Chapter 29: Samuel Catches His 2nd
The tunnel air clung to Samuel's skin like a wet blanket. He'd been quiet since the Shinx battle, hanging back while Briv recovered, while Patricia fussed over Piplup's electrical burns, while Nicola and Axel argued in hushed tones about the best route through the Undercity.
But his mind wasn't on the argument.
It was on the fight.
The way Briv's three Pokémon had moved together—fire, grass, water—had lit something in Samuel's chest. A hunger he'd been ignoring for months, maybe years. He'd watched the League battles on screens, watched Briv claim the championship, watched Nicola and Patricia climb the ranks. He'd cheered and clapped and told himself he was happy just making music, just traveling, just existing.
Bullshit.
He wanted this. He wanted the rush, the bond, the feeling of standing beside a Pokémon that trusted him completely. He wanted to walk into a stadium and hear the roar of the crowd. He wanted to matter.
Doduo's ball pulsed at his hip, as if the two-headed bird could sense his thoughts. Samuel had caught Doduo three weeks ago—a lucky encounter on the outskirts of Aethelburg, a wild bird that had challenged him to a race and lost by a feather. They'd been training together ever since, but one Pokémon wasn't a team.
One Pokémon wouldn't get him into the League.
"Hey."
Samuel turned. Dariana had drifted back from the group, her Gallade walking silently beside her. The psychic-fighting type's red eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, scanning the tunnels with calm vigilance.
"You've been quiet," she said.
"Thinking."
"About?"
Samuel shrugged. "The League. This year's tournament. Whether I'm... whether I've got what it takes."
Dariana didn't answer immediately. She walked beside him for a few steps, her boots splashing softly through the shallow water. Gallade's presence was steadying—the kind of calm that came from absolute confidence.
"You watched Briv catch that Shinx," she said finally.
"Yeah."
"What did you feel?"
Samuel considered the question. He thought about the way his heart had pounded during the battle, the way his hands had clenched into fists, the way he'd wanted to shout when Briv threw that final Pokéball.
"I wanted it to be me," he admitted. "I wanted to be the one down there. Making the catch. Proving myself."
Dariana smiled. It was a gentle smile, not mocking. "Then do something about it."
"I only have Doduo."
"So? Briv started with one Pokémon. Everyone does."
Samuel looked at her. In the dim light, her dark eyes were serious, thoughtful. She wasn't just making conversation—she was pushing him. Challenging him.
"You're right," he said.
"I usually am."
He laughed despite himself. The sound echoed through the tunnel, and up ahead, Patricia glanced back with a curious expression. Samuel waved her off.
"Okay," he said. "Okay. I'm going to do this."
"Do what, exactly?"
"Build a team. Catch more Pokémon. Enter the League."
Dariana's smile widened. "Good. About time you stopped hiding behind your music."
"I wasn't—"
"You were." She bumped his shoulder with hers. "But that's okay. Everyone hides from something. The trick is knowing when to stop."
---
They stopped for another rest an hour later. The tunnels had widened into a natural cavern, with a ceiling so high it disappeared into darkness and a floor of smooth, worn stone. Minnie declared it safe—"No Eclipse patrols this deep, and the wild Pokémon here are mostly harmless"—and everyone scattered to their own corners.
Briv and Patricia claimed a spot near the far wall, their Pokémon gathered around them. Nicola sat alone, her Magnemite hovering beside her, its single eye fixed on the darkness. Axel stood guard near the entrance, Rotom buzzing at his shoulder.
Samuel found a quiet corner and released Doduo.
The two-headed bird materialized with a flash of light, its long legs stretching, its twin heads swiveling to take in the surroundings. One head—the left—immediately spotted Samuel and squawked a greeting. The right head continued scanning the cavern, ever vigilant.
"Hey, buddy," Samuel said. He reached up to scratch the left head's chin, then the right. Both preened under his attention. "We need to talk."
Doduo tilted both heads. Listening.
"I want to enter the League this year. The real League. Not just watching—competing. But I can't do it with just you. We need more teammates."
The left head squawked enthusiastically. The right head looked skeptical.
