Re: Meganium Man!
Posted by: Bert
Date: 2017-03-08 16:16:59
Meganium Man! #10: Once in a Lifetime
If anyone knew what Simisage was up to, they would call him mad and plan the monkeys funeral.
Not that he would blame them; after all, one had to be a little off their rocker to go into the Whirl Islands in the first place. Getting there was hard enough without extensive planning, but venturing through the archipelago was considered a death sentence even by the most hardened explorers and thrill seekers. Each cave is guarded by a whirlpool on each side of a given island, spinning with enough force to pull in ships half a mile out. There is also a barricade of towering, jagged rocks jutting out of the ocean floor which even a fully charged Hyper Beam has trouble breaking down, rendering access all but impossible.
Sea-dwelling Pokémon avoid the area like the plague, a decision encouraged by local legends that a powerful sea monster named Lugia lives inside one of them. The story goes that this monster was so obscenely strong it was forced to reside in the deepest ocean trenches, since a mere flap of its wings was enough to demolish a bustling city like Goldenrod. Mythology books often depicted the monster as some sort of dragon, typically with two large, oar-like wings and hind legs. Sometimes a doomsday warning is provided in the text, along the lines of, if it awakens, destruction will follow.
But, hey, thats just a legend, right?
Simisage wasnt stupid. He knew he couldnt possibly convince anyone to give him a ride to the islands, so he didnt bother trying to do so. Whether or not this monster existed was something he wanted to find out, and had planned accordingly. Before leaving home he packed several Warp Seeds for a quick exit from the islands if something went wrong and he suspected something would. Also in his company were Blast Seeds should he need something extra to fight with, Flash Orbs in order to subdue the monster with a blinding light if it attacked him, and a Trawl Orb he would use to bring any out-of-reach objects to him.
He figured that a Warp Seed would be the easiest way to get to the archipelago. Simisage closed his eyes and swallowed it, imagining the island said to contain the sea monster while doing so. When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in a lush Unova jungle, but on a sandy shore in the middle of Johtos vast ocean. He was staring directly ahead and saw nothing but water, but could hear the churning of whirlpools all around him. A gentle breeze rustled the leafy sleeves and pants-like leggings on his arms and legs, as well as the leafy, Mohawk-like crest on his head. Upon turning around, he saw a daunting cave mouth and pure blackness inside.
In he went.
The cave was frightfully quiet, but the moment he stepped inside, he knew he wasnt alone. It wasnt just the local cave-dwelling Pokémon whose company he was now in; this was something else. Something powerful. It was coming from below, probably in the deepest and most secluded part of the cave, and he was going to find it. He removed a Flash Orb from his satchel with his tail and hurled it into the air before firing a small seed from his mouth like a bullet. It was dead on the mark, and the orb exploded, illuminating the dark innards of the cave. The cave was large and spacious, with many branching paths in front of him, as well as plenty of cliffs and slops to climb. If things went wrong, he could use the caves to hide in. He doubted the sea creature, if it existed at all, would fit inside one.
Something below grumbled.
Before continuing, the monkey checked the Pokétch or Pokémon Watch and brought up a map of the cave. The watch did more than just tell time, allowing users to download various applications for whatever purpose, and was sold only in the Sinnoh region. It was nice and discrete, which Simisage needed. If he was looking at the map correctly, then his destination should take him about three hours to reach on foot.
He started down the trail, keeping his ears sharp for any sudden noises he didnt like, his combat instincts at the ready. The monkey anticipated fierce resistance, but knew there was only one chance to pull this off. Simisage would fight tooth and nail to succeed. Failure was not an option.
After about an hour, he felt his ears ring as he descended further below sea level, as well as pressure starting to build up in his head. By the second hour, the pressure had become a headache, and when the third hour finally arrived, Simisage swore his head was going to explode. He had no way of dealing with it, but had mentally prepared himself for this. A lot of good that did!
