Chapter 16 The Climb

  "Are you sure you want to carry those dumb shards up this mountain?" Plumeria chided.

  The group of six were at the base of an old hiking trail they'd be following to cross the mountain, having just hid their bikes away in some bushes they hoped would still be there in ten days' time. Or more. Ian felt the added heft of his backpack already with the six shards he'd collected after the Ultra Storm. It's a shame Plumeria didn't let us wait for the Ultra Storm to end so I could collect the Stardust. "They're not that heavy. Plus you got plenty of room in your Silph Bag right now if you're truly worried."

  Hyde scoffed. "Only important things go in the Silph Bag. You gonna tell us what's so important-"

  "Hyde, shut up or you're going back to Po Town right now," Plumeria said bluntly.

  Hyde grunted, but didn't continue. He's on to me about something. Maybe it's the Star Pieces I have? Did he hear or see something? I think I was deep enough in Elk Grove so he didn't see me pull out the EXP Candy. And that's assuming he was sitting on the wall just watching me BS with Grimsley, which he might have an impressive hate boner for me but I doubt he's psychotic-tier watching me.

  Within five minutes of hiking up the incline, Ian could feel his legs protesting the climb with soreness. I suppose those days of training in Elk Grove weren't too helpful for this. Grimsley did say something about a trainer needing to keep themselves strong physically to earn their Pokemon's respect. I'll have to start working out more. A good while passed, their pace gradually slowing the longer the incline lasted. The occasional wild Pokemon would be seen scampering out of view, but the hike seemed rather uneventful. The incline made the walking so tiresome there was little chatter.

  "Big Sis, I need a breather," Rapp complained.

  "We're almost to a good rest stop," Plumeria said encouragingly.

  "I think I already am…" Rapp replied.

  "Probably not even another mile," Plumeria said. "It's just around this bend coming up on."

  "Big Sis, I'm sure you're right, but can we take a short break? Just like five minutes?" Selene pleaded.

  Plumeria sighed. "I promise it'll be a long break when we get to where we're going."

  The incline mercifully evened out shortly after, and when the sound of a waterfall hit their ears, the whole vibe changed. The rock wall to their left ended,and Ian feasted his eyes on a large waterfall that had to be at least sixty to seventy feet high, pouring into a spring clearer than he'd probably ever seen. "This is amazing," Ian said in awe. As he neared the edge of the spring and looked up to the top of the falls with the rest of the mountain looming in the background and rainbows appeared in the mist.

  "Okay, I see why you wanted us to wait a bit," Selene said.

  Rapp hurried to a well placed boulder and tossed her pack to the ground. "Finally…" Rapp said with a moan.

  "There's no stream or anything coming out of it, what's up with that Big Sis?" Selene asked.

  "It goes down through the rock," Plumeria said. "There's another waterfall a few hundred feet down and that way." Plumeria pointed south. "And that's where Haina Town gets most of their water supply from."

  "Haina Town's water supply comes from here?" Tupp asked. "Screw that, I'm taking a dump in it."

  "At least wait until after we refill our camelbaks, Tupp," Plumeria instructed.

  "Oh… yeah," Tupp said.

  "Ian," Plumeria said, motioning him to come closer to the small boulder she'd taken a seat on. "Give yourself a short rest then hop on Sawsbuck and see if you can find us some berries. Breakfast wasn't that long ago but it wasn't exactly filling."

  Ian nodded. "Understood."

  Plumeria cleared her throat to address the group. "We're about three quarters of the way to the switchbacks that lead down to Haina Town. If you squint your eyes you'll even be able to see Haina Town from here," Plumeria explained, pointing to the southeast. Ian didn't need to squint, it was a sizable human settlement a mile or two from the distant shoreline. Way bigger than Po Town, that's for sure.

  "We should be able to rest for a little bit once we get close to the switchbacks. There's this shortcut I took when I came through last time, it should get us on the desert-facing side of the mountain by sundown," Plumeria explained.

  "Why'd you come through here last time?" Ian spoke up.

