Ash and the others arrived in front of a pitch-black cave.
“This is it—Granite Cave!” Max said excitedly.
“Is this where Mr.
Steven searches for valuable stones?” May asked as she looked at the seemingly ordinary cave.
She then turned to Max.
“Max, do you know what the inside of the cave is like?”
Max scratched his head, indicating that he did not know either.
Clearly, he had not done his homework well enough.
“Granite Cave is a habitat for Aron.
Over time, the Aron living below have dug countless tunnels through the cave, creating a complicated maze of passages.
So everyone, be careful,” Ash reminded them.
“As expected of Ash, unlike someone else.” (*≧▽≦)人(≧▽≦*) May looked at Ash admiringly.
Brock glanced back at Ash and also felt that Ash had become more and more dependable.
Max: ╰(°□°;)╯
The four then entered the cave.
It was so dark that they could not see anything at all.
“Amazing.
So this is what it feels like to be inside a cave,” May said in amazement.
“May, we’re inside a cave.
Be careful,” Max said helplessly.
“Come on out, Quilava!
Let your fighting spirit burn!”
Ash sent out Quilava, and the surroundings immediately became much brighter.
“That’s great!
Now we can see much more clearly,” May said happily.
“Quila~!”
Quilava walked in front while Ash and the others followed behind.
Before long, they came to two passages.
Brock stepped forward and placed a marker sticker between the two entrances.
“If we take a wrong turn and get lost, we can use this mark to tell which direction we came from.”
Everyone nodded, thinking that Brock’s idea was very useful.
Afterward, Ash and the others chose one of the passages and continued onward.
Eventually, they reached an area with a huge opening above them, where sunlight poured down and illuminated the surroundings.
Just as the four of them were about to go beneath the opening to investigate, the ground suddenly collapsed, and they fell into a deep pit.
“What’s going on?” Brock asked in confusion.
“Wahahaha!
Since you—” (Team Rocket motto)
“Team Rocket again?!”
The Team Rocket trio danced around excitedly beside the pit.
“Hahaha!
Success!
You fell right into our trap!”
Ash used his Aura and suddenly noticed that the ground was beginning to collapse again.
“Wait!
Team Rocket, stop jumping!”
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
Cracks appeared across the ground, which began collapsing once more.
Ash’s group and Team Rocket were all swallowed up together, sliding deeper and deeper underground until they were separated.
Ash climbed out of a pile of dirt and immediately used his Aura to search for the others and find his bearings.
“Pika~!”
Pikachu climbed out of the dirt beside him.
“Ah!
What are you doing?!
Seriously…
help!” From the other side, May also crawled out of the dirt.
“Great!
Pikachu, May, you’re both all right!” Ash said happily.
“Pika~!”
“Ash!
Thank goodness!”
Ash, Pikachu, and May looked up at the huge opening above them.
“That’s where we fell from?!
It’s so high!” May felt a shiver of fear run down her spine.
“We must have fallen to a lower level.
Team Rocket’s digging probably loosened the ground, and those idiots were jumping around on top of it.
That must be why the ground collapsed and sent us down here,” Ash analyzed.
“We should look for Max and Brock first, then figure out how to get back,” May said, still worried about her brother.
“I think we should climb back up first.
They’ll probably try to climb upward too, and it’ll be easier to rescue them once we’re back on the upper level,” Ash replied.
May thought that made sense and nodded in agreement.
After using his Aura to investigate the surroundings, Ash led May and Pikachu into one of the passages.
Meanwhile, Jessie, Meowth, and Ash’s Quilava had ended up together.
Team Rocket needed Quilava’s light to see, so they had no choice but to make a temporary truce and search for a way out.
The final group consisted of Max, Brock, and James.
After criticizing one another for a while, they also began searching for an exit.
Ash, May, and Pikachu continued through the pitch-black cave.
Fortunately, Ash had his Aura to guide them and prevent them from losing their way.
May, on the other hand, nervously watched the darkness around her.
She certainly had a sense of adventure, but not being able to see anything still made it difficult to stay calm.
Suddenly—
“Lai~!”
“Ahhh!”
May jumped in fright.
Ash immediately grabbed her hand.
“Don’t be afraid.
I’m here!”
Feeling Ash’s hand around hers, May lowered her head with a faint blush.
Ash led her toward the source of the sound, where they found a Lairon standing ahead.
“So it was just a Lairon.
You don’t have to be afraid anymore, May.”
After saying that, Ash let go of her hand.
May felt relieved when she saw Lairon, but at the same time, she felt a little disappointed.
[Lairon]
[Gender: Male]
[Type: Steel/Rock]
[Ability: Heavy Metal (Doubles the Pokémon’s weight.)]
[Strength: Early Gym level]
[Moves: Heavy Slam, Dragon Rush, Double-Edge…]
[Tera Type: Steel]
“All right, Pikachu!
Catch it!
Use Surf!”
“Pika~!”
A huge wave surged beneath Pikachu and crashed toward Lairon.
Lairon’s body suddenly flashed with white light as it charged through the attack and knocked Pikachu back.
“Lairon’s Defense is really high.
Pikachu, let’s finish this quickly!
Use a full-power Volt Tackle!”
“Pika—Pika—Pika—!”