"I know, I know. It's a big ask. But I've been thinking—we make a good team, you and me. And I think we can make an even better one. What do you say?"
Doduo considered this. Then both heads nodded, almost in unison.
Samuel grinned. "Alright then. Let's find you a partner."
---
He found it twenty minutes later, near a crack in the cavern wall.
At first, he thought it was a rock. A strange, lumpy rock with green growths on top, half-buried in the debris that had fallen from the ceiling. But then the rock moved—shifted, sniffled, let out a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a hiccup.
Samuel froze.
The rock turned, and he saw eyes. Large, expressive eyes, glistening with what might have been tears. A small brown body, short legs, bright green sprouts on its head. A Bonsly.
The Rock-type stared at him. Its lower lip trembled.
"Hey," Samuel said softly. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."
Bonsly sniffled again. A tear rolled down its cheek—actual tears, Samuel realized, not just a figure of speech. The little Pokémon was crying.
"Are you lost? Separated from your family?"
Another sniffle. Bonsly nodded, a tiny, miserable gesture.
Samuel's heart clenched. He knew that feeling—the loneliness, the fear, the sense of being adrift in a world that didn't care. He'd felt it himself, more times than he cared to admit.
"It's okay," he said again. He crouched down, bringing himself to Bonsly's level. "I get it. I really do. But you can't stay here alone. It's dangerous."
Bonsly looked at him. Those big, tear-filled eyes searched his face, looking for something—sincerity, maybe. Trust.
"I'm building a team," Samuel said. "For the League. I don't know if that means anything to you, but... I'd be honored if you'd join us. Doduo and me. We'd take care of you. Protect you. Help you get stronger."
Bonsly's eyes widened. It glanced at Doduo, who had wandered over to investigate. The two-headed bird tilted both heads, studying the Rock-type with curiosity.
Then Bonsly did something unexpected.
It stood up.
It was a wobbly, uncertain motion—the kind of movement that spoke of exhaustion and fear—but it stood. And then it looked at Samuel with something that might have been hope.
"You want to come with us?"
Bonsly nodded.
Samuel felt a grin spread across his face. "Alright then. But first—"
He pulled an empty Pokéball from his belt.
"We need to do this properly. A battle. Nothing serious—just enough to prove we're worthy. You understand?"
Bonsly's expression shifted. The tears dried. The trembling stopped. And in their place came something harder—something fierce.
A challenge.
Samuel stood up and backed away, giving them space. Doduo stepped forward, both heads focused, both beaks ready.
"Okay," Samuel said. "Doduo, let's show Bonsly what we've got."
---
The battle was short, but it was beautiful.
Doduo moved like water—flowing around Bonsly's attacks, never staying still, never giving the Rock-type a clear target. The two heads worked in perfect harmony, one watching while the other struck, one defending while the other attacked.
Bonsly was tough. Samuel had expected that—Rock-types always were. But it was also clever. It used the uneven terrain to its advantage, rolling and tumbling and launching itself from unexpected angles. More than once, Doduo had to scramble to avoid a sudden Tackle from below.
"Use Quick Attack!" Samuel called.
Doduo blurred forward, both heads striking simultaneously. Bonsly tried to dodge, but it was too slow—the impact sent it tumbling across the stone floor.
It didn't get up.
Samuel's heart lurched. "Wait—hold on—"
But then Bonsly moved. Slowly, painfully, but it moved. It pushed itself onto its feet, swaying, and looked at Doduo with those big, teary eyes.
It wasn't crying because it was scared anymore.
It was crying because it was trying so hard.
Samuel felt something crack inside him. "Okay," he said softly. "Okay, buddy. That's enough. You've proven yourself."
He walked forward and knelt beside Bonsly. The Rock-type looked up at him, exhausted, and Samuel held out the Pokéball.
"Come with us," he said. "Please."
Bonsly stared at the ball. Its tears had stopped. In their place was something like wonder—like it couldn't quite believe what was happening.
Then it reached out and touched the Pokéball.
The capture was instant. No resistance, no struggle—just a soft click that echoed through the cavern. Samuel stared at the ball, feeling its warmth against his palm, and felt something shift inside him.
He had a team now. A real team.
---
"Did you just catch a Bonsly?"