  "Guzma sent me to the Rough Raiders to see if they'd ally with us against Haina Town when the war with Breon first broke out," Plumeria said.

  "Did it work?" Ian asked.

  Plumeria shook her head. "Everything was in flux then, they weren't sure who to trust, they just knew Haina Town and Breon were bad news so they said they'd keep raiding and harassing them, but we wouldn't be doing anything together."

  "Could've been worse," Ian said. "And what started the war anyways? Did Guzma piss someone off?"

  Plumeria shook her head. "No. Three girls Breon took as concubines escaped and came our way. We took them in, not knowing where they came from. So Breon demanded them back, we said no… And he didn't exactly like that."

  "Driftwood eventually sorted things out?" Ian asked.

  "Breon made us promise not to take in any more Haina Town escapees," Plumeria said. "There's no way they can enforce it, but no more have come our way since."

  Ian turned to Selene curiously, who realized what Ian was thinking. "I got out of Haina Town before the war started," Selene explained. "The night Breon's mutiny happened, actually."

  "Sounds like you lucked out," Ian said.

  "But enough of that, let's talk about something lighter," Plumeria said. Ian found a seat on a small boulder away from Hyde but also from Plumeria where he'd have an optimal view of the falls.

  "Aw Smoochum, you gon' swim?" Rapp said like she was talking to a baby. Well she is talking to a baby, actually.

  Tupp took a seat next to Ian on the larger rock and began slurping down the last of the water in his camelbak. Ian noticed Hyde had turned away, so he leaned in and began whispering to Tupp. "Yo man, I wanna show you something," Ian said lowly as he fidgeted with his pockets and revealed a shrunken Poke Ball. "Got a couple of these, plus a Great Ball, and an Ultra Ball," Ian said, not wanting to explain the Premier Ball just being aesthetically different.

  Tupp's jaw dropped and he looked around to make sure no one had noticed his reaction. With Rapp watching Smoochum play on the edge of the spring and Selene doing something with Plumeria's hair, they were basically private. "That's awesome yo, where'd you get those?"

  Ian leaned in close. "When I caught the Alpha Tyrunt, I found a Star Piece on the ground," Ian lied. He hated lying to Tupp, but he still felt nervous about the Star Piece secret. I gotta keep that to myself as long as I can.

  "That's sick bro," Tupp said. "I know you got Sawsbuck for unlimited food and stuff, but are you sure you can handle eight Pokemon?"

  Ian shook his head. "Nah man, my belt's only got six spots. Two of these are yours."

  Tupp gawked at him like something hadn't added up. "Whatchu mean?"

  Ian smiled. "Depending on whatever Pokemon we encounter, if you want to catch it, I'll give you whatever ball is best for it."

  "Bro, you don't gotta do that. You bought this stuff," Tupp replied.

  "I got lucky and found the Star Piece, I want to share the wealth, you know?" Ian said. "You're literally my best friend on this planet bro, what's mine is yours."

  "Really?" Tupp said.

  "Who else would it be? Hyde?" Ian joked.

  "I figured it'd be that Mina chick you playin' the guitar for nowadays," Tupp said.

  "We don't really talk a lot during that if I'm being honest. Plus she hasn't saved my life multiple times," Ian said. "Also Hyde was telling me some stuff last night about her, I don't know if it was true or not…"

  "What'd he say?"

  "Said he fooled around with her a bit?" Ian said uncertainly. "Didn't date but almost did or something like that."

  Tupp shook his head. "Bro, Hyde will make up anything to mess with you at this point bro-" Tupp paused as he realized something. "Oh yeah… I did catch 'em sucking face one time in the early, early days."

  So Hyde was kind of right. Dammit. "Thanks for the heads up," Ian said.

  Tupp put his fist out and Ian reciprocated with a bump. "And bro, when you said 'what's mine is yours,' how deep does that go?"

  "What do you mean?" Ian asked.

  Tupp leaned in close, his eyes fixated on Selene. "You don't mean that about girlfriends, right?"

