Chapter 14: Jumping the Shark, Part 3

After another short while of walking, which felt like hours to Ivan, Nightscale found themselves in a darker stretch of Lustershine Caverns. The colorful crystals struggled to illuminate their surroundings, allowing shadows to creep in and engulf every corner. 

‘That’s not ominous… Hopefully this means we’re close to the bottom,’ the Grovyle thought. The shadow of a crooked violet crystal stretched out a head like a long, lone claw reaching for him. He gulped, reminded of whose fury awaited him if he failed his mission.

“Getting darker than devil’s food cake in here,” Galena said with a frown.

Ivan sighed. “Yeah, we’re really deep now. I have a Luminous Orb in my bag if we need it.”

“My siblings found a Luminous Orb once!” Lady chimed in, her eyes glittering nostalgically. “My Dustox brothers played with it for hours until it stopped shining! It was fascinating.” 

Galena grinned and shook her head. “Brothers. Weirdos but you gotta love ‘em.”

“I never had any siblings, but ever since I married Lady I’ve been around hers every so often. It’s a… strange feeling,” Inti remarked sheepishly.

Ivan slipped around the claw-like shadow. “I get that, I don’t have any siblings either. My parents wanted more kids, but a Salamence and a Sceptile is kind of an odd pairing. Being born was kind of a stroke of luck.”

‘Especially with parents like them. Arceus, I miss you Dad… but it won’t be long until we find those crystals. I will save my team, conquer the dungeon you discovered, and live up to your name! The Grovyle perked up out of the dread that had haunted him since the bridge incident. He picked up his pace and practically skipped forward, eager to see if his fortune would change in the next room. 

The darkness began to recede as the team rounded a corner. The shadows were purged by large, brightly glowing crystals of every color… except for red. They reached out from the walls and ceiling of the passage, warmly inviting Nightscale into the next stretch.

“Oooooh… They’re so preeetty!” Lady sang, her eyes twinkling. The rainbow of lights reflected off them.

Ivan grinned as he studied the gems. “No rubies here, but we must be close!! Let’s go!”

The Grovyle broke into an overjoyed sprint. Lady flew alongside him, but the remaining two sighed as they found themselves forgotten.

“Way to leave the Goodra behind. I think they’re gonna leave us in the dust,” Galena groaned.

Inti shook his head. “Like Lady, Ivan seems to get often overexcited… which of course is why we’re in this predicament.”

“They can go as fast as they want, but my feet still hurt,” she remarked. “When we get that ruby, I’m gonna shower off the dust and lay in bed the rest of the day.”

The Druddigon tapped his chin and looked at the floor. “That is not a bad idea… though I’m sure Lady will want to celebrate.”

The Goodra smirked. “Guess we each have a wound-up goofball to watch.”

“Lady cannot help her excitable nature. And at least she isn’t in charge of us,” Inti muttered as the two ahead were about to round another corner. 

Galena cupped her mouth. “Hey Ivy, mind slowing down so your friends can catch up?” 

The call stopped Ivan in his tracks. He turned and bore an embarrassed expression, though the redness of his cheeks was overpowered by an emerald’s green glow. “O-oh, sorry. Got carried away again… let me not do that. Heh.”

‘Rule number one about exploration: Always stick together. And rule number one of being a leader: Listen to your teammates. If I’m going to be a good leader, I gotta work on that.’

---

Nightscale, once again together, slowly walked down a sloping tunnel. The crystals around them were larger than before, their luster painting a brilliant mural on the walls and floor. 

‘Blue… yellow… white… orange… yet no red,’ Ivan thought as the team looked around. ‘By now you’d think—”

Suddenly, the Grovyle’s eyes were drawn down to the farthest point they could see. There was a sliver of striking, warm color, causing him to blink repeatedly. Once he confirmed what he saw was real, his heart skipped a beat.

‘That’s a red glow! It could be a Radiant Ruby deposit!’

“Up ahead! I think we might have found something!” Ivan shouted as a wide grin spread across his face. He planted his feet before beginning to dash forward.

‘Team Nightscale’s saved, we’re almost there! Everything is going to be okay! I need to get there right now! I need to—”

The Grovyle began to slow.

