"Rumble, rumble, rumble—"
Through the shaking earth the Sandslash dug out a road, and when the last layer of soil turned over they found they had come up to the surface.
It was still daylight; the moment they showed themselves the sun was on them, and it stung the eyes.
After so long underground it took some getting used to.
"Rraah, rraah, rraah—"
Before he could react there came several roars not far off, and the ground shook with them, and one huge boulder after another went flying through the air.
Over there, locked in a fierce fight, were an Onix whose build was unlike others of its kind, and a Nidoking.
An ordinary Onix runs eight or nine metres; this one, by eye, was a good twelve or thirteen.
A fair bit taller than its fellows, then.
"Is it the giant Onix?"
Looking at the thing, Vance was weighing it up.
Three or four metres over the usual hardly counted as the giant Onix.
"Wait."
A flash of light went through his head; Vance seemed to have thought of something.
The giant Onix was a matter of some years from now, and its size had to be grown into. Could this be that very Onix in front of him?
Only it had not grown to that point yet.
The Onix in the anime was reckoned at a full twenty metres, twice the height of others of its kind.
"Whether it is or it isn't, one look at the data will tell me."
Vance looked at the Onix locked in battle with the Nidoking, opened the system and ran a scan over it, and got its data.
> **Name:** Onix (male)
> **Type:** Rock / Ground
> **Ability:** Weak Armor
> **Aptitude:** Elite-Four-class
> **Level:** 45
> **Moves:** Tackle, Rock Throw, Harden, Rock Polish, Dragon Breath, Rock Slide, Screech, Sand Tomb, Dig, Iron Tail, Stone Edge, Sandstorm, Rest, Return, Protect, Rock Tomb, Frustration, Payback
Elite-Four-class aptitude already put it above better than nine Pokémon in ten, and on top of that this Onix had an evolution left, which would bring a leap with it. Worth raising, and more than worth it.
And its build was unlike its fellows'.
"This is the one."
Vance narrowed his eyes a little and said it mildly.
And if it was not, this Onix was a fine thing in itself; his coming to Mt. Hideaway would not have been wasted.
Vance called up the Viridian Power in him and laid it on the Onix without its knowing, and felt out its frame. There was room in it still for rising — which was to say it would go on growing.
He was nine parts certain now that this Onix was the one he had come to find.
"Oooo—"
Zoroark came to his side and waited for his orders.
"No hurry."
Vance stayed quietly where he was and said it softly.
Since he said so, Zoroark was in no hurry either, and stood beside him.
"Ssh-ssh—"
This left the Sandslash at a loss, and it waved both arms about. How dangerous it was here — if they were going to watch, oughtn't they to find a better spot for it?
For safety's sake, the Sandslash worried itself to pieces.
"Hoo—"
In the middle of waving its arms the Sandslash heard the air split behind it: a rock was coming down, and coming down exactly where Vance stood.
A push of its short legs, a spring into the air, its claws blazing with light.
"Bang—"
It smashed that great rock to powder, and the shock of it drove it backwards and would not stop, until a gentle force took hold of it and kept it from going any further.
"I owe you thanks for that, Sandslash. Taking that one for me."
Vance laughed a little and said it.
"Ssh-ssh."
Landing, the Sandslash signalled that they should leave. It was dangerous here.
Zoroark was there, and that terrifying Aerodactyl had not even been let out, and still it did not feel safe.
What it had just done was only an interception in passing; if it had not acted, that black creature would have, and the result would have been the same.
Call it payment for all the food it had eaten of his.
"Sandslash."
"Ssh."
Hearing Vance call it, the Sandslash brightened and looked at him, wanting to hear what he had to say. Could it be that they were allowed to leave here??
"How about going up and having a fight with that Onix and Nidoking?"
"???"
First the Sandslash was dumbfounded, and then its whole face filled with horror.
This was too much!! This man meant to be the death of it!!
To send it up to fight those formidable creatures — was that a thing it could take any part in?
That Onix, that Nidoking, looked strong as it was; there was no telling how much stronger than itself. If it went up it would not survive a single move by its reckoning; it would be pounded into mincemeat, the sort that comes in lumps.
The Sandslash shook its head hurriedly, horror all over its face.
"Don't be so frightened. You can do it."
At the sight of such a spineless creature Vance laughed again.
This Sandslash — was it really such a coward?
"Ssh. Can't, can't, can't manage it in the least."
The Sandslash glanced over at the two Pokémon still at it, and felt those appalling presences.
Damn it all. It had actually believed what this human said — had even looked over and weighed up the state of the fight. It really had taken leave of its senses.
"Rraah, rraah—"
The Onix and the Nidoking had noticed Vance, the uninvited guest, as well, and after one more exchange they looked this way.
And then they both struck out in this direction, meaning to dispose of the unexpected factor.
"Ssh-ssh—"
The Sandslash urgently signalled retreat. Vance paid no attention.
"Oooo—"
Zoroark moved, its shape shifting, and took on the form of Suicune.
"Whooosh—"
Waves of water swept round them and formed ring upon ring of defending water, with Vance and the Sandslash guarded inside.
"Boom, boom, boom—"
Zoroark's waves were broken through even so, and the backwash of the two Pokémon's attacks came straight on; the Sandslash leapt out and took it on itself to keep that backwash outside.
"Sandslash, go up and give it a try. I still think rather well of you."
"Ssh. Try it how? With my head?"
The Sandslash did not understand. Was this human not overrating it?
"Like this."
The Viridian Power blazed out from Vance and settled on Zoroark and on the Sandslash.
"This is..."
The Sandslash felt nothing but its body being packed full of power, its presence climbing step by step.
32, 33... 41, 42... 45.
In a single breath it was carried up to level 45, and it felt as though it were dreaming.
"Follow my orders. Go and fight."
"Ssh."
The Sandslash nodded. Put that way, it was not as though it could not fight.