Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon but I do own my OCs.
A pat on the head was enough to bring me back to reality. Linoone kept pawing at me to make sure I fully regained consciousness. Magneton must've arrived when I was knocked out and it was giving off electricity to make sure everyone could see. From the looks of everything, Latios didn't attack any of my Pokémon when I was out cold. It was also the first time I've seen Linoone genuinely concerned for me despite our adventures growing up. I had to sit behind the bush before I regained my senses.
"That was nuts. Latios ran through my memories without a problem. What would've happened if he kept going?" I mumbled to myself. I stood up and staggered around; Magneton let me throw my arm around its body to stabilize myself. "Thanks for that. I would've liked to stay longer, but we need to go home. I still have a massive headache." Wailmer stayed at the edge of the forest with my bag, but it was unharmed.
I recalled my original partners before riding Wailmer back to the mainland. City lights reflected off the water making navigation a little easier although I still treaded carefully. I sprinted back to Pokémon Services unsure of the time until I saw it was 9:30; good to know Latios' powers can keep someone unconscious for about two hours with a lingering headache as a side effect. I handed Wailmer's ball off then went home.
Going south through the city before going east would cause my headache to get worse. My alternate route was to go past the Pokémon Center, past the cycle shop, then go south until I was in my neighborhood. It was arguably a longer route, but it kept me away from sensory overload.
The night was still young, but I had to call out Linoone to watch my back. Two people in an alley by Rydel's shop took notice of me trying to keep it together. Running away would've made them chase me so I banked on them going back to whatever they were doing. Unfortunately, a Golbat flew in front of me.
"Nice bag ya got. Anything good in there?" one said after they flashed grins.
I dumped out what little healing items I had. "Not really." Their grins faded.
"Bullshit. We know you're hiding that check in there somewhere. Golbat, get that bag!" They didn't look familiar from the pool of participants.
"Linoone, Headbutt," I groaned. "Do whatever you want to make it faint." The headache started to get worse.
"Give me that bag!" the Golbat's trainer yelled. The other man jumped me too.
There wasn't much I could do since I was outnumbered. Linoone was too busy on his end to help and I didn't have a chance to call out Magneton. We duked it out until I lost my footing and went into the fetal position to protect myself from the assault. Golbat apparently had been defeated because Linoone rammed one of them into the brick wall which caused him to slump to the ground. The other mugger took my bag before running off. I managed to get up and walk over to the other one.
"Hope it was worth it for this." I kicked the left side of his face which caused him to completely fall over.
"You… you asshole," he panted. "You had the check in your pocket the whole time, didn't you?"
I wanted to smash his head into the wall. Luckily for him, there were security cameras. "That money's already safe. Next time, enter a tournament instead of watching from the stands. Now call back your Golbat and get out of here." I let him do so as I tried to regain my senses.
Going to the police was an option, but I had my reasons not to. First, it was on the far west side of the city. It was the last building before entering route 117 so it was a long walk. Second, I didn't want to drag myself into any trouble since they would be asking questions about my injuries. Third, I think I did enough damage to the one mugger where they wouldn't think about doing it again. I continued the walk home with Linoone out after checking to see if he was hurt.
Aside from a stream of blood running down my nose, there wasn't any severe visible damage. I did some poking around to check if I had any bruises; my entire head hurt so I needed a mirror to see how messed up that was. The main sore spots were my arms and chest which wasn't too bad considering I was outnumbered. My nose also started to swell which made it harder to breathe. I was more surprised about everyone huddling around the television watching the news when I walked in the house.
"What's going on?"
"Hush! Gabby's about to do a live report," my mom snapped without looking at me.
"It's been nearly two hours since someone saw a Latios fly over Mauville City. I have a witness here with me. What's your name?"
"Jen." My jaw dropped.
"How did you know it was a Latios?" Gabby asked, sounding somewhat skeptical about the story.
My former opponent looked irritated. "You can ask anyone on the beach about a huge burst of wind. Here's a picture I took."
