Chapter 20 - Cannonball Run

Jane cradles the pearl, "What should we do?!"

I can only laugh, "Exactly how do you plan to hide that thing. It's not like I can just shove this ċhėst down my pants and tell Dawn I was thinking about her. It'll be hard enough just getting anything back out the crawl space we used to get in here."

She dejectedly plops to the floor on the pile of nuggets, "Ouch! I always dreamt a pile of gold would be amazing to swim in. Something just jabbed my ribs."

While she reaches under her back I call out to the rest of our party, "We're fine, found a bunch of stuff, trying to figure out how to get it out."

Junior pirate queen pulls out a four pointed star coin and tosses it towards me, "let's just load up pockets and that box and have Sandile drag it out."

Looking at her high fashion leather pants, "My pockets you mean, you've got nowhere to hide anything."

The still burning lantern draws my attention. It's round with crudely made glass, the top opens revealing a small red orb that gives off a gentle flame.

May as well take this too, turning to look for rope I spot Jane pouring nuggets down her shirt, "You don't even have the ...equipment to keep anything in there."

If looks could kill, "Can it Kurt, how come you're not loading your lockbox to the max?"

Rolling my eyes, "Another thing you're forgetting, we have to swim back out past those Sharpedo. Have sandile widen the hole for now."

Calling back to Marius, "You guys should come in here, it's seems safe enough at the moment."

Three more join us on this side. Marius is shocked at the gold but quickly gets drawn to the carvings on the wall. Edgar asks to look at the lamp, Dawn examines the lockbox.

Marius asks, "Have you checked these yet Kurt? It shows legendary pokemon!"

Sure enough they show scenes of Lugia, some it's saving people, others it's sinking ships. One shows an actual flock of Lugia circling worshippers.

Scratching my chin scruff, "Looks like clues to a nest site maybe?"

Marius nods, "Exactly, this is unprecedented, there are old professors in the Orange Islands that would swim all the way here to see this."

Dawn speaks up, "So our pirate legend was more than just a thief. Hey, I want the prism scale off this box, any objections?"

Jane protests, "What?! We found,"

Edgar cuts in, "I'll take the lamp with those Dawn and Dusk Stones."

Well I don't even know what they are or if I could use them, "Mind explaining Dawn? Also, can we even take anything Marius?"

The grad student sighs, "These walls and the box carvings are the only things the Institute will value, gold and evolution items aren't even that rare."

Dawn nods, "Exactly, the scale is for my Feebas, Edgar's picks are for his ghost types. The Sun and Moon stones along with whatever the red gem is are all your's Kurt. Also, Miss Priss, the gold here is enough to afford you a hot motorcycle to match your outfit but not much beyond."

Guess that's fair enough, at least they intend to use them, "Fine by me, Jane keep your big pearl … and this red gem, maybe Princess can have it made into jewelry for you."

As I consider how to get the most out of here I flip the coin Jane threw at me earlier.

Marius whistles, "Hey Kurt, those star shaped amulet coins are pretty rare. Supposedly they bring good fortune."

This thing that looks like a ninja star? That's some gaudy bling, but on that note, maybe I should scoop up enough to buy Lacy something. A bit early for a ring though.

Anyway, "No doubt it makes a fine keychain, Jane let's get a few handfuls of gold into our bags and move towards the ship. Steven said whatever Dawn and Edgar wanted should be down here and they certainly aren't in this hole."

She mopes while I place the stones in my bag, "I feel like we did work just to be robbed."

This kid, "Did you forget that glittery Onix you just caught already?"

Dawn perks up, "Oh, a shiny Onix? Mr. Kurt you must be a human shiny charm! Sure you don't want to ditch mini bitch and the princess for my team?"

I laugh, "Lady, you're doing the wrong kind of gold digging right now."

She pouts but moves on to sift the pile for any last rarities. Unfortunately, aside from a few coins collectors may value, that's all there is. After everyone loads up their bags as much as they dare, we head back up the tunnel.

Jane's bag is bursting at the seams. I consider saying something but Blue stops abruptly up ahead.

The light reveals a single Aron in the middle of the path, glaring towards us. Blue looks ready to rumble but I ain't looking to fend off a hive of these buggers.

I take out the dusk ball and click it. The flash startles the Aron, but it mellows once seeing my ghost Pokémon is gone.

Trying to walk around it as much as the cave walls let me, "steady there bud, just passing by."

We all shift by except Edgar who apparently was more interested in the lamp he's holding.

A strange bark and, "what in Arceus' name?!"

With a thud the poor lad flops to the ground, Aron growls near his feet. He pulls out a pokeball, "Nocturne use captivate!"

Litwick appears, it's flame a gentle purple. Softly the fire dances back and forth, colors shifting with reds and pinks. Aron just losses focus, eyes locked on the candle light.

Edgar gets up and whispers, "let's go!"

We travel the remainder of the tunnel with an extra tag along. Litwick hops to keep pace while her audience of one mindlessly trails.

Back in the main cavern Edgar gives a rather special change of command, "far enough, use Night shade."

The small flames brightly erupt forming the shape of a dragon skull that roars at the little Aron.

