[log] Tezuka & Hiyoshi - meeting at Mt. Moon

[aisubekihoshi]

Characters: Tezuka and Hiyoshi
Date/Time: Early October
Brief Summary: Tezuka and Hiyoshi meet up to look for Clefairy in Mt. Moon together. Between the Zubats and Team Rocket, everything is not quite as planned. (Yay, first log of the community!)

Hiyoshi sighed and stretched his legs, glad to be resting after what seemed like endless days in that darned forest. His Pokemon have been treated at the Pokemon Center in front of Mt. Moon and weren't hanging off of him for once, more preoccupied with their meals to take to pestering him, as least until they've finished eating. He smiled tiredly at his team, which seemed to have grown considerably since he first left for Kanto with just his Gengar. He now had on his side a Charmander, Cranidos, Pidgey, Shinx, and his most recent addition, Aipom, who grinned at him when he glanced over, and tossed towards him a figy berry from its bowl. That is, 'toss' meaning chucking it hard enough with his tail that it hit the front of Hiyoshi's shirt and spattered all over his non-string-shot infested clothes. While it was lucky he had brought more than one change of clothes, he had hoped he would be able to keep his shirts clean for longer than half an hour someday. He closed his eyes. Breath in. "...No playing with your food, Top." Breath out.

He opened his eyes again when someone nearby cleared his throat, but he hadn't been expecting an older man, trying to peddle off Magikarps. The man made it seem like a tempting offer, but Hiyoshi didn't have enough money for one, after already spending most of what he had on supplies. He was to meet up with another trainer here, to see the trainer's Cleffa. If he was lucky, he'd also be able to see the evolved forms tonight as well. In his haste to make it to the mountain before the night of the full moon, Hiyoshi had to bypass Pewter's gym, and even more reluctantly, the Museum of Science in the city, where he had always wanted to go to see the displays of space shuttles and Pokemon fossils. But there was always time to backtrack, take on Pewter's gym as his seventh, and then prove to Viridian's that he could win against that supposedly monstrous Altaria he had been threatened with.

Shaking off the Magikarp salesman, Hiyoshi called his team to him. One or two glanced up, the rest remaining bent over their meal bowls. So he walked over instead, and sat down in front of them, addressing those who *were* listening, but speaking so all could hear. "We're going to be leaving soon, so eat quickly." He picked up a napkin and wiped off his Cranidos' jaw, who seemed more intent on spreading her food on her face than inside her mouth. "It's likely to be dark inside the caves and easy to get lost, so I'm going to have to keep most of you inside your Pokeballs for the time being, all right?" He confiscated the berries his Gengar was juggling, no doubt the bad influence to his Aipom about playing with food. "Rig, I'm going to rely on your flame for light, so stay close to me." His Charmander blinked at him and nodded his understanding. Hiyoshi felt a surge of affection for his starter. "When we find the Clefaries, I'll let the rest of you out; you've got to see them!" His Shinx, not sharing his enthusiasm, chose instead to leave his half finished meal, lay down on Hiyoshi's lap and fall asleep. His Pidgey agreed, and fluttered over to rest on his head.

He couldn't wait for Mt. Moon.

The song persisted as they entered the Pokemon Center. Cleffa had been singing nearly non-stop since they met a week prior, pausing only to sleep and eat (and even then, sometimes she would try to eat and sing at the same time). If she was tired from the trip back through the caverns of Mt. Moon, it did not show in the way she bounced and swayed in his arms as he walked. It was cute, now… but were she ever to evolve fully, she would weigh a ton. Well, 88lbs to be exact, nearly half his own weight… Tezuka had looked it up on his Pokedex.

Countless encounters with Team Rocket had left Tezuka and his Pokemon weary. He made his first priority handing his Pokemon over to the nurse to be healed before he would look for the other trainer he was meeting. He knew that Hiyoshi was of Ecruteak and that he disliked Caterpie, but Tezuka had not actually had the foresight to ask for a description so he could meet up with him. His eyes scanned the Pokemon Center while he waited, listening to Cleffa’s incessant song, and finally settled upon a boy wearing what looked like brand new, wrinkle-free clothing (with a stain of some sort down the front of his shirt) and a pidgey rested in his hair. Tezuka was instantly certain that he had found his companion.

He took his Pokeballs back from the nurse, reattaching them at his hip, and bundled Cleffa up in his arms once more. He had not actually captured her, not on purpose, anyway. He had saved her from Team Rocket goons on his first pass through Mt. Moon and she let herself into a Pokeball (which she had not re-entered since). Professor Yamato had told Tezuka things like this might happen to him… that Tezuka had an unusual charisma about him that would attract even the most skittish Pokemon. But, Professor Yamato had also seemed to be rather immediately fond of Tezuka, so he assumed he should take everything the professor said with a grain of salt.

“Hiyoshi?” Tezuka asked as he approached the other trainer. He kept his voice low, as though it would cause trouble to be recognized. Something about the crowd of the Pokemon Center was putting him on edge - there were too many people there, and not enough of them looked like travelers. Tourists? Team Rocket?

Cleffa, delighted to see a new face, waved her arms wildly in greeting.

Preoccupied with prying the Aipom that had just leapt forward and attached himself on his left arm, Hiyoshi didn't immediately notice someone else had entered the building. His Pidgey, however, recognized her trainer's name and flapped her wings in alarm, Hiyoshi reaching up to grab her from on top of his head so that her talons did not dig into his skull, his Aipom still dangling off his forearm. He clutched the skittish bird Pokemon to his chest, where she attempted burrowing down his shirt collar, and just managed to scoop up his Charmander, that had darted past him, with his Aipom-less arm. Only then did he turn to see what had gotten his Pokemon so worked up.

