9 Chapter 9

Emmet left the Boulder Gym badge in hand and Brock's journal tucked under his arm, but he couldn't shake a feeling of underwhelm. In his eyes, he had barely battled at all. He'd faced weak Pokemon and even weaker trainers, Brock included. Brock was a gym leader, sure, but what sort of experience did he have outside the gym? The TV show had made it clear: future Brock had potential, but the present Brock wasn't even in the same league as the one who eventually stood alongside Champion Ash.

Emmet made his way to Pewter City's bustling market area to stock up for his Mt. Moon expedition. Following Brock's advice, he tripled his shopping list—especially the Antidotes and Potions. In fact, his cart grew so large that he had to tap into his savings account just to afford the highest-capacity Silph Co. backpack on the market. At least he got a refund for returning his previous, barely-used backpack.

Back at the Pokemon Center, Emmet booked a room for the night. "Ah, the luxury of a real bed," he thought sarcastically, "Better soak it in before I'm back to thin bedrolls in a damp cave. Fantastic." His tone, even in his own thoughts, dripped with irony.

The next morning, he woke up just minutes before the sun cracked the horizon. He wanted to avoid the breakfast rush at the Pokemon Center's cantina as he had seen those crowds and had no intention of getting caught in a stampede of hungry trainers.

Feeling as rested as he possibly could, Emmet, alongside his drowsy Charmander and ever-energetic Eevee, headed toward Route 3 and Mt. Moon. Setting out at a light jog, all three focused on channeling EM into their bodies. This was their routine method for enhancing their physical and mental states while journeying.

Emmet found Route 3 lived up to its reputation—underwhelming to say the least. He'd heard the area was often littered with the arrogance of first-badge winners and the detritus left behind by travelers on their way to Mt. Moon. As he trekked the uphill path, he couldn't help but agree. The Pokemon variety was arguably better than Route 1, but that was faint praise.

Considering the Pokemon around him, he briefly entertained the idea of catching a Nidoran. However, the thought of having his fully evolved form, a Pokemon with "king" in its name dissuaded him. "Because, clearly, one ego-driven pokemon thinking herself to be royalty is quite enough for one team," he quipped to himself with a roll of his eyes, specially when Firefly heard him and threw him a stinky eye.

Before diving into Mt. Moon, Emmet stopped at the adjacent Pokemon Center. There, he left a voicemail for his mother and Professor Oak, advising them not to worry if he went radio silent for the next 15 days. They'd worry anyway, but at least he'd done his part to allay their concerns.

Entering Mt. Moon was uneventful. The interior was surprisingly well-lit, courtesy of installed lights. Eevee and Firefly seemed alert but not particularly distressed. No Zubats were in sight, making the atmosphere oddly peaceful.

"How nice of them to… install… lights?" He began saying but started remembering an important detail.

Emmet suddenly froze in place, causing a distracted Eevee to bump into his leg with a disgruntled yip. A chill crept up his spine as he remembered why the cave was lit: Team Rocket. "Oh, Arceus on a bike, Eevee, Firefly, listen up. The jerks who installed these lights are Team Rocket! And they won't be going anywhere anytime soon," he explained hurriedly, urgency flooding his voice.

Emmet weighed his options. He could dash to Route 4, canceling his camping plans. He could risk camping within the more accessible tunnels. Or he could consult Brock's journal for a secluded hideaway within the cave. The second option was immediately tossed—risking his Pokemon's safety was a non-starter.

Dashing to Route 4 had some merit, but he hated the idea of wasting time. By his estimates, Ash was still probably lost in the Viridian Forest. "Some hero he'll turn out to be," Emmet muttered, dismissing the first option as well.

Settling on the third, he pulled out Brock's journal and located a sketchy map of Mt. Moon. He traced a path leading to an alcove with a hidden tunnel, which reportedly opened into a massive chamber Brock hadn't fully explored even after a month's stay. A risk, yes, but one he was willing to take to prepare for future confrontations with the likes of Giovanni and Mewtwo.

The tunnel suggested by Brock's journal was a snug fit, to say the least. Emmet had to crawl on all fours, and at one point, he was convinced his backpack was going to trap him there forever like a cork in a bottle. Eevee scurried ahead, clearly enjoying the narrow space more than he did. Firefly was less amused, her tail flame flickering low in the tight quarters. The Charmander let out a relieved snort when they finally emerged into the massive chamber Brock had written about.

A sudden rumble resonated through the chamber, shaking the ground under Emmet and his Pokemon. From various corners of the cave, a battalion of Geodudes rolled menacingly toward them. Eevee's fur bristled and stood on end, while Firefly's tail flame flared, illuminating the cave walls with flickering shadows.

Emmet clenched his fists, forcing them to stop trembling. He locked eyes with his Pokemon, sending a silent message of solidarity. "Alright, team, let's give them a show they won't forget!" he declared, infusing his voice with as much bravado as he could muster.

Eevee sprang into action first. With agility that seemed to defy the laws of physics, she zigzagged through the approaching horde. She darted left and right, taunting the Geodudes into following her and effectively scattering their formation.

"Flamethrower!" Seizing the moment, Firefly let out a burst of Flamethrower as per Emmet's command. The flames shot through the air, targeting the now-dispersed Geodudes. The heat caused the rocks that formed their bodies to glow a menacing red. Confused and disoriented by the sudden change, the Geodudes visibly slowed their advance.

Eevee, not missing a beat, pirouetted gracefully and launched a Swift attack. Glowing stars flew from her body, bouncing off the cave walls and striking multiple Geodudes. The display was nothing short of dazzling.

