- Chapter 12: Below and Above -
"Mia…. come here..."
The world… is almost blurred, and everything is bigger. The furniture, the walls, and the house itself are taller.
The feeling of a cold and smooth surface touches her feet with every step. She walks across a fairly small dining room until she steps foot on the kitchen titles.
Waiting at the stove with an extended hand, is her smiling father. A pair of step stools are set in front of the stove, and Will had already chosen the one on the left side.
Mia takes her father's hand without a word. She is guided to the top of the step stool, and the smell of oven gas fills her nostrils. Her eyes are fixed on the dancing blue flames. A large pot filled with water is set on top.
Her father shakes a package of dried pasta noodles from a box, and he hands the food over to Mia. "You washed your hands, right?"
Mia nods without a word. She snaps the noodles in half, and she drops them all carefully in the water.
Everything moves quickly after that. The noodles start to cook. Will works with the seasoned ground beef on a pan, cooking them until the pink color darkens to a light brown.
Their father takes the pasta sauce from the counter, and he twists the lid open. "Your mother really made sure we knew how to cook, didn't she? I mean… we are still working on it…"
Mia stares at the softened pasta.
"You remember her biggest dream?"
Mia looks right at him, noticing his sad smile.
"Let's share her flavors with the whole city… no, the country. Maybe even the world. She'll achieve her dream… even if she's not here to see it."
She watches him pour the sauce on top of the meat.
"But… we can't make that happen if… you don't find it."
Those words confuse her. Staring at him again, she waits for him to clarify. Meeting his eyes, a wave of cold chills travels through her body.
They are a deep black, and the irises are a glowing red.
"You have to find it," he says again. His voice is harsher, deeper, surfacing an intimidating growl. "Find The Insight…"
Mia steps back, and but there is no surface below her. She falls back with a scream, but the ground never comes. The kitchen shrinks further away from her sight. Her brother is reaching out for her. Her possessed father jumps after her. His body begins to change.
"Find it…! Find The Insight!"
A shockwave of pink light bursts from his body, and his human form tears to shreds, reforming into the very ghost that changed her life. It's maw opens as it unleashes a horrifying and throaty roar that holds a powerful ring behind it.
Mia is being blown back, deeper into the endless void.
"Mia… Mia…!" The ghosts harshly calls her name. "Mia….!"
"MIA!"
Mia swings her arms out with another scream, striking something hard that stabs pain into her arm. She sits up quickly, and the first thing her eyes fall on is the orange walls of the Pokémon Center's rental rooms. She can hear Sunshine's startled cry.
She's… she's back? What was all that about?
"Ah…! By the gods, you hit like a truck!" The hissing voice belongs to Lalinda. The girl covers her face, and she distanced herself a good length.
Mia covers her mouth, feeling like the worst person in the world. "I… I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-"
"Don't apologize…" Lalinda holds a hand up to stop her from saying anything else. She rubs her face a bit longer. "Now, if you could do that to Marlen, we'll be set…"
That's not funny...
"You were sleeping pretty heavy. Everyone else is waiting in the lobby," Lalinda says. "Someone is on the phone, waiting for you."
"Someone's on the phone…?" Mia slowly stands, glancing at the clock. It's only a few minutes past seven. Who could be calling so early in the morning?
She picks up Sunshine, allowing her to climb on her head. She'll find out.
After riding the escalator down, she is met with everyone else standing near the PC… all except Leon, who could be trying to sleep in. Will pulls her to his side, and she is met with Johanna on the screen.
"I didn't wake you too early, did I?" Johanna asks her.
"I'm fine…" Mia answers.
"I won't hold you long, I just want to make this very clear," Johanna says. "As soon as you reach Hearthome City, be sure to call me. There is something important there waiting for you."
"Oh!" Mia wasn't expecting to hear that, but she is very pleased by it. "What is it?"
Johanna winks at her. "That's a surprise. I can't very well spoil it."
"Oh, okay." So much for trying to get a hint. Johanna won't let the beans spill, no matter how hard Mia tries.
Johanna's smile shrinks a bit. She points her finger and asks, "What's wrong with the Eevee there? She seems a bit sad. Is that your new Pokémon?"
"Oh… y-yeah." What is Mia supposed to say? If she tells Johanna about what took place in Eterna City, she might lose her mind. She's not exactly ready to say anything about it. In fact… maybe it's better if she doesn't mention it at all.
She looks at her brother and sends him a silent message she can only read.
Don't say anything.
"Mia?" Johanna calls her.
She has to give her an answer, but she's not a good liar. What can she say that won't make her feel so guilty?
"She got hurt." Will speaks up for Mia, and his response is honest. "It's pretty much our fault. Hatched Pokémon shouldn't be thrown into a harsh battle so early. She's scared now…"
"She's scared? Is it maybe because of Team Rocket?"
Mia nearly forgot how to breathe. Where did she pick that up from?!
Unless… the professor told her about it! Of course! She can't hide anything from Johanna if the professor knows about it! She didn't think this through!
Will doesn't know what to say against that. Johanna sees this, and her response doesn't make things any better. "So, once again… a dangerous group targets you. Even though the professor said they aren't as big as a threat, that still concerns me. What would they possibly want from you?"
She has to think of an answer. Team Rocket can be petty thieves… that's a true fact! "It's just-"
"Team Rocket's been after the Eevee since it was an egg." Lalinda answers before Mia could finish. "Turns out they were after it along with a few hunters. Leon stole the egg from them, and he handed it to Mia to protect it… uh…"
She looks at the twins, who are staring at her as if she's insane.
"Did I get that right?"
"Lalinda!" Mia almost shrieks. "Why did you say that…?!"
Lalinda is confused. "What? She wanted to know!"
"You aren't getting it!" Will tries to clarify, but it's pointless. Johanna already looks somewhat frightened. At the same time, she appears a bit angry.
"Why would you try to hide that information from me?" Johanna asks them, crossing her arms in a motherly fashion. "You know how much I worry about you two! First it's Team Galactic, now you have Team Rocket and some crazy Pokémon Hunters after you over an Eevee?!"
Lalinda interrupts again. "It can actually talk, which is why-"
"Lalinda! Hush!" The twins nearly snap at her.
"You two, don't get upset with her!" Johanna scolds them both. She turns to Lalinda, showing her a sad smile. "Sorry. You did the right thing. I would have never known if you didn't say anything. I'm starting to think letting them go was a bad idea. I should have waited another year…."
"Wait!" Mia gasps. "Don't make us come back! We're fine! I didn't know the egg was a target! Leon just gave it to me!"
"Right. Leon did give it to you." The way Johanna said that isn't very pleasant. "The careless boy. I'll contact Cynthia about this. Knowing her, she might not see the big problem, but I will clarify and make my concerns known."
