Author's Note: So, who remembers Skorupi and Team Aura Blade? They kind of dropped off in the main fic, so they needed a side story.
The News
"I can't believe he's actually a jerk!" Skorupi wailed. "I'm so stupid!"
"There, there, Skorupi," Kerry said as she gently patted the smaller Pokémon's head. "We all make mistakes sometimes."
The two of them, along with Kerry's Lucario partner, were sitting in Spinda's café. There were a few other Pokémon there as well, and they were all grimly looking over the posters. One of the Pelipper mailmen had just dropped a few of them off at the café, and they contained some rather serious news.
It seemed that the identity of the Time Gear thief had finally been revealed: it was that Grovyle Kerry and Maryn had met before. Skorupi knew him, too, and she was taking the news especially hard. Her still-half-full glass of Pink Gummi juice had gone untouched ever since she'd looked at one of the wanted posters, and now she was sitting with her face buried into the table.
Maryn, on the other hand, merely drummed his fingers on the table as he looked over at Kerry. "See, what did I say? I believe the correct phrase here is, 'I told you so'."
Kerry sighed. "Yes, yes, Maryn. You told me so. What good does that do now, though?"
"Well…nothing, I suppose," he admitted. "It does feel nice to say, though."
"You're a jerk, too, Maryn," Skorupi muttered. "I can't believe you'd say that!"
"See? You could at least be a little more sympathetic to the poor dear." Kerry shook her head. "Besides…I'm sure we'll end up hearing if there's anything we can do about this. Perhaps we can ask Wigglytuff or Officer Magnezone if they know of any ways to help."
"Fine; you have a point." Maryn sighed and took a sip of his Orange Gummi juice before he went on. "We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose."
Kerry nodded, frowning as she took one more look at the poster on their table. Something still felt strange to her. She hadn't thought he'd seemed like a bad Pokémon, really. This was something serious nonetheless, but…
Well, she was right. They'd just have to wait for more news.
Until then, she'd have to hope that whoever caught Grovyle was doing the right thing.