But now, he realized he was in just feet away from his destination. The cave he now stood in branched to his right, with a narrow trail descending into the supposed lair of this sea monster hed heard so much about. He could hear long, guttural breaths from something, at which point, his mind flicked to autopilot. Cautiously, he started down the slope, keeping a hand against a wall in a futile effort to not lose his balance. A green, sharp, two-edged leaf blade slid out from his right sleeve, which he could use to dig into the cliffside and climb back up. By then, however, it was possible the sea monster would awaken. A bead of sweat inched down his face as he imagined the fate the creature would bring him.
At the bottom of the slope, in what barely passed as breathing room, was a massive cave entrance that dwarfed the one at the front of the island. He almost dropped the satchel in shock when he laid his eyes on the massive white wyvern curled up on a shore just big enough to support it on the opposite end of the room. Two purple, elongated, diamond-shaped lenses were over each eye, and its crescent-shaped head was facing the cave mouth as if it was guarding it while asleep. Its huge, fingered wings were tucked in, and its long tail had two purple spikes close to the tip. Flat, narrow purple plates were on its back in two rows of sixes, although Simisage couldnt see them.
However, Lugia-watching wasnt on the monkeys agenda. Lugias tail mostly obscured it, but Simisage definitely saw a silver egg also with two purple lenses on it. It would fit nicely in his satchel, and if things went well, he would be a rich Pokémon.
Stepping into Lugias domain, Simisage discovered that there were no other caves or even cliffs there, just sheer walls that climbed five hundred feet high. He was ready to congratulate himself for bringing the Warp Seeds along, but brought himself back to reality by reminding himself that he had a job to do. His tail found a Trawl Orb and he also grabbed a Blast Seed and a Warp Seed from his pack before taking a long breath, possibly his last.
Lugias eyes started to open.
Simisage activated the Trawl Orb by crushing it in his grip, but Lugia was more alert than it let on. Its tail wrapped around the egg, but the wyvern had acted a second too late: the egg was already on its way to Simisage. He dumped the contents of the satchel, used it to catch Lugias egg, and then placed it on his back.
The dragons eyes were starting to glow, and Simisage saw something orange forming in its mouth. With a twitch of its wings, Lugia kicked up a massive wave that towered it within seconds, but Simisage was more concerned with the upcoming Aeroblast than some water. Lugias mouth opened wide enough to swallow a town and a sparkling orange energy blast erupted from his jaw, splitting into five beams as Simisage started backing away. When he began scrambling back up the slope, the wall behind him exploded as Aeroblast demolished it in the blink of an eye. By some miracle, Simisage remained on his feet and continued his escape, but soon, he had a new problem: the room was being flooded from the outside ocean and from the wave Lugia created. Once he reached the summit, he saw Lugias long neck emerge from the caves maw and immediately hurled the Blast Seed. Simisage was too busy panicking for it to do any good and exploded ineffectively well above Lugias head, diverting its attention.
The water had risen to his knees now, and with the dragon distracted, Simisage swallowed the Warp Seed. Before he closed his eyes, he saw Lugias enraged, almost insanity-laced gaze find him. And then, the sounds of the ocean were suddenly distant, and when he opened his eyes, the monkey was in the dense forests of Johtos Routes 38 and 39.
Our plucky protagonist Harley the Meganium had decided to take a day off from his superhero antics and treat himself to a nice lunch. With picnic basket in hand err, vine whip, the green sauropod sat beneath the shade of a big oak tree atop a hill on Route 39, from which he could see Olivine City as well as the vast ocean. It was a killer view, worthy of being on postcards and cheap coffee mugs.
Harley opened the picnic basket and took out a shiny red apple, taking a moment to admire its scrumptiousness before taking a bite. He could see his reflection in its skin, as well as some monkey with a backpack not too far behind him. The dinosaur opened his mouth and took a bite, savoring the flavor of the Perfect Apple, so called because of its perfect taste. They were extremely popular and hard to come by as a result, and even if you found one, it would probably cost a few pretty pennies.
If this is what Heaven tasted like, then death didnt seem all that bad to him.