"Tezuka...!" Hiyoshi breathed, but his eyes were on the Cleffa. Ever since the very first time he read of the Pokemon in books, he had loved it, loved extraterrestrial Pokemon nearly as much as he loved the ghost types, and seeing one before his very eyes, he was immediately smitten. It reminded him vaguely of his Gengar-- who had gone forth in curiosity to see the newcomers, sinking halfway into the floor so he could look Cleffa eye to eye, his grin broadening-- only pink instead of purple and a lot, lot tinier. But just as cute. His Cranidos crooned next to Hiyoshi's feet, however, believing herself a more worthy contender for that title.

His attempt to stand proved only to nettle his Shinx, whose fur flashed and sparked in alarm, unappreciative of the wake up call. "All right. Back into your balls, you guys," Hiyoshi decided, when his Pidgey successfully slid down his shirt and rested in a soft warm lump near his bellybutton where his shirt tucked into his pants. He apologized to Tezuka once everyone but his Gengar, who liked to turn invisible whenever a ball was thrown at him so that it would miss, were recalled. "We haven't met a lot of other trainers and their Pokemon," he explained, which made sense to him, because who in the world would voluntarily hang around the Caterpie-infested Viridian Forest anyways? His eyes were again drawn towards the Cleffa. So cute.

“It’s quite alright,” Tezuka assured the other trainer. It was chaos, but it did seem to be organized chaos. Sort of. He wondered if maybe there was some validity to Yamato’s words, after all - he did not experience the same troubles that Hiyoshi was having. Though, he did have Cleffa all but tugging her way out of his arms to wave at Gengar. Knowing better than to try to contain her, he knelt to gently rest her on the ground and she was quick to go about skipping circles around Gengar, singing to herself. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” he added, looking up at Hiyoshi.

For a trainer that had not ventured very far, Hiyoshi’s team was fairly large - he, too, had picked up Cranidos when the Champion announced that it had been revived. He also had been stuck in the same swarm of Shinx. As for Aipom… Tezuka had seen them in the trees, but was not quite sure how to actually get one to come down to the ground where it could be captured. Hiyoshi must have discovered a work-around to that problem.

“You mentioned you wanted to meet Cleffa.” Tezuka wasn’t sure she was going to sit still long enough for Hiyoshi to make her acquaintance.

"I wasn't startled," Hiyoshi was quick to assure Tezuka, though more to banish his embarrassment than anything else. Losing control of one's Pokemon was a sign that the trainer wasn't skilled enough, and while Hiyoshi *was* a new trainer, he had certainly grown a lot better since the day he started, especially in battles that involved Caterpie. It was just outside of battle his Pokemon thought it was okay to be overly friendly and act like spoiled, undisciplined, clingy children towards him. Gengar, at least, knew how to mellow down, head cocked as it watched Cleffa skip around him, like a tolerant older brother. Which reminded Hiyoshi that might be because he wasn't exactly the one that had raised Gengar.

Hiyoshi nodded gratefully at Tezuka before kneeling down in front of the little Pokemon. "Hi~" he ventured softly, all of the sudden nervous. It was like approaching a pet Skitty and not knowing whether it would come to be petted or turn tail and ignore you completely. But worse, because it was a Pokemon he really wanted the affection of. Gengar rose to rest against his back, very heavy but not caring, and gave him a knowing grin. Well, he always seems to be grinning, or smirking, anyways. But that's what made him a good counterpoint for Hiyoshi, who relaxed a bit under the weight and let his shoulders drop. "This is Bel; he used to belong to my brother," Hiyoshi introduced to both Tezuka and Cleffa. "You, uhm, saw the rest of my team already. Cleffa's not the only Pokemon you have on you, right?" he asked. With a Cleffa, and what Hiyoshi assumed would be a strong, serious team that had already fought against Team Rocket, it was hard to believe Tezuka was a new trainer just like himself.

To Tezuka’s relief, Cleffa’s exuberance for Gengar dwindled when it leaned on Hiyoshi leaving her to look up at Hiyoshi curiously. Completely unbothered by the fact that he was a stranger, she did a little cartwheel over to him and bounded into his arms, waving and chattering at him. Tezuka could usually at least get the gist of what Pokemon were trying to say, but in her case he always assumed it was, “I’m happy to see you!” It would not take long for her to lose interest in greeting him and to resume singing, however. That was usually how it worked. So, Tezuka turned his attention to the Gengar rested on Hiyoshi’s shoulders that grinned wildly at them. “A pleasure, Bel,” he said with a small nod.

“No,” he replied to Hiyoshi’s question, “though it may seem that way in her mind.” She was the only one who did not stay in her Pokeball and the only one who got to spend so much time curled up in his arms. “Professor Yamato gave me an Eevee which became a Leafeon when we were in the forest. I also found Pikachu and Pidgey in the forest. Pidgey is a Pidgeotto, now.” Pikachu had proven to be wise beyond its years - it was cautious and strong. Pidgeotto was a bit of an oddball, but it seemed very determined in battle. “I picked up Cranidos at the museum and I caught a Shinx in the swarm.” There were also a few others he had captured that were since sent to storage, a concept he still did not fully understand. He was told by Professor Yamato that he would meet the person who ran the storage system on his journey… he sincerely hoped that would be the case. “I also have my Growlithe with me from home.”

Hiyoshi caught Cleffa in his arms, and was extremely pleased. If extraterrestrial Pokemon did hail from a different planet, what a sight it would to be able to see many of such Pokemon flocking all together in a single place. Mt. Moon would be the closest he would get to that vision, and he stood up to hand Cleffa back to her trainer so that they could get going. He had not even filled up his 6 member battle team yet, and neither had he challenged any gyms. Especially next to Tezuka, he felt a sense of needing to catch up somehow, but the Mt. Moon Clefairies still stood first and foremost in his mind.

"I'd love to meet them all some time. But it'll be getting dark soon," Hiyoshi prompted, "Shall we get going into the mountain now?" A Pokeball shook on his belt clip, and he knew that it was his Charmander impatient to continue travelling as well. Or perhaps just regular impatience, as he wasn't used to staying inside a Pokeball for so long and preferred being out of it. He really didn't need all of his Pokemon popping out of their balls all at once, so he was even more eager to leave. "Maybe once we are out of Mt. Moon again, you and I could have a Pokemon battle?" His team might be small and newly obtained, but there was no doubt in Hiyoshi's mind that they would fight well, perhaps even with a good chance at winning. After all, they had gone through Viridian Forest together, and if that wasn't a bonding experience, he didn't know what was.

