Chapter 8 - Uphold
Panoramic_Vacuum
Hoenn around
- Partners
-
Ch. 8 – Steven runs into some old friends and unexpected adventures along his unconventional way to Route 113...
Chapter 8 - Uphold
Pokemon Trainer's Handbook Tip #14: Trainers are encouraged to stick to League sanctioned Routes to travel the region. These Routes are patrolled by Pokemon Rangers to ensure the safety and security of all trainers. If you are considering leaving the marked Routes for any reason, exercise the utmost caution…
Mercifully, as Steven and his team of refreshed and rejuvenated pokemon left Lilycove City, the weather of Route 120 had taken a turn for the better. Any thoughts of the miserable night on their way into Lilycove were banished by the white puffy clouds that lazily drifted overhead. Their journey back to Fortree City was a dry one, and Steven was all too happy to stow his new rain jacket at the bottom of his pack. Leaning against Lairon's armored side in the shade of a large tree just outside the city, he silently watched the rest of his team bask in the pools of sun that filtered down through the forest's canopy.
After claiming victory over several of the trainers that gathered eagerly in the unseasonably clear weather, Steven was able to witness his very first pokemon evolution. Aron wasn't the first pokemon to evolve on his team; Metang's evolution occurred in the nick of time as they were exploring the desert ruins of Route 111. But he was hardly able to watch his starter's evolution since at the time he was tumbling head over heels towards a sinkhole. The memory never failed to spark a small pang of guilt in Steven's gut. But just like sunshine had done with the memories of Route 120, the guilt was quickly buried by the thrill of seeing the bright light of Aron's transformation.
Steven wasn't the only one who had shared in the excitement of Lairon's new form either. Lileep practically squealed with joy when Lairon lowered his head and scooped her up onto his back for a brand new perspective of the Route. Not to be outdone, Anorith chattered for a lift, and Metang was happy to oblige, hovering low so Anorith could scramble up and offer its own congratulations at a new vantage point too. Rolling its eyes at the two younger pokemon's antics, Metang leveled its gaze to Lairon and Steven swore he could feel the silent pulse of respect shared between the two evolved teammates.
But things had since calmed down, although Lileep was still reluctant to give up her post, now curled contentedly at the nape of Lairon's neck. Taking advantage of the momentary quiet, Steven pulled out the map he purchased to replace his busted PokeNav. Alert to the sound of crinkling paper, Anorith skittered up onto Steven's shoulder to peer down at the offending document.
"Hey there," Steven said as he reached up to absentmindedly give Anorith a scratch, "Want to help me figure out where we're going from here?" His other hand tapped Fortree on the map.
Anorith chirped an inquisitive noise just loud enough to catch Metang's attention, and the steel type hovered over to see what its trainer was up to.
"Our goal is to get here," Steven's finger landed on Route 113, just outside of Fallarbor Town. "That's where Winona said we could find wild Skarmory. The catch is, we'll need to either go all the way around here," he traced a meandering line down through Route 111, across Mauville and Route 118, and up Route 119 to their current location. "Or we can cut through this way…" his voice trailed off after slicing a line across the unmarked extents of the map that lay directly between Fortree and Route 113, and Metang hummed thoughtfully.
"So, do we go the long, safe way? Or do we go the short, unexplored route?" he asked with a quirked brow as he eyed the sharp elevation lines of the mountain ridge that separated forest from desert.
A huff of air from behind told him Lairon was now interested, and he tilted his head back to see Lileep's two yellow eyes peering down. He couldn't hide a grin when Lairon rumbled knowingly and Metang echoed a cry of its own in confirmation. Steven couldn't resist the call of adventure, and he folded the map with finality.
"The short path it is!"
After traversing the river that skirted the western edge of Route 119, Steven found himself facing the dense forests on the opposite side. Although Route 119 could hardly be called manicured, the tall grass that covered the Route was simple to cross when compared to the thick underbrush of these woods. Lairon didn't even make it a few yards past the treeline before he got stuck, and poor Lileep stumbled and tripped over the snarl of roots on the forest floor. Even Metang had difficulty weaving its way through the tangling bushes and shrubs. With much reluctance, Steven had recalled them to their pokeballs, leaving only the nimble Anorith to help Steven cut his way through the untouched forest.