‘I need to…’

His grin receded as he skidded to a halt. A cloud of dust was kicked up before he went still.

‘I need to slow down.’ 

Ivan turned back to his teammates, who were slowly catching up. 

Once all three of them reached him, Galena acknowledged the act with a nod.

“Thanks for not ditching us,” she said, her tone largely flat. But the Grovyle locked eyes with her, noticing a glimmer of appreciation in her eyes.

He rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, sorry. I’m not going to run into this alone. We’ll take it slow and find whatever’s there together.”

“What a wonderful idea! We’ll all get to see the rubiiiiiees!” Lady cheered, her antennae rising. 

Inti raised a brow, but he had a pleasantly surprised look. “Yes, that would be a better course of action.” 

Ivan’s smile returned. “Great! Let’s go save Nightscale together!”

The four walked side by side down the rest of the slope. The red light became even brighter and more enveloping as they approached the entrance to a room.

When they reached the bottom, what awaited was staring— or rather, shining, right at them.

“Mother of Arceus,” the Grovyle uttered as his jaw dropped.

Before them was a large, dome-shaped hollow covered in a bright scarlet glow. Some rock faces and stalactites throughout the room were engulfed in leftover shadow, but there was a clear view of what had captured Ivan’s awe.

An enormous, glittering ruby deposit jutted from the back wall. The formation was tall like a tree, massive crystals sprawling out in every direction like branches. 

Galena’s eyes widened, the light painting her usually green irises a brilliant red. “I think we just found our jewels… and our retirement funds.”

“It’s. So. Beautifullllll!” Lady squealed before rising to get a better look. Even from the air, the formation was massive, its offshoots reaching for her. “It’s like a gift from Arceus because he knew we wanted this so badly!

Inti held his breath as his mouth fell too. “It is like nothing I have ever seen. If this is what we were looking for… the woman who requested this will be undoubtedly satisfied.”

“If only we could fit all that in our bags,” the Goodra sighed. “Whatever. Anything we can fit will make us a pretty Plate.”

Ivan rubbed his chin. “Ms. Garnett didn’t say we couldn’t take some for ourselves There’s plenty here for her anyway. Okay, let’s start cutting off some pieces!”

The Grovyle rummaged through his bag and retrieved a small hacksaw, a chisel, and a mallet.

Galena looked at the thick, dense crystals, then back at Ivan. “I think we need more than a toy hammer to break through.”

“I know, Ivy can use his leaf blades!” Lady offered with an inspired gleam in her eyes. “Galy can use her water, my Inti can use his big muscles, and I’ll use Solarbeam! Mister Sun isn’t down here with us, but my hubby can power my attacks up a little!”

The Druddigon smiled. “That could work. Good thinking, sweetheart.”

Ivan puffed out his chest as he moved toward the deposit. “Then without further ado, let’s mine some rubies! Here we come, Ms. Garnett’s good—”

The Grovyle stopped and his gaze shot toward the side of the room. There were movements in the shadows, small but undoubtedly those of a Pokémon.

“…Graces,” he uttered in disappointment. ‘Can’t be that easy, can it…’

The shadows continued to shift before a form phased through the darkness and into the red light of the crystals. It was a Mawile, shambling toward Nightscale with a grimace and a blood-red glow in her eyes.

“Leave or die… Must protect… the shinies,” she warned, her voice a slow, zombie-like moan. 

Galena crossed her arms. “One Mawile, seriously? She’ll be face down on the ground in five seconds. No big—”

“I am… not alone!” the humanoid interrupted, raising her voice. “Come, my friends… you protect the shinies too!”

Every shadow in the room seemed to writhe at her command. A Vibrava and a Claydol descended from the ceiling. A Gigalith lumbered out of the darkness from the right, and an Excadrill burrowed up from under the floor. Trudging from the back was a Gabite, its teeth gnashing and claws eager to tear flesh. Each of them had the same red glow in their eyes.

Ivan gritted his teeth. ‘Oh crap… It’s a—”

“Monster house!” Galena blurted before stepping back and widening her footing. 

