"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." - Marie Curie
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As we headed towards the base camp location, I decided to run alongside the vehicles, making a path through the dense forest that borders the dry riverbed used by the team as a makeshift road.
"Requesting Permission to scout ahead of the convoy, Over!" I howl out over the wind while pressing a button on my newly acquired radio collar
"Permission granted, logging you as off the leash Echo, have fun and try not to go too far. We'll meet you at the rendezvous point in a few. Over and out." Brandon replies back to me over the radio
"Copy that!" I cheer back.
For the first time in a long time, I really feel free. I can finally run in any direction I want!
Leaving the 'road' behind, I duck under a low-hanging branch and break away from the rest of the convoy, heading deeper into the forested area. A wide smile spreads across my face as the diverse scents of native animals and Pokémon greet my nose.
Traversing the loamy landscape, I pause at regular intervals, savoring the scents and sights of the wilderness. At each stop, I eagerly lean down to sniff at marked spots on the ground or cautiously peer into the nooks and crannies of trees, curious to discover the hidden caches of berries that the local wildlife has carefully stowed away within.
During my exploration, instinct guides me, leading me in seemingly random directions as I embrace the spontaneity of the moment. However, this carefree wandering abruptly comes to a halt upon catching a whiff of a potentially dangerous presence, jolting me into a heightened state of vigilance.
"Echo here; I just caught the scent of a Scyther in the area. I'm going to check if it's an individual or a swarm, over." I whisper into my radio.
"Confirmed Echo. We just made it to the rendezvous point and are unloading supplies now. Handle the situation as you see fit and then head back to us." Brandon replies back
Creeping silently through the underbrush toward the source of the all-too-familiar smell of the bug/flying-type monster. I don't know how to feel about the situation, considering that half of my family had been killed by Scyther shortly before I encountered Dustin on that fateful day.
At the same time, a ranger's duty is to preserve and defend life, and as much as I hated the species for what they had done to me personally, they still served as a keystone species in many areas. Without them, any number of prey species would skyrocket and overwhelm the local ecology.
That being said, the native Scyther in this region should have migrated further south by this time of year.
I spotted the massive emerald insect instantly as it nestled against the rough bark of a tree, its pearlescent wings gently fluttering with the breeze. It delicately lapped at an oozing hole in the tree, a rare sight to see from a mostly carnivorous species.
Cautiously circling the bug, I begin to discern the reasons behind its peculiar behavior.
The creature's right side is mangled, and its chitinous exoskeleton cracked from the right arm down to the midpoint of its thorax. The once majestic right wings crumpled and tattered, yet despite its evident injury, the creature still exhibits a liveliness that speaks of its will to live.
The creature's right arm and scythe seems to be of little use, indicating its inability to hunt properly. The sight of the creature resorting to drinking tree sap suggested a desperate search for sustenance.
Based on the position and severity of the crushing damage, I would guess that this unlucky fellow had a run-in with a Pinsir.
It would be within my purview to mercy-kill the creature since it likely wouldn't survive the month like this. Tree sap would only lengthen the time it took for it to starve to death, and its right side wouldn't heal properly without human intervention.
A Pidgey flies out of the canopy overhead, startling the Scyther and causing it to cautiously scan its surroundings for potential threats. Oddly I find myself empathizing with the giant mantis-like monster.
That all too familiar feeling of encroaching starvation and the wariness of always having to watch your back for opportunistic predators.
With a sigh of resignation, I reach for my capture styler and launch it from my concealed position. The device begins circling the tree where the Scyther clung. Instead of fleeing like I expected, the injured bug instead defiantly stands its ground, hissing at the airborne object.
Once the capture device forms a temporary sympathetic bond with me, I calmly walk out of the underbrush and present it with a pokeblock from my personal snack stash.
Cautiously, the Scyther loosens its grip on the tree and approaches my offering, its head bowed low to the ground in submission, the sympathetic bond informing it that I meant no harm.
It quickly takes the food from my claw, and after quickly swallowing the food block whole, it buzzes its one good wing happily. It sniffs at my pockets for more, but I gently push its head away.
The giant mantis Pokémon whines pitiably at my refusal to give it more food.
"Yeah, I know, bud. It's tough out here, isn't it? Well, come on then. We'll go get you fixed up at base camp." I say to it exasperatedly
The bug, not understanding a word of what I said, still happily followed behind me as I started walking back the way I came.
After careful consideration, I decided against keeping the bug monster on my team. Although Scyther and its evolved form, Scizor, are excellent battlers, it wouldn't be a good fit for me in the long run. While I saved its life, having it around brought up too many bad memories.
Someone from the league would likely be interested in it regardless. With a quick flick of my wrist, the capture styler gracefully flew back to me from its standby hovering position.
