Chapter 16 – First Fieldwork

Chapter 16 – First Fieldwork (Leon)

“Leon? Is something troubling you?”

The Totodile looked up. A short ways down the forest trail, a Lucario and Bulbasaur were looking at him expectantly. Leon scurried over to them, crunching fallen leaves under his feet. “I-I’m fine, Aleister.” He adjusted his backpack. “Let’s keep going.”

The Lucario put a hand to his chin. The late-morning sun shone on the steel spikes, and his red eyes traced over Leon, appraising him. “Not yet,” Aleister said. “This is the third time you’ve lagged behind. I don’t need to read your aura to tell that something is wrong.”

“Yeah,” the Bulbasaur chimed in, sounding concerned. “No offense, but even from here you feel kind of cold.”

Leon rubbed his arm. “We’ve got a search-and-rescue mission, right? About a Nidoran who didn’t come home yesterday? Maybe now’s not the best time to talk about… this.”

“We’re not far from the base of the Bronze Mountain,” Aleister assured. He kneeled down to Leon’s level. “Our task won’t be easy if your mind is elsewhere. If something’s wrong, I’m here to help.”

“Are your legs tired?” the Bulbasaur asked. “I can give you a ride!”

Aleister held up a hand. “I don’t think that will be necessary, Chase.”

After a brief pause, Leon sighed. “Well… I was hoping I’d have my first mission with my brother.”

“Ah, the Charmander. Jacob, was it?”

“The one with the pretty flame on his tail,” Chase commented.

“Err, yeah,” Leon confirmed. Who else would have a flame on their tail?

“Surely the Guildmaster would’ve paired you two upon request…?” Aleister suggested.

Leon shrugged. “Well, that’s just it. Jacob asked to not go with me. He’s been giving me the cold shoulder all weekend.” His own voice sounded distant and detached, as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself.

That morning, the Quartermaster had woken them up just as they did on the first day. All the new recruits were told to see the Guildmaster to request who they’d be paired with. Just as Leon was getting out of bed, Jacob was already leaving. Leon had asked him to wait, hurrying after him. They passed by William and Corvo, who promptly headed downstairs. By the time Leon reached the Guildmaster’s quarters, Jacob was already there, speaking to her.

“Anyone but Leon,” Jacob had said.

Leon froze in place as he recalled the recent memory. He and Jacob had disagreements before, sure. But Jacob had never been that upset with him.

Aleister cocked his head to the side. “Strange… Why would he do that?”

“Yeah,” Chase spoke up. “Cold shoulders suck. Figurative ones, and literal ones. Can’t stand ‘em.”

This was the exact conversation Leon was hoping to avoid. He couldn’t skirt around the issue, but at the same time, it wasn’t like he could give Aleister the full story– about Jacob stealing food with Corvo and William. If he did, Jacob would probably get kicked out of the guild as soon as they got back.

“We’ve… had a disagreement,” Leon explained, weighing his words before he spoke. “Long story short, he was hanging out with–” He stopped himself from saying ‘a bad influence.’ “…Well, someone I don’t get along with. I stepped in. And now Jacob isn’t happy with me.”

“Someone you don’t like?” Chase said.

“More or less,” Leon confirmed. “Things got kinda muddy.”

“Well, you can’t watch out for your little bro forever, you know?” Chase said. “If he wants to hang out with somebody, what can you do?”

“Chase has a point,” Aleister agreed. “However, a true friend doesn’t get in your way unless you happen to be going down. I’m sure you have your brother’s best interests at heart. He may be angry now, but perhaps he’ll come around.”

Leon breathed a small sigh, grateful that Aleister didn’t pry for details. Still, he shook his head. “I dunno. He might, but I still feel bummed about it. We’ve always gone together, and I’m worried about him.”

Aleister gave Leon a patient smile. “It’s natural to worry about those we care about. But some time apart could be beneficial, to both you and Jacob.”

Leon met his gaze. “How?”

“The guild encourages everyone to work with a variety of different mons, because it’s important to make connections. And it helps you learn about your own strengths and weaknesses. You never know who might be a good teammate until you try.”

