Pokémar Episode VI, Search and Rescue

A Seismic Awakening

Jackson...Pokemar needs you...Find the Gardevoir...She will guide you...

A deep rumble woke Jackson from his slumber. For a split second he tried to remember why he had fallen asleep, but those questions were swiftly brushed aside by something more pressing. An earthquake.

All around him trees swayed and shook, many snapped and toppled over. And within the din of arboreal destruction he could hear screams. People fleeing for their lives. It quickly dawned on him that he needed to move. He tried to get up on his feet but the ground was too unsteady. All he could do was hunker down and hope to make it out alive.

He lost track of how long he laid there on the ground, clutching the grass beneath him as though it would save him. But eventually the ground settled and the shaking stopped. As he stood up and surveyed his surroundings something caught his eye. A Cyndaquil. A massive Cyndaquil as big as he was rushing towards him. For a moment he froze, unsure of what to do.

"Oh thank goodness." The Cyndaquil said. It took a moment for him to register the fact that he understood this pokemon. "I saw you lying there and I feared the worst. You're not hurt, are you?"

"I-I-I" He stammered. "H-How are you so big?"

"...Okay... I wasn't ready for that response..." The Cyndaquil said before taking a moment to refocus. "Last I checked I'm about average height for my species."

"No, you're definitely bigger. Huge even. You're practically human sized!"

"...What?"

"Look at me. I'm human! And you're as high as my neck!" As Jackson calmed down another thing became apparent. Not only could he understand the Cyndaquil, but he could communicate with it. But that was overshadowed by the next big revelation. He had gaps in his memory. Big gaps. He could remember who he was, where he came from, what his life was like, but not much else. A welling panic began to bubble in his gut.

"...You slammed your head on the ground, didn't you? Sorry to break it to you, but you're a Machop."

"I'm a-" He stopped himself as he caught sight of his hands. They were a bluish gray. His feet were lacking toes and there were rib-like stripes on his chest. And there was a tail. There was no mistaking it, he was indeed a Machop.

The panic surged over him. His breath quickened as the wave of fear threatened to drown him. That's the last thing he remembered before everything went dark.

>>>>>>>>>>

Frigid water brought him back to his senses. The Cyndaquil had taken him to a nearby pond and splashed his face. As awareness and thought returned to him the realizations followed close behind, threatening to overwhelm him once again. No. Not this time. He took deep breaths and forced himself to come to terms with his reality. For now, at least, this was his world. Perhaps that message he heard before waking had something to do with it.

"Are you feeling better? Boy, you gave me one heck of a fright, passing out like that. Come on, we should head to Pokemon Square and get your head looked at."

Jackson considered his request. Perhaps it would've been best to go with him to town. It'd probably give him the chance to get his bearings.

"Yeah... Probably a good idea. By the way, I don't think I caught your name."

"Cyndaquil. But everyone just calls me Cyn. What about you?"

"Jackson. Just call me Jack."

"Alright then. Follow me, Jack." Cyn took the lead, making his way towards the main path. They didn't get very far before the shaking started again. "Aftershock! Quick! To that clearing!"

It wasn't as intense as the quake itself, but it still made walking difficult. By the time they managed to get to the clearing, the movement had subsided.

"You okay?" Jackson asked.

"Don't worry about me. Let's focus on getting out of here."

"Help! Somebody please!" A scream echoed out from behind them. "My son is trapped! Hurry! Please!"

Jackson looked to Cyn, who was gazing in the direction of the desperate pleas. "Are we going to help them?" He asked.

"Of course we are, assuming you think you're well enough for it."

"I'm fine. Let's hurry." Without another word Jackson charged forward with Cyn trailing close behind.

>>>>>>>>>>

It wasn't long before they found the source of the screams. A Butterfree lay pinned beneath a fallen tree, her wings torn and mangled by the branches and she was staring at a massive fissure in the ground. She turned to face them as they approached.

"You two! Please help us! My son, Caterpie, fell into the fissure during the quake. If another aftershock happens he might get crushed by a rockfall! Please hurry!"

"Don't worry, ma'am. We'll get him out of there. Jack, I'm sorry to ask so much of you so soon, but I'm not really built to carry another pokemon. I'll stay here and tend to her wounds."

"Yeah. Sounds like a plan."

"Good luck, Jack." Cyn replied as Jack stepped to the edge of the fissure. Indeed, far towards the bottom of the scar in the ground was a frightened, vibrantly green Caterpie.

"Hey kid!" Jack yelled. "Stay put! I'm coming to rescue you!"

A spark of hope danced in the young pokemon's eyes. "Oh thank you mister Machop! Please hurry!" Jack surveyed the walls of the crevice. Indeed they looked unstable. If another aftershock happened it seemed very likely that the both of them would be crushed to death by the ensuing landslide.

"This is insane..." He muttered. He felt tempted to walk away. Get as far from this death trap as he possibly could. No... No, that's unacceptable. This pokemon needed him. And, he considered, with morbid optimism. If he died, at least he'll be remembered as someone who risked their life to save someone else.

With nothing else to do, he started to scale the side of the fissure. The way down was treacherous. Every handhold felt ready to crumble if he so much as looked at it funny. It was slow, tense, and exhausting. But he kept going, thinking of the child in need. Even after the several times he lost his grip and nearly plummeted into the abyss.

At long last he reached the ledge the Caterpie was curled up on. With a tentative step, he lowered himself onto it, kneeling down at the shivering worm pokemon.

"It's okay, I'm here. Let's get you back on solid ground."

"Thank you..." He said with tears in his eyes. "I was so scared..."

"Soon we can put this all behind us." He reached down and carefully hoisted him onto his shoulder. With his passenger secured, he grabbed back onto the wall and prepares to ascend.

But then the ground began to move again.

"No... Not now!" Jack yelled. And just as he feared, the walls of the chasm started to crumble. They were about to be buried alive. Well... Maybe they didn't both need to be...

"W-Wait! What are you-" Caterpie screamed as Jack grabbed his tail. Using every ounce of strength his Machop body had he slung the pokemon up into the air, easily clearing the edge of the fissure wall and landing on solid ground above. For a moment he breathed a sigh of relief. The child was safe.

And then the ground beneath his feet gave way.