Alex, Lyra, Mika, and Sable spent another month digging through western Sinnoh from the Eterna Underground. Their yield this time was better, as Sable had steadily improved her detection and digging methods thanks to the large amount of practice over the past 2 months.
In total, they managed to collect 30 thousand Spheres, which included their initial 12, the 3 taken from Team Dominion, and the subsequent 15. It would take another 5 months before they reached their goal of 100 thousand Spheres.
Throughout this time, they hadn't encountered any trouble. The Grand Underground was simply too expansive without the necessary population to crowd it, other than in communal zones.
Now, they were considering heading north for the next set of unclaimed mines. Before that, however, Alex had a bit of a detour planned in the area.
"How far are we from Iron Island?" Alex asked.
"About a day's travel," Sable replied. "There's still a distance between where we are now and the supposed end of the Grand Underground, which reaches a bit past Iron Island."
"Good. We're taking a small detour today to poke around the hideaways near here."
"Why Iron Island?" Sable asked.
"I read that there was once a prominent Lucario nest on the island. I figured if there were any remnants left, they would be in hideaways nearby."
This was one of the reasons Alex had come to the Sinnoh region. He'd read that wild Lucario nests were once common in the mines under Iron Island, and he hoped to find at least one. If he did, he planned to add it to his attack team. He didn't want a trained Lucario for this, as those were better suited for defense.
"Lucario are pretty rare and expensive," Lyra pointed out. "Wouldn't the place be swept clean by hunters by now?"
"They would have to be Champion ranked to truly sweep the area, and I am betting on the chance that they missed some strays along the way. Hopefully, the Lucarios' strength would allow them to build a nest of their own in the deeper levels of a hideaway."
"Adding a Lucario to the team would be pretty nice," Mika added.
"We're taking a detour, then," Sable said as they headed back to the main tunnels.
They traveled for an hour before reaching their first hideaway, a Dazzling Cave. Its walls shimmered with veins of crystalline minerals that glowed softly, casting prismatic patterns across the floor. The air was cool and slightly damp, carrying the faint scent of mineral deposits and the echo of dripping water deep within the cavern.
"What kind of crystals are these?" Lyra asked.
"Luminescent," Sable replied. "Other than glowing in the dark depending on the excessive energy in the air, they don't have other uses."
"They're pretty, though," Mika added.
The crystals came in different colors and patterns and would undoubtedly be popular with women.
"They're popular with the general population, but the industry is already saturated, so they aren't particularly expensive to sell unprocessed," Sable said.
"What kinds of Pokémon can you detect, Sable?" Alex asked.
"Fairies, Psychics, and the usual Field types mostly," Sable replied.
"Chances of finding a Lucario?"
"Possible, but slim. They would likely prefer Spacious, Rocky, or Grassland hideaways."
"Let's check anyway and try to reach the deepest levels," Alex said.
The group moved down the levels while fending off any strays or nests, with Alex having to release his Champions just to cope. Once they reached the 10th level, however, even the aura of three Champions wasn't enough to scare them off.
"This is as deep as we can go without a fight to the death," Sable said. "The density of Pokémon is too high."
"Can you still detect through the walls?" Alex asked.
"I don't think so. They'll be able to sense us coming through vibrations."
Pokémon from the Grand Underground have amazing sensing abilities when it comes to vibrations. Those that don't wouldn't last very long against constant ambushes from the walls, low ceilings, or the ground.
The group spent the next week fighting through different hideaways nearby, often stopping by the 10th level each time. The density of Champion ranked Pokémon was simply too much for them. Even with the advantage a Protect formation gave, they couldn't outlast literal thousands of Pokémon without Alex emptying his ammunition supply, so they often had to flee.
On the bright side, they managed to stockpile a significant amount of Elite ranked Pokémon meat as well as the occasional stray Champion. Alex was quite selfish, though, and wouldn't share with the girls. To be more specific, the Pokémon that took them down didn't want to give up their share, so even Alex's hands were tied. Champion ranked meat was simply that rare.