Leon’s expression soured a bit. “I don’t know, I’ve worked really well with Jacob before. And my track record with other mons isn’t so great.”

“Even so,” Aleister continued, “one bad experience shouldn’t discourage you from trying again. It sounds like your brother has been trying to branch out. Even if it’s with someone you don’t agree with, that’s a good thing. I encourage you to have an open mind and keep trying.”

The first mon that came to Leon’s mind was Corvo. Yeah, be more open-minded for a criminal. Fat chance. Though Leon had to bite his tongue– he couldn’t risk mentioning anything that might get Jacob in trouble, even if he’s mad at Leon now.

“…That’s fair,” he finally replied, looking away. “Sorry for holding us up.” 

“There’s no need to apologize. Let’s move on. The mountain is nearby. Once we get there, we can–”

The Lucario suddenly bolted upright. He closed his eyes. The black appendages behind his head floated upward, even though no wind blew, and they glowed with a blazing cerulean.

“Ooh, it’s like blue fire!” Chase awed.

“What’s wrong?” Leon asked. “What are you doing?”

A few seconds passed, and the blue glow around Aleister’s head faded. The appendages fell, resting on his backpack. “Ferals are nearby,” he answered as he opened his eyes. “I can sense their aura. They’re coming from the west, moving toward us.”

“Ferals, eh?” Chase tensed his body up. “Let’s give ‘em a warm welcome then.”

Aleister held up a hand. “A direct confrontation would be too dangerous. We should flank them instead. Leon, move to the treeline on the left,” he pointed. “And Chase, you move right. Once they arrive, I’ll draw their attention, and you ambush them from range.”

Leon and Chase both nodded, then moved into their respective spots. Leon weaved his way through the shadows of towering trees, his pulse beating faster at the thought of an upcoming battle. He found a suitable tree to hide behind, and spotted Chase in the other treeline across the path. Aleister, meanwhile, took on a combative stance in the middle of the trail.

“When I say the word,” he instructed, “attack.”

Leon tensed himself as he waited, looking for any signs of coming ferals. It didn’t take long– a dull rumbling noise rolled in from the west, gradually getting louder. Shortly after, a dust cloud appeared down the path, shrouding what appeared to be a stampede of boulders.

“What is that?” Leon called.

“Gravelers,” Aleister answered. “Five of them.”

The ground began the shake as the feral Gravelers closed in. Leon watched as the rock creatures barreled down the trail, heading straight for his mentor. Water Gun pressurized in his chest, amplified by his heartbeat, but he held it in.

The Lucario stood rooted on the spot, unflinching. The first Graveler leaped toward him, arms outstretched and uttering a war cry. Aleister’s eyes flashed blue as he lunged at lightning speed, striking the boulder with his palm.

Bang!

Force Palm’s impact cracked the air– Aleister struck the Graveler head-on. The punch blew them back, sending them tumbling into the other Gravelers behind it, knocking them down like dominoes.

“Now!” Aleister rang out. “Leon! Chase!”

Leon jumped out of cover and released his torrent, blasting the crumpled ferals with his Water Gun. Across from him, Chase shot out a spiral of Razor Leaves toward the Gravelers. Their attacks met their marks, battering the ferals from both sides–

“Wait, stop!” Aleister ordered.

But their forceful attacks pushed through and flew over their targets. Leon’s water sprayed Chase, while Chase’s volley of leaves cut his scales.

“Ow!”

“Agh!”

They both ceased their attacks as they hit each other. Leon stumbled back, clutching his shoulder as one of the leaves had left a stinging cut. He hissed a breath through his teeth. That was gonna leave a mark…

“Leon, Chase, are you hurt?” Aleister called out. “The ferals are down, you can come out!”

After a moment, Leon walked out from the shadows and back onto the trail, still holding his shoulder. Chase did so as well, with water dripping off of his head.

“It looks like we’ve had a little friendly fire,” Aleister noted.

No kidding. If anything, this proved Leon’s point– he and Jacob had never hit each other by accident. He was better off working with someone he knew, instead of a stranger. Of course, Leon held his tongue again.

