Pokemon Moonlight Silver (COMPLETE!!!)

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 51: Forest Grumps (part 2)

As the sun rose on the forest the next morning, Misty woke up to find Ethan was gone. "Ethan?" she called as she scrambled from her sleeping bag. "Ethan! Where'd you go?"

"Over here!" she heard Ethan call back as he returned to the campsite on the hill. "I did some scouting for a route we could take, and found another road nearby a cave. However, we'll have to climb down the cliffs to reach the cave..."

"Oh boy...you sure you know what you're doing?" Misty asked.

"If I can climb in caves and ruins, I can climb on outdoor cliffs." Ethan assured Misty as the two of them shared an uneasy breakfast. "You don't have to worry--you'll have a safety tether on the whole time, so if you do slip or lose your footing, you won't fall into oblivion."

"That makes me feel a little better, but still nervous." Misty confessed.

"And I'll be spotting you, so you'll know where the good footholds are." Ethan went on as he showed Misty a map of the cliffs, marked with possible safe routes they could take to reach the cave. "So, which route do you want to take?"

"The short one, in blue." Misty offered, pointing out the route on the map.

"Okay...let's clean up and get going before more Ursarings find us." Ethan suggested as the group threw away their trash in a Pokemon-proof sanitation box.

"Yes, lets." Misty agreed. "The sooner we find everyone, the better."

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"Misty!" Lyra called into the trees. Brock whistled a few times before Lyra called again. "Misty, where'd you go?"

A growl got her attention. "Uh oh..."

She gasped when she saw an angry Ursaring lumbering in her direction, and reached for the two Poke Balls at her side. "Hana, Saphir, let's go!"

A sick feeling welled up in Brock's stomach. I can't lace an arrow with Repel and warn the Ursaring away, but at the same time, I don't think a Chikorita and a Marill will be able to do much of anything against an Ursaring...

He reached for a Poke Ball. "Argent, I need your help!"

[What is it?] Argent asked as he materialized on the road, making the Ursaring approaching them look like a Teddiursa in comparison.

"May I induce you to keep this Ursaring at bay, and protect Lyra?" Brock asked, aware of the frightened look on Lyra's face.

[Sure...I will not stand to see a lady in peril.] Argent smiled.

With that, Brock held his Mega Ring to the sky. Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...

Lyra watched in awe as a green flash lit up the sky and engulfed the Steelix towering over her in light. Amazing--Brock can use the legendary power of Mega Evolution!

When Argent emerged from the light as Mega Steelix, Brock commanded. "Okay, Argent, Tackle the Ursaring!"

[HAAAAAAAAAHHH!] Argent roared as he slammed into the Ursaring, sending it flying backwards in a burst of rainbow light.

Lyra watched as the Ursaring charged at the Mega Steelix. "Hana, give Argent a hand with Razor Leaf!"

[Got it!] Hana replied as she sprayed the sickle shaped leaves at their opponent, making them gain a rainbow aura thanks to Argent's Mega Evolution, before slicing into the Ursaring's chest with another rainbow burst.

Brock swallowed hard as more Ursarings arrived to avenge the one the two of them had wounded. "I think we need to go...Argent, return!"

"Hana, Saphir, return!" Lyra recalled her own team and followed Brock down a hill, the Ursaring in hot pursuit.

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"Almost there..." Ethan coaxed Misty as she stepped from the cliff to solid ground. "There...you made it."

"That actually wasn't so bad." Misty admitted as Ethan took off her safety tether. "But the next question is, where do we look for everyone?"

A growl startled her. "Not again!" she screamed as she and Ethan dashed off down the path.

The rest of the forest seemed to pass by in a blur to Misty as she worked to keep Ethan in view. But as the two of them reached the top of a hill, they could see Ash, Trintri and Kamon not far behind them, and Brock and Lyra approaching from the other way! "You guys! We're here!" she called.

"Misty! Brock!" Ash hurried to hug his companions. "I wondered where you guys went!"

"Lyra!" Ethan was equally happy to see Lyra. "I missed you!"

"It's cool we're all back together, but shouldn't we be running from the beam-bears?" Kamon asked, reminding the others of the angry Ursarings approaching.

"This way!" Ash motioned for the others to follow him down a second path in the road.

Before long, the group had ran down a winding forest path and all the way to a rickety old wooden bridge. "Oh great--this thing's gonna break as soon as we get halfway!" Misty sighed.

"Just like in all those adventure movies I watched as a kid..." Brock was equally annoyed as the rickety bridge started to buckle underneath him.

"Well, if we're gonna prevent ourselves from being TV tropes, let's go!" Kamon called.

The group hurried across the bridge as fast as they could go, but an Ursaring used Slash on one end of the bridge, making the left half fall into a river far below, and the right half, with the others slam against a cliff. Ash was still holding the wooden planks, holding everyone up.

"Argent, help us out!" Brock called, allowing the Mega Steelix to pull the bridge up high enough to reach the path.

[Okay...I have the bridge stabilized, but I can't hold it up and save you guys too.] Argent reported.

"Hana, help me!" Lyra called as she summoned her Chikorita.

Ethan gingerly retrieved one of his Poke Balls. "Ellie, I need your help!"

[Talk about a cliffhanger...] the Phanpy noted.

[Ellie...I'm gonna use Vine Whip to pull up the ropes, so can you use your trunk for the others to hold onto?] Hana asked as she fashioned the ropes and her vines into a makeshift pulley.

[Okay!] Ellie replied before offering her trunk to Ash. [Grab on, and don't let go!]

The Mega Steelix and the Chikorita worked frantically to get their masters back onto safe ground, but relieved cheers filled the air some hours later, when the group was back on safe ground again.

"I don't want to be hanging on for dear life any more!" Misty nervously giggled.

"Me neither...I'll leave that to movie stuntmen." Brock agreed.

A smile formed on Kamon's face. "You know, Wonder Boy...you're actually not that bad to be with. I'd come listen to another whistle solo anytime."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled before he realized Kamon was hurrying off down the road. "But what about...our..battle..."

A sign at the forest edge got his attention. "Hm...Warning, it is currently the Ursaring mating season and they are using this area as their breeding grounds. Do not disturb them if it's the last thing you do, because if you do, it just may be."

He facepalmed. "NOW you tell us..." he groaned as everyone laughed, relieved that their crazy adventure had ended well...

To Be Continued...