The spades and garden forks in Michiko's hands tugged. "Eh?" Michi cried as they suddenly pulled themselves loose and hurtled through the air, deeper into the cave. "What?"

Still clutching the bag of fertilizer, startled and afraid by the invisible force that had stolen her gardening tools, Michi edged into the darkness. She had to wipe sweat off her brow. "Kohina, can you see?"

The Natu's giant eyes worked well in the dark, much like an owl's, and she could see the Magneton hovering in the shadows just beyond. It was covered in garden implements that had attached themselves to its body. Peeking back out of Michi's hair, the little bird gave an affirmative cheep.

"Is it a Pokemon?"

Cheep!

Michi reached into her bag and found a Pokeball, then edged further towards the shadows. "Here?" she asked, miming a throw. Natu was silent. "Here?" Again, Natu said nothing.

The older woman pointed directly ahead into the mouth of the cave. "Here?"

Cheep!

She hurled the Pokeball and heard it ping off something metal. There was a clatter as all her tools fell to the granite cave floor and the Magneton was sucked into the capsule. Michi collected the Pokeball with some trepidation, then all of her tools. "Thank you," Michi said to Kohina, then tentatively, "Are you feeling better?"

Kohina was feeling a little better. She hopped out of her hiding place and fluttered down to Michi's shoulder instead. She closed her eyes, focusing on the jumps they'd need to make to reach Shoal Cave. She was weary of these distant gardening trips, but that wasn't Michiko's fault. 

Fortunately, though neither of them knew it, it would be the last time.

CATCHING MAGNETON