Mia gives up. There is no getting through Johanna. There never was. She can understand why Lucas never wastes his energy against her, even if she's wrong…
Is Leon going to get in trouble for this? Gardenia did say Cynthia has the authority to send him back home. Mia doesn't want him to be sent home. He has a place he really wants to see…
Wait… maybe she can find some way…
"Please, don't talk to Cynthia! We got stronger, so if the bad guys attack… Well, we could try to fight back-"
"No." Johanna's immediate response is firm. "You will not engage with them. Even if the Galar Champion is with you, you still can't step out of the line drawn out for you. You are to collect those badges and focus on nothing else. Until we get answers, you will not play hero. That's not what you are here for."
"But-"
"You can send the Eevee to the professor now, so you won't have to worry about anyone targeting you."
"What?!" Mia nearly loses her words. "But she… I…."
"She already attached herself to Mia!" Will explains quickly, speaking for his sister. "We can't just separate her now! She's already scared of everything! Taking her to an unfamiliar place will only make it worse!"
Johanna takes a few seconds to gather what she was told. After a bit of thinking, she nods her head. "Alright. Seven days."
"What?"
"By the end of the week, the Eevee better be with the professor. That is all I am giving you," Johanna says. "And I will be sure to call him to make sure, so don't try anything. I'll check on you two later."
The communication ends there. It leaves Mia with a bit of weight in her chest. She doesn't like how things are unfolding right now. Why did she bother trying to talk her way around the situation?
Will rubs Mia's back a few times. "I tried."
Lalinda is blind to the weight of things. "Has she always been this protective?"
"Yes." Mia and Will give her the answer. Will carries it on, trying to get Lalinda to understand. "Do you know how long it took me to figure out how to enter Eterna Forest? She never told us about how a cluster of trees would lead to an open passage. I found out a few days ago what Oran Berries can do. She… didn't tell us much."
Lalinda is finding it a bit difficult to believe. "Why not? Those are things that should be known already."
"I feel like she left out a lot of important points…"
Will is right. There are a lot of things Johanna never told them about. Besides the passage trees, she never mentioned the barriers, or how berries work, either. Was she testing them to see if they would figure it out? Will would have it easier since he has better problem-solving skills. Mia knows she'll grow frustrated with every failed attempt. It would get to the point that she would just give up.
The professor has wanted her and Will to journey since they were ten. Johanna made them wait two more years, and she is starting to regret letting them go now.
Why wait another year? That would be torture! Mia can't do that when she has already made progress! She deeply hopes Cynthia doesn't lean towards Johanna's words.
Well, Johanna means well, but she has the tendency to worry too much. Where was Glameow? The feline would have easily calmed her down if she were around. The one time Mia needed her, she was probably doing what she does best.
Napping, or grooming…
Johanna might start thinking Leon has brought them into danger.
Wait...
"Where is Leon?" A part of Mia hopes he didn't run outside and end up in another world...
"He's still asleep," Lalinda says. "I tried to wake him… but his Charizard growled at me when I got too close. So uh… I decided to leave him alone."
"That sounds…" Mia sighs.
They will have to stand around and wait for him? It doesn't bother Mia too much. They will be served breakfast. They can sit around and talk for an hour if they wish, so it's more than enough time for him.
- 0000 -
Underground Man's House
Goin' Down for Adventure!
Just as Gardenia said, the house is right next to the Pokémon Center. Mia is greeted with the ground sign, which makes her wonder what going underground actually means.
An hour has passed since she ate breakfast with Will and Lalinda. Now, they stand together, waiting for Leon to come out. What's taking him so long?
Just before Mia can voice her concerns, the automatic doors open. Leon walks out with his hands stuffed in his pockets. His Charizard isn't around, meaning it's tucked away in its Pokéball.
He doesn't wear his usual smile, and his eyes are towards the ground. He looks… tired. Sure, he has looked tired for some time, but did he get any good sleep?
"Hey… are you okay?" Mia takes a few steps towards him, noticing that he hasn't bothered to fix his hair. "Did you even eat?"
Leon notices the attention he is getting. "I don't want to worry you. I'm okay. Just a bit tired, that's all."
"Just a bit? Have you been up all night?" Will asks a better question.
Leon lets lose a small chuckle. "It's not the first time. I didn't sleep much while I was running. This makes no difference to me."
"But… you aren't running this time…" Lalinda shares the twin's confusion.
Leon walks past them all. "Let's talk to the underground man, shall we?"
If he's not bothered by it… then she shouldn't really worry. He took care of himself before he met them. She lets him keep the lead…
"The house is right in front of us." Lalinda calls Leon, who nearly took a turn down the road.
Leon stops moving, and he quickly jogs right back to then with a small laugh. "I was just… taking a quick look around."
Sure he was.
Lalinda opens the door, and she takes a look inside before fully walking in. The idea of walking into anyone's house is still uncomfortable for the twins. Mia wonders if Will had figured that out yet.
Inside, the house is nothing special in size. However, the sight of shovels and pickaxes hanging from the wall draws her interest. Glass casings contain rocks of all kinds. Some even sparkle. Were these all dug from underground?
There are people inside, all gathered around a table. The oldest of them all, an elderly man, takes notice of their presence first. He lacks hair, but the color of his eyes matches Roark's almost perfectly.
"Oh! Visitors!" The elder is quick despite his age. He walks in a hurried pace until he stands right in front of them. "You must be here for one good reason. You are here to learn about the underground!"
"Well…" Mia smiles shyly. She isn't used to speaking out, but it's easier to do when she's with her friends. "Gardenia told us that Roark wanted to see us? Are you his grandfather?"
The elder nods. "I am! This is wonderful! I finally get to teach young children about the wonders of the underground! I believe you are in a hurry, but this should take no longer than a few minutes of your time!"
He waves at one of the boys present in the room. The kid immediately heads for a counter and opens the doors. They pull a good number of something Mia can't identify due to the angle and distance.
The elder takes the equipment, and he hands them to the children one by one.
Mia is handed a hard hat equipped with a headlight, a pick axe, and a mallet. Another boy arrives and lends them each a foldable shovel. "Um… how does this work, exactly? I never…" She has never used any of these tools before. Is it a good idea to lend a child equipment they are inexperienced with?
"Simple! You step outside and start digging!"
Will's face twists in confusion. He must be sharing Mia's thoughts.
"Wait. There is no way we can just go underground in the middle of the road." Mia is confused.
Will agrees with a nod. "I thought we were going to the Oreburgh Mine?"
The elder bursts out a hearty laugh, which leaves the twins feeling a little awkward. He walks past them all, opening the door and stepping outside. The children follow him cautiously.
Mia can't figure out what the old man is trying to point out. He walks around the road with his eyes downcast. He's searching for something, but it doesn't make any sense. There is no way a shovel could dig through solid asphalt.
