We got up soon after more so to the incessant scratching at the entrance by the liepard and skarmory outside, I grumbled gently as I quickly pulled my shirt over my head and climbed out of the tent. I rolled my eyes as Lyra climbed out of the tent laughing softly, she rubbed the liepard's head with a smile who purred and rubbed against her.
I stretched with a happy sigh before going towards the firepit and slipping the last of the wood that we had gathered when we set up the tent, I lazily clicked the firestarter a couple of times before it finally caught and the wood started to burn. I set up the grill grate and set a pan on top of it before putting on some of the breakfast scramble that mom had made for us, Spyra warbled a small greeting before nudging her way onto my lap and I gently smiled and rubbed her back as I cooked. I looked around for Deci and saw her underneath the tent flap timidly looking around, I smiled gently and called her over "Deci, it's okay. Nothing will hurt you, sweety."
The small bat chirped gently as she flapped her wings gently before disappearing into the tent, I sighed softly as I rubbed Spyra's back and turned my attention back to cooking. Soon the smell of breakfast wafted throughout the campsite causing the two hungry pokemon to stop what they were doing and come stare hungrily along with their trainer who sat next to me with a chuckle.
I smiled as I scooped the scramble into bowls and set them in front of the pokemon with a smile, I glanced at Lyra with a blush before grabbing some of the berries that we had picked and started to create a berry scramble for Deci. I finished the scramble a little bit after and went to find the little purple bat.
I found her buried under our sleeping bag and blankets creating a little cave, causing me to chuckle. I gently set the bowl down and watched the bundle of fabric. Soon, the fabric started to shake until it exploded with a screech from the bat within. I laughed as the Noibat flapped over to the bowl of berries and started to eat and I watched with a smile on my face as I said "Don't eat too much okay? We're gonna be doing stuff today and I don't want you getting berry high."
She gently looked up at me with a soft click before eating at a slower pace, I smiled gently and reached out petting her forehead right before her large ears. She chirped gently as she finished eating and gently pushed her head into my hands as I continued to pet her before scooping her up, she squeaked before settling into my arms.
I climbed out of the tent and Deci squeaked gently burying her face into my arms, I gently petted her and soothed her as I walked over to Lyra who was watching Batik use his feathers to plan out some areas in the clearing. I smiled as I leaned into Lyra and she smiled leaning her head into mine before looking around and saying "Shiva? Where are you dear?"
A resounding 'pardd' came from a large tree that was near our tent, I smiled and shook my head as Lyra looked to see my hands full with Deci who had slowly fallen asleep. I sheepishly looked down at Spyra who had followed us "She's used to pitch-black caves, it'll take a little for her to adjust properly so that her eyes aren't hurt by the sun," I glanced back up at Lyra "And she's a little scared it seems.
Lyra nodded with a smile before turning her attention to Batik who had wandered over with a curious glance and was sniffing at Deci who shivered but refused to open her eyes. I giggled and asked "Hi Batik, meet Deci. She's shy so be nice."
The steel bird chirped and clacked his beak before looking to his trainer with a head tilt., Lyra shook her head with a smile before patting his beak "Alright alright, you can play with Shiva. Thank you Batik."
The steel bird chirped happily before flapping his wings and lunging at the tree that Shiva was laying in. I laughed gently as I rubbed Deci's back gently as I looked over to Lyra who was using some of Batik's feathers to fix the layouts of some of the areas that the bird pokemon had laid out.
"So Lyre, before we start to build anything. We need to get the league's approval. And besides, we should plan what pokemon we wanna catch and register this area as wild area research site before we go building."
Lyra looked at me with an eyebrow raised as I gazed back when a few shadows passed over and she smiled and replied "Well of course my dear, do you think I spent four years without doing my research? We did call often and you gushed about these things. I'm nothing if not prepared."
I nearly dropped Deci in shock, the pokemon screeching in protest and finally looking up at me with an irritated look as she was jostled out of her nap. I rubbed her back apologetically as I let her hop out of my arms with a flap of her wings then attach herself to my back, I shrugged gently before looking up to see various large flying pokemon carrying many things. Many Corvinknight landed after dropping off what seemed to be large containers with the logo of Macro Cosmos Construction. I looked in awe and shock as the large steel type bird pokemon dropped off the containers before landing on them, one landed in front of us and it's trainer climbed down from it's back.
A man pulled the riding glasses off their face revealing large pretty blue eyes and dug through a satchel that was secured tightly to the chest of the Corvinknight. He turned and walked towards us with a clipboard and some papers in his hand before greeting us "Hi! This is the site of the new Grandview Research site isn't it?"
I nodded as I pulled my eyes away from the seven or eight Corvinknight that were simply staring at us awaiting our answer and I nodded "Uh...yes?"