Inti’s eyes darted around. “W-What does that mean!?” 

“It means we’ve been ambushed,” she spat. “Man, they look tough. A full team should be able to take ‘em, but…”

“We said we’d take care of the fighting,” Ivan said solemnly, extending his leaf blades. 

Lady’s eyes glistened with concern. “Are you sure you can do it by yourselves?”

‘Not completely, but we’ll give it a shot,’ Ivan thought before meeting the Beautifly’s gaze. “You guys stand back. Don’t worry, Galena and I will clear the room.” 

“A-Alright,” Inti uttered as he crept back to the room’s entrance. His wife fluttered to join him and landed on his head.

The six red-eyed Pokémon slowly approached Ivan and Galena, lumbering in unison. 

“Protect the shinies,” the Mawile repeated, both her mouths scowling. 

“PROTECT THE SHINIES!” the others cried, claws and fangs and wings twitching in anticipation. 

Galena shot Ivan a serious look. “Ready to go two-on-six?”

“If it means getting those rubies, I’m ready for anything!” he replied confidently.

The Goodra stomped as she focused on the Vibrava and Claydol to the left. “Time to eat mud, you crystal-loving creeps!” 

A wave of murky water flew towards her targets, carrying sharp rock shards. The Vibrava rose over the water, which crashed into the Cladyol and sent it reeling back in the air. The statue let out an echoey groan and its eyes glowed. An array of rocks began to shimmer and levitate before the Claydol hurled them at Galena, who put up a barrier to shield herself. The rocks smashed into the barrier and all over the ground, crumbling.

The Vibrava shot toward the Goodra, but Ivan sprayed it with his fire breath, causing it to hiss and flap to stay airborn. The insect locked onto him before vibrating its wings, sending down a barrage of sound waves. The Grovyle dashed away and spat more fire, which engulfed the Vibrava and sent it frantically flying back.

“You get ‘em, Ivy, Galy! You’re doing great!” Lady cheered from afar, her eyes large and fixated on the heated battle.

“Thanks, girlfriend, we need the moral support!” the Goodra called back, though still focused on the Claydol above. But then she noticed something in the corner of her eye and turned to see the Gigalith barreling at her. She gasped and threw up a protective shield, which the golem smashed into with a bang and an eerie groan.

Ivan spewed dragon breath at the Excadrill and Mawile, which were shambling toward him. As they swatted the fire he dashed over toward Galena. He created two copies of himself to encircle the golem. The three Grovyle darted around, swiping and cutting deep into its rock. It howled before stomping furiously, causing spiky stones to shoot from the ground. Two of Ivan’s copies were impaled, but he sidestepped a spike before crossing his arms. The Grovyle’s leaves sharpened and glowed as he leaped into the air, then dropped down in front of the golem. Upon landing he slammed his blades onto the Gigalith’s head and cut down along its body, leaving two long wounds. It cried out before collapsing and falling unconscious.

“That’s boulderface down, now where are my other friends?” Galena asked. She turned to see the Claydol and Vibrava preparing to swoop down, the statue spinning at a steadily increasing speed. The insect’s eyes turned fierce and violet before it shot down rapidly. The Goodra sidestepped, throwing out her arm to swat it The Vibrava whiffed and was forced to circle back. 

The Claydol spun as fast as it could before throwing itself at her. Galena snapped her head toward the statue and fired a pulse beam. The energy exploded into it, sending it whirling back in an arc. The Vibrava gasped as the Claydol rammed directly into it, sending them both crashing to the ground. 

Ivan looked around and braced himself for another attack. “Three down, three to—”

WHAM!

The Mawile snuck around Ivan and threw a hook punch straight into his side. The Grovyle yelped and spun around. He focused on the humanoid’s eyes and spewed fire at them, which she blocked by raising her arms, allowing them to become charred instead.

“Kill for the shinies,” the Mawile murmured before lurching toward Ivan. He attempted to jump away but the humanoid whipped her other mouth, which caught his arm and clamped down. Its teeth stabbed through his scales and into his flesh. 