The hike was slow going, even with Anorith's assistance, and it took the rest of the day to reach the base of the mountains. As rocky outcroppings began to push the thick tree trunks aside, a heavy shadow fell over the thinning forest. The setting sun was rapidly swallowed by the imposing cliffs that blocked their route. Pushing on through the growing darkness, Steven was thankful to find a decently sized clearing in the trees near the base of the mountains. Setting up camp for the night here would allow him to tackle the daunting vertical ascent first thing in the morning, provided he couldn't locate a cave that would cut through the range rather than over it.
With the mild weather holding steady, Steven opted to forgo his tent and sleep under the stars with his pokemon that night. The clearing he had chosen for camp was quite spacious and gave Lairon plenty of room to finally stretch outside of its pokeball. Ringed with trees on one side and flanked by the steep mountain walls on the other, the natural barriers meant that the wind only rustled gently through the treetops, leaving the night sky as a neatly framed window that peeked through tall, leafy silhouettes.
Tucking both arms behind his head with a sigh, Steven marveled at the stars that burned brightly overhead. He missed this view for the past month. The normally overcast skies around Fortree and the omnipresent electric lights of Lilycove meant he hadn't had an unobstructed view of the heavens for quite some time.
A sleepy snort from Lairon told him his team was far less enthused by the natural splendor, and he grinned as he felt his own eyelids grow heavy.
Steven wasn't sure which sound jolted him from his slumber first; Anorith's distressed trills or the terrifyingly loud roar that came from overhead. All he knew is that when his eyes snapped open, the clearing around them was lit up in an unsettling amber light.
"What's happening?"
But in the glowing ambience, Steven could see the look of confusion and terror was shared amongst all of his pokemon. As he and his team huddled close, alert with nervous energy, the roaring overhead increased immeasurably. The light became a striking golden color and a bright flash ripped through the night, drawing five pairs of eyes skyward.
A brilliant fireball streaked overhead trailing a blazing orange tail behind it. Sharp shadows danced across the clearing as it flew by before vanishing behind the shadow of the cliff above. The sky still held an eerie glow as Steven and his pokemon sat in stunned silence at what they had just witnessed.
Steven opened his mouth to speak when sky exploded with light once again accompanied by the ground shaking fiercely beneath their feet.
For all his trips to Meteor Falls, he had never once witnessed a meteor strike in person. But even as he sat shaking in awe of its terrifying power, he couldn't help but marvel at just how close they had been to such a rare event.
Adrenaline fading, he gathered Anorith and Lileep reassuringly in his arms before sidling up to Lairon with his pillow. Despite the rude awakening, with Metang settling in at his feet, Steven eventually slipped into a peaceful slumber.
Even with a late start the next morning, it was barely past noon when Steven found himself beginning his descent on the opposite side of the mountain range.
Face locked in concentration, Steven felt a trickle of sweat slide down his neck as he shifted his grip on the cliff. Cautiously shimmying along the crumbling ledge, he held his breath as he eased his hand down to a new outcropping. For someone who typically preferred "under and through", he wasn't doing too badly with the "up and over" approach. Satisfied with his hold, he let go with his other hand and used the momentum of his swing to drop onto the nearby outcropping. Exhaling in relief, he dumped his pack to the ground with a smile and laid flat on his back, breathing hard.
"I don't think we would have made such good time going up if the desert was on the other side of the mountains. This sunlight is hot!"
Fanning himself with his hand, Steven sat up and surveyed the landscape below. The desert stretched out for miles to the south and most of it was blanketed by a fierce sandstorm . But looking north at where they had crossed over the mountains, the sand faded away into rocky foothills. That region of the desert would be the safest place to descend, since where Steven sat now overlooked sheer cliff side that would be impossible to scale without proper climbing gear.
Looking closer at the rust colored rocks below, some movement caught Steven's eye. Raising a hand to shield against the bright sunlight, he squinted in an effort to see if the figures he spotted were indeed real, or just the shimmering heat playing tricks on him. As he peered closer, he was sure; there definitely was something or someone down there. Several large shapes sat gray and unmoving, while multiple individuals scurried in and around them wearing some sort of red color that nearly matched the ruddy ground of the foothills. There weren't any visible markings or insignias that he could see, and he wondered who or what the mysterious group could be.
As he pondered the possibilities, Steven became acutely aware that the sweat on his brow hadn't vanished since he stopped for a breather. The unimpeded desert sun was just too intense at this elevation.
"It's time to get off this cliff," he muttered as he wiped at the perspiration that threatened to roll into his eyes.