“I’m really sorry,” Chase apologized, wearing an expression of utmost concern. “I didn’t mean to. It all just… happened.”

Leon blew out a sigh. “I’m sorry, too.” It’s not like he had anything against Chase. But at the same time, he wasn’t eager to team up with him, either.

“No, this is my fault,” Aleister asserted. “I was hasty and should’ve given clearer instructions. Nonetheless, we should keep moving. Both of you, come here,” he beckoned. “I’ll mend your wounds.”

Leon and Chase approached. Aleister knelt and held his hands out. A glowing, pink energy pulsed from his palms, and a sense of warmth washed over Leon. The cut on his shoulder rapidly shrank and vanished, as if it was never there.

“Ooh, I feel much better,” Chase beamed. “Thanks!”

“Yeah,” Leon said. “What was that?”

“Heal Pulse. It works well for minor wounds.”

Leon turned around, spotting the now-motionless pile of Gravelers.

“So, that’s what it’s like to fight ferals?”

“Indeed,” Aleister said as he stood up. “They’re not like us, who live in civilization. They don’t possess a sense of reason, only instinct. They’re somewhat of a threat with their brustish strength, but not as dangerous as bandits. For all their might, they lack the intellect to direct their aggression.”

“Yeah, they’re pretty dumb to attack us,” Chase remarked.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen them,” Leon admitted. When he and Jacob left Bethany for Wolfhaven, he thought they might have encountered a few ferals. Yet the only hostile mon they encountered was the Staraptor that mugged Jacob before they reached Wolfhaven. That one must have been a bandit…

“We should keep moving,” Aleister said. “We’re almost there.”

The group walked around the pile of rocky brutes. Some of them were knocked out, while others curled up and moaned from their decisive defeat. Leon’s mind wandered as they walked. He couldn’t stop thinking about how Jacob and the others stole food. Was there any chance they’d get caught later? What would happen then? How did the guild treat criminals?

“Hey Aleister,” Leon began, “dealing with those ferals was pretty easy. But I’m wondering, what about civilized mons who break the law?”

Aleister raised his brow. “Could you elaborate on that?”

“Well, those ferals back there, they don’t fit in with civilization. They attack travelers, so fighting back is straightforward. But what about mons who do live in society, but don’t follow the rules? Like… thieves. Does the guild do anything about them?”

Aleister was quiet for a moment, then spoke up. “… It’s easy to vilify such mons, to see them as an enemy to be defeated. But such is a dangerous belief to hold. In truth, the presence of an outlaw in society… reflects more on society than the outlaw himself.”

“Oooh, sounds deep,” Chase said.

“Tell me,” Aleister continued. “Would either of you take something that’s not yours? Would you wrong a stranger, merely because the mood struck you?”

Chase shook his head.

“Of course not,” Leon answered.

“Exactly. There is always a reason behind every action, even if that reasoning does not follow the same logic we use. Let’s say a thief steals a loaf of bread. Why would he do that?”

“Well, I can think of two reasons,” Leon said. “One is that the thief hates the baker–” Chase laughed at that answer. “The other is that he’s hungry and doesn’t want to pay.”

“Both are rational answers, though I believe the latter is more likely. And even then, it could be that he would pay for the bread if he was able to. But what if he can’t?”

Leon blinked. His parents had always been able to afford food, and anything else they needed. Not having enough money was never an issue for them. Maybe that wasn’t true for everyone?

“Most mons will turn to crime when their circumstances call for it,” Alesiter continued. “It’s desperation. The things we take for granted may be unreachable luxuries for others. That’s why our work at the guild is so important. We help those in need before they become desperate. We all lean on each other so we don’t fall over. Does that make sense?”

Leon pondered over Aleister’s answer. The guild was about helping mons, first and foremost. Always has been. That didn’t tell him anything about what the guild would do if they did catch a criminal in the act, but somehow, it made him feel better.

“It does,” Leon answered. “Thanks.”

“Curious, what sparked your interest in such a question?” Aleister asked.