Ivan’s eyes watered as the sharp pain seared deep into his arm. “Ffffloat Stone! Get off me!” He swung his free arm and slashed her chest, but the Mawile was too focused on crushing his limb to notice the blades digging in. Warm blood trickled from Ivan’s wound. The Grovyle tried to pry her jaw off, but the humanoid whipped the mouth again, dragging him to the ground and smearing the ground with blood.

Galena looked over and grimaced. “Hold on dude, I’ll get her off ya!”

But when she turned to attack, the Excadrill exploded from underneath the ground and slammed into her. The Goodra grunted as she was pushed back. She couldn’t so much as study the bruises the mole left on her stomach before it ran and swiped at her. Galena shot a violet beam, causing it to duck and burrow back into the ground. 

The Excadrill began to circle her, creating trails in the dispersed rock. Galena tried to track it but was too slow. The mole burst out behind the Goodra and slammed into her back, making her stumble forward. She slapped the mole with her tail, but it was only a brief distraction before it burrowed again.

“The hell… I can’t get a hit on this jerk!” Galena shouted as she followed the Excadrill’s path. But her gaze quickly shifted to something else— The Gigalith rose back to its feet and began to stumble over. The golem released a rattling roar before smashing the ground and creating spikes around the Goodra. The spikes grazed her stomach and tail, causing her to seethe. 

“I’m surrounded!” Galena uttered as her eyes darted between the Gigalith and the Excadrill. She then looked at Ivan, who was still being dragged and kicked and punched by the Mawile. 

“Not doing… much better!” the Grovyle cried before spitting more fire, though his flames missed the humanoid and dissipated into smoke. 

‘I might be in trouble! I like my arm too much to lose it!’ he thought as he looked at the room’s entrance. Inti and Lady watched, their faces flushed from worry. ‘This is a tough room, but… I need their help!’ 

“Inti, Lady, I know this situation is my fault, and that you haven’t— Arck! Fought much,” he began, slowed by the horrible pain shooting through his arm. “But we need you after all!”

The Druddigon shuddered. “I-I don’t know… this a lot for Pokémon like us!”

“These are our friends! We should do our best to help!” his wife pleaded. 

He clenched his fangs. “I don’t want us getting hurt. I don’t want YOU getting hurt…”

The Beautifly stared at him, her eyes glistening. “They’ll get hurt if we don’t help! We can do this, we work so well together! Like with the adventure in the reef!

“Inti… please!” Ivan uttered as he locked eyes with the Druddigon. His color was fading, the blood loss making his head spin and his body deflate. He was quickly losing consciousness. 

Inti stood tall and inhaled deeply. “Alright… for our friends.” He nodded at Lady. “Follow me, let’s help Ivan first!” 

“Yes dear!” she replied, eagerly flying up high.

With a roar, the Druddigon barreled toward the Mawile. He threw his fist to punch the humanoid, who gasped and blocked with an arm. Inti’s claw struck with a loud crunch, knocking her to the ground. The Grovyle seethed as her teeth were torn off his arm, then quickly pushed himself up.

Lady swooped in and flapped her wings, blowing sharp wind toward the Mawile. The humanoid stood up but was blasted, hissing and staggering as deep cuts stretched across her body.

‘Now’s my chance!’ Ivan’s thoughts yelled as he inhaled deeply. He blew out forcefully and spewed a wave of dragon breath over the Mawile. 

“YOU CANNOT HAVE THE SHINIES!” she cried as fire engulfed her. She screamed and fell to the ground on her back. When the inferno cleared, her body was still and singed.

Ivan inspected his chewed-up arm before looking at the couple. “Thanks guys… This could have been worse if you hadn’t stepped in.”

“Happy to help, Ivy!” Lady squeaked with a proud flap.

“Glad that freak didn’t finish her salad, but can you guys help me now!?” Galena hollered as the Gigalith crashed into another of her barriers. The Excadrill was still burrowing around, waiting for the right time to strike.

Ivan sprung off his feet toward them. “Don’t worry, we’ll take the heat off you!”

“We’re coming Gallllly!” Lady called as she flew over. Once the Beautifly was close she flicked her wings and shot silver powder over the Gigalith. The residue burned into its rocky hide. The golem bellowed before whirling around and preparing to stomp.