Tezuka nodded his consent to both, holding Cleffa close to his chest once more. "Yes, we should be going. We'll see about that battle when we're through." He was eager to get out of the Pokemon Center, anyway - he was certain that something really was off and it was not just normal paranoia making him feel that way. Years of being around police officers had drilled some basic police instincts into him. "More importantly," Tezuka said as they made their way out of the Pokemon Center. "Are you familiar with double battles? We may need to work together."

The weather outside was cool without being cold. The sun was drifting low in the sky, but it was not yet truly evening. It was a nice time to make the hike and they would definitely be at the mountain in time for the moon to rise, if it was true that the Clefairy would gather around moonstones in the moonlight. A group of hikers were gathered around outside the Pokemon Center either just finishing up their own trek through the mountain caves or about to embark... it was hard to tell. Tezuka kept his eyes faced forward, lest they take eye contact as a sign that he was looking for a battle.

Tezuka seemed on edge about something, but Hiyoshi couldn't put his finger on what exactly, so took it to be the same excitement that took over his own feet to walk faster. "Not an official double battle with or against another trainer, but I have commanded my Pokemon against more than one opponent at a time in the forest." It would have been difficult to get through otherwise, with so many bugs swarming around and his Pokemon not having many moves that were ranged, unless his Charmander unleashed a spray of ember and burnt down the entire forest. Then he'd have more to worry about than just a small Beedrill colony. His Pokemon worked well together too, he noticed, unless he paired his Charmander and Cranidos together, or Pidgey with Shinx. Or Gengar with anybody.

Gengar turned himself invisible while they passed by the hikers, but after several seconds passed and nothing exploded or mysteriously moved on its own accord, Hiyoshi shrugged it off. Bel wasn't the type to be shy in front of strangers, quite the opposite actually, but so long as he stayed close and wasn't playing pranks, it was all right. Once inside, Hiyoshi took care to look where he was walking; he had walked several meters inside earlier that day before turning around for the Pokemon center, but in that amount of time he had already managed to accidentally kick, wake, and anger a particularly cranky Geodude that gave both his Charmander and Shinx a difficult time before his Gengar had stepped in without being called and ended the battle. The Zubats he had heard so much about would likely start sounding deeper inside, where the light from the entrance gave way to darkness. He let Rig out of his Pokeball, and the Charmander made a happy sound as he stretched out his limbs, pattering in front of them a few steps while looking over his shoulder at Tezuka and Cleffa.

With the same energy as she had greeted the others, Cleffa sang her greeting to Charmander, her song changing somewhat in tune and rhythm as she bounced in Tezuka’s arms. Eventually, by the end of his journey, he was pretty sure that it would drive him up the wall. For now, at least, it was still cute. The way her song echoed off the walls gave the effect that it was coming from every direction… and if Tezuka really strained his ears, he heard something else under the echoes… a voice answering her.

Clefaaairy~ Clefaaaairy~ Clefaaaairy~

He paused, holding up a hand to Hiyoshi, though Cleffa sang on. “Listen,” he ordered in a hushed whisper. He was certain he heard the singing, now - somewhere deeper in the cavern, possibly down one of the tunnels where Tezuka had not ventured before, he had been so distracted by Team Rocket. He grabbed the third Pokeball from his belt, summoning Pidgeotto. “Pidgeotto, scout ahead. Find out where that song is coming from.” The bird let out a harsh cry of affirmation and with a decisive flap of its wings was gone, zipping into the darkness.

Clefairy!? was Hiyoshi's first hopeful thought, and then he too heard the song, confirming it. He called Charmander back to him so that he wouldn't go running off in the wrong direction, and sat him on top of his backpack with his front claws gripping Hiyoshi's shirt to hold on. As they waited for Pidgeotto's return, shadows on the cave walls flickered with Charmander's tail swishing back and forth in impatience, until Hiyoshi asked him to cut it out before his clothes accidentally catch on fire from the embers.

"Bel?" Hiyoshi called softly, not used to the Gengar not being around. There was an answering clatter of small pebbles being kicked just next to him, but no actual body to be seen. He frowned. "Come on, there's no one else here but us," he urged again, but the moment those words left his mouth he wasn't so sure anymore. He fingered the Pokeballs lining his belt again, and then dropped his hand, focusing instead on the Clefairy song... which was suddenly masked by high-pitched piecing screeches that made Charmander's claws bear down into his shoulder. He groaned. "...Zubat?"

"Zubat," Tezuka confirmed, pulling out a second Pokeball to release Pikachu. The little yellow Pokemon wore a matching expression to his own, grim and determined. "Cover your eyes," he instructed Hiyoshi and did the same. "Use Flash," he told Pikachu softly. At first there was nothing but a quiet sparking noise as Pikachu gathered energy in his cheeks. Then, the blinding light that would given them a clear view of the entire cavern that was bright even through closed eyes and a hand over his face. His hand fell away and he turned his gaze upward, immediately wishing he had not.

There weren't this many Zubat before, he considered to himself. They seemed to go on forever - covering every last part of the ceiling. Each one was as long as his arm. Many of them were still dormant, but there were plenty of signs of movement of the ones that were waking up for the evening. Pidgeotto came whizzing past them, the screeches following her through the tunnels. "We... should run," Tezuka suggested calmly, though there was no denying the edge of hysteria that made his chest feel tight. "Now."

Pidgeotto took off after the sound of the Clefairy once more and Tezuka followed, not waiting to see if Hiyoshi would as well. What he did know was that the screeching was getting louder, and now it was accompanied by the sound of wings beating and Zubat coming to life above them.

