Pokémon: Nemesis [PG-13]

[Kentucky Fried Torchic]

Chapter Seven
We made our way over to the Graveler who hardly seemed thrilled about being woken up from his stupor. He was already in the middle of a conversation with his guards, alternating between speaking with the force of authority and grabbing his lumpy head in a vain attempt to fend off a headache.

“I’m the reason why those three Pokémon are here. They’re after me,” Mew said.

Stoneheart’s eyes narrowed at this news. “How did you know about these three intruders?”

My companion was silent, so I stepped in. “The great and powerful Mew has her ways,” I said.

“Enough!” Stoneheart roared. He then focused his ire on Mew. “Control your servant or my warriors will control him for you. Now what do you mean that they are after you?”

My fur bristled at being called a servant again, but I held my tongue and let Mew respond to his question. “This trio has been following me for many weeks, seeking to destroy me,” she said. “They have followed me across oceans, forests, and now even mountains have failed to deter their dark aims. The two of us wanted to warn you. You and your warriors are mighty, but these three Pokémon are powerful, and we are eager to offer our assistance in fighting them off.”

“What?” I whispered to Mew, but she maintained eye contact with Stoneheart. To these two, my concerns were insignificant. I could make a fuss, interrupt their conversation, or even just walk away, but I knew that I wouldn’t. Even if I silently argued that it was for Mew’s sake, it didn’t remedy the sour taste in my mouth. Instead, I stood there and listened, unable to stop from hating myself for doing so.

“Thank you, noble Mew,” the Rock-type said, “for your generous offer. But your assistance is not needed in this fight. Go. My warriors and I will be more than able to halt your persecutors.”

Mew looked as if she was about to protest, but before I could intervene she swallowed her words down. “Thank you, Stoneheart. You are truly a brave leader for these mountains.”

The Graveler smiled at this compliment, but his face quickly returned to its stony façade as he turned to his guards. “You, Pebblethrow! Take the Mew and her servant to the tunnels and see to it that they make it out safely.”

The Geodude being addressed saluted sharply and began loping toward one of the cavern’s walls, swinging his body forward by using his powerful arms as leverage. With a shrug, we followed him to a huge boulder. The Rock-type Pokémon grabbed the sides of the boulder and, with only a few grunts of exertion, pulled it a few feet in a tremendous display of strength, revealing a small tunnel. It was far darker than the cavern we were in, and I was loathe to leave the faint but present light generated by the mushrooms in the cavern, but it looked like we had no choice. Mew looked like she had her own qualms about squeezing into a tight recess where she may not be able to levitate.

Before either of us could voice our concerns though, a clamor rose up among the Geodude as one of them came bustling into the cavern crying, “They’re coming, they’re coming!”

“Go,” Pebblethrow said, and we complied. I let Mew go first, then followed after, giving my yellow paws one last look before they were engulfed by darkness. Once we were in, Pebblethrow followed us, and with a groan, dragged the huge rock back over the entrance of our exit, leaving only a small sliver uncovered. Immediately, all three of us rushed to press up against one another to watch the events going on within the cavern. After some initial jostling and complaints, we managed to get in a relatively comfortable position to watch the cavern.

We didn’t have to wait long. The three Pokémon that I had encountered in the Viridian Forest were just as large as I had remembered them, and the soft green light of the cave’s fungus lit them in a fit of shadows. The Hitmonchan wore a soft gambler’s smile, but his companions looked bored. The Snorlax even let out a loud yawn. In contrast to the respect that Mew had showed Stoneheart, this trio waited for the leader of the Geodude to come to them.

“Welcome to the domain of Stoneheart, Lord of the Moon Stone,” the Graveler said. “What brings you into my mountain?” His Geodude honor guard formed up behind him, glaring at those trespassing on their domain.

“I am Blackjack, and these are my co-workers, Scimitar and Club,” the tan Pokémon said, gesturing to his two companions. “We have tracked Mew to this cave. Tell us where she is.”

The Rock-type Pokémon gave the best incredulous look his craggy face could manage. “The legendary Pokémon?”

“The same.”

“I’m sorry,” Stoneheart said, spreading his four arms out, “but we have never encountered her in all of our years dwelling in these mountains.”

“Why is this place such a dump?” Scimitar spat, kicking at one of the stone platters from the previous night’s festivities lightly.

“Good question,” her Fighting-type ally said. “What happened here?”

“We had a feast last night, commemorating the full moon by honoring the Moon Stone.”

“I thought that the full moon wasn’t for a few more days,” Mew said with a whisper.

“Exactly. He’s lying to them,” I hissed back.

“Oh!”

I rolled my eyes as best I could being pressed up against a huge rock. “Now be quiet!”

“Did we really miss a feast, Blackjack?” Club the Snorlax muttered in a low, rumbling voice.

The Hitmonchan ignored him. “You’re sure that you haven’t seen Mew?”

“Yes,” Stoneheart said curtly.

“Hmm, interesting,” Blackjack said, shifting his gaze over the Graveler’s shoulder. “How many Geodude warriors do you have with you?”

The large Rock-type quickly glanced behind him, before stating confidently, “Eleven.”