Inti ran with his arm swinging and his claw extended. The golem kicked the ground with all its might, many spikes shooting up. But the rocks merely brushed against the Druddigon’s scales as he closed in and smashed his claw into the Gigalith’s face. He roared and slammed its head into Galena’s barrier, shattering the magic. The golem went limp in Inti’s grasp before he let it drop to the ground. 

“Good riddance,” Galena spat. She had lost track of the Excadrill during Inti’s charge and frantically searched for it. Suddenly there was a swift movement to her right—

CRASH!

The mole burst from the ground and fiercely jabbed the Goodra’s side, knocking her off balance and leaving a red cut. She seethed before reclaiming her footing and stoking purple energy in her mouth. 

But Galena froze as she turned to see the Grovyle rushing at the Excadrill. 

The mole growled in alarm as Ivan and his triplets encircled him, forming a green cyclone. It swiped frantically but its claws sliced through air.

Ivan leaped up behind it, his blades curved like scythes and raised above his head. Then the Grovyle descended, swinging his blades to slam into its back. The Excadrill wailed as it fell onto its stomach, displaying long weeping lacerations and falling silent too.

Galena grimaced before turning to her team. “Thanks guys. Saved my behind there.”

“Of course! I’m glad we stopped those mean Pokémon from hurting you!” Lady replied with a look of pride in her eyes.

Inti exhaled. “Yes, thankfully we worked as a pair and surprised them.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You really laid into that Gigalith. I owe you one,” the Goodra remarked with a smirk. 

Ivan looked around. Not yet celebrating, he counted the defeated foes with a claw. 

‘Three, four… five. That can’t be right,’ he knew, gritting his teeth. ‘I thought there were… crap.’ 

“AVENGE FRIENDS! PROTECT THE SHINIES WITH LIFE!” roared the Gabite as it rushed out of the shadows, spit leaking from its maw.

The shark flew toward Ivan, its scythelike arms extended to slash. He jumped out of the way, making it slide to a halt. 

‘One more to go. One more and we’re out of here,’ he thought as he stared it down. ‘Got to overcome a Gabite to save Nightscale… the irony is not lost on me. Looks like a nasty fighter, but I can do this. I must do this.’

“Need some backup!?” Galena shouted before planting her feet. 

Ivan shook his head without taking his eyes off the Gabite. “No, I have to beat it, to be the one that gets us out of this mess. I’ll take it down myself!” 

The Gabite snarled in response and bolted toward Ivan, a malicious purple glow surrounding the red in its eyes. The Grovyle sprang off his feet, shouting as his leaf blades shot out. The shark raked its claws across Ivan’s chest. He attempted to retaliate by stabbing into its torso, but the blades barely scratched its hide.

Ivan leaped back, narrowly avoiding its claws as it swiped again.  He inhaled before spitting fire, the flames blasting into the Gabite’d face. Unscathed, the shark charged again, stomping and kicking up rock and dust. Ivan split himself in three, but to his surprise the Garchomp stopped. Its scarlet-tinted eyes swept over the copies and locked onto the rightmost Grovyle.

The real Ivan gasped as the Gabite rushed and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

“What the hell!?” he shouted. The shark leaned over and clawed at his face. ‘Damn it, how did it know which one I was!? Could it sense me?’
The shark grazed the Grovyle’s snout before he grabbed its arms. The Gabite growled as they wrestled, then dropped its weight onto Ivan. 

‘Not again!’ Ivan’s mind yelped. He pushed the shark with all his might but the Gabite possessed surprising strength. The shark leaned closer, its countless teeth gnashing and ready to bite chunks out of his face.

Ivan closed his eyes as he continued to push against the Gabite. “I’m really fighting a losing battle here—’

BLAM!

A smoky odor filled Ivan’s nostrils as some of the Gabite’s weight lifted off him. The Grovyle opened his eyes to see remnants of pulse magic dissipating from the shark’s face. He craned his neck and found Galena a short distance away.

‘She’s given me an opportunity— Better not waste it!’ he told himself.

