Chapter 15: Into the Nest
7:18 PM – Crimson Reef Island, Caterpie Territory
The Caterpie colony was exactly as pathetic as Jayden had expected.
Dozens of the plump green larvae clung to tree bark like oversized gummy worms, their segmented bodies undulating slowly as they munched leaves with mechanical precision. Each one moved with the kind of single-minded determination that came from having a brain roughly the size of a pea and exactly one life goal: eat until metamorphosis kicked in.
They were slow, weak, and about as threatening as a bowl of overcooked pasta. The only real danger came from their defensive mechanism: a noxious spray that smelled like rotting garbage mixed with industrial chemicals. Get hit with that, and you'd be washing the stench off for days. Jayden had seen it happen once during basic training when an overconfident recruit thought it'd be funny to kick one.
The recruit spent the next week smelling like a dumpster fire and getting avoided by everyone in the barracks.
Nincada crouched beside him in the undergrowth, compound eyes tracking the lazy movements of the nearest Caterpie. The Ground-type's antennae twitched with what Jayden could only interpret as mild disdain. After the Beedrill nightmare and the intensity of fighting trained Pokémon, a colony of harmless leaf-munchers probably felt like an insult.
Jayden understood the sentiment. Part of him had been hoping for something more challenging, if only to justify the hours spent navigating through hell to get here. But another part—the practical, survival-oriented part—was perfectly happy with easy.
Easy meant he could focus on finding the treasure without worrying about getting ambushed or poisoned or chased by murder hornets.
He activated CIPHER with a thought, and data immediately began streaming across his vision in clean, organized readouts. The system scanned each visible Caterpie methodically, cataloging threat levels and biological data with mechanical efficiency.
[SPECIES DETECTED: Caterpie]
[COUNT: 73 visible specimens]
[AVERAGE LEVEL: 4-6]
[HIGHEST LEVEL DETECTED: 8]
[THREAT LEVEL: Minimal]
[COLONY STATUS: Non-aggressive unless provoked]
Seventy-three Caterpie, and the strongest among them was barely level eight. Nincada was level twelve now, with combat experience that put it leagues ahead of these docile larvae. If it came to a fight, they could carve through this entire colony without breaking a sweat.
But fighting wasn't the objective. The treasure was.
Jayden pulled out the crumpled map again, holding it up to catch the last rays of fading twilight. The X marking the treasure's location sat near a cluster of hand-drawn symbols that probably represented large trees. Or rocks. Or literally anything, given the artist's complete lack of cartographic skill.
He squinted at the crude markings, trying to match them with his surroundings. The colony's center seemed like the most logical place to hide something valuable. Deep enough into the territory that casual explorers wouldn't stumble across it, but not so deep that the person burying it would get swarmed.
"Let's move," Jayden murmured to Nincada. "Stay alert, but don't engage unless necessary. We're here for the treasure, not experience points."
Nincada chirped acknowledgment, its body language shifting from predatory to cautious. The Ground-type understood the difference between hunting and stealth missions. That kind of tactical awareness was rare in young Pokémon, and it made Jayden appreciate his partner even more.
They moved forward in synchronized silence, weaving between trees and stepping over exposed roots with practiced care. The Caterpie barely noticed them. A few turned their heads sluggishly when Jayden passed within arm's reach, compound eyes tracking the movement with insect-like detachment.
One particularly fat specimen was blocking Jayden's path, its body stretched across a fallen log like a living speed bump. He stepped carefully over it, and the Caterpie didn't even pause its leaf-chewing. Just kept munching away, completely unbothered by the potential predator literally stepping over its body.
It was almost surreal after the constant tension of the past few hours. No ambushes. No life-threatening chases. No calculating which direction to run when everything inevitably went wrong. Just peaceful forest ambiance, the gentle rustle of leaves, and the rhythmic sound of dozens of Caterpie chewing their way through enough foliage to strip a small garden bare.
Jayden found himself relaxing slightly, though he kept his hand near his knife out of habit. Complacency killed people in places like this. Just because the Caterpie were harmless didn't mean something else wasn't lurking nearby. Predators loved Bug-type colonies because they represented easy food. A Spearow flock or a hunting Ekans could show up at any moment.