  Ian stymied a laugh and shook his head. "Not at all man, I meant objects, like a spare Poke Ball not a… person."

  Tupp nodded seriously. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure… Cuz that Mina chick is cool but like, I didn't wanna…"

  "Please don't finish that sentence Tupp," Ian teased.

  ***

  Ian did find a berry tree and came back to camp with a bag of Yache Berries, round blue fruits that tasted pretty sour, but it was food so no one complained. Tupp made everyone look away as he dropped a deuce in the spring, once everyone had re-hydrated and filled their camelbaks. Tupp's only regret when he finished? "I wish I had more poop to poop."

  They set off again, the inclines not as bad since they were traveling across the mountain more than up it. The sun was at high noon when Plumeria got to the top of a minor incline and cursed.

  "What's up?" Ian asked, pulling up the rear.

  "Doesn't look like my shortcut exists anymore," Plumeria said damningly.

  Ian hurried his way up the inclined trail and looked over a sheer drop of thirty feet or so. Across the way another edge beckoned to them, and Ian saw the switchback road crossing back and forth further beyond the cliff.

  "We just use Toucannon, right?" Tupp said.

  "Wish I could've used Arcanine instead, Hyde," Selene said bitterly. "Toucannon's too weak for this."

  Hyde exhaled but remained silent.

  "Anyone catch any big Flying Types since this morning?" Plumeria asked jokingly.

  "Nope."

  "That'll be on our to-do list going forward," Plumeria said, looking down the huge cliffside now. "This whole section of rock is just gone, how could this have even happened?"

  Ian tried to imagine how many tons of rock had to be destroyed for a feat like this to be achieved. Definitely not just an ordinary landslide.

  "A Tyranitar could've done this," Hyde added. "We all know who that means."

  An eerie quiet came over the party as they all looked at the cliff's jagged edge. If just ONE Tyranitar obliterated all of this rock, I don't even want to imagine going against one in battle. No wonder Breon sparks fear in people.

  Plumeria sighed as Ian caught her looking up the mountain, already searching for another way. "It won't be fun, and we're gonna have to go backwards a bit, but I bet we can find a different path."

  This endeavor took a good two hours of harsh incline hiking, and the wind picked up slightly, with storm clouds ominously approaching the mountain now. They did run into a Bewear that needed to be scared off by a fierce Roar from Ian's Pyroar. They did eventually find the semblance of a trail, almost like it was still being developed, and they stayed on it. This time a little more on the lookout for other people.

  "Didn't you say there were other people on the mountain?" Ian asked.

  "Makamae town," Plumeria said. It was native Alolan so each vowel was said individually.

  "That name's got a fun beat, 'Ma-ka-ma-e Town," Tupp said aloud.

  "That mining town's supposed to be like two-thirds of the way up, so we shouldn't have to get too close to it," Plumeria explained. "The switchbacks lead directly up to the town, we're just trying to go across."

  "Plumeria, for some reason I remember you saying that you would run into the foraging parties in the Akua Jungle because there wasn't much food up here," Ian said.

  "Yeah, what about it?"

  "Then we might be on one of their trails," Ian said. "Especially if that destroyed path was recent."

  A nervous silence came over the group at the revelation. "You're right," Plumeria admitted. "Okay everyone, if you run into anyone that isn't us, do not attack them first. And if it does come to a fight, make sure not to kill them. We might be able to trade a prisoner for safe passage."

  The group nodded in agreement, and continued on. They took another break, this one shorter because Plumeria couldn't stop looking at the gathering storm overhead. Not long after that they hit another roadblock.

  "Well this looks dangerous," Selene said, eyeing the obstacle. A steep incline rose up ahead of them, but with hundreds if not thousands of loose rocks and debris scattered along it. Sheer walls flanked each side of the steep ramp.

  "A sloped scree field, dammit," Plumeria muttered. "We have to be so close to the switchbacks, this is insane."

  "Looks like someone's put up good defenses," Hyde chimed in. "Maybe they're good climbers or something, so this isn't a problem for them but it is for anyone else."

