, can you come out now? The big bad Liepard is gone.”
Rena finally revealed herself she had been watching us two covertly from inside our tent. Liepard being the more experienced Pokémon wasn’t above using underhanded means to intimidate my little vulpix into submission. Liepards aren’t called the Cruel Pokémon for nothing.
Liepard, the Cruel Pokémon. The evolved form of Purrloin. Well-known for its beauty, Liepard uses the element of surprise when battling opponents, attacking before they can react. Don't be fooled by its gorgeous fur and elegant figure. This is a moody and vicious Pokémon.
“Vuuuul…”
“I know, but don’t you think it’s time to stop wearing that tiara everywhere? It is obviously starting to attract the wrong type of crowd. Thieving Pokémon would love stealing fancy accessories like that.”
“Pix Pix!”
That last argument seemed to convince her. She handed her tiara over to me before proceeding to sit on my lap. Obviously trying to mark her territory. Rena wasn’t the only one suffering for her poor choices. Both Numsy and Victini are now on a strict diet, as a responsible trainer I couldn’t have them turning chunky from the extra bags of feed. So, I only allowed them one additional berry a day. Victini unable to keep control of her sweet tooth dived in the bag of custap berries while I was going to bed. She kept me up all night zipping around in our tent obviously on a sugar rush. It seems even mythical Pokémon can experience hangovers because this morning she was completely out of it.
“Num num?”
“Yes, you are a good boy. The only one that didn’t walk the path of the asura.”
Waking up from sleeping in on account of the zippy rabbit Pokémon. I noticed my hand was stuck in a bowl of room temperature water. ‘This is odd…? I am sure Victini isn’t the type of Pokémon to play pranks like that.’ A mysterious feeling of dread started to fill my stomach. Obviously the one playing that prank on my estimated that I would be asleep for a little while longer. He or She would not have been able to go beneath Victini’s notice so the prankster must have come by early in the morning.
I zipped open my tent and was greeted by a scene of total anarchy. Scientists and trainers running around in panic obviously all suffering from successful or unsuccessful attempts at pranking. Two of them walking around with stained underclothes. Three had kick me signs taped to their back ends, and five of the expedition members had expletives written on their forehead with black marker.
“She is here!”
Numsy and Rena instinctually knew who I was talking about.
“Num num num!”
“Vuuuuuul!!”
I wasn’t the only one who suffered from these pranks. Numsy got his food stolen regularly and the ghosts liked frizzing Rena’s hair up every chance they got by way of water bucket pranks. I followed the trail of destruction until it finally led me to foreman Hawes’s tent. The heated conversation being held inside not being kept to minimum auditory levels.
“Can’t you do something about your Pokémon? They are causing mayhem everywhere!”
“We are sorry! It won’t happen again I promise.”
“Dusk Dusk!”
This was one of her classic plays. Let her Pokémon go all out at first and then scale the pranks down before moving to her next targets. Better to ask for forgiveness after the fact is one of her infamous lines. Resolving myself to face the brunt of her attentions I swept the tent flaps aside and walked in.
Predictably my childhood friend/menace was standing there fake acting her apologies to Mr. Hawes. It has been a year and some change since we last saw Phoebe. She’s been doing really well in the Hoenn ace circuit. People in the know predicted her career to go all the way to a vaunted elite four position. She was wearing her usual getup a blue dancer outfit with red mourning flowers in her hair. According to her the PR people working for Phoebe’s sponsor company expressed the importance of staying recognizable. The bag lying on the floor next to her probably holding multiples of the same outfit.
The people inside the tent turned around to face me Aurea Hawes and Lenora all recognizing me but having a bigger headache to concern themselves with keep their conversation going. Phoebe on the other hand immediately jumps me the moment she saw my weathered face.
“Egon!! Did ya miss me?”
“Like a growlithe missing his bone.”
“Aww you are so sweet!”
“Hello to you too dusclops.”
“Clops…”
That same duskull and her oldest Pokémon long since evolved. He was the de facto leader of Phoebe’s little group of misfits, and the most responsible one Phoebe included.”
Dusclops, the Beckon Pokémon. A Ghost type. No further information available.