Ivan turned back to the Gabite and threw up his arm, jabbing his claws into its eyes. The Gabite reeled and bellowed before trying to reclaim its hold. Ivan split himself in two, swapping places with his doppelganger and rolling on the ground. The shark fell on all fours and its eyes darted back and forth in confusion.

Ivan stood up and at Galena. “Thanks for the assist. I can take it from here.”

“Like hell you can,” the Goodra scoffed. “Come on dude, let us help!”

‘Can I ask that of them? They’ve helped more than I could have asked given everything,’ he knew, his eyes falling. “I deserve to finish this myself. To take the burden off you guys.”

Lady flew swiftly over. “We’re a team, and rescue teams have each others’ backs! You told us those lovely words a little while ago. You don’t have to do this alone!”

“Don’t put yourself through this just to prove a point. Allow us to help you,” Inti added as he ran up next to her and Galena.

The Goodra pumped a fist. “Come on, let’s finish this together!”

Ivan’s eyes shined as he was almost brought to tears. “You guys…”

“Save the sappiness for after, time to beat the sushi out of this Gabite!” Galena encouraged.

Donning a determined look, Ivan inhaled before dashing toward the Gabite. He threw out his arms, slashing all over its body as it stood back up. The shark stumbled back and desperately tried to claw at Ivan again.

A gust of wind blasted it and stopped its attempts, leaving long cuts along its arms and torso.

“Take that, you meanie!” Lady hollered. “Darling, your turn!” 

Inti charged forward with a growl, swinging his arm and smashing it against the Gabite’s face. It stayed upright but was sent further back, holding its aching head. 

“Coming in hot!” Galena cried as she ran up. The Druddigon stepped out of her way before she struck the floor with her tail, summoning a wave of muck. The Goodra launched the water before the Gabite could reorient itself and liquid washed over it. The shark was pushed into the cave wall, bellowing as rocks and crystals stabbed into its side. 

“Good one Galy!” Lady cheered before focusing on Inti. “Honey, give me a Sunny Day! Let’s see if Solarbeam works!”

“Yes dear, coming up!” he announced as he fanned his wings, which glowed a mix of orange and red in the crystals’ light.

The Beautifly rose over the Gabite before concentrating. Despite the lack of sunlight she created a flicker of golden light in the air. The light morphed into a small missile before flying at the shark. The projectile exploded into its chest and it wailed. A small crater was punched into the wall, in which the Gabite was trapped.

Seeing his chance to end the fight, Ivan dashed as fast as he could. His leaves extended like two longswords before he leaped into the air. The Gabite looked on in horror as the Grovyle descended on it, throwing his arms down and bashing it on the head. The shark slowly collapsed onto its rear like an iceberg melting, its eyes fighting to stay open. 

“The shinies… Failed the shinies,” it groaned before its head hung.

As the room went quiet, Ivan clutched his chest, his heart pounding it from the inside like a Tinkaton banging its hammer.

“I think… I think we’ve won!” he sighed in exasperation and relief.

Galena waddled up and nudged him. “Won? Those freaks won’t look at another adventurer without pissing themselves! Things looked bad, but our friends did a number on them.”

“Happy we could help!” Lady enthused.

Inti looked over the six unconscious foes, gritting his teeth. “I am pleasantly surprised we defeated such ruthless dungeon Pokémon.”

Ivan smiled and put a hand on the Druddigon’s shoulder. “You guys did great! I expected as much, but in any case consider this a new notch in your belts! Well, figurative belts, as lizards and bug Pokémon don’t have to wear clothes.”

“I think we’re getting off-topic,” Galena chuckled. “But lettuce head is right, you should be proud. Thanks again for the save.”

“Yeah… Considering I dragged you two into this, I’m super grateful,” the Grovyle told them before meeting the Goodra’s eyes. “And thank you too, Galena. All of you are true friends for helping me through all this.”

“Awwww, I’m so happy you see us that way! The team needed us, so we had to jump in like good rescuers!” Lady squealed back, blushing.

Galena smirked. “Well, now you guys can call yourselves that for sure.”

In response to that, Lady flew higher and Inti smiled. 