As he finished the apple and put the core in a plastic bag hed brought, the green machine heard the waves growing restless, as if a great storm was coming. The suddenness and ferocity with which they churned was enough to put him on edge, and Pokémon hanging out at Olivine Citys beach started packing up and returning to the heart of the city. Not a cloud was in the sky, so he doubted a storm was coming, but he suddenly stood, as if knowing he was supposed to run away too. Hed heard stories about the sea monster lurking in the Whirl Islands, but knew that was just a myth.
He gulped anyway.
There was a rustling from the forest right behind him and he whipped his head around, but didnt see anything other than some shaking branches. Despite not being the superstitious sort, he didnt recognize that monkey or his ridiculous quaff, but he doubted they were involved. Chances are, Harley told himself, he was just escaping, anticipating something.
The roof of one of the Whirl Islands suddenly collapsed as an orange, five-pronged blast punched a colossal hole in it, making Harley jump in shock. Slabs of debris were hurled everywhere and fell harmlessly in the raging tides, but the people of Olivine were already running for the hills. Harley couldnt help but be reminded of his encounter with that red Gyarados from about a year ago, but if he had to go up against him again, Harley was doomed. The sheer power necessary to create a hole in something that big was possessed only by a few Pokémon, none of which were certain to exist.
Harley could only watch in horror as the whirlpools surrounding the island suddenly raised high into the sky, spinning violently enough to pull in anyone who was still on Olivines beach. Mercifully nobody was, but if they started moving towards the island
A loud roar suddenly sounded, and Harley continued to look on as a massive white dragon emerged from the islands roof. Even from that distance, the Meganium could see the unquenchable fury in its eyes. Its massive shadow blanketed the island in darkness, and despite flapping its wings lightly, a large wake climbed and slammed down onto the beach. Lawn chairs, stereos, blankets and food were swept away into the unforgiving ocean, never to be seen again.
There was only one thing Harley could do, even though his brain was begging him not to do it. He ducked behind the tree and removed his blue cowl and blue cape from the picnic basket, donning them and becoming Meganium Man, the fearless yet way-in-over-his-head defender of Johto who now truly had no idea when to quit. He reappeared, stood atop the hill, and took a combative stance, spreading his four legs as if accepting a challenge. His two gold eyes locked onto Lugia, but he was sure the dragon was unaware of his presence. Its crescent-shaped head was moving from side to side, as if it were looking for something.
The dragon began its flight towards the city.
Uh-oh, Meganium Man muttered, wishing he had kept the costume at home. He knew he was outmatched the instant he saw the sea monster, but it was too late to do something about it now.
Four seconds later, Lugia had reached the mainland, its head still moving from side to side. It had absolutely no idea if Simisage was here, or even in Johto. All it remembered was watching the monkey suddenly vanish, but Lugia knew that if he had a Warp Seed, Simisage could be on the other side of the Earth by now.
So be it.
Lugia roared again, hoping that by doing so, Simisage would panic and do something stupid, alerting it to his location. Meganium Mans vine whips covered his small, barely noticeable ears, but the sound was much too loud for him to ignore. The roar lasted several seconds and was directed at something, but he had no idea what. In any event, Lugias target, whoever or whatever it may be, did not appear. The dragon waited a full minute for Simisage to reveal himself, but he never did.
So be it.
Its eyes started to glow again, but unlike before, Lugia refused to use Aeroblast. There were still plenty of innocent Pokémon fleeing for their lives, and the last thing the dragon wanted was to make them casualties. He would gladly subdue anyone who got in his way on his manhunt, but wouldnt kill.
Meganium Man wasnt sure what Lugia was up to, but was ready to fire his Razor Leaves. He was certain that the dragons eyes glowing like that wasnt good, but he suddenly heard crunching and snapping behind him. He looked back to the woods and watched as Lugia uprooted the trees using its psychic powers, unearthing a dozen at a time as it searched for whoever it was searching for. Dirt and leaves dropped to the ground, but Lugias prey still didnt appear.
Against his better judgment, Meganium Man made the first move. The red flower petals around his neck fired in small, razor-sized pieces towards Lugia, but if the dragon felt it, he didnt show it. Meganium Man watched, amazed as his Razor Leaves all but bounced off the wyverns hide and reattached themselves to the base of his neck.
