Pokémon: Hoenn Travels.

-The Important Stuff:-

1) I am not at all affiliated with Game Freak nor Nintendo, or any other companies that write/produce Pokémon.

2) I do not own any part of Pokémon.

-A Waiver:-

1) This is not a direct steal from anything already Pokémon-related that exists, not the show or a game or a novel/book. It is my own creation, therefore I may bend the rules a little bit to fit my needs.

2) The names of Professors, Gym Leaders, and Cities were taken from Ruby Version.

Chapter Five:

But Wait, There's More!

The following morning, awaking in Oldale town, I was discombobulated by my surroundings. I couldn't remember the last time I had awoken in a Pokémon Center room and it was earlier than I was expecting it to be. I took my time showering, dressing, and putting myself together. I left the room nearly an hour later, intending to go find breakfast on the first floor of the Center. I didn't expect Doug up for some time.

Luma trotted ahead of me as we made our way into the small dining area of the PokéCenter. There was a small buffet table set up with large plates of steaming eggs, crispy bacon, fluffy biscuits, and pitchers of orange juice and water. I filled a plate for myself and for Luma and we found a table to sit at. She daintily slurped up her food, purring contentedly as she ate. I found a brochure on the Hoenn region sitting on the table we had chosen and flipped through it as I too ate my food.

"Anything interesting?" Luma quietly asked me between bites.

"Apparently there is a city that has natural hot springs," I told her as I read. "There's a city that's literally built within a giant species of tree, and there's a city built on top of the water. It just floats in the middle of the ocean."

"Really?" Luma seemed intrigued. She looked away from her breakfast and craned her neck toward the brochure. "Are there pictures?"

"A few." I held the brochure towards her so she could see the bright images printed on the paper. The image of the hot springs showed a natural crater filled with bubbling water and smiling people. There was a picture of a large tree with the Pokémon Center built right into the branches, and there was a picture of a sun-kissed fisherman casting a line off of a floating dock, no land in the surrounding ocean.

"We should stay longer," Luma muttered, returning to her breakfast.

"I wish I could," I agreed, closing the brochure and setting it back on the table top. "But we only have the weekend, Luma."

"We could have longer, you have never taken a vacation, Rowan," she stated, cleaning off her plate and turning in her seat to face me. Her expression was serious. "You deserve a vacation, I deserve a vacation."

I smiled at her. "You're very persuasive."

She shrugged her shoulders. "And yet, your thoughts aren't convinced."

I dropped my gaze to my plate as I scooped up a forkful of eggs. "Just the weekend, Luma."

She sighed loudly, dropped out of her seat, and I watched her pad her way across the lobby and to a window at the front of the building. She jumped onto the seat of a bench, and then onto the back rest of the bench. She laid down, tucking her legs underneath her slim body and wrapping her tail around herself. She stared out the window.

As I was finishing my breakfast a short time later, I heard someone clear their throat and as I looked behind myself, I found Doug shuffling toward the buffet table. The food had been refreshed only a few moments before so it was all still fresh and hot. He helped himself to a filled plate and sat down in the chair beside me.

"Didn't wake me?" He muttered as he filled the biscuit with egg and bacon.

"We don't have to be there until the late afternoon, I thought I would be nice and let you sleep," I told him. I propped my elbows on the table top and leaned into my arms, watching him as he took a bite.

He chewed quietly for a moment, then tucked it into his cheek. "How far did they say to Petalburg from here?"

"A couple hours," I answered. "If we leave now," I glanced to the far well where a clock hung, squinting as I read the numbers, "we would be there around ten, which is way too early."

He grunted, setting his biscuit down and grabbing a napkin to wipe his mouth. After he swallowed and then took a long drink of water, he spoke again. "How do we waste enough time so we aren't aimlessly milling about Petalburg for four hours?"

I shrugged. "We could stop at the mart, grab some pokéballs and see what we can catch between here and there?" I suggested.

"Like a competition?" He asked me, his eyebrow arching.

"Why a competition?" I chuckled as I asked him.