"Now, Firefly! Dragon Breath!"

Firefly followed up with her still in training Dragon Breath. The energy beam spiraled through the dim air, joining Eevee's stars in a mesmerizing dance of light. The combined assault overwhelmed the Geodudes; they hesitated, clearly disoriented, and then began to retreat into the shadows carrying their fainted brethren. Eevee and Firefly exchanged a high-five and a paw-bump, visibly proud of their teamwork. Emmet grinned, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline rush. "See, I told you we'd give them a show!" he exclaimed, triumph filling his voice.

Emmet's legs give way, and he collapses onto the ground. His Pokemon rush over, their faces etched with concern. Firefly's flame dims slightly as if mirroring his trainer's emotional state, while Eevee's ears flatten, her eyes searching Emmet's face for clues.

Brushing off the dirt from his pants, Emmet reassures them with a shaky laugh. "I'm just a bit shaken, didn't expect a Geodude flash mob, you know?" he says. Then, he looks at both of them and adds, "You two were amazing. I barely had to say anything; you knew just what to do. I'm really proud of you both."

Firefly flicks her tail happily, and Eevee nudges Emmet's hand with her nose. The gestures warm his heart but also make him ponder the gravity of the journey ahead. He thinks about the responsibilities that his young but powerful Pokemon are shouldering. After a moment's reflection, he makes two decisions. First, he will enhance his latent psychic abilities to sense nearby Pokemon, adding an extra layer of awareness. Second, he wants to catch a Clefairy to provide some much-needed support.

Why Clefairy over Chansey? Emmet reasons that while Chansey is known for healing abilities, its bulky size could be cumbersome in tight situations. Clefairy, on the other hand, is small, agile, and is known to possess various supportive moves, sure, Clefable was pretty bunk, but once she was trained well enough to warrant an evolution, he expected that Firefly would already be a Charizard, so he wouldn't be worrying about pokemon size so much. Plus, Clefairy has a reputation for being good luck—a little extra fortune couldn't hurt.

He flips through Brock's journal to find a suitable location for setting up camp. There, in Brock's scrawled handwriting, he finds a note about a small chamber marked as 'safe.' With Firefly's tail as their light source—remembering Brock's warning that flashlights attract Zubats and Golbats—Emmet navigates his way to the chamber.

As Emmet steps into the small chamber, he quickly realizes that it's just large enough for a tent and not much else. The low ceiling makes him hesitate; starting a fire could fill the space with smoke, putting them all at risk of suffocation. To make it more comfortable, he decides to use his psychic abilities to clean the area. He focuses intently, sending out psychic waves that sweep up not just dirt and pebbles but even dust particles. The exertion takes its toll, stretching his psychic powers to their limits, but he's grateful for the practice.

Firefly's flame dims as she observes Emmet's struggle, her eyes filled with concern. Eevee's ears twitch anxiously, and she paces around the small area. Both Pokemon understand that their trainer is pushing himself, honing his abilities in order to better protect them. Their eyes meet for a moment, sharing an unspoken agreement to keep a vigilant watch over their human companion.

After the space is cleaned, all three sit down to take a break. Emmet uses this respite to light a small lamp. This allows him to open his own journal and start sketching. Thanks to EM, his drawing skills are superior to Brock's. He meticulously sketches the path they've taken, adding landmarks and notable features. As he works, Firefly and Eevee glance at the journal, impressed by the details and appreciative of the efforts he's making to document their journey.

Emmet was in no mood to draw, especially after the intense encounter with the Geodudes. But Eevee wasn't having any of it. She turned those big, irresistible eyes on him—a textbook Baby-Doll Eyes move. "Oh, come on, really?" Emmet sighed as he threw a disapproving look at the fox-like Pokemon. "You're not playing fair." But, defeated by the cuteness overload, he got out his sketchbook and pencils.

Emmet concentrated, his Efficiency Mastery (EM) showing its worth as he sketched rapidly yet accurately. First, he drew Eevee, capturing her fluffy tail and big eyes. Then came Firefly, with her tail flame beautifully rendered. The result was near-perfect. Eevee did a playful little twirl while Firefly flared her tail flame brighter as if saying, "Good enough!" Which was the highest form of praise coming from her. Both Pokemon seemed absolutely thrilled in their own ways, their antics causing Emmet to chuckle.

Glancing at his wristwatch, Emmet realizes the time has flown; it's already late. He suggests a brief session of meditation to focus on their respective skills in Energy manipulation before turning in for the night.

Training was a mix of focus and momentary lapses into distraction, thanks to their cramped cave conditions. Emmet struggled to find his psychic center but appreciated the exercise. Eevee managed to channel her energy to quicken her reflexes, even managing to snatch a falling pebble in mid-air. Firefly had less luck, accidentally firing off a small ember that Emmet had to hastily stamp out. "Watch it, Firefly, we don't want to turn this place into a sauna," Emmet joked, patting down the ember with his boot.

"Alright, bedtime," Emmet declared. "But let's set up a watch schedule." He decided he would take the first shift. Given how drained he was, he considered this a risky but necessary decision. Eevee would take the second shift, hopefully not distracted by any sparkly stones she might find. And Firefly would take the last shift, the risk there being that she might try to practice flame control and accidentally set the tent on fire. "Remember, no funny business, you two," Emmet said, pointing a stern finger at both of his Pokemon, who responded with innocent looks.

He had some weird nightmares every night but who wouldn't when sleeping inside a cold, damp and dark cave?