After speaking with the mayor, everyone got to work to make sure that Lowell's plan succeeded. They walked around the town, familiarizing themselves with the layout, and taking note of where the thieves were said to leave from. Apparently, they get away by sneaking through the bushes or going up into the trees. They managed to find a few prints in the ground, but he doesn't recognize them off-hand.
The people of the town are skeptic about his plan, but they are going along with it, because Andreas told them that he believes the plan would work. Lowell appreciated the sentiment, but it is too early to tell if it will work or not. For all he knows, this could just be a waste of their time, but it is worth a shot. He can't think of any ways to follow them without them noticing, so instead, his plan is to get their attention.
The entire town is gathering in the flowery fields, putting together a picnic. It isn't anything too fancy, because there is still a food shortage, but it should be enough to draw the thieves' attention. They are hoping that they will take the chance of trying to steal the food, even though they are around. Hopefully they won't be able to resist all the food in an open area. They most likely wouldn't expect a trainer to be helping the townspeople, so Lowell's Pokémon can hide in the forest, without the thieves expecting anything. When the thieves make their appearance, his team will reveal themselves, and surround them to stop them from escaping. Then they are going to have a little talk, like Greninja wanted.
It is still light out, and it won't be getting dark for another hour or so. They have been preparing for this all day, and they are hoping that this works. Blankets are spread in the grass, and parents are setting up picnic baskets. They didn't tell the children about the plan, so they are all running around in the grass and playing. Compared to how they looked when they arrived in town this morning, they seem a little happier.
Lowell looked towards the forest edge, where Greninja is currently hidden. He has done a good job of hiding himself. Lowell can't see any trace of him, or his other Pokémon. Although, trying to hide Charizard and Dragonite would be a bit difficult, considering how much they stand out compared to the others, so they are still in their poke balls. Gardevoir, Crobat, and Stunfisk are all hiding in the forest, as well. Hopefully this all goes well.
He felt the blanket underneath him shift a little when someone sat beside him. He looked to his right, and he saw that it was Levy. She has a smile on her face, but she seems a bit concerned.
"Let me guess, you don't think the plan is going to work?" he assumed.
She shook her head. "It isn't that, but are you sure that it wouldn't be easier to just look for them? For all we know, we could be cornering some of them, but then we could get ambushed by even more. If that happens, then a lot of people could get hurt."
Lowell sighed and shook his head. "I highly doubt that. If they haven't hurt anyone yet, then I doubt that will hurt anyone now." he responded. "Hopefully, when they notice they are surrounded, they will just give up. Considering that they always sneak into town, it is safe to say that they aren't looking for a fight. I would rather solve this peacefully." he explained.
Also, he wants to know why they are stealing food from these people. Can't they just scavenge for food in the forest? Something must have happened, that caused the Pokémon to resort to stealing. He knows that, if given the opportunity, he can talk to them and figure out their motives, as well as find a way to resolve things in a way that both sides benefit.
Levy nodded her head in understanding. She won't doubt his plan, because he has more experience dealing with Pokémon than she does. He would know how to handle a situation like this better than she would.
They were both silent for a moment, but Levy decided to use this time to ask a couple of things.
"Earlier, Greninja seemed a little angry when he saw how the children of the town were effected. It is understandable, but it seemed like a personal matter." she stated.
Lowell sighed, placing his head in one of his hands. "Yeah. It has something to do with something that happened long before he and I met. The problem was eventually solved, but he still has a hard time moving on from that." he explained. His eyes show his sadness. "I do what I can to help, but it is up to him to forgive himself. Although he can explain it more, once he feels like talking about it."
Levy understands. Whatever is bothering Greninja, it is a personal subject, and he needs to be the one to talk about it. She won't force him to talk, though. Still, she wonders what he would have to forgive himself for.
With that question answered, she went onto her next one. "So, do you think that you will get any useful information from this job?" she asked. By the looks of things, the only thing out of the ordinary around here are the thieves. They still haven't confirmed if they are Pokémon or not, but that is the most likely conclusion. Still, she doubts that it has anything to do with how they ended up in Earth.
Lowell shook his head. "No, probably not, and I wasn't expecting to. However, if I just stay in Magnolia, then I definitely won't find anything. I agreed to do this job, because I wanted to help these people. It is as simple as that." he explained.
As nice as it would be for them to find some information already, things just don't happen like that. It will never be that easy. This is going to take time, and he knows that. However, while he is here, he may as well try and help other people. They were affected by the changes that took place when Ishgar merged with Earth, and so were the Pokémon. By taking these jobs, he can help the citizens of Fiore, as well as make sure they Pokémon don't suffer, either. Even if it means he has to stay here longer, he doesn't mind. At least he can be of some help.