“Funny,” the taller Pokémon said, beginning to walk around the Graveler, “it appears to me that they’re lined up in three columns of four, with a gap at the end of the second row. It seems like your soldiers are well-trained, but to leave such a gap, it makes me wonder where your twelfth Geodude is.”

“He was watching you come in,” the gray Pokémon said, a small tremble entering his voice.

“That’s a lie! That’s the one that was spying on us right there!” Scimitar said, gesturing at a Geodude in the first row with her scythe.

Blackjack gave the Graveler a grin. “Looks like the jig is up. Tell us where Mew is or die.”

With that, the cavern spiraled into violence as Stoneheart leapt at the trio of intruders. There was a quick flash of violence, a red blur, but when the dust cleared after these frantic seconds, one of the Hitmonchan’s fists was lodged where the top-left corner of the Graveler’s head had once been. The Rock-type stood stunned, the missing chunk making him look like a macabre piece of modern art. He glanced at our hiding spot, grimaced, and then yelled, “Attack!”

As one, the Geodude sprang into action, swinging wildly at the three enemy Pokémon with their fists and attempting to outright ram them. There was no finesse or strategy, just a mob of angry Pokémon trying to carry out their leader’s order. Stoneheart himself attempted to clobber the Pokémon, but his wild assault was hampered by the blood flowing over his eyes and by the sheer amount of skill shown by the trio of Blackjack, Scimitar, and Club. The trio deflected and intercepted attacks that came at that, coalescing into a mass then spreading out again to strike as the moment was fit. They made an incredibly well-balanced team, each member covering the weak points of the others and routing the rabble of Geodude.

Seeing how his leader and tribesmen were failing, Pebblethrow pushed the boulder aside and rushed into the battle.

“He left us,” I whispered harshly, pressing Mew and myself up against the shadow still cast by the disturbed rock. “He was supposed to be our guide out of this place!”

“He’s trying to turn the tide of the battle,” the pink Pokémon responded in soothing tones. No sooner were the words out of her mouth that Pebblethrow leaped at Blackjack only to receive a devastating blow from the Hitmonchan’s boxing glove. The crimson fist dented the Geodude’s skull, sending the gung-ho Rock-type to the ground, sprawled out as his blood joined Stoneheart’s other soldiers in painting the cave floor.

At that point, there was no choice left. “We have to go,” I said, grabbing Mew’s arm and pulling her into the cave. She looked reluctant to leave the tribe behind, but she remained silent and floated after me. The light emitted from the cavern’s fungus gradually faded as we made our way deeper and deeper into the tunnels. I had no idea where we were headed or where we were going, I just knew that we had to get away from the carnage that we had been witnessing. If Pokémon literally composed of rocks were not able to stand up to those three Pokémon that were chasing Mew, what chance did fleshy constructs like us have?

The openings grew narrower and narrower, but we pressed on. The sounds of battle faded, leaving just the sounds of my and Mew’s breathing. She was the one to break the silence. “What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know, just give me a second to think.”

Suddenly, a voice echoed down the network of tunnels, being amplified by the constant bouncing and reinforcement of the system of passageways. “Mew! We’re coming for you!” It was Blackjack. He must have saw the hole partly uncovered by the boulder Pebblethrow had moved.

“They can’t follow us in here, right?” Mew asked warily.

“I doubt it, especially with that fat Snorlax on their side.” Before I could assuage her fears about our safety, a sudden orange light lit up the tunnel we had just turned out of. I tugged my psychic companion close to me and away from the opening just before a huge gout of flame surged past it. The Zubat that had survived were flapping around, screeching wildly. “That would be the Snorlax,” I said with a grimace.

“So what’s their plan, try and burn us out?”

“I don’t think so,” I said, lighting up my cheeks with a small surge of electricity. Just as I had feared, the soft yellow glow revealed that the rocks in the path of the fire attack were dripping. “They’re going to burn us to death or melt big enough holes for them to crawl through.”

Mew grimaced at the sight as well. “What are we going to do?”

I looked around the cave, trying to think. My light had begun to irritate the Zubat who had not been roasted alive, and their constantly shuffling wings and shrieks were not making it easy to concentrate. If only there was some way to get rid of these Zubat, I thought. That’s when it hit me. I let more electricity surge through my cheeks, feeling the warmth fill them and the sparks dancing around my face.

“What are you doing?”

“Stand back,” I said, and then let loose with a sharp jolt of electricity at the center of a flock of Zubat. The blast had the desired effect. None of the Zubat were seriously hurt, but they were panicked and began flying away from the crazy Pikachu who was attacking them. “Follow them!” I yelled as another orange light began to light up the tunnel behind us.

“What?” Mew yelled.

“The Zubat have to know a way out of the cave!” As realization dawned in her blue eyes, the pink Pokémon began to float after the fleeing Pokémon, while I followed on my paws, ignoring the scratches and scrapes that occurred as my paws hit the rocky floor. The Zubat were fast, but they paused often to rest, thinking themselves out of danger. I changed their minds with more surges of electricity and we continued our ascent, trying to push the Pokémon behind us out of mind.