  "Good insight, Hyde," Plumeria said. "But you're not getting an invite to the strategy meeting."

  Ian did his best not to laugh, but luckily for him Selene and Rapp had no such limitations. Selene composed herself from her fit of giggles and focused on Hyde. "Well Hyde, it'd be real nice if Toucannon wasn't out of commission."

  Hyde scoffed dismissively. "It's been hours girl. Call it out, I bet the bird's rearing to go."

  Selene grunted, but grabbed a Poke Ball and tossed it in the air. "Toucannon, show 'em what you got!" Toucannon manifested lifelessly, its wings sprawled out spread eagle style. A surge of electricity crossed the fallen bird's body.

  "What the fuck? I saw you and Rapp healing it earlier," Hyde said in frustration.

  "Tanking a Thunder from an Alpha Galvantula would knock any Flying Type out for a day or more," Selene lectured.

  Hyde grunted. "Well maybe Rapp's just shit at healing Pokemon, I thought that's what her job was gonna start being-"

  "Hyde…" Plumeria began. "Just because you don't get to antagonize Ian for the rest of the mission doesn't mean you're free to do it to the rest of the team."

  Ian then stepped forward, eyeing the steep incline with an analytical eye. I've seen Sawsbuck go up things kind of like this, maybe he can help.

  "Ian, I see those gears turning," Plumeria said. "Whatcha thinking?"

  "I think I have an idea," Ian announced. "Sawsbuck might be able to go up this."

  "I hope you try it Ian," Hyde declared. "I'll get to say 'I told you so' when you both break your legs."

  Ian's mind rewound to when he'd been the guy saying those "I told you so," words the day before and he smiled. Now you just motivated me even more.

  Plumeria sighed. "Hyde, maybe we just leave you down here when we all ride Sawsbuck up this thing."

  Hyde scoffed. "Even if Sawsbuck could, ain't no way I'd ride on that dumb deer."

  Ian then grabbed Sawsbuck's Heal Ball and released his blessed stag, who manifested with a rather different look than it just had not too long ago. Sawsbuck's antlers now sported sagging red bushes where he'd sported lively green ones rather recently. "How fast do your transformations happen, Sawsbuck?" Ian demanded in confusion. We were at the waterfall like two or three hours ago? Did you really go through your Summer form that fast- Oh wait. We're at a higher elevation and the weather's different.

  Sawsbuck bleated dumbly, its mouth hanging open, making the blessed stag look anything but. Ian noticed the tops of the bushes still clung to the antlers, so riding Sawsbuck would have an even more obstructed vision. I'm going to have to trust him even more now. At the exact worst time possible. Ian held back a curse and looked upon the obstacle once more. What did Plumeria call it again? Some sort of sloped field? A nervous nausea began creeping into his belly. Plumeria gave us a vote of confidence, if even her cynical ass can root for us, then we're good.

  Ian gave Sawsbuck a confident nod and patted on its shoulders, with a more weathered, vine tinted with green and orange taking Ian off the ground and onto the organic saddle. The layer of moss even had shades of red and orange in it. I hope this isn't weakening the stability of Sawsbuck's plant accessories. "Alright Sawsbuck, I trust you one-hundred percent," Ian said under his breath as he rubbed the back of Sawsbuck's neck nervously.

  Sawsbuck lowered its head to inspect the ground at its hooves, then slowly raised it as the blessed stag continued analyzing the loose rocks scattered across the incline. Sawsbuck then shuffled its legs to the left and leapt suddenly. Gravel and rocks shifted underneath with the impact causing them to roll down, but the ground's stability held. Sawsbuck took a few, careful steps up, causing more gravel and darkened rocks to shift underneath. Ian realized he was holding Sawsbuck's vine-reins too tight and relaxed a bit. Being so inverted like this will be a killer on my back if this happens a lot. Sawsbuck then jumped once more, landing at the one third point by Ian's measure. This landing was far less stable and Sawsbuck's hooves lost their traction for a moment before going still once more. Ian relaxed his suddenly tense muscles, and noticed one of the green-orange vines sticking out on the ground, stabilizing Sawsbuck and its rider. Sawsbuck, you are way smarter than I give you credit for.