Hiyoshi shut his eyes immediately, the world dropping into a bright red from behind his eyelids a split second later. When he opened his eyes, it was to the distinct sight of the cavern walls... squirming. Zubat. Not waiting for the Pokemon to unfurl their wings and go after his blood, Hiyoshi followed right at Tezuka's heels. "Bel!" he called urgently, and the Gengar finally appeared, gliding beside him quite unbothered by the now frantically flapping Zubat but not offering help either. Zubat. Zubat everywhere. He could see where people were coming from, when they warned him against these Pokemon, the air so thick with them that it was hard to get through and their sharp cries bouncing off the walls and already giving him a pounding headache.

He recalled Charmander, and instead threw a different Pokeball into the air. The ball opened with a flash of bright light that didn't dim, Shinx's fur standing on end and crackling with electricity. There was this one move that had worked once in Viridian Forest, when Hiyoshi's team had run into a Beedrill nest and found themselves up against too many opponents at once. Shinx was exhausted right afterwards, it wasn't very effective so spread out, and the best they got was an opportunity to escape, but if there's one thing they need now, it's a clear path to escape on. Hiyoshi braced his feet as he skid to a stop, turning around to face the swarm. Shinx stood before him, waiting for the command. "Fil! Discharge!!" There was a cry of affirmation. The cavern they had traveled through filled with light, electricity licking the walls.

Pidgeotto let out a sound of protest, deftly dodging the lightning that came her way, though the Zubat did not fare as well. Pikachu's cheeks sparked from all the electricity suddenly filling the cavern, but he also ran on with Tezuka. Hiyoshi had cleared the path, if they could just get to a good place to make a stand... and that was when Tezuka came to a stop. Ahead of him, an incredible sight. A large, sparkling rock - more like a boulder - sat in the middle of a ring of Pokemon dancing, singing, and completely unbothered by the flock of Zubat coming their way. The largest had to be Clefable, but nearest the boulder were little Cleffa like the one in Tezuka's arms who had resumed singing. Or perhaps she had been singing the whole time and he was just too busy worrying about the Zubat that he had not heard her.

"Hold on to something," he shouted to Hiyoshi and turned to face what remained of the oncoming swarm after Shinx's discharge. He knew logically that Shinx had made a huge dent in the Zubat population, but it did not seem that way with how many still remained. How had he never seen such a huge swarm of Zubat on his first two passes through Mt. Moon? "Pidgeotto," he yelled, "use Whirlwhind."

With only a few strong flaps of Pidgeotto's wings, there was a sudden wind in the cavern - a gust. Wind roared past Tezuka's ears, pulling at his clothes and pushing heavily on his back. Pikachu darted up against him to use him for support, but the Zubat who were in mid-air were not as lucky. The gushing wind tore them from their perches, pinhwheeled them out of the air, and sent them whooshing back down the tunnel from whence they came not to be seen again. When the wind died down, Tezuka let out a slow breath of relief. "Good work," he told Pidgeotto before recalling both her and Pikachu to their Pokeballs.

Hiyoshi quickly returned Shinx back into his Pokeball, and looked around for something to hold onto-- a stalagmite, a large boulder, anything-- but standing in the middle of the cavern there was only the jagged side walls. Before he could make a move, he was all of the sudden thrown aside into the wall; it wasn't the Whirlwind, but Gengar who held him plastered against the rock as leathery wings clipped his hands and arms that he held up over his face, screeches rising abruptly and then fading. The calmness that followed a few seconds after seemed almost eerie in contrast to the previous tumult, but welcomed. Hiyoshi stepped away from the wall, brushing a hand through his hair to untangle a stray Zubat that had gotten caught in it, and watched it flutter limply to join the rest of its swarm.

Catching it didn't even cross his mind, for the same reason he did not have a Caterpie or Weedle on his team after numerous encounters with those Pokemon in the Forest: Mt. Moon was officially on his list of Places Never To Return To. That is, it would have been, if not for the sight of the gigantic stone sitting in the middle of a clearing just ahead of them, the moonbeam shining down through an open ceiling on it and causing the entire room to glow. There were Cleffa, Clefairy, Clefable, all three evolutions which had paused in their dance around the rock to look inquisitively at the newcomers, particularly the Cleffa still in Tezuka's arms, upon which they then relaxed.

Cleffa bounced from side to side, wiggling her little fingers in the air. “Do you want to say hello?” Tezuka asked her before setting her down on the ground so she could go dance with the others. She happily made her way to the middle of the ring, bouncing and singing with the other Cleffa. A rare, soft smile met Tezuka’s lips as he watched - the horror of the past few minutes was completely forgotten watching the star-shaped Pokemon in their natural habitat with the moonstone. It was serene.

Serenity, of course, never lasts long. As promised to his Pokemon, Hiyoshi slid a finger along the length of his belt, opening all of his Pokeballs in quick succession and released everyone at once so that they could share the moment together. "Shh!" he motioned quickly, before they could all start chattering excitedly out loud, and they surprised him by actually obeying. Though the stunned silence may had been more in part of the breathtaking scene before them, of the mysterious world of extraterrestrial Pokemon, a large shining rock, and it being the middle of the night in a mountain cavern, than of them actually listening to his command as a trainer.

Always one to jump right into things without thinking first, however, Charmander decided he should also greet the Clefairy, and bounded straight into the middle of the ring, breaking the silence with an audacious "Char!" Shinx, having always been quite taken with Charmander at their first encounter, followed suit. "Rig! Fil! Get back here!" Hiyoshi hissed through gritted teeth, already running after them because of course they wouldn't listen. They didn't.

Tezuka watched the nonsense play out in front of him, stunned stationary. Finally, he sighed, adjusting his glasses and also stepping forward in case he was needed. The Clefairy had stopped dancing, clearly disturbed by the intruders, but Tezuka's little Cleffa seemed to be pleading their case - waving her arms wildly and chirping at her fellows with... a tone. She must have learned it from her trainer. Whatever she said seemed to clear things up, and soon enough the Clefairy were back to dancing, this time attempting to drag Hiyoshi's Pokemon into the ritual along with them.

