Chapter 29: A Family Reunion

Encircled by three Skarmory, the Gliscor leader's frown deepened as he muttered, "Scor" [Not good]. The Skarmory, with a synchronized flap of their wings, began to gather energy, poised to strike. Witnessing this, Alice exclaimed, "We can't just stand by, he's in peril!" Tyson, with a concerned frown, thought, 'She's right... but the Skarmory hold the numerical upper hand; we must level the playing field if we're to aid the Gliscor.' As Tyson ascended the mountain, he tallied the number of Skarmory engaged in the battle. At present, there were four Gliscor and seven Skarmory, excluding the leaders.

With the other four Gliscor occupied, the leader was left to face the three Skarmory and their leader alone. "We each need to handle a Skarmory to assist the Gliscor leader. Infernape, Alice, you two take one each; Gligar and I will deal with the other," Tyson explained. With the group in agreement, they each sprang into action.

As the Skarmory began their assault, they were suddenly interrupted by a fiery explosion and a barrage of rocks from the side. With a resounding crash, two Skarmory were hit by the incoming fire and stones, causing them to plummet to the ground. The remaining Skarmory whirled around, it's expression one of shock at the unforeseen interruption, as it spotted a new group advancing. "Skar!" [Humans?! What are they doing here?] the Skarmory exclaimed. The Gliscor leader now staring at the group, was also taken aback, thinking [Humans? What are they doing here? Are they here to take more of our eggs?] but then hesitated as he saw Gligar gliding next to Tyson. Alice joined the fray, commanding, "Prinplup, use Bubble Beam!" The penguin Pokémon unleashed a stream of bubbles at the remaining Skarmory, which swiftly evaded by soaring upwards.

As Tyson approached the group, he shouted, "Gliscor! We've come to aid you!" This took the Gliscor leader by surprise. [First, humans steal our young, and now they help us during an attack?] The leader pondered in bewilderment. But before he could contemplate further, a slicing air slash struck him from the front, sending him hurtling towards the mountain's edge. Meanwhile, the Skarmory leader, now standing, bellowed furiously at the humans for disrupting their battle [How dare you humans interrupt our raid! I'll rip you to pieces!] seethed the Skarmory leader. But before it could launch an attack, the Gliscor leader bellowed, "Your opponent is me!" and charged at the Skarmory leader to resume their fierce battle.

- With Tyson

As the battle between the two group leaders raged on, Tyson and Gligar shifted their focus to one of the remaining Skarmory. With Infernape and Alice each engaged with another, Tyson could concentrate on the fight before him. "Gligar, let's test our training," Tyson said, to which Gligar replied with an enthusiastic "Gli!" [Alright!]. "Set the stage with Stealth Rock!" Tyson instructed. Gligar's claws glowed as it launched several glowing rocks onto the battlefield. The Skarmory, observing cautiously, decided against approaching. Opting for a ranged tactic, the steel bird unleashed a series of Air Cutters from afar.

"Evade then Rock Slide!" Tyson spoke as he took cover behind a nearby rock. Following his orders Gligar began evading, however a few crescents managed to strike her. "You ok Gligar? " Tyson asked as Gligar replied "Gli" [I'm fine]. See its attack land the Skarmory grew more confident and attempted to flow up its assault by diving towards Gligar its wings glowing a bright white.

As the Skarmory approached, Tyson's lips curled into a smile while the bird soared over the Stealth Rocks. "Gligar, let him have it!" Tyson ordered. Gligar activated the Stealth Rocks, propelling them towards Skarmory and startling the steel-type bird. It was too late for Skarmory to evade; multiple rocks struck it, detonating upon impact. "Keep it up! Use Rock Slide!" Tyson commanded. Gligar conjured several boulders overhead and hurled them at Skarmory, who was now grounded and dazed from the Stealth Rock's damage. The rocks crashed down with a resounding boom, knocking the bird unconscious. "Well done," Tyson commended, and Gligar responded with a broad grin.

[Stealth Rock is a move with dual functions: it prevents Pokémon from switching and acts as a trap for those who traverse it. This hazard can home in on a Pokémon that enters battle, exploding upon contact. Additionally, it can be controlled remotely by the user, making it an effective zoning tool].

After the battle concluded, Tyson turned to check on Alice, who was receiving assistance from Infernape. They swiftly dealt with the remaining Skarmory, just as another explosion resounded from above. Tyson looked up and noticed a figure descending through the smoke, their face obscured. He recognized it as the Skarmory leader, defeated once again. Seeing their leader defeated the remaining Skarmory began fleeing a sight that made Tyson sigh in relief.

