Ash's POV

"Don't abandon your Pokemon!" I yell at the Pokemon hunters who disappear into the darkness as they run. 

"BOOOOOM!"

"Ugh," I collapse to the ground from the cave-rocking explosion.

Thankfully, the barrier keeping us from following the hunters protected us from the blast as well. Except that's not the main issue.

"We gotta get out of here," Gold looks for a way out. "Our only way is back out the way we came."

A large stalagmite crashes between us.

"Let's go!"

I pick up the fallen Scizor and follow Gold through the cave. His yellow and black hat stands out which makes it easy to follow him.

The cave rumbles as it continues to break apart. Apparently the Electrodes hit a weak point. Hopefully they were able to roll out of the cave.

Pikachu keeps shocking the crystals to keep them alright.

It gives us a little heads up of what we're running into.

"Gold!" 

A huge section of the roof starts to come down... right on top of the trainer.

"Leavvannny!"

My bug type Pokemon uses String Shot to pull Gold backwards. The rock crumbles as it hits the floor, sending a wave of small rocks into Gold who's laying just outside the splash zone.

"Thanks," He sighs in relief and gets up. He's covered in dust but I probably am too.

The collapsed roof blocked our exit strategy and I don't remember any other pathways. The simple cave was easy to traverse but apparently also a death trap.

Another large boulder falls beside us.

But that large boulder reveals the blue sky above through a small Pikachu sized hole.

"Leavanny return!" I call it back. I slip the pink ribbon off my wrist and tie it around Pikachu's tail. "Go find Serena."

He shakes his head but I don't give him a choice. I throw the yellow mouse Pokemon up towards the hole to a ledge he can use to climb his way up.

Pikachu looks back sadly but I give him a thumbs up. "We'll be alright!"

"Will we?" Gold looks at me defeated.

"This is just a normal Tuesday," I joke. "We always get out of these things."

A large grumble shakes the cave, letting us know that it is indeed still collapsing.

"Think Ash," I mutter.

I turn to see Gold pushing boulders around and stacking smaller rocks on top. "What are you doing?"

He doesn't reply, just continues to build some sort of rock igloo.

"A shelter! Ariados we need your web!"

My newest capture comes out, the only daylight entering the cave putting it in a spotlight. It immediately covers Gold's structure with the sticky web.

I try to help as they work but Gold is clearly better at figuring out where to put certain rocks.

The rumbling around us grows and I swear the cave walls look like they're going to fold like a pancake. I dive under the shelter along with Gold and Ariados.

Within seconds we are buried in complete darkness... but not rock.

The shelter holds and the cave finishes collapsing.

There's no noise now.

Just dark silence and the tomb we created for ourselves.

"It worked!" I yell causing a little pebble to fall.

No more yelling.

"Gold you're here right?"

"Where are we?" His voice responds. 

The shelter is big enough that we have our own space but I can't see where he is. After returning Ariados, I find my flashlight to illuminate his clueless look.

"You built this," Now I'm confused.

"Sorry I blacked out," He buries his face in his hands. "Some sort of power overtook me."

"Whatever it was it was awesome," I smile. 

"It's a lovely casket."

"Pikachu will find us."

Serena's POV

"Gold's going to be so jealous," Green says with a cheery voice, tossing a pokeball up and down.

I shake my head and laugh. We took a small break so I could work on some performing tips with Scatterbug. And because it's a bug type, it already evolved into a Spewpa. Spewpa is more of a cocoon and not very mobile, making training it difficult.

I'll need Ash's help to figure out how to get it evolve again.

While we were training, a curious red caterpillar Pokemon showed up. Since Green also wants to perform in the contest, it was perfect timing.

The Wurmple is similar to Scatterbug so it was easy to give Green some pointers. Except Wurmple also evolved into its cocoon evolution, Silcoon. So we decided to continue walking and hopefully meet up with the boys.

This route is beautiful, with tons of flowers, perfect for caterpillar Pokemon like ours. I can't imagine the cave being better than this.

I've also been using this alone time with Green to find out more about her. And then maybe I can help her resolve things with Gold.

"He's probably relying on Ash for everything right now," She continues. "Ash battle that for me. Ash can you throw the pokeball for me."

The brunette continues to act out her thoughts as we walk, talking in what is supposed to be Gold's voice. She needs to work on her impersonations.