After a moment of checking to ensure the Scyther would make it to camp with its injuries, I opened the map app on my capture styler and double-checked the route to base camp.
I radioed the team to let them know that I had "captured" an injured Scyther and would be bringing it along for treatment. After receiving confirmation from base camp, we jogged through the forest for a short while until we reached the dry lake bed on which the camp was being erected.
The campsite is a flurry of activity reminiscent of an agitated beehive. Numerous large tents have been meticulously set up, their entrances flapping gently in the breeze.
The persistent hum of scattered electrical generators fills the air, providing power to an array of equipment, from bright floodlights to charging stations for electronic devices. In the midst of this bustling scene, people move purposefully, carrying gear and preparing for the mission that lies ahead.
I carefully monitor Scyther's behavior, ensuring it displays no signs of agitation or aggression before approaching the team with it.
"All right, Echo's back with the wild Scyther. John, you said you'd take it, right? Get it in a ball ASAP, and then let's have medical check it for anything critical. After that, let's get the rest of the tents situated and get the floodlights positioned while we still have a bit of sunlight." Brandon says commandingly to the whole team after they had gathered to see the crippled Scyther cautiously following behind me.
John nods, pulls out a netball from one of his packs, and hands it to me. I understand the action immediately. It is probably best not to throw things at the Scyther since it's still wild and could perceive the action as a threat. So, I take John's Pokeball and gently touch it to Scyther's carapace.
A few seconds later, the Scyther is caught and automatically registered to John. Giving the ball back, John walks off to one of the already assembled tents and heads inside; I note that the tent has a medical symbol on it and is likely one of the first places to have been assembled.
During the remaining hours of daylight, I focus on helping to set up the camp, which includes lifting heavy equipment and various items to ensure everything is properly in place. After that, I spend the late evening patrolling the camp's outer perimeter.
During the patrol, I may have taken it upon myself to strategically 'mark' a few key spots to discourage wild Pokémon from approaching the area. This is totally not because of my aversion to the smell of the latrines that the team had set up for themselves; I was just being tactical with my bathroom breaks while on the job is all.
As night falls, I return to the camp to find my bed and am directed to a rather large tent next door to Cynthia's. Inside is a nice little setup with a cot, a foldable side table, and all my miscellaneous supplies that I'll be using for the expedition. As I debate whether to sleep in my Pokeball, someone 'knocks' on one of the tent poles.
"Come in." I call out while taking off my radio collar and Pokeball necklace, preparing to set them on the side table
Turning around, I catch sight of Princess Illene and Cynthia strolling into my tent. With a deliberate motion, they zip the entrance closed behind them.
Raising an eyebrow in response to this unexpected action, I find myself unable to contain a theatrical reaction to their sudden invasion of my personal space.
"Look, ladies, I'm flattered, but I'm not really into Humans like that," I say jokingly to the pair.
The princess looks confused for half a second before realizing my meaning and blushing at the implication.
To be fair, Cynthia's long hair was slightly attractive to my instinctive preferences, in that it could probably house a kit or two. However, that wasn't nearly enough to bypass all the other factors that made humans just on the north side of gross in that respect.
My instincts thought of all that exposed skin as unhealthy, almost like they were suffering hair loss from mange or something.
"Duly noted," Cynthia replies back dryly. "However, that is not why we are here. Princess Illene wanted to show us how to utilize all the functions of a time flower. I'm told it's something of a family secret as to how to fully utilize them with aura, hence the zipped door." Cynthia explains
"Wait, why would I need to know how to use time flowers other than the simple activation?" I ask in confusion
"Well if Sir Arron or any explorers that came before him left any flowers behind, we would prefer you be able to activate them properly so that what's inside isn't accidentally lost," Cynthia explains.
"Shouldn't I just bring any time flowers I find back to Cameron Palace to be viewed there?" I ask in reply
Illene looks sheepishly at Cynthia before answering my question.
"That is what I was thinking before Cythina brought up the fact that Time flowers are very fragile things. Even slight cracks can completely distort the recordings within. It would be a travesty if Sir Arron recorded any last words only for it to be lost to an unfortunate accident before it can be brought to us." Illene says before continuing with an exasperated sigh
"Furthermore, the knowledge of how to use them is not particularly valuable to my family anymore; it is kept more out of tradition than necessity. Especially now that anyone with a phone can record video more effectively than any time flower can. It made sense to keep this a secret hundreds of years ago, but not now." Illene finishes
"Ah, right. I can imagine that Time flowers would have been an extremely valuable commodity in the time before printing presses or conventional photography were invented." I say, thinking about just how unique the flowers really were in that context.
Even in the current age, 3D recording and projecting technologies are in their infancy and not generally seen in the public sphere yet.
