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 Twelve:

The Invitation

Verdanturf was a vivacious town, but a small town. The people were friendly, happy, and seemingly unaffected by the destruction so close to them. I entered the town as a Pokémon Contest was happening and most of the citizens of the town were located in the town center, seated and happily chortling and catcalling the Pokémon in the show.

I meandered around in the crowd, watching the show, but also the people. Luma followed closely at my heels.

I made my way to the back of the crowd and stopped, deciding to wait until it ended so that I could talk with people. It would be easier if they weren't distracted by a Mudkip blowing bubbles, a Swellow performing amazing aerial tricks, or a Shiftry's deftness at dodging increasing smaller and quicker projectiles.

Luma and I stood behind the last row of chairs, half paying attention to the contest. I hadn't ever had much interest in partaking in a contest. It seemed to me to be a waste of a Pokémon's true skills and nature. But I had to admit, some of the Pokémon were very impressive, and all of them seemed happy.

"Are you not partaking?" A low, alluring voice with a heavy accent spoke just to my right. I glanced in that direction, unsure if the man was speaking to me.

I beheld a well-muscled man; he had a square jaw covered in dark, attractive stubble and an intense stare with breath-takingly blue eyes. His equally dark hair was shorn short. He wore a button-up shirt, though the top several buttons were undone and the sleeves were folded up past his elbows. The shirt was tucked into a pair of ironed slacks. He seemed relaxed, but authoritative. His beautiful blue eyes were locked onto my face.

"I'm sorry?" I finally responded.

He waved towards the stage. "The contest, are you not partaking?"

I looked at the stage. A small, pink feline Pokémon with triple points on each large ear was wowing the crowd with an almost gymnastic-like routine. "Oh, no, just watching."

"I assumed with such a beautiful Espeon, you would be in the contest. She would simply blow away her competition with that flawless coat and her intelligent gaze."

I heard a purr emanate from my Pokémon. Don't worry, he thinks you're gorgeous too, she purred to me.

I smiled, staring down at her, then looked back to the stranger. "I am not even from the area, just happened to stop in and thought I would see the appeal of contests."

"Not from the area, so you aren't from Verdanturf."

"No," I agreed.

"And forgive me for assuming, but with that exquisite accent and your beautiful features, I don't even think you're from Hoenn." A charismatic smile alighted itself across his lips.

I offered him a friendly smile in response. "Just stopped in from Slateport," I told him, deciding at the moment that was all the information I wanted to give him.

"Oh, my dear, I apologize I was clearly a little too forward there," he held up his hands apologetically. "But you must be visiting Slateport too, because that is where I hail from and I would remember seeing you."

"I'm flattered, sir, but-"

"Nikolai, but please, call me Nik."

He offered me a hand for a handshake. I glanced at it, then set my hand in his. The handshake was firm, but gentle. His hands were strong, but surprisingly soft. "Rowan," I offered.

"Rowan," he repeated, releasing my hand. He glanced towards the stage. "It seems the contest is concluding, could I offer to buy you lunch or a cup of coffee?"

Maybe he knows something about the power issue in Slateport? That is why we are here, Luma reminded me.

"Coffee would be great," I agreed.

Nik led me away from the crowd and toward a small cluster of buildings, one of which was a small café. We seated ourselves at a small outdoor table after placing our orders. He let me order first, and it seemed he was willing to pay for both of our drinks, but I opted to buy my own.

"You said you're from Slateport," I said as we sat, waiting for our drinks. "You live there?"

"I was born there, raised there, I live there, and I work there," he agreed. "I have watched Slateport turn from a sleepy little hamlet into the large, industrial site it is now."

"What are you doing in Verdanturf?" I asked.

"Ah, well I am actually experiencing some disappointment on that front," he stated. "You see, just northwest of this town there is a small tunnel that is home to what I thought was a very common Pokémon."

"Which one?" I asked.

"It is called Whismur and occasionally you find their first evolutionary form, Loudred," he explained. "Very interesting Pokémon, very strong when utilized by the right person."

"You have interest in training Pokémon?" I asked him.

"It's pertinent to my work."

"What is your work?"

A bright smile came across his features, but his answer was delayed when the barista appeared at our table with our drink orders. He thanked her with a quiet "thanks, love" before she hurried away, smiling brightly at the pet name.

"I'm sorry, darling, what were we talking about?"

"Your work, you said you needed a Loudred for it?"

"Oh, I am actually after the final evolved form, called Exploud, but I would have taken a Whismur or a Loudred in its stead. I am perfectly capable of training it to evolution."