"I think you're being a little tough on him," I say uneasily.

Her head snaps towards me. "You heard what he said to me. Didn't even want me to go with him."

"Yea I know," I sigh. "You've been going at each other since he caught up to us."

"We disagree on a lot of things," She huffs. "He doesn't listen."

"Mhm," I trail off.

"I mean am I the best listener?" Green continues. "No, but he needs to understand that I'm literally doing what my Dad's job is to prevent."

"I agree," I nod. "But you need to remember that he was sent here with no memories of his past and one job to do given by Arceus himself. Anything that jeopardizes him completing that mission is a threat. I think that you need to find the plate and build some trust, but it is still helping Triton."

"I guess," She mumbles. "There's just a part of me that can't think of my Dad or Triton as the bad guys. They were my role models, they're supposed to be reasonable and only do good."

"That's tough," I frown.

It sounds like both of them are in pretty bad spots. All Ash and I can do is try to help them in any way possible.

"I think Ash and I should travel with you guys at all times," I say. "You two are under a lot of stress and responsibility."

We walk in silence for a couple moments.

"No we'll figure it out." Green gives me a small smile. "Gold, and you guys too, are my first friends in awhile. I know Gold and I can figure it out."

"I know you can but still," I persist.

"We'll always be close," Green says. "But every once and awhile we can split off. You and Ash don't need to babysit us all the time."

"Okay," I laugh. 

"Plus I know you want some alone time," Green winks and I turn away.

A yellow mouse Pokemon comes to my rescue, keeping Green from continuing her teasing. Except Pikachu doesn't look happy to see us.

"Pikachu?" The Pokemon jumps into my arm and then I notice a pink ribbon wrapped around his tail.

Green and I share a look of confusion but then Pikachu starts trying to explain. He waves his arms around before imitating an explosion.

As if he was a magician, a huge rumble comes from afar. "What's going on?" My voice trembles while we look off in the distance of the cave.

Pikachu jumps out my arms and starts running that direction. We chase after him, crashing through bushes and small trees.

"Ow," A stinging sensation fills my cheek as a plant gives me a small cut.

I start running with my arms out in front of me to prevent that from happening again. We push through the last barrier of trees to reveal a collapsed hillside.

"Oh no," Green utters with her jaw dropped. "How? What?"

The view in front of us is a mix of jagged rock and vegetation that used to be on top of the cave. We cautiously follow Pikachu further until he stops at a little hole.

Pikachu points with small tears forming in his eyes. "This is where you came from?" I ask and he nods.

The hole doesn't go very far down so the little sunlight reaching inside is enough to show everything. It looks like the walls collapsed inward, swallowing up everything inside.

Including Ash and Gold.

"Ash!" I yell into the cave, getting on my knees to look inside the hole. I can already feel tears streaming down my face.

No response.

The worst silence there is.

I clench onto the pink ribbon Pikachu brought us. If the ribbon has any magical powers now would be the time.

"Come on pick-up," Green grumbles with her Pokedex to her ear. She's barely holding back her tears. "Dad!"

Green starts talking into the phone so fast I can't keep up or hear her over my sniffling.

"Green slow down," An authoritative voice comes through the phone.

"Route 21," She manages to spit out. "The cave collapsed with Ash and- inside! Please come help."

Green's tears stream down her face and soon after the call ends. She sits on the exposed rock, staring off into the distance.

This isn't what Ash would do.

I pick myself up and then offer a hand to Green, wiping my face in the process. "We have to try to find them."

Green hesitates but then stands up. She nods and brings out Starly and Whismur who join Litleo.

I bring out Delphox, Pancham, and Sylveon. "Okay guys we need to start removing rocks carefully from out of this hole.

Immediately they start using either their own strength or attacks to dig a hole. Pikachu's iron tail helps split up the boulders into more manageable chunks.

"I don't think they could have lasted this long buried," The brunette sniffs, watching our Pokemon work.

"We can't give up," I manage a smile. "Ash wouldn't."

She nods and starts helping move some of the smaller rocks.

Another large rumble causes us to freeze and try to find the source. A plume of dust rises into the blue sky.

But not just a plume of dust.

A plume of dust and two dusty figures.

"Ash!" I run up to him and wrap my arms around as tightly as possible.