"You managed to defeat my grandson, Roark," the elder says as he continues to search. "Normally when he loses, he heads underground to try to avoid talking to my son. He can give Roark an earful if he loses to a rookie in the silliest way possible."
"He's the first Gym Leader," Lalinda says. "Isn't he supposed to be easy?"
"He's not the weakest Gym Leader all the time. He has stronger Pokémon that will wipe your entire team off the floor!" The elder smiles at her. "Gym Leaders have to adapt to the challenger. If you challenge them with weak Pokémon, they'll battle you with weak Pokémon. League Rules, child."
"It works that way in Galar, too," Leon says. "Only our Gym Leaders are ranked depending on just how skilled they are in battling. Here in Sinnoh… you can challenge the gyms in any order you like?"
"That's exactly it."
"The gyms are smaller… and you can just waltz inside a gym without needing an endorsement. Cynthia told me they can be challenged at any time. That doesn't happen in Galar."
"It's on a time frame?" Lalinda asks.
"Right. Where I come from, gym challenges take place at the same time every year. Since it's off-season now, I'm free to travel. I won't be going anywhere until the beginning of next year," Leon explains. "Once the season starts, I'm left to wait until they reach me, and I know when they will. How would Cynthia know if she has a challenger, I wonder?"
"She'll know, even if you don't think so," The Underground Man replies. "However, you won't reach her unless you beat my son, first. Byron is the Canalave City Gym Leader, and he's tough as steel! Roark hardly wins any matches against him, the poor boy."
"Hm…" Mia pulls out her badge carrying case. She walks over to the man and holds it in front of him. She points at the brown-haired man at the bottom row. "Is that him?"
"Yep! That's Byron! He's a great miner himself, but when he's not digging, he's managing mineral shipments in and out of the country. He visits the underground as much as Roark. It's important that you Trainers know the underground passages, which is why Gardenia led you here, right?"
"She just told us to meet with Roark-"
"You'll learn the underground passages!" the elder exclaims. "Roark will be willing to teach you everything. After all, every time he loses a match he tends to visit to vent away his frustrations. He's still young, so it is expected. I've told him while digging and battling may be his passion, he should consider finding happiness in his life! He needs to get married! It's very important we pass down our digging tradition…"
Mia is pulled away by her brother. At first, she thinks something is wrong. Looking at his face, she can tell he is worn down by The Underground Man's endless talking.
"He'll keep us for hours at this rate," Lalinda catches on. "We should just dip and head for Bicycle Road."
"I had the same thought," Leon admits, a bit embarrassed. "Cynthia doesn't mind too much if we do this another time… at least I hope so-"
He turns his attention towards the sky, and the look on his face doesn't look like good news.
"Leon, what's wrong?" Mia wonders what's on his mind. The Underground Man is still talking, unaware that they have lost interest a long time ago.
"Start digging." It's Leon's only answer.
Did he just change his mind? "Hold up! Wait a minute!" Mia's words draw's Leon's attention, and they spark confusion for Lalinda. For her sake, Mia returns to the common language. "You just said-"
Leon grabs the shovel and stabs the road with it. "Put your Pokémon inside their Pokéballs. Start digging."
"What? I'm confused." Lalinda taps her foot on the ground. She takes notice of Leon's expression. Mia doesn't miss it, either.
Why does he look frightened?
Will reluctantly calls his Pichu back inside his ball. He looks at his shovel, then the ground.
How is digging possible here?
Mia calls Sunshine back, and begins to dig… or at least, she tries. It is impossible, and once again, she's questioning the way people in this world think. Are the shovels magical tools in this world that can dig through anything? Is she missing something, like a secret password to make it work its wonders?
"Dig harder! You can do better than that!" Leon urges them.
"I can't go any faster, darn it! Stop rushing me!" Mia is frustrated at this point.
"What are you even trying to do?!" Will asks.
The Underground Man notices their efforts, and he is pleased. "There you go! Put your strength into it! I'm sure the passage is there, somewhere!"
"What passage?!" Lalinda asks. "I know there is one, but I can't see it!"
"There's a passage?!" Mia doesn't know what to think at this point.
Leon stabs the shovel in another spot, and he growls lightly as he glances at the sky again. What is he looking for?
Errrrrrrrrr!
That sounded like a giant bird.
Leon grits his teeth, and he jabs the shovel into a groove. Stomping his foot on the head, and pulling back, the lid pops open. A large hole is revealed, dark and endless.
"You managed to open it!" Mia gasps. "How did you-" She doesn't finish her sentence as a hand slams against her back. She loses balance and her weight pulls her down and through the hole. Feeling nothing on her feet anymore, she screams as she falls through the darkness. Her shovel tumbles behind her.
Her backside slams against a smooth surface, forcing a grunt out of her. She slides her way down the darkness until light is seen just below her. Her fingers desperately try to get a hold of the walls, but it's impossible to grip even for a second.
She flies out the tube, spinning like a tabletop on the way down. Her feet touches the ground, and she stumbles left and right. Her eyes are unable to focus. Her coordination is terrible. Everything around her is still spinning. She hears her shovel clattering near her feet.
The smell of dirt is powerful here.
The dizziness takes hold of her, and she hits the floor. She doesn't try to move as her vision continues to shift left and right. Her ears pick up soft landings from the others, and the scream from her twin brother that ends abruptly.
It takes several seconds for the world to steady itself enough for her to stand. She's still clumsy on her feet, but it's better than nothing. Taking a look around, she can tell that she is underground.
She never expected it to be so huge.
There is nothing but wall around her. It's all in a straight path until it turns a corner. Where she stands, there are four separate ways she can go. It's like she's standing in the middle of a cross road.
The walls are supported by metal frames. If Mia has to guess, it is a safety precaution.
"That was a longer ride than I expected…" Leon dusts himself off. He checks his belt, and he smiles at the sight of the Pokéball present there. The last thing he would need is to have lost it during the slide down.
Will has the same idea. He checks his Pokébelt, and everything is still intact. "Mia, are you alright?"
Mia doesn't answer. She just recovered from the surprise, and now, she's worked up. Seeing Leon, she immediately charges for him. "Why did you push me?! Are you crazy?! I could have died!"
Leon holds his hands out in front of him. "Sorry, mate. It's just-"
"It's Mia!"
Leon turns to Will and Lalinda who look just as angry. He can only grin as an attempt to lift the bad moods away.
Careless...
Her eyes fall on one of his lowering hands, and she pauses. She quickly but carefully grabs one of them, taking a look at his red knuckles. "What the heck happened to your hands?"
Leon pulls them back, somewhat confused by her action. "Hey… I thought you were mad at me?"
She was, but she can't help but worry.