Levy looked at him with slight shock. She knew that he cared about others, even if he doesn't enjoy being crowded, but he is so willing to help people he literally just met. He isn't even a mage. If a serious fight were to break out, then there is a chance he could get severely injured, and he knows that. Yet, he shows complete confidence in his team's abilities, and he comes up with plans of action for everyone to take. He even goes out of his way to avoid unnecessary conflicts. How can one person be so wonderful? She admired him a lot before, but this only make her look up to him even more.
They both settled into a comfortable silence as they watched the sunset and enjoyed each other's company. Lowell watched the sunset with his Pokémon from time to time, but it feels so much different, now that he is doing it with Levy. They've stopped talking, but even so, he enjoys just being next to her, which is something he would've never thought would happen. If it was with anyone else, he would most likely be taking a nap.
He took a quick glance to his right, and he saw that she was looking straight ahead, her sight focused on the sunset. Now that it is just the two of them, he can't help but admire her features.
She is a lot shorter than other girls her age, but that doesn't take away from her overall beauty. She has flawless skin, and whenever she holds his hand, he can't help but notice how smooth hers are. Her hair is short, but beautiful, and her warm, brown eyes makes him feel at ease. He has never cared about looks, but to him, Levy is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. His cheeks blush at these thoughts, but he can't help it.
Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Levy turned around, and she took note of how quickly Lowell turned away. She blushed, but she smiled nonetheless. A lot of people would consider it creepy for a guy to stare at a girl like that, but she finds it endearing. It proves that he at least has some feelings for her, which makes her feel a little giddy inside. Suddenly, she gained a little more courage, and she did something that may or may not end up embarrassing her. She reached for his hand.
He gasped at the sudden contact, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he gave her hand a light squeeze. He has come to terms with these strange feelings. He likes Levy. He enjoys being close to her and holding hands like this. He still isn't sure why he is so drawn to her, but he won't complain about it. He has never felt this strongly for someone before, and it feels nice.
A breeze passed by, and it made Levy shiver a little. Lowell noticed, so he took off his coat and offered it to Levy.
"Won't you be cold, too?" she asked.
Lowell shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine. I have always liked the cold, so it won't bother me. Please, take it." he insisted.
She was still a little hesitant, but with a sigh, she accepted his offer, and he wrapped the warm coat around her. Almost immediately, she let out a sigh of relief. The warm furs lining the inside of the jacket made her much warmer. She wrapped the coat tighter around herself, and she then leaned against Lowell, placing her head on his shoulder. He is a little surprised, but he doesn't mind.
They stayed like this until the sun finally disappeared, leaving them in darkness. The only sources of light are lanterns that people brought out with them, and they only create a dim light. It is only a matter of time now, before the thieves show up.
Some families began to return to their houses, because their children had fallen asleep. Others remained outside, in the hope of catching the ones responsible for their food shortage.
They sat in darkness for nearly half an hour, before they heard a quiet rustling in some of the bushes. Lowell and Levy both stood up, ready to take action if necessary. The rustling continued for a couple seconds, before it stopped and left everyone in complete silence. The only sound they can hear is wind blowing through the trees.
Then, without any warning, a shadow dashed out of the bushes and into the clearing. It was aiming for the picnic baskets. People ran out of the way, trying to avoid getting knocked over.
"Now, Levy!" Lowell exclaimed.
Levy nodded her head and began to write using her Solid Script Magic. "Solid Script: Light!" A shining lightbulb appeared in front of Levy, lighting up the clearing. In turn, it left the thief completely visible.
It is a green, wolf-like Pokémon with yellow stripes on its nose, sides of its head, and its tail. Lowell immediately recognized this Pokémon as an Electrike. He saw a lot of these while fighting Team Flare.
The Electrike growled at them, and tried to run away when it realized that it had been caught. Several people tried to catch it, but it was too fast for them, ducking underneath their legs and running around them. However, just as it was about to reach the forest edge, a shuriken made of compressed water struck the ground in front of it, creating a small explosion that picked up the dust in the area. Once the dust went away, Greninja was standing in the spot his Water Shuriken hit.
"You won't be getting away that easy." Greninja told the lightning Pokémon.
Suddenly, the ground next to Greninja was engulfed in a dark-purple explosion, knocking him back a couple feet. Flying above them is a black, crow-like Pokémon.
"What is that?" Levy asked in surprise.
Lowell took out his Pokedex and pointed it at the new arrival. The Pokémon's picture then appeared on the screen.
"Murkrow: The Darkness Pokémon. Feared and loathed by many, it is said to bring misfortune to all who see it at night." the Pokedex stated.