"Yes, well, I hope you understand that I'm still reluctant about this. Human Aura techniques are a controversial subject at best, and I want you both to promise me not to teach anyone else what I'm about to show you, okay?" Illene asks us both
Cynthia and I nod in silent agreement before Illene walks over to my supply pile, pulls out the suitcase holding the time flower she'd given me earlier that day, and gently places it on the floor between us.
Sitting down cross-legged, I watch in fascination as Illene carefully opens the suitcase, revealing the beautiful crystal object to us.
"You are both trainers, so you should be familiar with how an aura bond feels when you establish them. I want you both to place your hands over mine, close your eyes, and try to feel what I'm doing with my aura. Then, once you think you have it, I'll have you each try different functions of the time flower and we can go from there."
Almost Immediately, I sensed and copied her manipulation of aura, a skill I probably owed to my Lucario parentage. It only took me a few more tries before the copied techniques were fully memorized without any mimicry needed. After observing Cynthia's attempts to activate the flower for a few minutes, I felt compelled to pose a question.
"So I understand why you're teaching me this stuff, but why does Cynthia need to know how to do this?" I ask both of the women
"Because the lost civilizations that existed before us used to trade time flowers with other regions. The ancient rulers of the past were often powerful trainers and could thus use time flowers with a little trial and error. Time flowers have been found all across the world, usually in hidden caches." Cynthia says
Cynthia huffs at her lack of immediate success with the flower and looks over as she continues explaining.
"I have found a few broken time flowers in old tombs over the years. It would be invaluable to know how to properly use them should I come across an intact one. More often than not, there are traps that break the crystals to preserve the secrets within. This is one of the reasons why most of the knowledge from various 'forgotten' civilizations has been lost to us." Cynthia sighs
"I keep forgetting that you are an archeologist on top of everything else you do. How the hell do you find the time to do it all?" I ask
Cynthia shrugs and falls onto her back, seemingly taking a small break.
A companionable silence falls over us for a time before I decide to break the silence with a question to Illene.
"So, you must be very familiar with Sir Aarons's legend, right? You probably have seen the actual historical records from that time and everything." Illene gives me a nod in confirmation. "Do you think the tales of Sir Aarons Lucario being able to speak have any merit to them?"
Illene takes a moment to carefully consider the question, and I can't help but think she is trying to answer without disappointing me.
"Based on the limited historical accounts of that time, the answer is technically yes," she begins. "However, I think what you are really asking is if his Lucario was intelligent enough to have a conversation with, and the answer to that is probably no."
Before I can ask for clarification on her answer, she continues.
"The thing about it is that Sir Aaron had an impossibly strong connection with his Lucario. Our records seem to imply that he could use his Lucario as a sort of aura transceiver, and with this, he could 'speak' through his Lucario somehow. My family has tried to replicate the feat many many times, but no one has ever come close to the kind of bond that Aaron and Lucario must have had to pull that kind of trick off." Illene says solemnly
Cynthia reluctantly chimes in a moment later.
"It's a dangerous thing, trying to push the boundaries of the Human-Pokémon bond. Mega-evolution, Z-moves, gigantimaxing, and more are all methods that the major regions individually developed in order to push the bond beyond normal limits safely."
Cynthia sighs as if lost in memory before continuing.
"People tend to forget that it took generations of development to make these methods as safe and effective as they are today. Trainers today just don't realize how dangerous pushing the bond without safeguards can be." Cynthia shares in a low tone.
For some reason, her explanation catches onto a memory from the first day I gained Dustin's memories.
"Forgive me if this is one of those league secrets, but I once heard Professor Juniper use the term 'psychic bleed' when I was giving myself over to the Westpoint Unovan ranger station. She said something along the lines that I wasn't another Gardevoir incident." I say leadingly
All these pieces together were starting to form a picture in my head.
The term psychic bleed along with the knowledge that, given the right circumstances, it might be possible to communicate through a Pokémon-trainer bond…and well, the Gardevoir line are some of the most potent empaths in existence.
But is it truly possible to stretch the bond so far that you can speak through your Pokémon? I'd never even heard of something like that before.
With another sigh, Cynthia replies to my unasked question.
"During the last world war, there were…efforts to bridge the divide between humans and their Pokémon more effectively. Those scientists quickly learned that when the human-Pokémon bond is pushed to the breaking point, the human psyche can start to…bleed out, for lack of a better term." Cynthia says quietly to us
"Their aura quite literally hemorrhages out of them like a popped water balloon. And once this aura bleed starts, there is no real way to stop it. Inevitably, the result is either death or severe brain damage for both the human and Pokémon involved; thus, the term psychic bleed was coined. Thankfully, that kind of occurrence is incredibly difficult to perform even if you know what you're doing."