‘Darn Unovan Pokédex.’
“Ahh You finally received your own Pokédex! You’ve always wanted one of your own. Are you feeling like a bigshot now little guy?”
“I am just ten years old! I’ll grow up to be bigger than you just wait a couple more years. And yes, we’ve gotten a lot stronger since then.
“Vuuuul!”
“Num num.”
“Heya Numsy, and Rena nice to see you too. Your mother and her newest kit are doing fine on Mt. Pyre you should visit more often!”
Rena looked up at me and asked me a silent question.
“Fine… I’ll put it on the list.”
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After Phoebe was done with her meeting, she decided to hang with us for a while. Being a trainer who specializes in ghost types didn’t leave her with a lot of friends. Not many people had skin thick enough to weather all the jump scares and practical jokes. The fact that I lasted this long is probably because of my more mature outlook.
“So, you took the job after all. How did you get here so quickly?”
“First class tickets to Mistralton city, and the expedition has a beheeyem on call for long distance teleportation.”
“First class… I had to spend three weeks on a cargo ship.”
“Don’t worry about it Egon your time will come. I am a big deal even back in Hoenn you know?”
“So, what are they getting you that you can’t acquire by yourself? A stash of dusk stones, A reaper cloth perfectly sized for Dusky?”
“Don’t mention the reaper cloth you are going to jinx my chances of finding one the right size!”
Over the years Phoebe has been trying to find a reaper cloth the correct size for her starter. A near impossible task given that her dusclops is almost two meters tall. Her family put in a lot of resources in finding out how to make one of their own. The artisan who originally made reaper cloths has sadly passed away. Death wasn’t an impossible barrier for her family to cross though. Something about fishing out the right soul from the spirit world before it gets sent into the reincarnation cycle. It apparently was this whole complicated process.
“They are letting me catch any ghost type Pokémon from the ruin since they can just classify that as me performing my duties. But see my awesome haggling skills got me a permit to capture one additional Pokémon from anywhere in Unova. After this is done, I am going to catch myself a litwick!”
“I see so you have finally succumbed to the allure of training fire type Pokémon. I knew you would be the one to give in first.”
“No way! Litwick is a ghost type first and foremost. The deceased spirit preferring to inhabit candles has no relevance to our wager! Besides litwick is going to be my secret weapon against glacia. That ice queen won’t know what hit her when I pull out a fire type.”
“What was that last word? A fire type you say. Well, if you want any tips on raising fire type Pokémon you can always call me for advice.”
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Her stricken expression tells me that I won this argument. Phoebe’s rivalry with Glacia finally culminating into catching a fire type for her team. ’Just as I predicted.’
Being on the defensive she tries changing the subject of our conversation.
“Egon how come you haven’t caught any new Pokémon yet? Numsy and Rena won’t be enough if you want to compete in the Ever Grande Conference.”
“I am working on it okay! My ship harbored in Nuvema there aren’t a lot of wild fire types running around in winter time.”
“No excuses! When I am done with this job, I am taking you with me to catch a new Pokémon.”
“I’ll be back in Castelia by then. Our appointment for a gym battle with their leader Burgh is in four days.”
Then I’ll just have to finish this job early! Let me borrow your tent I have to change into my work apparel.
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Phoebe finally came out wearing her ‘working clothes. Which have an awfully close resemblance to eastern shrine maiden outfits. Instead of her usual flashy ensemble she wore white robes with a red trouser skirt. Her hair flowers were replaced with fancy ornaments, and she was holding a wooden wand decorated with paper streamers. The only thing that seemed out of place to me is the trainer belt with her poké balls latched onto it.
“Are you really planning to exorcise these wandering spirits?”
By virtue of being family friends I learned a thing or two about the business her grandparents are running through my grandfather’s ramblings. The fancy ornaments and the Gohei weren’t just for show. Ghost Pokémon feel instinctually threatened just by coming near such items.
“Probably not, but it always pays to come prepared. Some ghosts are too dangerous to live and let live.”
“Can I come with you? I am curious about these ruins myself.”
“Hmm do you still have that cleanse tag? If so, wear it on your clothes and promise you won’t take it off until I say it’s safe. Then you can come with me.”
