Route 5 - The Windy Valley
The wind blew cold across the twilight sky outside the Windy Valley Mine entrance. Trey Barnes stood weary but ready as he called out to his rival.
"Hey Trey, took you long enough" came a resigned reply.
"You know why I came looking for you, right?"
"You can't stand losing?"
"You're damn right... wait. No!" He stuttered, too tired to pay attention. "You and me have a score to settle!"
"No, Trey, you have a score to settle! I really couldn't care less." he turned his back on this fellow graduate and started to walk away.
"Get back here, you fucking coward!" Trey screamed over the rushing wind. "I challenge you to a battle!"
Finn froze in his step. He'd never turned down a direct challenge from an opponent, but they had all been through a lot today, and Trey and his pokemon looked tired as well. He sighed again, not even turning back to face his challenger. "Fine. If that's what you want. But we're not doing this here and we're not doing this tonight. If you want to battle me so bad, you can have one. Tomorrow morning 9am. Yes or no?"
Trey stopped himself from challenging Finn's delaying of their battle. He and his pokemon were tired too from fighting to catch up to his opponent. A battle in the morning would mean his team could go in at full strength. "Okay, I can wait till the morning, but I don't trust you Drayton. Where you go, I go!"
"For the love of Arceus!" Finn muttered under his breath. What was this guy's problem? "Do what you want Trey. We're going to find somewhere to set up camp. We're not running anywhere." He walked away from his challenger, catching up to Ember and Poppy, before leaving Trey to make his mind up.
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Undisclosed location
Professor Douglas Fir slipped back into consciousness as if emerging from a warm bath. Momentary confusion overtook his features as he tried to work out where he was. Sharp pains in his extremities reminded him of his restraints as the realisation of his situation hit him like a freight train. He thrashed his limbs sharply to test his restraints, but stopped when he felt no give at all. Escape was seemingly impossible.
He looked around the darkened room to see if there had been any changes from before he succumbed to sleep but couldn't see anything different. The red light that surrounded the mirror was still the only illumination in the room. but even that wasn't strong enough to light up the whole room. There were still dark areas of shadow around the edges of the room that could contain anything or anyone.
The clunk of a lock turning snapped Doug out of his reverie. Someone was coming. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back to the mattress in order try and pretend to be asleep. As a result, he didn't see the young blue haired girl carefully sneak into the room and close the door behind her. He didn't see her face flushed with worry and concern, and better still, he didn't see her open palm rush at his cheek as she slapped him. Despite the shock of being struck, he didn't react and kept up his ruse.
"Professor, I know you're awake. I've been watching in the observation room." she stated.
He turned his head to face her and opened his eyes, surprised by her youth. "I don't know what you think I know, but for the 100th time, I don't know anything more about the Arceus-damned Psydrake!" he grumbled.
"I don't believe you, but I'm not here for that."
Doug heard a series of metallic clinks coming from one of his restraints before it fell away from his wrist. He yanked his hand away cuddled it into his chest. Before long, all four restraints had been removed and Doug reflexively curled himself up into a ball.
"Professor, we don't have time for this. We need to go!"
"Go? Go where? Who are you?" he stammered.
"My name is Maggie and I'm here to get you out."
"I don't know anyone called Maggie. Why would you help me?"
"Lets just say we have some friends in common. Listen, we have about 10 minutes to get out of here before your girlfriend comes back with Arceus knows what to try and get the truth out of you. You do not want to be here when that happens!" she threw some clothes at the mostly naked professor. "Put these on, lets go!"
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Route 5, Windy Valley
Conversation around the campfire was subdued tonight as the trio ate their evening meal before retiring to their tents. Partially because they were all tired from their exertions today, but mostly for the six foot two inch, shaved headed interloper that decided to invite himself to share their campfire.
Finn and Trey had been competing in a staring contest from the moment that Trey sat down and neither was backing down. Ember and Poppy simply looked at each other and shrugged, deciding to have their own conversation instead.
"So, what are you going to do with your prizes?" Poppy asked.
"Funny you should ask, I had something in mind actually" Ember replied as she reached into her bag and brought out the cylinder and the Old Amber. Removing the Amber from the rag that it was wrapped in, she was immediately entranced by the firelight that danced through it. "I thought to myself that I got a couple of things from the cave, Finn got a couple of things from the cave, but you received nothing to show for your efforts when you didn't even want to go in in the first place." She said as she picked up the incubator in one hand and the Amber in the other and turned to Poppy. "So, I'd like you to have one of these."
Poppy was stunned, even Finn broke off his stare to look over at Ember like she was mad. "Woah, Ember, I couldn't do that. You and Finn deserve all of that, I did nothing."
"Rubbish, you pulled me through that hole and stopped Finn from being crushed going after his satchel. I'd say you've more than earned it. What do you think, Finn?"
"Absolutely, that's so sweet Ember, but don't you need to catch pokemon as part of your challenge? Should you really be giving away a guaranteed pokemon when the other cadets are already ahead of you?"
"Yep, my mind is made up. Plus, think of this as a reward for helping Gru back in Bolderton. Without you two, I'd be ruined and penniless. Pick one! Please?"
"You're absolutely sure?"
"Yes! Pick one!"