He nodded and flipped through the papers on the clipboard before holding it out "I represent Macro Cosmos Construction, you may call me Cam. We were to bring the necessary equipment and help you set up your research site by order of the league. Madam Lyra Bristol is already signed with the league and they wish to sign you as well Miss Grandview."
I furrowed my eyebrows as I accepted the clipboard and started to read through it as Cam continued "Of course, it comes with benefits if they interest you but I believe Madam Bristol will be able to explain the benefits better. After you look over the papers and sign them than with your permission, we'll get to work."
I nodded before reading them over and glancing up at Lyra who smiled at me reassuringly and nodded before I penned my signature in and handed the papers back to Cam who looked them over before nodding and looking back up at me "Do you want us to begin immediately? We won't be able to fully construct the research center with all the amenities like running water and electricity for a couple of days but I know sleeping inside a building may be better than a tent. Although If you wish, we can continue working until everything is finished. It shouldn't take us longer than a week if that long."
I thought for a second before replying "I think you should get it all done as soon as possible, we were going to be gone for a few days anyway searching for the pokemon we need, does that sound good Lyre?"
She grinned and nodded and Cam smiled before turning and yelling to his companions and I turned my attention to the female who was watching with satisfaction. I narrowed my eyes as I got closer to her "You planned this! Wha-HoW!?"
She frowned and gently reached forward placing her hand on my cheek "I thought you'd want the help and your mother knew you'd worry yourself to death. I'm sorry...I should have told you but I wanted it as a belated birthday surprise as well as an additional gift since I was gone so long."
I frowned as tears came to my eyes and I pulled her into a hug "I love the surprise but come on...you and my mother are doing all this stuff for me and I'm not doing anything for you two."
She smiled and gently rubbed my head playing with my hair a bit "Don't worry Ellion. You fulfilling your dream is enough for me and I know that if you're happy then your mother is satisfied. And besides, I handle all the paperwork while you be the face of our new organization okay? Assistant and CEO."
I sighed gently and nodded as I pulled away before gently pressing my lips to hers and turning to the builders who had dismounted and released their work pokemon, I nodded slowly towards a Hariyama who had nodded at me before getting to work. Deci chirped gently from her place on my back before her face gently popped up at my shoulder, I smiled "Well, hello there. Up from your nap?"
She chirped before rubbing against my shoulder and I smiled then looked around the clearing, various fighting type pokemon were busying hauling things out of containers while psychic type pokemon such as Gothitelle, Alakazam, and Indeedee were using psychic to move the boxes and things to their rightful place. I rubbed my eyes before quickly gathering up my pokemon and bag, slinging it over my shoulder.
Lyra collapsed the tent and slung her backpack onto her shoulders and walked over to me with a whistle, the trees rustled before Shiva hopped out and strutted over to Lyra. I raised an eyebrow seeing only one of her pokemon, and she replied "I put up Batik before the workers arrived, so the pokemon wouldn't start fighting."
I nodded and looked around for Spyra to see her gently floating around the containers before chirping in fright when one swung open and things started to float out, she appeared by my side and I chuckled before gently patting her head "Stay close Spyra."
She warbled softly and bumped her head against my leg as I smiled and looked over at Lyra who held up her phone and spoke into it "Alright, Rotom. Pull up the wild area map"
The phone dinged and she glanced over at me "Alright, what are we looking for?"
I smiled and pulled out a paper from my bag labeled 'Essential Pokemon', I looked it over as we started to walk, the noise from the construction masking any talking. "Well, first I wanted to start with catching the pokemon we need for the project. That's a dratini, larvitar, bagon, beldum, gible, deino, goomy, Jangmo-o, and a dreepy. A male and a female for each, with the dreepy it should be fine. Mom has a deal with a trainer who has a dragapult so we don't have to worry there."
She nodded as she typed in her phone before showing me the locations in the wild area that many pre-evolutions have been seen, I nodded and pulled out my own and asked "Okay Roto, out of the pseudo-legendary pokemon, which are the most common?"
It beeped quietly for a few moments as we stopped in the shade of a tree before chiming "Goodra is one of the most common pseudo-legendary pokemon, however, its pre-evolution Goomy, is very skittish and likes to hide in damp caves and under logs and other debris, only coming out during rainstorms. There is a 0.0001% chance of finding a Goomy in your current area and weather conditions."
I groaned as it continued "Would you like to know more information about pseudo-legendaries in the wild area?"
I clicked 'Yes' and it pulled up the same map that Lyra had shown me, I glanced up at her to see her leaning against the tree staring at her phone. I cleared my throat as I stretched and said "Roto, navigate us to the nearest cave system, please. And acknowledge any warning or hazardous posts as well."