"Exploud," I repeated. "It sounds like it would be a very powerful Pokémon."

"Extremely powerful, but unfortunately dangerous in the wrong hands," he explained, shaking his head. "My understanding is that there was a cap on how many a person was allowed to own because of the destructive nature of this particular Pokémon. Yet, here I arrived, in a place that supposedly has a surplus of them, and I find that there are none. They have become a rare Pokémon it seems."

"Anyone say why?"

"I didn't ask." He shook his head. "This was just meant to be a quick little trip, and it will be cut short. Apparently, there are a few issues occurring back in Slateport."

"The power," I assumed.

"The power," he agreed. "You came up Route 117, I assume? You saw the Mauville City Powerplant?"

"What was left of it."

"I must say, when I first saw all that chaos," Nik mused, rubbing a hand against his stubble. His eyes glassed over momentarily, as though he were lost in thought. "My first thought was that a Pokémon must have done it."

"Mine too," I agreed with him.

"I only know of one Pokémon that could do it." His attention focused back onto me.

"Which?"

A concerned expression came over his features. "Exploud."

I could feel the same concern overtake my expression. "Oh," I breathed.

"Like I said, in the right hands, it's a powerful Pokémon, but in the wrong hands, it is extremely dangerous."

My brow furrowed. "You never said what line of work you're in."

A smile returned to his face. "You are a Pokémon trainer, yes?"

Deciding against telling him my actual vocation, so far that knowledge had only been used against me, I nodded. "Yes."

"I think you will find my work interesting," he grinned. "However, it's better to show you, than to tell you."

"Show me?" I echoed.

Nikolai lifted one of his arms, an expensive looking watch wrapped around the same wrist. "Unfortunately, even with your lovely company, it's reaching a point in time when I must head back to Slateport. When you find yourself back in my city, darling, come to the Markov Tower, that's my building, and tell the young lady at the receptionist desk that I am giving you the underground tour. I will show you what it is that I do."

He stood up from the table, reaching over to offer me his hand again. However, when I set my hand in his this time, he turned it so that he was able to press a very light brushing of his lips on the back of my hand.

"It was an absolute pleasure meeting you, love, and I do hope we cross paths again," he murmured. His voice was a rough whisper, causing me to lean in towards him as he spoke. He released my hand and straightened up. "Until then." He bowed his head and walked away. He was several strides away from me when he turned back and threw a smile over his shoulder at me.

I returned the gesture.

When he was definitely out of earshot, I heard Luma release a dreamy sigh. "That is a man that Douglas Evergreen would and should definitely be jealous of."

"Douglas Evergreen," I spat, my last interaction with him resurfacing in my thoughts.

"Just think, all that time with Mr. Nikolai and Doug never crossed your thoughts. That makes the man even more impressive," Luma sighed, laying her head down on her paws and shutting her eyes. A coy smile formed on her face.


Deciding Verdanturf had no more information that was helpful to me, I left shortly after Nikolai did. Luma and I had a peaceful walk back to Mauville, where we rested from the heat for just a little while, before continuing to Slateport City.

Evening was fast approaching when we finally entered Slateport's city limits. Deciding I didn't feel like dealing with the crowds of the city, or the noises and smells, I returned to the same hotel Doug and I had stayed in before.

Entering the hotel, I was surprised to find my partner sitting in the lobby. He looked annoyed, which didn't surprise me.

"Gone all damn day, you gotta have something useful," he spat at me.

I stared quietly at him, slowly letting my breath out. "Did Cornelia Rowe give you anything?"

"I didn't contact her, Rowan."

"Why not? That was the only brilliant plan you had."

"And what's yours?"

I didn't want to admit that I hadn't really learned anything and had merely spent the afternoon arguably flirting with a gorgeous, mysterious man, so I thought I would fluff up the information I had. "I met someone who might have some information about what happened here."

"About Team Magma?"

"Magma, the power outage, he seems knowledgeable."

"He?" Doug repeated. "What's his name?"

"Nikolai."

"That sounds like the name of someone who is a piece of shit," Doug spat.

"Okay, then you wait here and I will go meet with him." I turned to leave the hotel, but decided that I should get a room before I did that. I headed toward the front desk to do just that, but Doug interceded me. He slapped a keycard into my hand as he headed for the exit of the lobby.

"Already got you one," he hissed. "Where the hell are we going?"

I slid the keycard into my pant's pockets. "Markov Tower."