Samuel turned. Dariana was standing at the edge of the cavern, Gallade beside her. She was smiling—that same gentle, knowing smile.
"Yeah," Samuel said. He stood up, clipping the Pokéball to his belt. "I did."
"Good choice. Bonsly's got potential. Tough little things."
"That's what I thought."
Dariana walked over and looked at the ball at his hip. Then she looked at him.
"You're really doing this."
"Yeah."
"The League. The whole thing."
"Yeah." Samuel felt the grin return. "I am."
Dariana's smile widened. "Good. It's about time."
They walked back to the group together, Doduo clucking contentedly beside them. Briv and Patricia were watching—they'd seen the whole thing, Samuel realized. Their expressions were a mix of pride and curiosity.
"So," Briv said. "You're entering the League."
"Looks like it."
"Need a training partner?"
Samuel laughed. "You offering?"
"Maybe." Briv grinned. "I've got a Shinx that needs some experience. Could be good for both of them."
"I'll think about it."
Nicola, watching from her corner, made a sound that might have been annoyance. "Great," she muttered. "Another competitor."
"Afraid I'll beat you?"
"In your dreams, Moodsway."
Samuel laughed again, warm and easy. The tunnel was still dark, still cold, still dangerous. But for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
Bonsly's ball was warm against his hip. Doduo was preening at his side. And somewhere above them, the League was waiting.
He was ready.
They'd rest for another hour. Then they'd continue through the tunnels. Then they'd find the Eclipse Squad's hideout and do whatever needed to be done.
But after that—after all of this was over—Samuel had a new goal. A new purpose.
He was going to build a team worth remembering.
And he was going to show the world what he was made of.
=====
And he was going to show the world what he was made of.
The words hung in the stale tunnel air like a promise. Briv watched Samuel's face shift through something complicated—pride, maybe, or recognition. The kind of look you gave someone when you saw yourself in them.
"Training partner," Briv repeated. He wasn't asking.
"Yeah." Samuel scratched Doduo's left chin, and the bird's right head nipped affectionately at his sleeve. "Unless you're too busy being champion."
"I'm always busy. Doesn't mean I can't make time."
Patricia stood up from her corner, Buneary hopping onto her shoulder with a soft chirp. "We should move soon. Minnie said the eastern exit connects to the old aqueduct system. From there we can reach the surface near the industrial district."
"And then?" Nicola asked. She was still leaning against the cavern wall, arms crossed, Starly perched on her boot.
"And then we find out what the Eclipse Squad is actually planning." Patricia's voice had hardened. "We've been running blind for too long."
Axel stepped away from the entrance, Rotom darting back to hover at his shoulder. "Agreed. But first—" He looked at Briv. "You said your new Shinx needs field experience. There's a nesting ground two levels down. Wild Pokémon, mostly harmless, good for training."
Briv's hand drifted to the Pokéball at his belt. The Shinx's ball. It was warm, still pulsing with that gentle, steady glow.
"How do you know about a nesting ground?"
"I've been in these tunnels before." Axel's green eyes were unreadable. "Long time ago. Different circumstances."
---
They split up twenty minutes later.
Minnie would lead the main group toward the eastern exit—Patricia, Nicola, Dariana, and their Pokémon. Axel would scout ahead, using Rotom to map the tunnels and mark safe routes. That left Briv and Samuel to take the lower path.
"You sure about this?" Samuel asked as they descended a narrow stairwell carved into the rock.
"About what?"
"Splitting up. After everything that happened in the factory."
Briv didn't answer immediately. The stairwell opened into a wider corridor, and he could hear water dripping somewhere in the darkness. Chimchar's flame tail cast flickering shadows on the walls, and Piplup waddled close to his heels, its eyes darting nervously.
"I trust Axel," Briv said finally.
"You barely know him."
"I know he saved our asses back there. I know he's got a plan."
Samuel was quiet for a moment. Then: "You know he's still hiding something."
"Yeah." Briv stopped walking and turned to face him. "But so am I. So are you. So is everyone. That's what people do—they hide things until they're ready to share them. Axel's not ready yet."
