Chapter 5: Rescue

Miru went deeper and deeper still, without any signs of the miners. Miru sighed and shook her head. “Maybe I should just head back..... See if the poke’mon found anything.....” She said to herself. She turned around and was ready to head back, but was startled by a  large boom that rattled the whole cave. Miru almost lost her footing, but managed to stay on her feet by holding on to the cave wall. Her eyes were wide and she looked around the cave, expecting it to collapse. “Another earthquake?” She asked aloud. As if to answer, there was a loud scream. “YOU IDIOT!” It screamed “YOU COULD HAVE BLOWN US ALL TO JOHTO!” He continued. Miru was confused and curious. She slunk towards the ground and moved forward slowly, continuing further down the tunnel. After around twenty feet where the tunnel widened out into a cavern. She looked around the corner to a sight that sent a chill up her spine. There had to be over twenty people inside and they had a lot of equipment that Miru didn’t recognize. She did know one thing. That she was in trouble. All of the people who were moving around were wearing strange blue jackets with a giant yellow “U” on their chests. Each one wore pure white boots and black pants. They looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. A man with bright, blonde hair and the same uniform coordinated everyone. He was yelling orders to everyone, who followed them without any hesitation. He pointed at something that made the hair on the back of Miru’s neck stand up.

It was a giant, white wall that was jutting out of the natural cave wall. In the middle of the unnatural wall was an engraved picture of an elegant creature that Miru couldn’t even begin to describe. It reminded Miru of a pure white horse, but much, much more beautiful. It’s feet came into points and there was a giant, half ring around each side near the center of it’s body. Miru stared at it for what seemed like minutes and then reached into her pocket and took out her poke’dex. She fumbled it open and pointed it at the wall. It took a few moments, but there was finally an entry. There was another engraving, but this one was muc more elegant and beautiful. The poke’dex read the entry aloud. “Arceus. The Alpha poke’mon. It is told in mythology that this Pokémon was born before the universe even existed and shaped the world itself.” Miru’s eyes widened and she looked back up at the wall. “Oh my god....” She said. She closed the poke’dex and then tried to slip it back into her pocket, but it slipped out of her hand. “Shit!” She yelled. In almost an instant, the man that was yelling before looked towards her and they locked eyes. He pointed at her and screamed. “GET HER!” A group of three ran after Miru. She stumbled to her feet and turned around, trying to get away. One reached to their belt and pulled out a poke’ball. “DUSTOX! USE STRING SHOT!” She yelled as she released the poke’ball from her hand. The poke’mon emerged. Miru looked back to see  a purple moth with green wings. It reared up and let loose a line of gray, sticky silk. Miru tried to run away, but was entangled by Dustox’s string shot. She tripped and hit the ground. She cursed underneath her breath and tried to get up, but couldn’t find her balance. She looked up at the three “Space people” Miru thought. She was brought to her feet. “Walk.” The woman who sicced the Dustox on her said.

Miru scowled. She spat in the woman’s face. “I call it payback for entangling me in your poke’mon’s throw up.” Miru said. She laughed aloud. The two men holding her scowled and went to do something, but the women raised a hand. She chuckled as well, surprising Miru. She wiped the spit off her face and pulled out a cloth from her pocket and wiped her hands clean. Without any warning, the woman wound up and punched Miru hard in the stomach. Miru’s eyes widened and all the air was rushed out of her lungs, making her cough sporadically. The woman laughed again. “Nighty night....” She said. Just as Miru began to lose consciousness, the man who seemed to be the boss walked near her and stood over her. He laughed and then shook his head. He motioned his head towards a giant, metal box. Everything went black, but Miru heard the man speak for the first time. She would never forget his words. “Put her with the rest. We’ll kill her and those meddling miners later...” The man said. And with that, she passed out.