With a sigh, Cynthia finishes her explanation, leans back up on her arms, looking a bit sadder than a moment before and continues.
"As for Juniper's reference to a Gardevoir incident, well, let's just say that during the war, a veteran trainer managed to push their bond to the point of no return. She performed mega evolution without a keystone and, for a short time, acted through her Gardevoir as if it were her own body, telepathically communicating with her squad and everything. They held ground against the opposing forces long enough that it allowed the rest of her squad to flee the battleground, but in the process, it cost them everything."
Looking over to Illene, I see that she is unsurprised by this information. Given that Cynthia was revealing this sensitive information to us both, I can't help but speculate that Illene's family might have managed something very similar in the past while attempting to recreate Sir Aarons's apparent abilities.
Someone from camp interrupts the solemn silence that had followed the story. It's a person from camp looking for Cynthia's help, and she has to excuse herself for a few minutes to take care of some last-minute logistics for the research teams.
"I know I shouldn't be disappointed, but I was kind of hoping that there were instances of other Pokémon out there being as intelligent as humans. Kinda sad knowing I'm the only one," I grumble halfheartedly
"It's honestly shocking how easy it is to forget you really are a Pokémon Echo. You act and talk so much like a human that even with no illusions, I still have to remind myself that you aren't." Illene responds
I am well aware of what she means, but it would be best if she did not let the façade fool her. Plus I wanted to have a little fun.
"Ah, mimicry is just something my species is very good at, princess." I drawl lowly to her. "We enjoy 'pretending' to be one of the pack and sometimes spend days living alongside our prey until a perfect opportunity presents itself." I watch in dark delight as Illene's pulse quickens as she suddenly realizes she's alone in the tent with me.
Leaning in a bit closer, speaking as if passing on a secret, I say, "It's usually when the prey is alone that a Zoroark will strike for the kill." I rumble menacingly under my breath
Our eyes meet, and I can see her subtly grabbing a Pokeball hidden in the seam of her shirt's sleeve. I probably shouldn't be taking as much delight in this as I am, but for some reason, it is disturbingly fun to put fear into humans' hearts.
I grin widely just as Cynthia rejoins us a moment later, and the building tension of the room pops like a soap bubble. Illene gives me the stink eye at my apparent amusement at her reaction to my act.
After saying goodnight to the girls and watching them leave, I start getting ready for bed. Settling down to sleep, I idly contemplate going outside to find a spot to rest like I used to do in the wild. Maybe I could even find a nice spot under some tree roots or something.
However, the effort it would take to dig out a fresh den, combined with my overwhelming tiredness, ultimately dissuades me from pursuing the idea.
Laying in the cot, I close my eyes and let my fatigue overtake me. The sounds of the base camp gradually fade into the background as I drift off to sleep.
A few hours later, I am roused from slumber by the sounds of the team's early risers.
Emerging from the cozy confines of the tent, I slowly awaken to the crisp morning air, which feels invigorating against my fur. I eagerly reach back into the tent for my clothes and gear, feeling a sense of excitement for the day to come.
For anyone else in the camp, it might have been a faux pas to emerge from one's tent technically naked and dress outside of your tent, but I couldn't care in the slightest.
The camp is alive with activity, team members bustling about as they prepare for the day's tasks. I join in the preparations, excited for the real mission to finally begin.
The entire camp soon fully comes alive with energy, resembling a bustling beehive. People are in constant motion, transporting the final pieces of large equipment and setting up computers with diagnostic readings, scrolling endlessly. Amidst the activity, Brandon and Cynthia discover me eagerly pestering Ontario about all the other equipment he had brought with him.
"Echo, let's get you looped into the newest battle plan, and then we can get this mission started," Cynthia calls out to me.
I practically bounce over to them, eagerly anticipating what these two plan to do with the Regis to allow me access to the tree.
"Echo, do you have everything you need? We won't be able to provide any aid once you are inside the exclusion zone," Brandon says.
Instead of immediately answering, I go through the mental checklist Dustin used to use before going on ranging excursions and almost slap myself for forgetting one last thing I needed to do.
Releasing Kirlia from his Pokeball I give him the command "Set T-Point" while pointing at the ground.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Dustin had trained Kirlia to use this command to set a new teleport location, allowing them to quickly retreat back to whichever base they were working from at the time. Kirlia gladly followed the order.
A surge of psychic energy pulses through the area, and when Kirlia's eyes stop glowing, I know we are ready to proceed. Direct teleportation in or out is unlikely to work due to the tree being a living entity, but it's always good to be prepared just in case.
"Alright, I am ready to go."
