Chapter 41: Zubat
"Haa, it's another dead end," Rosa said tiredly. "We have to turn back and try another path."
As she spoke, she crossed the sketch she had drawn when they were walking through the cave. They had been venturing deep in the tunnel, running away from the angry Onix. Right now, they are thirsty and exhausted after walking for three hours, not finding a way out of the maze they had entered accidentally.
"Do you guys think that we might be lost?" Falkner said worriedly.
"Maybe, but we already checked the other path, and the only way we can escape this place is by going back to that hole we came through."
Edward shrugged his shoulder, answering Falkner's question.
Unless they can beat the angry Onix waiting outside of the hole, they can only press forward.
"I didn't expect there is such a huge creature-"
"Shhh! Did you guys hear that?" Falkner interrupted Rosa's word, placing a hand on his ears.
"Huh? But, I can't hear anything," Rosa asked Edward.
Whoosh!
"Get down!" Edward pushed Rosa and Falkner to the ground after sensing the attack coming from above.
Bam!
The figure missed its aim and went on to hit the wall, stunning itself in the process. Then it shook its head before trying to run away after the failed sneak attack.
"Oh no, you don't. Beautifly, use String Shot on it!" Edward said to Beautifly.
A web of net made of white string expelled from Beautifly's abdomen, covering the assailant's whole body and restricting its movement. It tried to tear the netting with its teeth but failed to escape its entanglement before giving an angry cry towards them.
"Hey, it looks like a bat," Rosa said, observing its appearance.
"Bat!"
Zubat is a blue, bat-like Pokemon. While it lacks eyes, it has pointed ears with sharp hearing to navigate through the dark environments and tight caves with echolocation. It has purple wing membranes supported by two long and thin tails with two pointed teeth on each jaw.
"Yeah, I think we should knock it out first," Edward said after recognizing the wild Pokemon.
"Wait!" shouted Falkner.
"Huh?" They looked towards Falkner curiously.
"I think I can try to tame this creature," he volunteered. "Besides, it might help us get out of this predicament."
"Alright, but be careful. Although I see no sign of venom on its fangs, we will never know for sure," Edward advised his friend before standing next to Rosa. Then, he signaled Torchic to get ready to intervene if it got out of hand even though he agreed to Falkner's request.
...
"Hey, buddy, you want some of this?" Falkner squatted down in front of it while holding some Pokemon food in his hands.
"Bat!" It sniffed the food in the Falkner's hand carefully. Then, after determining that Falkner wouldn't hurt it, it swallowed the food greedily.
"Bat!" cried the Bat happily. The food was the most delicious thing it had ever tasted in its life. After finishing the food, it shook its head at Falkner as if it was asking for more shamelessly.
"Here, have some more," Falkner smiled, seeing the Bat's antics.
"Bat!" It thanked him first before gorging itself on the food.
"Do you want to join us? You can get more of that in the future," Falkner offered after he had established some goodwill between them.
Then, it scrutinized Falkner's companions standing behind him before finally staring at Pidgey, who was sitting on his shoulder.
"Bat!" It pointed its wing at Pidgey as if it was saying something.
"Falkner! It wants to fight with Pidgey," Edward said loudly after recognizing Zubat's gesture as a sign of a challenge.
"So, you want to fight us first, huh?" Falkner asked.
"Bat!"
"Alright then, Pidgey, let's go!" Falkner called excitedly.
"Pek!"
...
The two Pokemon stood in front of each other, unwilling to strike first. This situation went on for a few seconds before Falkner took the initiative.
"Pidgey, use Tackle!" Falkner shouted.
Pidgey rushed toward its opponent as soon as it heard its master's command. But, before it could hit Zubat, it flew sideways, avoiding the attack narrowly.
It appears Zubat is more nimble in the air when compared to Pidgey. It allows it to avoid Pidgey's attack without much effort. Meanwhile, Pidgey has a faster flight speed, allowing it to power up its attack momentum, albeit with a lower turn rate. In the end, both have their advantages. It depends on the user how to exploit it in a battle.
Next, a negative aura filled Zubat's body before it shouted, expelling the ghost energy at point-blank, in a startling manner.
"Pidgey!" Falkner said worriedly, seeing his partner hit by the evil-looking aura.
"Pek?" Pidgey cried confusedly, seeing nothing happened to itself after being attacked by its opponent.