Pikachu knocked Lairon down, and Ash threw a Poké Ball, successfully catching it.
The newly caught Lairon was then sent to Professor Oak’s Laboratory.
“All right!
We caught Lairon!
Hm?
What’s this?”
Ash’s Aura detected something unusual in the cave wall.
He immediately pointed to a spot.
“Pikachu, Iron Tail!”
“Pika~!”
Pikachu’s Iron Tail struck the wall, scattering chunks of rock and revealing a glazed stone.
“This…
It’s another one of those gemstones!” May said in surprise.
The Shroomish had previously given Ash a similar gemstone.
[Ding~ Aggronite.]
A smile appeared on Ash’s face.
Buy one, get one free!
Ash then continued leading May and Pikachu onward.
They could clearly sense that they were gradually making their way upward.
“I think we’ve reached the upper level.
Is anyone here?” Ash looked up and called out.
“Pika-pika~!”
“Is anyone there?”
At that moment, Ash sensed another Aura.
He led May and Pikachu in that direction.
After running for a while, they saw a figure standing ahead with a Pokémon beside him.
“That person is…”
Ash stared in surprise.
It was a young man with silver-blue hair, accompanied by an Aron.
“Champion Steven!”
“Huh?!
He’s Mr.
Steven?!” May said in surprise.
“Hello!
What are you doing here?
Are you lost?” Steven asked politely.
“Hello.
I’m Ash from Pallet Town, and this is my partner, Pikachu.
This is May.
Could you help us?
We don’t know where our companions are,” Ash asked for Steven’s help.
After all, Steven had spent so much time in this cave that he had to be more familiar with its layout than they were.
“Please.”
“Pika~!”
“So you’re Ash!
My father mentioned you not long ago.
Don’t worry.
Leave it to me!”
Then Steven suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, right.
So that’s why the Aron were just…”
“Did they disturb the Aron?
Then they could be in danger!” Ash said in alarm.
“Ah!
We have to save them!”
“Yes, this way.”
Steven did not dare waste any time.
He immediately led Ash and May away.
The group ran in one direction.
After some time, they found that the path ahead had collapsed, leaving a gap in the middle.
“What should we do?” May asked worriedly.
“Look below!” Steven shouted.
Ash also sensed Brock and Max through his Aura.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from below.
“Brock!
Max!
Quilava, you’re up there!”
“Ash!
May!”
“Huh?!
Twerp!”
“Are you all right?” Brock asked with concern.
“We’re fine.
We met Mr.
Steven.”
“I’m here now.
Listen carefully.
First, run straight ahead.
There’s a waterfall at the next junction.
We’ll meet up there,” Steven called to Brock and the others.
“Got it.”
Brock nodded in response.
Brock’s group then ran forward, with a large group of Aron chasing after them.
“We need to hurry too!”
Ash and the others ran toward an opening.
Below it was the waterfall, and Brock’s group had already arrived there.
The Aron were charging toward them!
“I’m counting on you, Bayleef!
Use Sweet Scent!”
Bayleef released a soothing fragrance, and the Aron gradually calmed down.
“Aron, those people aren’t bad.
Hurry and go back.”
Steven stepped forward to explain, and the Aron finally turned around and left.
Soon afterward, Ash, May, and Steven came down from above and reunited with the others.
“Come on, now it’s our turn.
Since you—” (Team Rocket motto)
“Go, Seviper!”
“Cacnea, I’m counting on you!”
Cacnea immediately turned around and hugged James.
“Ah!
Ow, ow, ow!
It’s over there!”
“Pikachu, finish them with Thunderbolt—”
“Pika—”
“Wait!”
Steven stepped forward.
“The Pokémon in this cave live peacefully here.
Anyone who tries to disturb that peace and cause trouble will have to deal with me!
Aggron, go!”
Steven acted first.
“Roar~!”
“Hyper Beam!”
Aggron fired a purple-black beam of energy that struck Team Rocket, sending them flying like a shooting star once again.
“What a horrible feeling!”
“Wobbuffet!
(≧▽≦)~”
“Great job, Aggron!
Come back and rest.”
Steven recalled Aggron.
“As expected of a Champion!
You’re amazing!” Max looked at Steven with admiration.
“Former Champion,” Steven corrected him helplessly.
“I’ve already passed the Champion title on to my friend Wallace.”
At that moment, Aron began digging through the pile of rubble that had fallen from the rock wall Team Rocket had just smashed into.
“What’s wrong, Aron?”
Steven noticed the Aron acting strangely and asked in confusion.
Before long, Aron dug out a red stone from within the pile of rubble.
“I found it!
Great job, Aron!”
Steven held the stone in his hand and shouted happily.
“Aron~!” (﹡’▽’﹡)
“Mr.
Steven, did you find something?” Max stepped forward and asked.
“It’s a Fire Stone.
I’ve been searching for it in this cave.”
“A Fire Stone?” The academically challenged May asked!
“Yes.
It’s one of the stones that can greatly help certain Pokémon evolve.
For example, it can evolve Growlithe into Arcanine,” Steven patiently explained.
“Also, it can evolve Vulpix into Ninetales and Eevee into Flareon,” Ash added.
Then he turned to Steven.
“Mr.
Steven, I want to challenge you to a battle!”
“No problem!”
Steven nodded in agreement.
To be continued…