Over the next 10 minutes, Cynthia and Brandon discuss their plan of attack with me. The first part of the plan involves activating some kind of fancy seismic device near the edge of the exclusion zone.
The device will serve dual purposes: attracting the Regis's attention and providing rough geological data that the rest of the team can use.
While Brandon and Cynthia work together to handle the Regi threat, I am to wait on the sidelines. If they manage to neutralize the Regis, I can pass by freely. However, if the Regis turns out to be too powerful, I will wait for Brandon and Cynthia to distract them long enough for me to slip by unnoticed.
After agreeing with their proposed plan, the rest of the team assembles, wishing us good luck, and helping load up a small vehicle for Cynthia and Brandon to use for carrying the seismic device and transporting them to the designated 'battleground' against the Legendary Pokémon trio.
After making one final check of all my equipment and ensuring that the encased time flower is securely strapped onto my back, I start jogging beside Brandon as he begins driving the two-seater vehicle away from base camp.
Cynthia, from the passenger-side seat, releases her Togekiss, who immediately glides high above us to act as overwatch. The short journey to the absolute edge of the exclusion zone takes only a few minutes, as it is just a few miles from base camp.
Parking at the edge of a large flat expanse of dry, rocky terrain, Cynthia and Brandon direct me to unload the heavy piston-looking seismic device and have me set it on the far end of the soon-to-be battlefield.
Cynthia releases her Garchomp, which dives deep into the solid earth as if it were water. Turning to Brandon, I watch expectantly as he pulls out a worn-looking Ultra Ball and releases a massive red and orange avian Pokémon from within.
What appears shocks me into speechlessness. The creature's radiant power crushes the air out of my lungs as its overwhelming energy expands into the surroundings, weighing down on everything as if the whole world had suddenly been submerged under a hundred feet of ocean.
I had assumed that Brandon would be providing support for the encounter, but when the man had just casually released a Moltres, I had to rethink all of my assumptions. The creature could probably be classified as a weapon of mass destruction, even considering that it doesn't look fully grown yet.
Then another thought occurs to me as I look at the other two similarly worn Pokeballs on his belt.
Is that the only legendary he has? We are going after a trio of legendaries right now to capture them, and Moltres was part of its own trio of Legendaries, wasn't it? Just what kind of trainer is Brandon?!
I glance at Cynthia and notice that she seems completely unfazed by the legendary Moltres. She must have already been aware that Brandon had it. Moltres's seemingly calm attitude helps me to gather myself, barely preventing me from panicking as all my instincts scream at me to run far away from this living incarnation of fire.
"…Okay, well. That significantly improves my estimate of our chances against the Regis." I can't help but squeak aloud
Neither of the Champion level trainers reacts to my words, seemingly content to allow me time to regain my composure. Right, we have a mission to perform, and I need to get my head back in the game.
Starting the seismic device, a resounding thump reverberates through the clearing as a sizeable flat piston smacks into the ground before slowly rising again for another smack and another in a smooth continuous pattern.
The team at the base camp sends me a message a few moments later. Opening my capture styler map, I can see a 3D model of the tree slowly gaining resolution with each loud thump of the seismic device.
As predicted, the device causes enough disturbance for the Regi golems to come out to play. Two of them are easily detectable at a distance as they appear from an opening at the base of the tree. One is sky blue, while the other is a shining metallic grey with black accents.
These two are the ICE and STEEL Regies, but where is the third?
The two visible Regis start making their way toward us at a steady pace, either hovering above the ground or jumping forward with ever-increasing momentum. I keep looking around for the third one to appear, but apparently, it is already here.
An eruption of rock fragments peppers the area as Garchomp emerges from the ground, its prey trapped in place by impossibly powerful teeth. The massive rock golem cartoonishly dangles from Garchomp's mouth, boulder-like appendages flail at Cynthia's starter, smashing rocky limbs onto the scaly hide with bone-crushing force, all to no avail.
Garchomp refuses to release its grip and violently swings its head downward, repeatedly slamming the golem into the ground until it literally starts to crumble apart. After the relentless assault, only a rocky torso remains of the Regi, at which point the golem begins to take on a dangerously ominous white radiance.
"Brace," Cynthia calmly calls out. A fraction of a second later Togekiss descends to the earth in front of her and Brandon with a decisive thud. In an instant, an inviolable barrier of shimmering green light emerges, enveloping the three protectively.
An ear-splitting 'explosion' erupts from the Regirock, and the entire area is engulfed in a dust cloud as rocky shrapnel peppers everything around us like a fragmentation grenade.
With a dismissive wave of Togekiss's wings, the dust clears away, revealing a pissed-off Garchomp still holding onto Regirock's remains.
"Come here and Drop it," Cynthia ordered the dragon, pointing over toward the ground next to Brandon.