"That doesn't sound good." Levy responded.
Lowell didn't respond. Instead, he studied the surrounding area. "Is that all of them?" he thought.
The sound of another explosion caught his attention. Greninja is dodging Shadow Balls left and right, using Night Slash to counter any of them that he can't escape. While Greninja was busy doing this, Electrike used this as a chance to strike, hoping it would leave him immobile. Its body crackled with electricity.
"Thundershock!" Electrike shot a small bolt of lightning towards Greninja, and if it connects, then it will do a decent amount of damage.
However, before it could reach him, Stunfisk jumped out, and he absorbed the electricity with ease.
The electric/ground-type Pokémon chuckled when the electric-type attack hit him. "Wow. That tickled." he commented.
At this point, they have no choice but to fight back. Lowell and the others were hoping that they wouldn't put up a fight. Their best option now is to weaken them, but not hurt them, too much. They need to slow them down.
"Stunfisk, use Mud Shot on Electrike. Greninja, use Water Shuriken on Murkrow!" Lowell ordered.
The two Pokémon followed their trainer's orders and charged at their respective targets. Stunfisk spat out balls of mud that rained down on Electrike. The lightning Pokémon dodged the first few, but then he tripped on the muddy ground, causing him to stumble and fall.
Meanwhile, Greninja hopped into a tree to avoid another Shadow Ball. He compressed water in his palm to create another Water Shuriken, which he threw at the flying Pokémon. However, Murkrow reeled back his wings and flapped them hard, creating blades of wind that flew towards Greninja.
"Air Slash!" Murkrow exclaimed.
Greninja jumped into the air, avoiding the sharp wind blades. He could hear the sound of wood snapping, and when he turned around, he watched as the branch he was standing on crashed to the ground. He turned back to face Murkrow, with a serious glint in his eyes.
"I won't allow you and your friends to keep stealing from these innocent people!" he declared. His arms and legs began to glow white, and he continued to ascend higher in the air towards Murkrow.
"And I won't let you get in our way!" the darkness Pokémon replied. He tried to send another Air Slash at Greninja, but he disappeared. He scanned the ground below him, searching for the ninja Pokémon, when he suddenly felt the presence of something behind him.
"Aerial Ace!" Greninja came down on Murkrow and dropkicked him with a glowing leg, sending him crashing into the ground.
Greninja landed a couple feet away from Murkrow, and he slowly walked towards the darkness Pokémon. Murkrow started to get up, but he didn't go any further than he already was, because he knew he couldn't win a fight with Greninja. Electrike isn't that far away, and he is being kept in place by Stunfisk.
Now that the two of them aren't able to go anywhere, Lowell and Levy walked up to them.
"You can come out now, Gardevoir, Crobat." Lowell called.
Gardevoir stepped out of the forest, using Psychic to keep the two smaller Pokémon in place, just in case they tried anything. Crobat stayed above everyone to make sure that there were no more surprise attacks.
"Will you stop fighting, or do you want to continue?" Lowell asked. He hopes that they stand down, because he doesn't want to harm anymore Pokémon.
Electrike and Murkrow exchanged a quick look before sighing and nodding their heads. They don't want to give up, but they know that they are outmatched.
Hearing this, Gardevoir gently placed them on the ground before releasing them from her Psychic. She watched them closely in case they tried to make a break for it. However, this did not happen. They just stood there, waiting for whatever would come next.
Lowell looked around the field, and then down at the two Pokémon. "Are there more of you?" he asked. He received silence. Lowell sighed. "Look. I don't want to start another fight. The last one was highly unnecessary. We weren't going to hurt you. We only wanted to talk, and that is still our intention." he explained.
Electrike was in deep thought for a moment. After a moment of silence, he sighed and called out to someone. Before they could say anything, several small figures walked out of the forest. Lowell recognized a Patrat, Pancham, Zigzagoon, and Mankey. They all walked forward and joined their friends without a word. They all looked down to avoid the gazes of the humans and Pokémon in front of them.
"What was your reason for stealing food from the people of this town?" Lowell asked. "Is there no food in the forest, or did something happen?"
The Pokémon were silent, before Electrike, who appears to be their leader, spoke up. "Actually, it is both of those things." he replied.
Greninja looked at the lightning Pokémon in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Electrike sighed. "We have been able to find some fruit, but we can't find berries, anywhere. There are more of us, but we are the ones that have been stealing the food. It has been hard to feed everyone." he explained. A low growl than escaped his mouth. "Then, a group of bigger and stronger Pokémon came along. They threaten to hurt some of the younger Pokémon among us, if we don't give them a majority of the food we collect. The choice in this scenario is an obvious one."