The two of us made our way towards the ruins’ entrance. There is a single trainer guarding the entrance to make sure no one went in without permission. Scientists are a curious lot and more often than not ignore their own well-being in an attempt to make new discoveries. I might have tried sneaking in myself if the entrance wasn’t guarded 24/7.
The guard in question is one of Lenora’s gym trainers. A trainer named Satomi a college aged girl who works part time at the museum. Nothing gets past her herdier’s sensitive nose.
“Trying to sneak in Egon?”
Phoebe cuts into the conversation before she can ask any more leading questions.
“No actually, he’s coming with me into the ruins. I need an experienced assistant and Egon meets all the criteria.”
“Whatever you say missy. Hawes told me to let you inside no questions asked. As long as you take responsibility for the kid, I can let him come in with you.”
‘Well, that was easy…’
“Wait for me!”
‘Tini you are still sick from your sugar crash. Are you sure that you are up for this?’
“Just let me rest inside my poké ball. I want to see what’s inside!”
I felt something brush up against my pants leg. Followed by the distinct sound of a poké ball’s return mechanics activating. Now that Victini was secure in her ball I felt a lot better about this. Victini is capable of sensing what’s happening outside her ball a lot better than the rest of my Pokémon. Obviously, the perks of being a psychic type. She also uses her mind’s eye to perceive her surroundings not just those in her eye sockets.
Me and Phoebe proceeded to enter the ruins. As expected of an underground ruin our surroundings are wreathed in darkness luckily Phoebe seemed to have come prepared.
“Go Sableye use flash!”
Her Sableye popped out of his ball and continued to emit light from its gemstone-like eyes. The effect was even better than a regular flashlight somehow phoebe’s Pokémon had the ability to light up our surroundings in a radius around itself. I resolved myself to teach one of my Pokémon flash it was a cheaper alternative to lighting a torch. The corridor we are currently residing in is so filled with sand you almost couldn’t see the floor beneath. The walls are decorated with depictions of the day to day life of people and Pokémon. This floor mostly contained farmers working together with grass type Pokémon in the fields.
“Okay now, Egon Sableye’s flash should start drawing attention of the ghost types Pokémon inhabiting this floor I want you to let me do all the talking.”
“No problems I’ll be quiet as a pichu.”
As soon as we finished our conversation a dark shadow fazed through the wall. It took a while for me to recognize this Pokémon until I spotted the distinct human masks their species are known to carry.
Yamask, the Spirit Pokémon. A Ghost-type Pokémon, Yamask wanders the ruins of ancient civilizations. Each of them carries a mask that used to be its face when it was human. Sometimes they look at it and cry.
‘Poor fellow. Judging by the size of the mask Yamask was still a child before he/she died.’
Phoebe must have noticed this as well. Since she started speaking in the most tender voice I have ever heard.
“Hello little one what are you doing out here all alone.”
“Ya Ya Maask”
“I see… none of the others want to play with you. So, you come out when there are visitors inside this place.”
‘She can talk to ghosts straight off the bat without having to familiarize herself with their body language or tone of voice. No wonder she became a specialist.’
There are rare cases like these where some humans of noted families become able to instinctively understand the ‘hearts’ of a specific type of Pokémon. Being able to communicate with perfect clarity based solely on a kind of shared feeling. I always suspected Phoebe to be one of these individuals, but to have it be confirmed was still a mild shock for me.
‘Her catching this Yamask is already a foregone conclusion. If the way she treats it is anything to go by.’
“So, then there was this news reporter who started writing all this mean stuff about me, and Sableye here pranked him good by rearranging all the furniture in his house while I distracted him.”
“Sable Sable eye!”
“Ya ya.”
‘Oh, Arceus she is creating another one. Well at least we know the ghosts in here aren’t all that dangerous.’
“What are you waiting for Egon? Yamask here is going to lead us all the way to his boss. I am pretty sure all this was some sort of misunderstanding from the part of the researchers.”