The apex predator stomps over with a disgruntled growl before dropping the Regirock's surprisingly still-twitching torso at Brandon's feet. Cynthia then coos and scratches Garchomp under its slightly bruised, scaly chin.
I watch in disbelief as Brandon casually captures the Regi by unceremoniously dropping an ultra ball onto it, all the while Cynthia continues praising her starter.
"Good girl! Who's my precious little dragon nugget? Yes, you are!" Cynthia says as the monstrously powerful dragon starts wagging its tail as if it were some dopey mundane dog and not a terrifying beast that had just shrugged off a point-blank explosion from a legendary as if it were nothing.
Trainers like this really play in a whole different league than the rest of us mortals. I think to myself as I watch the two trainers wait patiently for the other two Regis to reach us.
What unfolds next is like a carefully orchestrated dance of violence. Brandon's Moltres springs into action, shielding Cynthia's Pokémon from an onslaught of icy beams unleashed by Regice with scorching blasts of its fiery breath.
Meanwhile, Cynthia's Garchomp uses 'Iron Tail' to deflect a rocky onslaught conjured into existence by Registeel's 'ancient power' attack.
For a scant few seconds, it appeared that the clash could last longer than the 'battle' with Regirock. However, Brandon swiftly directs Moltres to summon a blistering "sunny day," while Cynthia seizes the chance to have her Togekiss use a powerboosted "heatwave" attack.
The amalgamated heat becomes overpowering, resulting in the two remaining Regis starting to physically melt under the relentless onslaught. After that, it could hardly be considered a battle as the Regies are thoroughly and almost literally dismantled.
After capturing the two thoroughly defeated Regis, I was left in a state of shock by the sheer absurdity of the recent battle I had witnessed.
Brandon, despite having a legendary Pokémon on his side, had largely played a supportive role, while Cynthia took the lead and crushed the trio of golems into the ground like they were sandcastles on the beach.
"Alright, Echo. The way should be clear for you now. Do try to make it back in one piece, ya?" Cynthia calls out to me as she affectionately pats each of her Pokémon's heads.
Gulping slightly, I reply with a hesitant "Y-Yes, mam. You can count on me." Then, I start jogging around the still cherry red hot battleground before returning to a straight line path toward the Tree of Beginning.
As I make my way to the base of the tree, I release Rotom from its Pokéball and perform a few quick checks to ensure it is recording properly. Once that's done, I look at the seismic map data and find one of the many holes on the tree's exterior that should lead to an interesting hollow zone underneath the roots of the tree.
Once underground, all radio signals are unsurprisingly cut off, and returning to the base via teleportation is similarly blocked due to the tree's semi-organic nature interfering with the psychic connection to the base.
Not unexpected but still a bit stressful considering what happened to Dustin the last time teleportation was blocked.
The tunnels are dark at first, but soon beautiful, dimly glowing blue rock-like crystals pepper the walls. Despite Rotom's impressive scanning capabilities, the rock remains unidentified. I take out a small metal chisel made of Aggron hide and carefully tap at the mineral's surface until a small piece chips off.
I carefully place the chip into one of the numerous glass sample tubes on my person and then continue walking down the tunnel.
Without warning, the comforting blue glow is replaced by a foreboding red light. The crystals, previously tranquil, now emit a furious red hue. When I turn around, the rock I had collected the sample from begins to liquefy and transform into the shape of a Lileep, a prehistoric Pokémon.
I find myself immobilized by indecision as the entire tunnel becomes engulfed by red, shape-shifting Pokémon-like entities. They lunge at me from every direction, and in a moment of panic, I unleash as many dark pulses as I can. However, the horde is too dense for me to evade their relentless advance.
Before I know it, I'm submerged in the red goop, and then…nothing.
It's as if I'm enclosed in my Pokeball, the only difference being that I am enveloped on all sides by a pervasive warmth instead of emptiness. The feeling is disconcerting, yet strangely soothing, almost like being hugged by a Goodra that you aren't sure is going to kill you afterward.
Fortunately, the tree did not find me too appetizing. After about 20 seconds, I am ejected back into the tunnel, gasping for breath, while the red globs revert to blue crystals.
Instead of also being spat out of the goop, Rotom phases into the tunnel straight from the wall. The clever little guy must have ghosted into the solid rock to escape the tree's immune system.
As I carefully examine myself for any injuries, I am relieved to find that everything seems to be in order. Surprisingly, the red goop appears to have removed the residual dust and grime that had accumulated on my fur while watching the battle with the Regis.
I feel remarkably cleaner and refreshed than before, almost as if I have just emerged from a relaxing, warm shower.
Although the whole ordeal lasted less than a minute, it made me far more cautious about touching anything crystalline.