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  Sawsbuck took another couple careful steps, then did a short jump to a patch of exposed earth, causing Sawsbuck's smoothest landing so far. Ian took a deep breath, trying to calm his frantically beating heart. "Almost halfway, Sawsbuck," Ian encouraged.

  Sawsbuck then leapt to another patch of stable earth, then in succession to another. Ian's head banged into the back of Sawsbuck's neck, but his fear was the only thing unstabilizing the duo. Sawsbuck then bounded up once more, this time to unsteady ground, but the stabilizing vine secured them. Ian's jaw dropped as he realized how close to the top they were. One more jump!

  Sawsbuck bounded once more, confidently, and its hooves stuck the landing as they got to even ground again. "Hell yeah!" Ian shouted in triumph, patting Sawsbuck excitedly as he heard a barrage of cheers from down below. "You're the fucking man Sawsbuck." Sawsbuck gave a cheerful bleat before its vines rose up around Ian for him to dismount. "Who's next?" Ian called to the rest of the Team Skull group.

  The group of five seemed rather hesitant, so Ian decided to give them some motivation. "Last one up here has to dig the next outhouse pit in Po Town!" Ian teased as he smacked Sawsbuck on the toosh and sent it bounding down the slope, which was much easier as it took just two landings before reaching the bottom. Sawsbuck pranced in a circle with pride. You've definitely earned it, bud.

  Hyde shook his head, unimpressed. "If Sawsbuck can do that, Selene's Arcanine clears that easily!"

  Selene suddenly cringed. "Arcanine's never been ridden, she's a bit sensitive about that."

  Hyde turned to her and started bickering, or at least Ian assumed since he couldn't hear. But in short order, Selene's Arcanine appeared from its ball and Selene pointed up to Ian. Arcanine did the same scan of the rocks and quickly leapt from the bottom. Arcanine's feet clearly struggled to keep traction initially, but it finally stabilized and leapt up to the halfway point in one bound. Moments later, Arcanine met Ian at the top, eagerly sticking its tongue out for praise. "You made it look almost too easy, girl," Ian said, patting the heated mane of the tiger with a dog's behavior.

  "C'mon back, girl!" Selene beckoned, to which Arcanine leapt without hesitation. Arcanine made it down in two bounds, excitedly ready to play with Selene. Selene then got close and Ian couldn't hear what was being said, but Arcanine got weirded by something, and Selene made Arcanine lower its back so she could hop on.

  Arcanine gave a bothered howl and when Selene got settled in, Arcanine yelped in shock, with Selene's hands suddenly retreating from the back of Arcanine's neck. Selene's grabbing onto Arcanine's mane, which I don't think Arcanine particularly likes. Another minute passed as Selene tried to grab hold of something on Arcanine's back, with Arcanine looking more and more uncomfortable. Something really stupid's about to happen, I can feel it. Finally Selene found something that seemed to be bearable to Arcanine, this method involving her arms draped around Arcanine's neck. Doesn't look like she's holding on with much.

  Arcanine then roused itself, not used to carrying such weight on its back and it jumped. Arcanine landed on unsteady ground, well short of its initial leap, and began sliding back back down. Selene let out a panicked cry.

  "C'mon Selene, you got this!" Hyde shouted, to which Plumeria gave him such a dirty look even Ian could tell from his vantage point. Arcanine leapt up once more, an even shorter amount this time and its front legs slipped, causing Arcanine's chin to hit the ground. Selene shrieked in terror, but Arcanine appeared to stabilize. The fiery tiger slowly got back up on all fours with a look of uncertainty in its eyes. Why is Plumeria allowing this to continue? Even I can tell something bad's about to happen. Ian focused on their squad leader, who held her intense gaze on the act at hand. She kept one of her hands right next to her Poke Ball belt, ready to deploy anything if necessary, to which Ian realized why she was actually allowing it. If this doesn't work and Hyde won't ride Sawsbuck, he's effectively off the mission. And I know her, she's not leaving anyone behind.