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Poochyena’s ears perked up to the sound of the explosion. He stopped and looked back the way that they came. He looked to Kabuto. “You hear that?” Kabuto stopped and then turned around slowly. “No....... But I..... Felt it....” Kabuto said slowly. “Sounded like an explosion.” Poochyena said. “Felt.... Like an..... Explosion.” Kabuto said. Poochyena shook his head. “Come on!” Poochyena barked. He took off back the way they came, sure of himself that something was going on.

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Turtwig and Shieldon stopped dead in their tracks and looked all around. “Earthquake?” Turtwig asked. Shieldon shook his head. “Too loud.” He said. Turtwig was confused. “If it wasn’t an earthquake, what was it?” Shieldon chuckled. “Grant has an old saying. “When you hear hoof beats, think Ponyta, not Girafariag.” Shieldon said with another laugh. Turtwig nodded slowly. “In other words..... Keep it simple. If it sounded like an explosion......” Shieldon trailed off. “Then it was an explosion....” Turtwig finished. They turned around and headed back to the entrance.

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Lileep stopped, which made Vulpix stop as well. Vulpix sighed and shook her head. “Now what?” She said, annoyed. Lileep looked at Vulpix. “I felt something.....” Lileep said. “Is it utter annoyance? ‘Cause I am so feeling that right now.” Vulpix said. Lileep didn’t pay any mind to Vulpix. “It was a vibration. A strong one.” Vulpix looked at Lileep for a second. “Seriously?” Vulpix asked. “What do you think it was?” Lileep thought for a moment. “Can’t be an earthquake..... There are two vibrations.... This was only one.....” Vulpix thought for a moment. “I don’t like this......” She turned around and began to walk back they way that they came. Lileep watched for a moment. “Where are you going?” Lileep asked. Vulpix kept walking. “To find the others. Call it...... Women’s intuition....” Vulpix said. Vulpix continued forward and Lileep soon followed.

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In a few moments, all six poke’mon were together. They were all talking, wondering what was going on. Turtwig and Shieldon looked on, trying to get them organized. “Hey! Hey! Come on!” Turtwig yelled. They stopped talking and started to pay attention to the two trying to take control. Turtwig sighed. “Alright, tell me. What did you find?” Turtwig asked. They each told the same exact story. “Nothing.” They each said. Turtwig thought for a moment. “They only logical conclusion is, is that Miru stumbled apon something....” Turtwig said. “Something big.” Shieldon added. Turtwig nodded. “We head out. Down the tunnel Miru took.” Poochyena spoke up, answering a question that was on each of their minds. “What if we come across something dangerous? Like an enemy?” Poochyena asked. Turtwig answered quickly. “We do what we’re trained to do. Fight. We’re moving out.” He said. With that, they took the tunnel deeper, looking for any signs of life. Vulpix walked next to Poochyena. “What was that back there? Worried if we have to fight?” Vulpix asked. Poochyena shook his head. “I’m worried if you get in a fight.” He said. Vulpix scoffed and raised her head high. “I can take care of myself.” She said with much certainty. Poochyena shut his eyes and kept walking forward. “That’s what my sister said..... Before she drowned....” He said. Vulpix stopped for a moment, feeling insensitive. “I.....I’m sorry...” Vulpix stuttered out.

Poochyena looked towards Vulpix and smiled. “It’s not your fault.... Just.... Promise me you’ll be careful, okay?” He asked. Vulpix smiled and nodded. “Sure...” Vulpix said. The group fell silent. They were tense, ready for anything. After ten more feet, Turtwig saw something that made his blood run cold. He recognized it right away. Miru’s poke’dex, turtwig ran forward and looked at it. He turned to the others. “Miru wouldn’t leave this behind. No trainer leaves their poke’dex behind....” Turtwig said. Shield looked around the corner, just as Miru did. He looked for a moment and then turned to the others. “We have bigger problems.....” Shieldon said. All six poke’mon peered around the corner and looked. Poochyena growled under his breath. “Damnit.... These guys....” He said. They moved back and regrouped. Turtwig looked to the others. “What do we do from here?” He asked. Nobody talked for a while. Shieldon spoke up. “We need some sort of plan. I doubt we could take them all on.” Shieldon said.