Shaking myself and carefully leaning against the wall, I take a moment to catch my breath and then curse as I suddenly realize that my ranger capture styler is missing from its holster.
It was risky to take it with me since it was mostly made of synthetic materials rather than Pokémon-derived ones. Even the glass vial with the crystal shard had stayed perfectly untouched.
Oh well, I would just have to requisition a new one when I returned to Unova. I should probably ask about a salary when I get back because capture stylers are not cheap to replace.
Rotom flies over to my shoulder and folds its wings up, extending two little foot clamps so that it can land on my shoulder. Its presence consols my frustration at the lost equipment, and I give the ghost an affectionate pat on the head.
It rubs its body against my head, and I can't help but smile at the affectionate living camera. A sudden desire to give the little guy a name overcomes me. Dustin hadn't been one for nicknaming his Pokémon, always referring to them by their species name, but as much as I mimic the man, I am not him.
My team feels like family to me; they are part of my pack, and not giving them names feels wrong. I don't feel right naming Kirlia because he was Dustin's Pokémon first, but Rotom was mine alone. I pick up the camera drone with one hand and ask the ghost a question.
"How would you like a name, little one," I ask
The ghost bobs up and down, most likely just enjoying the attention I was giving it, but I take it as a yes regardless.
"How does Snap sound?" I ask, smiling to myself at the double meaning between how I snapped it out of the air that first time and how shuddered cameras sounded.
The ghost unfolds its wings and makes a lazy loop around my head before hovering above my right shoulder again.
"All right then Snap, let's get out of these damn tunnels and finally start exploring!" I can't help but yell as I book it down the tunnel
As I make the transition to moving on all fours, an electrifying surge of adrenaline spreads through my veins, propelling me forward with an invigorating sense of freedom.
I race through the twisting tunnels, my senses sharpening as I eagerly hunt for the hidden treasures within the maze-like tunnel structure.
Despite facing multiple forking paths, I easily maintain pace, instinctively following the smell of fresh water and verdant foliage, the latter of which being a near impossibility this deep underground.
With a triumphant howl escaping my lips and Snap's fan wings buzzing with power like a Beedrill by my side, the once dim, crystal-studded passageways give way to a breathtakingly radiant light.
The suffocating confines of the tunnel walls drop away to unveil a colossal, awe-inspiring cavernous oasis absolutely teeming with life. The expansive open space seems almost inconceivably vast, harboring an entire underground ecosystem within the dome-like hollow beneath the revered Tree of Beginning.
In a state of flabbergasted wonder, I behold a flock of Swablu darting by, closely trailed by a massive Aerodactyl— a species long thought to have vanished from existence in the wild.
I lower myself onto my haunches and ensure that Rotom is recording everything so that we can fully capture the awe-inspiring landscape in front of us.
Positioned prominently on the cavern's ceiling, a colossal white crystal stands out, emanating a magnificent and brilliant light. Its glow seems to harness the radiant energy of the sun from within, casting a mesmerizing illumination over everything below it.
The ground below is adorned with lush green trees and bountiful berry bushes, while a grand river gracefully carves its path through the center, originating from some hidden spring and re-emerging a few hundred feet downstream.
Hundreds of Pokémon crawl, swim, and fly through the space, filling the cavernous dome with abundant life.
As my hand reaches out, Rotom lands delicately on it, and I guide its camera to capture the presence of each individual species I can spot from up here. I eagerly cross-reference each image with the internal Pokédex to confirm the breathtaking sight of several thought to be extinct Pokémon.
Down by the river, I marvel at the elegant movements of Lileep, Cradily, Omanyte, and Anorith as they gracefully swim around the shards of the crystal-clear water. In the enchanting, densely forested areas, majestically armored Armaldo roams while swarms of Ledyba create a mesmerizing spectacle, practically coating specific trees in vibrant oranges and reds.
Using my own experiences of the wilderness and Dustin's expertise in surveying, I begin verbally documenting my analysis of the area for the recording.
"This open cavern ecosystem appears to be a completely self-contained biome; exit and entrance points like the tunnels I entered from appear to be too small for most of the fully evolved species here to escape from. Water supplied from some underground source, likely mountain runoff making its way to an underground aquafer at a best guess."
Aiming Rotoms camera from observation point to observation point, I finally focus on the massive crystal hanging from the ceiling.
"Spectrograph readings lead me to believe that the light coming from the crystalline stalactite formation is directly funneling sunlight from the surface. I cannot say why this is the case, but given how deep underground we are, I have to assume that the crystal lattice must run throughout the bulk of the tree all the way to the tree's canopy."
