Chapter 231: Director Hikawa and the Tyrannosaurus Rex Fossil
(Fourth update today, almost 10,000 words. I won't say anything more, you guys get it.)
"Boom! Boom!"
The platform holding the "Husky" fossil shattered with a roar. Countless chunks of rubble and glass shards rained down, kicking up a cloud of dust. Cranidos seized the opportunity to charge in, twisting its head to relentlessly smash the ground, attempting to grind the fossil into powder.
*How dare you become my idol? Today, I'll scatter your very ashes to the wind.*
In its fury, even a wooden fish would cast off its cap and go barefoot to smash its head upon the ground.
After its rampage, the little Cranidos's legs gave way, and it plopped down on the ground. Its tongue lolled out, panting rapidly to cool down as it gasped for breath.
The wild and berserk auras around it dissipated simultaneously. Now, it looked as harmless as a tired-out baby.
Of course, considering the wreckage around the Cinnabar Lab, no one would think it was harmless. In fact, they'd want to pull out a whip and spank its rear end.
"Awwrr..."
It had been tearing the place apart ever since it was revived from the machine, consuming a huge amount of stamina.
"So, how about it, Cranidos? Are you willing to become my Pokémon? We can aim to become the strongest prehistoric fierce beast!"
At this, Ash finally remembered his role as a Trainer and took out a Poké Ball, holding it in front of the creature.
"Awwrr..."
The little Cranidos was breathing heavily, but it didn't refuse Ash's offer.
It had a favorable impression of Ash, and the grand prospect of becoming the strongest fierce beast was quite appealing.
"Thunk!"
The Poké Ball landed squarely on the back of the little Cranidos's head. After a crisp sound like a wooden fish being struck, it enveloped the Pokémon in a red light, pulling it inside. The ball shook three times and then signaled a successful catch, with no issues.
"I've successfully caught my first Fossil Pokémon!"
Ash looked at the Poké Ball in his hand, his expression joyful.
"Congratulations, Ash! This little Cranidos has pretty high aptitude."
"But it's another difficult one. You'll need to work on bonding with it."
Brock and Misty also came over, congratulating him repeatedly.
It possessed a prehistoric, berserk bloodline. If Ash could completely master it and unleash its power in battle, the Pokémon had incredible potential.
"Since we're done here, should we get going?"
"Blaine, I look forward to seeing you next time."
Seeing that the matter was settled for now, and with a piece of plaster falling from the ceiling, the three of them didn't dare to linger. After some awkward pleasantries, they quickly beat a hasty retreat from the Cinnabar Lab.
*It's fine. It's all going to be destroyed anyway.*
Blaine: "..."
He looked at the utter mess around him, then glanced at the several researchers and Xiao Fu who were still unconscious in the nearby corridor.
"Oh well, I'll just blame it all on the temp..."
Several hours later, inside the Cinnabar Lab, a few researchers, Xiao Fu, Blaine, and others were drinking tea amidst the surrounding ruins and collapsed walls. Every so often, another strip of painted plaster would fall.
However, their expressions showed no great turmoil. Instead, they looked completely at ease, having simultaneously entered a sagely state.
Blaine had already told them everything about the impending eruption of the Fire Lotus Volcano. Compared to that greater disaster, the Cinnabar Lab being wrecked by a future "Husky" was nothing.
In fact, everyone was rather grateful to Ash and his friends.
Compared to their own lives, what was this material wealth?
"I'll give the director a call. It's best to let him take charge here..."
Blaine sighed softly, took out his phone, and tapped in a number.
At the end of the day, his main job was being the Cinnabar Gym Leader; the "Researcher" title was just in name. It was better to leave these matters to the director of the Cinnabar Lab himself.
The director held a high position in the Pokémon League, so he would be more persuasive when contacting the League for help with the evacuation and rescue.
Besides, just last night, Blaine had thought of a new location for Cinnabar Gym 3.0 and was now eager to go scout it out. Compared to these flashy affairs, he was much more interested in Gym battles.
The call connected, and Blaine spoke first:
"Hey, is that you, Brother Yinhe? I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
The voice on the other end also belonged to an old man, and it was sharp and direct.
"Let's have the bad news first. I don't like to wait."
Hearing this, Blaine replied with a smile:
"Oh, okay. The bad news is that our Fire Lotus Volcano is about to erupt. The entire Cinnabar Island will be reduced to ruins. You should hurry back and take charge of the situation. By the way, your Hikawa family has a high standing in the League, right? Hurry and get some people over to help."