Ivan nervously clacked his claws together and scanned over the group. “So… now that we’re a unit again, are we alright? I won’t forget what you’ve done for me today. I’ll step up my game as leader, and watch myself so I don’t put us in bad situations. Believe me.”

“I trust it,” Galena replied with a thumbs-up. “I won’t give up on you just yet, long as you keep a cool head.”

Lady flapped over and landed on Ivan’s head. “You’re my friend and I forgive you!” She looked at her husband. “Inti, do you trust Ivy?”

The Druddigon sighed and met his eyes. “While today has been hard, this battle has opened my eyes. Loyalty is important even when things become difficult. If you have our interests in mind, then I trust you with me and my wife’s wellbeing.”

Ivan sniffled, grinning ear to ear and fighting back tears of joy. “You guys… T-Thank you! I’ll be the leader you need be to me.”

‘I can’t believe it, they trust me again! I want to hug all of them and ramble on for hours how much I appreciate this… but that will have to wait.’ 

“Speaking of wellbeing… that monster house did a number on you dude,” Galena remarked before pulling out a jar of blue paste from her pouch. She extended it out for the Grovyle to take. “I think now’s a good time to use that Oran elixir.”

Ivan took the jar, then opened it and coated his claws with the paste. He rubbed it on his torso and arm. Upon contact, the wounds healed slightly. “That feels better, thanks. I’ll make sure you guys get some too.” 

He handed the elixir back to her, then reached into his bag and pulled out his chisel and mallet. “You guys ready to mine these rubies and get out of here?”

“You know it,” Galena said as she rubbed paste on her tail and side. “I can buy so much baking powder with all the money we’ll make off these gems.”

Lady’s eyes glowed as she looked at the crystals. “Yeesss I want some of that lovely prettiness!”

Inti laughed. “Yes, please. I would love to get this done and return home content.”

“Alright, let’s do some mining!” Ivan said, raising his mallet and bouncing on his heels. “For Ms. Garnett and the future of Nightscale!”

---

Thresha’s eyes widened as she studied two vibrant red shards on her desk. “These are… absolutely perfect. You have surpassed even my high expectations.”

‘Oh thank Arceus,’ Ivan thought. He again sat on the little stool in front of the desk. He sat taller as a great weight lifted from his shoulders. “It wasn’t easy, but we managed to do it. As a team!”

Sitting on the larger stool beside him, Galena smirked and playfully punched his shoulder. “You can say that again. Teamwork makes the dream work.”

“That is good to hear,” the Garchomp said, focusing on Ivan. Her eyes fell on the healing scratches and teeth marks he had sustained the day prior. “Many adventurers think Lustershine Caverns is a place for hopeful treasure hunting, but we at AIRTA know better. Only the courage and companionship of a true team guide one through the depths. Fortunately, you were one such team.”

Ivan nodded enthusiastically. “Y-Yeah, Galena, Inti, and Lady were great. The trip was tense, but we got through it. I think it even brought us closer as a team.”

“We’ll be fine as long as ‘Mr. Drakonov’ keeps his head screwed on tighter,” the Goodra remarked, rolling her eyes. 

Ivan blushed. “O-Of course. A leader is careful to do right by his team, by his friends. That’s what I’ve learned from this.”

“Do right by them… I see,” Thresha muttered as she looked down at a picture frame on her desk. The photo inside was of her and Bonnie at a work gathering in an AIRTA hallway. The Diggersby wore a formal blouse while the Garchomp bent down to stay in frame, dressed with a tie and a sheepish smile. 

Her face became that of her expression in the picture. “I am grateful beyond words that you have fulfilled my request. Miss Burr is… my one true friend. We’ve worked together for years, but we now have more than a work relationship. She has supported me in ways no other has and encouraged me when others did not. I owe her greatly for her companionship.”

“That’s pretty sweet. Good to have people who have your back,” Galena remarked. 

Ivan smiled at her. “That lesson has sunk in a lot lately, especially during this adventure.” 

‘A lesson I won’t soon forget.’

Ivan tapped his toe claws and looked up at Thresha with anticipation. “Speaking of friendships… Does this mean Nightscale won’t be retired? And I can do the paperwork to fix the situation?”