Fumbling at his belt, he pulled out Metang's pokeball. Steven shifted to make some room at the front of the ledge before releasing his partner.
Metang materialized with a short cry, and Steven leaned over his partner to point down at the plateau below.
"Think you can get me down there? This face is too steep for me to climb down."
Metang eyed the cliff in question and nodded. It had carried Steven on its back along flat ground before. How different could it be to lift its trainer up and down instead?
At Metang's confirmation, Steven regathered his pack and clambered up to kneel atop his partner's head. Two pats to signal he was ready, and Metang hovered forward until it was to the very lip of the ledge. When Metang paused a moment at the edge, Steven peered over its side to see what the hesitation was for. Unfortunately, that move left him unprepared for when Metang plummeted off the ledge like a rock.
Steven pitched forward with a startled yell, unbalanced from the weight of his pack. He sprawled onto his stomach while scrabbling for a better grip on his pokemon's angular hide. Metang rattled a cry at the commotion over its head, clearly flustered that its supposedly controlled descent wasn't controlled enough for its passenger.
The feeling of free fall soon vanished as the pair slowed to a cushioned stop with a humming pulse of magnetism. Metang's gaze rolled skyward in an effort to check on the motionless weight still resting on its head. It warbled a questioning note, which prompted a hand to weakly slide into its field of view.
"We need to work on vertical travel, please," came Steven's shaky reply. "Or at least warn me next time."
Concern all but gone, Metang grated an annoyed sound and tilted sideways to deposit Steven unceremoniously onto the ground where he landed with a grunt.
"Hey –" he turned to admonish his pokemon's sour behavior, but once he saw where Metang's gaze had wandered, he followed where it was looking. They had landed near the cluster of activity Steven had spotted up on the cliff.
Now that he could see clearly, it was apparent they happened upon some kind of camp site. The larger, stationary shapes turned out to be a group of tents and machines, and the figures moving around must have been part of the same organization, as they all had on similar looking red coats. As they wove in and out of the campsite setting up various pieces of equipment, Steven raised a hand to his chin in thought. The camp's occupants certainly didn't look like your typical desert explorers...
Steven wracked his brain to think of who could be setting up camp at the outskirts of the desert, and then he remembered. The meteor that flew overhead the previous night! These men must be here to research the meteor site. While meteor strikes weren't rare in Hoenn, Meteor Falls was practically pockmarked with craters, any impacts outside of the normal areas were sure to draw scientific interest.
Steven's eyes lit up. Even though terrestrial rocks were his primary interest, he recalled the excitement he felt when his father had taken him to visit Hoenn's premiere meteorite research center in Fallarbor Town. The samples on display were just as interesting as those pulled from deep within the earth. Now if only he could recall the researcher's name… Professor Cosmo, that's it!
Bolstered by the thought of getting to chat with the Professor again, Steven set off toward the camp with Metang in tow. As he drew near, he began to recognize some of the equipment from his visit to the Professor's lab. There was no doubt, the group was here in search of the meteor site.
One of the red-coated individuals looked up from the clipboard he was reading and spotted the approaching trainer. His voice was gruff. "Hey, where did you come from?"
Steven blinked at the rude greeting, but he was determined to be polite. These men were working for Professor Cosmo, after all.
"I was just passing through on a hike when I noticed your campsite. I didn't mean to intrude."
By now, several of the man's colleagues had noticed Steven's presence as well, and they dropped what they were doing and gathered around, looking none too friendly.
"Keep on walking, kid. No one here is looking for a battle, so scram."
Steven frowned, although he could guess why these researchers would assume he was simply a trainer looking for a battle. So before he spoke again, he recalled Metang to its pokeball.
"My apologies, I'm not here to battle. I was hoping to speak with Professor Cosmo, actually. Is he here with you?"
Two of the men shared a sideways glance, while a third only offered a bewildered shrug. Steven noticed the odd reaction, but held his tongue as he waited for an answer.
Finally someone from the group spoke up, "Uhh, no, he's not here."
"Hmm," Steven's hand found its way back to his chin. "Then perhaps I'll see if I can catch up to him when I get to Fallarbor. That is, unless he'll be joining you here soon? I'm happy to wait if it means I could possibly watch the meteor excavation."
"What did you say – oof!" One of the men was cut off with an elbow to the ribs, and Steven's eyes narrowed at the scientists' strange behavior.
The group huddled close and whispered amongst themselves with hushed tones before turning to face Steven again, this time with overly friendly smiles.