  Arcanine took another leap and completely missed the mark, causing the tiger to slip and begin sliding backwards. Selene began screaming in terror once more as the two began tumbling down the slope. "Sawsbuck!" Ian shouted desperately. Instead though, a flash of red light appeared below the tumbling duo's path and Plumeria's Alolan Muk appeared with a loud, low gurgling cry. Arcanine and Selene both hit the multi-colored Muk and suddenly stopped, effectively saving them. Selene's cry of relief turned quickly into horror as she realized what had stopped their fall.

  "Oh, this is disgusting!" Selene cried out as suddenly looked very uncomfortable. Better than the alternative though. Plumeria's Alolan Muk began crawling down the slope like a slug, leaving sludge in its wake with Arcanine and Selene in tow. Upon reaching the bottom, Plumeria recalled her emergency stopper Pokemon, leaving Selene wiping off the multicolored Muk goop she was now covered in. The trainers down below had all plugged their noses and taken a few steps back from Selene. At least the only thing really hurt is her pride.

  "So who wants to get on Sawsbuck then?" Ian called down below.

  The group seemed much more averse to the idea, until Tupp came forward. "I know Sawsbuck got me, yo," he declared.

  Sawsbuck trotted up to the brave quad member with vines at the ready, and quickly got Tupp into riding position. Tupp took a little bit to get used to the feel of it, but it didn't take long before Sawsbuck had squared up and started scanning the slope once more. Sawsbuck trotted up a bit of it, then leapt a short bit, seemingly less ambitious but also more cautious. Its vines stayed at the ready, and the blessed stag slowly but surely passed halfway before needing to use its vines to stabilize. Which looked like he was using them just in case. Sawsbuck made a couple quick leaps and then paused, the top not even ten feet away when the blessed stag bounded majestically, landing at the top right next to Ian. "Yeah!" Ian cheered.

  Tupp had a huge smile on his face and began patting Sawsbuck's neck affectionately. "Thanks big dude." Sawsbuck mewled happily and trotted around a bit to show off. "No lie, this is hella fun yo."

  Ian smiled. "I'll have to let him give you a ride sometime."

  "I might have to get something for me to ride too," Tupp said as Sawsbuck's vines placed him back onto the ground.

  Sawsbuck then leapt down the slope with ease, getting to the bottom and looking at the group expectantly. Ian noticed the group had essentially ostracized Selene and he saw an opportunity for Tupp. "Hey bro, I see everyone's staying away from Selene."

  Tupp nodded. "Yeah, she stinks yo."

  "She's gonna be all alone, feeling bad about herself. I wonder if any guy could come in and make her laugh and forget about the whole thing for a time," Ian said with a wink.

  It took a moment but Tupp did realize it. "You right bro. I know Rook wouldn't do that for her…"

  "It ain't about Rook, bro," Ian said. "Be more than him. Show her you got her back and think she's beautiful even if she smells like a septic tank."

  "Temporarily, right?" Tupp asked, fear in his eyes.

  Ian shrugged. "I'm sure. But I suppose having a stinky girlfriend would be better than no girlfriend at all."

  Tupp nodded. "Okay good… You won't think I'm weird if I still like her even if she smells bad?"

  Ian chuckled. "Bro, I haven't seen a stick of deodorant since I got to Po Town. We all smell pretty bad after a while."

  Tupp nodded as he turned his attention to the bottom, where Plumeria was getting her bearings on Sawsbuck's back. "You're a natural!" Ian called out. Plumeria raised her hand and gave him a middle finger, causing both guys to laugh.

  Plumeria's ride went smoothly, then Selene got up and went far away from the area, prompting Tupp to follow her. Ian wished his bro luck, even though Selene did smell like an outhouse thanks to Plumeria's Muk. Rapp followed on Sawsbuck without a hitch. Ian took great pride in how helpful Sawsbuck was being, and how smoothly it was traversing the slope. When Ian saw it was just Hyde at the bottom, those feelings of pride died. C'mon dude, just get on Sawsbuck. It doesn't have to be difficult.