"Hello? Has someone fallen down here?"
Mia hasn't heard that voice for some time, but she's pleased to hear it. From the corner of her eye, she sees the familiar red hard hat. Turning a corner is Roark. "Hey!"
"Oh! Hey!" Roark smiles, greeting them. He picks up his pace to join them. "Is this maybe your first time here?"
"Yeah. It is," Lalinda answers. "The Champion sent us down here to find you."
"You were gonna dip," Mia reminds her.
"So were you."
Roark looks at each child, before he opens his arms in a welcoming manner. "Well, you pretty much didn't have a choice. So then… Welcome to Sinnoh's Underground!"
"What's so important about this place?" Will asks.
"This is a giant underground network of passages underneath Sinnoh," Roark answers. "You can pretty much walk through the entire country while staying down here if you were daring. That's how vast the passages are."
"We don't have anything like this back home…" Leon is impressed. "It's a perfect getaway from mad men."
"Getaway?" Roark is confused.
"Well…" Leon catches himself. "I mean, it's a perfect place to explore."
Mia glances at Leon for a second before asking a question for Roark. "What brings you down here? I thought you were a coal miner?"
"That is true… and… that's kind of hard to answer. I mean, you can pretty much do anything you want down here." Roark kicks the ground with a shrug. "I spend my time digging for rare material. Sometimes, there are things you can only find down here and nowhere else."
"Wait. So you can do anything you want?" Leon asks.
"No!" Roark quickly corrects himself with a laugh. "Not everything! What I meant was, you can dig up treasure, spheres, and make a secret base. And…" He takes a look at everyone with a small smile. "I guess you can play with your friends down here, too. But, that's not why I wanted you down here."
Mia watches as he reaches inside his bag. He pulls out a pair of worn down hand-sized rocks. She is offered one of the two, which looks like a cracked skull of some kind. "What is that…? Wait. Is that a fossil?"
"That's right. This is the skull fossil. The other one here is the armor fossil." He refers to the odd fossil with a smooth surface sticking out. "If you take these to the Oreburgh Museum, you can revive them both."
"What?! You can bring fossils back to life?!"
"You didn't know that?" Lalinda looks at her in question. "Even if you lived in a small town, that's still common knowledge. You and your brother act like you came from another world, I swear."
Mia has to bite her tongue to not say anything foolish. She knows Lalinda is expressing how frustrated she is towards her ignorance, but she wasn't wrong.
"Give them a break. Not everyone in the world knows," Roark tells Lalinda. He turns his attention back to Mia, wearing a sympathetic look. "It's only right for me to give you something to make up for sending you off to a dangerous mission. If I knew Team Galactic were there, I would have never sent you there in the first place. In fact… I should have never sent you there at all."
"It's okay. You didn't know…" Mia tries to make him feel better. Unfortunately, her words don't help.
"I didn't know until I walked in to the Champion sitting on my chair…" Roark forces out a small laugh.
He's not comfortable with the memory of it. Mia can only wonder what Cynthia said to him.
"Well, now that I see all of you are safe, it's a relief. Make this a note. Coming underground would protect you from those criminals."
"Really? How would you know if they don't look?"
"You'll be surprised by how many people don't bother to look up at the sky, or down deep in the earth." Roark answers. "Our family are passionate diggers, so we make sure the people of Sinnoh have access here in every city, town, and route. Of course, only those who are diggers know just where those passages are. You have a Pokétch, so once you get the marking app, give out Champion a call. She'll mark them all down for you."
"One in every place, huh?" Will is interested. "I guess those vents stationed around are to let us breathe down here…"
"Good observation."
What Roark said before reminds Mia of what The Underground Man told her before. "So, who is in charge of this place? Is it you, your grandfather… or…. his name is Byron, right? Your dad?"
Roark's smile is nearly wiped clean. He lightly tugs his hard hat as it slowly reforms. "He told you about my father. I'm not surprised. It's too bad he's so busy with all the cargo. He hardly comes down here. It's not good for my grandfather to remain down here for so long, so it's up to me."
"Oh…"
"He's a tough Gym Leader. There's a reason why he's so high in the ladder… and why he rarely ever comes home."
"Huh?" Mia heard the discomfort in his tone.
"Let's not linger on the subject. I have work to do," Roark says. "Meanwhile... Mia, Will… you two be careful."
He nods towards Lalinda.
"Lalinda… lend a helping hand."
He bows towards Leon.
"Champion Leon, look after them for us."
"Wait. How do you know our names?" Mia finally asks the question she meant to ask him before.
Roark smiles, giving her a small salute. He taps the top of his helmet, and he looks towards the ceiling. "I have to get going now. See you around!"
A single rope falls from above. He grabs hold of it, and he is pulled straight from the ground, flying upwards and through the tube.
He's gone. What a strange way to travel.
"This situation is deeper than I thought…" Leon walks across the path, studying the walls. "I should return home if things go out of hand… but I can't foolishly abandon my friends. I've made my decision."
"Huh?" Mia doesn't remember him stating he was debating over anything.
Leon lowers his head. "I'll stay in Sinnoh as planned, to reach the Fight Area. At the same time… I'll stay for as long as I can to support you. Even if Cynthia decides to send me home, I won't be going anywhere. At least, not until everything is done."
"You're staying for us?"
"In a way…" Leon turns to face her. "I want to help you grow as a Trainer. That way, one day… we'll have ourselves a brilliant match. Just you wait. If your professor sees promise in you… you'll get there. Don't let those criminals or that bully strike you down."
As ambitious and headstrong he proves to be, he is still willing to help them.
She'll help him, too.
"We should get going. We have what we need," Will announces. "Bicycle Road is the next place for us."
"I believe Roark tapped his helmet to leave?" Leon looks at the tools held in his arms. He tucks them to one, and he taps the helmet a few times. A small green light next to the headlight is shown.
A rope falls in front of Leon.
"Let's hurry. I want to see the Bicycle Road!" He grabs hold of it with both hands and tugs it twice. Immediately, he's pulled from his feet, cheering as he is carried out.
"That's pretty neat." Mia does the same. A rope falls in front of her. As soon as she looks up, her smile begins to fade.
She has to be pulled way up there? How long does she have to hold on to the rope? Her upper body strength is terrible. She'll lose her grip, and she might just-
"Relax. I'll go with you." Will joins her side as he taps the helmet. He grabs the offered rope and looks at her. "On the count of three."
Mia turns to Lalinda, who gives her a smile. Lalinda is carried off with her own rope. Turning back to Will, she braces herself as she grips the material. Her eyes shut tight. "Okay… one…"
"Two…" Will counts.
"Three!"
A harsh tug, and the ground leaves her feet. The rope feels rough and firm against her hands as wind whips against her face. She squeezes harder, trying not to scream. Her fingers are hurting from the pressure she keeps applying, but it's better than dying.
