Chapter 11: Rescue Operation

Tyson stared at the small, orange, ant-like Pokémon before him, feeling a mix of confusion and intrigue. The diminutive creature persisted in tugging at his pant leg, seemingly urging him to follow. "Need my help with something, little one? Sure, lead the way," Tyson said as the Trapinch released his leg and turned toward the forest entrance, waddling forward. 'Normally, I wouldn't follow just any random Pokemon. However, an animal will even seek human help when things get bad; I'd better keep Larvitar's Poké Ball ready,' Tyson thought, gripping the Poké Ball in his jacket pocket as he trailed behind the tiny Pokémon.

- Celestic Woods Southside

Venturing deeper into the forest, Tyson followed the tiny ant with a look of concern on his face. About five minutes had passed since he started tailing the insect, and he noticed a troubling sign: no Pokémon were visible along the path. Although Tyson was not thoroughly acquainted with the Celestic Forest's layout, he had briefly traversed it while assisting Cynthia with her training. She had intended to familiarize him with the local Pokémon, as she and her family often mingled with them, but now, none were in sight. Reaching a small clearing, Tyson swiftly surveyed his surroundings, alert to any potential threats. Meanwhile, the little ant had strayed slightly toward a hollowed-out tree.

As Tyson approached cautiously, he took out Larvitar's Poké Ball, drawing closer to the tree. Suddenly, a panicked voice reached his ears. "Is... is anyone there?" a feminine voice called out from the hollow of the tree. Moving closer, Tyson saw the source of the voice—a young girl with short black hair and brown eyes, sporting a pink crop top and jeans, lying against the tree with light bruises. Relieved it wasn't a trap, Tyson hurried over and knelt in front of the girl, who appeared equally cautious. "Hello, a Trapinch led me here. Are you okay?" Tyson inquired, prompting the girl to sigh with relief. "I'm fine, just a sprained ankle and a few bruises," she responded.

Observing the girl's foot, Tyson noticed its swollen state. 'No wonder she's stranded here; her foot is as puffed up as Jigglypuff's cheeks,' he thought. "How did this happen, and where are the wild Pokémon?" Tyson asked while inspecting the girl's leg. "I was just playing and feeding the little ones during my lunch break when suddenly, a large Pokémon I've never seen before appeared," she recounted. "A large Pokémon? Can you describe it, and do you know where it went?" Tyson pressed, a sense of dread building within him. "It resembled a large metallic bird; I think it was a Skarmory....I tried to distract it so the little ones could escape, but I got nicked by one of its attacks and fell. The little ones started attacking it to help me get away... I just hope they're okay," she responded, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Everything will be fine. My name's Tyson. I'm a fourth-year student at the Trainer School. What's yours?" Tyson assured her as he asked for her name. "I'm Sophia, a third-year student at the Trainer School," she replied. After a brief pause, Tyson suggested, "We should head back to the school to treat your leg." Sophia immediately responded, "What about the little ones?" "I'll inform the teachers about the wild Skarmory in the forest. I'm confident the local rangers can handle it," Tyson replied. He was certain this was the correct course of action, having watched Ash's adventures and knowing that Ash, in his place, would seek out the Pokémon and the wild Skarmory after saving the girl, which would be a reckless approach. He planned to report the issue to the teachers and let the local Pokemon Rangers handle the situation.

The girl appeared disheartened upon hearing Tyson's words, and the small Trapinch by her side hung its head low. Observing them, Tyson pondered, 'Are they really expecting me to check on a group of wild Pokemon battling for territory?'. Sighing to himself, Tyson said, "Approaching an aggressive Pokemon like Skarmory without a plan is dangerous. Which direction did you see the other Pokemon go?" Promptly responding, Sophia pointed and answered, "Further south." Tyson turned to survey the path indicated by Sophia, noting the slashed trees and scattered branches, thinking, 'It possesses a move that can slash and cut through objects like trees; a direct hit could result in serious injury or, in the worst case, death.' Shaking his head, Tyson said, "It's too risky, and you can't walk straight. I'll help you back to school and then report this to the teachers." Sophia nodded hesitantly in agreement as Tyson hoisted her onto his back and began the slow journey back to the school.