The group fell silent again. After a while, a calm, slow voice spoke up. “Roark...... Told of stories..... People who fought...... Using strange tactics..... Known as...... Mankey warfare... You use.... Camouflage..... Trickery.... And ambush.... These people were able to..... Defeat more police officers.... and poke’mon trainers then anyone else..... Why don’t we..... Give it a try?” Kabuto asked. Each poke’mon looked at the others and then smiled. “Why not? Let’s do it!” Turtwig said. They looked into the cave. “What first?” Shieldon asked. Turtwig thought for a second and then it dawned on him. “Here’s what we do....” He said with a smile.

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Each poke’mon took positions. Shieldon was the first to act. He focused energy into his mouth and launched a ball of white life to the cave ceiling, hitting a cluster of stalactites, sending them raining down on everyone, making them scramble for cover. Vulpix was the next step. Vulpix fired a flamethrower towards a group of barrels with a giant flame on them. Oil. They were full of oil. The drums exploded, causing more chaos and more panic. Next on plate was Kabuto. Firing a water gun, Kabuto hit one of machines, sending it flying, destroying it as it hit the cave wall. There was screaming, orders not being followed, and overall panic. Now, it was for part two of the plan. That was up to Turtwig and Shieldon.

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Miru had woken up. Her arms were now free and she was in a giant, featureless white room. She managed to get to her feet. Her stomach where she was punched was killing her. She looked around to see a group of men looking at her. She stared for a second and then waved a bit. “Umm..... Hello?” She asked. They didn’t get up. “Who are you?” She asked. The men kept looking down. “I’m John. I’m one of the miners here..... And I have a bad feeling that you were sent here to come find us....” He said. She smiled, even though she was annoyed. “Ya....I was.... But I’m not alone. My poke’mon are right-“ She was about to say. “Not here with me... But they will be! They have to have heard that! They have to be wondering where I am!” She yelled. She sighed and then paced around the room a bit. She stopped for a moment and then looked at the group. “Which one of you here is Roark?” She asked. A miner with deep red hair, glasses, and dirty clothes that looked like what the others were wearing.

“That would be me. Why do you want to know?” He asked. Miru took a deep breath in. “I met your son. Grant? Well.... He sent me down here to find you and the miners. Now that I did....” She was saying. There were screams and the sounds of chaos from outside. Miru smiled. “And THAT..... Would be the cavalry....” She said. She smiled again and began banging on the door repeatedly. “In here!” She screamed. “We’re in here!” She yelled, pounding on the door. There was a loud, audible thud that startled her. She smiled, though. She knew just what was on the other side of that door.

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“They’re in here! I can feel it!” Turtwig yelled. He slammed into the door a few times. Shieldon was keeping watch. Even though they had caused so much chaos, they were unnoticed. With one mighty slam, Turtwig busted down the door off of it’s hinges. He looked up to see Miru looking down at him. Turtwig smiled and then jumped into Miru’s arms. She embraced Turtwig and praised him. “Oh, I knew you would come, my special, special Turtwig!” She looked outside and saw the carnage. “My very special, smart Turtwig who knows who to destroy a cult’s base!” She added. Shieldon walked in and looked at Roark. Roark stood up and smiled. “Shieldon! Now you’re a site for sore eyes!” Shieldon walked over to Roark and stood by his side. Miru watched this. “Well, now we got to get out of here. Follow me. The rest of the poke’mon are out there. We round them up, we get out of here. Let’s move!” She said. Roark stopped. “Wait.... They took my poke’mon. There is no way I’m leaving here without Carnidos!” He said. Miru smiled. “Didn’t plan to. Now.... Let’s go kick some ass!” She yelled. The miners all yelled in agreement. Roark smiled. “Let’s go.”

