Following the trail ahead with Red felt like magic. There was such an exhilarating feeling being able to hold the hand of my childhood friend. He was conscious about my feelings and it seemed like I was, at least, able to get inside of his head in a good way. I didn't mind, but I hoped Red felt the same way.

I really did like him and there was a genuine fear that somehow that might not last.

I did my best to try and put that negative thought in the back of my mind for now, like most of my repressed memories. All I wanted to feel was the warmth of his hands around mine.

Glove to glove they remained clasped and it felt like for a moment we were two Pidgey's that were aiming to soar higher and higher toward our dreams.

Misty took notice of our quiet linger behind us and started to smirk with a raised eyebrow. She knew immediately that our spark of a relationship was just getting started.

"Hey you love birds, you better pick up the pace will yeah?! If you lose track of where we are going, you'll have a harder time finding a way out of here."

Oh god I hate that woman!

We had released our bond for the time being and focused our attention toward them. Blushing in the process, knowing that we had been caught was not something I was expecting. In fact, it was embarrassing. 

Despite how embarrassing it was for the both of us to be exposed to our friends. I didn't want to let go of him.

"We are right behind you." I declared with a nod.

We continued our advancement, as our Pokémon's flashing lights illuminated the caves entrance path. My friend beside me noticed something peculiar along the cave's walls. Something that was a bit out of place from all the rock around us.

"What is it?" I inquired to Red who was examining the item in question.

".........I don't know." He shook his head after questioning the strangeness of it.

The item looked like a Poké Ball. However it was three times bigger than the capsule devices we all carried with us. It was stuck into the wall, jutting out as if asking to be grabbed.

"H-hey what is that thing?"

As Yellow approached to reach for the item that was stuck to the wall. Observing the same thing me and Red were looking at. Brock quickly intervened by grabbing hold of Yellow's wrist. Wringing it away from the one trainer who's curiosity got the best of him.

"That's not a thing, it's a Pokémon." Assured Brock.

A Pokémon?

I turned to try and visualize what this thing could possibly be. It didn't seem to move, much less make a sound.

"These are Voltorb, very dangerous Pokémon. We are lucky we didn't even touch one in the first place." Informed Brock to the rest of the group.

"Are you saying there is Voltorb all throughout this cave!?" Shouted Blue from behind Yellow.

"I'm not sure, these Pokémon are not native to this area, so they must have been left behind by a trainer—

"In any case, you should not get near these Pokémon. They may look like a Poké Ball or a missing item on the outside, but trainers leave them as landmines for unsuspected loot collectors. One touch of these Pokémon and you will go caput..." Informed Misty to Blue's question.

Come to think of it, we encountered similar Pokémon that nearly took out Yellow that was captured by Solress on the S.S. Anne.

"You think these are Team Rocket's Pokémon?" I inquired with concerned softness.

"If they are Team Rocket, it would not surprise me. We've encountered these Pokémon owned by their grunts when me and Red navigated the tunnel's of Mount Moon." Shared Misty.

Yellow seemed to be furrowing with anger. His fists clenched together as his hatred for Team Rocket was becoming more transparent.

"Giovanni..." He gritted along with Red.

"If they are leaving them as landmines then we need to follow their trail. With how powerful their explosive capabilities are. They could cave in this whole tunnel." I resounded with percipience.

Misty nodded in agreement. She knew full well that if there were a cluster of them, riddled around the cave too much. It would cause more upsetting destruction.

"Then we better pick up the pace. Brock, bring out your Onix. We are going to need to have the group ride on the back of him to ensure everyone is accounted for and we follow the trail of these Voltorb to prevent detonation." Stated Misty.

Brock obliged and reached his tan hand into one of his camouflage vest pocket's. Clasping hold of his capsule. The big, muscular boy tossed his throw vigorously and out of that throw. Appeared the very monster we all collectively sought to defeat at the beginning of our adventure.

With a loud thud, the Onix shook the cave around us. The large snake slithered his head upright. Howling with fury as his breath exhaled from his monstrous head.

"Alright there buddy, follow the trail ahead. Everyone hop on." Encouraged Brock with a gesture as we all, one by one, each saddled a top his back. Without warning the snake jolted to life like a monstrous train without tracks. This Pokémon wiggled his monstrous frame to motion through the rough and rugged tunnel. While our Pokémon, Clifford, Pikachu and Abra perched themselves on top of Onix's head. Acting as truck headlights for our pack leaders to catch a glimpse of any threat in front.