She shoved it close to the camera; a figure was low in the night sky over the beach by our house. A streak of white and dark blue was present but not much else. One camera flash from a PokéNav wasn't bright enough to get a definitive picture. I thought I saw a hint of its red triangle but for those who may not have seen Latios in a book or in person, it could pass for a Swellow based on the lack of lighting.
"Interesting. Why would a Latios fly so close to the ground? Aren't they usually shy?" Gabby asked.
"I can't say for sure, but it was probably weakened. It looked like it was heading north."
Gabby faced the camera. "This has been a live report from the route 118 beach on Hoenn TV. Stay tuned for an update in an hour."
Something felt off about the interview. Why would anyone care about a Latios sighting? I understood that it was a legendary Pokémon, but everyone in Hoenn knew it existed. Maybe a slow news day? Did I feel like it wasn't a big deal because I saw it? Regardless, my family liked the report until they turned to me. My siblings recoiled at the sight of me and my parents embraced me like I had been missing for years.
"Lucas, get your brother a towel! Ryan, what happened to you!?"
"Take a guess… I got mugged. Joke's on them because I had nothing valuable."
"We need to call the police."
I shook my head while rubbing my face. "No we don't." Mom stared me down.
"Why?"
No point in lying to her. "I fought back. If they go to the police, I'll ask for Rydel's security camera footage since it happened in their alley. Now if you'll excuse me, I need an aspirin. I have a massive headache."
"Then we'll continue this tomorrow."
"Before I go to bed, why is dad home? Doesn't he have work tonight?"
A huge smile came across her face. "He got promoted to the day shift." I went upstairs with a smile on my face; he finally got a normal schedule.
Looking in the bathroom mirror made me flinch. I had a nasty bruise by my ear, a big one on the left side of my chest, and my nose was swollen. They would take a few days at best to heal.
"Awesome… looks like I'm staying in tomorrow. Hopefully I can still do something productive. Maybe there's something in my books about Pokémon not in Hoenn," I mumbled to myself. I turned to Linoone on the floor. "Thanks for backing me up. We've left for work after midnight for years and nobody bothered us. I'm too tired to think about it anymore. Let's go to bed."
The aspirin tablets did wonders for me as I slept through the night without any problems. It felt weird yet relaxing waking up to an empty house. Before I had the chance to relax, I saw the check on my desk. Nobody would be dumb enough to mug me in the middle of the day. I mumbled about how it was dumb that Lostelle's didn't do direct deposit for tournament winners to the bank and back.
One book that I hadn't touched in years had some nice information on Pokémon in Johto. Most of it was pictures and names but it was better than nothing. There was a section on the Elite Four which had detailed explanations of their team although some things may have changed since the book was published.
My Sinnoh books were slightly more detailed by having some notable teams that advanced deep in the league tournament. Each one was balanced in offense, defense and typing while having a diversity in attacks; I had a long way to go. What blew my mind the most was that a Pokémon called Eevee could evolve into seven different Pokémon. Hoenn had their share of Pokémon that could potentially evolve into two different ones, but seven possible evolutions from a small ball of fluff was absurd. Maybe I slept through that class.
Although I learned about Unova, Kalos, and Alola in school, I owned no books about them. Orre was simply a place I knew existed because my boss was from there. The problem was that I had no information on it because it was never covered in class. There were probably more regions or independent cities that had Pokémon I had never seen before as well.
I needed to take a break after reading about Sinnoh's champion; my mind was too fixed on her team. It was the strongest team I've ever read about. Her Garchomp sounded like it could single handedly defeat Steven's team. Minutes of relaxation turned to an hour and Sadie coming home snapped me back to reality. She had a huge smile on her face as she handed me a set of papers.
"Congratulations! You have been selected to work at our facility on route 119. Please return the enclosed questionnaire by next week in order to make the transition smoother. We look forward to having you at the Weather Institute," I read out loud. I didn't need to finish reading the acceptance letter.
"Ryan… it finally happened. I got my dream job," she whispered while still smiling.
Sadie had never been so happy. Her love for weather was only rivaled by the stress of constantly submitting her work to the top meteorologists in Hoenn. It took months of mapping data just to get a letter stating that they loved her enthusiasm. Even the day she was granted intern status was nothing compared to having a job she was going to love.