And with that, Miru, Roark, and all the miners attacked their confused captors. Miru looked to Roark. “Grant’s Kabuto and Lileep are here as well. Somewhere....” She said. Two grunts screamed and ran to attack Miru and Roark, catching them off guard. A pair of yellow tentacles came down from the ceiling and wrapped themselves around the grunts. Miru looked up and saw Lileep, hanging from the ceiling, looking down at them. “There’s Lileep..... But where’s -“ Miru was about to ask. A water gun hit both of the grunts and sent the flying into a wall. They hit the cave wall with a thud and passed out. Kabuto crawled out of the wood works and stood in front of Miru and Grant. Lileep fell from the ceiling and joined Kabuto’s side. “See?” Miru asked with a smile. She looked at the two. “Roark’s calling your shots. Now..... Where are my-“ She was about to ask when a grunt ran by screaming, with Poochyena biting his neck and Vulpix chewing on his neck. “Well..... This day is becoming convenient..... Well...” She said. She turned towards everyone. “Attack! Take them all down! Round them up, tie them up, and we’ll question them when we’ve caught them all.” Miru said. She heard a laugh behind her. “It’s going to be.... A little tougher then you think....” The voice said. Miru went cold. She turned around to look at the ring leader. Miru felt her blood boil. “Well, if it isn’t the star of this little comedy hour” Miru asked. The man laughed and drew a poke’ball. “And what does that make you? The but of the joke?” He asked with a smile. She looked towards Turtwig. “Come on, Turtwig! Let’s show him what we’re made of!” Miru yelled. The man scoffed. He threw the poke’ball without a word. A large, purple, scorpion like poke’mon formed in front of her. She didn’t recognize it and reached towards her pocket for her poke’dex, but didn’t find it. She was confused, but then soon remembered she dropped it. “Damnit.” She said. She felt something rubbing up against her leg. She looked down to see Vulpix rubbing her head up and down her leg, Miru’s poke’dex in her mouth.

Miru smiled and took it, scratching Vulpix’s head. “Good girl.” She said. She took the poke’dex and flipped it open. She aimed it at the purple poke’mon. In a few seconds, the poke’dex rattled off some information. “Drapion. Ogre Scorp Pokémon. It has the power in its clawed arms to make scrap of a car. The tips of its claws release poison.” Miru looked at it. “Well..... This is gonna suck....” She said. She realized what she said and then slapped her self. “Gotta stay positive!” She said. “Alright..... Turtwig! Razor leaf!” She yelled. Turtwig wound up and let loose a flurry of leaves towards Drapion. The man laughed under his breath. “Hold your ground.” He said. The razor leaf hit Drapion, but it just bounced right off. The man smiled. “Slash.” He said. Drapion cried out and scurried towards Turtwig, claws raised. Miru yelled. “Turtwig! Dod-“ She was about to say, when someone else yelled. “Cranidos! Zen Head but!” The voice yelled. A blue poke’mon, with a large, thick head, heavy legs, and short arms broadsided Drapion. The man scowled. Cranidos joined Turtwig’s side, just as Roark joined Miru’s. Roark smiled and gave thumbs up. Miru smiled. The man. “Use slash again! Code omega!” He yelled. Drapion ran again, claws bared, ready to strike. “Dodge it!” Miru yelled. “You too, Cranidos!” Roark yelled. Turtwig and Cranidos got out of the way, but Drapion kept running forward.

Roark didn’t know what to make of it, but Miru knew as Drapion got closer. She went to get out of the way, but saw that Roark wasn’t moving. “Move!” She yelled. Either he didn’t hear or he was frozen. Miru didn’t know. All she knew was that Roark wasn’t moving. Acting impulsively, Miru charged at Roark and pushed him out of the way, just as Drapion swung, getting the full brunt of the attack. She felt Drapion’s claws dig into her flesh. She hit the ground and put her arms to her right hand side and screamed in pain, drawing all attention to her. She laid there for a few seconds. Turtwig was horrified. Miru felt something warm and wet on her side. She brought up one of her hands and saw it slightly quivering, covered in blood. “That’s my blood.....” She thought. The world began to spin and she didn’t even know where her feet were. Her vision blacked, but her last sight was that of Turtwig, screaming at the top of his little lungs, hanging onto the back of Drapion, biting as hard as it could. Her field of vision shrunk as it was replaced with darkness. Her eyes shut and she slipped into the darkness that was sleep. Before she blacked out, she had one final thought. “Is this what death feels like?”