- Trainer School Nurses Office

Upon returning to school, Tyson was swiftly surrounded by students on the field. His act of carrying Sophia on his back drew considerable attention, and after a brief explanation, they found themselves in the nurse's office. The school nurse, Ms. Graystone, was a kindly old woman who took pleasure in caring for the school's youth. She was taken aback to see Sophia being brought in. Following their explanation, Sophia was firmly reprimanded by Ms. Graystone as she attended to her bruises and sprained ankle. Meanwhile, Tyson hastened to the second floor, eager to report the incident involving the wild Skarmory. Along the way he was joined by Eric who was returning to the classroom after assisting Mr. Mathews.

The pair soon arrived in front of the faculty office and, with a knock, were allowed inside. The room was filled with various pieces of equipment, as well as stacks of books and documents. Upon their entrance, they caught the attention of many, but it was Mr. Mathews, their homeroom teacher, who spoke first. "Eric? Back so soon, and Tyson, what brings you two here?" he asked from his desk. Approaching, Tyson replied, "There's a bit of trouble in the south woods; a wild Skarmory has started attacking the local Pokémon. They're usually found in mountainous areas, which aligns more with the nearby Michina Ruins," he elaborated.

Upon hearing Tyson's report, several teachers stood up, their faces etched with surprise. "A Skarmory? That species is notorious for its aggressive nature and territorial instincts. It's unusual for one to venture this far," Mr. Mathews remarked. "How did you come across this information, Tyson?" he asked. Tyson proceeded to describe his discovery of an injured Sophia in the woods and her encounter with the wild Skarmory. The teachers wore expressions of horror as he detailed the incident, but many relaxed upon learning that Sophia had only sustained minor injuries. "That girl, I've warned her repeatedly not to stray too deep into the forest," said a blonde-haired female teacher, who Tyson presumed was Sophia's instructor.

As the woman approached, Tyson got a better look at her. She was dressed in a sky-blue button-up shirt paired with a black skirt and shoes; her hair fashioned into a fishtail braid resting over her shoulder. "Thank you for helping Sophia; I'm Mrs. Nelson, her homeroom teacher. She often feeds the nearby Pokémon, and it's rare for her to be in such situations," she said with gratitude. "It's no trouble; we're both students at the same school," Tyson responded, receiving a smile from the faculty members. Turning to Mr. Mathews, Tyson asked, "May I go back to the nurses office to check on her?" Mr. Mathews promptly replied, "That's fine, the rest of today's classes will mainly be reviews of the past two years." With their conversation concluded, they left the Faculty Office, and Tyson, along with Eric, headed back to the nurse's office.

Only 15 minutes had passed since Tyson left Sophia in Ms. Graystone's care, but upon his return to the nurse's office, he was astonished to find Sophia's injuries significantly healed, with just a slight swelling around her bandaged leg. She was laying on top of a lone bed resting. Beside her was a pink, egg-shaped creature with stubby arms and dark pink feet—a Chansey. 'It makes sense for the nurse here to have a Pokémon that can heal. Though its surprising to find a Chansey here as they are normally the trademark of the Joy Family' Tyson thought, shifting his focus back to Sophia. "How are you feeling?" he inquired. Sophia responded hesitantly, "F-fine, Ms. Graystone's Chansey is quite adept at healing." Tyson nodded, then added, "I've informed the teachers; they'll report the Skarmory sighting to the local rangers," prompting a nod from Sophia. "I hope the little ones are okay," she said, her expression still laced with concern. At her side, Trapinch affectionately nuzzled her leg, bringing a faint smile to Sophia's face.