"Sorry, kid. Professor Cosby, uh, I mean Cosmo won't be joining us here. He asked us to keep the excavation a secret, so we can't let you stick around."
"We'll let him know you're looking for him though."
The group nodded in finality, red hoods bobbing in unison, before the nearest one stepped forward and neatly guided Steven out of the camp by his shoulders.
"Okay kid, thanks for stopping by."
As he was pushed to a halt at the edge of the campsite, he turned to question his sudden exit and discovered the scientist had beaten a hasty retreat back to his companions. They had huddled up once more and all eyes were on him as he stood with a bewildered expression on his face. Steven frowned at the odd exchange and made a mental note to ask Professor Cosmo about his employees later.
Casting one last glance over his shoulder, Steven turned to put the camp behind him and set off toward Route 113.
The rugged terrain of the foothills proved to be challenging for a lone hiker on foot, so Steven found himself calling on Metang's help to traverse some of the gravelly slopes and sharp drops. He noted happily that Metang had already gotten smoother with its vertical maneuvering, and he had gotten much more used to the sensation as well.
They hadn't gone far before the wind began to pick up, blowing in hot and dusty. Steven frowned as the sun was quickly blotted out as the brewing sandstorm reared up from the desert floor. He dug into his pack for his bandana and had just finished donning it when a familiar sound caught his ears; a haunting melody that shifted and rose with the breeze.
Steven turned to see if his partner had also heard, and he found Metang already scanning the desert landscape for the culprits.
Joining in the search effort, Steven hadn't been looking for very long before a soft buzz sounded from right in front of him. Suddenly the buzz ended with a sharp pop, and his view was suddenly filled with a field of black and red.
Steven stumbled back in surprise as the intruder let out a long, hollow whistle.
"A Claydol?"
However, his own apprehension wasn't matched by his partner, who hummed a greeting at the newcomer instead.
Looking back and forth between the two pokemon, a realization slowly crept in. "…Baltoy?"
In response to its former name, Claydol pivoted happily about its axis and waggled its arms in a familiar gesture.
Steven smiled. "It is you! And you evolved!"
Claydol whistled an affirmative and happily circled both of its friends in greeting.
"It's so good to see you again. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Instead of a verbal response, Steven got a physical one. Bobbing close, Claydol extended both arms; one toward Steven and one toward Metang. It almost looked like it was trying to shake hands, if it had any. Steven glanced at the gesture and then at his partner, hoping it could provide some translation.
Claydol whistled a hollow note, and Metang floated up to the ground type and placed one metal claw on its arm. Both pokemon looked toward Steven expectantly, and although he was still confused, he got the message and reached out to rest his hand on Claydol's other arm.
At the touch, a warm prickle began to work its way along Steven's fingers and up his wrist. A nervous look at his partner was cut short as a soft buzz rose through the air around the trio, and a loud crack sent his stomach into somersaults.
In an instant, rocky foothills transformed into sandy dunes, and Steven found himself landing on his backside from a second run-in with unconventional travel methods. Metang and Claydol looked down at the disoriented trainer, both seeming no worse for wear from the teleportation.
"Ugh," he groaned, covering his eyes in an effort to will away the lingering nausea. "I forgive you for earlier, Metang. This trip was way worse."
Claydol turned to give Metang a questioning glance at Steven's gripe, but the steel-type dismissed its worries with a chattering explanation. Finally understanding, hollow laughter bubbled from the desert doll pokemon, and Steven silently bemoaned how well Metang and Claydol got along. He didn't need two pokemon poking fun at his expense.
Steven opened his mouth to tell them off, but he was cut off by another voice that carried over the wind.
"Ahoy there!"
Peeking through his fingers, Steven groaned again as he saw a familiar mustachioed Ruin Maniac jogging across the dunes toward him. The exuberant man arrived in short order and hoisted Steven back to his feet with gusto.
"Fancy seeing you here again, my boy! Here I thought I had lost you for good in that sandstorm a while back."
Steven bit back on informing Dusty just how disappointed he was that that wasn't the case, and instead grated out a polite smile.
"It's good to see you too, Dusty. It's astounding that in this whole, wide desert we'd be reunited again."
He nearly stumbled to the ground again as a hearty hand clapped him on the back.
"Ho ho ho, why it's no mere coincidence. We have this little fellow here to thank," and the explorer swept a hand to point at Claydol.