He shrugged. "My whole life is a competition, it's a habit I can't break."

"Fine, like a competition. Whoever catches the least amount of Pokémon between now and when we leave has to buy the other dinner when we get back," I decided. Doug thought about it a moment, then nodded his head.

"I could use a free meal," he agreed and I laughed. "It's a deal."

"Great, finish up and let's get to the mart." I pushed my chair back and stood up from it. Doug glanced at me and then down as I stood.

"You gonna be okay walking from here to Petalburg in heels?" He asked. His tone didn't sound judgmental, more curious and maybe a little concerned.

"I made it from Ecruteak to Goldenrod just fine, didn't I?"

"Yea, but we stayed on the road."

"I'll be just fine, Doug." I walked away from him and to Luma to tell her of our plan.

Just outside Oldale Town only a short time later, Doug and I walked beside each other silently. I knew we were both listening for the familiar rustle of a wild Pokémon, but I very much wanted to initiate a conversation with him. Ahead of us, Luma and Phantom quietly walked side by side as well. Both pairs of their ears flicked deftly in all directions.

We had left the Pokémon Center and quickly made our way to Oldale Town's Mart. It had been easy to find, as it was the only other structure in Oldale that wasn't a house. The inside of it had been tiny, with only four shelves of merchandise. Doug and I had both bought pokéballs, probably way too many of them, as well as potions, revives, and antidotes from the shelves. Based on the clerk's expression, it was the most product anyone had purchased from him in a long time.

Doug and I, as we headed toward the exit of Oldale Town, hashed out the finer details of our plan. The loser would buy the winner dinner in Ecruteak, because Doug had been such a fan of the restaurant I had taken him to. It would be the last thing we did before he headed back to Indigo Plateau on Monday evening.

I hated thinking about how short the weekend was going to be. It had already been more than twenty-four hours since Doug Evergreen had walked back into my life. It all felt so effortless; being with him again, travelling across a region and capturing Pokémon again. I wanted longer than a weekend. Luma had reminded me that I could make a few phone calls and make it longer than a weekend. I opted for ignoring her, which she wasn't overtly happy about.

I froze on the path when Luma suddenly halted. Her ears went straight above her head and stopped moving. I noticed the tips of her tail vibrating, which normally happened when she was using one of her many psychic abilities.

Wild Pokémon? I asked her in my head, so as to not alert Doug to it.

Yes. She immediately responded, but her voice was hesitant. But something's wrong.

What do you mean?

Her ears suddenly flicked off to the left, then she twisted her head in that direction too. She's calling me for help.

Calling? She's psychic?

Yes. Come, quickly. Luma leapt off the path and bounded into the grass off to our left. I quickly followed, reaching down and sliding off my heels as I left the path. I ran after Luma, only seeing her tail above the grass.

"Rowan!" I heard Doug call after me.

I blindly followed Luma. We sprinted quite some distance from the pathway and eventually the grass gave way into sparse, rocky land. I stopped behind Luma, trying to catch my breath. She was still again, her ears high and unmoving. I slipped my shoes back onto my feet as I waited.

"Over here." Luma darted away from me and towards a rocky outcropping. She jumped onto the lowest surface and then onto a higher rock. I followed, carefully stepping onto the sun-drenched surfaces of the stones. I followed Luma towards the edge of the boulders, where she froze, staring down over the edge. "There."

I leaned over the edge. It was probably less than ten or fifteen feet to the ground and beneath us there was a crater formed by the boulders. The space was entirely encircled on all sides and the ground was barren except for a tiny, white and green Pokémon. It was lying motionless on the ground.

"Holy Murkrow," I breathed. I slipped my shoes off again, leaving them with Luma as I dropped to my butt and slowly slid off the edge of the rock. I dropped the full ten feet, collapsing to my feet as I absorbed the shock of the fall. I carefully walked over to the Pokémon and kneeled down. "Is she conscious?" I called up to Luma, glancing up in the direction of her.

She was nodding. "Barely, but yes."