Lowell looked at the other Pokémon, and he didn't see anything in any of them that made him think they were bad. They all look rather sad, and he can tell that they haven't eaten much, because they look skinnier than most. He also doesn't doubt what Electrike said about berries. They are in Fiore, which means that Oran and Pecha Berries don't grow naturally, here, and those berries are what a lot of Pokémon in the wild eat. It is very possible that it is hard for them to find food.
Now that he thinks about it, is it that hard for every Pokémon living in Fiore to find food? Are the Pokémon here suffering? That would explain why so many of them are attacking towns and cities. They aren't just mad because of losing their homes, they are also trying to find food. Maybe he can help them, somehow.
However, Greninja doesn't care. He understands that it must've been hard for them to feed their friends and family, but stealing is never justified. You can steal from the rich and give to the poor, but stealing is still stealing.
"You can't just go around stealing from people, just because you are having trouble finding food. It isn't right." he said, looking at the ground. "I should know." he continued.
Lowell sighed and watched from afar. He isn't going to interrupt. If Greninja wants to talk about it, then he will.
Greninja stood there for a moment, clenching his fists. "Before I met the professor and went with Lowell on his journey, I was a part of a group of Pokémon that went around stealing from people and Pokémon alike. It didn't matter if it was food, or money. Even if we had no use for the item, we stole it." he explained with downcast eyes.
Everyone listened without saying a word. Levy was a little shocked, but now she understands why Greninja didn't like the subject. He was a thief, in the past, and he learned that what he was doing was wrong.
"This went on for over a year, before we finally learnt our lesson. The people we stole from got tired of it, and they drove us away from the town. We didn't know where to go, and I knew that going back to stealing wasn't the right decision. We had lost the only home we ever knew, because we stole from others." he explained. "While travelling with Lowell, I tried to make up for my mistakes, by helping as many people as possible."
He turned to face the Pokémon in front of him. "You are different than the group I was a part of. You steal to survive. We simply stole because we felt like it. Stop while you still can, so that you don't turn into what we were." he said before turning and walking away. He didn't go far, but he simply went back into the woods, so that he could be alone for a little while. Lowell didn't stop him, because he knows that he needs some time to himself to think.
After that, everyone went silent. No one knew what to say. To break the tension, Lowell decided to speak up.
"I agree with Greninja. Stealing isn't right, and it will only hurt you more, in the end." he said.
Electrike and the other Pokémon didn't agree with this. "Then what are we going to d- "Electrike was cut off by Gardevoir.
"Let him finish, before you begin to complain." she said sternly, which managed to get him to be quiet and let Lowell continue.
"That being said, I want to help you, and I have an idea of how to help." he responded. "Electrike, if it is possible, can you take us to where your group lives?" he asked.
"Why?" Electrike asked skeptically.
Lowell grinned. "Because, we are going to deal with this group of stronger Pokémon, so that you don't have to live in fear of them stealing your food." he explained.
The Pokémon looked at him in astonishment. They've been stealing from this town, and they even attacked Lowell and the others, yet he is willing to help them? Why would he do that?
Murkrow flew closer to Lowell. "Why would you help us, after everything we did?" he asked. "You have no reason to help us."
Lowell looked at the Pokémon with sympathy and shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe not, but I want to help. You have been victims just as much as this town has. If we deal with your problem, then the town won't have to worry about you stealing food from them again." he explained.
It makes sense when you think about it, but what about the food? Levy doesn't understand what good it will do to defeat the group of Pokémon stealing from Electrike and his friends if they are still going to have trouble finding food.
"Won't they just come back to the town and begin to steal again?" Levy asked, a little uncertain.
Lowell was silent for a moment, thinking about that. She has a point. Doing this means nothing if they will just come back to the town, looking for food. That problem still needs to be solved, as well.
He sighed. "I am still thinking about that, but we need to take things one step at a time." he responded. "We'll take care of these stronger Pokémon, and then we will worry about the food situation."
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, figuring that this is the best plan of action. If it isn't, then they can't come up with anything better. The only person who is visibly upset by this is the mayor, who stomped away from the others with an angry expression on his face. Lowell noticed this, but he will deal with that, later.
He turned back to face the Pokémon, who have newfound hope in their eyes. "Alright. For now, I want all of you to stay near the edge of the forest. The people of the town are probably still weary of you, so it would be best to not make them uncomfortable." he said, to which they nodded their heads in understanding. "My Pokémon will keep an eye on you, just to make sure you don't try anything stupid. Once the sun is up again, we will all go to where your group lives, to take care of this problem."
