The Great Bulk Part 13: The Chase

Scaling the Wall

The next leg of our travel went smoothly, and I knew the reason why. Lombre has faced a few inconveniences, so he's either conserving energy, waiting for a chance to trap us, or both. Makuhita was acting weird, though. He had been acting distant from me ever since we left that inn, and his personality felt muted compared to how he normally was. Reading his Aura only told me he felt depressed and anxious. Just like the past few days, I began to talk with him as soon as we set up camp by the entrance to the dungeon we were about to tackle.

"I know there's something wrong with you," I told him. "There's a weight on your shoulders that you're bearing by yourself, and you aren't telling me anything. Why can't you just trust me for once?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," my partner mumbled. "It isn't stuff that concerns you. They're my problems and mine alone, so quit wasting time on me. There isn't anything you can do about it, anyway."

"That's just what you think," I replied. "Friends always make hardships easier to live through, even if they can't directly solve what's ailing you. That's something you taught me. You're punishing yourself for no reason by acting like this."

"I'm supposed to be the one everyone relies upon," Makuhita countered. "If I can't surive my own tribulations, then why should everyone else even trust in me? You can't build anything on a weak foundation."

"No one is perfect," I said, figuring the simplest reply would be the most effective. "If anything, the best Pokemon to turn to during bad times are those who have already endured them. Your issues and flaws can become an asset, if you learn the right lessons from them."

My companion remained silent for a few moments, struggling to come up with a response. "Even then, you aren't ready for the truth," he stated dismissively. He put up a wall between the two of us again, and thus, I was back to square one.

How could I get through to him? It felt like an impossible task, but at the same time, I was duty-bound to help him. The rest of our time together was quiet, but soon, I had to leave Makuhita to sleep. It was my turn to guard our camp.

The night was uneventful, but I did remember something important. It was an old legend, passed down from generation to generation:

"Once upon a time, beings known as the Guardians walked among us. They came from a realm beyond the stars and the reach of the Sculptor's thousand hands, and were said to have the duty of enacting the will of the world itself. When it was thrown into chaos, they would arrive, changing history with each step they made."

"One Guardian defied the instructions he was given, and after that, no more came. All traces of them were lost to the sands, save for half-remembered stories and broken ruins. Not even the knowledge of their kind's true name has survived the passage of time."

Was my partner a Guardian? It was outlandish to think about, but it was the only explanation I knew of that made sense. They were said not to be Pokmeon, and I've heard of nothing else that fits the description of what he could be. Why did something and someone so improbable practically fall into my lap? It was absurd, but now wasn't the time to think about that.

We were going into the Wyrm's Lair tomorrow. We had to be in our best condition to survive it. Whether or not Makuhita was a being of legend, he was still my friend, and it was my duty to protect him.

Cat and Mouse

We finally entered the Wyrm's Lair after a morning full of prep work. It was a cavernous dungeon which split into multiple paths upon entering, and I could sense a few Aura signatures throughout it, the last of them being absolutely massive. It was most likely that Steelix we were warned about. I could feel it slowly, yet surely getting closer. I picked a route at random, and the two of us descended further into the area's depths.

It was a unique locale, but it was by no means the strangest I've seen. White, transparent crystals jutted out from the floor, walls, and ceiling, and some masses were even floating, electricity jumping from crystal to crystal. I should've been in awe of my surroundings, but I knew that Mystery Dungeons were supernatural in of themselves.

In a flash of light, four Pokemon appeared. A Heliolisk and Magneton were flanked by two Graveler, both of which looked different. One of them looked average, while the other had strange, black crystals on its arms and head. Two of them on its face even resembled eyebrows! I would've snickered at such a silly-looking thing, but I had no time for that.

The two Graveler rolled towards us both, the more absurd-looking of the two having electricity building up around it. I lept above the normal one and fired a beam of psychic energy at it, chipping its hide, while Makuhita grabbed the other one. That was a terrible mistake on his part.

The Pokemon he grappled shocked his entire body with electricity, but he was able to power through the pain, lifting them up and slamming them into the ground. While it was dazed, he attacked with a series of his trademark arm thrusts, damaging them significantly. Yet, there was something he had forgotten.

The Magneton that had stood back began to charge something up in each of its units, all of them a different color: one was red, another was green, and the third was light blue. The three portions of the Pokemon attacked in unison, firing three beams into Makuhita, causing him to grunt in pain! I fired another Psybeam at the attacker in retaliation, but the move dented them only slightly. I had to get into close range to dispatch them.

While the two Graveler began to group up on my companion, I leaped towards the Magneton that had attacked him, kicking it as hard as I possibly could. The force was enough that my leg pierced through it entirely, causing the feral Pokemon to begin to dissolve into smoke. I was surprised that I beat it so easily. Not too long ago, I would've actually had to engage it in battle for a bit. Were my trials making us stronger? Unfortunately, I didn't have time to ponder upon that, for the Heliolisk was next.

I peeked into the future to see what it was going to do next, and using that knowledge, I evaded multiple bolts of thunder as I closed in on it. I finally got into close range and assailed it with a series of precise strikes, damaging it to the point where it began to fall apart like its companion. I turned around, secure in my victory, and began to sprint towards Makuhita, but I was suddenly engulfed by electricity!