Twenty minutes of careful navigation brought them deeper into the colony's heart. The trees here were absolutely massive, their trunks easily ten meters in diameter at the base. Ancient oaks, probably hundreds of years old, their gnarled roots breaking through the earth like arthritic fingers. The canopy overhead had woven together so tightly it might as well have been a roof, blocking out what little remained of the evening light.
Jayden pulled out a small flashlight from his belt, clicking it on. The beam cut through the gloom, illuminating patches of bark covered in Caterpie and casting long, dancing shadows across the forest floor. Nincada stayed close, its natural low-light vision allowing it to navigate effortlessly even in near-total darkness.
This was it. Had to be. The map's X was supposed to be near the largest trees in the colony, and these ancient oaks fit the description perfectly. Now came the hard part: actually finding whatever was buried here.
Jayden consulted the map one more time, trying to orient himself using the crude landmarks. If he was reading this disaster correctly, the treasure should be somewhere within a twenty-meter radius of where he stood. That narrowed things down from "impossible" to merely "extremely difficult."
He started examining the ground systematically, looking for signs of disturbance. Buried treasure didn't stay buried without leaving traces. Disturbed soil, unnatural patterns in the undergrowth, vegetation growing differently where earth had been excavated and refilled—these were the tells that separated successful treasure hunters from the people who wandered around forests looking confused.
Nincada caught on quickly and began using its sensitive antennae to probe the earth. Ground-types had an instinctive sense for underground structures and hollow spaces. If something metallic or artificial was buried nearby, Nincada would detect the density difference.
They worked in methodical sweeps, covering the area in overlapping grids. Jayden took the outer perimeter while Nincada focused on the spaces between the massive oak roots. Ten minutes passed with nothing but false alarms—rocks that felt promising but turned out to be just rocks, suspicious depressions that were actually just where water had pooled during the last rain.
Twenty minutes. Still nothing. Jayden was starting to seriously question whether this entire expedition had been a colossal waste of time when Nincada suddenly chirped excitedly, its antennae vibrating so fast they blurred.
The Ground-type had found something.
Jayden hurried over, dropping to his knees beside Nincada. His flashlight beam illuminated a section of earth that looked subtly different from its surroundings—the soil was slightly darker, more compressed, as if it had been disturbed and packed down again years ago. Vegetation here grew in slightly different patterns, the roots not quite as deep or established as the surrounding plants.
"Good eye," Jayden murmured, patting Nincada's head. "Dig it up. Carefully."
Nincada didn't need to be told twice. Its claws began churning through the earth with surgical precision, scooping out dirt in controlled bursts rather than the frenzied excavation it used during combat. Soil flew backward in small, steady streams as the Ground-type worked deeper.
Thirty seconds. One meter down. Nincada's claws scraped against something solid with a metallic clink that echoed softly in the quiet forest.
Jackpot.
Jayden's heart rate picked up slightly as Nincada carefully excavated around the object, revealing its full shape. A metal box, roughly the size of a shoebox, its surface covered in rust and packed with dried mud. But unmistakably man-made, with clean edges and a crude locking mechanism visible on one side.
This was it. Whatever the treasure was, it was inside this box.
Jayden reached into the hole and grasped the container, pulling it free from its earthen prison. Dirt cascaded off the sides as he lifted it, revealing more details. The metal was thick, industrial-grade, designed to withstand years of burial without completely corroding. Someone had gone to real effort to protect whatever was inside.
The box was heavier than it looked, which was promising. Heavy usually meant valuable. He brushed away more clumps of soil, examining the locking mechanism. Nothing sophisticated—just a simple latch that had corroded into near-immobility over time. The kind of lock that would keep out curious Caterpie but wouldn't stop a determined human for more than ten seconds.
Jayden pulled out his knife and wedged the blade into the gap between lock and housing. A sharp twist, a screech of protesting metal, and the latch gave way with a satisfying crack.
The lid creaked as it swung up on rusted hinges, revealing the contents inside.
