POKEMON : STARTING WITH FLASH METAGROSS

"Bone Boomerang, Cubone!"

"Kara!"

At Rax Chand's command, Cubone let out a determined cry, hurling its bone club with precision. The club spun through the air, striking the intended target before boomeranging back to its tiny hands.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Rax clapped enthusiastically from behind. "That was incredible! You're amazing, Cubone!"

Cubone's posture remained indifferent, but Rax noticed the faintest blush peeking out from under its bone helmet.

Rax chuckled knowingly. Over time, he had come to understand Cubone's stoic personality—reserved, yet deeply appreciative of praise.

Over the past month and a half, Cubone had grown noticeably stronger, gaining 10 centimeters in height and improving its combat capabilities. Although it wasn't quite at an elite level yet, Rax was confident that continued training would help it break through in the coming weeks.

The successful mastery of Bone Boomerang was what finally convinced Rax to explore Rock Mountain.

---

That evening, as Rax returned to the ramen shop, the hum of training from the backyard greeted him. Captain Yusaku, who had finished closing up the shop, turned to him with a grin.

"Staying late tonight? I'm guessing it's because Cubone learned Bone Boomerang."

"Yeah, it worked so hard!" Rax replied, his pride evident.

After a moment, he hesitated before asking, "Boss, would it be okay if I took Cubone out tomorrow to explore Rock Mountain? I'd like to give it a chance to battle real opponents."

Yusaku raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Go ahead, but don't go too deep, and stay safe."

"Got it. Thanks, boss!"

Rax couldn't help but feel a pang of admiration for Yusaku. Despite being a member of Team Rocket, Yusaku rarely imposed strict rules and allowed Rax the freedom to focus on training and exploration. The man seemed more invested in perfecting his ramen recipes than furthering Rocket's ambitions.

---

The Next Morning

With his gear packed and Cubone following close behind, Rax set off for Rock Mountain.

Cubone's small stature might have made it seem vulnerable, but Rax had grown to trust its strength.

The lower slopes of Rock Mountain were a mix of sparse jungle and exposed rocky terrain. True to its name, the mountain was a bare, rugged expanse of rock.

As Rax climbed higher, he spotted two seemingly unremarkable stones ahead. But years of watching wild Pokémon told him otherwise—these were Geodude, camouflaged perfectly among the surrounding rocks.

"Cubone, Curse!"

When used by non-Ghost-types, Curse boosted physical attack and defense at the cost of speed. For Cubone, speed was hardly a priority.

Cubone planted its bone club into the ground, muttering softly as red and blue energy flickered around it. The Curse took effect, fortifying its defenses and sharpening its offensive power.

"Now, approach carefully."

The Geodude closest to them sensed the disturbance and uncurled, its aggressive nature kicking in as it began rolling toward Cubone.

"Bone Club!"

Without hesitation, Cubone stood its ground, holding its bone club horizontally as the Geodude's rolling attack collided with it.

The enhanced defense from Curse, combined with Cubone's natural resistance to Rock-type moves, absorbed most of the impact. Cubone staggered back slightly but remained steady.

"Now strike!"

Cubone deflected the Geodude with a swift horizontal sweep of its club, following up with a downward smash.

CRACK!

The impact was immediate. Cracks spidered across the Geodude's rocky body as it collapsed, its eyes spinning in defeat.

"One-hit knockout!" Rax cheered. "Well done, Cubone!"

"Kara!" Cubone's triumphant roar was more endearing than intimidating, but its pride was unmistakable.

The second Geodude, witnessing its companion's defeat, attempted to flee.

"Bone Boomerang! Don't let it escape!" Rax ordered.

With newfound confidence, Cubone hurled its club. The spinning projectile struck the fleeing Geodude, knocking it out cold before returning to Cubone's hand.

---

Leaving the incapacitated Geodude behind, Rax and Cubone pressed further into the mountain.

Occasionally, they encountered more Geodude, which Cubone dispatched with ease. Other Pokémon, like Sandshrew, appeared briefly before retreating into their burrows. Rax also spotted a massive Onix in the distance, prompting him to hide with Cubone until it passed.

An encounter with such a powerful opponent would be too risky at Cubone's current level.

Despite their success, Rax couldn't help but notice the lack of diversity among the Pokémon near the mountain's base. Most of the rarer species had likely been captured by trainers, leaving only the common inhabitants.

---

As they climbed higher, Rax's thoughts drifted to the rumors of a Shiny Metagross hidden within Rock Mountain.

Could such a rare and powerful Pokémon really exist here?

For now, it remained a mystery. Until he and Cubone were strong enough, Rax would continue to train and explore cautiously.

With Cubone at his side, he was confident that their journey up Rock Mountain was just beginning.