“Just thinking of someone I’ve met recently,” Leon answered, hoping that Aleister would again refrain from asking for details. 

“Ooh, is it the ginger bread mon?” Chase beamed. “I always heard he was a shady guy, likes to hand out exploding cookies!”

“N-no…” Leon said awkwardly. “I think you’re taking the ‘snap’ in gingersnap a bit too literally.”

Aleister smiled. “Heh. Well, let’s get to the mountain, shall we?”

Within a couple of minutes the group reached the end of the path. They emerged from the shade of the trees, and the forest canopy opened up. Leon’s eyes swept up to the peak above.

“Bronze Mountain,” he whispered. The mountain had a soft, brown-orange color that seemed to shine in the sunlight. On all sides, veins of seafoam green snaked around the mountain, giving it the look of aged bronze. Wispy clouds circled around its towering peak.

“So, did they name this place Bronze Mountain just because of the color?” Leon asked. “Or do they mine minerals here?”

“It’s just the color,” Chase answered. “As far as I know, there aren’t any materials to mine out here.”

“Alright.” Leon wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Phew… Is it just me, or does it seem hot all of a sudden?”

“It does feel quite a bit warmer out, yeah,” Chase agreed. “Sun’s nice and bright.”

Aleister took a moment to drink from his canteen. “Well, the foot of the mountain is just ahead. From there we’ll begin our climb and–”

He stopped. Once again his body tensed up, aura shrouding his head’s appendages.

Leon heard a familiar rumble. He turned around. “Are those Gravelers coming back for more?”

“Bring it on,” Chase said. He hunkered down into a battle stance again, bulb raised and ready to fire Razor Leaves.

Leon readied himself too, Water Gun welling in his chest.

Aleister took a step back. “Something’s wrong. It’s not the same.”

“What do you–” Leon began, but he felt it, too. This wasn’t the same rumbling from earlier. It didn’t feel like something distant getting closer; it felt like quaking rising up from beneath their feet.

Aleister’s eyes widened. “Move–!”

The ground burst into a geysers of dirt and pebbles. A blast erupted beneath Leon’s feet, launching him skyward.

“Waaaaaooooh!”

He spiraled through the air, land and sky spinning around him until his fall was broken on a tree branch. The impact on his belly knocked the wind out of him, and the hard wood wobbled under his weight.

“Lookout, Chase!” Aleister yelled.

Leon’s vision was consumed by a brilliant scarlet flash. The eruption darkened his sight for a few seconds. He heard a groan in pain.

“A-Aleister!” Leon called out, coughing up dirt.

He heard another earthen geyser erupt, followed by yelling. A couple seconds later Chase landed and bounced on the branch next to him.

“W-what was that?!” Leon yelped, pushing himself up.

He regained his vision and he saw his mentor on the ground, toppled over. The cream-colored fur on Aleister’s chest was singed, tips burned black. Even from the tree, he could smell a repulsive char.

Leon lowered himself, handing from the branch before falling off. He broke out into a sprint, heading for Aleister.

His mentor craned his head toward him. “Leon, stay back!”

Leon kept running, but he wobbled as the ground shook again. A flash of instinct compelled him to sidestep, helping him dodge another Earth Power.

He held up an arm to shield his face from the debris. After he lowered his arm, he saw Aleister on the ground, collapsed.

“Who’s attacking us?!”

“Look!” Chase called out from the tree. “There’s a big guy up on that ridge!”

Leon starred up the rocky wall. On top of the cliff he spotted a bulky, quadruped mon with shaggy red fur, three blue circles on his sides, and two gray protrusions sticking out of his back: a Camerupt. Their assailant glared menacingly toward him.

Leon wasted no time– he opened his jaw and launched a forceful stream toward their enemy. Camerupt raised his front hooves and stomped the ground, fracturing rocks and sending them tumbling down. The Rock Slide blocked Leon’s attack and raced toward him.

With a gasp he leaped and rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the crushing rocks.

“No good,” Leon said. “I’ve gotta close the gap!” 

“Hey wait–!” Chase called out as he jumped from the tree.

But Leon already bolted off.