  "Hyde, come on!" Plumeria chided the lone squad member. "Sawsbuck's making it look easy."

  "I don't think so. Sawsbuck's making it look all easy and shit. I'm sure the dumb deer will fuck up when I'm on his back," Hyde responded.

  "Dumb deer? You're the one that set yourself up for this in the first place, dumbass!" Plumeria pointed out.

  "This thing looks like it was set up by someone so most people can't traverse it," Hyde said. "But I bet there are some people that can do it, so I'll just do what they do."

  "At least use your Baltoy to save you if you fall," Plumeria said.

  Baltoy, he's got a Baltoy? Oh yeah, he doesn't want me to know what his team is.

  "Ain't gonna need it!" Hyde fired back. He then started stepping onto the slope carefully. Gravel and loose rock shifted underneath him with each stride, and Ian shook his head, anticipating something stupid happening once more.

  Hyde occasionally lost his footing for a moment as he made his way past the one-third mark of the slope, He then stepped to a spot that Arcanine had used with Selene on his back. Where Arcanine lost its footing with Selene! "Hyde, go a different way!" Ian shouted.

  Hyde flipped him the bird and shook his head as he took another step. "I don't need shit from you, kid-" Hyde's foot landed awkwardly and he fell to the ground. Then he began to scream.

  Ian sighed, shaking his head, trying to suppress a cackle.

  "What a dumbass," Rapp said with a giggle.

  Plumeria just shook her head, visibly frustrated. "Damn it Hyde! What's wrong?"

  "My ankle!" Hyde shouted back between curses. "Think I fucked it up bad."

  Plumeria turned to Ian. "Could you get Sawsbuck to…"

  Ian nodded. "Hyde is not gonna like this."

  "You've been pulling your punches, he's been pushing the envelope. You deserve an 'I told you so' after this shit," Plumeria said.

  "At least," Rapp said.

  "Sawsbuck! Get him before he hurts himself more!" Ian called out.

  "NO!" Hyde roared back in protest as he was bent over, clutching his ankle as he began to slide.

  Sawsbuck did as bade, leaping up easily and using its vines to pick up the injured party member. "Damn it, I said no!" Hyde protested.

  Ian shook his head, unable to stop himself from laughing at the spectacle. Hyde, it is impressive how stupid you are sometimes. I hope you learn something from this. Thirty seconds later, Sawsbuck and its injured rider were up top, and Rapp had Comfey and her Galarian Ponyta tending to Hyde's swollen ankle.

  "Is it broke? It's gotta be broke," Hyde said in agony.

  "Do I look like a fucking x-ray machine?" Rapp fired back.

  Hyde made eye contact with Ian, and Ian saw the shame in Hyde's watery eyes. I should give him some time, I'll probably just make this worse by being here.

  ***

  It was late afternoon when the group set out again. Storm clouds had begun closing in overhead. Hyde's ankle was bandaged up, and Smoochum helped make a jenky ice pack to put on the swollen ankle. Hyde couldn't walk, so he had to ride Sawsbuck now, cursing and groaning in pain as he did. Funny how him refusing to ride Sawsbuck turned into him NEEDING to ride Sawsbuck. Tupp and Selene picked up the rear by some distance as they were downwind. Tupp's gotta be earning major brownie points for this. Plumeria's scowl was essentially permanent, Ian figured the squad leader was debating what to do with their injured member.

  Plumeria sighed and let out an almost defeated groan. "I'm not sure how much further we can go before the storm hits," Plumeria stated.

  "Hyde needs rest," Rapp said.

  "And we can't get stuck up here on this damn mountain with that storm coming," Plumeria said before letting out a loud curse.

  "There's that town further up the mountain, right?" Ian asked.

  Plumeria nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think they'll take us in."

  Ian shrugged. "Maybe we can bribe them?"

  Plumeria shook her head. "Show another faction we have money and valuables? There's a decent chance they just take it all from us and then this whole expedition is pointless."

