Hello ! It is I, HopelessRomantic1020, returned from the dead! And by that, I mean returned from the horrifying world of writer's block to this story! :D Now, for starters, I'd just like to say that I'm sorry for making everyone who liked this story wait half a year for a new chapter, but I just couldn't seem to get it to work. I honestly had no idea where to take the story next and nearly considered a permanent hiatus, but I managed to work around it. With that said, this next chapter is a bit darker and more serious than the last few due to my (poor) attempts to give the story a little bit more "story", so to speak. Regardless, there will still be more fluffy bits to come! Having wasted enough of your valuable time, let's get on with the story!
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It was over. Our young hero with the oddly fashionable knit cap had bravely stormed into the Cave of Origin, rode the mighty Kyogre into the depths of the cave, and battled its primal form in the hopes of returning Hoenn to its natural state and saving the world from a watery demise. Once he had emerged from the cave, he was met with the deafening applause of Sootopolis's citizens; among them was his dear friend, May, who clapped louder than anyone else. She had been worried sick about Brendan despite his prowess when it came to Pokémon battles and immediately Ursaring-hugged him the moment he was within range of her arms. All in all, the Hoenn region was saved and Brendan was hailed as a hero across the entire continent.
… But where is our hero now?
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"Brendan! Come downstairs, your friend Wally is here!" cried a female voice from downstairs. All she received in response was a loud snore, prompting our hero's mother to walk up the stairs to his room and pull his sleeping form downstairs by the ear.
"Hnn… Huh? What's going on?" a disheveled Brendan asked groggily whilst rubbing his eyes.
"You have a visitor," his mother smiled sweetly, gesturing to a little green-haired boy standing in the doorway.
"Hey, Brendan," Wally greeted, his eyes darting about nervously, almost as if he had something important on his mind but had difficulty saying it.
"Hey there, Wally. Something wrong?" Brendan inquired.
"Um… M-May I speak to you outside, please?"
"Oh, uh… Sure thing."
With that, Brendan led his friend and before he could turn around and ask Wally what had got him so spooked, the green-haired boy had grabbed his wrist and hastily dragged him into the shadows of his house.
"Wally, what are you doi-"
"Keep it down!" Wally hushed him cautiously. "She could be listening…"
"Who?" Brendan asked in a now whispering voice. He was now thoroughly confused.
"The Key Stone Caper."
"… What?"
"Lately there have been reports of a shadowy figure appearing throughout Hoenn and pilfering Key Stones from trainers like us! I don't really have an idea what the thief looks like, but keep your eyes peeled!" Wally whispered.
"The Key Stone Caper…" Brendan repeated. "Well, that does sound like a problem."
"Trust me, they are! And the worst part about them is that they're rumored to be bringing about the end of the wo-"
Suddenly, a loud scream pierced the air, making both of them jump.
"T-That sounded like it came from in there," Wally pointed with a shaking finger at the house next door.
Brendan froze. "But that house belongs to..."
Before he could finish, Brendan sprung to his feet and began sprinting toward his neighbor's house, Wally not too far behind.
"Brendan, wait! It could be dangerous in there!"
"I don't care!" Brendan called over his shoulder. "I have to make sure she's alright!"
In his haste, the knit-capped boy nearly kicked the door down like a member of the Hoenn Rangers might do, but realized that the door was unlocked anyway. Wally soon caught up to him and the boys nodded at each other before heading into the house. The interior of the house was a mess; it looked as if a Pokémon used Outrage in here. The dining room table lay broken in half and the television was destroyed; pots, pans, and plates were left scattered about the house. On the floor was May's mother, fallen to her knees and reduced to tears. May herself stood nearby, hugging her mother tightly and attempting to fight back her own tears while she comforted her.
"May… What happened?" Brendan asked quietly, too stunned by the sight before him to speak any louder. Wally stood only a few steps away and was surveying the damage with widened eyes, his mouth unable to form any words. May wordlessly handed Brendan a folded piece of paper, her eyes refusing to meet it. The boy unfolded the piece of paper and began to read aloud:
"To whom it may concern,
We have Professor Birch. We feel that having such a renowned scientist and professor around can greatly benefit our future plans, and as such we will be borrowing him indefinitely. We would also suggest that you willingly relinquish all of your Pokémon and Key Stones to us, as those too would benefit our research. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.
Signed, Joseph Stone of the Devon Corporation"
For a long time, nobody spoke a word. The air was filled with Wally's hitched breathing and May's sniffling, trying desperately to hold back tears. Her mother, meanwhile, had stopped crying altogether and merely sat on the floor and stared at the wall, as if in a trance of some kind. Finally, Brendan had had enough.
"I'm going to find him."
"B-But Brendan!" May protested. "These people mean business! I mean, just look at how they left this place! And besides… if they know that I live here, then they may know that you live in Littleroot too…"
Wally watched as Brendan closed his eyes and contemplated his options. It was true that getting involved could land his family in danger as well, but he couldn't just let Professor Birch – May's father – stay kidnapped like this. Brendan put a hand to his forehead.
"I just don't understand… Mr. Stone is such a nice man from what I've heard," Wally spoke up. "He'd never do such a thing… And there's no way that Steven would let him! Even if they are related…"
"Something's definitely wrong here, guys," Brendan said. "Now, you both know me well. You know I'm not one to back down from a challenge, no matter how dangerous. I won't ask you to risk your safety as well, but I'm going to find Professor Birch and I'm going to bring him home."
"Brendan…" May started, touched at his determination to save her father. Touching his arm, she continued. "I'm going with you. I want Professor Birch – I mean, dad – to come home safely, but I also don't want you sticking your neck out alone!"
Brendan gave May a warm smile and embraced her, the brunette more than happy to return the gesture. Wally blushed and coughed awkwardly, signaling to his friends that he was still around. "Um… I-I'll come too! I think my Pokémon are tough enough to help you guys!"
The pair smiled and brought him into the hug, but then they heard a voice behind them and turned their attention to May's mother, who was now standing tall once again. "Seeing your friendship and bravery in dark times is just what any mother needs to get back on her feet. We won't give up until he's back home. We'll never give up hope!"
An affirmative "Right!" came from the kids, who were now sitting in a circle on the floor to discuss strategy.
"So, what do we do first, Brendan?" May asked, a determined look on her face.
Brendan thought hard about what would be the best course of action to take at a time like this. They could storm the Devon Corporation building in Rustboro City, but what were the odds that their employees would "play fair"? They had to be smart about this.
"Even with the three of us, we could easily find ourselves outnumbered and outmatched if we were to just attack the company directly." Brendan explained, May and Wally listening intently. "Now, the letter was written and signed by Mr. Stone, right? Well, maybe we just need to get someone who's particularly close to him on our side."
"You mean…?" Wally asked.
"That's right," Brendan affirmed. "We have to find Steven."
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… And there you have it! Now, like I said, this chapter does seem like a far cry from the previous ones, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be drifting away from the romance genre altogether. Brendan and May will get plenty of time to make with the lovey-dovey goodness soon enough. Besides, what better way to strengthen a relationship then by putting them through tough times? Anyway, that's all for now! Let me know in a review/PM what you think, what you want to see and more!
Best wishes,
HopelessRomantic1020