They of the Sun
Chapter Seven: Aliens, Thieves, and Things That Go Crawling in the Night

      There was something eerie about the cavern I traversed. Besides having a traumatic amount of Yungoos patrolling the area... but it was different. It was a heavy feeling that fell upon the entirety of Verdant Cavern. It almost made me claustrophobic, like something wanted to surface. It was a familiar feeling of suffocation. As if something else was there, the further back I went. I passed by the Trial Guide who had nothing of interest to say to me.

     Ahead the Cavern was lit brightly, opening to almost what seemed like a crater. Ahead of me: my goal. A small totem with tribal markings and the color matching my Trial Charm. There was a hollowed center, glimmering and shining in pure white. I took a step further and it felt like there was a pressure in the air that could not be lifted, not if anyone or anything tried. I almost felt scared to take the Crystal... I laughed then. Arceus, how fucking ridiculous could I be? I just wanted out of this cave as soon as possible. It gave me the heebie jeebies.

     A low growl emanated around me. If I had looked up sooner I would have seen the towering figures above me... A human one (no doubt Ilima making sure I was completing the task forced upon me in order to pay my debt from my Trainer School incident) and one that was much larger...It lunged into the air at a ridiculous speed. Pan hooted from on my head, his feathers rustling like a tree in high winds.

     It was my nightmare times ten. A giant old-looking Yungoos. I could hear the hum of the Dex start as it whirred out of my bag, identifying the Gumshoos for me. I shivered. Arceus, I've had more than enough of these damn rodents. "Peck!"

     Pan's beak began to glow with energy as its wings kicked up dust with powerful flutters. The Gumshoos was glowing radiantly, but almost like the power was internal. It was an alien energy it let loose, directing it at Pan. And it wasn't just me who noticed this, Pan was on edge, following every command to a T. Gumshoos cried out and it was like I was in a weirder version of the dream where someone is stuck in their underwear... Yungoos were surrounding me ready to attack with their teeth bared and eyes calculating.

     "Fuck!" Was this a trap? Was this what Ilma wanted? I wouldn't doubt he wanted me to die a painful death by nibbling. I mean my hand had already been a snack for one of these. I felt my body tense as they closed in with each of Gumshoos' cries.

     "Naganadel!"

     The cry caught me off guard at the wrong time, I let my guard down as all of the nightmares lunged for me. I was totally dead... I felt them enclose me.

     They felt almost like arms.... protectively cradling me. What weird fur. I peeked an eye open and I had to be losing my mind. If I thought this Pokemon was an alien, I really didn't know what an alien was like. It- he?- looked down at me as the words slipped out of my mouth. "Oh my shit."

     I couldn't see eyes past the Cyclops glasses, but that didn't hide the odd blue skin and the weird, actual, factual space suit. Even his scent didn't seem human.

     "Dulse! There! There! There!" Another one. But much smaller and less composed. And female. She was pointing excitedly at the snarling Gumshoos, her red braid bouncing with each jump. "It has the same energy as the Bright One!"

     "Zossie, calm," Dulse said from above me, his attention returning to his... Pokemon? It was dragon-like with a thin waist and a big Beedrill-like stinger. "It isn't here for us. It's for her."

     He set me down with ease, I weighed nothing to him... I had to crane my neck back to stare at the Girafarig of a 'man'. I was not getting a break from anything lately. I wasn't even getting the time to think. There was no time to think as the Gumshoos swiped him- and his Pokemon- away from me, like he was nothing more than a ragdoll. Zossie let out a yelp as she dodged away from the raging paws of the Totem Pokemon. "Pan! Use Leafage!"

     I didn't want more trouble. I don't know who or what these people were, but they were definitely not invulnerable to Pokemon attacks. How lame. I just wanted this to be over as Pan's little loaf of a body began to become a forest green, his feathers standing on end as they launched towards Gumshoos with a force that knocked it to the ground.

     Where it stayed. I kept my arms over me, half expecting it to let out another snarl. I waited a few minutes to even breathe...

     I know I wasn't the one exerting so much energy, but I doubled over then from the stress. I was ready to die now. I could hear Zossie in the background, I could feel my Rowlet gently nuzzle me. I had to do just one more thing... I dragged myself up, grabbing the gem I had fought for.

     "That..." Dulse's voice was shaken and curious from behind me. "Is that what you Alolan's call a Z-Crystal? The gems that prove your worth, correct?"

     I clenched my fists around it then, turning to face him with a straight face. I wanted to state I wasn't an Alolan. But I also didn't want to waste my breath. His glasses had been knocked off, revealing the iciest of eyes. Curious patterns drawn into them. The longer I glared at him, the more he seemed to question what he had asked. He straightened quickly... realizing I wasn't about to just answer him. Too many fucking people were invading my life. I didn't need aliens either. With my nerves calmed, I pocketed the item.

     He then did what I assumed to be the Alolan gesture, but in a more square fashion. "Alola. I am Dulse."

     "And I'm Zossie!" The smaller alien sing-songed, doing the same odd gesture.

     "Okay and?" I said, blandly, stepping away from them.

     "How unfriendly..." Zossie mumbled, her bright mood dampened by my rain. Sucks, kid.

     "Will you answer us?" Dulse called from behind me, his voice rather blank for being as inquisitive as he was. Between the two of them, Dulse was definitely more likeable, but I didn't care. I raised my hand over my head, flipping them the bird with no second thought. Hopefully, Ilma was still watching because no matter how princely he was it didn't change the fact that he left me for dead.

     I was almost to the start of Verdant Cavern, naively believing I was alone.

    "Yo! We never thought you were gonna be done."

     "Fucking Arceus." I wanted to scream at the wannabe gangster, leaning against rocks just at the entrance. His face covered by bandannas and his head donning a skull-like beanie.

     "We are Team Skull. Surrender your Pokémon or else we'll make ya a demonstration ."

     "Are you joking with me?" I reached into my bag, digging for Pan... And digging.

     "Looking for this, Miss?"

     I whipped around to look at the other numbskull, spinning my Ball around on his finger like a basketball. I just got played.

     He hopped off the ledge, high-fiving his team mate. "Motherfuckers!"

     I lunged at them, but I was too tired from the previous fight to move swifter than them. They were almost out of sight when I heard Zossie's voice echoing through the caverns. How fucking frustrating. I felt myself dart away from the aliens and towards the thieves before they disappeared into the setting sun. This was just another unholy sign that I should let go of this stupid Challenge. Maybe if someone else with good intentions had taken Pan, I wouldn't mind. But I don't know what these Team Skull dimwits would do to him.

     I could feel my energy fading as I sprinted past all the things that go crawling into the night.