With that said, everyone began to return to their homes. It is rather late, and many of them have work tomorrow. Levy began to head to the hotel they will be staying at, and the Pokémon began to head toward the forest. Lowell will go back to the hotel, but he has two things he needs to take care of, first, so he told Levy to go without him.
He walked up to Crobat, who is currently perched on a branch. The bat Pokémon looked down at his trainer.
"I want you to keep an eye on Greninja." Lowell said. "He is probably angry at himself, right now, so I need someone to make sure he doesn't go off and do something he may regret. You have a closer relationship to Greninja than the others, so I trust you to make sure he is alright." he explained.
Crobat nodded his head in understanding and smiled. "Don't worry about that. I'll make sure he is alright. I was planning on doing that, even if you didn't tell me to." he responded before flying off to find Greninja.
Lowell watched as Crobat flew off to find Greninja, and he let out a tired sigh. "I can only hope that Crobat will calm him down." he thought before heading towards the town. With that done, there is only one thing left for him to do.
"Now, I need to go have a word with Andreas." he muttered to himself.
Lowell knocked on the door to the mayor's house, and it was quickly opened by Anna, who greeted him with a sad frown. It is obvious that she knows why he is here, and she is just as upset about it as he is.
"I'm guessing that the mayor isn't quite happy that we are going to be helping the Pokémon?" Lowell assumed.
She sighed and nodded her head in confirmation. "He is furious. He can't seem to understand that, by helping them, we are also helping the town. I guess he isn't quite convinced that this plan of yours is going to succeed." she explained.
He figured as much. He began to walk towards the stairs, already knowing that he was in his office. Anna didn't try to stop him, because she knows that he needs to speak with him.
Once he reached the door to the study, he noticed that it was already opened. He peered inside the room, and he saw that Andreas is sitting at his desk, one arm laying on top of it, and his other hand holding up his face. He saw Lowell enter the room, and he sat back in his chair with an angry glint in his eyes.
"You just took it upon yourself to offer help to those creatures." he stated angrily.
Lowell narrowed his eyes at the man. "Those "creatures" have a name, and if I remember correctly, it is our job to deal with the group of thieves. However, by helping them, they will leave your town alone." he explained.
Andreas sat up and slammed his hands against the desk, failing to intimidate Lowell even the slightest. "I was willing to go along with your last plan, because I believed that it would be beneficial to us. However, now you say that you don't know how to solve the food problem, yet you volunteer to take care of the group that is terrorizing those thieves?!"
Lowell sighed. "Listen. I am only one man. I am thinking of a plan as we speak, but I can't be expected to be able to come up with a solution to every problem in such a short period of time. I need time to think- "
"I am not paying you to think!" Andreas interrupted. "I am paying you to get results. So, if you want to be paid, then I suggest you take care of the problem." he said, turning around.
He tried to stay calm, but this man is irritating him very badly, right now. "Believe me, I will." he almost growled at the man. He turned and left the room, not even bothering to acknowledge Anna as he left the house without a word. He knows that she heard the yelling, but he doesn't care. Andreas is being stubborn, and Lowell is determined to take care of the situation, his own way. He'll show him that he can solve the problems on both sides. He just needs time to think of a plan.
In the forest, Crobat finally found Greninja. It took a little searching, but he knows where Greninja likes to go when he is upset. He found a small lake that reflects the moonlight, and Greninja was sitting on the edge of the lake, with his legs in the cool water.
Greninja is looking up at the moon, trying to calm his nerves. He is feeling better than he was a couple minutes ago, but he still needs some time before he can return to the others.
"How long are you going to just watch me?" he asked without turning around.
Crobat sighed and flew closer to Greninja, hovering right behind him. He isn't surprised that Greninja sensed him. After all, he is practically a ninja. They may be almost equal in speed, but Greninja has far before senses and reflexes than he does, which is what earned his respect when they first met.
"Tomorrow we are going to follow those Pokémon to the rest of their group. Lowell is planning on dealing with the ones threatening them, and he will figure out the food situation later." he explained, knowing that Greninja would like to be filled in on what he missed.
Greninja nodded his head in gratitude, but remained silent. They stayed like this for a couple minutes, listening to the crickets chirping and the wind blowing through the trees. Crobat knows that he can't force Greninja to talk, so he is waiting for him to speak up.
The bat Pokémon heard Greninja let out a sigh, and he knew what was coming.
"I'm fine." he responded. "I just…needed some time to myself, to think about things."
Crobat nodded his head in understanding. "Everyone understands." he replied. "Well, almost everyone understands. I have a feeling that the mayor isn't so understanding." he said, remembering the way the middle-aged man stomped off.