So its true, Lugia thought.
It wasnt sure how he knew of Meganium Man, but he couldnt concern himself with the vigilante now. With a rapid flick of his tail, Lugia sent the dinosaur flying towards the border of Route 38 and Ecruteak City. Meganium Man felt like hed been struck by a pickaxe and hit the ground rolling, forcing himself onto his stomach as to not let Lugia out of his sight. He bared his teeth and sucked in air as he tried to ignore the pain from what shouldve been an imperceptible blow, quickly spotting the purple welt on his right side. Just another souvenir, he told himself.
Right when he stood up, the trees on either side of him were suddenly torn from the earth, shaking wildly as Lugia continued his manhunt. The wyvern was coming towards him, but was too high up for Meganium Man to reach even with his Razor Leaf attack. As the trees dropped to the ground, Lugia saw the vigilante was standing again, just watching him. A strange little Meganium, no doubt. The look in his eyes showed Meganium Man was still going to try and stop him, but had no clue how.
YOU.
The dinosaur shook as Lugias bellowing voice addressed him.
Y-yes? he sputtered, wishing hed just stayed home.
DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST ME?
Of course not, Meganium Man replied.
THEN STAY OUT OF MY WAY!
Lugia launched several thick rings of water at Meganium Man from his mouth while simultaneously uprooting a dozen more trees. Meganium Man took the brunt of the Water Pulse attack and was blown into Ecruteak City, slamming against a house before slumping to the ground. He was surprised the impact didnt shatter his ribcage, let alone kill him, but as long as he was still breathing, he had to do something about Lugia. Water dripped off his skin and clothes on his march back to Route 38, but then he heard a different sound: a police siren.
Chief Zangoose, Sergeant Seviper, and a group of officers had arrived in the antiquated city when Meganium Man forced himself to stand. He ignored them and returned to the warzone, having no intention of fighting Lugia head-on. That was suicide, but he was positive he had to do something to at least calm it down. He watched as a dozen trees shook, and his head shot forward when a yellow monkey with green leafy sleeves and leggings, as well as a ridiculous quaff, dropped from one of them.
Landing on his feet, Simisage instantly saw Lugias hulking form about three yards away and descending to the ground. The monkey reached into the satchel and removed the silver egg, holding it with his left hand and arm while a Leaf Blade emerged from his right wrist. He pressed the tip of the blade to the eggshell, kicked the bag away.
The police had made the scene by now, ready to attack Simisage with a variety of projectile moves. Noxious purple fumes seeped out of Sevipers mouth as he prepared to fire a Sludge Bomb. Lightning crackled between constable Girafarigs white horns while she charged up Thunderbolt. Meganium Man was ready to outright decapitate Simisage with Razor Leaf for holding an unborn child hostage, recalling a similar situation when he went up against Haunter, who held Girafarigs daughter as a hostage too. Zangoose gave Meganium Man a look as if telling him to stand down, but the dinosaur ignored him.
GIVE ME THE EGG, Lugia ordered.
Simisage said nothing. In fact, he looked at Lugia with defiance. He was standing perfectly still, not even appearing to breathe.
LAST CHANCE.
Meganium Man slowly started counting. When he hit five, Lugia went on the offensive. Lowering his head, the dragon opened his mouth and was about to attack with Water Pulse, but Simisage pressed the tip of the Leaf Blade against the eggshell. Immediately, Lugias mouth closed.
Youre not very good at listening, are you? Meganium Man sneered.
Shut it, Simisage barked.
No. Tell me something, Meganium Man continued, stepping forward. What, exactly, do you think will happen even if you escape with that egg? You certainly wont get to raise it as your own so long as this guy is still around. He pointed to Lugia with a vine whip as he finished his sentence.
Im not planning on raising it, Simisage replied, ignoring the rest of Meganium Mans spiel.
Seviper said to Zangoose, You dont think hes one of those?
The monkey heard the viper and grinned.
Yknow, Ive gone up against some real morons in my time, but you take the cake, the dinosaur continued. Kidnapping is bad enough, but you went after a legendary Pokémons kid. Nice going. Do you really think this can end well for you?