He ran toward the mountain, looking for any way to quickly scale the ridge and blast a close-range Water Gun. His eyes darted left and right, but found nothing to climb. In the corner of his vision he saw the Camerupt glowing. He was positively radiant, as if he was absorbing sunlight.

“Not good!” Leon frantically searched around for cover, but he was exposed on the wide, open path.

Camerupt was charged in no time. He glowed like the sun as he tilted sideways, aiming the two volcanoes on his back at Leon. Two beams of Solar energy lanced toward him, and Leon squinched his eyes shut…

His vision darkened, but Leon felt nothing. He dared to open his eyes and he saw Chase standing in front, shielding him from the Solarbeam. The Bulbasaur glowed brilliantly with a tiny sun forming on top of his bulb.

“Hey, you can have this back!” Chase shouted, and aimed his bulb. He fired off an unstable Solarbeam, singing the rocks as he struggled to aim. But he managed to land a hit on Camerupt, staggering him.

“Nice one, Chase!” Leon said.

“Woooo! Feel the burn! ” Chase exclaimed, but then kneeled down. “Phew, that took more energy than I thought…”

Leon glanced up the ridge again. “We’ve gotta make sure he’s down and out! Any way we can get up there?”

Chase pushed himself to his feet. “I’ve got an idea!” A pair of vines slithered out of his bulb. “You get a running start, and I can fling you up there!”

Leon took a step back. Even without the accidental friendly fire, Chase’s idea seemed really risky. “Are you sure that’d be safe?”

“Safe?” Chase shot him a puzzled look. “We’re getting blasted by a walking, pissed off volcano! And he might get back on his feet any second now! Unless you got a better idea, this’ll be the quickest way up there!”

Leon took a split second to glance around. Seeing no alternatives, he nodded. “Alright… get ready.”

He ran a few steps behind Chase, shuddering a little as he felt the vines fasten themselves around his chest.

“Start running,” Chase called. “He’s getting up!”

Leon took off, kicking up dirt and dust in his wake. He dashed until he was right behind the Bulbasaur–

“N-now!”

His feet pushed against the ground, taking off as Leon hurled up and over Chase like a catapult. The vines slipped away as he flipped through the air. The world spun around him again, threatening to make him dizzy.

But Leon straightened his trajectory, and he spotted a dazed Camerupt approaching the ledge. He readied himself and opened his jaws–

CRUNCH!

He clamped down on Camerupt’s muzzle, who wailed and thrashed about trying to dislodge the gator, but to no avail. Leon held on for a good seven seconds before Camerupt finally threw him off, sending him straight up in the air.

“I’m not done with you!”

Leon saw his opening and took a shot– expelling a torrential stream from his mouth and hitting Camerupt straight on. Even as he fell to earth he didn’t let up, soaking the fire-type to his core.

Just before he landed, Leon tucked and rolled to cushion the impact. The fall still hurt his feet, but he managed to stand up with no trouble. He wiped the dust off his arms, then cautiously turned to face the Camerupt.

The living volcano laid still and didn’t react to Leon’s presence. He must have been knocked-out.

Leon punched the air and hurried to the edge.

Down below, Chase was next to Aleister, helping the Lucario to his feet. Their mentor was battered and burned, but still conscious.

“He’s finished!” Leon announced.

“Make sure… make sure he doesn’t go anywhere!” Aleister called back.

“That shouldn’t be a problem–”

Just then, blue light flashed behind Leon. He spun around and saw Camerupt clutching some kind of glass globe between his hooves. Next thing he knew, a beam of light shot up from the orb, into the sky.

Leon shielded his eyes from the intense light, which disappeared a split-second later. When he peeked out again, Camerupt had vanished.

“What was that?” Chase hollered.

“H-he’s gone!” Leon exclaimed. “How?”

Aleister wiped his forehead. “Leon, you should come back down here.” He bent over, resting his hands on his knees. “I’d rather not have to shout.”

Leon stood in place, stunned. How did Camerupt just disappear? What was that glass thing, and the light it flashed? He glanced left and right. There was no trace of them left. With a sigh, he finally turned around.“Alright,” Leon replied.