  "It's really the only option we got," Ian said.

  Plumeria bit her lip, but relented. "You're right." Plumeria turned to Rapp and Hyde. "Stay here, Ian and I are gonna try to find one of their guards or something."

  Rapp nodded. "Okay."

  Hyde winced as he felt a jolt of pain and cursed.

  "Tell Selene and Tupp we'll be back soon," Plumeria said, her eyes fixating on the oncoming storm clouds.

  "Should we start setting up the tents?" Rapp asked.

  "Not until we're back," Plumeria said.

  A few minutes later, Hyde had been relocated off of Sawsbuck's back and onto a nearby log. Ian and Plumeria set off, with Ian riding Sawsbuck and Plumeria following closely behind on foot with Haunter being the liaison. When Ian came upon the switchback road he pumped his fist. Finally. Ian led Sawsbuck a bit onto the road overlooking a good section of the mountain's face when his eyes were drawn to a motion in the distance.

  A singular, shirtless man appeared to be doing squats in place. What an odd place for a workout. Ian then turned Sawsbuck around and found Haunter, who guided them back to Plumeria. "I found a dude working out?"

  Plumeria chuckled for a moment. "I think I might know who that is."

  "What? Really?" Ian asked.

  Plumeria gave him a look. "One of the border guards works out a lot. Does he have a shirt on?"

  Ian shook his head.

  "That's probably him then," Plumeria said with a smirk. "Take me to him."

  Ian dismounted from Sawsbuck and led Plumeria on the path that ended at a part of the switchback road. When Plumeria did finally get her eyes on the man who was now doing jumping jacks, she smiled. "Yup, that's Gaeric."

  Gaeric, why do I feel like I recognize that name? Plumeria led Ian down to the switchback road, with Plumeria not trying to be sneaky. She recalled Haunter as they neared him. When Ian got a better look at the shirtless man still doing jumping jacks, he noticed long, light blue hair, and a weird amount of chest hair trimmed in a weird design. Then it hit him. That's Avalugg's Warden from Legends Arceus! Does that mean the actual Pearl Clan is here? How the hell did that happen?

  "Gaeric!" Plumeria called out rather conspicuously.

  Gaeric immediately stopped doing his jumping jacks and focused his attention on the two approaching figures. "Ah, it is you Plumeria, of the Skull Team!" Gaeric called out. "What brings you to our domain once more?"

  Plumeria nodded her head respectfully. "I'm on a mission to collect seeds so we can grow our own food, and one of our party members is injured."

  "Unfortunate. But does he not look okay? What wound must your partner have?" Gaeric asked, pointing at Ian.

  "He's not the injured person in my party," Plumeria explained.

  Gaeric. "I see. Then is this man your husband?"

  "Oh hell no!" Plumeria said in an outburst. "He's just a squad member."

  Garlic eyed Ian curiously. "My apologies young man, I was hoping you'd lucked out. What is your name?"

  "Ian," Ian said. Did he just admit he thinks Plumeria's hot? Fair.

  "Ian of Skull Team, it is good to meet you. And Plumeria, how many members of the Skull Team are with you?" Gaeric asked.

  "Just a bit, there are six of us," Plumeria said. "We just need shelter from the storm."

  "That is more than just a bit…" Gaeric said with a grimace.

  "Sir, can I buy us a night of your hospitality?" Ian asked.

  "Hm? Buy with what?" Gaeric asked.

  "I have a Star Piece," Ian said, taking his backpack off and rummaging through it before finding the smooth, dense, red crystal in the shape of a star. He presented it to Gaeric with a slight head bow.

  "That is more than adequate, young Ian," Garlic said. "I'm afraid shelter is all I can offer, as we are desperately low on food. Our crops have some time before they can be harvested."

  Plumeria eyed Ian with a smirk. "You know, I think we can help with that, Gaeric."

  Gaeric sized up Ian once more and nodded approvingly. "Six of the Skull Team then. I shall let our leader Irida know of your coming."