I looked back to the wild Pokémon. I could see her chest rising and falling and as I reached out toward her, her eyes fluttered opened.

"It's okay," I whispered. "I am here to help."

"She was attacked by another wild Pokémon," Luma was explaining to me. "She was running from it and stumbled into this hole. Luckily it didn't chase her, but the fall took her last remaining strength."

"Will she let me catch her?" I lifted my eyes to my Pokémon again.

She was silently for a moment, I had to imagine she was conversing with the psychic Pokémon in front of me. "Yes."

"You're going to be fine," I whispered as I produced a pokéball and called her into it. It barely shook and immediately clicked, confirming the Pokémon to be caught. I stood, cradling it my hands for a moment before safely storing it in my satchel. I then walked back to the high wall of the crater and found my way up, using rocky ledges and outcroppings to plant my hands and feet. I crawled back onto the boulder beside Luma and flipped onto my butt, taking a moment to catch my breath. "Will she make it to Petalburg or should I back track to Oldale?"

"She's fine in the ball, rest will help her regain some strength." Luma assured me, then nodded back the direction we had come. "Come on, let's go tell Doug and Phantom we are ahead."

I laughed, pulled on my shoes, and followed after Luma. "Oh, Luma, what kind of Pokémon is she?"

"A Ralts."


By the time we arrived in Petalburg City, Doug had matched my single Pokémon catch and passed me by catching a small, black dog Pokémon called a Poochyena and a small, red caterpillar called Wurmple. Even though he only had two, and was only up by one, he was bragging quite significantly.

"I am gonna order the most expensive thing," he commented as we entered Petalburg City. I rolled my eyes, deciding to ignore him. I found a tall sign post standing near the entrance of the city and made my way to it, searching for the way to the Pokémon Center. Part of the reason I hadn't bothered to look for other Pokémon was because I was so worried about the one I already had. "And I think I am gonna get dessert."

I threw a glare at him over my shoulder and found him brightly grinning. "Aren't you celebrating a little early, Doug?"

"Someone is a sore loser," he said, clicking his tongue disappointingly at me.

I slowly narrowed my eyes, then let out my breath. "Pokémon Center is just down the road." I pointed in that direction and headed that way. We were still a bit early for our talk, but we had only an hour to burn instead of four. Doug advised that after we got our new Pokémon checked out, we would go and find Norman, who apparently ran the gym in Petalburg and who had organized the entire event for the children.

Finding the Pokémon Center quite easily, I entered the large building through the automatic doors, relishing in the blast of cold air that met me just inside. I heard Luma breathe a heavy sigh of relief as well. Though she wasn't complaining about the heat, it was hard to go from almost a foot of snow to sweating through a shirt by just walking down the road.

I made my way up to the desk, waiting behind a young trainer who was handing off their Pokémon to the nurse. He had a full six Pokémon that he handed across the counter top. I glanced behind me, finding Doug standing nearby with his two new Pokémon's pokéballs cupped in one hand. I reached into my bag and grabbed Ralts' pokéball.

"Those are very strong Pokémon, young man. You must be an excellent trainer," the nurse commented as she came back with the Pokémon belonging to the kid who stood in front of me. The young trainer quickly retrieved his Pokémon from her with a quiet thanks and hurried from the counter and out of the Center. I stepped up to the counter and handed off the single pokéball I had to the smiling nurse. "One moment," she assured me and disappeared into the back. I stepped off to the side to allow Doug space at the counter beside me. He set the two pokéballs he held onto the surface and glanced down at me.

"You okay?" He asked me.

"That Pokémon was really hurt," I told him and then shrugged. "Just bothered by it, is all."

"I'm sure it's okay," he said, trying to reassure me I had to assume. However, since that was all he offered up, it was pretty ineffective. I smiled at his attempt anyways.

"Ma'am?" The nurse reappeared, holding the pokéball. She was still smiling. "She's all set, have a good day!"

"Oh, thank you." I took the ball and glanced down at Luma. Luma offered me a toothy smile and bumped her head against my thigh.