"Thank god you're fine," he sighed in relief. "Now, tackle it again!"
"Pek!"
Although it didn't know why the attack released by Zubat just now was ineffective, it didn't miss the stupefied expression of Zubat and followed with a tackle into its body. This time, he didn't miss his strike, hitting its body and slamming it onto the wall.
"Nice!"
...
"Yee? Do wild creatures have their own type of energy? It used that weird aura to attack Pidgey just now, but it didn't work. That means Pidgey must be immune to its attack." Rosa speculated.
"Yeah," Edward nodded.
As expected of the youngest holder of Ph.D. in the country, her theory wasn't too far off the truth.
The attack used by Zubat just now is Astonish, a ghost-type move. Ghost type-move has no effect on Pidgey, who is a Normal/Flying-type Pokemon. No wonder it was shocked by its ineffectiveness. It probably never went out of this cave, living in here throughout its life.
...
Back to the ongoing battle
Zubat flew shakily into the air after receiving the hard impact caused by Pidgey and hitting the wall, respectively.
It didn't know why its usual attack method failed to work on its enemy, but it still had some fight left in it, even though the recent attack injured it badly.
Next, Pidgey rushed towards it once more, seeing its opponent wasn't giving up any time soon. It intends to end this fight with one last strike.
Suddenly, Zubat opened its mouth and released bizarre sound waves toward the rushing bird, staggering it mid-flight before plunging on the ground harshly.
Its eyes lit up upon seeing its attack was effective. Then, it increased the intensity of the waves, trying to disorientate Pidgey.
...
"Ah!"
Even the audience closed their ears painfully after being exposed to the sound waves transmitted by the mic in the live stream.
...
"Pidgey, Gust!" Falkner gasped, closing his ears to block off the painful screech.
"Pek!"
Pidgey stood up perseveringly while ignoring the intense pain in its ears and flapped its wing vigorously. As a result, a small-sized tornado was formed and advanced toward Zubat in the air.
It sucked Zubat and buffeted it from side to side within it. Finally, after a few seconds, Zubat's figure was seen passed out on the ground.
"Phew, finally it's over," Falkner exhaled deeply.
"We did it, Pidgey!"
"Pek!"
...
"So, is it going to be fine?" Falkner asked, poking the unconscious Zubat curiously.
"Yeah, although it looks badly injured, it is nothing but skin injuries. It only needs a few bandages here and there before its natural recovery will kick in and start the healing process. The juice from oran berries will help to speed up the process too. You can ask Edward about that." she said, patiently explaining Zubat's current condition.
"Thank God-"
"Bat!"
"It is awake!" Falkner exclaimed.
...
Shortly after, it has rested enough to be able to communicate with Falkner clearly. They soon established an amicable relationship with each other. In the end, Zubat had finally decided to be Falkner's companion.
"Guys, meet Bat!" Falkner said toward them happily.
"..."
"You have a terrible naming sense," Rosa said bluntly.
"I think Zubat is much better," Edward offered his opinion.
"Bat!"
"It's decided then, Zubat it is!" Rosa clapped her hands together.
"By the way, does it know how to get out of this place?" Edward asked, reminding everyone of their current task.
"Uh, wait for a minute."
The two began to have a difficult talk between them. It's quite interesting to see a human and a bat exchanging words from their perspective.
Finally, Falkner nodded understandingly, then turned towards them and said, "If I'm not mistaken, it said it doesn't know the way out of this maze. But it knows somebody who knows the way. Well, I hope that is what it said earlier."
"Well, lead the way," Edward said, making way for Falkner to pass through.
...
After walking through the complicated maze for an hour and a half, they finally reached a small empty chamber.
"Huh? there's nothing here but dirt," Rosa looked around the cavern carefully.
"Bat!" It cried softly towards the empty room, repeatedly.
They can feel the thin sound waves passing through their body, then into the ground and the wall.
"What are you doing, Zubat?" Falkner asked the Pokemon sitting on his shoulder.
Although its injuries had mostly healed due to Edward's help, it still wasn't able to fly in the air. So, Falkner had to carry it all the way until now.
"I think it is calling somebody," Edward said.
"Diglett, dig!"
"Diglett, dig!"
'Diglett?'
...
AN:
More chapters ahead on my Patr(e)on / Skye12
(55+ Chapters)