It beeped in response and I watched as it pinged four caves before labeling two with a caution sign that upon inspection was because of a sleeping Tyranitar blocking the entrance and the other because of a wild pokemon battle. I nodded and held my hand out to Lyra with a smile "Well looks like we're in for a long day aren't we love."
She smiled with a twinkle in her eyes as she accepted my hand and with a flick of her wrist, threw a poke ball into the air, releasing Batik. The steel bird chirped and stretched as I looked over my own pokemon, Spyra was floating gently between my legs and Deci was watching intently from my shoulder. Shiva purred from her spot underneath the tree as she got up and stretched.
We started for the cave in earnest as the sun glared down on us, and Batik flew around us as we walked. I nudged Lyra with glanced at me with an eyebrow raised "You never did tell me what you planned to do. Besides becoming my assistant which I don't need."
She laughed and gently kissed my hand "Darling, no offense but you're hopeless with people. And paperwork. And making connections. And-"
I groaned and swatted at her "Okay I get it. I'm hopeless but I can learn."
She laughed and continued "Yes, we will both learn. But, right now. We are here together, let's enjoy it together and train our pokemon." I nodded as I bumped my shoulder into hers causing her to smile more.
We continued walking for about twenty more minutes before the cave appeared in the distance, we had passed a bunch of pokemon that simply regarded us with contempt at our little group before going on about their business, I saw various pokemon I liked such as a Gourgeist that was napping underneath a tree, a Tsareena who was playing with a Bellossom, and two Gallade were dueling under a ledge of rock. I smiled and gently bumped Deci's face as we stopped in front of the cave entrance "Alright Deci, time to earn your keep. We're gonna be looking for some pokemon in the cave, and we need you to lead us through the caves okay?"
She chirped and flapped off my back and towards the cave slowly, before picking up once she hit the darkness. I laughed softly when she chirped back and looked back at us, I glanced at Lyra who was smiling and returned Batik to his ball, and gestured to Shiva with a "Stay close".
We all followed the purple bat who was happily flying through the cave until we hit a large cavern lit with glowing crystals and the lights from pokemon. I smiled and looked over at Lyra with a challenge in my eyes "Looks like this cavern could be full of pseudo-legendary starters. How about we have ourselves a little wager, my dear?"
She smirked as her two pokemon appeared at her side and my own two appeared at my own side. "In a cavern-like this, I'm sure there are many pokemon that we are looking for. So, we catch as many as we can in until sundown, we forfeit if our pokemon are unable to battle."
She thinks for a little bit then a smirk appears on her face before a frown appears "Wait, if that's the wager. You get the short end of the stick. I have two fully evolved and battle-experienced pokemon. You have two unevolved and no offense but Spyra isn't really a pokemon meant for one-on-one battles."
I chuckled and gently patted Spyra's head who crooned up at me as I replied "While that is true, do you really think I don't have a plan little Lyre?"
She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms "Alright, deal. But not until sundown. It's about three-thirty so how about two hours instead of six hours."
I thought it over for a bit before nodding and gently pressing a kiss to my partner's cheek before adjusting my bag and turning to run off into the cavern with a laugh.
I figured that since Lyra had Batik she would have him look for pokemon from the skies. But as it is a cavern, there's no telling what pokemon are in here and those that would target a flying pokemon. My plan was simple, have Deci navigate towards the less populated areas that were more likely to have the unevolved forms of what I was looking for. As well as having a better chance of catching them than their evolved forms.
Deci landed on my shoulder and I told her my plan, she nodded and with a flap of her wings, she took off. Spyra was floating beside me as we followed our Noibat who was glancing back every now and then to check on us before turning and using echolocation with her large ears to find the suitable cave we were looking for. She chirped as she landed on a rock next to a tunnel that went deeper into the cavern, I gently patted her head and gave her half of a Cheri berry "You did good Deci but now comes the hard part. Ready to battle?"
She screeched and flared her wings out with a determined look on her face and I smiled before looking down at Spyra who was absentmindedly staring into the cavern. I crouched down to her level and gently tapped her head crest, the small dragon squeaked and turned to look at me. I giggled gently "Spyra you gotta pay attention." she chortled at me as I picked her up "We're gonna get you some battle experience okay? We've got some big plans ahead so we both have to grow up my dear."
She warbled softly in understanding and I gently tapped her head crest before letting her float down onto the ground. She gently floated to the ground before floating through my legs with renewed vigor. I laughed gently and turned towards the tunnel entrance, Deci flapped her wings and we all set off into the tunnel eagerly. I adjusted my bag and pulled out my poke ball belt before pulling out my phone.