Dont be such a pessimist, Simisage snapped back. Its not the kid I want. Lugia will have it back in time. Twisting his right arm, the monkey continued. As long as you all cooperate, that is.
Simisage immediately started backing away while the police, vigilante, and Lugia watched. He soon started grinning and turned, running into what remained of the forest, under cover by the trees. Lugia growled in fury but knew that by pursuing Simisage, its baby was in grave danger. Meganium Man struck a felled tree with a vine whip and screamed something indiscriminate, chipping off a piece of bark.
As the group accepted their defeat, the police decided to return to Violet City and leave Meganium Man and Lugia behind. Lugia continued to stare into the forest while Meganium Man stood idly by, doing nothing in particular. Seviper and Zangoose passed him, chatting about something.
if he wants the egg, then he has no reason not to hurt the baby, Seviper said to his superior. The egg is what he needs.
Curious by Sevipers context-lacking explanation, Meganium Man strolled up alongside them.
Pardon my nosiness, but whatcha talkin bout? the dinosaur asked.
Stopping in their tracks, Zangoose and Seviper looked at each other uncomfortably, but decided to indulge Meganium Mans curiosity.
Its a long story, Seviper said. You may as well come to the station with us.
What about him or her? Meganium Man asked, motioning to Lugia, who was still looking into the woods.
You fought it, you ask it, Zangoose jokingly said.
Shrugging, Meganium Man asked, Hey, Lugia?
The dragon slowly turned its head to face him.
Err You doing anything for the next little while?
Lugia shook his head.
Kay. Wanna come with us for a bit?
Replying with a shrug, Lugia lightly flapped his wide wings and took to the sky, nearly toppling the police officers and making the superheros cape blow dramatically in the wind as he did so. Meganium Man turned back to Seviper and Zangoose.
See? Not that hard, the vigilante said.
The gang headed to Violet Citys police station, the only one in Johto other than the stationhouse in Blackthorn City to the northeast. Upon arriving, Zangoose took Seviper and Meganium Man to his office and opened the window; he saw and heard Lugia land just outside it after a moment. Its massive noggin suddenly lowered and appeared in the pane while the trio sat down. Zangoose opened a desk drawer and pulled out a box of donuts, dropped it on the desk.
Meganium Man licked his lips. There were so many donuts to choose from! Chocolate glazed! Maple glazed! One with rainbow sprinkles on it! He remembered that he left his picnic basket on Route 39, but it was probably long gone now. Grabbing a donut, the dinosaur was about to take a bite before he remembered hed asked Seviper about something.
Oh! he exclaimed. Seviper, what were you talking about back on Route 38? Something about how Simisage just needs the egg?
Using the tip of his bladed tail to skewer a donut and bring it to himself, Seviper replied, Right, right. See, therere these guys who follow legendary Pokémon and take the eggshells when the baby hatches.
Uh-huh. Why? Meganium Man asked. He noticed that Lugias full attention was on them.
You know how some Pokémon will pay a lot of money to get their hands on shards, stardust, and things like that? Well, others like legendary Pokémon eggshells, Zangoose said.
How strange, Meganium Man thought. Collecting meaningless things wasnt a concept lost on him. He had a shopping cart in his basement that was pulled out of a river during a fishing trip and, since hed always wanted a shopping cart for whatever reason, took it. He has yet to actually use it.
So now we just gotta figure out why Simisage couldnt wait for the baby to hatch, Meganium Man pointed out.
Lugia made a sound as if it had an inkling as to why, even turning his head away to think about it. All three of them heard it, and watched the dragon closely. It wasnt long before Lugias gaze met theirs.
Whats up? Seviper asked.
I HAVE A THEORY A THEORY, MIND YOU ABOUT SIMISAGES ACTIONS.
Lets hear it, Zangoose requested.
ADMITTEDLY I DONT KNOW HOW HE WOULD KNOW THIS, BUT ON AVERAGE, IT TAKES AROUND THREE YEARS FOR MY SPECIES EGGS TO HATCH. THAT EGG IS ONE THOUSAND, NINETY DAYS OLD.