See, no need to worry, she said to me in my mind. I nodded, conceding that she had been right. I glanced at Doug, he was waiting on his Pokémon.

"I'll be outside, okay?" I called to him and he silently acknowledged me with a nod of his head. I left the Pokémon Center and sat on a bench just outside the doors. Luma jumped up beside me.

"While you're helping Doug socialize with children, can I stay outside with Ralts? Perhaps give her some psychic advice?" She asked me, nosing the pokéball still in my hands. "I can already tell she's strong, just needs a little guidance."

"Of course you can," I agreed.

Doug emerged from the Pokémon Center and glanced around, obviously looking for me. He easily spotted me after a moment and stopped in front of me. "So," he said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "should we go find Norman?"

"Sure," I said, "where do you think he is?"

"Well, he's the Gym Leader, let's try the Gym?"

I stood up and followed behind Doug as we meandered away from the PokéCenter. Though larger than both Oldale Town and Littleroot Town, Petalburg was still quite small. It was easy to navigate from the Pokémon Center to the Gym as it was just a short walk down a paved pathway. There was a large sign over the building stating: Petalburg City's Gym.

Doug confidently strode through the doors and into the building with me following behind him. The room we entered was large, but filled with chairs facing away from us. At the front of the room, near several tables that were filled with papers and knick-knacks, stood a serious looking man. The red jacket he wore had the sleeves pushed up above his elbows and he wore black pants over a pair of flip flops. As we neared, he turned to face us.

"Can I help you? I am a little busy now to battle anyone," he said to us.

"We aren't trainers," Doug answered him, scoffing as he did so. "I'm Doug Evergreen, I'm supposed to meet with you to give a talk to a bunch of kids, or something?"

"Mr. Evergreen," the man's tone changed, as did his expression, into a far more pleasant emotion. "Welcome to Petalburg City, I am Norman, the Gym Leader."

"Good to meet ya, man." Doug shook Norman's hand as the gym leader extended his hand in his direction.

"And you are?"

"Rowan Eden, just here to help Doug," I answered, shaking the man's hand as well when he offered it to me.

"Very nice to meet you both, I really can't tell you how much I appreciate your help," he said, shaking his head. "The kids don't think very much of me because so many of them see me on a daily basis. Also, they think: Oh, Petalburg Gym Leader? He's the easiest one to beat. They don't understand the level of skill you need to have to help young trainers gain the necessary confidence, but modesty to start their adventures."

"Well said," I commented.

Doug seemed apathetic to the conversation, and so when he spoke it was no surprise to me that he swapped topics. "What is it that you're wanting me to do?"

"Well," Norman waved us from the main room and into a smaller, side room. It was his office. He gestured to a sofa on the wall near the door and I sat, followed by Doug. He took a seat behind a large, wooden desk in the room. He set his elbows on the desk in front of him and interlaced his fingers. "We are in a rather delicate situation here lately. You see, the Hoenn region is bursting with trainers. We have so many major cities and a very active League, so churning out top tier trainers is just the Hoenn way."

"Okay," Doug muttered. I looked to him, his expression was still indifferent as though he were impatient for Norman to get to the point.

"Because we have so many solid trainers, we accrue a great deal of criminal activity and this has manifested into not one, but two despicable gangs that are extremely active," he continued to explain. He handed us a newspaper and Doug reached out to take it from him. I leaned into Doug to read whatever was on the front page.

'Team Magma and Team Aqua raid the Rustboro Department Store!' The headline read, below it was a second line of breaking news. 'Successfully robbed the store of over $10,000 dollars of merchandise!'

"Wow," I murmured.

"Yes, it's bad," Norman sighed. As I looked back to him, I found him shaking his head. "Now, their new targets have been trainers themselves. Trainers have lost Pokémon, they've been bullied, a few have been attacked, many of them are threatened. They're scared and they have now decided that being a Pokémon trainer isn't something that interests them."

"What about their parents? Can't they help?" I asked.