“Ah, that is right, the matter of Nightscale,” Thresha replied as she held a gem between her claws, inspecting it. Its luster painted the tip of her snout red. “I feel obligated to uphold my end of the deal, as unprofessional as such a promise was.” Her yellow eyes looked directly into Ivan’s, a glow of sincere appreciation amplified through her glasses. “Very well. I shall cite a clerical error on the art of my office and grant you one week to file the necessary forms. But no later than that, and I expect everything to be in proper order. Do you understand?”

Ivan nodded vigorously. “Yes ma’am! I’ll fill out the forms as soon as I can.” 

‘Dear Arceus, dear wonderful Arceus, we did it! Nightscale is saved!’

“Soon as you can meaning the moment you get your leafy butt back to base. Weekend’s approaching and I’d rather spend it decompressing than worrying about this,” Galena said, giving the Grovyle a serious but trusting look. “But at the end of it, there may be some Cheri cobbler waiting for you.”

He gave her a smile as his stomach rumbled. “Yeah, ASAP. I hear you loud and clear.”

“Then I am content with the outcome of this matter,” Thresha replied before shifting her gaze to the team retirement form on her desk. She tenderly sliced her claw across the paper, cleaving it in two and dragging it to a wastebasket beside her desk. 

A huge breath of relief escaped Ivan’s mouth as the wretched form’s scraps floated into the basket, no longer able to hurt him.

“So… we’re good to go now?” Galena asked, tilting her head.

The Garchop adjusted her light blue scarf. “Yes, you may go. And I sincerely hope I do not have to call you to my office again. Though if our paths happen to cross in town, that would be pleasant. Bonnie— Er, Miss Burr, will see you out.”

With nothing more to say, Ivan and Galena slipped off their stools. The Goodra walked ahead as her teammate picked his bag off the floor. 

Ivan eyed the office door with his head held high, a sense of comfort enveloping him like a blanket. It was the comfort of victory and the knowledge that Nightscale would see another day. 

‘That takes care of that! I defeated the dungeon my Dad discovered, made up with my team, made Ms. Garnett happy and—”

“Oh, Mr. Drakonov?” Thresha called from the back of the room. Ivan turned to meet her gaze again. 

“Y-Yes, Ms. Garnett?” he asked, deflating somewhat. ‘D-Did I forget something?’

The Garchomp cleared her throat. “I realize that during our first meeting, I said some things that I should not have.” 

‘Things she shouldn’t have?’ Ivan thought, mulling over the words. “O-Oh, how do you mean?”

She inhaled deeply and put her sickle-like claws together. “I was wrong to compare you to your father in the manner that I had, so I must apologize. He had a decades-long career in rescuing, while you had just come to lead your own team. With that said, what your team has accomplished is impressive. Your wounds tell me that it was no easy task.  I should not have shamed you without knowing your potential, which seems quite high— like that of your father’s, in fact. While I did not know him personally, I can see that you have his spirit, his determination, and his discerning eye for teammates. I look forward to seeing where your journey goes.”

She gave him a warm smile. “After all, I supervise all team affairs, so I am sure to hear of your exploits. I do more than retire teams, you know. I have the privilege of seeing many Pokémon become great rescuers.”

Ivan nearly reeled back at the remark. His color returned and a toothy grin sprawled across his face. “Th-thank you, Ms. Garnett! I’m… touched. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

‘She sees Dad’s spirit and determination… in me?’ thought in disbelief. He wiped a tear forming in his eye. ‘That might have just made my year.’

“Damn, that’s some good praise,” Galena remarked, elbowing him. “Just don’t let it go to your head.”

Ivan laughed. “I’ll try not to.”

‘I’ll try, but Arceus knows I feel as big as a Salamence right now.’ 

He looked at the ceiling. ‘I’m not you yet Dad, but I’ll take what I’ve learned and do my best.’

The Grovyle met Thresha’s gaze one last time. “Thank you again Ms. Garnett! I’ll see to it you hear of Nightscale again in a positive light!” 

Thresha nodded before returning to her paperwork. Galena opened the door and dragged Ivan into the hall, pulling him toward a new day for Nightscale and its four members.