Do you think he got jumpy? Zangoose asked to nobody in particular.
I think he wants to use the kid as a bargaining chip. Hes done it already, Meganium Man said. Lugia, an infant cant fly right away, correct?
Lugia nodded, said, USUALLY IT TAKES TWO YEARS BEFORE THE WING MUSCLES DEVELOP ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THEIR WEIGHT.
Im also guessing you have no use for the eggshell?
NOT AS SUCH. IT MAKES NICE DCOR, BUT THATS ALL.
So he grabs the egg, uses the baby to get the parents off their back, and gives the egg to some guy with more money than they know what to do with. Then he gives the baby back? Seviper deduced.
Makes sense, Meganium Man said.
No it doesnt, Zangoose replied. We dont know how he even knew Lugia had laid an egg, let alone its age.
Is it possible he took a guess? opined the dinosaur.
NO. HE WAS PREPARED. SIMISAGE HAD A TRAWL ORB AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT SEEDS WITH HIM, SO HE DIDNT JUST HOPE FOR THE BEST.
Meganium Man sighed.
So, what do we do now? Wait for the egg to hatch and try to intercept him later in the week?
Theres not much we can do, Zangoose replied. He suddenly shot up as an idea hit him. But if that egg hatches and he really doesnt need the kid, then Simisage will likely put it somewhere Lugia would eventually find it. Somewhere tall.
Somewhere symbolic, Seviper added.
Somewhere that allows for a killer fight scene, Meganium Man continued.
THE BELL TOWER!
But the Chief shook his head.
We dont know Simisage will actually do that. He could just as well try and return to the Whirl Islands.
UNLIKELY. I HAVE SET UP A WHIRLPOOL BARRICADE THAT WILL STOP ANYONE FROM ENTERING, INCLUDING ME, UNTIL I VANQUISH IT. IT WOULD KILL HIM IF HE ATTEMPTS IT.
The group slumped in their seats and groaned.
Five days to go, if that.
Meganium Man wanted to go after Simisage right away, but knew he couldnt for the same reasons nobody else would. At the moment, the risks outweighed the benefits, but he didnt like the idea of waiting around. He also didnt like the possibility that Simisage could flee if Lugia didnt catch him in time.
Lost in thought, he started wondering if anyone who collected legendary Pokémon eggshells lived in Johto he could talk to, to get an idea about their headspace and that of Simisages. It could help give him an idea of what Simisage might be doing in the meantime, but it also might get him nowhere. Still, he argued to himself, it wasnt a bad idea as far as bad ideas are concerned. He finally expressed the idea to the group, although he wasnt eager for a reply.
Huh. Youre right: as far as bad ideas go, this isnt that bad of an idea, Seviper said. But I have no idea how we could even find someone who collects the things.
Do businesses participate in this kind of activity? Meganium Man asked.
Antique shops, maybe. But a regular mart? No, Zangoose replied.
Meganium slapped a vine whip on the desk.
An antique store! Genius! he declared. Isnt there one in Mahogany Town?
Yeah, Seviper said. That Garbodor fellow owns it. He took a final bite of his donut, said, I really hope hes showered within the last year.
Lugia flew the group to Mahogany Town, a small village east of Ecruteak City and south of Lake of Rage, so named because Gyarados could often be found there in hordes. They arrived within seconds and quickly found the store, helpfully called Garbodors Antiques. Lugia parked beside the white stone building, allowing the group to slide down his tail and enter the outlet.
It was as cluttered as most antique stores usually are and smelled about as nice, and Meganium Man was certain he would age twenty years by the time he was done here. The door chime rang as they went inside and moments later, a brown garbage bag with small feet, long, tube-like arms, and a lengthy green moss-like eye veil emerged from the basement. His feet involuntarily shuffled with every step he took, and when he saw the visitors, his normally circular mouth curled into a smile.
Howdy! Garbodor exclaimed, his voice slightly gurgling and rough, throwing up his arms. Seviper! Nice to see you again. Whos the green guy?