Blinking in confusion, Steven gave Claydol his best incredulous look, but the ground-type simply waggled its arms with a reverberating whine.
"Y'see, this Claydol appeared before me in a sandstorm and lead me to this very spot. I barely had time to thank it before it vanished again and came back with you standing here too. I reckon it's looking for someone to help it with that…"
Turning to follow Dusty's pointing, Steven finally got a closer look at where Claydol had teleported him, and his eyes widened in surprise.
Stretching before him was a massive crater lined with blackened sand and soot. Gleaming in stark contrast, much of the sand had turned to glass from the immense heat of the collision. At the center of the crater rested an equally blackened chunk of rock that by Steven's estimation had to be at least the size of a full grown Aggron. Tearing his eyes from the spectacle, he found Claydol's gaze winking into what could only be a smile.
"Claydol, this is fantastic! We need to alert the scientific team that's camped in the foothills right away and tell them we've found the meteor. Professor Cosmo will be thrilled!"
But for the first time since he had come to know the man, Dusty's face was scrunched into a frown.
"Sorry, youngster, but we'll be doing no such thing."
"What do you mean? Why not?" Steven's expression immediately turned to one of confusion.
Turning to Claydol for an explanation, he was taken aback by its downturned eyes. Metang's own gaze had also hardened into thinly veiled distaste, and Steven felt the nagging doubt from earlier begin to creep back into his mind.
"I think Claydol has an inkling... It found you, and it found me. Why would it seek out the two of us instead of your scientists if there wasn't a good reason for it?"
The odd looks, the suspicious whispers, the unusual outfits… He had been so caught up in the excitement of the meteor to notice, but with Dusty's reminder, Steven realized there was no way those men were working for Professor Cosmo after all.
Casting a quick look over to Metang solidified the conclusion. It must have conversed directly with Claydol, who voiced its worries about the suspicious visitors. Steven felt his frown return.
"Then, what should we do? From what I've seen of their campsite, these men are after the meteor for themselves. If their intentions are as suspect as their behavior, I'd rather not let them get to the meteor before the proper scientific team arrives."
At this, Claydol piped up, calling out in a haunting song that sent a chill down Steven's spine. As the last note floated over the desert, a familiar sight peeked out from the far edge of the crater. Slipping out from the shadows of the sand, the Baltoy colony assembled at their leader's request. Collectively they circled all around the rim rattling with excitement.
"Ho ho ho ho!" Dusty's laugh burst forth and he had to wipe a tear from his eye before he composed himself. "Looks to me like you have your answer, youngster."
With Dusty's correct interpretation, Claydol bobbed over to Steven and gestured toward the meteor with one stubby arm.
"You'll protect the meteor?"
Eyes blinking in confirmation, Claydol hummed a happy note.
Steven nodded. "Then I need to get to Fallarbor as soon as possible and alert Professor Cosmo. That is, if he's not already on his way." But as he turned to leave, Steven hesitated with a look back toward the Baltoy colony.
"Don't worry, my boy. They won't be fighting alone."
Surprised, Steven turned to see Dusty holding a pokeball in his hand.
"Oh ho, desert exploration isn't the only thing old Dusty can do!" he proclaimed with a thumb proudly jabbed to his chest. "You go find that professor of yours and leave the rest to us."
For all the Ruin Maniac's boisterous bragging, Steven realized he had nothing but the best intentions, and some of his nervousness melted away with a smile.
"Thanks, Dusty."
"Think nothing of it, my boy. Now you better be on your w –"
But Dusty's sendoff was cut short by a panicked rattle that shot up from the midst of the gathered Baltoy to their right. All eyes darted to the sound of the disturbance as Claydol let loose a sharp shriek of surprise.
A group of men dressed in red cloaks shoved their way through the sea of Baltoy, annoyance clearly written across their features.
"Get out of the way you runts!"
The person at the head of the group lashed out with a kick, knocking Baltoy around with his boot.
"Hey!"
The shout burst forth from Steven before he could reconsider attracting the men's attention, but he couldn't sit by and watch their terrible treatment of the Baltoy.
The red-clad group turned toward him, and a look of bored recognition flitted across the leader's face.
"Oh, it's just that kid from earlier. Didn't we tell you to get lost? Let the professionals take care of everything from here."
Steven's glare was firm, and Metang floated forward to its trainer's side, bristling with psychic energy. "No."
The leader's eyes narrowed menacingly. "What did you say?"