Jayden stared for a long moment, processing what he was seeing. Then, despite himself, he started laughing. The sound came out rougher than expected, equal parts relief and genuine amusement.
Inside the box, nestled in what used to be protective cloth but was now just moldy rags, sat three items. First was a faded Rocket Team badge, its red R logo barely visible under layers of tarnish. Second was a small leather pouch, still relatively intact, with something crystalline visible through a gap in the drawstring. Third was a piece of paper, yellowed and fragile but protected enough by the box's seal to remain readable.
He picked up the note carefully, holding it close to his flashlight. The handwriting was messy but legible, scrawled in faded ink that had somehow survived the years.
"To whoever finds this: Congratulations, you're either very lucky or very stupid. Probably both. These crystals are worth about 50 contribution points if you can make it back to base without getting killed. The badge is worthless—stole it from a guy I didn't like. Thought it'd be funny to include. If you're reading this, I'm either dead or I made it off this godforsaken island. Either way, enjoy the loot. Good luck not dying. —Marcus"
Fifty contribution points. Jayden whistled softly, his grin widening. That wasn't a fortune, but it was far from worthless. Fifty points could buy premium food for Nincada for a week, or fund several TM purchases, or upgrade his basic survival gear to something that wouldn't fall apart after a week in the wilderness.
More importantly, it validated the entire ridiculous journey. The treasure hunters' deaths, the Beedrill swarm, the hours of careful navigation through hostile territory—all of it had led to something tangible.
He opened the leather pouch carefully, pouring the contents into his palm. Energy crystals, six of them, each roughly the size of his thumbnail. They glowed faintly in the darkness, pulsing with stored power. These were the real deal—concentrated energy that could be sold to the Rocket Team's quartermasters for points or used to supplement a Pokémon's training regimen.
Jayden pocketed the crystals and the note, leaving the rusted badge in the box. Marcus was right—it was worthless except as a souvenir. But the crystals? Those would help considerably.
Nincada chirped happily, sensing Jayden's improved mood. The Ground-type deserved credit for this success as much as anyone. Without Nincada's combat prowess, they'd never have survived the treasure hunters' ambush. Without its Dig technique, the Beedrill would have shredded them. And without its Ground-type instincts, they'd never have found the buried cache.
Partnership went both ways.
"Good work, partner," Jayden said quietly, reaching out to stroke Nincada's head. The creature preened under the attention, its antennae waving contentedly. It chirped again, a sound that Jayden was learning to interpret as satisfaction.
Now came the hard part: getting back to base alive.
Jayden stood, brushing dirt from his pants and scanning the darkening forest. Night was falling fast, and traveling in the dark multiplied every risk exponentially. Visibility dropped, predators became more active, and navigation became a nightmare without proper landmarks.
But staying in Caterpie territory overnight wasn't much better. These larvae would eventually evolve into Metapod, and Metapod became Butterfree. While Butterfree weren't murderously aggressive like Beedrill, they were still territorial and could make life extremely difficult with status-inducing powder attacks. Waking up covered in sleep powder or paralyzed by stun spore wasn't Jayden's idea of a good morning.
Better to move now, while he still had some light to navigate by.
He pulled out his compass, orienting himself toward the base's general direction. Northeast, roughly eight kilometers through mixed forest. The journey back would take hours, maybe all night if they had to detour around danger zones or hide from predators.
But they'd made it this far. A few more hours wouldn't kill them.
Probably.
Nincada scuttled to Jayden's side, ready to move. The Ground-type's earlier nervousness had been replaced by steady confidence. They'd survived everything Crimson Reef Island had thrown at them so far. A nighttime hike was nothing compared to Beedrill swarms and ambushes.
Jayden took one last look at the buried box, now empty except for the worthless badge. Then he started walking northeast, Nincada matching his pace perfectly.
The forest swallowed them within seconds, darkness closing in like a living thing. But Jayden Cross had survived worse.
And with Nincada at his side, he'd survive this too.
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End of Chapter 15
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"Treasure is only treasure if you live long enough to spend it."