The five teenagers stood in a semi-circle, looking down at me with a mix of pity and "older sibling" sternness. It was like being lectured by a group of people who had just discovered fire, while I was sitting there holding a lighter I didn't want to show them.
"It's okay, Newbie," Marcus—the boy said, patting my shoulder with a heavy hand. "Just keep your chin up. We've got six people. As long as you stay in the middle and don't panic, we'll get you through this in one piece."
"No, really, I—" I started, trying to explain that my "silence" was actually me recalculating the sheer stupidity of this plan.
"Newbie is as Newbie does," Felix, the irritable guy in the black tracksuit, snapped. He was practically vibrating with misplaced bravado. "What's the matter? Can't handle a little tough love? This is the big leagues, kid. Mt. Coronet isn't a playground. But like I said, I'm strong enough for both of us. Just watch and learn."
"It's a good opportunity for you," Chloe, the long-haired girl from the Unova region, added with a gentle, slightly condescending smile. "You'll get to see how a real team works together. If things get scary, my Leavanny will keep you safe. We Unovans know how to handle ourselves!"
The "Squad" had officially labeled me as the mascot. They spent the next hour laying out a plan that was essentially a masterclass in how to get arrested by Officer Jenny.
Marcus was our self-appointed leader because his Probopass was the "big gun." Felix, the hot-head, claimed he'd placed high in a regional conference once, though he didn't specify which one or how many people were in it.
The girl with the glasses was Sarah. She was the "analyst," though her analysis mostly consisted of reading Wikipedia entries about Geodude's rock hardness. Then there was Chloe, the aspiring Contest Star, and a quiet guy named Silas, who was apparently trying to become an apprentice at the Eterna Gym.
Their grand plan? Sneak into the restricted zone at midnight, bypass the police lights, and "investigate" the Geodude tunnels.
"See you at midnight by the old pine tree," Marcus whispered conspiratorially.
I watched them walk away, feeling a massive headache forming behind my eyes. Midnight? In the freezing cold of a mountain pass? Trying to dodge Officer Jenny's Growlithe? "Yeah... no thanks," I muttered to myself.
I didn't have the heart to rat them out—mostly because a bunch of teenagers getting a lecture from Jenny wouldn't stop them; it would just make them feel like "rebels." But I wasn't about to freeze my toes off just to watch them trip over their own shoelaces in the dark. According to their own boasts, they had enough firepower to not die. At the very least, they could run away.
I hiked about a mile away from the camp to a secluded ledge, threw out my tent, and set up a proper, warm shelter.
"Alright, everyone out," I said, releasing my team.
Sylveon stretched her ribbons, shivering slightly at the mountain air before I cranked up the portable heater. Floette immediately went for the snack bag, and Togepi huddled near my leg.
"We're staying here for a few days," I told them. "Let the 'pros' handle the rocks. We're going to focus on that Disarming Voice counter-shield. If the tunnel clears, great. If not, we've got enough food for three weeks."
I zipped myself into my high-grade sleeping bag, feeling like a very warm, very snug caterpillar. The last thing I heard before drifting off was the distant hoot of a Noctowl.
RUMBLE!
The ground didn't just shake; it bucked. I was jolted out of a dream about winning the Ribbon Cup by a sound so loud it felt like the mountain itself was screaming.
"What the—!"
I tried to jump up, but I forgot I was still a caterpillar. I flopped onto the tent floor, wriggling frantically inside the sleeping bag like a fish out of water.
"Zip! Where is the zip?!" I hissed, fumbling with the frozen metal.
Rip!
I finally burst out of the bag, threw on my boots without socks, grabbed my jacket, and scrambled outside. The sun was just beginning to peek over the jagged peaks of Mt. Coronet, painting the snow in shades of bruised purple and orange.
In the distance, toward the tunnel entrance, a massive plume of dust was rising into the sky.
"Seriously? I knew they were impulsive, but did they blow the place up?"
I didn't waste time. I packed the essentials, recalled my team, and sprinted toward the restricted area. By the time I got there, the camp was in total chaos. Trainers were shouting, police sirens were wailing, and some people were actually packing their bags to flee.
A police officer was standing on the hood of a cruiser, shouting into a megaphone. "Please stay calm! The Geodude colony is undergoing a seasonal shift! Their leader has emerged, but Officer Jenny and the Rangers are already moving to contain it!"
"Seasonal shift my foot," I muttered, pushing through the crowd.
I spotted an officer near the caution tape and ran up to him. "Officer! This is bad! There were five Trainers who sneaked in last night! Marcus, Felix, Sarah—they aren't in the camp!"
The officer looked at me, his eyes widening. "What? We did a sweep at 2 AM, we didn't find anyone!"
"They weren't planning on being found! They're in there! I saw them planning it yesterday!"
The officer's face went pale. He grabbed his radio. "Base, this is Unit 4. We have a report of missing civilians in the sector. Possible entrapment near the main hive."
He looked at me and lifted the tape. "Come with me. You're the only one who can identify them. We need to get you to Jenny."
We found Officer Jenny near the tunnel mouth. She looked stressed—her hair was messy, and her Growlithe was growling at the dark opening of the cave. A Ranger was standing next to her, checking a map.
"So we have five kids in the wind," Jenny sighed, rubbing her temples after I finished my explanation. "And right now, a Golem—a massive, Alpha-level Golem—is leading a Rock Slide charge in the main shaft. We can't send a ground team in without triggering a total collapse."
The Ranger looked at me, then at the sky, then back at me. He seemed to be weighing something in his head.
"You're a Trainer, right?" he asked. "You've got a badge?"
"Three," I said, showing him my case.
He nodded, seemingly satisfied. He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt and handed it to me. "This is my Staraptor. She's a veteran—Superior Class. She knows every nook and cranny of these outer peaks."
Jenny turned to him. "Wait, you're giving a civilian your Pokémon?"
"We don't have a choice, Jenny," the Ranger argued. "We have to go into the tunnel to stop that Golem before it buries those kids alive. But if the kids were smart, they might have exited through a ventilation shaft or a higher ledge. Someone needs to scout the cliffs from the air. Staraptor knows this mountain; she won't let him crash."
He looked me in the eye. "Can you do it? Fly over the Route 211 ridge and look for five idiots in colorful jackets? If you find them, tell them to stay put. Do not—I repeat, do not—try to engage any wild Pokémon on the high cliffs. Just find them."
I took the Poké Ball, the weight of it feeling like a heavy responsibility. "I'll find them."
"Good luck," Jenny said, her voice softening. "And be careful. The winds are picking up."
I stepped back, enlarging the Poké Ball. "Staraptor, come on out! We've got a rescue mission!"
With a majestic cry, a massive bird Pokémon emerged, its red-tipped crest fluttering in the wind. I climbed onto its back, gripping the leather harness the Ranger had provided.
"Let's go! To the peaks!"
As we rocketed into the sky, leaving the chaos of the camp behind, I looked down at the sprawling mountain range. Somewhere in that frozen labyrinth, five "pros" were probably realizing that maybe, just maybe, the "newbie" had the right idea about staying in bed.