Pokémon: A Tale Of Time (Volume One: Zephyr)

Chapter Twenty-Three - A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Kabutops snarled, its eyes locking onto Raido with a cold, predatory focus. It raised its scythes, preparing to strike. Raido braced himself, closing his eyes and accepting that these might be his final moments.

Just as the Kabutops lunged, a bright flash of light filled the cavern, causing the menacing Pokémon to halt in its tracks. Raido blinked in confusion, shielding his eyes from the sudden brilliance. A hole had formed in the rocky wall of the cavern, and through it, heads began to peer, illuminated by the light from the other side.

To Raido's astonishment, Mr. Pokémon Jr. was there, with Nidoran perched on his shoulder! Relief washed over Raido as he realised that Nidoran must have run back to get help after he had fallen into the deeper caverns.

"Ah, there you are, young man," Mr. Pokémon Jr. joked, stepping through the hole. His Swampert, a massive and powerful Pokémon, followed, flexing its bulking body. Without any instruction, Swampert arched back and released a powerful Hydro Pump. The torrent of water hit Kabutops directly, sending it flying across the cavern and crashing into the opposite wall.

Kabutops struggled to its feet, clearly shaken by the force of the attack. It stared down Swampert for a tense moment, then turned and scuttled off swiftly into the tunnels, disappearing into the darkness.

Raido let out a huge sigh of relief, his body trembling from the adrenaline. He had truly believed that he was about to meet his end.

Nidoran jumped through the hole and into Raido's grateful arms. He hugged her tightly, snuggling her appreciatively. "Thank you, Nidoran. You saved me," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

Mr. Pokémon Jr. approached, his face serious. "We need to get a move on quickly. The competition is about to end, and we don't want to run into any more aggressive Pokémon."

Raido nodded, still clutching Nidoran. "You're right. Let's get out of here."

With Mr. Pokémon Jr. leading the way, Raido climbed through the gaping hole in the wall, careful to avoid the jagged edges. He took one last look back at the cavern, his heart still pounding from the encounter. Then, with his saviours by his side, he began the climb back up to the outside world.

As they made their way through the tunnels, Raido's mind raced with thoughts of the brave little Tyrunt now safely in his Pokéball, and the harrowing experience he had just survived. He had learned a lot about bravery, friendship, and the unpredictability of the journey ahead. And with Nidoran by his side, he felt ready to face whatever challenges came next.

Raido took a moment to clean himself off, rinsing the dirt and grime from his face and clothes, and trying to compose himself after the harrowing experience in the caverns. As he sat with Mr. Pokémon Jr. and some other trainers, he recounted the events of his fall and the sinister encounter with the red-haired man.

"He betrayed me," Raido said, his voice still tinged with disbelief and anger. "He asked for my Pokéballs, saying it would make it easier to pull me up, but once he had them, he just let me fall. He took all my Pokéballs and left me for dead."

Mr. Pokémon Jr.'s face darkened with fury as he listened. "I can't believe someone would do such a thing," he muttered, scanning the crowd for any sign of the red-haired man. "Putting your life at risk for his own selfish gain... it's despicable."

Raido nodded. "I don't see him anywhere now. He's probably long gone with the Pokéballs he stole."

Mr. Pokémon Jr. sighed heavily, turning to his colleagues. "We need to carry out more stringent checks on the trainers that register, to make sure that participants with selfish and sinister intentions are not included in future competitions. This sort of behaviour is unacceptable."

The group nodded in agreement, whispering amongst themselves about stricter measures and better checks for future events.

As they walked back towards Mr. Pokémon Jr.'s house, the tension from the cavern still lingered in the air. However, there was a sense of relief as they emerged into the open, safe and sound. The competition grounds were bustling with activity as trainers gathered, some looking triumphant, others disappointed.

Mr. Pokémon Jr. stepped up onto his podium, raising his hands to quiet the crowd. "Thank you all for your participation in this event," he began, his voice carrying a mix of enthusiasm and authority. "I am excited to see the results of our competition and to judge the Pokémon you've worked so hard to catch. Before we begin, I want to acknowledge the bravery and perseverance of all of you. This competition was not easy, and your efforts are commendable."

Raido looked around, taking in the sight of the determined trainers and their Pokémon.

Some stood proudly beside unusual prehistoric creatures, while others appeared downcast, having come up empty-handed during the competition.

Mr. Pokémon Jr. continued, "Without further ado, let the judging begin!"