"The parents are just as scared, they don't want their children to get hurt, or worse," Norman explained. "We just need to motivate them, show them the benefits of being a trainer, the long-term achievements that befall you when you choose this vocational path," he continued, speaking animatedly with his hands. "And show them that there are people that they can turn to for help and support."

"So, you just want Doug to speak on his time as a trainer?"

"And his time as a champion," Norman added, then turned his attention to Doug. He gestured at him with a wide wave of his hand. "You have obviously had great success in your life because of your training and your Pokémon, yes?"

"Uh, sure?" Doug muttered and I snickered. "I mean, I just battle all the time, not really much else."

Norman stared silently at Doug for several seconds. "Please say more than that when you're talking to the kids," he sighed and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "I'll show you where you can set up out there, if you come with me."

Norman vacated his seat and waved Doug out of the office. I took up the rear, glancing to make sure Luma and Phantom followed. Returning out into the large room, I told Doug before Norman starting speaking again that I was going to step out for a moment. He looked nervous, so I promised I would be back.

I left the building and stood just outside the door. "Still want to bond with Ralts?" I asked Luma as she sat down in front of me.

"Definitely," she nodded.

"Mind if I come with you?" Phantom was seated beside her.

She cut a glare in his direction. "As long as you stay silent."

I stifled a giggle as I pulled Ralts' ball out of my bag. I tossed it up into the air and it opened, releasing the dainty Pokémon from inside. As she formed and I got a better look at her, I realized she was a very elegant Pokémon, even in her basic evolutionary form. Her body was formed like a flowy, white gown and the colors about her face and head were vibrant greens and reds, like a delicate flower.

Luma bumped her head against the Ralts' head, chirping as I imagine she spoke to her via thoughts. After a moment, they turned and began to head away from the main path and to a small, grassy area. A few steps away from me, the Ralts froze and slowly spun to face me.

Thank you, I heard a high-pitched, almost child-like voice in my head that I hadn't heard before. I stared down at the Ralts, assuming it was her. I bowed my head in her direction.

"You're welcome," I said aloud. She turned and followed after Luma and Phantom. I watched them disappear into the grass before I returned to the interior of the gym. I found Doug standing alone at the front of the room, staring down at a table top. "Where's Norman?"

I wasn't sure, but it seemed like my words caused Doug to jump slightly. "Uh, the kids are at lunch, so he's going to grab them."

"Oh, okay," I said, resting my rear against the edge of the nearest table. I stared at Doug, his eyes were back on whatever he had been looking at before. "Do you know what you're going to say to them?"

"Definitely not," he grumbled. "Hopefully, they're just ask a shit ton of questions and I can just answer those."

"And if they don't?"

He slowly lifted his eyes to my face and I could see undeniable fear on his features. "Then you bail me out, Ms. Eden."

I laughed at him. "Oh, Doug, I am definitely going to watch you flounder for a bit first."

"Thanks," he hissed at me as the front door of the gym opened and kids slowly started to make their way inside. Within only a few minutes, every seat, which was easily close to thirty or forty chairs, had a child sitting on it. Norman came into the building last, calling for the kids to quiet down as he made his way up the center aisle and to the front of the room.

"Alright, guys, let's all settle down here!" He called out and while the conversations silenced for the most part, there were still groups whispering to each other. "As I promised, we have a very special guest speaker to talk to you guys this afternoon. I want you to welcome the Champion of the Johto and Kanto regions, Mr. Doug Evergreen." Norman started to clap and a smattering of kids joined him in doing so as Norman stepped aside for Doug to take front and center.

"Hey guys," he immediately spoke and I was surprised that he didn't sound more nervous. "Like Norman said, I hold the Champion title for the Johto and Kanto regions and I have been the Champion for five years."

"You must have really strong Pokémon," a boy with a baseball cap pulled low on his face said from near the front of the room.