"I don't know who you are or why you're looking for this meteor, but I know you're not working for Professor Cosmo and I won't allow you to take it." His tone was as icy as his stare.
Almost in response to his declaration, the wind whipped up into a frenzy and Steven knew it was no natural phenomenon. The sandstorm grew in intensity as Claydol's low whine of agreement echoed across the desert.
But the hostile change in weather didn't deter the men in red, and as one of the group spoke into a handheld radio, the rest pulled out pokeballs from beneath their cloaks.
"Who's gonna stop us? You and that old geezer back there? I'd like to see you try."
At the man's overt threat, his group released their pokemon in a bright flash of light, and Steven could feel every muscle in his body grow tense. This group was itching for a fight, and for all his bravado he and Dusty were handily outnumbered. Metang reverberated a low note as it stared down the hostile gathering of Poochyena and Numel, complete with several Koffing floating overhead.
Desperately searching for a strategy to fend off the intruders, Steven ran out of time.
Without warning, a burst of flame cut through the blowing sand, and several Baltoy toppled over into the crater, knocked out by the attack. The men in red were not going to wait.
"Ruffians!" blurted Dusty, his cheeks puffing in anger.
Steven leaped into action, "Metang, stop those pokemon with confusion! We can't let them get to the meteor!"
"Absolutely, my boy. We'll fight together! Go, Sandslash!"
A ground type, perfect for battling in this sandstorm. Steven smiled, Dusty would be a handy partner in this battle after all.
"Great! I'll go after the poison type pokemon with Metang while you aim for –"
But Dusty's roar cut him off, and Steven paled when he heard the command.
"Earthquake!"
Dutifully raising its two clawed hands high, Sandslash let out a fierce cry before bringing them down in a thunderous blow on the desert floor. The resulting shockwave pulsed across the sand, scattering particles in its wake. Steven only had time to draw a startled breath before the ground rippled into monstrous waves from the attack. Pokemon and trainer alike were tossed to and fro in the quake.
As the ground stilled beneath his feet, Steven frantically searched the battlefield for Metang. To his dismay he found his partner half buried in the sand, barely clinging to consciousness. Sprinting to his starter's side, he cradled Metang's battered form in his arms. The opponent's pokemon fared no better save for the weightless Koffing, but Steven couldn't hide his incredulity as he shouted to his teammate.
"Dusty, what were you thinking? We have to work together!"
"Sorry, my boy! I got a bit carried away."
Metang's weak chattering snapped Steven's attention back to the battle before he could further admonish Dusty's poor excuse. One of the opposing trainers slowly picked himself off the ground as he waved a signal to yet another group of red-cloaked reinforcements that had just arrived.
Steven grit his teeth. "Just how many of them are there?"
The situation was dire. He couldn't hold off another wave of attacks with Metang as injured as it was. And Dusty's overzealous earthquakes meant any other member of his team would be vulnerable to the same fate.
Just as he resigned to seeing if Lairon could withstand the friendly fire, a shadow fell at his feet with a hollow whine.
"Claydol?"
The ground type slowly rotated in mid-air, fixing its gaze first on Steven and Metang, and then narrowing its eyes sharply on the new wave of opposing trainers.
Metang hastily waved an arm toward the desert doll pokemon and echoed a short cry that Claydol returned in kind.
Steven's eyes went wide. "Claydol, are you willing to team up with me?"
Its reverberating call carried the clear affirmative, and Steven set his jaw with determination.
"Then let's go."
Scanning the battlefield, Steven found Dusty's Sandslash tearing into one of the remaining Koffing. Leaping to his feet he quickly recalled Metang and shouted toward his fellow trainer, "Dusty, let loose another one of those earthquakes!"
"Roger that!"
Steven relayed the rest of his plan to his new teammate.
"Now Claydol, get in close and pick off anything that survives."
As the ground shook once more, yells of dismay and pained pokemon cries came from the opponent's side of the battlefield, and Steven smiled as Koffing dropped from the skies from Claydol's psychic attacks.
Once the dust settled for a second time, the red-cloaked intruders gaped in surprise as their pokemon lay decimated across the battlefield. Sandslash and Claydol drew back in tandem, totally unscathed. Their combination had worked perfectly.
Before Steven could issue an ultimatum for the defeated trainers to beat a hasty retreat, a loud hissing sounded across the battlefield. All eyes turned toward the source of the sound at the center of the crater. From his vantage point, it seemed as if the meteor was shrinking…
The fierce battle had upset the meteor's resting place, and with one last gurgle, the desert swallowed the meteor whole. For the second time in as many visits to the desert, Steven had to watch a prized specimen sink into the desert sand.