Meganium Man, at your service, the dinosaur replied.
Never heard of you.
That makes one of us, Zangoose muttered.
Anyway, what can I do ya for? Garbodor asked.
Stepping forward, Meganium Man asked, Mr. Garbodor, do you, by any chance, sell legendary eggshells? Or collect them?
Nope to both. Why?
Zangoose replied, Were fairly certain someone stole their egg and is going to try and sell the shell.
Stole whose egg? Garbodor asked. Zangoose pointed to the window behind the walking trash bag, and Garbodor saw Lugias large head looking inside the shop. Garbodors eyes were wide by default but they nearly flew from their sockets when he saw the legendary wyvern sitting just inches away from him. His pulse quickened and his heart skipped a few beats before he calmed down.
DO YOU HAVE ANY GREY POUPON?
Seviper snickered.
Err Garbodor said, trailing off quickly. Uh, anyway, I know the hobby youre talking about but Im pretty sure its not illegal.
No, but kidnapping is, Zangoose replied.
It didnt take Garbodor long to realize the scope of the situation, although he still didnt have the full context behind it. Still, he knew that whoever was behind it was a complete moron who would get what was coming to them in time.
Do you know anyone who collects such eggshells? Meganium Man asked.
Hobbling behind the counter, Garbodor replied, As a matter of fact, I do. Lemme see. He reached under the counter and pulled out a brown leather pocketbook, opened it up and started skimming through. Occasionally he muttered something to himself, but suddenly tapped a page.
His names Ludicolo. Lives out on Cinnabar Island and has quite a collection of the things. Garbodor copied down the Pokémons address and handed it to Meganium Man. I hope this helps.
SO DO I, Lugia said.
The trio left Garbodors shop and climbed back on Lugias back. He flapped his wings as lightly as possible and still nearly toppled the shop over, but was soon on his way to Cinnabar. During the flight, the group saw the four massive whirlpools that surrounded Lugias isle, spinning rapidly to deter adventurers and intruders. Lugia stayed clear of them and soon reached Cinnabar Island, a small town next to a sheer mountain. According to Garbodors note, Ludicolos home was on the north end of the island, and saw only one house in that area.
Once Lugia landed, the trio disembarked and Meganium Man knocked on the front door. It was opened by Ludicolo himself, a green Pokémon covered in pale brown fur with neutral brown stripes from the eyes down. His mouth was like a ducks bill, and a sombrero-like formation was on his head. He walked on two stubby legs and had flat, three-fingered hands.
Meganium Man? he asked, curious.
Who wants to know? the green sauropod replied.
Ludicolo blinked.
May we come in? We need to ask you something.
Ludicolo opened the door wider and motioned for the group to enter his home. Right away, they saw half a dozen different kinds of eggshells on the mantle on the far wall, all from different legendary Pokémon. One was yellow with a purple thundercloud on it; a Raikou hatched from that one, in all likelihood. Another was dark blue with a yellow antler-like design. Xerneas, maybe?
Dont touch those, Ludicolo warned. Theyre very valuable.
We know, Meganium Man replied. Mr. Ludicolo, how long have you been collecting eggshells?
It took me over a decade to amass that collection, if thats what you mean.
Thats literally what I just said. He turned around to face the unusual, potentially offensive Pokémon. Do you have any friends who collect them?
One or two. Why?
Would one of these friends happen to be Simisage?
Ludicolos body and beard stiffened as Meganium Man said the name. He stood up straight like a soldier, gulping faintly as he did so.
Dont tell me hes the reason for this, Ludicolo said, pointing out to sea. I mean Oh, for the love of That explains why Lugias here too.
Did you know he was planning this? Zangoose asked.
With a nod, Ludicolo explained, But I didnt expect him to. The whole idea was just so absurd; I didnt think he was actually serious.
So you knew he planned on kidnapping Lugias unborn child? Meganium Man asked.
Ludicolos face became like that of a dead fish.
Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on now. He did what? Ludicolo stuck a finger in his ear and pulled it back out, refusing to believe what he just heard.