This was quite convenient to be using the Onix as transport to scout for the planted Voltorb. But I was worried about how much noise this Pokémon was making. If they knew we were coming after them like a barreling train, they would run and hide.

Whoever left those landmines in the tunnel didn't want anyone to find out who's in here. Even more perplexing. They left them randomly in conspicuous places.

We slithered and moved about the massive seven foot corridors. Veering left in one part of the tunnel and veering downward.

It was such an exhilarating ride that I could feel the pit of my stomach rising and falling from the motion.

Brock certainly knows how to use this Pokémon's terrain to his advantage, he's even faster when he's using the very type elements of his environment to move about. I thought with amusement.

".......I see a Voltorb stuck in front of us!" Shouted Red to alert Brock commanding his rock-snake Pokémon.

Inconvenient as it already was. This Pokémon was mobile. Most of the time we were able to avoid the Voltorb that were stuck to the wall, but this one surprised us.

"Onix, stop!"

"Grawwer!!"

Regrettably, Onix had collided with the red, and white, ball Pokémon and a sudden explosion launched the rock-like Pokémon toward an exposed boulder. Smashing it to pieces.

This launched all of us off his back as we all careened toward danger. Crashing against the heavy sediment below us.

Rock and debris had slowed and collectively, we tried to regain our footing. Coughing and trying to get a visual on what had just happened. Everyone escaped with some small cuts and bruises on our knees and elbows but we survived the Voltorb that obstructed our path.

"What the crap! How many of them are there?!" Shouted Blue.

"Now is not the time, Blue." I furrowed.

"Look over there." Pointed Misty toward the south entrance of the tunnel.

From my faulted observation, this man was twice as large in stature in comparison to Brock. He had on large, green, military camouflage pants. Decorated with dog tags around his neck and dawning black sunglasses. This man didn't care to wear a shirt and only wore a dark, green undershirt to match his style.

He had muscular, chiseled features, but his most striking attribute was his spiky-blond hair that seemed to be static towards us. As if he sensed our presence before this event occurred.

"Oh please, you people should've seen that coming a mile away."

"Who are you?" Inquired Yellow.

"Me, heh!" The big man grinned.

"I'm the man who served in a war and now that I'm no longer in service, I'm now the Mercenary. You guys should've turned back around while you still had the chance. There is plenty more where that came from." Cackled the man with thunderous bass in his voice. The mercenary grabbed hold of a Voltorb that was attached to his grenade belt and tossed the ball our direction. The ball bounced and lit up like a massive firecracker that nearly drowned out all sound we could possibly make out.

"Pika!" Shouted the female Pikachu as she used her tail to knock away the post-explosive, brown dwarf away from our huddled position.

"Grr—who owns this Pikachu to get in my way of blowing all of you up! Electric type! Don't make me laugh—this is my specialty." He declared with an evil shout. Tossing out a Poké Ball from his arsenal.

The belligerent man allowed his Poké Ball to roam free toward the ground and out appeared an even more powerful evolutionary form of the one that stood against him.

This Pokémon's shade of yellow was darker in comparison to Red's and Yellow's Pikachu respectively. He was mature, poised for a fight. He had a brown, elongated tail with an even sharper bolt configuration.

The ears were oval in shape and his feet were longer and brown near the tip. Suggesting this one was much faster than his predecessor.

"So you were the one that left that Voltorb... Lieutenant." Groaned Brock as he struggled to get up alongside us to face our enemy.

"Hahaha! Yes, the Gym Leader among others who defected. I'm also surprised to run into the two of you..... Thunderbolt, Raichu!"

The electric mouse, that was twice the size of his counterparts. Charged up electricity within his yellow cheek pouches and launched two consecutive bolts of current straight for Yellow's courageous Pikachu.

"Pika! Be careful!—

The electricity bounced and surged around Pikachu, launching her body up against a sharp jagged rock that pummeled her out of commission.

Defeating Yellow's Pikachu with a single Thunderbolt attack?... Yet, she was the one that put up a fight against Ho-Oh!

We were up against the third Gym Leader, Lieutenant Surge. This man was the most dangerous Gym Leader I've encountered yet and his Raichu was no exception to that rule.