"Oh, for crying out loud! Now look what you've done!"
The red-cloaked leader's outburst brought everyone's attention back to his group, including the Baltoy, who turned in unison with a loud rattle.
"Uhh…"
Faced with several hundred angry pokemon, the fake scientists quickly backpedaled before breaking into a sprint, the Baltoy hot on their heels. Over the wind, Steven swore he heard a shout fade into the distance:
"Leader Maxie is gonna kill uuuuussssss!"
Heavy footfalls snapped Steven back to the present as Dusty arrived at his side, chest puffed with satisfaction.
"That was some quick thinking there, youngster. Ol' Sandy's attacks couldn't reach those darned gas-bags."
It was all Steven could do to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice. "The plan would have worked a lot smoother if you had given me some warning before that first attack. Claydol saved the day by helping out."
Blissfully ignorant of Steven's annoyance with him, Dusty only laughed in reply.
"Oh ho ho, and it looks like it's taken quite a shine to you too!"
True to his word, Claydol had found its way back to Steven's side and hummed a happy tone as it swiveled a few of its eyes his way. Steven offered a weak smile in return.
"Thanks, Claydol. It was an honor to battle with you."
But Dusty kept on grinning. "I recognize that look it's giving you. I'd reckon that Claydol wants to join you on your journey."
"Wait… That's not true, right Claydol? I don't want to separate you from your family."
Instead of a issuing a negative, Claydol began to glow with a faint blue aura. In a push of its psychic powers, it deftly opened Steven's pack and lifted a single pokeball from its contents before gently lowering it into Steven's palm. Eyeing the ball first, and then the pokemon in question, Steven prodded one more time.
"You're sure about this?"
Happily whistling, Claydol waggled its arms as it bobbed up and down, eyes winking into a smile. Shaking his head with a smile, Steven tossed his pokeball. It rocked only momentarily before the red indicator light blinked off.
"Welcome to the team, Claydol."
With Claydol safely tucked away at his hip, Steven had one more order of business in the desert. He turned to face Dusty with an accusing glare.
"You didn't really go on an expedition with my father, did you…" It wasn't a question.
Dusty's jovial tone faltered with a nervous laugh. "Oh… n-no. No, I didn't, really." He plucked the pith hat from his head and sheepishly picked at the brim.
Clearly expecting more, Steven shifted his weight to the other foot and crossed his arms. Dusty continued.
"You see, I'd been rather unsuccessful in my own travels through the desert, and it had been so long that I grew lonely… So when I came across your father on his expedition, I thought we might be able to team up, but he wasn't interested… But I didn't give up. Instead, I thought if I tagged along I could convince him to change his mind… In the end, I only ended up following Joseph around like a lost puppy. So earlier when I said I'd accompanied him on his journey, that wasn't really true…"
Steven held Dusty's gaze as the explorer finished his tale, and the older man clutched his hat to his chest before giving a deep bow of apology.
"The reason I knew that look Claydol was giving you is because it's the very same look I gave your father all those years ago."
At that, Steven's glare softened, and he felt a pang of guilt for being so upset with the Ruin Maniac. This entire time all he'd been hoping for was a friend to explore the desert with. While he certainly could have been more tactful about it, Steven found he couldn't remain angry with the explorer.
"I appreciate your honesty, Dusty. While I'm not happy that you lied to me, I'd like to think that in the end you've not only ended up with one friend," Steven extended a hand, "but something more like two hundred friends."
A collective rattle sounded around the two trainers as the Baltoy colony gathered to hover in close. Dusty's head snapped up from his bow and he eagerly grabbed Steven's hand with both of his. Shaking it heartily, he turned to see the sea of Baltoy clamoring and twirling happily.
"I promise I'll take good care of these little fellows. You can tell that Claydol of yours too, you have my word. And even though the meteor's gone, we'll keep watch over this site so those ruffians can't come snooping around ever again."
Steven smiled. "I'm counting on you Dusty. Consider this your first official collaboration with the Stone family expeditions."
…Of course, the road less traveled can provide even more excitement to the intrepid trainer. Just be prepared to rely on your pokemon and your wits if you choose to go on an adventure in Hoenn's wilderness. Surprises of all kinds await you!