"Yea, I do, and it's because I went out and trained them that they are so strong," Doug explained, using that statement to piggyback off of. "You see, I made the decision when I was not much older than you guys that I wanted to be a Pokémon trainer. It was scary, you know, being on my own and facing things that I had never dealt with before, but that was what made it so fun and so worthwhile."

I cast a long glance across the room, looking at all the kids. They actually seemed interested in listening to Doug speak. As I passively glanced at each kid, I stopped and did a double-take when I recognized one of the young kids. I had been standing behind the kid in the line at the Pokémon Center only a short time before. He had six Pokémon and the nurse had commented on their strength.

I furrowed my brow and stepped away from Doug, slowly making my way around the edge of the room. I cast a glance at Norman, he had made his way to his office and I could see him sitting at his desk, not paying attention to what was happening outside of his office. I continued to slowly circle the room, staring more intently at the children. As I walked, and since they were so enthralled with Doug, I noticed that many of them, most of them actually, had pokéballs that they were holding, or playing with, or discussing with kids they were sitting beside. A few times, when the kids saw me near them, they would quickly tuck the red and white spheres under their shirts or into their laps.

As I came full circle and stopped back at the front of the room, I bit down on my lip, thinking about what we had been told. Children in Hoenn didn't want to be trainers because they were scared of being attacked by Team Magma and Team Aqua members. However, it seemed the majority of kids in the gym that Doug was talking to had pokéballs on them. My eyebrows came together, something wasn't adding up.

"Anyone have questions?" Doug asked across the room.

"Can I ask one?" I asked Doug and he seemed confused by my request. "Not of you, but of the room."

His expression smoothed out as he waved across the group of children. I stepped more to the center of the front of the room. "By a show of hands, how many of you want to be Pokémon trainers?" I asked, raising my own hand. Not a single hand went up. "Okay," I said, "how many of you already consider yourselves trainers because you have Pokémon?" My hand stayed up in the air, but yet again, none of the kids raised their hands. They all started to look around at each other nervously.

Something definitely wasn't right.

"No one wants to be a trainer?" Doug echoed. "Come on, guys. It's a lot of fun. You get to travel, you meet new friends, and your Pokémon become some of the best companions you could ever ask for."

As I stared across the room, I noticed each of the kids slowly tucking their pokéballs away and out of view. They were hiding something.

Luma! My thought screamed out in my head, knowing full and well that the more panicked I sounded, the more likely she was to hear it regardless of how far she was.

Rowan, what's wrong?

I need you, now. Something isn't adding up with the quote unquote problem that is supposedly plaguing the Hoenn region.

We are on our way.

I walked to the door at the back of the room as Doug continued to speak. I was actually impressed at how well he was doing, I had expected him to fall flat due to his nervousness. It was nice to see that he was actually very good with public speaking.

As I pushed the door to the gym open, Luma came bounding up with my Ralts on her back. I waved them into the gym, Phantom brought up the rear.

What do I need to do? Luma cast a look over her shoulder and in my direction.

I nodded around the room with my head. Listen to their thoughts and their quiet conversations, tell me if I am imagining it, but all these kids look like Pokémon trainers to me, but none of them are admitting it.

Luma's expression portrayed her concern. They're lying about being trainers? Why?

That's what I want to know. They're skeptical of me, so I am going to step outside. She nodded at me before padding up to the front of the room and sitting beside Doug. Phantom stared at her for a moment before following me to the exit. Before I shut the door, I noticed the Ralts sitting beside Luma, one of her little, white arms extended and resting against Luma's shoulder.

I let the door swing shut and went to find a seat.

"Something's up with the kids?" Phantom asked me as he followed me away from the Gym and back towards the Pokémon Center.

"Yea, it seems to me like they may be lying," I told him as I sat down on the bench outside the center. He jumped up beside me and sat as well.

"Isn't that what children do?" He asked me.

"It is, but not to this extent. When kids this age are proud of something," I pointed back in the direction we had just come from, "they want to talk about it with adults, they want to be recognized and praised. These kids are completely hiding it."