"That's great! Will you start after you graduate?"
"Probably. I haven't looked at anything else besides the acceptance letter. It just… it just doesn't feel real," she said solemnly.
"You want Linoone to poke you to make sure?"
She lightened up. "Good one. I'm filling out the rest of the paperwork now. Don't tell anyone because I want to."
Keeping the news hidden was hard when my parents walked through the door. Lucas was unusually tired, so it was best to leave him alone until dinner. For the first time in years, we all could enjoy dinner without feeling rushed. When we were almost done eating, Sadie dropped the bomb.
"Everyone… I got offered a job at the Weather Institute!"
My parents looked at each other in shock then back to her. "You're kidding…" my mom whispered.
"Nope! Here's the letter." Mom looked it over then handed it back.
"I'm so proud of you, honey! Make sure you get that form in." Sadie nodded before running upstairs; Lucas looked dejected. "Ryan, you need to stay at the table after we clean up." I had hoped she forgot about last night.
"Go for it," I replied as I put my plate in the sink.
"Can you explain to us why you thought not going to the police was a good idea?" dad asked in a sternly.
I didn't show any signs of regret. "I didn't have a good description of the muggers and I'm pretty sure self-defense was enough to send a message."
Dad rubbed his eyes. "That was a bad choice taking things into your own hands. You're smarter than that, Ryan."
"I'm done relying on other people to solve my problems," I calmly replied. "My job is a reflection of that; you have nobody to rely on but yourself. I either get results or I don't. Besides, what were they going to do? Walk into the police station and say I fought them after they tried to mug me?"
"That's not a good excuse. You should've gone to the police as soon as possible or at least made a scene," mom retorted. "Speaking of the job… have you ever gotten paid? You were always excited about getting checks but we've never seen or heard about one and it's been just over a month since you started."
I wasn't sure how much a salesman was supposed to make, but I highly doubt it was whatever Lostelle's was paying in prize money. Any good salesman could rack up a payday like that, but not in a matter of hours. Mom could sell every piece of merchandise and not make as much as me.
"Direct deposit has taken the fun out of receiving a check, I guess. Don't worry though, I'm getting paid. My money has been going straight to the bank." They seemed content with my answer. Dad relaxed his face when he turned to me.
"Back to last night before we're done… just be smart, okay? In the heat of the moment, you tend to resort to fighting. The streets are not like school, Ryan… and you know it. We want you to find a place to call us at if you think something is wrong. We have no problem coming to get you if that's what you're worried about."
He was right. My scuffles in class or on the playground were nothing compared to last night or the time that group of kids came after me with a Zangoose. The hard part was the calling home; I'd have to rely on the kindness of someone working at a public building. A PokéNav was starting to look like my first big purchase.
"Will do," I replied. They went upstairs while Lucas went in the backyard to sit down.
Seeing my normally energetic brother down was concerning. Electrike tried to cheer him up only to be shooed away. I walked out back to the sound of him sniveling.
"Come on Lucas, tell me what's wrong. It's pretty obvious something's bothering you." He took a deep breath to reset himself.
"You know… it sucks to work for an opportunity only to have it taken away at the last second. All that Pokéathlon training went to waste."
"How so?"
He looked at Electrike. "We've busted our ass for months for a Pokéathlon tournament being held in Johto. I made the final cut for Hoenn's amateur team after a scout saw me today, but I'm afraid to go because it's so expensive. We don't have that kind of money!" he wailed after trying to keep it together.
"Let me see the expense sheet and letter." He quickly ran inside to get it. The numbers weren't in his favor.
The school was only willing to pay his 1,000P entry fee. Travel expenses were the highest and included a round trip ticket from Lilycove to Olivine, meals, hotel stay for a weekend, and a rental van to get them from Olivine to Goldenrod. Since the sport was independent from the school, Lucas had to pay for his own uniform. A few smaller expenses brought the total to about 15,000P. The good news was that the event wouldn't take place for a few months and the money wasn't due until a week before the trip. Anyone on the team could be kicked off if they broke one of the team's rules so even the best athlete wasn't safe.
