The Flatlands Strike Back

The Flatlands Strike Back written by Clever Clover

The ground before Clever Clover swelled. "Yosh! I guess Bic was trying to lure me here after all, either that or my Digglet has a lot of friends." The swell reached twice Clever Clover's height and was three times as wide across the base. A crack formed on the swell, like a vicious grin. The grin opened into a gaping maw and loomed over the pony.

"I should probably be moving now," said Clever Clover as he started to back away from the earthen form, but not quickly enough. The pony's world went dark as the hole enveloped him.

"I should have brought a flashlight," mumbled Clever Clover as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. In about five minutes, he could see well enough to know that he was in some sort of tunnel. "There must be an opening somewhere," the pony said to himself. "What little light there is has to be coming from somewhere. Since I can't see very well in the dark, I need someone who can." With that he got out a PokèBall. "Okay, little buddy, let's see what you can do. Come out, Digglet!"

"Digglet!" replied the mole Pokèmon as it materialized in a flash of light.

"Go see if you can find a way out of here, Digglet."

"Digglet-dig!" The Pokèmon disappeared into the darkness. While he waited for his Pokèmon to return, Clever Clover sang a nonsensical song he made up as he sang:

I went to the Flatlands, got stuck in a hole. Couldn't find my way so I followed a mole. I walked and wandered and stepped in some coal. And my dirty hooves were washed in a bowl, I got from a doe out walking her foal.

"Digglet!" the Pokèmon interrupted when it returned.

"Did you find a way out?" Clever Clover asked eagerly.

"Dig-dig," Digglet replied, shaking its head.

"Do you think you could dig out?"

"Digglet!" Digglet replied enthusiastically and began to tunnel into the wall, but the passage it produced collapsed promptly. "Dig-digglet," the Pokèmon said apologetically on digging free of the cave-in.

"That's alright, little buddy; you did your best. Since I'm sure Bic doesn't want me to just stand around here, I guess we should see where this tunnel goes. Why don't you lead the way Digglet, since I can barely see my hoof in front of my face?"

"Digglet!"

Clever Clover followed his Digglet, more by sound than by sight, for what seemed like hours. Digglet wanted to go north, or so it appeared to Clever Clover; though for all he knew he had gotten completely turned around when he was swallowed up in the hole. But every time they turned north, the tunnel promptly turned right, to the east.

"Something doesn't feel right here," said Clever Clover. "Maybe we should try backtracking."

"Digglet-dig."

The tunnel, instead of turning gradually south, doubled back sharply. "This ain't right," said Clever Clover."

"Dig-dig, digglet-dig!"

Clever Clover took out a coin and dropped it on the tunnel floor. "Okay, let's go back again."

They turned around and, shortly after the tunnel doubled back, Digglet stopped. "Digglet! Dig!" The Pokèmon held Clever Clover's coin on top of its head.

"I was afraid of that," muttered Clever Clover as he retrieved the coin. "I guess Bic wants me to go this way."
* * *
They followed the tunnel for hours with no noticeable change in direction. "Hold up, Digger," said Clever Clover. "My hooves are killing me. I need to rest for a while."

"Dig? Dig?" said the Digglet questioningly.

"What, don't you like Digger? I think it's a good name."

"Digglet! Dig-dig."

"Well than, Digger it is."
* * *
After a short rest, Clever Clover and Digger set out again. The tunnel went on for hours with no change. Just when Clever Clover was about to suggest they take another rest, the tunnel dead-ended.

"Well, now what?" muttered Clever Clover.

"Dig?" said Digger.

"We could, but it would probably just cave in again."

"Dig! Dig-dig."

Alright, we'll back-track a way, then you can…" Clever Clover turned around to find the tunnel had closed behind them. "I am now annoyed."

"Dig-digglet-dig-dig." said Digger.

"Well, Digger, dig in," said Clever Clover, pointing to the end of the tunnel.

"Dig…" Digger started to say, but froze when the walls of the tunnel started to close in.

"Ah, Digger, maybe you should do something," suggested Clever Clover.

"Diiiiiiig!" said Digger, as the ground began to tremble slightly.

"Um, are you doing that, Digger?"

"Diiiiiiigget!" was all Digger said as the trembling increased. Soon the ground shook so fiercely that Clever Clover could barely stand. The walls and ceiling of the tunnel began to crumble. Clods of dirt as big as Clever Clover's head were falling about the pony and Pokèmon.

"Watch it, Digger!"

"Dig?" said Digger, as if awaking from a trance.

"Look out!" cried Clever Clover as a large piece of ceiling above Digger began to break loose. The Digglet pulled his head underground quickly, avoiding the avalanche. "Digger! Are you okay?" Clever Clover cried as the dust cleared.

"Digglet!" replied Digger from atop a pile of dirt. Above him the hole in the ceiling glowed with sunlight.

"Alright! We made it out!" yelled Clever Clover as he scrambled up the slope. He grabbed a PokèBall and rope from his pack. "Farfetch'd! Carry this rope up to the surface and tie it off to something."

"Fetch-far-far!" replied the wild duck Pokèmon.

Clever Clover recovered Digger to his PokèBall and climbed out of the hole. He found himself standing atop a low hill overlooking a large lake. In the middle of the lake was a large, steep, hilly island covered in lush foliage that reflected in the lake, giving it an emerald hue.

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