Meganium Man reiterated what he said, adding the theory that Simisage planned to use the kid as a bargaining chip to keep Lugia off his back and would likely put it somewhere where the dragon would find it with relative ease. As the explanation continued, Ludicolo slumped into his chair, his face showing outright disgust.
The walking lily pad Pokémon had no idea where to begin with his reply.
Hoooooo-boy. Let me clarify, he began. He motioned to his couch, and Meganium Man, Chief Zangoose and sergeant Seviper sat. My friends and I are nothing like that. Sure, we go looking for the eggshells, but we arent that impatient, reckless or stupid. We dont stalk the legendaries and we certainly dont set foot on their territory unless theyre gone. Its very, very rare for a legendary Pokémon to remain in one place, even after their eggs hatch, making collecting them easier.
Why do it, anyway? Whats the point? Zangoose asked.
I TOLD YOU: THEY MAKE NICE DCOR.
Ludicolo pointed out the window, at Lugias massive head.
See? He gets it. He realized he trailed off. Anyway, um Im not sure where to go from here.
Lugia decided to take over.
LUDICOLO, MY EGG IS CLOSE TO HATCHING. SIMISAGES TIMING MAKES ME THINK HE KNEW THAT. IS THERE A WAY HE COULD HAVE FOUND THAT OUT?
He threw his hands up in frustration.
No idea. Lugia, did you happen to notice any intruders in the Whirl Islands at any point beforehand? Or unusual visitors, even?
Lugia shook its head.
NO. EVEN IN MY DEEP SLUMBER, I KNOW WHEN SOMEONE HAS ENTERED THE CAVE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE FELT SUCH A PRESENCE.
What about your mate?
Lugia suddenly turned away, looking out at the ocean. Ludicolo suddenly felt like he had struck a nerve better off left alone and wished he hadnt asked that question.
IT PAINS ME TO RECALL THAT DAY. THE EGG IS ALL I HAVE LEFT TO REMEMBER HER BY, AND NOW AND NOW
A guttural snarl escaped the wyvern, its nostrils flaring. But now, Meganium Man felt like they were getting somewhere.
Lugia? What happened, exactly? the vigilante asked.
Are you trying to get us all killed? Zangoose barked.
Let me rephrase: did a doctor visit her at any point?
The next thing they knew, Lugia was staring into space. His mouth was slightly agape, his body completely relaxed. It felt like an eternity passed before he answered.
YES, he said, looking at the sand.
Oh, no Meganium Man said, his head drooping.
IT WAS SIMISAGE. THREE YEARS AGO HE DROPPED BY TO CHECK ON HER AND THE EGG, BUT COULDNT DO ANYTHING FOR HER. I STILL DONT KNOW THE FULL STORY, OR EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS THAT TOOK HER, BUT SHE HAD BEEN ILL FOR SOME TIME BY THEN.
That explains how he knew the eggs age, Seviper stated.
We solved one mystery just to stumble into another, Zangoose added. Whats a doctor doing stealing eggshells?
Legendary Pokémon eggshells can go for a lot of money. A lot. Chances are that whoevers willing to buy a Lugias eggshell has enough dough to allow Simisage to retire, Ludicolo said.
Do you know anyone in Johto who would pay for one? Meganium Man asked.
Ludicolo shook his head.
Sorry. If Garbodor didnt know of anyone, youre up the creek. I just collect.
Okay, so weve got five days at most before the egg hatches. Whats Simisage going to do in the meantime? Meganium Man asked Chief Zangoose and Seviper.
Lay low as best he can, the Chief replied.
And what are we going to do in the meantime?
Zangoose stood up.
Wait for Simisage to make the next move. Even if we find him, he wont budge so long as the egg hasnt hatched. Nothings stopping him from using it as a shield again and Id rather strike once were one hundred percent positive the infant is out of harms way. He held out his paw, and Ludicolo shook it. Zangoose motioned to the door with his head, and Meganium Man and Seviper followed him. Meganium Man didnt like the idea, but admitted to himself it was the best course of action.
Lugia bent down so the trio could climb onto his back, and moments later, was back in the air.