Meanwhile, after the incident at the canyon, the internet across the Kanto Region was buzzing.
What first set off the public uproar was half a photograph, so blurry that the face was almost impossible to make out.
In the photograph, a gray-skinned Aerodactyl covered in black rocks was diving out of the sky.
The fierce winds whipped up by his wings sent the surrounding rubble flying.
A figure was faintly visible on his back, but the entire outline was so blurred that no one could even tell whether they were male or female.
Below the picture was the reporter's account:
"A mysterious Trainer appeared at Fossil Canyon with an unknown Pokémon, shattering the obstructing rock layer in a single strike and successfully rescuing those trapped inside!"
Hundreds of new posts appeared on the forums every second.
"That's fake, right? Nobody's ever seen a Pokémon like that. It's obviously Photoshopped."
"Are you blind? There's video out already. Sure, the quality looks like a mosaic, but the power of that strike was real. That whole huge rock layer just vanished!"
"My uncle's neighbor's cousin's classmate was there. They said that Pokémon had black mist pouring off its whole body and smashed the rocks with one swipe!"
"Are you making up stories up there? Black mist pouring off its body? What do you think this is, a horror movie?"
One internet user claiming to be an expert offered an analysis:
"Judging from the photograph, this Pokémon's physical characteristics do closely resemble those of Aerodactyl, but its skin color and the distribution of its rocks match no known variety."
"If the photograph is genuine, this could be an entirely new, undiscovered variety, or even a primordial species from super-ancient times."
This analysis quickly rose to the trending list.
However, the discussion soon went nowhere. After all, Lu Chen had arrived quickly and left even faster. Apart from half a blurry photograph, there was no other information.
News like this, with no follow-up, would lose its buzz within a few days.
Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, and Brock had just reached a nearby city on their journey when they heard people discussing what had happened in the canyon.
Remembering what Lu Chen had told him, Ash declared excitedly,
"Once I've collected eight Badges, I'm definitely going back to Pallet Town to visit Lu Chen and give him a surprise!"
Beside him, Misty held the Pokémon Egg in her arms and bickered with Ash.
"At the rate you're collecting Badges, who knows how long it'll take you to get eight? Hmph!"
"All right, all right, stop arguing. Collecting most of the Badges before heading back to Pallet Town really is a relatively quick option."
Brock could only play peacemaker on the sidelines.
Just as Ash and the others were bickering, the roar of an engine came from the other side.
A red sports car sped toward them, then braked hard, kicking up a cloud of dust as it came to a steady stop beside them.
Ash and the others vigorously waved away the dust flying in front of their faces and complained,
"Cough, cough, cough! Who's being so inconsiderate?!"
"Who else but yours truly?"
The sports car's window rolled down. Wearing sunglasses, Gary rested his arm on the window frame, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Ash, I've already collected way more Badges than you. Just be a good boy and eat my dust."
With that, Gary hit the gas and vanished into the distance in his supercar.
"Hmph! I'll definitely get eight Badges before you!"
Beside Lu Chen's farm, the newly dug stream flowed slowly, its water clear enough to see the bottom.
Beneath the surface, a huge bubble enclosed Lu Chen's entire body, with enough air inside for him to breathe freely.
Standing on Lapras's back, Lu Chen directed Omastar and Kabutops underwater, helping them build a permanent home.
"A little farther left. Dig another half meter down. Yes, just like that."
Omastar's tentacles churned through the mud and gravel on the riverbed like drills, while Kabutops used its sharp, scythe-shaped forelimbs to cut through the underwater rock layers.
Working together, the two Fossil Pokémon completed a neatly constructed underwater cave in less than an hour.
Its entrance was hidden where the aquatic plants grew thickest, completely invisible from outside.
Inside was a spacious cavern, its ceiling some distance above the water's surface, leaving plenty of air.
Lu Chen poked his head out of the bubble, surveyed this new home, and nodded in satisfaction.
"This will be your home. If you encounter strangers from now on, hide inside this cave. Try not to let other humans discover you, understood?"
"After all, you're Fossil Pokémon too. It'll be pretty troublesome if you're discovered."
The Omanyte and Kabuto gently waved their tentacles in the water and nodded repeatedly.