Maybe she's overthinking it…
The air smells fresher. She opens her eyes in time to feel a cushion push her rear out of the hole. She is back on the road, and she's pulled to her feet with Will's help.
"Weird technology…" Will comments.
Lalinda pushes the door close. It blends in perfectly with the road. Afterwards, she places her explorer kit inside her bag. Taking a quick look around, she is a bit lost. "Looks like Roark's grandfather left."
"I was worried he would start showing us baby pictures from all the talking he was doing." Will shakes his head.
Mia won't admit it aloud, but she agrees. She can only stand around and listen to someone's life story for so long. It was interrupted due to Leon pushing her without warning.
With that thought in mind, she needs an answer. "Leon, what was the fuss all- huh?"
She takes a quick look around. He's nowhere to be seen!
"Where's Leon?!"
Lalinda and Will take a look around, seeing the problem. Lalinda throws her hands and allows them to drop to her side. "Already?! We weren't even separated that long!"
"Maybe he ran off the Bicycle Road," Will suggests. "He did say he wanted to see the place."
"He's the wrong person to be impatient…" Lalinda shakes her head. "Let's hurry before he attracts another crowd."
They waste no time. Running down the road, they reach the gate and enter. It's like a small building, with only one direction to go to. There are a pair of counters against the walls, with a person standing behind each one. Just as they walk past, one of them shouts.
"Cycling Road is only for bicycles! Please get on your bicycle!"
They are serious about that rule…
Mia sets her bag down to unhook her bike. At first, she tries pulling it open. She sees the hanging handles, and she pushes them back in place. Pulling the bike again, it still refuses to unfold.
She sees the clips that hold it together.
Now she feels stupid.
As soon as she frees the clips from the bike, pulling it open is incredibly easy. It's stable and rideable in seconds. She sits on the seat and takes notice that Lalinda and Will were watching the entire time. Their bikes must have been freed long before hers.
"You saw nothing."
Lalinda shrugs. Will simply shakes his head in shame.
Mia begins to ride her way out the gate. Once she is outside, her eyes fall upon a gigantic and stretching road built on a bridge. Several people are riding their bikes up and down. For some reason, they are riding in circles.
Now Mia wonders if cars even exist in this world. Maybe they do, if helicopters are around…
"I've never been this far before…" Lalinda makes note of her surroundings. She looks to her left. "This place is built over a massive route."
Mia takes out her town map.
Route 206
Smoothly paved in asphalt, the Cycling Road is heavenly for bicycle lovers.
Below the Cycling Road, one can see the entrance to Wayward Cave.
"Shoot. Is it Bicycle Road, or Cycling Road?" Mia is confused. Have they been saying the wrong thing all this time?
"Either or," Lalinda answers. "It's still the same thing."
Will stops his bike before he could ride past them all. "Something is up. The people here look uncomfortable with something."
"If Leon were here… there would be a crowd, right?" Lalinda points ahead, towards a cluster of people. "Let's check it out."
Looks like they came to the right place. Mia moves ahead, riding towards the crowd while being a little mindful of others. The last thing she needs is to not pay attention and run over someone.
The closer she gets, the more she realizes that this crowd isn't one that is excited. They seem bothered or angry about something. Maybe coming here was a bad idea. She doesn't want to be caught up in the mess-
"Hey, we are looking for someone!" Lalinda draws their attention to them, to Mia's dislike. "Have you seen a boy, a little taller than us? Light brown skin, short purple hair? Yellow eyes? Maybe a red jacket?"
Mia would ask why Lalinda didn't just say his name. Then again… maybe it was best that she didn't.
"What?" One of the cyclists just blink. It takes a second for the question to sink in. "Oh, no. We haven't been paying attention to anyone passing through. We've been dealing with a crazy Pokémon that wouldn't stop attacking people!"
"What? A Pokémon? Is it wild?"
"For sure. It doesn't belong to anyone," a girl answers. She appears concerned. A Starly flying above her probably belongs to her.
"He kept bullying my poor Pikachu!" The boy speaking is the youngest among them. The mentioned rodent is hiding behind his bike, bruised in many places.
Pikachu is not as brave as Mia was shown in her childhood. Then again, it was THE Pikachu.
Mia takes out her Pokédex in a hurry. It automatically scans the present Pokémon.
(Sinnoh Number 104.
Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pichu.
Its typing is: Electric. It occasionally uses an electric shock to recharge a fellow Pikachu that is in a weakened state.)
"Okay, that's not what I brought this out for…" Mia frowns. "Tell me about Gligar."
Its image appears on the screen.
The best way Mia can describe the pink creature is a… flying scorpion. It has the body and tail of one, and the head similar to a bat. Between its arms and legs is a flap of skin most bats have, purple in color. It sticks its tongue out with a teasing hiss. It knows what it is doing.
(Sinnoh Number 153.
Gligar, the FlyScorpion Pokémon.
It's typing is: Ground and Flying. It glides as if sliding. It startles foes by clamping on to their faces, then jabs with its poison stinger.)
"Ouch… it attacks faces?" The mental image Mia has isn't so great.
"That's exactly what it's been doing!" the Pikachu owner exclaims. He points at the sky. "It's been swooping down and attacking, but it only happens when it is windy. It gets windy here very often, so we are formulating a plan to stop it and catch it."
"The problem is, Gligar aren't easy Pokémon to capture," the Starly girl explains. "A regular Pokéball won't cut it."
"You'll need a Great or Ultra Ball if you want a better chance of them staying inside, but they are expensive. We can't afford not even one! If that Gligar breaks free, we would have wasted money!"
"Stronger Pokéballs?" Will echoes.
Lalinda turns to the twins. "Yeah. There are Pokéballs designed to catch stronger Pokémon. A Great Ball is stronger than a Pokéball. An Ultra Ball is stronger than a Great Ball."
"Okay… but what do they look like?" Mia's question surprises a few Trainers.
"You aren't planning on catching it, are you?!" The Starly owner looks at Mia as if she had lost her mind. The others are worried.
Maybe Gligar is far more dangerous to deal with. She might need some help. If a group of Trainers are no good, she'll need Leon's help.
But, he's nowhere to be seen!
"We'll figure it out," Mia answers. She turns to her brother. "Do you know what those other Pokéballs look like?"
He shakes his head. "No."
"Hold on." Lalinda pulls out a notebook from a small pocket of her bag. She opens it, and after flipping through a few pages, she holds it out for the twins to see. "I'm not a great artist, but I did this while I was taking notes at the Trainers' School.
There are three types of Pokéballs displayed. There is one Mia recognizes. The other has a blue top instead of red. A single bulging red streak is on each side. Lalinda had labeled it as the Great Ball.