"It's not fair! All I want to do is compete. I didn't know that it would be so expensive."
I sat next to him. "It always seems to start out like that. People think trainers hop from Pokémon Center to Pokémon Center or get items for free just because they're trainers. Last time I checked, everyone pays the same for items at a mart. The good news is that once you get going, things get easier. You can find a way to make things work."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Positive. Also, your training didn't go to waste. Both of you have more endurance, strength, and speed than the average person or Pokémon."
Lucas let Electrike sit in his lap. "I guess you're right," he mumbled. "My coach is willing to bring me to the main training facility in Petalburg City when the event gets closer so he sees something in me."
From my experience working at the gym, our conversation could affect Lucas in two ways. He could channel his anger to perform better in practice or mentally shut down knowing he might not be able to compete. He was naturally resilient, but this was a problem with no clear answer.
He could get a job, but there was no guarantee he would raise the money in time. His training regimen would suffer as well. Since he just made the team, he would likely be the first one to be replaced if something was off. Either his coach didn't tell him about the cost or he was unaware of how the system worked. Had he known about the money issue, he would've handled things differently.
"I wasn't going to go out because of the bruises, but it's still light out. We're going for a walk after I get my wallet," I said.
The streets around our house had kids playing in the road with parents watching on the curb. We got a few weird looks on the way to the mart. Lucas didn't ask any questions as I punched my information into an ATM although I think he knew what I was getting at.
"According to this screen, I have about 32,000P lying around. According to your expense sheet, it costs 15,000 to go to Johto. I don't have a lot of personal expenses for now. I think you can do the math."
His eyes lit up. "You mean it?"
"The average adult making an average salary with no kids could handle it better than I could. I still need to take care of myself down the road," I replied.
"Now I'm confused."
"Giving you all 15,000P in one payment is a bad idea. What I'm getting at is an installment plan. You'll have your money in time for the Pokéathlon. You don't have to pay me back either."
Pulling money out of my personal account was going to be interesting. My one major expense in the near future was a PokéNav; I'd rather get a Pokédex for free when I become a trainer. Tournaments at the battle dome would be open to battlers of all skill levels so money wasn't guaranteed unless they started adding money for second and third place finishers. Lostelle's gaming floor was always an option albeit a risky one to earn more money. As long as I didn't blindly throw money around, earning the 15,000P back was reasonable at the rate I was going.
"Thank… thank you so much. Why are you doing this, though? That's a lot to ask for," Lucas whispered while dropping to his knees in shock.
"We may not always get along, but you're my little bro and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Our family has always found a way to make things work. All I ask is that you continue to bust your ass in practice. I have to read up on every Pokémon for my job so don't think I have it easy sitting at a desk all day." I hated to tell a half-truth, but I wanted him to know I was putting in work too. "Do we have a deal?"
He stood up and shook my hand. "Deal."
"Good. Now let's get back before it gets dark. I'd rather not sit through another lecture." We had no issues on the way back.
Pokémon Services came out of nowhere with an aggressive advertising blitz. Flyers on light poles, television commercials, radio commercials, and staff that would be working with patients standing on street corners handing out colorful pamphlets were the techniques used to draw people in. It had been a week of nonstop promotion until opening day. I went over at noon just like my boss requested after spending more time in the Pokémon Center reading up on Sinnoh's native Pokémon.
Their lobby was filled to the brim and I was forced to go into a conference room to see Mister V. He looked oddly calm for a business owner on opening day. Then again, a thick stack of papers on the table might have been keeping him distracted.
"Take a seat please," he droned. "As you are aware, the tournaments at the game corner are going to get unconventional as time goes on. You have been with us for a short time yet have done so much. The money you've raised is small in comparison to the other six trainers, but I respect you for trying to earn more at the game corner using your own money. I also respect you for battling at New Mauville. None of the others think that is worth their time."
"Thank you, sir," I replied solemnly.
"I have decided to expand your roster of selectable Pokémon so that you may be prepared at all times. Our Pokémon handlers haven taken note of how they come back fully healed and on time. It's safe to say I can trust you to take whatever you need with a few exceptions. Information sheets will be provided when you rent them."
