“It landed somewhere around here!”
“Don’t stray too far away, Ash. We don’t want to end up getting lost.”
“Right. Sorry about that. I guess I’m just really excited.”
Cynthia giggled. “It’s alright. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just the tiniest bit curious myself. Something like this doesn’t happen very often, and sometimes brings mysteries along with it.”
“Pika!” Came the happy voice of his long-time partner, who jumped across several branches. Pikachu landed perfectly on his favorite spot; Ash’s shoulder. “Pika, chu!”
“Haha, of course, Pikachu. We can always rely on you.”
The two Pokémon trainers, and one electric mouse, made their way down a slippery hill, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind all around them. Eterna Forest was as beautiful as always; well take care of by the local Pokémon rangers, as well as the grass-type gym trainers up at Eterna City. Many Pokémon lived in this dense forest, where they were left in peace. It was also a hotspot for Vespiquens and Combees, who made sure to enrich the local plant life. They could be troublesome from time to time, admittedly, but only when their nests were being disturbed. Otherwise they didn’t antagonize any visitors.
And speaking of which, Ash and Cynthia had been staying here for a while now. Cynthia owned several houses, beach properties and other cottages, due to always being on the move as her champion duties required of her. The bills were tedious from time to time, but being the Sinnoh region’s champion paid remarkably well. And one of such cottages was located inside this very forest, at a secluded spring.
Their reason for visiting wasn’t anything extraordinary. Knowing full well the kind of potential Ash holds, Cynthia had reached out to him, offering to help train both him and his Pokémon. Now, this was somewhat rare. Cynthia rarely bothered training others. She was far too busy with her work. Aside from her job as champion, she was still an archeologist and researcher, after all.
However, she made an exception for Ash. What could she say? The boy had grown on her. His assistance with the region’s legendary Pokémon, not to mention his achievements during various tournaments – both in Sinnoh and outside – was exemplary. The fact that he hadn’t made champion yet, despite his young age, was ludicrous. She chalked it up to bad luck and maybe a bit of recklessness. Ash was many things, but he wasn’t exactly the brightest kid.
Not that there was anything bad with that! Cynthia knew he simply needed guidance. Besides, she liked him as a person, and had grown to cherish their time together.
As for Ash himself, well, once he’d heard about Cynthia’s offer, how could he have possibly refused? Being taught by an actual Pokémon champion was a wonderful opportunity. The dark-haired trainer wanted to become stronger, so he could draw out his Pokémon’s potential, while also fulfilling his own. Hence why Ash chose to improve himself in any way possible – physically and mentally.
“Do you think it’s dangerous?” Said teenager asked, pushing away a large branch. He kept it in place as Cynthia followed from behind. The taller trainer nodded her thanks. “I mean, the reward is nice and all, but I haven’t had a lot of luck with meteorites. Deoxys comes to mind among others…”
“Pika, pika!”
Pikachu nodded his agreement, arms crossed and a thoughtful expression on his bubbly face. That drew a laugh from his trainer and the champion.
“It’s a possibility. Remember, we’re talking about a rock from outer space. There’s no way to know if it’s completely safe. But that’s why it’s better if we’re the ones finding, instead of an innocent bystander or curious Pokémon.” Cynthia answered.
Ash understood what she was getting at. He’d seen many Pokémon before who got themselves into trouble, just because they were too curious for their own good. She was right; they should hurry and find the fallen meteorite before anyone else did. They were certainly getting closer – that was a fact. He could see smoke in the distance, almost fully dissipated but not quite, where the space rock had crashed last night.
“Right. The news report didn’t mention anything about possible dangers, so we might be in luck.”
Cynthia nodded. “So they did. The reporters mentioned the reward, and… I mean, you know…”
Both blushed as they remembered the news about the huge, muscular machoke. That had been an enlightening revelation – for various reasons. It was definitely one of the more bizarre things either had seen. And to be fair, Ash had seen a lot! However, Ash and Cynthia had been thinking about the phenomenon a few times today, unable to get it out of their minds. Neither were sure what that meant.
The pair continued their trek through the forest, navigating their way as well as the foliage would allow. It wasn’t easy. Ash managed better than Cynthia, being used to travelling rugged terrain, though the blonde was no slouch herself. She was a remarkably fit woman. Plus, her tall height helped her on more than occasion.
Several Odish scattered away as they climbed over a fallen tree, making cute little noises. That didn’t distract them from their prize, though.
Lying in a deep crater, only a few meters away, was a chunk of what seemed like obsidian yet clearly something else.
“There it is!” Ash pointed a finger at the meteorite, smiling excitedly.
Even Cynthia smirked. “Well, it was a long and difficult journey, but looks like it was worth it after all. Be careful when you approach the meteorite, Ash. We still don’t know what it might do.”
Pikachu went on ahead, though followed closely by his trainer. The two partners jogged over to the crater, which wasn’t all that wide, but could easily fit the yellow Pokémon. Inside was a rock the size of a human fist. It looked similar to a Geodude’s body, albeit far smaller and lacking arms. Maybe a bit smoother, too. It didn’t look all that amazing to be honest – special but nothing extraordinary. But maybe Ash’s expectations were just too high. He’d seen stuff like the blue and red orbs, which had played a big role between the two legendaries Groudon and Kyogre, so he’d expected something similar perhaps.
The boy slowly approached the crater. He didn’t know what to expect, and chose to follow Cynthia’s advice. Once he got close enough, he peeked into the crater and got a better look.
“I think it’s safe.” He said after a few seconds of silence. “There doesn’t seem to be coming any heat from it, nor do I feel as if I’ve been poisoned. And there’s no crazy space Pokémon either.”
“That’s a relief. Alright, then. Let’s grab it and return to the cottage before night falls.”
“Sure thing.”
Ash quickly picked up the meteorite, which fit perfectly into the palm of his hand. The rock was somewhat warm on closer inspection. Nothing too serious, of course. He figured it was still warm from breaking through the atmosphere. Dirt gave away underneath his boots as he backed off, returning to Cynthia’s side, where Pikachu darted off to.
“Such an interesting piece.” She murmured.
The dark-haired trainer nodded. “Yeah. And strange, too. I think my hand feels somewhat tingly.”
“Really? Let me hold it for a few moments.”
However, as soon as Cynthia put her hand on his, touching the meteorite, it began to glow softly. They froze.
“Uh, Cynthia? Is it supposed to do that?” Ash asked nervously.
“I wouldn’t know…” The champion responded, just as confused as he was.
The meteorite didn’t stop glowing, and the pair quickly began to feel different.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author