We proceeded to walk down this long corridor. A few yamask phased through the walls and observed us. More than a few of those obviously attempting to chase us away. Luckily, I was completely ignored since their attention was focused on Phoebe. Sableye got rid of some of the more aggressive ones with a few expert shadow sneaks. Turning the tables on who jump scared who. The more apprehensive ones seemed content with just observing us. As we came closer to the next descending stairway Phoebe’s expression got grimmer. If whatever was down, there made Phoebe apprehensive than that would probably be why the researchers couldn’t get any headway down these ruins.
“What’s wrong Phoebe?”
“There is this strong miasma that’s wafting out from downstairs. When that’s the case it usually means a ghost that is extremely powerful resides there, and that it has a strong obsession inherited from his or her previous self when it was still alive.”
‘Well, I don’t want to meet a ghost that Phoebe describes as extremely powerful. Darn my hankering for adventure.’
“Do you think you can handle it? I don’t mind turning around now.”
“Dealing with lone ghost types is my specialty. Only when ghosts conglomerate do I need the extra hands.”
We proceeded down the stairs. This corridor was filled with sand pits places where the flooring gave in, and the sediment kept building up from the upper floor. Which means the lower floors must be completely filled with sand.
‘Strange it’s not like I expected. Well at least I know that going deeper this way is impossible. Not without an entire crew of people helping me excavate at least.’
There at the end of this hallway is a single room blocked off with what appears to be a gemstone encrusted stone door. The door wasn’t completely closed a small gap was left ajar, but that was enough for us to guess what must lay behind that entryway. Sableye’s flash bouncing off reflective surfaces inside that room.
“Do you see that Egon? That must be the castle’s treasury. I am so excited this is like those adventure books!”
“Really? You haven’t done any spelunking as a trainer since you earned your license four years ago?”
“Well, there was this one time in granite cave. That’s where I found an everstone, but the real treasure was this little guy here.”
“Sableeeeye!”
We made our way towards the door Phoebe's Sableye pushing the door open for us. What awaited us inside was the most wealth I have ever seen gathered in one place.
There are piles of ancient mintage stacked on top of each other. Copper Silver and Gold coins each had their own piles. Nuggets and Pearls littered the ground around these piles. The walls decorated with hooks and hanging on them rusty old relics. However, the most prevalent treasures appear to be sun stones the orange glow reflecting off them almost blinding.
“Egon don’t get distracted! All this stuff is cursed, taking any of it will lead to dire consequences.”
“I wasn’t planning to! Obviously, this is all booby trapped like that movie File 3: Phantom Treasure.”
“Cofa Grig Grig!”
One of the sarcophagi standing tall in the room started moving shadowy limbs stretching out from beneath it’s golden lid. This Cofagrigus was easily as big as a stretched out arbok intimidating us merely by its sheer size.
Cofagrigus, the Coffin Pokémon The evolved form of Yamask. It loves to eat gold. Grave robbers who mistake them for real coffins and get too close end up trapped inside their bodies. This Pokémon has a body of sparkling gold. People say it no longer remembers that it was once human.
“The sheer size of its coffin body… This guy must have been on a steady diet of gold for most of its existence!”
“Egon stop gawking you are being rude!”
‘Phoebe seems determined to hash things out with this Cofagrigus I better play along.’
“Ah sorry for being rude. Uhmmm… Your treasure hoard is really shiny it must take a lot of effort to keep it all so clean.”
Phoebe gave me this look to telling me that I am terrible at this and should keep my mouth shut. Before proceeding to pander to Cofagrigus with her own brand of flattery.
“You really are amazing Cofagrigus! Any would be graverobber will surely meet his demise trying to steal from you.”
‘Arceus! That’s morbid is that how you compliment treasure hoarding specters?’
After both of us appealed to its vanity Cofagrigus seemed more open to communicate now. The shadowy appendages no longer moving in to intercept us.
“Cofa Cofa!”
“Egon Cofagrigus wants us to rate each of his treasures in terms of appeal. Keep giving him your ‘sincere observations’.”
I looked around the room noticing the sheer volume of valuables. ‘Oh boy we’ll be stuck here for a while.’
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These sunstones are quite valuable. In the open market they go for about 20.000. This being Unova and their historical value being part of this amazing treasure hoard I can confidently say that you could fetch about 30.000 a piece for each of them.