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“YOU BASTARD! I’LL KILL YOU!” Turtwig screamed in his own language. He put his teeth around Drapion’s skull and began to bite as hard as he could. Poochyena and Vulpix sniffed the air, smelling blood. They rushed to the source, only to be horrified. Roark had his hands on the side of Miru’s stomach, trying to hold the blood back. Poochyena looked towards Turtwig and saw what he was doing. He howled loudly and ran towards Drapion as fast as he could. He connected with Drapion and bit into it’s stomach, as hard as he could. “Come on! Come on! Don’t leave us!” Roark yelled. He thought frantically, trying to think of something. He looked around and looked at Vulpix. He thought for a second and then smiled a desperate smile. “You, my little fire breathing friend...... Are going to help in a great way.” He said. Vulpix cocked her head to one side, confused.

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Drapion was battered and bleeding. Turtwig and Poochyena were blood hungry. The man gritted his teeth and the looked around. His crew was captured, his equipment destroyed, and he had his back to the wall. “Drapion! Smokescreen!” He yelled. Drapion obeyed, spewing out a cloud of noxious gas, blinding everyone. Turtwig and Poochyena lost sight of them and tried to search, but everything was hidden in the cloud of smoke. The smoke cleared after a while, leaving a confused Turtwig and Poochyena and an injured Miru. They joined Roark, who was tying a bandage around Miru’s waist. He sighed heavily and sat down. He looked to the other two poke’mon and managed a weak smile. “She’s going to be okay..... We traded two giant gashes for two giant burn wounds....” He said. Turtwig and Poochyena looked at Vulpix. They exchanged words in their own language. “What did you do?” Turtwig asked. Vulpix sighed. “Roark called it..... Cauterizing. I basically burned the wounds, stopping the bleeding. We still need to get her to a hospital....” Vulpix said.

Roark stood up and yelled to the others. “I need some help carrying her, over here! We need to get out of here ASAP!” The miners obeyed and picked up Miru as carefully as they could. Two miners carried Miru, one holding onto her shoulders, the other holding onto her legs. The others carried bound members of the group that had captured them. Roark led the way out.

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Roark looked through hole and screamed in. “Hey! Is anyone out there?” It only took a few seconds, but Grant was there. “Dad! Oh thank god! You’re okay!” He looked around. “Where’s Miru? I want to thank her!” He said with a smile. Roark didn’t smile back, but talked in a stern voice. “We need to get through this stone. Now.” He said. The smile left Grant’s face. “Dad? What’s going on?” He asked. Roark sighed. “Get the dig team. Have them set up buttresses.” He said. Grant looked in frantically. “Grant, where’s Miru?!? Is she okay?!?” He asked. Roark’s face looked grim. “Grant..... I’m telling you as your father..... Get the dig team. Now.” He said. Grant’s heart sank, but he had to know. “Is she alive?” He asked. Roark sighed again. “She is..... For now....” He said. Grant’s eyes widened and he got up, running off to follow his Dad’s instructions. It had taken some time, but with the combined efforts of Grant and Roark, they managed to dig through the stone. Miru was carried out of the mine and being rushed off to the hospital.