Nearby he spotted a steep slope and scurried over to it. One foot after the other, he lowered himself and slid down a smooth cliff, rolling to his feet once he reached the bottom.

Nearby, Chase retrieved a Rawst berry from his side pouch and handed to Aleister.

Leon regrouped with them.

“So, what happened, exactly?” the Lucario asked as he bit into the berry.

“Well, I had him down and out,” Leon explained. “At least, I thought I did. When I turned around, he had this glass… ball, around his hooves. It lit up, that beam of light appeared, and then he was gone.”

Chase tilted his head. “Just like that?”

“Just like that,” Leon nodded. “Aleister, do you know what that was?”

Aleister formed a hard expression as he chewed the remainder of his berry. “…A glass orb that teleports the user?” He shook his head. “No, I’ve never heard of such a thing. But I do know that fire-types aren’t native to this area, and that Camerupt was far too strong to be a feral.”

“Yeah…” Chase looked down. “You took that Lava Plume better than I ever could. I know I like fire, but not like that! Thanks for pushing me out of the way.”

“I should be thanking you,” Aleister said. He turned to Leon. “Both of you. Your quick thinking and teamwork was superb.”

Leon couldn’t help but smile. Everything happened so fast, he didn’t have time to think. But he managed to take down Camerupt before he could do any more harm.

…He couldn’t have done it without Chase, either.

Aleister stood up straight. “We don’t have time to stand on ceremony, however. Our missing Nidoran is still out there, and if there are hostile mons lurking on the mountain…” He turned around, gazing up towards the summit. “This mission just got a lot more complicated.”

“Are you okay, though?” Chase asked, glancing at his mentor’s burns.

“I’ll live, but this burn will take some time to heal. Even with medicinal berries.” A flash of blue aura cascaded over his body. “Now, let’s get going.”

Leon, Chase, and Aleister hurried around the mountain’s base, finding a sloped trail that led upwards. All the while, Leon was transfixed on their encounter with Camerupt, and what it all meant.

If there were hostile mons on the mountain, were they bandits? Would they have more of those glass orbs? What else could they do? If Nidoran went missing here, maybe the presence of bandits wasn’t a coincidence…

They climbed over paths of dirt and gravel, onto rocky ridges, weaving between pine, spruce, and fir trees. Along the way they encountered ferals, including Geodudes and Boldores and even a Crustle.

After about an hour they had encountered numerous ferals across three different trails. Yet there was no sign of more bandits… or Nidoran.

They stopped to rest on a small plateau, surrounded by a circle of trees. On one side was a sheer cliff overlooking the forest, and on the other side was a wall of tightly-packed gravel.

Aleister sat on a tree stump, expelling a sigh.

“How’s your burn?” Chase asked. “Do ya need another Rawst?”

Aleister held up his hand. “No, I’ll be alright. I can get proper care once we return to the guild.”

“We’ve been here for a while, haven’t we?” Leon remarked. “It looks like it’s close to two o’clock… If I had to guess.” He couldn’t actually tell, since he didn’t have a pocket watch of his own. He pushed his next thought aside before it could come to the surface. “If we don’t find Nidoran soon, will we end up camping out here?”

“I wasn’t planning on it, but I did bring the necessary gear with me, just in case.” Aleister gestured toward his backpack. “It wouldn’t be the first time, I’ve had to camp out with Zoey and Devrim on more than one occasion.”

“So we’re gonna have ourselves a sleepover, eh?” Chase stretched. “Did ya pack some marshmallows? Cuz I could go for some–”

“Wait a minute,” Leon spoke up. “Listen. Do guys hear something?” He leaned toward the source of the noise– the wall of gravel nearby. It was faint, but it sounded almost like drumming…

Aleister closed his eyes and once again emitted a faint, blue glow. “You’re right, someone is nearby. Several mons, running together. One of them is… in distress. It may be the Nidoran.”

“Where are they?” Chase asked.

“In there,” Aleister stood and pointed toward the gravel. “There are tunnels in the mountain. Stand clear!”

