Chapter Five - Arrival of the PokéTinker!
August 4th, 2022
Raine's House, Jay Town, Asture Region
Raine was awoken before his alarm by a trumpeting sound outside of his house and a cacophony of what sounded like pots and pans clanging together.
"What the?" he moaned, dragging himself out of bed.
For the first time in his life as he got dressed he placed two Poké Balls on his belt. One for Buizel and the other for his new Teddiursa who he had discovered was a girl. Together he felt like they could take on the World. But first whatever that infernal racquet was outside.
As he stepped out into the early morning sun he saw everyone running for the Town Square. He joined them, rushing to find out what was causing such a commotion. It seemed like once again every resident of Jay Town had gathered, but Raine couldn't see over their heads to work out why.
"Good morning, fine folk of Jay Town," a booming, almost lyrical voice called from amidst the circle of people. "I am Kalen Dunn, the one and only PokéTinker. I bring you wares and goods from my travels around the Asture region as well as the offer of my services. At a nominal fee of course."
"What's a PokéTinker?" a young voice called angrily, clearly not pleased to have been rudely awoken by all of the noise.
Raine managed to squeeze his way to the front of the crowd and gawped at the middle aged man and his PokéCart. The PokéTinker was wearing a trenchcoat with the front literally covered in Gym badges from all across the World. A ridiculous reflective visor covered most of his face. His PokéCart was just as lavish, covered in thousands of indiscernible objects. There was no doubt that just by moving he had caused the cacophony that had awoken the town.
"Thank you for asking, dear boy," the PokéTinker said. "I, the PokéTinker, am a man of great talent. I can obtain any item, craft any thing and fix any problem. What, may I ask, do you hunger for, sweet child?"
"Toys!" the child exclaimed.
The PokéTinker laughed uproariously and slapped his thigh, making his Gym badges jingle and jangle. "That I can do. Free this one time only and just for you, dear boy. A Mr Mime PokéDoll." He dug around in one of the boxes attached to the side of his three wheeled PokéCart, half bicycle, half storage shed, and pulled out exactly what the boy had asked for. As he handed it over he said, "Line up everyone and let's see if I can fulfil all of your needs as well."
Raine had no idea what this eclectic man could offer him or the people of Jay Town, yet many of them formed a long line leading away from him instead of the circle they had initially gathered in.
"Do you think he has anything to rival Oak's Pokédex?" Professor Sakura asked, coming to stand at Raine's side and rubbing his chin musingly.
"I doubt it," Raine said. "He just seems like an eccentric old man."
"You two," the PokéTinker said suddenly, pointing directly at Raine and the Professor. "You seem like important fellows. What can I offer you?"
"Nothing," Raine said, shaking his head.
"Surely, there's something. How about a shiny new Normal Badge straight from your own Jay Town's Gym?"
"What?" Raine asked incredulously. "How could you know that I just failed to win that?"
"Word travels far and fast, Raine Jennings." The PokéTinker winked. "And I keep an eye on who out of the ordinary is taking on the Gyms around the World. It's not every day that someone your age starts his journey to become the Pokémon Champion. So if you like I could sell you this badge here and you could just say that you earned it yourself."
"Excuse me," Mirella said suddenly, dashing out of the line to accost the PokéTinker. "How dare you undermine what it means to earn that badge?"
"Ah, Mirella, my apologies, dear child, I didn't see you there. I was kidding of course, he would still have to earn himself the badge by facing you in battle."
Mirella growled through gritted teeth and stood with her hands on her hips several metres away from the PokéTinker. "How did you even get all of those badges anyway? I doubt that you earned them."
"In fact I did earn them in battle, sweet girl," The PokéTinker said, twirling in the sun. "Each and every one through hard battles and grit."
"Prove it. Fight me right now and show me how you won that badge from one of my predecessors."
"No. I don't have to and I won't. I am not here to battle. I'm here for the people who need my wares and assistance. Now if you would, please step aside and let me conduct my business."
Mirella glared daggers at the PokéTinker's back as he turned to face the gathered citizens and addressed the first young man in the line.
"That went well," Raine observed drily, stepping up beside Mirella. "I never would have accepted a badge that way by the way. I'll earn it myself eventually."
"Oh," Mirella said. "You're going to challenge me again?"
"One day. That's a promise."
"Look at you, Mister Confidence. What changed your attitude in the past few days?"
"This," Raine said, bringing out the Pokédex and waving it in the air. "It changes everything."
"What's that?" Mirella asked, bending forward and trying to catch a glimpse of the red rectangular device.
"It's what's called a Pokédex. It is a device that can identify every Pokémon in the World."
"I don't understand what that means. Show me?"
Raine flipped open the Pokédex and pointed the camera at Buizel. It immediately spoke the detailed description and showed a picture and the record of Buizel on the small screen.
"Wow," Mirella said, stunned.
"I know," Raine said excitedly. "It's incredible. I'm still trying to work out what else it can do, but just this is an incredible tool for new trainers."
Mirella grabbed a Poké Ball and summoned Furret to the ground between them. "Scan him."
Raine pointed the Pokédex at Furret. "Furret, the long body Pokémon," it said. "Furret has a very slim build. When under attack, it can slickly squirm through narrow spaces and get away. In spite of its short limbs, this Pokémon is very nimble and fleet."
"What is that, dear child?" the PokéTinker asked, skipping over to leer at the Pokédex as it finished talking. "Show me that device."
Raine tentatively tilted the Pokédex so that its open insides faced the PokéTinker and then quickly slammed it shut and buried it into a pocket as he reached out to grab it.
"Please, let me have a closer look," the PokéTinker pleaded, reaching towards Raine's pockets. "I need to know what that was."
"No," Raine said sternly. "This is not for you, Tinker."
"No harm will come of it, I promise."
"No. As far as I know you'll run off or try to take it apart. I don't know you and even if I did I wouldn't let it leave my hands."
"That's a fool's mistake," the PokéTinker said and stormed off. He slammed the open containers on the sides of his PokéCart and called, "No more business. I can see Jay Town isn't as welcoming as it once was." He got on the bicycle seat at the front of the cart and rode out of town down the manicured Route One leading to Sparrow Town.
"Well that was odd," Mirella said, laughing. "I'd keep a tight grip on that Pokédex if I was you. He'll doubtless be back to try and get a closer look."
Raine realised just how right Professor Sakura had been to worry about ten-year-olds travelling alone with the Pokédexes. If he was going to entrust them to children they would need an adult to help keep them safe. He didn't want to be that adult, but he also didn't ever want to relinquish the Pokédex to someone else. There had to be a compromise that could be made. The most likely option was to give the four remaining Pokédexes to other adults as well. But would Professor Sakura go for that when Professor Oak had asked for them to be placed into the hands of children?
"It's safe with me, but I actually have a request," Raine said, coming to a realisation.
"Sure thing, how can I help?" Mirella asked.
"I need to become a better trainer if I'm going to safely travel Asture. Would you help me train Buizel and my new Teddiursa?"
"You're on!" Mirella grasped Raine on the shoulder and grinned broadly. "As long as you guarantee me a rematch."
"Sure thing," Raine said, smiling nervously. "I'll meet you at the training ground at lunch time."