Greninja scoffed. He isn't surprised. The man seemed to understand their situation when they first told him about Pokémon, but he also didn't show any real interest towards them. He just wanted the job done, and that was it.
"Knowing Lowell, he has probably already dealt with the problem." Greninja responded, to which Crobat couldn't help but agree. He may not look like much to some, but he doesn't give up, and he most certainly won't let someone stop him from helping others.
There was another moment of silence. This isn't exactly something either of them are used to. Since they first met, they have become close friends, considering each other brothers. However, they aren't used to having these kinds of conversations with each other.
"You do realize that you aren't the only one that made mistakes, right?" Crobat asked. He doesn't know much about Greninja's past, only that he was in a group of thieves. He also helped Greninja out when they had a run in with his former group, during their travels. However, after that day, he didn't want to talk about it, and they understood. Still, he wasn't the only one who had done things they regret. "Look at me. When we first met, I was terrorizing trainers in a dark cave. It wasn't until you and Lowell defeated me in a battle that I realized that I could do so much more with my life."
Greninja sighed. He remembers that day very well.
A couple months into his journey, Lowell had reached the Connecting Cave on his way to Cyllage City. Greninja, or at this point in time, Froakie, was right by his side. They just finished a quick training session, before deciding that it was time they move on.
They stepped into the cave, and they were happy to see that there was still a decent amount of light filtering through the cave's opening. The two of them walked slowly and carefully, keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of trouble. This is the first time Lowell had ever gone into a cave, so he didn't know what to expect.
As they progressed through the cave, they realized that there was a distinct lack of Pokémon in the cave. Lowell wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, but the look on Froakie's face made him realize that it was the latter.
They took a couple more steps, before they began to hear a quiet screeching sound coming from the opposite end of the cave. At first, Lowell wasn't sure what it was, until the sound began to get closer and closer. He saw a cluster of blue bodies flying towards them, and he quickly ducked do avoid getting knocked off his feet. He and Froakie kneeled beside a small boulder, watching as the swarm of Zubat flew over their heads.
Almost a minute passed, and they were all gone. They stood up, thinking that it was over, but then another screech came from behind them. They turned around, and they were almost hit by a lone Zubat's glowing wing. Lowell rolled to the side, and Froakie hopped on top the boulder. Both narrowed their eyes at the bat Pokémon as it began to double back around.
Knowing that they had no other choice, Lowell acted. "Froakie, Water Pulse on the rocks!" he ordered, swinging his arm forward.
Froakie obliged, forming a swirling sphere of water in his palms. He jumped back from his spot on the boulder, tossing the sphere of water. It made contact with the stone floor of the cave, causing stray rocks to fly up and hit the bat Pokémon. He tried to dodge them, but he couldn't prevent a couple of them from hitting his wings.
Seeing that he was distracted, Lowell saw an opening. "Quick Attack!"
Froakie dashed forward at a blinding speed, catching Zubat by surprise. He appeared behind him, and he tackled him into the ground, causing him to screech in pain.
Froakie returned to Lowell's side, and they watched to see what Zubat would do next. Slowly but surely, Zubat slowly hoisted himself off the ground, forcing himself to return to the air. He wasn't going to give up, even if he was severely overpowered. He was going to prove himself, even if it killed him.
Zubat took a deep breath before exhaling, and emitting a powerful Supersonic attack. Lowell and Froakier both had to cover their ears to block out the deafening sound, and Zubat used this to his advantage. He swooped down, wings glowing, and hit Froakie with a Wing Attack.
Froakie was knocked several feet back, hitting the hard, stone wall with a grunt of pain. Lowell looked back at his partner with concern. "Froakie!" he yelled in worry.
Froakie stood back up, giving his trainer a brief thumbs up, showing that he was still good to battle. Lowell nodded his head and returned his focus to the bat flying towards them once more. He was zigzagging through the air, making it hard for Froakie to land a hit.
Zubat wasn't sure what to do at this point. He knew that he wouldn't last for much longer, so he needed to do something that would change the tides of battle heavily in his favor. He thought of the possibilities for a moment, before his sight settled on Lowell. He realized that without his orders, Froakie wouldn't know what to do. If he took out the trainer, then he would win. He changed his trajectory, diving down towards Lowell.
Lowell's eyes widened in shock. He wasn't expecting to get targeted, and he wasn't prepared to defend himself. He brought his arms up to block the incoming attack, but a small shadow appeared in front of him. Froakie had jumped in front of Lowell, shocking both Lowell and Zubat. He began to glow, knocking Lowell and Zubat back.