The Lucario leaned back, bringing his palms together. His red irises turned a radiant blue, and a mass of rippling cerulean energy grew between his hands, distorting the air around it.

“Are you seeing this?” Chase whispered.

“Uh, no,” Leon said sarcastically.

Chase gave him a bewildered side-eye–

“ Hyah! ”

Aleister launched his Aura Sphere toward the wall at blistering speed–

BOOM!

–and it exploded the gravel, engulfing the rocks in mystic, blue flames. A dust cloud plumed as pebbles were blasted away. Soon after the dust settled, revealing that there was indeed a tunnel within the mountain.

“That was awesome!” Chase cheered. “Do it again!”

“Not now,” Aleister replied. “Ready yourselves, they’re coming this way! Flanking position!”

Leon nodded as he and Chase ran to the right and left, respectively, covering the tunnel. The chorus of footfalls grew louder, along with some distant shouting. A few seconds later, a mon burst out from the tunnel– a Nidoran.

“Nicole!” Aleister called. “To me!”

The pale-blue quadruped looked surprised, but promptly complied and ran over towards Aleister. “They’re coming this way,” she warned.

She must have been talking about the bandits, or whoever that Camerupt was working with. Assuming that they were all working together.

“We know,” Aleister said. “Chase, Leon, get ready!”

Leon nodded, building up pressure in his chest. Across from him, Chase tensed his bulb. The footfalls continued, growing louder until they had to be right around the corner… then stopped.

“Disengage!” a voice inside the tunnel ordered. “Seal the tunnel and retreat!”

“What’s happening–” Leon uttered.

Before he could finish, a green light flashed from within the tunnel. The ground shook violently, stumbling him and breaking his focus. At the tunnel entrance, earthen spears shot up from the ground, closing it once again.

“What was that?” Leon asked.

“I saw it,” Aleister began. “The glass orb you mentioned earlier, they had one.”

“They did?” Chase asked. “That’s how they closed the tunnel?”

“It seems so.”

Leon approached the tunnel entrance, running a hand over the smooth stone. Who were these mons, and what were they doing out here? What were those orbs they were using?

Meanwhile, Aleister kneeled down beside the Nidoran. “Are you alright?”

“I can handle myself,” she replied. “Not that I don’t appreciate the help. You’re with the guild, right?”

“We are,” Aleister answered. “We’ve been sent out here to rescue you. Are you injured? You didn’t run away from home, did you?”

“I’m okay,” Nicole replied. “And no, I didn’t run away. I actually came out here to help my father. He’s a natural philosopher, and I wanted to bring him some mineral samples. I found some near the summit, and was going to come home last night. But then I ran into…” She gestured toward the closed tunnel. “Them.”

“Who are they, anyway?” Leon asked, turning around. “Bandits?”

“I have no idea,” Nicole answered.

“What did they want with you?” Aleister continued.

“They weren’t really clear about what they wanted,” she said. “They kept asking me about my father’s studies. I thought they were some kind of weird bandits at first. At one point they said they wanted to ‘help all monkind,’ whatever that was about. They wouldn’t say anything after that.”

“How did you end up in that tunnel?” Leon asked.

“They emerged from it last night, said they could lead me to more deposits. I went along with them at first, but I felt uneasy. When I tried to leave, they closed the tunnel just like they did now.”

“So…” Leon shrugged. “Should we go after them?”

Aleister shook his head. “We don’t know what we’d be up against. Besides, our primary objective is to see Nicole home safe.” He turned to her. We had better get going, your mother will be waiting for us.”

Nicole nodded, and all together, the team turned back towards one of the main paths down the mountain.

“I say day one of fieldwork was a win!” Chase said.

“All things considered, yeah, I’d say so,” Leon agreed. His first day of fieldwork went better than he thought it would. Of course, he had to wonder who those strange bandits were. Once they got back to the guild, Aleister would likely tell the Guildmaster, and they’d take action from there.

“Hey,” Chase said, “if our luck keeps up maybe your bro will be in a better mood when we get back?”

Leon remained silent.