Snapped from the daze it takes off running back down the tunnel with several yelps.

That's one way to do it, "Eddy, you planning to raise a Ghost team?"

He picks some dust from his shirt, "Indeed, I will be taking over my family's abandoned gym in Kalos. I'm actually a bit jealous of your Phantump Mr. Kurt."

As you should be, "eh, I'm sure you'll put together a great team."

On cue one of the Sharpedo fins breaks the water nearby.

Jane gives a nervous chuckle, "mind if I wait here?"

Actually, "sure, warn us if anything unexpected comes out of the tunnel or the water."

I take out my net ball, "Tesla, start stringing up this pier, I don't feel like swimming again just yet."

She chirps and gets a quick snuggle before hopping to work. Lines of silk get cast out over the old planks.

Carefully we make our way out. The webs and strings are a bit sticky but it's better than this thing falling to pieces on us. At the end, Tess sends a few lines at the ship, catching on the side rails in the air. It's maybe a ten foot gap.

Dawn calls out her snivy and with deceptive ease it wraps the same rails with a vine.

Alight time to channel Indy, "well here's the part where we heroically swing onto the near vertical ship. Y'all still feeling brave?"

Dawn laughs and jumps, with an acrobat's grace she swings across. Thankfully the tide is still low that the sharks won't be snapping her rather nice buŧŧ.

Edgar coughs, "um, Mr. Kurt, mind if I borrow your web line?"

Right, that candle isn't gonna get him anywhere, "go for it kid, don't fumble the landing in front of the girl."

Of all things so far, that line makes him straighten his back, "of course."

He swings, catches the ladder of a rail, and his foot slips. Dawn grabs his arm and pulls him back.

I can't see from here but, I imagine that was embarrassing for him.

Alright my turn, "Tess can I get more strings?"

My puppy sized spider chirps once and sits on the dock, spent I guess.

"You did great today girl, get some rest."

She returns to her ball which then goes into my pack along with any other loose items.

Dawn sees what I'm doing, "I'm not sure the old planks can handle you long jumping Kurt."

Pfft, "well now that you've gone and jinxed it."

I knock on a wooden post but it snaps….Shit.

A few steps back, a last glance around the cave. Old dock, dark water, shark fins, sleeping bats, vertical sunk pirate ship.

"Yippee ki yay."

One step, two, three, 'Crack!'

"Shit!" I leap from the crumbling plank with my other unsteady foot. Okay more of drop.

""Kurt!"" Voices yell.

Forward momentum gets me to the boat just above the waterline, I reach for the rail. It also snaps!

With a crash I slam into the side of the ship. The rotted wood just can't stop me as I break through. Stay ropes catch me in a tangle as water pours in the hole I made. Teeth chomp at the edges allowing more water to gush in.

The hold of the ship is dark, there's a chem light in my bag.

A soft green glow illuminates empty cargo nets. The water level is a few feet below but I'm not sticking around to see that change. Above me is a hallway and stairs.

I yell out, "I'm fine, I'm climbing up."

Checking myself… huh, bȧrėly some scratches. Not gonna risk thinking I'm Captain America for now, probably just the wet wood.

The ropes cut away easy enough and other nets make navigating the room no issue. The problem is the 90 degree rotation on the stairs.

Wrapping myself with a net I bring around my bag and pull out the dusk ball.

Blue appears in the net and looks around lazily. I can sense the exhaustion in his movements and the dim glow of his eyes.

"Sorry partner, busy day it seems. Can your Ingrain help me get up and past that door in the ceiling?"

He stretches his little ghost arms and floats towards the would be stairs. His form sinks into the wooden planks, creaks and groans echo out. Like a true haunted ship, boards pop loose or snap, and the door falls off its hinges to the water below me.

Where there's a Will there's a Wisp I guess.

He floats back towards me and flops on my shoulder, "Nice job Blue, have a good rest."

I return him to the pokeball and begin crawling up the boards like monkey bars on a playground.

Thankfully everything holds this time. This room appears to be a galley, benches and tables clutter my side while cabinets line the walls.

More doors up and down, but thankfully a gaping hole in the former ceiling leads outside towards the main deck. An odd mist is cascading past the opening.

From it I hear Edgar, "Noct, use Will O Wisp!"

Dawn, "That won't work right now, you'd have to clear the Misty Terrain. Litleo use Ember."

A crash against the deck, dust drifts down inside my room.

Guess I'm missing the fun. When did she get a Litleo?

Shoving over a bench let's me climb up to poke my head out. Shattered masts below and what should be the captains quarters above. Through a dusty window I spot a gout of orange fire light. A stray rope for the sails sways from the door, I grab it as it passes by.

I'm definitely getting my gym workout today.

Feeling the burn in my arms I continue my ascent on this ȧss up ship. Sticking my head past yet another door I find Dawn and Edgar with their Pokemon. On a sideways, misty battlefield of rotten wood and dusty glass that would make Doctor Strange proud.

Across the way is a Mawile wearing a pirate hat and a massive cutlass.. On the blade's hilt, an eye narrows menacingly.