The light continued to expand as Froakie got bigger, until the light vanished completely, revealing a newly evolved Frogadier. Lowell looked up at his partner with both gratitude and surprise. Not only did he protect him, but he also evolved in the process.
Frogadier stood across from the shocked Zubat, sending him a small glare. Lowell stood up, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Alright, then. Frogadier, let's end this battle with a Water Pulse!" he ordered.
Frogadier hopped into the air, hurling another Water Pulse. However, this time it was aimed directly for Zubat. He had no time to fly away, before the attack hit him. The sphere of water exploded upon impact, sending Zubat crashing to the ground.
Zubat tried to get back up, but his body wouldn't budge. He was still far too weak to defeat such strong opponents. He noticed the figure standing above him, and he realized that Lowell was looking down at him.
"You have potential." he said. This surprised Zubat. He wasn't expecting to hear that. "However, your potential is wasted here. Why stay in a cave for the rest of your life, harassing passing trainers? You could do a lot more good by travelling, and learning to live up to your full potential." he explained, kneeling beside the fallen bat Pokémon. A small grin formed on his lips. "I know that it isn't a guarantee, but if you come with me, then I can at least help you toward that. It doesn't matter how much power someone can have. What matters is how they choose to use the power that they do have."
Zubat listened to his words without missing a single word. Could he really help others? He's spent so much time attacking trainers that pass by, that he isn't sure how much help he could be. Suddenly, he noticed the red and white ball-like device in Lowell's hand.
Frogadier stood directly behind Lowell, with a small smile on his face, as well. "Would you like to be a part of our family?" Lowell asked.
Zubat looked at them, shocked, but he knew what he wanted to do. He knew how he could redeem himself. He just needed to trust the human that was willing to give him a chance.
With a newfound goal in mind, Zubat slowly picked himself off the cold ground, and he pressed his head against the button on the Poke ball, allowing himself to be caught. He wasn't sure what would happen from that point forward, but he did know that he wouldn't make the same mistakes that he already made.
Greninja recalled the event with a small smile on his face. "That was the day that our family gained a new member." he said, looking towards Crobat. "It was also the day that I found a pretty good rival." he said, his smile turning to a smirk.
Crobat laughed, remembering the first time he challenged Greninja to a rematch. He lost horribly, but now, the two of them are almost on equal playing fields. Greninja is still stronger than Crobat, but he won't give up that easily.
"So, are you feeling better now?" Crobat asked.
Greninja nodded his head, laughing a little. "Yeah. I may stay out here for a little longer, but I'm fine, now." he responded.
The bat Pokémon nodded his head in understanding. "Alright. Just remember that we are leaving early in the morning. Also, don't think about the past, too much. You've changed, and it was for the better. That is what matters."
Crobat soon left, leaving Greninja to his thoughts. He isn't wrong. Greninja knows that he shouldn't dwell over his past so much, because things have already resolved themselves. He should just be grateful that he has a family that cares about him, and are willing to help him in any way possible. He couldn't have become who he is today without their help, and he won't ever forget that.
He remained by the lake for a couple more minutes, before finally deciding to head back to the others. He needs to get some rest for tomorrow. If there is going to be a fight, then he needs to be prepared. He can't afford to get rusty now, of all times. Lowell is counting on him, and so are the other Pokémon. A reminder of his past isn't going to keep him from helping them. If anything, that just gives him even more of an incentive to do his best.
Back in the hotel, Lowell just arrived at the room he and Levy will be staying in. They both blushed at the thought of sharing a room together, but it was cheaper to get one room, and he wasn't going to make her pay extra for another room. Thankfully, there are two beds, much to both of their luck.
As soon as he walked into the room, Levy looked up from the book she is reading. She is wearing a blue, strapless nightgown that reaches down to her knees. She is also wearing a pair of reading glasses.
She smiled at him, but then she noticed the annoyed frown on his face, causing her smile to falter. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
He let himself fall on the bed across from hers with a small grunt. "Andreas is a very, very stubborn and aggravating man." Lowell responded.
Levy sighed. "What happened?" she asked, a little concerned. She noticed how he had stormed off before, but she wasn't expecting him to be in such a bad mood.
"He is mad that I didn't get his consent to help Electrike and his friends." he answered with a small sigh. "He doesn't seem to realize that, by helping them, we are also helping the town by stopping them from stealing more food." he explained.
Levy nodded her head in understanding. She can see why that would be a problem. "He shouldn't be complaining. At least we are trying to help him and the people of this town. If it gets results, then it shouldn't matter if we help the other Pokémon." she responded, to which Lowell nodded his head in agreement. She then lowered her head. "Still, I can understand why he would be weary to accept your plan." she continued.