Finally! I was in complete control of the teambuilding process instead of hoping my opponent didn't have a Pokémon that could sweep me. The items weren't allowed to be changed, but I didn't have a problem. Lairon was the only Pokémon that held a worthless item to my knowledge.
"Can I tell you what that decision means?" I sternly asked.
He folded his arms. "Go ahead."
"You said if I had the tools to succeed, I would do so. Every tournament will now be won by someone from this company. The six other trainers and I are going to dominate the battle dome."
"I like that confidence," he said with a grin. "Just worry about yourself. By the way, I need your help here."
That threw me for a loop. "Where do you want me?"
"Rehabilitation rooms or the training dome. It's noon now so I think the rush should die down around 5:30 or so. See me then."
The adrenaline rush never let up during my shift. I ran around cleaning rooms, wiping down equipment, sweeping battle fields, setting up obstacle courses for drills, and fetching things as needed. The six other trainers with more experience were also helping around in rehabilitation battles; the company had nearly every Pokémon in Hoenn on standby. It was weird to see battling not to win because sparring wasn't something they seemed accustomed to. If any employee was battling too hard or not listening to the therapist, they were scolded.
Every therapist took notes or film the battle to show the trainer. I had to print out paperwork that contained drills for Pokémon to do at home; it amazed me how thorough the exercises were. I had no idea that there were over a dozen ways for a Machop to strengthen its wrist after awkwardly falling on it in battle. A trainer needed their own binder after her Delcatty completely tore a muscle in its knee after making a quick cut on a wet field.
A secondary effect from watching the exercises was that I heard good medical advice in general. Trainers asked about dealing with minor injuries when travelling around Hoenn so I didn't have to. Anyone probably could've answered those questions, but it was reassuring to hear answers come from someone in the medical field. I quickly learned that Pokémon Services wouldn't go out of business anytime soon.
"You wanted to see me after my shift?" I asked after knocking on Mister V's door when the clock read 5:30.
He looked up from his computer. "Right. Here's your pay for the day." A wad of 5,500P was thrown my way.
"Thank you very much. Is there anything else I can do?" He looked around his desk then let out a deep sigh.
"I should've had someone else do it before they left because I'm on a roll. Ryan, could you go the conference room and get a file for me? It's in a leather portfolio that zips up. I'll write it down; here's the key."
A few people were milling around in the lobby for evening appointments, but nobody was in the conference room. Large filing cabinets lined the back wall and the key didn't open any of them. The smallest one in the back corner opened when I inserted the key. It held only five portfolio cases.
"Let's see here… what was it? Ein File S? Yeah, that looks like an 'S' to me," I mumbled to myself as I picked it up. "What the hell? The two zippers are locked together with a tiny lock. What is in this thing?"
I wanted an explanation but then I realized I wanted to keep my job more. My boss set the file aside before waving me away. I still had one last question.
"Sir, why does a place like this need to be built? Doesn't a Pokémon Center take care of everything?"
He sighed in annoyance. "Pokémon Centers can only do so much. Some Pokémon require more than a simple machine to reach their full potential," he answered without looking up from his computer. I wasn't convinced of his reasoning, but I could tell he really wanted me to leave. The topic of Latios would have to wait.
I didn't feel like reading up on any more Pokémon or going home. Gambling at Lostelle's was the best way to kill time until I had a hard time figuring out my gambling limit. Mauville Hills came to mind when I reached the middle of the city. Telling Maddie and Cecil about the newly opened building might renew their passion in the medical field. The only problem was that I was too disoriented last time to remember the exact room number.
"Hi, I'm looking for a Maddie and a Cecil," I asked the desk attendant.
"Why? It's not like you're a mailman delivering a big package."
Figures they would ask questions. No upscale apartment complex would give away addresses of its tenants to strangers so easily. I pulled out my crinkled notes on a random Pokémon since it was the first thing I thought of.
"I was looking to drop off these notes." The desk attendant wasn't buying it. "Look, they need these notes now. How else are they going to prepare for it in battle?"
"I can deliver it to them now."
