"Peh, peh, peh—don't say it, don't say it! Vantora is a strange place. You can't just talk carelessly here."
Auron quickly spat twice for good luck and shook his head to ward off misfortune.
"Still… even so, I'd better check the volcano."
His expression turned grim. From what his father had told him, chances were high that the exit lay either inside the volcano or nearby. And if that was the case, then odds were just as high that the Realm Guardian was there as well.
Side by side with Golbat, he advanced cautiously, scanning both sides of the path as he walked.
Before entering, he'd read some guides online about Secret Realms. They said many items could be found just lying quietly along the roadside—hidden treasures if you paid attention.
Berries, too. Many rare ones looked deceptively ordinary. That, at least, didn't worry Auron—he knew most of them by sight. If he came across one, he'd recognize it instantly.
Thinking along these lines, he soon spotted a Zigzagoon by the path.
The little creature locked eyes with him. Auron kept his face blank, pretending not to notice, and walked on.
"The guide said… a Zigzagoon family is like stumbling across a treasure trove. Act casual. Pretend I didn't notice."
He strolled further down the road, then suddenly veered into the woods. Crouching low, he crept back toward the Zigzagoon.
Oblivious to the danger, the Zigzagoon happily gathered up a few berries, stuffing them into its fur before bounding toward its den.
Auron's eyes lit up. He followed silently, grinning to himself.
The den turned out to be a hollow in a large tree. Inside, a baby Zigzagoon and a Linnoon were waiting.
Peeking through the hole, Auron caught sight of the baby—it looked newly born, round and soft, impossibly cute.
Beneath them, though, his real prize gleamed. Scattered at their feet were several items. Even at a glance, he could see three or four treasures: two green stones—almost certainly Leaf Stones—and another that looked very much like a Sun Stone.
As for berries, there were none. Likely eaten already as food.
The Zigzagoon pressed close to the Linnoon, who began plucking the berries from its fur with obvious delight.
Partway through, the Zigzagoon somehow produced a coin from nowhere. The Linnoon didn't even blink—just tossed it onto the growing pile of stones and trinkets, then went right back to stripping berries.
Auron's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He had tailed that Zigzagoon the whole way—yet he hadn't seen where it picked up the coin.
Was it an Amulet Coin… or an Ancient Coin? If it was the latter, it would be worth a fortune.
"No, I need a plan. I'm a civilized man. I can't just rob them by force."
He slapped his cheeks lightly, calming himself as he studied the family. Then, suddenly, an idea struck.
"Alright… Gengar, come out."
The shadowy Pokémon emerged, grinning ear to ear.
"Here's the plan," Auron whispered. "You'll do this… then that… and finally this. Got it?"
Gengar's grin widened. He nodded, then melted into the tree's shadow.
In Auron's senses, Gengar zipped forward at lightning speed, slipping into Zigzagoon's own shadow.
"Keheh!"
He popped out suddenly, startling the Zigzagoon mid-snack.
Leering, Gengar snatched the berry right out of its paws, then took a mocking bite.
Zigzagoon's eyes burned with anger.
Gengar stuck out his long tongue.
"Bleeeeh~"
That was the last straw. With a furious cry, Zigzagoon launched a Tackle straight at him.
It passed harmlessly through Gengar's body. Normal-type moves had no effect.
Cackling, Gengar turned and bolted. Zigzagoon, just as planned, gave chase.
When the little raccoon barreled close enough, Gengar whirled around.
Hypnosis.
The spell hit cleanly. Drowsiness washed over Zigzagoon, who wobbled and collapsed with a thud.
Phase One: complete.
Earlier, when Auron explained the plan, he'd laid it out step by step:
"First, taunt the Zigzagoon. Draw him out. Don't worry about the Linnoon—she won't leave the den with a baby inside.
"Then, hit Zigzagoon with Hypnosis where Linnoon can see. Carry him away until you're out of her sight.
"At that point, Linnoon will panic and come after you. That's when I slip into the den and collect the loot. When I give the signal, you'll bring both of them back, lay Zigzagoon at their doorway, and we'll be done. Got it?"
Gengar had given a big thumbs-up: (￣▽￣)~ok.
Now, with Stage One and Two unfolding perfectly, it was time for Auron to move.
Linnoon, catching sight of her partner being hauled away, panicked. She shoved the baby Zigzagoon deeper into hiding, then rushed out to chase after Gengar.
Auron smiled in satisfaction, then darted inside the hollow.
"Didn't expect this den to be so roomy."
He spared only a moment of wonder before turning to the pile of treasures.
"Ha! As expected—Leaf Stones."
He scooped them up without hesitation, stashing them in his bag.
"Mm… too bad. This is just an Amulet Coin, not an Ancient one."
"Oh? A Heart Scale? Doesn't seem very useful."
In the games, Heart Scales let Pokémon relearn old moves. Here in the real world, they were nothing more than pretty collectibles. Still, Auron wasn't picky—he tucked it into his bag too.
"Wait, this… could it be a Mystic Water?"
He held up a pendant shaped like a droplet. Inside shimmered a darker blue core.
Before he could examine further, a flicker at the edge of his vision drew his gaze.
The baby Zigzagoon. It was half-hidden beneath a broad leaf, trembling as it stared at him.
Auron carefully put away the Mystic Water and reached into his bag again.
Slowly, he approached.
The little Pokémon shrank back, eyes wide with fear.
"Dun-dun-dun~"
Smiling gently, Auron pulled out a Pokéblock.
"Here, this is for you. It's delicious."
But the Zigzagoon skittered backward, refusing.
Then it struck him—maybe it had never seen a Pokéblock before.
"It's good, really. Try it. I'm not even looking."
With that, he turned and walked back toward the pile of loot, deliberately ignoring the little one.
Sure enough, once he was a safe distance away, the baby cautiously poked its head out.
It watched him for a long while, then crept toward the Pokéblock. Sniff. Sniff.
Finding nothing amiss, it nibbled a corner—then its eyes lit up. In seconds, it was devouring the treat with gusto.
From the corner of his eye, Auron saw this and let out a breath of relief. He continued collecting.
"Hm? A Farfetch'd leek? Looks like something bit it. Ah, whatever—always wanted to taste one of these."
He tossed it into his bag.
"What's this? A berry?"
He held up a green, starfruit-like fruit.
"Don't think I've seen this one at the berry shop before… but it looks so familiar…"
Brows furrowed, he dug through his memory. Then it clicked. A recipe—one he had tucked away long ago for making special Pokéblocks.
"No way!"
A grin spread across his face.
"It really is that berry?"
Hands trembling slightly, he pulled out a box from his bag and carefully placed the fruit inside.
"Have to check for more. If there's even one more, this haul will be insane."
With renewed excitement, he dove back into the pile, rummaging feverishly for additional berries.
(End of Chapter)