I pulled up the Roto App and set it to search and battle mode, the phone sprouted two antennae before floating up and circling around me. The phone sprouted eyes on the back and it wiggled a bit before the eyes took on a scope-like appearance, I nodded and continued on deeper into the cave with my bat and dragon flying ahead.
We came out of the tunnel into a small cave that was soon filled with pokemon. I crouched and motioned for my pokemon to gather around me. Deci cooed softly as I looked around at the various dark, ground, and rock-type pokemon that were living down here. I spotted a hippowdown that was turning the rock into sand by grinding down into the floor, a nincada seemed to be making a nest in the wall and there was even a Thievul that was watching everything with a disinterested look.
I put a finger to my lips as the Roto phone surveyed the area before locking onto one of the nine Pokémon we were looking for. It buzzed gently before floating over and displaying captions that said 'Alert. Targets Found. Beldem, Bagon, and-ALERT DANGEROUS POKEMON DETECTED!!! Recommend fleeing.'
I gently pulled my Pokemon closer as a Metagross slowly stood and rumbled a loud challenge towards a wall that was empty, the beldum that were near it flew into a panic and set off towards our hiding place. The reason became clear as a roar echoed throughout the cave and the wall shuddered as muffled booms echoed before it exploded. A Garchomp flew through the hole and landed with a snarl before letting out a large blast of energy back into the hole. *Dragon breath*
I gulped as a roar answered the blast of energy then a large form rammed through the large hole and smashed into the Garchomp *Head Smash* before the Garchomp's upper body was swallowed in large red jaws *Bite* and thrown back through the hole in the wall.
I stared as the pokemon stood to its full height and let out a large roar, flaring out its neck feathers. My Roto phone buzzed as I quickly returned my trembling pokemon to their pokeballs and watched as the giant Tyrantrum turned and cast its glance over everything before landing on me. It tilted its head before turning its head back towards the hole it came through and letting out a deep rumble then fully turning and trudging back through the hole in the wall with a roar. Before I could move, another one appeared and quickly focused it's attention on me. Although this one was smaller, it still easily towered over me. I couldn't move, frozen even though everything in me was screaming to run. Soon the giant pokemon stood over me staring down with its hot breath causing my hair to flare out with every breath, I gulped as it just stared down at me and slowly got to my feet before attempting to scoot back slowly.
A definite growl from the Tyrantrum stopped me as I shook softly in fear, it wasn't uncommon for trainers to be found in the dens of pokemon, after all. Many were carnivores, and many live today with stories of escaping hungry pokemon with their lives but not all of their limbs. Seeing as this one seemed to be much larger than the average Tyrantrum but still noticeably smaller than the first one, I had no doubt it ruled this section of cave if not the section of cave systems alongside the larger one. Many didn't know that while pokemon were intelligent, base instincts in their natural habitat could be modeled after gangs, or perhaps gangs were modeled after them. I've read research reports about pokemon banding together under a powerful pokemon for protection or simply obeying them to live in a convenient area away from humanity, this was one such place it seemed.
I took a glance around the cave and most of the smaller pokemon were either hiding or cowering behind larger pokemon, the Metagross I had seen was sheltering the beldum and some bagon. The Thievul was nowhere to be found, and I caught the tail end of the nincada and hippowdown slipping into the rock surface.
I steadied my breathing and turned my attention to the large pokemon in front of me to see it start to back up slowly before letting out a gentle growl. I slowly bent down keeping my eyes on the pokemon as I picked up my Roto phone from where it had fallen and pressed the button for fly/follow and record mode, it beeped and zipped out of my hand into the air. I watched as I heard scrabbling and scraping before two small little Tyrunts bounded out of the hole that the Garchomp had flown through, the Tyrantrum growled before looking between me and the two brown pokemon. I bit my lip in worry as I slowly got the message, it wanted me to battle the Tyrunts for some reason.
I slowly nodded and reached down to my belt before pulling out Deci's Pokeball, I released her and she chirped happily upon seeing me then spun in fright and hid behind me staring up at the Tyrantrum. I chuckled softly before gently rubbing her head right between her ears, she slowly stopped shaking and I softly said "It's okay..I don't think we are in any trouble just yet..I think it wants us to battle the little ones there."
I pointed and she slowly walked out from behind me timidly, I nodded and released Spyra as well quickly explaining the situation again. They both nodded and I lifted Spyra up onto my shoulder and motioned for Deci to get ready to battle. The Tyrantrum huffed and I held my breath as a wave of nausea hit me from the smell, it smelled of raw meat and I didn't want to find out what kind. It leaned down and gently pushed one of the Tyrunt towards us. I nodded to Deci and we both got into battle stances as the Tyrunt let out a growl and began charging forward.