- Vagabond - Male Reader x Pokémon

Chapter 32: Oreburgh Gate Part. 1

[Oreburgh Gate]

The storm outside Oreburgh Gate was relentless. Sheets of rain poured down, battering the landscape and making the already treacherous terrain nearly impossible to traverse. The constant howling of the wind drowned out any natural sounds, turning the cave into an eerie refuge. And yet, amidst the chaos, hidden crouched beneath a large boulder just outside of the cave's entrance, was a Pokémon Ranger. Jack Walker. He watched the scene unfold before him with a critical eye. His years of experience had prepared him for countless dangerous situations, but the scale of what he was witnessing now was alarming...

A makeshift outpost had been set up just outside the cave, a small but efficient base of operations for the hunters. Heavy-duty trucks, covered in dirt and mud, were lined up in neat rows, their engines idling as they waited for their cargo to be offloaded. Large metal crates, thick and reinforced, were stacked on the sides of the trucks, each containing Pokémon turned to stone, their once-lively forms now encased behind glass capsules. The sight of a countless number of Shinx, Luxio, and Luxray inside made Jack's stomach turn.

He pulled up his collar tighter around his face, feeling the cold rain drip down the back of his neck. His sharp eyes scanned the area, counting at least a dozen hunters moving about the outpost, some unloading equipment, others directing the transport of the stoned Pokémon. They were efficient, too efficient. Jack had encountered hunters before, but this was on a different level. The sheer volume of men on guard made it nearly impossible for him to infiltrate any deeper into the cave without being spotted. And from the looks of it, this was just the surface-level operation. The real action was surely happening deeper inside.

A small flutter of wings brought Jack back to his immediate surroundings. His Chatot, Casey, landed lightly on his shoulder, letting out a quiet trill. The bird Pokémon tilted its head, its sharp eyes mimicking its trainer's as it took in the scene. "Easy, Casey." Jack whispered, brushing a hand through the damp feathers. "We're not ready to move just yet."

Casey fluffed its feathers in response, though it kept its voice low, knowing full well how to stay quiet in situations like these. Chatot had been Jack's partner for years, and together, they'd survived countless missions, but this, this felt different. The stakes were higher, and the risk of failure hung heavy in the air...

From his vantage point, Jack could see clearly into the mouth of the cave stretching out behind the outpost, with trucks slowly funnelling into the deeper sections. More guards stood at the entrance, their eyes scanning for any intruders. Jack hadn't been able to get past them, forced to remain on the outskirts. There was no way he could take on that many guards alone, not without backup.

His styler buzzed softly at his hip, reminding him of the help that was cut off. The storm had knocked out his communications, leaving him completely isolated from the outside world. He couldn't even contact Solana, who had been tasked with the western section of Route 203. Jack frowned at the thought. "I hope Solana's doing alright..." He muttered aloud, glancing up at the raging storm clouds. "I'm glad I didn't send her here. This is way beyond what we expected."

Jack had originally split up with Solana, thinking they were just going to be doing some light reconnaissance, nothing too intense. And yet, as the hours passed, and the storm worsened, he realised the situation couldn't have been more dangerous, more than they could have ever imagined. If she had come here instead of him, it could've been disastrous. The sheer number of hunters alone was overwhelming, and Jack wasn't even sure just how deep the operation went into the cave system...

He adjusted his position slightly, careful to keep out of sight as he continued observing the hunters. They were organised, methodical. Pokémon were being transported deeper into the cave, likely into holding cells before being moved to destinations unknown. The hunters themselves were largely from Johto and Kanto, confirmed from their southern accents. This wasn't just a local operation, clearly it was apart of something much larger, much more sinister.