"Are there any Pokémon capture missions available right now?" Feng Che asked the Lolita clerk.
"You must undergo an assessment and become a registered bounty hunter before you can accept missions," she replied politely.
"What kind of assessment is required?" Feng Che hadn't realized there was a formal process. The Bounty Hunter Guild actually has a decent set of regulations.
"The assessment involves capturing a specific Pokémon within a set number of days," she explained patiently. "Your rank will be determined by the potential of the Pokémon you bring back. Higher-ranked hunters can access more missions and prioritize high-paying rewards. If you apply, the system will randomly assign a target. However, you must use a specialized Poké Ball provided by the Guild, which costs 1,000 Dollars."
"Assign the mission," Feng Che said, allowing her to deduct the funds from his card.
"Understood. Please wait... Your task is to capture a Graveler. Here is the specialized capture ball. Its chip is unique and won't be recorded by the League's system. Once captured, it will be automatically transmitted back for appraisal. A small tip: Gravelers found on Mt. Michaya tend to have better potential."
Capturing a Graveler is no easy task, Feng Che thought as he left. Like Weezing, Gravelers are masters of detonation. Their rock shells turn into lethal shrapnel during a Self-Destruct. Most people would head to Mt. Michaya, but I know a better spot: Grandpa's Canyon (the Grand Canyon).
The canyon's karst topography was a breeding ground for Geodudes and Gravelers. More importantly, its terrain provided excellent cover to dodge explosion attacks. Plus, I have that Rocket mission to investigate the canyon anyway. Two birds, one stone.
Grandpa's Canyon
Located near Fuchsia City, the canyon was a famous site for fossil hunting, currently under a strict League blockade. Feng Che lay in wait near the perimeter, face painted with camouflage, observing the guards through binoculars.
"One guard every five paces, shifts rotate every thirty minutes. The League is taking this very seriously," he noted. "Fossil Pokémon are worth a fortune. While the League can revive them from fossils, wealthy collectors pay far more for specimens that have survived since ancient times."
Sneaking in wouldn't be easy. A swarm of Zubat patrolled the skies, using supersonic waves to detect intruders. Fortunately, Feng Che knew exactly where the hidden cavern was from his past life—a remote spot the League hadn't found yet.
"To complete the Rocket mission, I need more than just a tip-off. I need hard evidence, like photos, or they'll think I'm feeding them lies," he planned. "Every three days, a supply truck enters the blockade. That's my ticket in."
Kahn, a League truck driver, pulled up to the checkpoint. After a rigorous inspection of his cargo, he was allowed through.
"Always with the checks," Kahn grumbled, heading to the breakroom while the guards verified the inventory. When he returned to his truck, he scratched his head. "Wait... was there always a spare tire on the right side? I thought it was only on the left. Must be misremembering."
He drove into the canyon. As soon as he parked, the "spare tire" on the right began to squirm, turning into pink sludge. Ditto had disguised itself as a tire, hiding Feng Che within its malleable form.
"Ditto, transform into Yanmega. We need to move before we're spotted."
The sludge shifted into the ancient dragonfly, whisking Feng Che toward the inner peaks. Kahn, returning to his truck later, noticed the tire was gone. "I'm definitely seeing things today. Must have fallen off on the bumpy road."
Feng Che reached a familiar-looking cliffside. "Ditto, turn into Golbat and use supersonic waves to find the hollow."
Once the cavern was located, Ditto shifted again into a Pinsir to claw through the rock. The ground was incredibly hard, but eventually, a small tunnel opened. Feng Che felt a breeze. "Airflow. It's connected."
They squeezed through into a massive, dark grotto. "Come out, Litten. Use Ember to light the way."
Litten spat a ball of fire that hovered in the air like a lantern. Feng Che could now see the walls were encrusted with fossils—specifically, Kabuto fossils.
Ditto, still in Pinsir form, playfully pried a fossil from the wall with its sharp claws. THUD. It hit the floor with a heavy sound. Ditto thought this was hilarious and pried another one loose.
[Ditto: This is fun! Haha!]
"Wait... Ditto, stop!" Feng Che's voice sharpened. He saw one of the fossils twitch. "Those aren't fossils... those are live Kabuto!"
Feng Che's blood ran cold. In the game, this cave only had a few specimens. But here, the walls were covered with them.
Hungry... Hungry...
The "Heart Voices" of hundreds of Kabuto began to overlap in a terrifying chorus. Like falling dominoes, the ancient creatures were waking up.
"Heavens above! Ditto, you've caused trouble again!"
Feng Che looked at the innocent-looking pink blob, quickly snapped several photos of the awakening swarm for his report, and grabbed Litten.
"RUN!"
He bolted back toward the tunnel as hundreds of crimson eyes began to glow in the darkness behind him.
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