The other end of the line fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke again, but a distinct tremble could be heard in his tone.
"Then... what's the good news?"
The answer Director Hikawa most wanted to hear right now was, "The good news is that the bad news was just me messing with you! Surprise!"
Soon, Blaine replied again:
"Oh, the good news is that our Cinnabar Lab was just torn down by a Husky, so you don't have to worry about demolishing the lab anymore. The lab is already gone."
Director Hikawa: "?"
*And you call that good news?*
*And what the hell is a Husky?*
"A Husky? You know, the ancient fierce beast left over from a civilization that existed before the prehistoric era. Weren't you the one who wrote that paper on it? It was later listed by the pundits as one of the ten most moronic hypotheses of the modern world," Blaine said, sounding baffled.
"Doesn't our lab still have the Husky jaw fossil you excavated?"
Speaking of that jaw fossil, Blaine was also puzzled.
The Cranidos had struck that jaw fossil with a series of headbutts, but when the dust settled, Blaine found that the jaw fossil didn't have a single crack on it. It was still perfectly intact, merely embedded in the ground, and it was incredibly hard.
Normal prehistoric fossils didn't have that kind of durability. A fossil from before the prehistoric era should have turned directly into dust.
And it seemed that after being struck, it had gained a dangerous aura, which Blaine found utterly perplexing.
"What are you talking about? My paper only hypothesized the existence of a civilization from before the prehistoric era. When did I ever mention a Husky? And since when did our lab have a Husky fossil? Are you getting senile? Who told you we have a Husky fossil?"
When it came to academics, Yinhe Hikawa's tone became unfriendly.
Blaine scratched his head and said uncertainly, "I think I heard it from Xiao Fu."
Yinhe Hikawa asked again, "Xiao Fu? Who's Xiao Fu? Since when did our lab have a researcher named Xiao Fu?"
"Xiao Fu is a temp..."
At this point, Blaine's breath hitched.
It was the temp's fault again!
Nearby, the temp Xiao Fu, who was drinking tea, couldn't help but shiver when he heard Blaine suddenly mention him and the Husky. He quickly put down his teacup, scurried over, and proactively admitted his mistake.
"Heh heh, Vice-Director... Actually, I made up the ancient fierce beast 'Husky' to fool the tourists..."
The Cinnabar Lab offered various tourism services, so naturally, they had to invent some fancy legends to attract ignorant outsiders.
"But there's one thing I didn't make up. I remember hearing the Director mention before that this jaw fossil really is from a civilization that existed before the prehistoric era," Xiao Fu defended himself.
Yinhe Hikawa on the other end of the line seemed to have heard their conversation, and his tone immediately became urgent.
"Hey, you're not talking about the jaw fossil that was on display in the main hall, are you? That thing is extremely dangerous! If it comes into contact with living flesh, something terrible will happen!"
"Old Blaine, didn't I tell you before? I might have really discovered a civilization from before the prehistoric era. And that jaw fossil is likely from a legendary creature called a 'Tyrannosaurus Rex.' It's not a Pokémon, but another kind of creature..."
"Anyway, we'll talk when I get back. I'm booking a plane ticket right now. Whatever you do, don't take that jaw fossil out, and absolutely do not touch it with your bare hands!"
Yinhe Hikawa rattled off several sentences and then hung up, rushing off to book his flight.
Blaine: "?"
He held the phone in one hand while tossing the jaw fossil up and down with the other. His expression gradually froze...
Three days later.
The Cinnabar Lab incident was temporarily concluded. After soaking in hot springs for three straight days, Ash and his friends finally planned to leave the island and head toward the location of the eighth Gym.
They had rested enough. Now it was time for some serious battling.
"Final Badge, here I come!"
Just as the three of them finished packing and arrived at the Cinnabar Island dock to depart, a clear and detached voice suddenly sounded in Ash's mind. It was Brother Red, who hadn't been online for many days.
"There is a strong enemy nearby. Do you want to go and test your strength?"
"Yes!"
Without a second thought, Ash immediately agreed.
He had been itching for a fight.
If even Brother Red called them a strong enemy, they must be an incredible opponent!
"Then, after you set sail, head east for two kilometers. You will see two islands connected together," Brother Red prompted.
(end of chapter)