"Fair enough. Can I at least put the papers in an envelope so they're all together?" I was handed one. "Cool. Let me add a few notes before I lick it shut… done! Here you go."
I left out the front when he went to the elevator then went to the back entrance. After a few minutes, Maddie opened the door with a smirk on her face. She held up my crumpled notes.
"Pretty clever of you to find a way in. Come up to room 305 so we can talk. By the way, this 'Bidoof' doesn't sound strong at all." She led me up without any issues. "Cecil's working at the Pokémon Center until midnight."
I sat down on their living room couch. "I just needed one of you home. How would you like to intern or even work for a new place in town?"
Maddie's head perked up. "You're talking about Pokémon Services?"
"Yup! Today was a constant rush; keeping up with everything was tough. Anyway, I wanted to drop by to tell you to pay them a visit since it's up your alley."
She looked confused. "They need help already?"
"Not now at least. It doesn't hurt to fill out a general application, especially when I work for them," I replied.
"No way! That's amazing!"
I threw my hands up. "I just work in sales. Unfortunately, I don't think I have enough influence to get you and Cecil hired on the spot. Maybe my name will come in handy later."
"Are they open now? Can we go?"
"Uh… sure? I thought you would think about it first."
"Ha! Good one. Let's go out the back way." We casually walked out the back door to the north side.
Pokémon Services had nobody in the lobby although there were a few non-trainers coming out with their Pokémon from the back. Maddie confidently asked for an application and filled it out in what felt like record time. The receptionist remembered me then silently pieced together that I was trying to get Maddie a job. I had a feeling that the form would go straight to the trash after we left, but some notes were taken on another piece of paper before being stapled together. Why go through all that trouble just to throw it away?
"Thank you for your interest!" the receptionist said after putting it in a folder.
"Can I have one for my boyfriend?" She was handed another form. "He's just as good, if not better than me. You sit an injured Pokémon in front of us and we'll tell you what needs to be done," Maddie said as we walked out the door.
The walk back to her apartment wasn't as stressful as I thought. It wasn't late enough for the night life crowd to be out. We stopped in front of the main entrance before parting ways; she wrote their room number on my palm as a friendly reminder in case I wanted to stop by again. Going up to her room would be as simple as walking to the elevator and hitting the button to take me to the third floor. I made a pit stop at the mart on the way home.
"Excuse me, but do you have an older PokéNav I could buy?" I asked the clerk after I looked around.
He pulled out an inventory sheet. "We have some older ones from years ago apparently in the storage room. They're probably not as advanced as the ones now."
"Not a problem. How much are they?"
"Devon is trying to free up shelf space, so they've cut it down to 1,500P."
Price slashing by Devon? And I thought seeing Latios up close was a rare sight. "One old PokéNav please," I said trying to contain my excitement. He came back with a dusty box.
"This comes loaded with a map of Hoenn, a scanner for your Pokémon's 'condition' in relation to contests, a ribbon display, and it acts as a phone. There are other functions built in like a basic calculator. Devon should still be able to help you if it gets damaged although don't be surprised if they tell you to buy a new one."
Most trainers could get one for a discount even if it was the newest model although anybody could buy one. I didn't care about my new toy being outdated; I had something that made my life exponentially easier. Unlike my dress clothes, I didn't need any help buying the PokéNav which made it that much sweeter to own. I could also feel the envy from my family before I left for home.
Everyone huddled around the PokéNav box like it was some otherworldly object while I tried to set it up. A lack of extra features made my siblings less envious although they wished they still had one. The test run worked perfectly when I dialed our home phone number, played around with the other functions, and scanned my two Pokémon for contest status information. I also breathed a sigh of relief when I added Pokémon Services' phone number to my contact list; it would help for future tournaments.
Before I went to sleep, I kept thinking about the small filing cabinet and the Ein Files. I doubt it would be five specific patients. I'd also like to think keeping secrets about rehabilitating Pokémon is bad for the rest of the medical community. Why were the zippers locked together? What could possibly be in those things?
If I played my cards right in the office and kept winning tournaments, I could find out.
Have a good day and I will see you next chapter :)
-W4f