As the group gathered, a thud sounded from the side as a squadron of Gliscor landed, their leader at the forefront. Spotting them, Gligar darted forward, chirping "Gli" [Family], and alighted before the Gliscor. The leader eyed the young Gligar, speaking with a mix of gratitude and concern, "Scor, Scor" [Young one, you must belong to the herd, but why are you with these humans?]. "Gli Gli" [This is Tyson, my trainer and friend], Gligar explained, easing the leader's tension. Acknowledging the group, the Gliscor leader dipped its head in thanks, uttering "Scor" [Thank you, humans], a gesture that Tyson and his companions understood well. "You're welcome, I was just helping Gligar meet her family" Tyson replied. "Yeah, no sweat we were happy to help" Alice chimed in.

The group relaxed as Gligar conversed with the Gliscor. It appears that the rest of their herd was sent away at the start of the battle to avoid unnecessary injury. Suddenly, the Gliscor leader, accompanied by Gligar, approached and requested that the group follow him back to their herd. The leader intended to reward the group for their assistance and offered to guide them to their new home. The group was gearing up to track the Gliscor when a voice resonated from the mountain path, "Hey guys, is everything okay? I heard a lot of explosions and assumed something happened." Tyson and Alice, upon hearing the voice, turned to see Leo, who had just arrived. Upon spotting the unfamiliar face, Gliscor tensed, readying itself for battle. Noticing this, Tyson and Gligar made calming gestures, reassuring Gliscor that Leo was a fellow traveler and their companion. After pacifying the Gliscor, Tyson and the others updated Leo on the events that had unfolded. "So, you're planning to follow the Gliscor to their den?" Leo asked, and the group confirmed with nods. "Alright, let's go," declared Leo, while Alice added eagerly, "Yeah, I can't wait to see all the adorable Gligar."

The group descended the mountain, aided by the Gliscor that glided them from the peak. Viewing the mountain range from above, Tyson was struck by a mix of terror and wonder. 'So, this is what flying with a Pokemon feels like; it's somewhat bumpy,' Tyson mused, silently hoping the Gliscor leader would maintain a steady flight. The group soon reached a clearing in the adjacent forest. By a nearby stream, a variety of Pokémon were frolicking, including a group of Gligar led by four Gliscor. The Gliscor were distinguishable as females by their shorter stature in comparison to the males. Among the females was a one with a distinct color difference from the rest as her carapace was a light blue. "A shiny?!" Tyson thought excitedly. It was his first time coming across a shiny Pokémon in their world.

"Wow, look at all the Gligar, and that Gliscor is so pretty," exclaimed Alice, rushing over to play with the Gligar. Many avoided her, wary from past encounters with humans. However, reassured by the Gliscor leader, some ventured forward to play with Alice and Prinplup. Tyson smiled at the sight, before turning to Leo, who was tending to Infernape's injuries with a potion after their skirmish with the Skarmory. Watching Gligar stand before the shiny Gliscor, Tyson paused, deep in thought. 'Is that shiny Pokemon her mother? If so, why isn't she shiny too?' he wondered. The occurrence of Pokémon being born shiny was still a mystery, baffling scientists. Was it a genetic mutation, or maybe a result of specific lineage combinations? Sadly, the explanation remained elusive.

The two Pokémon gazed at each other, tears brimming in their eyes. Gligar leaped into her mother's arms, and they embraced, weeping together. The surrounding Pokémon and the Gliscor herd erupted in cheers, celebrating the heartfelt reunion. As the mother and child exchanged words, Gligar's gaze shifted to Tyson, a bright smile spreading across her face. She approached him, her mother trailing closely. "Nice to meet you," Tyson said, admiring the shiny Gliscor. "Scor," [Same, human child] "Scor Scor," [Thank you for taking care of my daughter. You have my gratitude]. "It's no trouble at all; Gligar is part of my family too. She may be a glutton, but I love her just the same," Tyson replied, causing Gligar to blush with embarrassment as she retorted, "Gli Gli!" [Hey! I'm not that bad] which caused the Gliscor to chuckle.

"Well then, girl, I've kept my promise and brought you back home. So, what's your decision? Will you stay here or join me on an adventure? Don't worry, I'll make sure we visit the Michina Mountain Range from time to time," Tyson spoke, locking eyes with Gligar, capturing the attention of Leo and Alice. Gligar, taken aback by the question, met Tyson's gaze as she considered her response. Her contemplation was short-lived, however, as she quickly sprang into Tyson's arms. Gligar cherished her mother, but she had also grown close to Tyson over the past year, and despite the rigorous training, Tyson, Shane, and Bertha had offered her a familial love. Although reunited with her mother, Gligar still chose to leave. Observing this, Gligar's mother remarked, "Scor Scor" [Oh? You prefer this human over your dear mother?], feigning a sniffle.