"Serena," I feel his lungs take a deep breath while he hugs me back. 

"I thought you were buried," I cry into his chest. "I-I-"

"It's okay," He gives me the usual goofy Ash smile before it turns to concern. "Serena your cheek."

My body shivers as he runs his fingers over the cut on my face. I cringe in pain and notice his now bloody finger. 

"It's fine," I assure him and refuse to let go of the hug. "Just hold on."

He obliges until my worry turns to curiosity. "Your ribbon."

"Thanks," He adjusts his grip on me and I manage to slip it back over his wrist.

"How did you get out?" I ask into his chest.

Ash releases the hug just enough for me to turn my head and see Gold and Green fist bump each other. "Gold saved us."

The three of us look at the boy who scratches his nose to cover his blush. "I don't know exactly what happened," He says uneasily.

"It was amazing!" Ash exclaims directly into my ear. "He built us a rock igloo in seconds before the cave collapsed."

"Volcanion's power?" Green questions and Gold nods.

They told us about the powers from the spirits Gold is collecting but I didn't completely believe them. Add this to the list of Pokemon things I'll never understand.

"And this guy," Gold gestures to a Pokemon that is a little crab with a huge square boulder on its back. "Crustle dug us a way out after it found us."

"Thank you Crustle," I pat its rock. "What about the Scizor on its back?"

A Scizor lays motionless on Crustle's rock.

Ash and Gold tell us the short version of their experience in the cave and the Pokemon Hunters.

"It's a good thing I called my Dad then," Green comments but instantly covers her mouth with her hand. She eyes Gold and braces for another argument.

"That's a good idea," Gold smiles. "And I'm sorry Green about everything. I promise I'm not just saying that because we almost died."

"I'm sorry too," Green giggles. "I'm happy you're okay even if I was maybe wishing for this earlier in the day."

"Be careful what you wish for," I joke.

"I need you to save Arceus," He says seriously. "And I do trust you."

"Thanks," She smiles. "But uh you should probably get out of here before Triton's army swarms this place."

"Yea good idea," He sighs and returns Crustle. "I'll see you guys at the next town."

"Lily Village," Green comments and we watch him hop his way across the jagged rocks and towards the actual route.

Within a few minutes the sound of helicopters fills the air. Large black helicopters with a purple trident emblem on the side land in a nearby field. 

Armed officers jump out and run towards us in formation. They surround us and a few venture off to survey the area. Hopefully Gold ran fast.

"Green," A man runs over with dressier clothes, but still has a police vest on overtop. He is quite muscular and has short spiky brown hair that matches his trimmed facial hair.

"Dad!" She runs up and hugs him.

"I'm glad you're alright," He hugs her back. "Ash, Serena, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ryan."

"It's nice to meet you," We return the greeting.

"I'm sorry about the circumstances. Are you guys okay?" He asks and notices Ash covered in dust. "What happened?"

Ash gives him a rundown of how the cave collapsed, leaving out how he escaped. "It's Pokemon Hunter J's crew."

"I'm not familiar," Green's Dad rubs his goatee.

"Pokemon Hunters from Sinnoh, that I have run into before. We stopped them a few years ago but I guess they're back," The raven haired trainer states. "I'm certain it was them."

"But how could they have gotten in?" Green asks her father.

"I don't know," He sighs. "Our perimeter security hasn't picked anything up."

"Her ship can go invisible if that's here too," Ash says nonchalantly. 

Green's Dad immediately brings out his phone to send some messages. "I will look into that. Thanks Ash. For now I think we should get you guys back to the Capital where it's safe."

"No," Green has a look of determination on her face. "This is a part of a journey."

"Snowball I don't want you to get hurt," His facial features soften.

"We'll look out for each other," I step in. "This is nothing we haven't dealt with before."

"We'll take Hunter J down!" Ash exclaims.

"Now you leave that to us," Ryan chuckles. "Okay you guys can continue on but promise you'll be cautious and stay away from Pokemon hunters."

He doesn't know Ash very well.

"Of course," We all nod.

"I'll have someone escort you to Lily Village," He waves some officers over. "People don't get into our region and get away with it. We'll find them within a day."

"Good luck," Green gives her Dad one last hug before we are taken away from the scene.

Green's Dad has a lot of confidence in his team.

But this isn't going to be the last time we encounter Hunter J's crew.