Next to that is a black-top Pokéball with a yellow H at the top. An Ultra Ball. Mia recognizes that one. "Hey… Leon keeps his Charizard in one of those…"
"Not surprising. I heard that Charmander are no easy Pokémon to capture. They often breed them to avoid the struggle," Lalinda says. She turns to Mia. "Do you have enough money to buy Ultra Balls?"
Mia looks at her funny. Why is she asking her?!
"You need a certain number of badges, too," the Pikachu owner points out quickly. "They don't want rookie Trainers wasting money on things they don't need to use yet. That's another problem we've been facing."
"What are we supposed to do? Chucking so many Pokéballs is a waste…" The Startly owner appears the most stressed about the situation.
"Maybe the rumors are true." The youngest boy is nervous, playing with his fingers. "The wild Pokémon are attacking people because of the bad guys bothering them. Maybe they are starting to think that all people are bad…"
A loud roar from ahead draws attention. Flying past them with incredible speed is a Garchomp.
Wait. Garchomp?!
"Look! It's the Champion!" the young boy exclaims, jumping and pointing. Everyone else follows, only they shout and wave their hands.
"Champion Cynthia! Over here!"
"Champion! Champion!"
"We need your help!"
The Garchomp continues to fly off. She didn't hear. Mia really doesn't want to… but she may have to head all the way back to Eterna City just to call her.
No, she has to find Leon first. Also, how did she get caught up in this Gligar chaos? She hasn't even seen the Pokémon personally yet.
"Looks like we missed her," Mia sighs. "But… we can't keep relying on her, can we?"
"Well, I'm sure she would want us to learn on our own," Will says. "But… this isn't something we can handle alone-"
Garchomp makes a sharp turn, silencing everyone. She makes a dive for the ground, landing right next to the surprised crowd. Sitting on her back is Cynthia, who for once, doesn't greet anyone with a smile.
"Listen to me, all of you," Cynthia begins. "Head to Eterna. Stay inside the Pokémon Centers until further notice."
"What? What's going on?" the Pikachu owner asks.
"Pokémon Hunters have been spotted in the area. They will target you and take whatever you have. Hurry out of here, now." Cynthia doesn't need to repeat herself. The Trainers quickly head for the gate. The bridge becomes empty in no time.
Will has the same idea, already riding away. Mia begins to follow, but it doesn't last long.
"Leon isn't with you. Where is he?" Cynthia sounds deeply worried.
That is a question Mia was expecting to hear. How to answer without sounding irresponsible on the other hand…
Will answers for her. "We… lost him."
"You lost him?" Cynthia is a bit puzzled at first. It takes a second for her worries to grow. "There's a reason why I have him traveling with you! You have to keep an eye on him! He has the tendency to wander off!"
Mia feels herself shrinking.
Garchomp nudges the Champion.
"Okay… it's not your fault. He disappears faster than one can blink," Cynthia says. "Where was the last place you've seen him?"
"At the underground," Mia answers. "He actually shoved us inside. It looked like something spooked him. He was… also the first one out."
"Smart kid. He used the underground to get away from them…"
"What? Was that what all that was about?" Mia can't believe she missed that. Now she feels bad for yelling at him before. He wouldn't just carelessly push her like that.
"Pokémon Hunters have been spotted around the city. I think they are mainly after Leon," Cynthia clarifies. "Mia, keep your Eevee inside her Pokéball."
Mia doesn't like this. The news fill her with dread. "He's out there all by himself!"
"It's okay…. He knows how to defend himself," Cynthia says. "But where could he have ended up? He could be located at any route surrounding Eterna City!"
"There are a good number of them…" Lalinda is checking her map. "This is bad. What would happen if he wanders to the wrong place?"
"The worst thing that could happen is that someone either hurts him, or..."
"The hunters would catch him?" Will guesses.
Cynthia frowns. "Not so easily. Leon can be careless, but he won't blindly trust strangers. He'll keep running for as long as he can to get away from them. That's… how he got lost in the forest, which is also what I'm worried about. He'll only battle them when he's cornered… but unlike me, he isn't experienced on how to deal with hunters. He can't send his Charizard against them. It'll make it easier for them to capture him. If that happens-"
"He'll pin them to the wall like he did to that one man?" Lalinda asks.
Mia had seen how protective he is over his Charizard. How many people tried to take him?
Cynthia thinks about it, and she answers. "...I need to find him before things go out of hand. He might not keep his composure. He hasn't mastered how to do that yet…"
Mia doesn't like the sound of that. "What? What's wrong?"
"To Leon, his Charizard is more than just a Pokémon. Charizard is one of his closest friends, and an irreplaceable ally. He is the reason why he accomplished so much. You see the bond they share. Personally… the bond is perfect in my eyes. I just don't like the way that man makes Leon feel like he's so dependent on him."
"Dependant?" Lalinda echoes this, finding it strange.
What does that mean? What man is Cynthia referring to?
"In Leon's eyes, without his Charizard, he's nothing. I don't know how such a mindset got deep into his head, but the impact it has is a negative one. For that reason, we can't afford to wait another moment."
She stands, and she gives out instructions.
"Lalinda, you check Route 205, since you know the area best. Mia and Will… you two head over to Routes 206 and 207. Split your searches there. I'll run by Route 211. I know every corner of the area."
"Hold on," Mia calls her. "You sent those other Trainers away, and we are probably no better than them. What good are we? The hunters would just beat us up, won't they?"
"She has a point," Will agrees.
"Nobody will beat you up," Cynthia says. "Listen. The hunters won't be able to catch you."
"I…" Lalinda is confused. "I don't understand how?"
Mia watches the Champion reach for her waist. She unclips one Pokéball from one side, and two from the other. One of them is offered to her, but Mia can't bring herself to take it.
She can't be trusting her with that.
"Don't worry. They have battled against the hunters times before. They know how to deal with them," Cynthia assures her. "If you ever find yourself cornered, send them out, and they'll do the rest."
She can't be trusting her with that!
As much as Mia would like to decline… Cynthia isn't wrong. She isn't strong enough to stand against those hunters alone. She takes the Pokéball carefully, and she stares at it.
Who could be inside? Cynthia is actually okay with her holding on to one of her Pokémon. How does her Pokémon feel about that? Mia doubts they would listen to her.
Why would they bother to, anyway?
"Are these… actually your strongest Pokémon?" Will asks, staring at the Pokéball he holds.
"Yes. They have battled many powerful Trainers before. You only send them out for emergencies, and emergencies only," Cynthia says. "Until then, keep them on your belt."
"Okay, we'll do that!" Lalinda agrees excitedly. She's the only one not bothered by all this.
"Stay in touch. We'll meet back here in an hour if we don't find him," Cynthia says. "Keep an eye on your Pokétches."