"Gli Gli," [Ah, no, Mother, I love you too; it's just that] Gligar remarked, glancing back at her mother, who chuckled in response. "Scor Scor Gliscor," [Do not worry, child, I have no intention of making you stay. Just be sure to visit your dear mother]. Acknowledging with a nod, Gligar reattached herself to Tyson's shoulder as he said, "Well, we need to start making our way back." Upon hearing this, Leo interjected, "Oh, but what about your task of finding the ranger's ring?" Tyson replied, "Don't worry about it; my main goal was to reunite Gligar with her family. The ring was just a secondary objective." Having resolved to return to town, Tyson and the group commenced their preparations to depart. Yet, before they could set off, the Gliscor leader approached, his claws holding an item. Approaching Tyson, he extended his claw, offering the item in a gesture that Tyson interpreted as, "This is for you."

As Tyson opened his palm above the Gliscor leader's outstretched claw, two items fell. One was a fang, the size of his hand, pulsing with power. 'A Razor Fang, and judging by the energy, one of high quality,' Tyson mused, a smile spreading across his face. His astonishment grew as he observed the second item: a gold ring encrusted with a red jewel. 'The ring from the mission... could it be that the Gliscor had it all this time? What an odd coincidence!' he pondered, turning his gaze to the Gliscor leader and saying, "Thank you, I will cherish these gifts." The leader responded with a bright smile and a nod as the Gliscor and Gligar escorted the trio away. Before departing, Gligar made sure to embrace her mother one last time, promising to return in the future.

As the trio began their return, Alice remarked, "Man, I can't believe everything that happened today. First, the long tunnel trek, then we had to deal with those evil Skarmory, and we even helped Gligar reunite with its mother. But I wonder, who was Gligar's father?" Off to the side, Tyson explained, "Well, Gliscor are known to mainly mate with members of their own kind. However, there are times when a powerful Pokémon that has bested a Gliscor in battle could be chosen as a mate. As for whom Gligar's mother chose, the only hint my grandparents and I could gather was that it was a Pokémon proficient in poison-type energy. Different Pokémon have different mating habits; Gligar and Gliscor are not bound to members of their own species, so it's understandable that after mating with Gligar's father, the two separated, never to see each other again." Hearing this, Alice hummed and nodded, signaling she understood the explanation. "I see, that makes sense, I guess. Though Tyson, I must say you're really good at battling; you took down that Skarmory as if it were a walk in the park."

"It was nothing; I've faced a Skarmory before," Tyson commented, as Leo chimed in, "You've battled a Skarmory before? I assumed you mainly focused on studying since you planned to become a breeder." The Breeder Exams were known to be quite challenging, and although many breeders were capable of battling, most chose to focus on studying and mastering the various public breeder techniques. Hearing Leo's comment, Tyson chuckled and replied, "It's a long story, but I don't mind sharing it." As the trio continued their journey, Tyson answered all of Alice's questions, satisfying her curiosity and sharing some of his experiences from his time in Celestic. In turn, the youths shared stories of their travels and the wild situations they had encountered. As the sun set, the trio returned to the town, planning their next move to Solaceon Town to complete their mission. Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes had been watching them. "...toy"

Pokémon Team:

Team Rank: 3

Pupitar

Gender: Male

Type: Rock/Ground

Abilities: Shed Skin

Held Item: None

Moves: Rock Throw, Bite, Payback, Leer, Scary Face, Dragon Dance [Inherited], Ancient Power [Inherited], Stomping Tantrum, Sandstorm, Iron Defense, Outrage, Rock Slide

Custom Moves: Sand Shield

Moves Learnt:

Gligar

Gender: Female

Type: Ground/Flying

Abilities: Hyper Cutter, Sand Veil, Immunity [Undeveloped]

Held Items: None

Moves: Thief, Knock Off, Poison Tail, Quick Attack, Wing Attack [Inherited], Toxic, Spikes, Toxic, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock Spikes, Venoshock

Custom Moves:

Moves Learnt:

Trapinch

Gender: Male

Type: Ground

Abilities: Hyper Cutter, Sand Trap [Undeveloped] Sheer Force

Held Items: None

Moves: Astonish, Mud Slap, Sand Attack, Bite, Crunch, Bulldoze, Dig, Sand Tomb, Bug Bite [Inherited], Rock Slide

Moves Learnt:

Custom Moves: Sand Trap