Today was just like any other day as they investigated a Spacious hideaway further south from where they started on the 10th level, until Sable suddenly exclaimed.
"I found a Lucario!"
"Where?" Lyra asked excitedly.
"On the 11th level directly below us," Sable said while looking down. "We'd better hurry, though. They're right in the middle of a battle between a Field type nest and a Human-like nest."
Sable released her team, who started digging straight down. Once they burst through the ceiling of the 11th floor, they were greeted by the sight of a dust cloud created by a battle in the distance. The group flew down and rushed toward the location, eager to get a better view.
As they drew closer, they spotted a natural rocky outcrop rising above the terrain. Stealthily perching atop it, they gained a clear vantage point and watched as an epic battle unfolded.
The battlefield stretched wide across the cracked stone and dry dirt of the Spacious hideaway, dust and debris kicked up by the sheer scale of the fight.
On one side, a Field type nest numbered in the thousands, its ranks dominated by Tauros, Rapidash, and Hippowdon, led by three Champion ranked Tauros that charged with unstoppable momentum.
On the other side, a Human-like nest moved with uncanny coordination, numbering in the hundreds and led by a single, imposing Champion ranked Lucario. Their ranks were filled with rare Human-like Pokémon such as Lopunny, Lucario, Gardevoir, Mienshao, Toxicroak, Infernape, among others.
The Tauros tore through the front lines with brutal force, sending shockwaves that toppled weaker Pokémon. The Lucario responded with precise strikes, a blur of fists and aura attacks, cutting swaths through the charging Field types. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Human-like nest moved as a single unit, using teamwork and agility to avoid being trampled.
Dust clouds swirled in the air, illuminated by flashes of energy from Lucario's Aura Sphere and the Tauros' Giga Impact. Roars, cries, and the clash of bodies echoed off the cavern walls as the two nests collided again and again. For every Field type Pokémon that fell, another surged forward, but the Human-like nest, though coordinated, began to show signs of strain.
The Champion ranked Lucario surged into the heart of the fight, its aura flaring as it weaved between charging Tauros and trampling Field type Pokémon. It struck at exposed flanks with precise punches and Aura Spheres, pulling allies out of danger while landing blows that staggered even the strongest opponents. Even so, the sheer numbers of the Field type nest allowed the Tauros to press forward relentlessly, slowly forcing the Human-like nest back toward the far end of the cavern.
"We'd better save them if we want to capture them," Mika pointed out.
"No," Alex replied. "A more diplomatic approach would be better, and the more losses they have, the more advantageous our position."
"That's pretty scummy," Lyra said with a smile. "But I like it."
The group followed the fight until the Field types eventually ran out of steam. For all their bulk and power, charging around wildly against opponents that often dodged meant they had short stamina. They retreated while they still had energy to spare, taking any fallen corpses with them and prioritizing those of greater rank.
As for the Human-like nest, they made do with whatever corpses were left, which were understandably those of weaker ranks.
Before they were allowed a chance to collect their spoils and rest, however, they were suddenly surrounded by Alex's, Lyra's, and Mika's Pokémon.
The nest outnumbered their opponents, but they were exhausted from the fight, their overall ranks were lower, and worst of all, three powerful Champion ranked Pokémon stood at the lead.
These three didn't seem as easy to outmaneuver as the Tauros nest either, so it was clear they were in for a losing battle. Their only option was to fight to escape.
Alex stepped forward past the protection of his Pokémon and suddenly called out.
"I want to talk with your leader!"
The Champion ranked Lucario stepped forward, followed by Gardevoir, Infernape, Lopunny, Toxicroak, and Mienshao, all of whom were at the top of the Elite rank.
A psychic connection entered Alex's mind, which he allowed with certain restrictions.
'Human, what do you want?' a feminine voice asked through telepathy.
"Long story short, I want all of you."
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