Preserve

Dark Places

Rubie decided to leave her bike in the rack, she could always rent one out or get it delivered to her, but she knew she had to go through a cave at one point and decided to leave it for practicality reasons. She made her way up the short dirt path and hopped over a thin stream the size of her hand. 

She managed to catch a Larvitar that stuck its head out of the ground once, probably just to check out the neat water source before it got knocked out by Rubies Dratini and caught with a great ball she bought at the PokeMarket after drinking Pokeslushies with Najik, still unable to have come up with a nickname. They got to know each other though! Turns out, they share a love of strawberries! She stuck the memory stick into the red and blue ball while continuing to walk and then plugged it into her dex. 

"Larvitar is a great catch! Maybe it will evolve into Tyranitar!" she marvelled and fastened it into her backpack strap. Najik squeaked in happiness and agreement as it trotted by her side. A shadow stretched over the dust and dirt. Rubie looked up from her pokemon and smiled at the sight of a cave entrance. A sign stationed next to it read 'This cave is a construction/ demolition/digging site owned by the government authority. Beware of tools, workers and wild pokemon. They may attack you'.  

"Wow, does this mean Tamarisk works in cooperation with the government of this region?" she asked Najik and at the sight of her pokemon's scared face, returned her to her Pokeball sympathetically. She followed signs that pointed workers to their stations. She managed to avoid the Zubats flapping around and Arons chilling on rocks. A scream could be heard the moment she read a sign that read 'Entrance to digging site imminent'. 

It was more of a masculine scream, definitely not one of Jinns performances- it sounded serious! Rubie decided it would be best to quietly approach and observe, maybe try and help if it wasn't too serious. She crept up toward voices and hid behind a large rock to watch. A thug, wearing a camo jacket with black spikes running down the back and camo shorts, was threatening a digger with a large box. Other thugs, in the same outfit but some were female, were stopping the other workers from trying to help and holding them against the cave walls. 

"I don't know what you want from me, I don't have any pokemon for you to steal!" the digger cried, back to the ground in fear. 

"Pokemon? I don't want your dumb pokemon! I want the pokemon rib bones in that box o' yours!" the grunt groaned, and slapped his forehead. The worked cautiously looked at the box, 

"Those are very valuable, I can't let any Tom, Nick or Harry just HAVE them! They're part of the skeleton of the great Ancient Pokemon Khamun! Worth millions!" he exclaimed. The grunt sighed and called out his Doublade, which held a sword to the worker. 

"Sorry buddy, but those skelly bones are mine now. And my name's not Tom or Nick or Barry or whatever," the thug announced as the worker put his hands up. The rest of the grunts cheered and grabbed the box before making a run for it. Rubie watched in shock and as the gang was running out, she grabbed onto the last girl's ponytail and tugged it, causing her to wince. 

"Oi! Gerrof me! Nobody tugs the hair of a Team Jurassic member!" she blinked, "Or ME! For that matter. I'm not just a Team Jurassic grunt, my names Shanon and I love football but that's not the point! Watch yourself, kid! You're lucky I'm so nice!" Another pause, "and that I haven't received my pokemon rations yet." 

And with a 'hiss' she bolted out, trying to catch up with the rest of 'Team Jurassic'. 

Rubie scowled and jogged over to help the poor worker up, still stunned from being threatened and having priceless fossils stolen from his clutches! He thanked Rubie and scratched his head,