He looked at her with a raised brow. "Is it because we still haven't come up with an idea of how to solve their food problem?" he asked.
She frowned and nodded her head. "Yeah. We can't guarantee things will return to normal, so it is understandable that he would be hesitant to go along with it. It would've been smart to run it by with us, before you said you would help them."
Lowell stood up from the bed, a slight glint of anger in his eyes. "Why should I have to get permission to help them?" he asked, looking directly into her eyes. "They are being threatened by these stronger Pokémon. I won't just let them continue to harm them. I know that this is the best way of going about it. If we help these Pokémon, then we help the town."
Her eyes widened slightly, out of fear. She hadn't seen him this mad since she met him. Sure, he has gotten irritated, but never this mad. He noticed her fear, and he sighed, making himself calm down and sit back on the bed.
"I'm sorry." he said. "I just don't like sitting around and doing nothing when Pokémon need help." he explained.
She gave him a small smile. "It's alright. I understand. This is something that you believe strongly about, but you still need to think things through before committing to something that you may not be able to accomplish.
He nodded his head. "Yeah, I know that, which is why I am trying to come up with a plan." he responded, letting out another sigh. "However, I still have no idea how I will do that. There is also the fact that, this is probably happening across Ishgar. Pokémon are probably having a hard time finding food, since their main source of food doesn't grow in this region, and it makes me upset that they have almost no other choice than to steal." he explained.
Levy frowned. He does have a point, but what can they do about that? It would take a lot more than just them to solve that problem, and they still need to focus on here and now. They can worry about the rest later.
Still, she can see how upset he is about this. Despite the blush threatening to rush to her cheeks, she leaned over and grabbed his hand, pushing her embarrassment to the side. He was way too tired to even blush. He just sat there, holding her hand.
"It's alright. I am sure that everything will work out." she said. "Let's focus on one thing at a time. We'll help Electrike and the other Pokémon, and then we will worry about the food. We need to take this one step at a time."
Lowell nodded his head in agreement, and he let a small smile appear on his face. For some reason, just talking to her has helped him calm down. Whenever he is around her, he is calm, yet he his heart keeps racing. He doesn't understand how someone can feel such a way.
He stared at her for a long moment, before he noticed something that made his smile widen playfully. "Are you still wearing my coat?" he asked.
She looked down, and she blushed when she realized she was still wearing it. She could have sworn that she had taken it off. Although she will admit that it makes her much warmer, and its smell also comforts her, whether it embarrasses her or not. It smells like the forest, which must be because he now sleeps in the forest.
She quickly took it off even though the lack of warmth made her sad, and she handed it back to him. "Sorry about that. I forgot that I was even wearing it." she apologized.
Lowell shrugged his shoulders, still having a playful smile on his face. "Don't worry about that. I'll admit, it is pretty comfortable. That is why I wear it, all the time. I like the cold, but it has a warmth that makes me want to fall asleep." he explained as he put it on the side of his bed.
Levy nodded her head in agreement. She couldn't deny that. Although she can't help but stare at it. He could have let her keep wearing it, at least for the night. It is still a little cold in the room, and it isn't like he was wearing it.
He noticed her stare, and he let out an amused chuckle. "If you are that cold, then I don't mind if you keep wearing it." he said.
She blushed after realizing she had been caught staring, but she shook her head. "N-no! It's fine." she lied.
Lowell just shook his head, grabbed his coat, and threw it at her. She wasn't expecting him to throw it, so it hit her in the face, almost knocking her off the bed. She pushed herself up, and she sent him a small glare. However, he was already laying down on his bed.
"You can give it back tomorrow." he said, his voice muffled by his pillow. "Just don't mess it up."
Levy sighed, getting up to turn off the lights. She doesn't understand how he can fall asleep so easily. She sat back down on her bed, wrapping his coat around her once more. She immediately felt warm, and she laid back on her bed. For some reason, with his coat wrapped around her, she feels protected. Not only does she feel warm on the outside, but she also feels warm on the inside. She fell asleep without much trouble, and without noticing the pair of eyes staring at her.
As she fell asleep, Lowell let out a quiet sigh and rolled onto his other side. His heart is beating faster than ever before. Why? Why does he always feel like this around her? He still can't believe that he may be in love with Levy. They've only just met, yet he has enjoyed spending so much time with her, more than he has with anyone else.
He shook his head to clear it of his thoughts. He can't be thinking about this now. He needs to focus on resting and coming up with a plan for tomorrow.
However, for the rest of the night, the only thing he was able to think about was Levy, and how close they were during the picnic. Unlike Levy, he isn't going to get much sleep at all, tonight.