She hops on her Garchomp's back, and the Pokémon begins to run, taking off at an incredible speed. With a massive jump, she takes flight.
"Okay, guys! I'll see you soon! Be careful!" Lalinda says. She takes off in a hurry.
Mia doesn't know what to say. This was so sudden. Everyone is in a hurry. It takes for Will to grab her arm for her to start moving.
"Come on, sis," he says. "I don't like this either… but we can't leave him out there."
Mia clips Cynthia's Pokéball on her waist. "Just how much trouble did Leon give the hunter's if they are all after him…?"
She just hopes he is alright, wherever he is.
- 0000 -
Route 211
A mountain path that tunnels through Mt. Coronet, one of the tallest mountains in Sinnoh.
Closing the town map, Leon tucks it away, taking a look around.
The ground is dark brown and rocky. It's hard to believe the tall grass managed to even grow so large at the very start of the route. A stretching wooden bridge allows access to the mountainside. Between that is a large fall and a river waiting below. It seems they could climb down a little and cross a bridge further down. A few trainers seem to be enjoying themselves… but Leon has his mind on other things.
"How did I get here?"
He isn't sure where to go. He climbed out a hole and found himself near the bridge. He thought something was off about the way he was pulled to the surface. It should have brought him back from where he came…
A rustle behind him is sounded. Leon stills his body for a second, and he decides to turn around. Hopping out the tall grass is something he's never seen before.
A large yellow bell bounces, and a small ring is heard each time it lands. It has red and white striped rope at the top, but it's torn in half. Hanging it would be impossible.
It rolls to the bottom and… wait. It has feet. It stands and stretches its arms.
That's not a big bell.
It's a cute small creature.
Leon slings his bag to his stomach, and he pulls out a handbook. On the cover displays a Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup. He opens it and quickly flips through the pages. "It's too bad my Pokédex won't identify some of the Pokémon here…"
He pauses and soon as he finds the page displaying Pokémon inhabiting Route 211. One picture on a page displays the very creature he is seeing. The information written down gives a brief explanation.
(Sinnoh Number 082.
Chingling, the Bell Pokémon.
Its typing is: Psychic. There is an orb inside its mouth. When it hops, the orb bounces all over and makes a ringing sound.)
"What a strange Pokémon… I've never seen anything like it," Leon is curious. He takes a step closer.
The Chingling takes notice of him immediately. As it tilts its head, a small jingle is heard.
"It's actually pretty cute."
Its mouth opens wide, and the bell inside its mouth rattles. An ear-piercing ring rips through Leon's ears. He claws at them as he screams, staggering back and tripping over a ledge. His feet leave the ground as he dives several feet towards a rocky path.
He lands harshly on his side with a grunt. The ringing had stopped, leaving the sound of a flowing river to fill his ears.
"Ow… how can something so small have a painful Uproar...?"
Loud hooting and fluttering is nearby. A brown, rounded bird flies from nearby. Its wings are stubby, and it glares at Leon with its red eyes. Black gear-like markings surround it, and its head feathers look like the hands of a clock.
He recognizes that Pokémon, but they usually aren't out during this time of day-
It lunges and pecks at his head. If it weren't for his hat, he would be in pain. Leon swings his arms in efforts to shoo it away.
It lands a harsh peck at the bridge of his nose. The impact forces his head back, and the pain is stabbing. He wildly swings his hand, striking the owl-like creature across its body.
It spins in the air, nearly falling. It quickly flies off, terrified.
Slowly sitting up, he freezes. He is at the edge of a cliff. The wild river flowing below him makes him crawl back until he feels pressure against his feet. Looking behind him, there is a rocky wall. He didn't just fall at the edge of a cliff… it's a narrow one.
If he missed the ground, he would have been swept by the current.
No…
Looking harder, the river is littered with sharp rocks. If he had fallen...
He checks his waist, confirming he didn't lose his Charizard. He carefully stands as he picks up his handbook, assuring his back is against the wall. He walks along the wall, careful with his steps, and ignoring the throbbing pain as much as he can.
There. Just a few steps away is a staircase leading higher. He isn't sure if Sinnohans have a sense of adventure or not, but Galar certainly doesn't have stairs by a cliff.
As soon as he reaches the top of the steps, he notices the bridge connecting the cliff to another across the river, leading to the entrance of a cave on the side of the mountain.
Checking the handbook again, he sees the very Pokémon that pecked him earlier. Maybe Hoothoot behave differently in Sinnoh?
(Sinnoh Number 106.
HootHoot, the Owl Pokémon.
Its typing is: Normal and Flying. It marks time precisely. Some countries consider it to be a wise friend, versed in the world's ways.)
"It certainly didn't want to be my friend. That hurt a lot…" Leon rubs his nose as he pushes himself forward. As soon as he stands in front of the cave, he checks his map again.
Mt. Coronet.
A sacred mountain that is capped the year round with snow. A gigantic maze sprawls inside it.
"I can't go in there… I have to find the city…" Leon takes another look around. "Where is it…? This map is supposed to be helping me… let's see…"
He checks it again.
"It's West from here…" He turns around, and he holds his breath.
This… is a sight he doesn't want to see.
A flock of Hoothoot are gathered at the other side of the bridge, and they are flying towards him, hooting angrily. It's bizarre to see so many out while the sun is shining. Did he summon a storm?
"Looks like you brought your friends with you… well then…" He steps back and makes a break inside the cave. He presses his back against the wall, hearing their angry cries. They thankfully don't come inside.
Inside the mountain, it's massive. He would never find his way out if he goes any further.
He can't stay here, either. The Hoothoot are yet to leave. It's like they are waiting for him to come out.
Distant chattering draws his attention. Looking ahead, there is a blue-bodied and pale-faced chimp-like creature sprinting his way in panic. There are a small number of them, actually. They jump behind rocks and disappear.
One is distant, running on two legs as it carries a small pink and cute creature. Its ears are brown and stubby. From how small its arms and legs are, it looks like a star.
Leon notices how it looks hurt. It is taken behind the rocks. He checks the handbook, flipping to the next page. He sees the chimp first...
(Sinnoh Number 086.
Meditite, the Meditate Pokémon.
Its typing is: Fighting and Psychic. It always trains deep in mountains. It levitates when it heightens Its spiritual power through meditation.)
The star creature is there as well.
(Sinnoh Number 099.
Cleffa, the Star Shape Pokémon.
Its typing is: Fairy. It is often seen when shooting stars fill the night skies. It's said to arrive riding on a shooting star.)
"That should do it, don't you think?"
The voice makes Leon freeze again. In the distance, he sees a group of people. Men dressed in grey clothing are equipped with a heavy dark vest, and brown rounded gun-like gear on the top of their wrists.