Every inch of my being was electrocuted! That Helioptile fired a final shot while I had my back turned, and now, I was suffering for lowering my guard! The seconds of agony that had been inflicted upon me felt like minutes, and once the ordeal was finally over, I fell to my knees. My body was begging me to quit. It wanted me to pass out, but I knew my partner needed me. I could hear him fighting, even after all of the punishment that was directed his way.

If he could withstand such abuse, why couldn't I? I stayed conscious through sheer force of will, and oddly enough, I could feel an energy blanket me. My injuries began to fade away. Pain that was once overwhelming became far more bearable, and I could stand once again. I heard that stronger members of my kind could force their bodies to regenerate, but I had no idea I could perform that feat myself!

I ran over to Makuhita, newfound vigor in each step. Both he and his opponents looked worn down: he was bruised and burnt, while the two Graveler had cracks and parts of their body had been broken off. The one wielding electricity even had a missing arm!

"It's about time you came, Assy!" He shouted. "Let's turn these two into rubble!" The two of us began a renewed offensive, attacking our foes with everything they had. Being Rock-types, they crumbled in the face of our opposition very quickly, leaving the two of us alone in the cavern system once again.

Yet, something was wrong. That titanic Aura signature from earlier was almost caught up to us. In fact, it could breach these walls at any second! I scooped up my companion, grateful that being a yoga practitioner gave me an unnatural strength for my size. If I were any normal Pokemon, Makuhita's weight would've crushed me.

I began to run deeper into the cave, and it was just in time, too: the head of a massive Steelix burst into the cavern and began to chase us down! Its jaw looked different from any other member of its kind, so I had a pretty good feeling this was the Wyrm that Piplup had warned me about. Its gaze held no compassion or mercy, being like that of an apex predator. It knew nothing could harm it, and I wasn't willing to try my luck against it!

As I fled, more Pokemon flashed into existence, but I didn't have the time to gawk at them. My abilities were pushed to their absolute limit as I had to escape all sorts of hazards: claws, fists, fangs, rocks, and even jolts of electricity came my way! It was nerve-wracking, but I had to brave this trial so that Makuhita and I could live.

It felt like I was running for hours, but I had a lucky break just when my legs were ready to give out on me. I had finally discovered what appeared to be the exit to this diabolical realm! I passed through it and finally made it to safety. I dropped my partner and sat down the first moment I had, gasping for breath.

"I thought that thing was supposed to be slow!" I complained. "How did that thing keep up with us for so long?"

"Beats me," Makuhita responded. "At least there's a good chance Lombre can fail at following us through there, right? Can I see the map for a minute?"

I handed it over to him, still shaking off the effects of exhaustion from my earlier exertion. "Don't tear it," I warned him. "If you destroy that, then I'll leave you to rot!"

"Okay, okay," he mumbled back. "It looks the next landmark is Mount Horn. The map says it's another Mystery Dungeon, but we don't have to go inside it at all. We can just find its base, then all we have to do is travel west! It'll take quite a while, but we'll reach Treasure Town at the end of our road."

"At least the path is straightforward now," I observed. "Can you carry me for a while? My legs feel like jelly."

Makuhita scooped me up without any hesitation and draped me over his shoulder. "I got you, buddy," he assured me. "You better get comfy, Assy, because this trip is gonna be a long one."

We walked away from the pit of misery that was the Wyrm's Lair and began the next leg of our journey. There was no way things could get any worse than that place, right?

David and Goliath

I kept my distance as I followed the trail of Asana and her partner. They seemed to have ducked away into a cave attached to the local mountain range. Judging by the fact that they set camp by it and not inside of it, it was most likely a Mystery Dungeon of some sort. Unlike the last time they used that trick, it was clearly not a spur of the moment thing: this was a deliberate decision, done to get me off of their trail. Their camp spoke to the premeditated nature of their choice.

It was the smart thing to do, but they underestimated my capabilities. Even though I was still a bit tired from nearly perishing in that Shiinotic-infested forest, I could probably clear this obstacle with my eyes closed. Caverns were usually home to Rock and Ground-types, which I could dispatch with ease. I stepped inside and instinctively braced my mind for the flood of information that followed my entry.

My mind was filled with data on the dungeon's layout, almost as if I had a map of it inside of my head. I hated eating those damned Gummis back when I worked with Cacturne, but this ability they gave to me was quite useful.

I took the quickest path through the cavern, wanting to minimize the time I wasted here. As I traveled through it, floating crystals caught my eye. They were most likely made of quartz, or a material made by the dungeon that was akin to it. I wished I could take a sample, but I had no time to indulge in my old, childish hobbies.

Feral Pokemon did pop up as I traveled, but taking care of them was more of a chore than a challenge for me. My Bubble Beams could pierce through flesh and rock if I wanted them to, and most of the opponents that popped up didn't have skin or hides that could withstand that. There were a few Steel-types that my usual tactics didn't work on, but that's what the few Fighting-type moves I had were for. My boss had many TMs in his secret stash, and he was nice enough to let me peruse them after my initial loss to Asana back when we were both nobodies.