Hiyoshi stood there, gaping at the spectacle. On one hand, he was horrified his Pokemon had interrupted what might have been a sacred ritual no outsider was supposed to partake in, on the other hand, he envied that his Pokemon got to be so close and even participate in the dance, interjecting their "Char!!"s and "Shinx!"s into the string of "Clefairy~ Clefairy~~" while padding along in the circle on all fours. His other Pokemon started joining in on the chorus then, adding their growls and chirps and chattering to the mix, as if all of the Pokemon were singing to and honoring the large Moon Stone. Hiyoshi gave Tezuka a look, as if asking his opinion on the matter. Should he pull his Pokemon back, or was this okay? Either way, it was quite the sight to see, and this was definitely a night he would never forget. Especially the Zubats. Which wouldn't stay away forever.

Tezuka offered Hiyoshi a small, reassuring smile. Unlike humans that were caught up in petty disputes, Pokemon were welcoming of all - there was no discrimination between Pokemon, no exclusion. Tezuka found he often related better to Pokemon for that very reason. The dance eventually came to an end as the moonlight waned from the hole in the ceiling of the cavern that was allowing it to shine through. Cleffa came bouncing back to Tezuka holding something in her hands - a small piece of the moonstone which she happily offered to him. "Thank you," he told her, accepting the moonstone and picking up the small Pokemon who for once was quiet, just settling into his chest adoringly. A Clefable, a little bigger than the others, possibly the eldest of the group, was also approaching Hiyoshi to offer him a piece of the stone.

Clefable, usually so shy and reclusive, one of the most rare Pokemon in the world... standing before him just like that. Hiyoshi bowed his head low before holding out his hands to receive the stone. He thanked Clefable earnestly, turning the stone around in his hands, where it displayed a brilliant grey-blue schiller when it caught the moonlight. His Pokemon gathered around him to see too, although they had just been dancing before the larger one, and he knelt down to share it with them. Handing the stone to Cranidos to hold, Hiyoshi stood up and walked over to Tezuka, speaking in a hushed voice. "Did you meet Team Rocket on the way back through here?" The night still had several more hours to it even if the moon had already left the cavern darkening. He had heard of suspicions that the group of villains might come to steal the moonstone, or else the Pokemon guarding it, but there had been no commotion inside the Pokemon Center on the Pewter side when he sat waiting for his Pokemon to be healed, listening in on the conversations around him. Or perhaps it was the sort of thing people did not discuss in fear of themselves being thought suspicious. In either case, he decided, "I think I will camp out here tonight. Make sure nothing happens."

"I did," Tezuka confirmed. "I believe they were searching for this." He motioned to the large moonstone that had been the center of the celebration, now not glimmering quite as brightly as the moonlight left the cavern. Concern spiked up in him - even though they were at similar experience levels, he felt like he was a bit ahead of Hiyoshi... and maybe now that he had gotten him into this mess, it was his responsibility to get him (and the Clefairy) out. "I'll scout around in the tunnels, make sure we're clear up to the main path. You stay here and guard." As if to mimic him, Cleffa pumped her arms determinedly. Well, he knew he had her support, anyway.

But, the only trouble with Tezuka... the personality flaw that he hated in himself most... was that itty bitty reckless streak that cropped up when he felt like he could serve a purpose. He was speaking before he truly thought through the implications of his words. "Or, we could take the fight to them."

Hiyoshi raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, honestly surprised to hear something like that come from the other trainer. He himself had been a trainer for not even a full week yet, and there had never been a situation in which others had to rely on his strength for protection (escaping Viridian Forest didn't count; his Pokemon and him all relied on each other). By nature he was generally cautious and liked to plan things out, but the moment he gets into something he sees it through and gives it his all, adapting as he goes instead of stopping to think. His brother had always told him that he had a rather rash battle style, of trying to overwhelm the opponent from the first move, hitting hard and fast and ending things quickly if he could, but burning out if he couldn't. So there was that part of him that readily agreed, mind already working on the most effective way to draw their opponents in and flush them out. There were his Pokemon at his side again, the moonstone in Cranidos' possession, the Clefairy still in the cavern... and his mind was set. "Okay. Let's do it."

Tezuka released Pidgeotto from her Pokeball, again, and she immediately had eyes for Hiyoshi, wondering if he could be trusted to not try to kill her with discharge, again. Ultimately, she seemed willing enough to take Tezuka's instructions all the same. "Lead the way," he told her. "We need to find Team Rocket." She in particular had proven herself to be brave and strong in front of Team Rocket. Even though it was not that long ago that she was a Pidgey, it was hard to even imagine the tiny bird that had dive-bombed Tezuka while he was eating his lunch with his (then) Eevee, Growlithe, and newly-caught Pikachu in the Viridian Forest. She did not ultimately get away with his sandwich, but she had made an incredible effort for such a tiny bird.

But, she left at a more wandering pace, giving them time to pack up and follow her. "Let's go," said Tezuka, looking to Hiyoshi for confirmation.

Hiyoshi cringed at the stink-eye Pidgeotto was giving him, and offered a mumbled apology. Not that he wouldn't try discharge again if they encountered more Zubat, but reckless battling often meant he had eyes only for the opponent and not anyone in the vicinity. Correct that, he told himself, returning all of his Pokemon into their balls again except Charmander. Shinx he withdrew reluctantly, in case the Zubat returned, but he thought it might be better not to keep Pidgeotto on-edge. She had a good set of talons and a sharp beak on her that he was sure neither him or his Pokemon would appreciate being on the receiving end of.

There would be Rocket Grunts spread out around the mountain, most likely, but a larger, more stronger group would probably work together to claim the moonstone. Pidgeotto would lead them to this group, but it would be best for them not to be found out by the Grunts, or their sneak attack would be less effective. Hiyoshi released his Pidgey from her Pokeball, gave her a reassuring scratch on the head, and asked her to scout out the smaller tunnels (and avoid all Zubat) and report back if she found anything. His Pidgey was a particularly quiet flier and barely ever vocalized; she, like all Pidgeys, had a good homing sense, and Hiyoshi trusted her to do the job. She hesitated a moment, and then took off.

