Pokémon PrismGold

Chapter Seven: "The Fox Among Us"

Nate patted Dash's neck to help keep him calm. Dash's ears turned back to lay flat with slight distress. Sean inched closer, whispering aloud as the Crystal Onix eyed them with tense caution. "Wow... It's beautiful." Mark lowered his phone to quietly flip it shut, warning them all calmly. "No one make any sudden moves." Pryce removed his Pokedex to point the light at the Pokemon. The light blinked before Dexter announced to everyone in a casual tone. "New entry. Crystal Onix. A rare mutation due to Onix's change in diet. Onix normally eats Iron Ore and burrows deep into the earth. However, this Onix's diet seems to of consisted of gemstones. Thereby changing its appearance to solid diamond. Registering Pokemon Type... A Rock and Fairy type. Fairy trait suggests that unlike his kin, Crystal Onix has a timid nature unless provoked. Due to its mutation, it does not get along with the more common Onix. For it is weak to... Ground, Steel, and Grass. While his mutation has made it immune to Water, and Dragon types. More data needed..." Nate glanced around at them all, uttering out softly. "Well... This could get messy."

Mark put his phone into his pocket, then inched toward the Crystal Onix with his palm out. Everyone tensed, warning him to back away, but Mark ignored them. The Crystal Onix turned its head enough to avoid being touched but kept his eyes on him. Relaxing, Mark told it softly. "Easy now. It's ok." The Crystal Onix let out a soft throaty roar in warning, but Mark only slowed down to tell him. "I don't want to hurt you." Pryce inched forward, saying softly aloud. "I'd heard rumors that Gold and Silver had seen one... but I didn't believe it. It didn't seem possible. So stunning. Like crystalized ice." Nate saw both Pryce and Sean removing pokeballs from their belts and went to remove an empty great ball from his pocket. He wasn't going to let them get it before him. Sean moved forward a bit, saying coolly. "This is a remarkable find. Once in a lifetime. Mark, move." Mark just touched the Crystal Onix, causing the Pokemon to flinch at first but it relaxed with a deep throaty groan. Mark chuckled, stoking the Crystal Onix as he said. "Guys... He feels so smooth and cool to the touch. I think it's a baby..."

When Mark finally looked back, his face paled as he said. "Guys...? What are you doing?" Sean was the one to answer, honestly replying. "Get out of the way. We can't let it get away. We need to know more about it. It's undocumented. It could change everything we know about Pokemon Mutations." Mark turned, spreading his arms out as he snapped out. "NO! Leave it alone!" Pryce and Sean expanded their pokeballs, but Nate was the one that simply acted. Pointing, Nate yelled out. "Dash, Flamethrower!" Dash braced for a fight and unleashed a jet of flames over Mark at the Crystal Onix. Mark ducked to avoid the flames as the Crystal Onix let out a loud roar of pain. Twisting in the tunnel, the Crystal Onix turned around to begin slithering away! Nate kicked Dash's sides, yelling out. "After it, Dash!" Mark stepped into Dash's way, getting slammed aside by Dash's shoulder as he ran by. Dash thundered down the tunnel after the Crystal Onix. As Dash started to gain on it, the Crystal Onix began to spiral around the walls of the cave to pick up its own speed and made itself harder to hit as the incline increased.

The ground was getting more and more wet like mud, causing Dash to slide more often than running. At the far end of the cave there was a bright light that blinded both him and Dash. The moment their eyes adjusted; Nate let out a scream. The Crystal Onix launched from the tunnel and dived straight into a lake of water. Dash let out a panicked whiny, twisting mid-slide to try running back up the wet incline... but it was no good. Dash couldn't get the traction he needed, and his own speed was working against him as they slid backward toward the edge. Cutting his losses, he stashed his empty pokeball and yelled out. "Dash! Return!" Dash let out a terrified whiny as his back hooves slipped off the edge of the tunnel and he started to fall, but the pokeball turned him into a red light as it withdrew him back into the safety of his pokeball on his belt. With Dash gone, Nate hit the wet mud and continued to slide at the same speed to the edge. Clawing at the mud, Nate managed to grip the rocky edge as his body went over. Hanging above the lake of water, Nate groaned loudly from the pain of his broken leg.