"I'm glad everything turned out okay," Eric remarked as Sophia turned to him, prompting his introduction. "Oh, my name's Eric Loften. I'm Tyson's class president and guide for the day," he said. "Nice to meet you," Sophia replied before shifting her attention back to Tyson. "Um, can I talk to you in private?" she asked. "Oh," Eric said, nudging Tyson in the arm, eliciting an immediate response. "It's not like that, Eric," Tyson said, turning to Sophia. "Sure thing," he replied. Leaving the two alone to talk Eric stepped outside the office. To allow the two their privacy Ms. Graystone also left as well using the excuse of reporting to Sophia's teacher about her current condition. Sophia spoke immediately, "I... I want to first thank you for helping me get to safety." Tyson smiled and responded, "Not a problem." "I want to ask a favor," she continued, with a look of nervousness on her face.

Sophia spoke with hesitation, "I want to go back," which made Tyson pause, a look of shock on his face. "What?" he replied, not having considered for a moment that Sophia would want to return to the forest after her ordeal. "The little ones, I need to make sure they're okay. Please, I just want to check on them," Sophia implored. Tyson, looking into her eyes, thought, 'I want to say no, but that look tells me she'll go alone if I refuse,' and finally said, "Fine, but we're bringing Eric with us." Tyson wanted backup should he need to get Sophia out of harm's way. Sophia and Trapinch smiled at his response. "Thank you so much," she said, grateful as they went to find Eric and explain the situation, which left him shocked and concerned.

"Shouldn't we wait for the rangers to arrive?" Eric asked as the trio ventured into the forest. Supporting Sophia, Eric walked alongside Tyson with a frown on his face. "The Ranger Station is at the town center, so it'll take a while for them to get here," Tyson replied, then added, "Besides, we're not going to fight; we're going to look for the missing Pokémon. If we run into the Skarmory, I can fend it off long enough for us to escape... I hope." This made Eric flinch. "You hope!" he exclaimed, his face showing his worry. Disregarding Eric's reaction, Tyson turned to Sophia and asked, "So, which Pokemon are we searching for?" Sophia responded promptly, "There are four of them: a Bronzor, Starly, Zigzagoon, and this little Trapinch." She finished her explanation. Tyson, puzzled, remarked, "I assumed Trapinch was your Pokemon, seeing how it shadows you." Sophia clarified, "Oh no, I don't own any Pokemon. These little ones were taken in by the school after their trainers abandoned them, so I tend to them during my spare time."

"Abandoned Pokémon, huh?" Tyson remarked, looking down at the small Trapinch with a look of pity. 'In every region, many trainers release their Pokémon for various reasons, often causing problems like damage to local ecosystems and overly aggressive Pokémon that target passing trainers and civilians. The Pokémon League has recently banned trainers from releasing Pokémon into the wild, and to help trainers relinquish unwanted Pokémon, Adoption Centers have been established in every region. While this hasn't completely resolved the issue, as some still refuse to follow the law, it has helped find homes for abandoned Pokémon,' Tyson thought, smiling at the small Trapinch.

Reaching the clearing again, Tyson turned to Sophia and Eric, instructing, "Let's search the area, but don't stray too far and shout if you find anything." Both youths nodded and began their search separately. Tyson walked to the tree where he had found Sophia and scrutinized the ground for footprints or scratch marks. Thinking it wise to be prepared, he released his Pokémon, Larvitar. The small dinosaur looked up at Tyson, eager to assist, and after being briefed, joined the search. Suddenly, Eric's voice rang out, "Hey guys, come here, I've found something!" This prompted Tyson and Sophia to hurry over. Larvitar's presence surprised them, but Tyson quickly clarified that it was his Pokémon and urged Eric to explain his discovery.

Continuing his explanation, Eric spoke while pointing to a piece of metal on the ground, "I found this here, along with some fur attached to the side of a tree. It seems they headed southward while dodging attacks from the Skarmory." "Good job, Eric," Tyson commended, as he went on, "Now, let's follow the trail and we'd better hurry." The youths nodded in agreement as they set off together towards the southern part of the Celestic Woods.

Pokemon Team:

Team Rank: 1

Larvitar

Gender: Male

Type: Rock/Ground

Abilities: Guts, Sand Veil [Undeveloped]

Held Item: None

Moves: Rock Throw, Bite, Payback, Leer, Scary Face, Dragon Dance [Inherited], Ancient Power [Inherited], Stomping Tantrum