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Miru laid on a hospital bed, wearing the standard issue gown. She had an oxygen mask on and she was hooked up to a monitor that measured her heart rate and other vital signs. She was still unconscious. Grant and Roark were sitting in chairs, waiting at her bedside. Turtwig, Poochyena, and Vulpix laid at the foot of her bed, trying to rest, but too worried for their trainer. A nurse walked in. Roark and Grant looked towards her and they both got up. The nurse sighed and then smiled. “She’s going to be just fine. The wounds have been sown up and the bleeding has stopped. The venom though..... We treated her for the Drapion venom, but it’s notorious for being difficult. We have to wait and -“ The nurse was saying. A loud groan startled them all. They rushed to her side, waiting for her to say something. Her poke’mon were all anxious, wanting some reassurance that she’s okay. Miru moaned again and then opened her eyes. She looked around. She looked down at her side and lifted the side of her bandage. She was confused. “I’m well done.....” She said weakly.... Grant couldn’t help it, but he began to chuckle. “She’s just fine....” He said. Turtwig smiled, tears in his eyes. Miru smiled and then scratched the side of Turtwig’s neck. “You did great...” She said. She looked over at Poochyena and patted his head. “You too....” She looked towards Vulpix and smiled. “You cooked me.” She said with a chuckle. “But I can see why..... Thank you....” She said. “All of you.” She said looking at her poke’mon and then at the others. The nurse smiled and then looked towards Grant and Roark.

“I can see you’re happy, but I’m sure she’s tired..... Visiting hours are almost over as well.” She said. Grant nodded and then looked back at Miru and smiled. He didn’t say anything and tried to walk away. “Wait...” Miru said. Grant stopped and then turned around. He stood near her bedside and waited. She smiled and looked up at Grant. “Miru do good?” She asked. Grant chuckled and blinked back tears. “Miru do good....” He said. Grant took a deep breath in. “I.... I heard what you did..... How you saved my Dad.....” He said. Miru was still looking up at him. “You know..... I have the feeling that if I didn’t meet you..... He wouldn’t be alive today....” He said. Miru smiled. “I’m just your everyday super hero. Saving the world, one flesh wound at a time.” She said with a smile. Grant laughed again. “Well.... I’ll leave you..... Listen.... I said I’d treat you to a nice dinner. I’m going to. Once you get back on your feet.” He said. Miru smiled. “I’d like that. Hospital food sucks.” She said. Grant sighed. “While you were in the operating room...... I managed to get a hold of your parents....” Grant said. Miru sighed and looked down at her hand. She just realized she had an IV in it and sighed. “How did you get my parent’s number?” She asked. Grant chuckled. “Well... I looked through your backpack and found it when I looked at the tag. It was part of the information on the tag you filled in to let people know who’s pack it was.” Grant said. Miru shook her head. “It was just too tempting to fill it out.” She said. Miru was about to say something else, but stopped as she watched two people walk into her room. It was a man and a woman.

The man was just a head taller then the woman. The man wore causal clothes that were dirty, as if he had stopped doing some sort of yard work abruptly. He had deep, dark brown hair and his eyes were behind a pair of glasses. The woman had long, black hair and wore a yellow dress that went down to her ankles. Miru went to get up. “Mom. Dad.” She said. The mother started to weep uncontrollably and ran to meet her daughter and wrapped her hands around her and brought her closer to her. Miru’s Dad blinked back tears and stood near Roark. “From..... From... From what your son said..... Miru was hurt saving your life....” He said. Roark nodded. “Yes..... I’m so sorry for what has happened. This is my fault. And I won’t rest until I see who has done this pay for what they did.” He said. Miru’s dad met eyes with Roark. “I promise.” He said. Roark left, with Grant close behind.

Miru was left to talk with her parents. “Well.... Here I am.” Miru said. She pointed at her poke’mon. “You already know Turtwig.” She said. “This is Poochyena.” She said. Poochyena barked aloud. “And this is Vulpix.” She said. Vulpix cried out, getting their attention. They talked for a while, but Miru’s parents left her after the nurse told her that visiting hours were now over. Miru asked if her poke’mon could stay with her, and the nurse agreed. Turtwig curled up underneath Miru’s right arm, Poochyena laid in her lap, and Vulpix was near Miru’s feet. Miru drifted off to sleep, tired from a day that she would never forget in her whole life.