Phantom stared at me, blinking but otherwise not responding. He and I sat silently for the better part of an hour before I finally saw Luma trotting in my direction, Ralts once again on her back. I stood, meeting her halfway.

"Well?" I asked.

She nodded. "Boy, were you right," she said, her voice full of worry. "I told Doug to get Norman once Norman got the kids handed off on their next activity."

"That serious?" Phantom was asking as he jumped off the bench and came up beside me.

"I think so," she said. "We need to find some place private to talk."

I looked around us, knowing the Pokémon Center would be far too busy for us to sit and have a private conversation in. "Norman's office?"

"Somewhere," Luma agreed.

I glanced up, finding Doug and Norman heading towards us. "What's going on? Doug said that we needed to discuss something important?" Norman asked me. I pursed my lips, glancing down at Luma before responding.

"Norman, we need some place private to speak with you," I said. "Where should we go?"

He stared at me, clearly trying to decide how serious a topic I had to discuss with him. Finally, he gestured for us to follow him. "I know a place."

We followed him from the center of Petalburg City to the north edge. We stepped off of the worn pathway and into the grassy area. He continued to lead us further away from the city and finally came to a small park area with multiple picnic tables set up. Every table was empty.

"This good?" He asked and I agreed with a nod of my head. He made his way to one of the tables and took a seat. I sat down on the bench across from him and Doug took a seat beside me. Luma leapt up onto the table top and I finally recalled Ralts. Phantom joined Luma on the top of the picnic table.

"Before we begin our conversation, I want to give you a head's up so it doesn't startle you," I began, then waved to Luma and then to Phantom. "My Pokémon, and probably Doug's too, they're about to speak."

"Speak?" Norman echoed. "As in out loud?"

"Yes," Luma answered the question. She sat down with her back to me and Doug. "I found out something very important that you need to know."

"I'll be damned," Norman breathed as he stared wide-eyed at Luma. "How long has she been able to do that?" His eyes landed on my face.

"This is really not the important part, Norman," I replied.

"Years," Luma answered him vaguely before continuing. "Rowan asked me to come listen to the children's thoughts and quiet conversations," she began to explain, glancing back at me. "She thought there was something amiss with their behavior." Her head swiveled over her shoulder and her eyes bored into mine. "You were right."

"What's going on?" Doug asked now.

Luma twisted to face Doug and I. "They're not scared of being trainers, they consider themselves trainers. They actually think that they're all very skilled trainers."

"What!" Norman barked, seemingly shocked by the news.

"All of them have at least one Pokémon," Luma told him, she was facing him again. "Most of them have more than three."

"What!" He shouted again, this time far louder and now obviously angry. "All of them have refused the offer to go out on the Pokémon Trainer adventure, all of them have refused training and Gym battles, all of them have refused the offer of assistance in catching Pokémon. You're telling me they've been doing it behind my back and their parents' backs?"

"Would you like to know why?" Luma asked him, her voice was still calm.

"Why?" Norman demanded to know.

Luma cast a glance back at me and my brows furrowed. "The two gangs you mentioned," she spoke again, her attention back to Norman, "they're holding a massive recruiting event. They promise strong Pokémon and sure victories against trainers outside of the gangs. All the kids have to do is acquire strong Pokémon. Most of the kids apparently stole Pokémon from their parents, older siblings, neighbors."

Norman was silent as he stared at my Pokémon. I too had to take a moment to process the information.

"Holy fuck," I heard Doug whisper, and since he voiced my internal thoughts, I didn't have the heart to scold him for his language.

"This goes way beyond what you thought was going on, Norman," Luma said. "This is something that needs to be dealt with immediately."

"I need to call Ms. Dogwood, and probably Cornelia Rowe. Actually, definitely Cornelia Rowe." He stood up and paced beside the picnic table.

I stood too. "I am really sorry we dropped this all in your lap, Norman."

"No, don't be. You helped a great deal, we would have never known this without you," he said, shaking his head. He let out a loud, heavy breath. "Excuse me, I have a lot of phone calls to make."

