Chapter Twelve: Bat Pokémon, Danger Alert!
At the foot of Moonview Mountain.
The original trio set out leisurely.
“Moonview Mountain is a peaceful and unassuming place, known for its simple folk and tranquil charm. Every year around this time, many travelers come here to enjoy its beauty. Hidden within is the mysterious Moon Stone, making it a great spot for treasure hunting,” explained Xiaogang, a man whose hometown lay beneath Moonview Mountain.
“Beyond this mountain path lies Hualan City. Xiaozhi, aren’t you heading to challenge a gym? There’s a Hualan Gym right there,” Xiaogang added.
Xiaozhi nodded eagerly, wishing he could sprout wings and fly straight there to challenge the gym.
But as they walked, Xiaozhi felt a cold wind blowing from behind, and the surroundings grew eerily quiet and gloomy.
Looking around, they were almost at the cave entrance, yet not a single soul was in sight.
Could this be some sort of underworld tourist spot?
Could they get a bit of sunshine for a change?
The three noticed a wooden signpost.
“Warning: A large number of Zubat have recently appeared. Please exercise caution when climbing.”
“Zubat?” The trio exchanged glances, especially Xiaogang and Xiaoxia.
Their hometowns nestled at the foot of Moonview Mountain, and Zubat were indeed common in the caves. But enough to warrant a warning sign? That was rare.
“We just need to be careful. Zubat usually don’t attack humans first,” Xiaogang said reassuringly.
“True.”
“Besides, we’ve got Sister Li’s support.”
Relieved, they continued on.
...
Inside the Moonview Mountain cave, to leverage tourism, bright lamps were installed every few meters, sparing them the need for any “Flash” moves.
Yet, this artificial brightness undoubtedly disrupted the original ecological balance.
Especially for the Pokémon adapted to darkness, who were clearly suffering.
“Maybe that’s why the Zubat are acting up...” Xiaogang speculated.
Xiaozhi nodded in understanding. “You make sense.”
As they walked, sudden screams and the chaotic fluttering of wings pierced the silence sharply.
Ever the hero, Xiaozhi dashed forward.
In a corner of the cave, a young man in a white lab coat was being swarmed by several Zubat, clearly in danger.
Spotting the approaching trio, the lab-coated man shouted for help.
“Passersby of justice, please save me!”
The word “justice” stirred Xiaozhi’s heroic spirit.
“Since you earnestly ask, I shall mercifully rescue you! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!”
Pikachu leapt from Xiaozhi’s shoulder, a swift bolt of lightning striking the rebellious Zubat.
A low-powered Thunderbolt.
The electricity crackled, and the Zubat were thoroughly shocked.
“Zzzzzz...”
Of course, the lab-coated man also felt the electric shock.
Ten thousand volts was no joke.
...
After the electric strike, the Zubat wilted instantly, their bodies charred, ready to flee.
“Now, Poké Ball!”
Xiaogang’s eyes gleamed coldly as he swiftly threw a Poké Ball, targeting the Zubat with the largest eyes.
Click-click... click!
A red light flashed, the Poké Ball shook thrice, and the capture was successful.
“Nice!”
Xiaozhi panicked, reaching for his own Poké Ball to catch one of the big-eyed Zubat, but inadvertently bumped into a nearby Pokédex.
“Beep beep. Zubat, the Bat Pokémon. Not edible. Danger warning!! Danger warning!!”
The Pokédex flashed a red alert, as if signaling a major crisis.
Xiaozhi was perplexed.
Interrupted, by the time he drew out his Poké Ball, the Zubat swarm had vanished.
“Damn!”
He reluctantly withdrew his Poké Ball, glaring at Xiaogang, whose teeth gleamed in a smirk.
“So this is your Rock Will? Stealing Zubat? Pathetic,” Xiaozhi teased.
Xiaogang laughed. “Oh please, Rock Will is a family tradition. My younger brother can inherit that. Being a breeder is my true calling!”
“Oh, so that clears things up.”
“Yeah, brothers all the same.”
Xiaoxia: “...”
Was this some macho banter? She didn’t understand a word.
...
With the Zubat gone, the young man who had endured the electric shock rubbed his head and gradually regained consciousness, gratefully addressing the trio.
“Thank you all for your timely rescue. My Pokémon lost their fighting ability, and with the rampaging Zubat, I nearly lost my life here.”
“Losing fighting ability just from a few Zubat? Impressive,” someone whispered among the three.
The lab-coated youth pretended not to hear and introduced himself.
“Hello, I’m Rikkawa Gangban, a fossil enthusiast.”
Moonview Mountain not only had the rare Moon Stone but occasionally yielded ancient fossils, making it quite the tourist hotspot.
“Oh? Did you find any fossils?” Xiaozhi asked curiously.
Rikkawa nodded with a smile.
“I’ve unearthed two ancient fossils. To repay your life-saving kindness, I want to give one to you.”
He pulled out two fossils from his backpack.
The trio’s interest peaked, crowding around.
One looked like a smooth stone; the other was a yellowish spiral, clearly ancient.
“Hey Xiaogang, since your Rock Will’s gone, maybe don’t look too close—you might dream that your ancestors come to visit,” Xiaozhi joked.
“No worries. My younger brother’s still a minor. I’m a man with double wills now.”
In Nibi City, there was a fossil museum, and Xiaogang had some knowledge about fossils. He scrutinized the specimens, then guessed:
“I’d say these are a shell fossil and a clam fossil.”
“Really? That one looks like a poop fossil to me,” Xiaozhi said, pointing at the spiral fossil.
No kidding, the spiral did resemble that, even Xiaogang had doubts.
He asked Rikkawa, “You didn’t actually dig up a poop fossil, did you?”
“Impossible! This is a genuine clam fossil! At major museums, special equipment can even revive this fossil into an ancient Pokémon!”
Rikkawa laid out both fossils, showing them to Xiaozhi.
“Choose one, my lifesaver.”
Without hesitation, Xiaozhi picked up the shell fossil, which felt quite hefty.
He thought it would make a great concealed weapon against Team Rocket.
...
After a brief exchange, Rikkawa hurried back along the path they came, intending to deliver the fossils to the Nibi City museum to see if he could revive an ancient Pokémon.
“Congratulations, Xiaozhi. Maybe you’ll really get an ancient Pokémon someday.”
Each ancient Pokémon was a rare species, and whether they still existed was uncertain even among scholars.
Carrying the wild bloodline of their ancestors, ancient Pokémon were physically stronger and far more ferocious than ordinary ones.
“Let’s move on,” the trio pressed deeper into the Moonview Mountain cave.
...
Soon, halfway along the mountain path, they noticed a hidden cave entrance with a wooden sign.
“Official Moonview Mountain Clefairy Shop, 50 meters ahead to the left. Welcome.”
Feeling fatigued, they decided to rest at the shop.
...
Moonview Mountain Plaza.
“So there’s such an open space inside Moonview Mountain?” Xiaoxia marveled.
Surrounded by steep cliffs, the area resembled a small oasis, distinct and peaceful.
The space wasn’t large—aside from a nearby meadow, there was only a small shop, its sign adorned with a cute, innocent-looking pink demon.
“That must be the Clefairy Shop. Let’s go rest there,” the trio agreed and entered.
“Welcome~~ Everything in this shop is free~~” came a faint, languid call from the counter.
The voice was soft—likely a charming young woman.
She wore a white sunhat with a Poké Ball emblem on the brim, her face hidden beneath as she dozed on the counter.
“Seeds, seeds~”
Beside her lay a green, wilting Bulbasaur, seemingly in need of fertilizer.
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