Tezuka followed Pidgeotto's path, occasionally glancing down side tunnels but trusting that Hiyoshi's Pidgey would be thorough in investigating the side paths for signs of Team Rocket. "It seems too quiet," he pointed out, though he was stating the obvious. Even with the Zubat at least temporarily driven off by the combination of the discharge and whirlwind, there was no sign of activity in the caves when even in Tezuka's last run through Mt. Moon he had multiple encounters with Team Rocket. Odd. "I expected to encounter them by now." But, Pidgeotto led them on - perhaps Team Rocket had been stopped by something else? A member of the league? A pair of trainers like themselves? A landslide?

Hiyoshi agreed. While he appreciated quiet in general, it was rather suspicious. Zubat weren't the ambushing type (not like Caterpie were) and neither were Rockets, so it was unlikely the two of them were on the receiving end of the same plan. "As... a last resort," he said hesitantly, when they turned down another tunnel, vacant of even wild Pokemon. "If we can't find them, maybe it's easier to have them find us, instead. We could purposely lead them astray, away from the moonstone. You could have Cleffa sing loudly, see if it will draw them out to us." He hated having to put Cleffa in any danger, but it wasn't as if she were going to run off in the caves by herself; she'd stay with them and act as a lure. But only if there wasn't any other way about it... "Last resort," he emphasized.

"If Cleffa sings more loudly, she'll put everyone to sl..." Tezuka trailed off as they turned a corner to find... well, a pile of men and women wearing black Team Rocket uniforms, sleeping peacefully. "Pidgeotto - use gust to clear out the sleep powder," he ordered even as he felt a bit of haziness begin to develop around the edges of his mind. His eyes felt heavy and he stumbled back a step, alarming Cleffa who stopped singing to chatter at him worriedly. The cool breeze clearing the air kept him from collapsing, but it took Pidgeotto landing on his shoulders, gently tugging at his shirt with her talons to rouse him. "Someone beat us to it."

Hiyoshi leaned heavily against the cavern wall, shirt sleeve pressed up against his nose and mouth to filter the air of sleep powder until the air cleared away. His Charmander wasn't as lucky, being lower on the ground where the powder had already settled, tottering slightly on his feet before falling with a soft fump! onto the ground on his side. As Hiyoshi knelt down to pick him up into his arms, a soft cooing announced the return of his Pidgey, silently flying above their heads, helping fan away the sleep powder with her wings, albeit not as effectively. He raised his arm over his head so that she could roost, and she flew down to meet him, landed on his arm, and hopped over on top of his head, settling down on her preferred place. He lowered his arm as she started chirping her findings, but the only term he could understand was 'sleep.' "...No way," Hiyoshi mumbled, slightly disappointed. After all of this tension, he had actually started looking for a fight. "I mean, that's good," he corrected himself quickly, "but... still."

"At least Cleffairy and the others will be safe." Tezuka looked to Hiyoshi and the Charmander sleeping soundly in his arms. A grass-type Pokemon was responsible for the sleep powder... so if it was a member of the League, chances were that it was either Shiraishi Kuranosuke of Celadon or the Champion himself. Both were known to use grass types. Regardless, Tezuka did not miss the clear edge of disappointment in Hiyoshi's voice. "I highly doubt this is the last of Team Rocket. If they had such large numbers here, we can only assume that their force is growing." That was a troubling thought; Tezuka was very young when the Champion first drove Team Rocket into hiding. He was old enough to leave on his journey then, but only barely. His parents had first hand experience with Team Rocket and were not about to let Tezuka journey around the world while small factions of the group were still kicking around.

Hiyoshi gave a resigned shrug of the shoulders, "That's true." And that alone should be good enough. There wasn't very much Rocket activity in his hometown of Ecruteak, or Hiyoshi would never had been allowed to venture through the towers when he was a child and Bel was still a Gastly, but they were definitely known throughout the region and he personally didn't believe the group would have disbanded forever, not while the original idea was still out there. Even if he didn't go searching for trouble, there was little doubt in his mind that he wouldn't encounter members of the organization along the way through the cities anyways.

But first things first... what to do with all of the ones currently in Mt. Moon, all of who were apparently under the effects of sleep powder. He didn't think that whoever induced the sleep just left them as is without notifying the authorities, but there was also the chance that they might wake up, and then it would be all for naught. Better they let the police know, if they didn't already. "String shot would have been useful here; they won't stay asleep forever. Can't set flares inside a cave either..." Hiyoshi looked to Tezuka. "Does your Pokegear phone out? I actually only have Professor Yamato's number registered in mine, and the rest of my contacts currently reside in Johto."

Tezuka nodded, pulling up the phone on his PokeGear and dialing his grandfather's number. The police needed to know what was going on. Though... they should also report the moonstone ritual they saw to Professor Yamato when they had the chance. The Viridian Festival would be a good opportunity since he knew the Professor would be in Viridian. After a moment, Tezuka Kunikazu's face appeared on the small screen on the PokeGear - his usual stern expression wavering a little around the edges since he must have been tired. "Kunimitsu," he acknowledged, fighting back a yawn.

"Grandfather," Tezuka replied. "We are in Mt. Moon and it seems that a large group of Team Rocket grunts were here before us... they were all knocked out by sleep powder before we got here." He glanced up again to make sure that it was still true, but they all seemed to be sleeping soundly.

"You're here, too?" Kunikazu yawned again, rolling his strong shoulders. "We have half the force here picking them up. How deep into the caves are you?"

Tezuka had no idea... they were far enough now from the Cleffairy that they were not in the heart of the mountain, but he could not smell fresh air, so they must have still been pretty far from the surface. "I'll send Pidgeotto to guide you," he suggested. Without needing instructions, the bird Pokemon took off down the tunnels at his words, seeking out the police officers who were outside. With a surge of defiance, Tezuka added, "I'm not alone - there's another trainer with me; I think we could handle them if they were to wake up. We'll be okay until you find us."

