Pokémar Episode VI, Search and Rescue

Kidnapping

Once more the familiar routine began. Awoken by the window sunbeam Jackson stirred, got up, and prepared for another day. As he bit into a pecha berry, he stared out the window towards Pokemon Square, reflecting on his life as part of a pokemon rescue team.

Most days were actually quite slow. Both a good and bad thing, considering he needed the income to pay for food and the like. On the really slow days he ended up doing odd jobs around town to fill the deficit. It didn't bother him too much. It was simply what he had to do.

What did bother him, however, was a recent spat of tremors in the area of Pokemon Square. The idea that the town could be swallowed up by a fissure with no warning kept him up at night on occasion. It was a reminder of why being a rescuer was important. There will always be pokemon in harms way. It was his job to save them.

"Excuse me-"

"Augh!" Jackson yelped, quickly wheeling around to face the source of the voice. It was a Dugtrio who had burrowed right through his floor. "Dude! I have a door!"

"Sorry, but this is urgent. There's been a kidnapping! My son, Diglett, was kidnapped by a Skarmory. I was told you could help us."

Jackson took a deep breath. A kidnapping was way more important than a hole in his floor. He needed to let it go for now. "Uh... Yeah. Yeah. Me and Cyn are a rescue team. Team Guardians. We can help. He should be on his way now. Wait outside for a little bit, could you? We can discuss all the details when he gets here."

"Yes! Yes, thank you! How long until he gets here usually?"

"About half an hour. Let me finish some things up here and I'll be right out."

"Of course, of course. You're a lifesaver!" Dugtrio dipped back into the ground, leaving an ugly hole in the middle of the floor. Jackson sighed and went to the storage closet to grab a shovel. He wasn't gonna keep the Dugtrio waiting long, but he wanted to at least minimize the chance he'd fall in. He'd worry about making it look good later.

With a grunt he jabbed the shovel into the ground near the wall and went to dump it into the hole.

"Oh! One mo-"

CLANG!

The Dugtrio yelled out in pain. He had popped back up out of the hole and went face first into the shovel.

"Why is there a shovel there!?"

"Sorry, but you were the one who put a hole in my floor! I was just trying to fill it quick!"

"Arceus, that hurts..."

"Okay, look. I'm sorry. I'll get an oran berry to help with the pain. I'll worry about the hole later. And word of advice, try and be careful where you surface."

"Alright... Yeah. Thank you."

>>>>>>>>>>

Cyn arrived not long afterwards. He approached with a smile and a wave.

"Good morning, Jackson! Who's your friend?"

"You must be Cyn then." Dugtrio said. "The name's Dugtrio. And I need your help. My son's been taken."

"We're here to help, Dugtrio. Start from the top."

"It happened so suddenly... We were minding our business when a Skarmory drops in out of nowhere and snatches my son! Then he went on about how our quakes have been destroying everything! And I swear to you, the quakes aren't us! We're nowhere near strong enough to do that!"

"So he took your son as revenge? What exactly does he hope to accomplish?" Jackson asked.

"It sounds like lashing out." Cyn said. "They're angry and they want to find something or someone to blame."

"But my son is innocent! He would never hurt a soul! Please help me! I'll pay whatever you want!"

"I think we should focus on bringing them safely home first." Jackson said. "We can discuss payment afterwards. Where'd he take him?"

"Mt. Steel, I think."

Jackson caught a worried glance from Cyn. "Mt. Steel?" He murmured. "That's... worrying. That's a little higher up on the danger level than we're used to."

"We both have type advantage against steel types, don't we?" Jackson asked.

"That's not the only threat. Dungeons like that have traps that can do all sorts of dangerous things. Up to and including exploding in our faces. We haven't faced anything like that yet."

"We can't just abandon Diglett. We'll manage."

"I mean..." Cyn paused. "Yeah. I suppose it wouldn't be the first time we've run into unexpected trouble. Let's head into town and gear up.

Dugtrio sighed in relief. "Thank Arceus for you two. I don't know what I'd do without pokemon like you..."

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mt. Steel was certainly more imposing than most other dungeons they've been in. It rose from the ground like a titanic obelisk of gray stone. The way the rock seemed made from rectangular pillars felt unnatural. The ominous whistling wind didn't help either, frankly. This felt like a dangerous place. Jackson felt the urge to turn back. To run and flee to save his skin.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Cyn muttered. "This place feels wrong."

"Yeah. But we can't stop now. Diglett needs us."

"Of course. Honestly, I knew we'd face stuff like this when we formed the team. But knowing and seeing are very different things."

"You sure you're able to do this?"

"Yeah. I just... need some time to hype myself up."

"Cyn! Jack!" A metallic voice shouted from behind them. It was one of the Magnemite they'd saved from Thunderwave.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"I came to assist you." They answered.

"Wait, assist us?" Cyn said. "Are you sure?"

"After you rescued me and my friend, I started to think about the kind of work you two do. Rescuing pokemon from peril is exceptionally noble. And I feel it is a worthwhile endeavor that I want to be a part of."

"Thats... Well..."

"You're absolutely certain? You'd be putting your life on the line and we can't guarantee your safety." Jackson said.

"I have spent much of my life seeking purpose. I feel this could be it. I know how to fight. I won't be a liability. You have my word."

Cyn and Jack looked to each other warily. An extra ally wouldn't be unwelcome, but both worried about the safety of their potential companion. Though given the dungeon ahead of them, it'd probably be in their best interest to accept.

Cyn nods in hesitant approval. Jack eventually does the same.

"Alright. Stick close. Consider this a trial run. If it works out, we'll consider giving you membership into the team."

"I understand. Now we should hurry." Magnemite's expression was hard to read, but they seemed... giddy, perhaps? If nothing else they'll likely put their share of the work in. Jack turned back to the maw of the dungeon and, with a deep breath, stepped in.