As I observe the enclosed ecosystem closely, every minute reveals more about the intricate food chain at play. At the foundation of this web are the producers, including the lush berry bushes, towering trees, and deceptively delicate Lileep.
It's truly fascinating to witness these life-giving sources being consumed by the bug types, such as the swarms of Ledyba and the fascinating Anorith, as they carry out their role in this complex natural system.
I release Kirlia by my side so that he can enjoy the view as well and carefully continue recording all my observations.
The Swablu, near the top of the food chain, displayed remarkable hunting skills as they pursued the bug Pokémon, while also being acutely aware of their vulnerability to the apex species of the entire area, the awe-inspiring Aerodactyl.
It's a mesmerizing sight, and I can't help but be absorbed by the intricate dynamics of this natural pocket ecosystem.
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As evening approaches, my Pokémon and I finally descend into the underground valley oasis. I probably should have set up camp in the tunnel, but my curiosity got the better of me. Maneuvering through the underbrush to get close-up scans of each of the extinct species, I feel giddy as I observe the readouts.
Several contested theories exist about Pokémon resurrected via fossils, and I may have just inadvertently found the evidence needed to disprove one of them.
One theory suggests that the fossil resurrection process inherently imparts a rock-type aura to the revived subject. Conversely, a counter hypothesis posits that rock-type Pokémon are simply more likely to leave behind fossils suitable for the resurrection process, and that the ancient Pokémon revived from these fossils were always rock types.
My scans indicate that all the extinct Pokémon in the valley were rock types. This data alone made the entire expedition worthwhile, even in the unlikely event that I didn't find anything else of interest.
Setting my sights on the 'sky', I can't help but notice the peculiar behavior of the Swablu as they gracefully descend to the ground. It dawned on me that the ancient Pokémon inhabiting this area were not the only interesting creatures here.
Typically, Swablu avoid making contact with the ground whenever possible. It was not unheard of for them to drift on air currents while sleeping, potentially even spending most of their lives airborne, descending only to perch high amidst mountainous cliffs to nest.
The sight was truly astonishing as I witnessed a whole flock swiftly making their way into an underground burrow. Guarding the entrance was a majestic Altaria, its colossal, billowing body providing a shield of protection.
The Altaria's eyes focused unweaveringly on the gaps in the canopy above. It strikes me that this behavior must have evolved over countless generations as a survival strategy in response to the threat of Aerodactyl predation.
As I watch the scene, the Altaria suddenly notices us and fluffs its feathers threateningly in response to the group of Pokémon near its concealed den, which is teeming with its young.
My connection with Kirlia conveys the sense that Altaria is uncertain about our presence and hesitant to launch a direct assault on Pokémon it was unfamiliar with.
With careful steps, I made my way toward the glorious creature, fully aware of the absence of my capture styler to ease its apprehension of me.
Despite this, I had a strategy to soothe its worry as I had spent a few hours collecting an assortment of berries from the surrounding area, intending to have them analyzed by the researchers upon my return to camp.
Being mindful, I have Rotom perch on my shoulder and Kirlia nestle into my mane as I cautiously approach the creature, offering it the fruits of my foraging with open intent.
Dragons typically react to food offerings in one of two ways: they either immediately attack, or sometimes they accept the offering and allow you to go about your business if you demonstrate yourself as a non-threat.
Altaria, a Pokémon that acquires dragon typing upon evolution, typically exhibits a more subdued emotional response compared to other dragon species. Therefore, I feel pretty confident in getting on its good side so I can get close-up scans with Rotom.
Avoiding direct eye contact, I slowly approach with my offering, and the Altaria allows me, eyeing the berries with a hungry avian glint.
After consuming the first two berries, the bird appeares satisfied to ignore me. But as I continued to offer more from my seemingly limitless supply, a revelation appeared to dawn on its bird brain.
Suddenly, the avian gently starts shoving me around with its shockingly soft, fluffy wings. Rather than attacking me, I soon understood that it was forcibly pushing me into its underground den.
My natural night vision easily makes out the forms of nearly a dozen fluffy blue and white bodies as they turn their hungry gazes on me. After being swarmed and having to empty my entire hoard of berry 'samples,' I find myself sitting among a content flock of adolescent bird Pokémon.
With the den guarded by a literal dragon, I belatedly realize this spot is the safest place for me to spend the night. As I settle into a comfortable spot, the Swablu pile around me, seeking my warmth and creating a soft, downy wall of fluff on all sides. With Kirlia nestled protectively in my mane and Rotom vigilantly watching from my shoulder, a deep sense of contentment washes over me.
And that's when the Altaria started to 'sing' its young to sleep. The melodious crooning nearly brought a tear to my eye, not just because of the beauty of the sound but how special the moment felt.
At this moment, I feel like I have found a literal slice of heaven.
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