Rigorous Relationships

Race Against Time Part 2

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With Ash and Cal after they rescued Aura and Rhyolis.
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"Your the Crystal guru?" Cal asked doubtfully.

"Yes I am!" Rhyolis retorted. "However any further discussion will have to wait." He then began running up the path Ash and Cal had come from. "We need to leave right now!"

Confused but not wasting any time, the teens and Pokémon jogged to catch up with the old man. Soon they all were running in sync with him. He looked back only once to be certain they were following him. Still pushing forwards Rhyolis started to explain their situation.

"Those goons were after a rare mineral called Lucinian." He began, "Its usual appears as a red and green prism shaped gemstone. This gem emits an odd energy that can be used to power most anything. I don't know what they wanted it for but, judging by their methods of acquiring it, I doubt they're just try to microwave a pizza."

"How does this have anything to do with us running?" Cal asked impudently

"If you could hold your tongue for a moment, I was getting to that." Rhyolis said through aggravated, labored breaths. "I gave them some Ignitium. It's a crystal that looks very similar to Lucinian, but unlike it's useful cousin Ignitium is very volatile. Half hour after being harvested they glow a variety of bright colors and explode. Learned that lesson the hard way." Rhyolis looked at a burn mark on his left hand.

"How long ago did you remove them from the walls!?" Ash asked in a concerned voice.

"About twenty three minutes ago-", BOOM! ,"-maybe a bit longer." Rhyolis said as an explosion shook the mine.

The group covered their faces and braced themselves as a strong gust carrying a cloud of debris came barreling towards them. Eevee Pikachu and Treeko hid behind their trainers and held on tightly lest the wind carry them away.

The group watched through squinted eyes as dust, dirt and crystals flew past them. A few shards managed to graze the teens but none caused them any serious damage. Rhyolis did not emerge as unscathed as his young companions.

"Gah! My leg!" He cried out as seven marble sized crystals dug into several parts of his right leg, forcing him to the ground.

A few seconds later the wind settled down to the point where they could move without being blown away. The three teenagers rushed over to help Rhyolis.

"I'm alright it just a flesh wound, just help me to my feet!" He stubbornly said, despite the fact that he was bleeding profusely.

"No way your seriously injured and we need to wrap that up before more of you is outside than inside." Aura said as she held her grandfather down.

"Cal I'm going to need you shirt again." Ash said as he began to remove his shirt.

"Why is it always my shirt." Cal griped as he began to remove his top as well.

"Because yours is the most absorbent." Ash quickly replied.

Cal conceded his shirt to Ash and watched as he began to treat Rhyolis's leg.

"I suppose that's fair enough after all you'd need something super absorbent to-," Cal stopped as realization hit him like a brick to the head, "Hey wait a minute! How did you know my shirts were extra absorbent!"