Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 50: Return of the Hiker Brothers

"Oh, all the money that e'er I spent, I spent it in good company.
And all the harm that e'er I've done, alas, it was to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall.
So fill to me the parting glass. Good night and joy be with you all"

Sam and his friends sat around a campfire. A few days back they had run into old friends, the Hiker Brothers, Alan, Alexander, and Anthony.

The group had been travelling through the rainy, muddy hills of Route 215.

Lucky for the group the warmth of each of their Rapidash's flames had kept them warm for a time. From what information Jeremy could find on his Pokétch, it always rained on Route 215. Even Niya, who scarce travelled this route for that reason could confirm that.

It had made for a slow and muddy trek to Veilstone City.

The constant uphill and downhill terrain that kept switching without warning didn't help anything. Fed up, tired, and soaked to the core—a contrast to their warmth—the group decided to camp out in a small cave they found in a hillside.

It looked manmade, but old, and used for travellers for this very reason and so the group set up camp and waited. They had not, however, noticed the sign outside the cave, which had become overgrown by the massive tall grass, which covered the entire area in unsightly patches.

It was this sign that marked the cave as property of the Hiker Brothers.

Despite their intrusion, the Hiker Brothers merely laughed it off as fate. While they did mark this as their property, they did not blame travellers for not only missing the sign, but also for using the cave as refuge. This was the whole purpose the cave had been made in the first place according to Anthony.

More than once had the Hiker Brothers come travelling to their cave only to find a group of travellers camped out within. Most times the brothers only chose to share supplies and tips with the travellers, and to share the space with them. Very few gave them trouble for it.

It was only more fortuitous that the ones who had found the cave this time were old friends of the Brothers.

The reunion was a cheery one. Even Pikachu, who had spent much of the Mt. Coronet ordeal in his Poké Ball, seemed to be happily received by the Hiker Brothers. The rest of the day went by quickly as everyone worked to secure the cave for long-term inhabitancy by the Brothers.

The group created a door and front wall from old wood the brothers had brought along upon a wagon lugged by two, burly Tauros.

The brothers wished to make the place comfier and warmer.

They also created a small hole in the roof, which would act as a makeshift chimney for smoke. It allowed the gaseous burn off from campfires to safely drift outside and created airflow. A wooden enclosure covered the chimney so that rain did not fall in and could be closed in the event of flooding.

The walls were reinforced for stability, with heavy rock, brick, cement, and more wood. The Hiker Brothers were determined to make this hilly mound into a small little abode fit for anyone to live in long term.

More digging was undertaken to add an extension to the cavern, an extension that would become a storeroom for supplies, with a small cavern below, accessible by a ladder and a trap door that would act as a food cellar.

Everyone pitched in and helped. Sam, Niya, Jeremy, Alyssandra assisted the Hiker Brothers, while all of their Pokémon, led by Pikachu, Empoleon, Piplup and Roserade assisted the rugged Rock and Ground Type Pokémon brought by the Hiker Brothers. The Rapidash worked in tandem with the Tauros to help bright back lumber and other building materials from the surrounding area. It was the least they could do in exchange for the hospitality of the Hiker Brothers.