Chapter 67: Dragon's Tooth Oasis
Chapter 67: Dragon's Tooth Oasis
Dragon's Tooth Oasis was a famous tourist destination, located about 120 kilometers from Crimson City. The park was a stunning tapestry of desert, ancient pines, bizarre rock formations, wetlands, prairie, and a crystal-clear lake. A vast prairie stretched for thousands of acres before meeting the endless golden sands, where a natural spring had formed a beautiful oasis lake.
"Whoa..."
When Basalt stepped out of the car at the park entrance and gazed at the sprawling dunes, he couldn't help but marvel at nature's masterpiece.
The dunes rolled on as far as the eye could see, shimmering under the sun. In the distance, he could see people sliding down the sandy slopes on toboggans, their laughter echoing in the air. Others were riding on the backs of Numel, taking in the desert scenery at a leisurely pace. High above, thrill-seekers soared through the sky on hang gliders.
"Skarrr!"
A sharp, metallic cry cut through the air. Basalt looked up to see several large, silver birds circling overhead. They looked as if they were clad in metal armor, with crimson-red feathers visible under their massive wings and long, sharp beaks.
"Skarmory!"
Basalt's jaw dropped, his mouth practically watering.
Skarmory, the Steel/Flying-type Pokémon. While its base stats weren't overwhelming, it was one of the few ideal flying partners for a sandstorm team. As for something like an Aerodactyl, Basalt didn't dare to dream. That was the kind of thing you only saw in epic trainer legends.
Observing them more closely, he realized these Skarmory were likely raised by the park. They seemed to be patrolling the skies, protecting the tourists on hang gliders from being harassed by wild Flying-type Pokémon.
"Basalt, stop gawking! Let's go! The view of the whole oasis from the top of a hundred-meter dune is the real deal!"
His uncle, Marcus, waved four park tickets in his hand. With a hearty laugh, he led the group through the ticket gate and into the park proper.
"Welcome! Interested in a ride?" a park employee immediately approached them. "The dunes look close, but they're quite far apart. Walking in the deep sand is tough, and you'll sink right in." He gestured behind him. "I've got well-trained Numel here, guaranteed to be gentle and obedient. Only 200 Poké Dollars per person."
Basalt saw dozens of Numel fitted with saddles and reins. Their eyes were dull and vacant, but they certainly looked docile and harmless. It was a little sad. The spirits of Pokémon raised as working animals were often worn down until they were little more than mindless beasts, no longer suitable for a trainer's partnership.
What a shame, Basalt thought to himself.
But then again, living out a safe and peaceful life wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The life of a trainer's Pokémon was fraught with risk—injury and even death were common, not to mention the grueling daily training. It was hard to say which life was truly better.
"We'll take four," Uncle Marcus declared with a wave of his hand. He grinned at Basalt. "When you come to Dragon's Tooth Oasis, you have to experience a camel ride. Come on, I'll take you sand-surfing!"
Sand-surfing was the most popular activity in the park. The dunes were steep and tall, with some drops exceeding 100 meters. The natural slopes ranged from 30 to 60 degrees, forming perfect crescent shapes. The sand itself was composed of fine, uniform quartz grains that sparkled in the light.
It was an incredible experience. They rode the Numel slowly up a gentle slope, admiring the scenery as they ascended. From the top of the massive dune, they could see the entire panoramic view of the oasis and the endless desert beyond. Then, they shot down the slope on a sandboard, a thrilling rush of speed and adrenaline.
Basalt was completely conquered by the feeling after just one ride.
So exhilarating!
"Oh, shoot! I got carried away and forgot to let Drilbur out!" He slapped his forehead, annoyed at himself. He quickly took out the Poké Ball and released his partner.
Although... if I don't say anything, Drilbur will never know I already went once, right? A mischievous smile crept onto his face.
"Drilburr~!"
The moment it appeared, Drilbur felt the rich Ground-type energy in the air. It was as if every pore in its body had opened up, and it shivered with pure bliss. For a sand-loving Pokémon, the desert was its true home.
"This is Dragon's Tooth Oasis, Drilbur! You can play as much as you want today. Go have some fun in the sand, and later I'll take you sand-surfing. It's awesome!" Basalt said, patting Drilbur's small head and booping its large, red nose.
"Dril! Dril!"
Drilbur nodded excitedly, then spun its body rapidly and dove headfirst into the dune.
Fwoosh!
A hole instantly appeared in the sand, but it was quickly covered by the shifting grains, leaving only a faint impression.
"Basalt, your Drilbur already knows Dig?"
Just as Drilbur vanished, his cousin Faye slid over on her sandboard, cradling her Budew. Her eyes were wide with astonishment.
Dig was a powerful, mid-to-high-tier move. Was that really something a Pokémon at this stage could master?
It was no wonder Faye was shocked. The strongest move her Budew knew was Absorb. How could she even compare? She felt her confidence crumble.
The key thing was, while Faye's own talent was average, she attended Crimson City High, the best school in the entire prefecture-level city. And even the top-ranked student at her school... their ace's strongest move was only Flame Wheel, another mid-tier move.
Could it be... that Basalt is even stronger than the number one student at my school?
Faye was startled by her own thought. She quickly shook her head, trying to reassure herself. No, that can't be right...
After all, Basalt was just the champion of a small county. Her school's top trainer was this year's number one prodigy in all of Crimson City. The county level and the city level were in completely different leagues. Besides, just knowing a high-tier move didn't equate to overall strength. A real battle depended on a Pokémon's all-around stats and the trainer's on-the-spot commands.
"Yeah, he just learned it recently..." Basalt said with a humble smile, not elaborating.
"Drilbur! Drilbur!"
A moment later, Drilbur reappeared. This time, it was standing on a large rock a hundred meters away, excitedly waving its bright white claws at Basalt and Faye.
"Drilbur, be careful! Don't go too far!" Basalt shouted, waving back with a friendly reminder. The dunes were vast and filled with tourists; it would be easy for Drilbur to get lost.
But Basalt didn't notice that his cousin was once again staring, completely dumbfounded.
What is with this Drilbur? How is its Dig so fast? It crossed a hundred meters in just a few seconds!
Faye felt like everything she had learned about Pokémon in school was being turned on its head. The common knowledge just didn't seem to apply to her younger cousin and his Pokémon.
After letting Drilbur play freely for an hour, taking it sand-surfing, and even trying out the dune buggies, the morning had flown by. Basalt and the others were fine, but Uncle Marcus was a large man who got low blood sugar when he was hungry. They had no choice but to head for a restaurant to fill their stomachs.
"Huh? A 'Sand Dash Race'? The winner gets a mystery prize?"
At the entrance to the park's restaurant, Basalt spotted a large poster. The race was scheduled for two o'clock this afternoon.
"Drilbur, you want to enter?" Basalt asked, looking down at his partner.
He didn't really care about the prize. It was mostly for the fun of it. When you're on vacation, you have to live it up!
"Drilbur~!"
Drilbur struck a confident pose with its claws, as if to say: Of course!
"Okay! We'll sign up right after lunch."
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