Kunikazu laughed heartily, a sound that Tezuka did not often hear. "Of course you will be. Just have Growlithe watch over them until we get there." With that, the call abruptly ended. Tezuka did as he was instructed, letting Growlithe out of his Pokeball to go keep watch on the sleeping grunts. In the wild, Growlithe were often playful and silly, no matter how loyal they might be, but his had been trained by the police. It was quick to do its duty of checking around the grunts to make sure they were still sleeping and then plopped down in front of them to stand guard.

"The police are already here," Tezuka clarified, looking to Hiyoshi. "My grandfather is a high ranking officer."
Hiyoshi remained quiet through the call, offering nothing more than his presence during the conversation. He nodded when Tezuka reported the news, feeling relieved that everything was under control. If he were alone, he might have had no other choice but to pretend he didn't see anything and leave the area while he was still able, so it was a good thing Tezuka was here. Tezuka even looked like part of a police family, all serious and responsible even though they two were around the same age. Hiyoshi's father used to run a fighting dojo and his mother was one of the Kimono girls of Ecruteak, but neither strength nor elegance seemed to have passed down to their youngest son.

With nothing to do but to sit tight and wait, Hiyoshi couldn't help but fidget where he stood. Gengar, too, was fidgeting, but for an entirely different reason, shifting his gaze from the Charmander in Hiyoshi's arms to the pile of grunts on the ground. Hiyoshi hesitated, and then gave a soft "Don't, Bel" and a shake of the head, at which Gengar's grin faltered. It was always tempting for him when there were sleeping enemies around, to induce Nightmare or Dream Eater and drain an opponent's life force for a treat. Even as a Haunter he used to do the same with Hiyoshi when they were little, just to tease, until he got used to the nightmares and was able to fight them off, or otherwise come to enjoy them in some twisted perverse way. Gengar seemed disappointed at being denied a feast, but Hiyoshi didn't want him to go overboard and have to police arrive to a group of soul-less Rockets barely hanging onto life. Even if they did deserve it, with what they tried to pull.

Tezuka crouched down beside Growlithe and set down Cleffa who was happy to bounce around his feet while Tezuka scratched behind Growlithe’s ears and down its neck adoringly. Growlithe was easy to please (though perhaps not so easy as Cleffa) - a bit of attention went a long way. They did not have to wait long, however; by the time Tezuka was growing weary of scratching, uniformed officers led by Pidgeotto began to file into the cave. They did not pay Hiyoshi and Tezuka much mind other than to make sure that the pair had not been hurt.

Tezuka Kunikazu came in while the Rocket grunts were being removed from the cavern, grim-faced and annoyed. “You two should be getting somewhere safe for the night,” he suggested when he saw them, not bothering to greet his grandson a second time. “There is some camping ground just past here about half a mile.” He motioned behind himself to the tunnel opposite where all the grunts were being hoisted out. “Just outside of Cerulean Ctiy. The worst thing you’ll find there are Oddish - should be fine.”

“Thank you, grandfather.” Tezuka nodded his head, collecting Cleffa up in his arms, again.

Kunikazu glanced over Hiyoshi, as though sizing him up. “You two look out for each other.” With the same abruptness with which he came, he was turning away from them, barking instructions to the police. Under his watchful eye, they moved with a far greater sense of urgency.

“So…” Tezuka went to stand beside Hiyoshi, feeling like they had been removed from the situation, now. “Are you headed to the Cerulean side?”

Hiyoshi relaxed his stance after Tezuka's grandfather looked away. Under that gaze, it was almost like being under his own grandfather's at one of the fighting dojo's he frequently stayed at in his childhood, but at least he's gotten used to set shoulders and a serious expression that masked any intimidation he felt internally. Maybe being intimidating was a generation thing. Or, Hiyoshi looked over at Tezuka, maybe not. He waited until all the police had cleared out from the cave before speaking, feeling for some reason more comfortable talking out loud when there was just another trainer here. "I'm not sure," he admitted, craning his neck slightly to watch the last policeman retreat. "I came here straight from Viridian Forest to Mt. Moon. I might head back to Pewter first; there are several places I want to visit there. And then make my way over to Cerulean afterwards. You're going on ahead though?" To Cerulean. And ahead, in everything else, apparently. He paused, then plowed on, no matter how out of the place the question sounded. "Have you always been good with Pokemon?"

"There's a breeder in Cerulean," Tezuka explained, also relaxing a bit now that attention was away from them for the time being. "And a lagoon where I can do some fishing. I think I'll head in that direction to visit the breeder and do some fishing. I won't get too far ahead, though - I believe I promised you a battle." That, and it might be nice to have someone to travel with at least for a while... especially someone like Hiyoshi that clearly respected his Pokemon immensely. Having a gym battle might be the push that Hiyoshi needed to put them on equal footing. Then again, as Hiyoshi himself said a moment earlier Tezuka had an unusual knack for working with Pokemon - something he had possessed as long as he could remember.

"I've always worked well with Pokemon," he confirmed. Cleffa had all but been an identifying badge in his travels to attest to that - many trainers he met, particularly hikers in Mt. Moon, commented that it was incredible to see a trainer just starting on his journey with a Cleffa in tow... even if it really had been her idea to come along. But she was not an isolated incident.

"Any Pokemon you have in mind at the breeder's, or is it only one specific species?" Hiyoshi motioned for them to head back towards where they came from, to find a main path where they could part ways. He didn't know if he'd be able to handle a baby Pokemon like that; not just because it required a lot more attention as his other Pokemon to raise, but specifically the sheer amount of reliance a newly hatched puts on what it believes to be its stand-in parent, and whether he'd be able to fill that void. Maybe if it were a Cleffa.