Samuel considered this. Doduo's two heads swiveled toward a side passage, both sets of eyes narrowing. Something had moved in the darkness.
"You heard that?"
Briv nodded. He released Shinx from its ball.
The Electric-type materialized in a flash of blue light, its star-tipped tail flicking, its ears swiveling. It looked healthier than it had in the Undercity chamber—Briv had spent the last hour treating its wounds with potions and letting it rest in the warmth of Chimchar's flame. But it was still wary, still watching Briv with those pale, calculating eyes.
"Hey, buddy," Briv said softly. "We're going to do some training. Nothing serious. Just... getting to know each other."
Shinx didn't respond. But it didn't attack, either. Progress.
"Stay close," Briv told Samuel. "Whatever's down here, we face it together."
---
The nesting ground was a cathedral of stone and shadow.
It stretched out before them like an underground amphitheater, its walls lined with crevices and burrows, its floor carpeted with patches of phosphorescent moss. The moss cast everything in a soft green glow, and the air was warmer here—humid, almost tropical.
Pokémon moved in the shadows. Small ones, mostly—a family of Zubat hanging from the ceiling, a pair of Geodude rolling across the floor, a lone Bronzor floating serenely near the far wall. None of them seemed hostile. None of them even seemed to notice the two trainers standing at the entrance.
"Wow," Samuel breathed.
Briv nodded. He'd seen wild Pokémon before—Aethelburg was surrounded by routes teeming with them—but this was different. This was a sanctuary. A place untouched by trainers, by battles, by the League. A place where Pokémon existed for no other reason than to exist.
Shinx took a step forward. Its ears were perked, its tail flicking with curiosity rather than aggression. It had never seen anything like this either.
"Go on," Briv said. "Explore. I'll be right here."
Shinx glanced back at him—skeptical, still unsure—but then it padded forward, its paws silent on the moss. It approached a cluster of rocks where a small, blue shape was digging.
Briv squinted. The shape was round, about the size of a football, with short limbs and a fin on its head. It was digging with surprising enthusiasm, flinging rocks and dirt behind it with every swipe of its stubby claws.
A Gible.
Briv's heart rate spiked. Gible were rare—incredibly rare, especially in the wild. They were Dragon-types, or at least they would be once they evolved, and their evolutionary line was one of the most powerful in existence. A Gible wasn't just a Pokémon. It was a prize.
The Gible looked up. Its eyes were small but bright, and its mouth—its huge, toothy mouth—stretched into something that might have been a grin. It had noticed Shinx.
Shinx froze. Its tail went rigid, its ears flattened.
The Gible didn't attack. Instead, it waddled forward, its fin bobbing, and sniffed at Shinx with open curiosity. Then it made a sound—a low, rumbling chirp—and nuzzled against the Electric-type's side.
Shinx looked back at Briv with an expression that clearly said: What the hell is this?
Briv laughed. He couldn't help it. "I think you made a friend."
---
Samuel was exploring the eastern edge of the nesting ground when he found the Aipom.
It was hanging upside down from a stalactite, its long purple tail wrapped around the stone, its bright eyes fixed on Samuel with unmistakable mischief. The Normal-type was small—maybe two feet tall—with large ears, a wide grin, and a hand-like tail that it was currently using to juggle three small rocks.
Aipom noticed Samuel watching. It caught the rocks, one by one, then tossed them aside. Then it dropped from the stalactite, landed on its feet with acrobatic grace, and scampered toward him.
"Hey," Samuel said. "You're friendly."
Aipom chittered. It reached up and tugged at one of Samuel's dreadlocks, then bounced back, giggling.
"You want to play?"
Aipom nodded enthusiastically. Then it pointed at Doduo, who was watching from a few feet away, both heads tilted in confusion.
"You want to play with Doduo?"
Another nod.
Samuel grinned. "Alright. Let's see what you've got."
---
The battle was less a fight and more a dance.
Aipom moved like liquid—flowing around Doduo's attacks, using its tail to swing from rocks and stalactites, always staying one step ahead. It was fast. Faster than anything Samuel had seen outside of a League match.
But Doduo was fast too. And more importantly, Doduo had two heads.
"Left, Quick Attack! Right, Peck!"