“Cofa Gri?”
“He asks how valuable other stones are in comparison.”
“Well…”
Having Victini listen in on our conversation from her ball is a blessing. I might not have the natural affinity to communicate with ghost types like Phoebe does, but that doesn’t matter if I can cheat like this. Cofagrigus was quite the generous host as long as you complimented him on his treasure. I fished out the firestone from my backpack for my show and tell.
“This here is a firestone it helps certain fire types evolve. Now these are more common than your amazing sun stones. However, quite a few more Pokémon need them keeping their supply low and their prices relatively high. I would say this firestone on the open market outside Unova would go for around 20.000. Inside this region they are around 12.000 a piece.”
Phoebe gave me an exasperated sigh. “I’ve never seen a ghost type who would be concerned by the monetary value of their treasures. This Cofagrigus in life must have been a merchant by trade.”
With the tension gone and Cofagrigus suitably entertained the ghost type decided to show us his most valued treasure. This one was not on display like the rest of his hoard the sarcophagus that was it’s body opened and one of his hands came out carrying some sort of plate.
“Grig Cofa?”
“He also wants to know how valuable this item is.”
Phoebe had a strange reaction towards the plate as did her Sableye. The balls on her belt started shaking on their own. For some reason her ghost types felt intimately attracted by this object.
“Do I have your permission to read the engraved text on this item?”
Cofagrigus held the plate in front of my face. I immediately recognized the scripture for what it was.
imageimage [https://i.ibb.co/DpNmmmy/Unown.png]
“This is unown scripture! this plate is the real deal.”
“Cofa?”
“He wants to you to read the text aloud for him.”
“Well, it says the following: The other side of this world was given by the Original One to its raging third.”
Phoebe snapped out her trance as I was reading the scripture off the plate.
“Egon you can read this!? Even archeologists have a hard time transcribing even a third of unown scripture they come across. Are you secretly some lab bozo?”
“I don’t think so…?”
‘Unown scripture most closely resembles the lettering from my old world.’
“What does it mean?”
‘The original one is most probably referring to Arceus. From that interpretation I can accurately guess what the rest of this plate says. It speaks of the reverse side of this world a place with natural laws alien to our own. The sole inhabitant a single Pokémon Giratina. That is the Pokémon the description the raging third must be alluding to. I am guessing or mostly hoping that this is a copy of one of Arceus’ original plates. Even as a copy its power is not inconsiderable. This has the passive effect of empowering ghost types. Maybe that’s the reason why this Cofagrigus is not forced to share its hoard with others of his kind.’
Cofagrigus seemingly satisfied put the spooky plate back inside its sarcophagus body. Phoebe started addressing Cofagrigus on the original reason why we came here.
“We are part of a group of humans outside that would really like to study these ruins. Are they permitted to come inside without facing your followers in battle?”
“Grigus Cofa.”
“He says that they are allowed until one of them is invariably tempted to steal from his hoard.”
Looking over his relics I see he is making a good point. A couple of those archeologist would probably attempt to snatch some of the relics if only for their historical value. ‘Well not my problem if they’ve been warned of the consequences.’
With that we decided to call it a day backing out of the treasure room and walking upwards towards the exit. Phoebe however still has one thing left to do before making it towards the exit.
“Do you want to come with me? My friends and I will always want to play with you.”
“Ya ya mask!”
“Phoebe threw one of her poké balls at the Yamask who floated perfectly still to make it easier for her. The ball clicked shut after only a single wiggle. Showing there is little hesitancy in Yamask’s decision to come with her.”
Phoebe looked at the poké ball in her hand for a second before clipping it to the side of her trainer’s belt and following the pathway out of the ruins.
“Wait wait! Where is that.”
“What do you mean Egon?”
“You know the thing that needs to happen each time a trainer catches a new partner for his team.”
“Stop talking nonsense Egon! I am not doing one of your silly poses.”
“Just try it out please? Believe me you’ll feel way better afterwards.”
“No!”
“Oh really? Says the same girl who on the same day menaced the entire expedition site with her legion of ne'er do wells.”
“A well-timed practical joke is a form of art utilized in the right hands Egon! This and that are completely different!”