"I know a lot about Pokemon, but interactions are different than latent learning through texts. These are the first Pokemon I've raised by myself," he nodded to the Pokeballs lining his belt, "and, you know, no one writes books on what it's like to be a Trainer. Just the Pokemon itself. So this is all new to me." He motioned around the cave, empty now but soon to be filled with Zubat and all sorts of other activity after the disturbance has been cleared away, and he thought back to Viridian Forest. He might have ended his journey right then and there, too, if it hadn't been for the promise of Clefairy sightings calling him forward. But starting from the very beginning like this and working his way up, it wasn't a bad thing altogether, with that certain joy in defeating someone who thought they were better.

"I think no one writes about it because it cannot be learned from a book," Tezuka suggested, following Hiyoshi's lead and glancing around the now empty cavern. Mt. Moon was actually a very peaceful place without the hoard of Zubat or Team Rocket chasing them. "There are some that know without being taught, and for everyone else... there is the journey." That was the whole purpose of a Pokemon journey, wasn't it? To learn how to work with a team, how to work with Pokemon, ultimately, how to become the sort of adult that helped new trainers go on their own pilgrimage. There was something very appealing about becoming a gym leader... or as Tezuka would like to be, a member of the elite four or Champion. There he could do real good for the world and for beginning trainers like himself. There was a lot of hard work laid out between him and his goals.

He thought of his first encounter with the Champion years ago - back then, he wasn't the Champion, he was just a trainer who had become very popular in the media following his success in the Johto gyms and seven consecutive victories in Kanto. When he came to Viridian, everyone wanted to meet him - this boy who was only a few years older than Tezuka. He remembered people asking Yukimura why he was in Viridian - he must have been seeking the final gym. But, Yukimura's response shocked them all. I've heard the forest is the best place to meet bug types. That - not ambition - was what made him the Champion.

"Wynaut," Tezuka said finally as he came to a stop and turned to Hiyoshi. Behind him was the route out to Cerulean City. "I'm hoping Kikumaru breeds Wynaut. I'd like to raise one on my team." Cleffa was not going to be on his battle team any time soon, so he hoped he could fully devote himself to raising Wynaut.

Hiyoshi nodded at the response, but he still had his misgivings. Signs outside of the Forest warning against Caterpie would have been nice, regardless, instead of a cheery welcome sign indicating the end of the route and beginning of a new area. He felt like he could write a whole novel already, with what he had gone through just this one week, but instead of an instruction manual, it would have turned out to be more a plea for new trainers to never leave their hometown and stay indoors when the sun goes down. ...And yet there was a draw to keep going, to learn and explore despite the threat of Caterpie out there. He sighed, stalling at the junction. Life is never straightforward, though. He could hang around Mt. Moon an extra week, and still somehow manage to cross paths with trainers he thought were already long gone in their own journeys.

"Why Wynaut?" Hiyoshi asked, hoping very much Tezuka does not return with the typical but not at all funny reply of 'Why not?' From what he's read about and hear from his brother, Wynaut and its evolved form are some of the most frustrating Pokemon to battle against. Endurance battles, something he was not suited for, so he never considered training the Pokemon, and they were very rare anyways. Certain people, he had come to realize, had extremely strange preferences towards Pokemon. There was the Champion with his bugs, and, on a whole other level, Wynaut.

“It’s a Pokemon that uses others’ strengths against them; much like Judo.” The Tezuka family, like Hiyoshi’s family, were known for their martial arts. He had been raised on the principles of Judo which largely revolved around turning attacking forces into personal strength with minimal force or effort. The same could be done with Pokemon, of course - his Leafeon could use Leech Seed to regain strength while slowly weedling away at an opponent’s health… the larger amount of health the opponent had, the larger Leafeon’s gains. Tezuka’s strategies were not necessarily defensive, as sometimes a strong offense was the best defense, but sometimes outlasting the opponent was just as valuable as coming out guns blazing. “It would be good to have as a trump card, if not on my traveling team.”

Talking about trump cards and battle strategy, Hiyoshi could see that Tezuka was a serious trainer with a enough foresight that wasn't merely defeating whoever stood before him at the moment and climbing his way up by using others as a stepladder. Their styles might be different, but so were their goals. Besides proving himself in Kanto before he allowed himself to return home and challenge his brother, Hiyoshi saw in his future a researcher not a trainer late into his life, and in the process, a collector of certain Pokemon he would then dedicate his life to studying and learning more about, educating others who seem not to fully appreciate the magnificence of certain types, particularly the ghost types, who, even in Ecruteak, frightened some of the inhabitants who still avoided the Bell Tower at nights just because of the Gastly that would come out then. Truly a pity, they are such interesting Pokemon.

"...I shouldn't keep you, then," Hiyoshi said as the Charmander in his arms started stirring. "Make it to those camping grounds your grandfather mentioned. I'll head back to the Pokemon center on the other side."

“Very well.” Tezuka looked down to Cleffa who was waving both her arms wildly at Hiyoshi, puffing out her cheeks in defiance. Tezuka’s journey was going to be a lonely one if he did not continue to find partners on the road… and Cleffa probably wished for him to hang around Hiyoshi for a bit longer. But, he had to press forward to the next challenge. They would continue to make friends and rivals along the way. “I think… she says farewell.” His words pleased Cleffa who resumed singing to herself when she was certain that her message had been conveyed. “We’ll see each other again.”

"I'm sure we will," Hiyoshi agreed, waving his own goodbye, though with less arm-flailing on his part. He liked Cleffa (Tezuka too, but let's be honest, a Cleffa in any situation trumps all) and hoped to see her again, but already his mind was back on Pewter and what he needed to do there. "Take care of yourselves," he told Tezuka, "and the next time we meet, let's have that battle." He swore to himself that he would come back stronger next time, and even though there was no doubt Tezuka would do the same, there was no fun if it wasn't a tough opponent he went up against. There was a cough from Gengar, which Hiyoshi suspected may have masked a snicker, but then he was already being pushed forward by his Pokemon, Charmander wriggling out of his arms to lead the way in loping strides and Hiyoshi giving one last wave before following behind.