He left the area and I watched him disappear into the foliage. I looked back to Doug, who was still seated. He was stared up at me and we held each other's gazes for several quiet minutes. "My talk went well though," he finally said and I couldn't help but to laugh.


Doug and I sat beside each other outside the Petalburg City Pokémon Center. The sun was beginning to set, casting long beams of bright light across the ground. I couldn't help when a heavy sigh escaped me.

"We should be heading back to Oldale Town," I heard him mutter. "I think there's a car waiting for us."

"You're probably right," I whispered, though I didn't want to admit to such things.

"At least you'll have a couple hours longer to try and beat me," Doug laughed and I could feel him staring at the side of my face.

I slowly twisted to glare at him. "To try and beat you? I will definitely beat you, Doug."

He laughed. "Love the confidence, Rowan." He stood, offering his hand out to me. "Ready?"

"No," I chuckled softly.

"Your shoes?" He asked me.

I reached out and slapped at his leg. He started laughing as he fended off my meager attack. "What is your obsession with my shoes?"

"You really want to know?" Luma offered to tell me. She was sitting out ahead of Doug and I in the last remaining bit of sunshine.

"Luma, please!" Doug barked at her and I arched an eyebrow.

"Now my interest is piqued," I said, looking from Doug to Luma.

"Luma," Doug said again. "I will literally buy you anything you want if you do not tell her."

Luma was obviously considering his offer as she remained silent. "Does that include purchasing a hot tub for Rowan's house in Ecruteak?"

"Yes," Doug agreed.

She fell silent again.

"Luma, please tell me." I had nothing to offer in return, hoping loyalty would sway my Pokémon.

Her eyes landed on me. "Sorry, it's a hot tub, Rowan." She looked to Doug, nodding. "It's a deal."

He released his breath and his shoulders sagged. "Thank goodness."

"Dammit," I hissed.

He waved at me. "Get up, come on, let's go."

I stood up beside him, smoothing out the front of my skirt. "I will find out," I pointed up at him. "Somehow, I will find out."

"Maybe eventually," he agreed, "but not right now."

I rolled my eyes and started to head towards the exit of Petalburg City and back in the direction of Oldale. I could feel Doug following behind me and Luma trotted at my side. Even if I left with only the Ralts, I was satisfied with the Pokémon I had caught.

Doug and I had not made it but a few moments outside of Petalburg when we heard shouts emanating behind us. We both froze, turning to face the way we had come. Doug took several steps in front of me, blocking most of my view of who was coming at us. I pushed up onto my tip toes and craned my neck to see whoever was shouting.

"Norman?" I called, recognizing the man and realizing he was shouting our names. He came to a stop in front of us, bending over to catch his breath.

Doug set a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Thank Mew I caught you both," he gasped, still bent over. He held up a finger, requesting that we give him a moment to recover from his sprint. Doug dropped his hand from him and took several steps away, back towards me.

He and I waited silently for the man, staring apprehensively at each other. Finally, Norman straightened up and took a deep breath in and let it out.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I spoke with Cornelia Rowe, our Champion," he explained, his eyes were bouncing between Doug and I.

"We've met her," Doug dryly commented.

"I told her what you told me, everything that you and your Pokémon found out," he waved at Luma, who was sitting beside me. I had to assume she had already read his thoughts, and was surprised she wasn't sharing them with me. "It shook her, it really, very much shook her."

"It should," Doug agreed. "That's very serious, that a criminal gang has so much persuasion over an entire region of children."

"Yes, we are in agreement," Norman assured Doug. "I told her everything and she made a few calls before getting back to me."

"Okay, and?" I asked, wondering what this had to do with us.

He stared at me, holding my gaze. "She can't handle this alone, Ms. Eden. She doesn't even know where to start."

"What does that mean? What does it have to do with us?" Doug asked now, though I was already putting the pieces together.

Vacation, Luma finally whispered in my head.

"She wants our help," I sighed.

"She begged me to beg you both to stay," Norman stated, confirming my thought. "She needs you, the kids need you, Hoenn needs you."