On that topic, I missed Cacturne. He was rough around the edges, but he truly did care for me. It made the crimes that woman commited all the more heinous: they exploited the love and compassion they had in his heart. That Meditite knew that he still loved Merry, even after she stabbed him in the back.

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud rumbling sound. I could feel something below my feet, so I lept back and prepared to fire at whatever it was. A Steelix erupted from the ground, but it wasn't like any ordinary one I seen.

It had crystals growing out of it, alongside a field of scrap metal floating around its neck like a halo. It was one of the most dangerous-looking things I had observed in my entire life, and it was looking right at me..

I fired a few Bubble Beams towards it, but they didn't even pierce the skin. I tried shooting ice, seeds, and everything else I could into it, but nothing worked! Everything I tried bounced off of it. I swore it was grinning at me, mocking my complete inability to harm it, but I knew it wasn't truly sapient. It was merely a part of this dungeon's defense system.

It began to chase me, forcing me deeper into the cave. I shot at and destroyed all the other Pokemon the place conjured up as they approached. I was focused entirely on defending myself to the point where I wasn't taking stock of my surroundings, and it costed me: I wandered into a dead end, and now that gigantic Steelix was looming over me. There was no way to run, and no way to damage it. I knew I was a dead man, but out of reflex, I analyzed the monster for weak points one more time.

I was always good at noticing subtle details. It didn't matter if they were in my surroundings, my allies, or even my foes. I could read just about anything like an open book, and something about my opponent stuck out like a sore thumb:

Its eyes looked like they were made of flesh, and not metal. It wasn't a lethal shot, but I'd take what I can get.

I shot it straight in the eye. The roar of pain the Steelix gave out was almost deafening, and I could see the destroyed organ slowly crumbling into smoke. It would've been a far more grisly sight if it were a real Pokemon, but the fakes inside Mystery Dungeons weren't made of flesh and blood at all. I'd take anything to lessen the burden my conscience has to hold, so I was thankful to whatever forces created these places for that small mercy.

My pursuer buried into the ground below, leaving me to collect my bearings. I let out a sigh of relief and continued on my way, following my mental map of the caverns around me. I got back on track, taking an almost leisurely pace. Even if I always took the fastest route, I didn't want to get out before my enemies did. I wouldn't have a trail to follow, and I'd risk getting spotted.

It gave me the time to admire the area in more detail. The crystals grew bigger and more colorful as I went down, and the hum of electricity was a constant companion. It almost made me regret the path I took in life. I'd love to study all of the anomalies this world has to offer, but my own youthful arrogance sealed my fate.

I thought I could win against criminals at cards and get away with it as long as I played "fair", when they didn't care about that in the slightest. They'd perceive any victory over them as a slight, even when it was their own fault they lost. If I never played dangerous games, I would've never had to run. I could've lived a normal, happy life, but fate always has its punching bags.

Even when I acquired happiness, it was taken away from me not too long after. By vowing to kill Asana, was I pursuing justice, or spitting in the eye of circumstance for wronging me?

All of this pondering was just proving how insignificant the "roadblock" she set for me was. The dungeon's defenses were all meaningless to me. They were so insignificant I had the time to think upon and regret my life choices like the old man I was becoming. Even that monster got scared off the moment I wounded it.

Soon enough, the exit was in front of me. This had been a fun little trip, but I was done sightseeing. Yet, before I could get close to it, I heard the ground rumbling again. Of course my luck would sour when things go my way!

That Steelix from before popped out of the ground, and it looked absolutely irate with me. It was almost as if its pride were wounded.

I couldn't figure out anywhere I could shoot it that would kill it, so I elected to just shoot its other eye. The metal floating around it did try and form into a shield to block the shot, but its velocity was far too fast. Smoke rose from the second wound I had inflicted on that thing, and it did the only think it could at this point:

It began to thrash around wildly, all the while metal flew around the room in a vain attempt to hit me. This was bad. Even a glancing blow could pulverize my bones and end my life. I was prepared to die, but I had to hold out for as long as possible. I dodged flying bits of metal that swarmed like Beedrill, trying desperately to think of a plan.

My first thought was to shoot water into my opponent's eye socket in an attempt to pierce through its skull and get to its brain, but that was most likely impossible. Some said that a Steelix's body was harder than diamonds, and it was clear to me that this one was even more sturdy than that. My best bet would be to make a dash for the exit, but I'd risk getting hit by its body.

I checked my bag and saw that I had a few Sleep Seeds among my supplies. With my foe blinded, they had little chance of evading it. I tossed the item towards them, praying that it would hit, and...

It did. The giant fell asleep, and I was able to sneak past it. I finally exited the Mystery Dungeon, humbled by what I had to experience. I thought the area would've been trivial to get through, but if it weren't for the fact that I stocked up on items before I executed my initial plot that brought me here, I would've perished trying to escape. Asana was a coward, but she wasn't stupid. She must've known how persistant that beast would be, and sought to use that to her advantage.

At least I was ready to attack those two again. All I had to do now was prepare and find a chance to catch them when their guard is down. This time, I would make sure that they couldn't retreat.