This is the last thing he wanted to see.
He has to find a place to hide, and fast.
One of them turns to his direction, and Leon ducks and crawls behind a cluster of rocks. It's not a perfect hiding spot, but what else can he do? Now that he has a good look…
There are so many of them, accompanied by Houndour, Staravia, and Zubat. He instinctively reaches for his Pokébelt, but he stops. He can't send out his Charizard if they have those cannons. He lowers his hand, clenching his teeth.
One of the Houndour turns to his direction, and it begins to bark. The flock of Staravia immediately fly forward.
So much for hiding.
Leon abandons his hiding spot immediately, making a run for the exit. He can't let them have him. He knows they've been after him for so long.
"Hey! There he is! Don't let that brat escape!" One of the men shouts.
The swarm of Zubat fly past and gather at the cafe's mouth. Leon stumbles and nearly runs right into them. He steps back and turns around. The Staravia are gathering behind him. Houndour surround him. The hunters come closer, aiming their cannons in case he tries to summon his Charizard.
He takes a few steps back, clenching his fists. They have him cornered. He tries to find an opening, but no matter where he'll go, they'll push him back.
"Fancy seeing you here, Galarian," one of the men mocks him. He must be the one leading the operation. His vest is darker than the rest, and he has more gadgets equipped. He pushes back his brown and spiked hair with a chuckle. "How did you like your detour?"
"Davis…" Leon grumbles the name.
Davis whistles. The hooting from outside comes closer until the flock of Hoothoot fly inside. They join the Staravia and Zubat as a barricade.
A single Chingling hops inside. It makes its way to Davis, who offers his hand to it. The Pokémon jumps and lands on his arm, and it's lifted as the hunter stands tall. It is stroked on the head as a reward.
Leon mentally scolds himself for falling for such a cheap tactic. "No way…"
"This time, we made sure there is no opening. This formation was designed by the master Hunter J herself." The man calls his Chingling back into its Pokéball. Once it is put away, he extends his hand. "Be a good kid, and listen to the adults. Give us what we want, and you will remain unharmed. I swear it."
"Why go through all the trouble just to corner one person?" Leon asks, taking a step back. He is nearly nipped by a Houndour. The threat nearly makes him fall as he swiftly moves his foot away.
A man walks up behind him, and he roughly snatches his bag. Leon turns quickly, and the Zubat come closer, gathering around his face. He shields his face as he tries to swing the man off his bag. As a last resort, he keeps his arms close to his body to keep the straps from coming loose.
They pop off anyway, to his surprise. His eyes fall on the Zubat that bit them free. "Hey!"
The man peers inside the bag. He pulls out the explorer kit, a few books, a spare cap, packaged food… "Wait… where is it?! The egg isn't in here!"
"What?!" Davis marches forward as the Zubat clear away. He snatches Leon by the collar of his jacket, roughly pulling him close. "What the hell did you do to the egg?!"
Despite the rough handling, Leon isn't scared. All it did was annoy him, and such annoyance is clear in his tone. "Let me go."
"You…!" Davis looks at him as if he's insane. "Fine. You'll make up for it."
"What?"
Leon feels his body being pulled back by the other man. At the same time, Davis snags the Ultra Ball from his Pokébelt. A gasp escapes the teen's lips.
That happened quicker than his mind could process. Seeing the capsule free from his belt makes his heart sink. He reaches forward, but he can't grab anything. "Charizard!"
Davis tosses the capsule to another hunter in the distance. They catch it and begin to walk away. "Let's have a meeting with my boss."
He didn't hear a word. All of his attention is focused on the Ultra Ball that is being carried further and further away. The larger the gap between them grows, the more panicked he feels. They'll freeze Charizard! They'll ship him off! They'll sell him! He'll never see his partner again!
His fists are trembling to the point they relax. The hunters see him as a frightened child. Leon can't very well make a run to escape if he could. He can't abandon his partner.
He doesn't have any other Pokémon with him, either. Cornered… he is cornered. They took his Charizard...
A blistering surge of chills runs through his spine. He holds his breath, and his eyes widen in response.
"What's with that look on your face?" Davis asks.
Leon releases out a loud shout. He twists his body and jabs his elbow against the man behind him. It strikes his chin, knocking his head back. As the man hits the ground, Leon kicks his bag, sending it flying at the leader.
"Oh-" Davis quickly catches it. Just as his eyes tear away from the bag, they widen at the sight of a flying knee. He is struck square on his face, and he falls back, hitting the ground. His hands cover his broken nose as he rolls side to side, grunting and bitting back his screams.
Nearby hunters are in shock.
Leon lands and tries to catch his breath. He didn't… want to resort to that, but he can't let them get away with his partner.
His actions angered the Pokémon. They swarm forward to attack. Leon grabs his bag quickly. He pulls out a few Clefairy dolls, and he throws them all in the air.
The Pokémon are distracted. Leon locates the man holding the Ultra Ball. He makes a desperate dash after him. The thief appears frightened now.
Several of the hunters jump in front of him, forcing him to slow down to a stop.
In response, Leon quickly positions his curled hands near the sides of his head as he slightly lowers his chin. Leading one leg forward and turning the other foot, he only lightly bends his knees. He holds a frightened expression, desperate to claim back what was stolen.
"What kind of stance is that?" one of the hunters asks. "You're wide open!"
"Don't talk to him! Get him!" another shouts. They glare at the man they are protecting. "Hurry to the boss, now!"
Leon watches the thieving man run off for the light at the other side of the cave. For a second, a wave of dread overwhelms him. They might just get away with…
No…
"Now, you-"
Leon's shout cuts him off, followed by the shin of the teen's leg striking his flank. Pain flashes across the hunter's face. He crouches over and drops to one knee, grunting in pain as he hugs his body.
Leon quickly drops his leg, returning to his stance. Breathing quickly, he remains still, startled by what he just did. He acted impulsively, and now the man is suffering. How hard did he hit him? How hard did he hit those other men? Was it unnecessary? He can only stare, unsure of what to do.
His eyes leave the down hunter, and they land on the one retreating with his Charizard. If he gets away with him… his ace…
No… he'll lose everything. Without his partner, the people of Galar will lose their mascot. Battles won't be the same… he might just lose his title… and then…
No, no, no...
The others are frozen, unsure of how to react. Looking at him, they notice that his breathing is almost out of control.
"H-hey… take it easy," one of them says, stepping back. "No need to get violent. We were just following orders-"
"HAAAAAAA!"
Wild Pokémon flee from the hoarse and stressful scream. A group of hiding Cleffa cowar and flinch with every growl and thud that follows. They watch the shadow on the wall kick and punch down the others.
Even after they hit the ground, the kicking and stomping is relentless.
To be Continued to Chapter 13!