The two-headed bird split its focus, one head striking while the other covered, forcing Aipom to divide its attention. The Normal-type adapted quickly—it was clearly experienced, clearly clever—but it couldn't be in two places at once.
Doduo's right head landed a Peck on Aipom's shoulder. The Normal-type yelped, tumbled, and rolled back onto its feet. For a moment, it looked genuinely surprised.
Then it grinned.
It launched itself at Doduo, tail whipping, and the two Pokémon collided in a flurry of feathers and fur. Samuel watched, heart pounding, as they wrestled across the mossy floor.
"Alright, enough!" he called. "Doduo, disengage!"
Doduo leaped back, both heads panting. Aipom landed on its feet, chest heaving, but still grinning.
Samuel pulled out an empty Pokéball.
"That was incredible," he said. "You're incredible. I don't know if you want a trainer—if you want a team—but if you do..." He held out the ball. "I'd be honored."
Aipom looked at the ball. Looked at Doduo. Looked at Samuel.
Then it reached out and tapped the ball with its tail.
The capture was instant.
---
Briv, meanwhile, was having a less straightforward experience.
Shinx and the Gible had become inseparable. The little Dragon-type followed Shinx everywhere, mimicking its movements, copying its growls, even trying to borrow its electricity (with limited success). Shinx seemed annoyed at first, then resigned, then—almost reluctantly—affectionate.
"They're cute," Samuel said, walking up with Aipom perched on his shoulder. "Never thought I'd say that about a Gible."
"I need to catch it."
"Obviously."
Briv pulled out an empty Pokéball. Gible noticed the ball and immediately hid behind Shinx, its huge mouth quivering.
"Hey, it's okay," Briv said. He crouched down, holding the ball out. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to be your trainer. Your friend."
Gible peeked out from behind Shinx. Its eyes were wide, uncertain.
Shinx looked at Briv. Then at Gible. Then back at Briv.
Then it nudged Gible forward.
The Dragon-type stumbled, caught off balance, and Briv caught it before it could fall. Gible looked up at him, its mouth open in surprise.
"See?" Briv said gently. "It's okay."
Gible stared at him for a long moment. Then it reached out and bit the Pokéball.
The capture was instant.
---
Briv stood up, staring at the ball in his hand. It was warm, pulsing with that same steady glow as Shinx's ball. A Gible. He'd caught a Gible.
"Holy shit," Samuel said.
"Holy shit," Briv agreed.
Aipom chittered from Samuel's shoulder, and Doduo squawked, and somewhere in the nesting ground, a Zubat took flight. The two trainers stood there in the green glow, surrounded by wild Pokémon, and for a moment, everything felt possible.
"Come on," Briv said finally. "We need to catch up with the others."
They walked back toward the stairwell, their new Pokémon in tow. Shinx and Gible were already bickering—Gible trying to bite Shinx's tail, Shinx zapping it in retaliation. Aipom was hanging upside down from Samuel's dreadlocks, and Doduo was running circles around them all.
It was chaos. Beautiful, wonderful chaos.
And Briv wouldn't have traded it for anything.
---
The eastern exit was a rusted maintenance hatch that opened into a forgotten alleyway in Aethelburg's industrial district. The others were already there—Patricia and Buneary, Nicola and Starly, Dariana and Gallade, Axel and Rotom.
"You took your time," Nicola said.
"We caught Pokémon," Samuel replied.
"I can see that."
Patricia walked over and kissed Briv on the cheek. "How's the Shinx?"
"Better. Made a friend."
"Good." She looked at the alleyway, at the towering factories and the flickering streetlights and the stench of oil and rust. "We should keep moving."
"Yeah."
Briv looked at his belt—six Pokéballs now, plus Chimchar and Piplup and Turtwig. A full team. His team.
He was ready.
The Eclipse Squad was somewhere in this city, hiding in the shadows, planning something terrible. The League was waiting, its stadiums and crowds and challengers ready to test him. And somewhere, in the deep places of the world, the mysteries Briv had been chasing since his own League victory were still unfolding.
But right now, in this alleyway, surrounded by his friends and his Pokémon, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.
He felt alive.
"Let's go," he said.
And they did.