Episode 19: Diamonds in the Rough


After telling Grant goodbye, we departed the party and continued on to Connecting Cave. The one most glad to leave was Rouge. [I am so glad to be out of there and away from that noise! What are ya trying to do? Deafen us?]

[What's te matter with Rouge?] Erin wondered as Rouge continued to rant.

"Maybe when she evolved, she developed a noise sensitivity?" Trevor suggested as we walked into the lower entrance.

"Possibly..." Callum mused as he looked around at the dripping stalactites, the Zubats hanging overhead, and the jewels embedded in the cave walls.

Shauna, on the other hand, was excited about the jewels. "Wow! I didn't know all of these were here!"

Just then, a brown haired breeder saw us approaching in what little light there was from the cave entrance. "Oh, hi! On your way to Ambrette Town?"

"Yes...we hope to find out if the researchers there will help us solve a mystery for the professor." Callum replied, stifling a giggle at the Litleo batting at an Oddish's leaves. The Oddish, meanwhile, did not like the idea of the tiny cub Pokemon using its leaves as a toy, and darted away. This in turn spurred the Litleo to chase the Oddish even more and crash into a Pikachu, making her Berries scatter everywhere. [Hodan...now look what you've done!] she sighed as she darted about the floor picking up Berries.

The Oddish, meanwhile, ran into the breeder's arms. [Mercy, make them stop!] he pleaded.

"Hodan, come here." the girl replied. The Litleo trudged over to where his master, the Oddish, and a Ducklett were waiting--he clearly knew he was in trouble. "You know better than to treat Briar like a toy."

[But the way his leaves dance in the wind--it makes for a good chase!] the Litleo protested.

"I know you instinctively want to hunt things, but Briar doesn't find being prey fun." Mercy explained, gesturing to the sniffling Oddish in her arms. "He scares very easily, and when he finds he's prey, it only scares him even more."

She noticed the Pikachu sparking in annoyance. "I think you owe Nuala an apology too."

The Litleo decided to apologize to the Oddish first. [I'm sorry, Briar...I only wanted to play.]

[Well, next time, pick a game that doesn't involve chasing me.] Briar replied.

[And if you do play chase, please watch where you're going.] Nuala agreed.

[Don't worry, Hodan! You can chase me any time you want!] the Ducklett grinned as she flexed her wings.

"You can run and chase Teal all you want when we get back to the Daycare, okay?" Mercy replied before addressing us. "We spent the day mining gems in Glittering Cave today, and now my charges are all wound up..."

"I'm Callum..." Callum shook hands with Mercy. "and these are my friends Serena..." I waved hello. "Shauna..." Shauna waved before observing a sapphire in one of the cave walls. "Trevor..." Trevor shyly waved before observing Nuala hurrying back to Mercy's side. "and Tierno." Tierno grinned and waved hello."

"Nice to meet you all." Mercy smiled. "You're welcome to come to the Daycare any time you or your Pokemon need to rest, okay?"

"We'll keep that in mind." I replied before Mercy and her Pokemon started back on the main path."

"They're so sweet..." Shauna smiled as we emerged into the late afternoon sun.

Callum was about to reply when he heard the whistle of an arrow fly over his head. "Arrows..."

"Someone's practicing archery out here!" Trevor led the way around a corner of the cliffs, where a brown haired girl in the familiar navy blue shirt, red cloak and cape, and wide brimmed hat of a ranger readied another shot to go flying into the lower part of a target's bullseye, which would make a Leaf Stone pop free.

[Wow...] Kaitou gasped as the girl readied another arrow. [I've always wondered how a bow works...]

The bow itself is essentially a flexible arc. Zelda telepathically explained. A string joins the two ends of the bow, and when the string is drawn back, the ends of the bow are flexed. When the string is released, the potential energy of the flexed stick is transformed into the velocity of the arrow.

[Tank ye, Professor Zelda--tat was fascineting!] Erin smiled.

About then, the ranger noticed us. "Hello there! Are you all headed to Ambrette?"

"We are." I replied, all the while admiring the girl's bow. It looked like a recurve bow made from a high quality wood, painted silver. "Is this painted wood or something else?"

"It's actually painted fiberglass, made to look like wood." the ranger replied before it occurred to her she had not introduced herself. "My name's Amber...you guys look like the five trainers Sina told me to be watching for."

"Wait...you know Sina and Dexio?" Callum gasped.

"Yeah--we've been friends a long time." Amber replied as she set her bow aside and showed us some Pokedex data chips. "She told me to give you all these upgrade chips--since you're nearing the coast, this small upgrade will allow you to document Pokemon seen on the coast."

"Thanks!" Tierno wasted no time in putting in the upgrade chip.

"Yes, thank you!" Shauna smiled as she put in the upgrade chip.

"Will you take us down to Ambrette after you finish your target training?" Trevor asked as Callum helped him install his upgrade chip. "I-I don't feel comfortable walking down those steep cliffs."

"Sure...I'll even take you into Glittering Cave if you want to go gem mining." Amber smiled before taking one of the two Poke Balls clipped at her side. "I'll let Stormy, my Emolga, scout ahead for us so no one slips or gets separated."

With that, she heaved the Poke Ball skyward. "Let's hit the trail, Stormy!"

The Poke Ball opened with a pop, revealing a small white flying squirrel creature with a glowing yellow cape-like membrane and black fur on its head and tail. Emolga, the sky squirrel Pokemon. my Pokedex explained. They live on treetops and glide using the inside of a cape-like membrane while discharging electricity.

"Cool!" Tierno was impressed.

"Thankfully, Stormy will only discharge while gliding in battle, or lightly in caves to light the way." Amber assured us. "A skill you must teach an Emolga early if they want to be a scout Pokemon."

"Point noted if I get an Emolga." Callum smiled as he watched Stormy circle down the cliffs.

Amber led the way down the rocky path, I was next, then Callum. Tierno walked by Trevor's side, and Shauna brought up the rear, all making sure to stay were we could see the tiny Emolga as it glided down towards the rooftops of Ambrette Town in the distance...

To Be Continued...