A few Omanyte even went inside the cave for a look around. Their eyes shone when they came back out, clearly pleased with their little home.
"All right, stay here for now. If anything comes up, you can come find me anytime."
With that, Lu Chen patted Lapras's neck.
Lapras surfaced, and Lu Chen hopped off its back onto the bank, shaking the water off himself as he did.
"Lapras, thanks for keeping an eye on the Omanyte and the others from now on."
Lapras gave a gentle, low call to indicate that it was no problem.
They had plenty of free time anyway, so watching over these Fossil Pokémon would help pass the time.
Lu Chen turned his gaze a short distance away.
Aerodactyl lay on a large rock at the edge of the farm, wings drooping and head resting on his claws, looking thoroughly glum.
Lu Chen knew exactly what was going on.
He's still sulking.
Back at the canyon, Aerodactyl had thought he would get to feast, only for Lu Chen to stop him from eating.
Although he had later satisfied his craving with a severed Omastar tentacle, that amount was barely enough to fill a gap between Aerodactyl's teeth.
Looking at the sulking Aerodactyl, Lu Chen knew how to comfort him.
Lu Chen walked over, took a Poké Ball from his waist, and waved it in front of Aerodactyl.
Aerodactyl lifted his eyelids, then his eyes suddenly lit up.
Inside this Poké Ball was the wild Aerodactyl Lu Chen had caught at the canyon.
"How about I put you in charge of this little fellow?" Lu Chen asked with a smile.
"With your abilities, I'm sure you can keep it perfectly in line."
Aerodactyl hesitated.
First you wouldn't let me have a snack, and now you're dumping a job on me?
He turned his head aside and half spread his wings, looking every bit as though he was saying, "I'm still angry."
Lu Chen knew his old companion all too well.
After more than a decade together, he knew which way Aerodactyl would fly the moment his tail lifted.
"I can't help it, Aerodactyl. I don't think anyone on the team besides you can keep this little fellow in line."
Lu Chen sighed, deliberately adding a touch of helplessness to his voice.
"I can only entrust this important responsibility to you."
Aerodactyl pricked up his ears.
He hesitated for a few seconds.
Then, with an air of "reluctance," he extended a claw and pressed it against the Poké Ball.
A flash of red light passed, and the wild Aerodactyl appeared on the ground, looking around in confusion.
Before it could figure out what was happening, Lu Chen's Aerodactyl had already clamped a claw around its neck and, without another word, beaten his wings and flown toward the distant forest.
The wild Aerodactyl gave a brief, agonized cry as it was carried farther and farther away.
Next, Lu Chen's Aerodactyl intended to give his ignorant fellow Aerodactyl a thorough lesson in the rules of their kind.
Watching the two Aerodactyl disappear toward the forest, Lu Chen smiled faintly.
Finally sorted that out.
But just then, a piercing scream came from the farm.
Lu Chen's smile froze on his face.
He recognized it immediately. That was Farmer Number One, Gabite.
"What's going on? Did something happen at the farm?"
Lu Chen pushed off hard and rushed back to the farm in a few strides.
Those thirty Starf Berry trees now represented more than half his assets.
And whether Lu Chen could earn his first pot of gold depended entirely on those precious treasures.
The first thing Lu Chen saw was a distraught Gabite.
Gabite stood beside the field ridge, frantically gesturing with its two finlike forelimbs and letting out rapid, panicked cries, its entire body trembling.
Its eyes were filled with fear and guilt, as though it had committed some terrible mistake.
"What happened, Gabite?"
Gabite pointed at the field in front of it, its voice trembling.
One Starf Berry seedling was missing!
Lu Chen followed its pointing claw and saw that there was indeed an empty spot in the middle of the ridge.
Something had dug a sizable hole where the tender sprout had been planted, taking the surrounding soil along with it.
Lu Chen's vision went dark for a moment.
"That damned bastard..."
Lu Chen forced the words through his teeth, his fists clenching involuntarily.
This was merely a more civilized era; that did not mean there were no thieves.
"You actually dared to steal from me..."
Lu Chen's gaze turned cold.
"You'd better hope I don't find you!"