The Hawkian Corp was long empty, as most employees left for the day. Lights shut off, machines humming softly, not even footsteps echoing on the wooden floors. A digital clock on the wall read "10:56 PM". Don yawned as he typed at his desk, emails flooding his inbox like a tsunami. A new one popped up; from: Prof. Tom Nook. The title read "Mauville Desert Research Request". Well, at least it wasn't an email from a prince from another region!
Don clicked on the link. It read:
"Hello hello, Mr. Hawkian!
I have a request for your company. My researcher found some intriguing fossils, and I'm interested in reviving said fossils at your laboratory. It'd be helpful in researching environments of the past, yes yes!
Signed,
Prof. Tom Nook"
Don thought it over. Prof. Nook was a reliable guy, and they could both earn grants from the Hoennian government just for research. But since when did Tom Nook have a personal researcher? That was new.
He typed back,
"Nook. Yes, reviving fossils at my lab will be fine. I'll be contacting Ms. Haniwaki if she's interested in accompanying us for said research.
Don"
After sending the email, Don got up and walked to the mini fridge. He pulled a bottle out and poured himself a glass of shochu on the rocks. He walked back to his desk with the drink on hand, resting his feet on the table as he sipped from the glass. On one hand, Don thought Nook was still a ruthless Johtonian bastard. But on the other hand, he knew what he was doing, what with his funds from the Hoennian government and supposedly turning over a new leaf.
—
Meanwhile, on the streets of Rustboro City...
"Is this it?" Kidd asked as the group headed into Rustboro City. He pointed at a small brick building with a red cross on the door.
"Yeah, that's the one," Tank nodded. "Let's just get it over with."
Benedict flung the door open, rushing inside as the door slammed against the walls. He sprinted up to the counter, slammed one wing on the counter and pointed at the secretary.
"We got us an emergency" he shouted before leaning in and whispering to the receptionist. "My boyfriend broke his arm and we need a doctor NOW!"
The secretary, a purple koala with dark fluffy hair and pink blush on her cheeks, looked up from her laptop and rolled her eyes.
"Sir. A broken arm isn't an emergency, but you're welcome to take a seat" she explained.
Benedict facepalmed, while Tank and Kidd walked up behind him.
"Okay, fine. It's for Tank Pepper" he whispered. "He's from Fortree City, if that matters!"
"Got it" the koala said as she finished typing away on her laptop. "Now, please take a damn seat"
"Alright" Benedict shrugged before sitting down in the waiting room. He grabbed a Ms. Nintendique magazine from the table and flipped through it; why were there so many articles on trying to impress Apollo? Hey, does Apollo even like women?
Kidd pulled out his phone, scrolling through a fanfiction site. He clicked on a rather interesting story; a series about a group of trainers who gained supernatural abilities similar to Pokémon moves. He found himself lost in the first few chapters, already interested in the universe reset.
"Tank Pepper!" the koala called out.
Tank got up from his seat, his stomach churning in dread. He sheepishly waved to the group before heading into the exam room.
Another animal, a grey squirrel with white stripes on her head, waved to him. She wore a blue and white doctor's coat with a silver mirror near her left ear.
"Oh, hello Mr. Pepper" the doctor smiled as she held a brown clipboard in one hand. "I'm Dr. Blaire, and what seems to be the problem today?"
Tank shrugged before sitting on the nearby exam table. He looked around the room; not much in the way for posters except for STD testing. Ew.
"Well, I hurt my wrist in the Rusturf Tunnel. I was thrown out of a minecart, and I landed pretty hard on it."
"Hmm, I see" Blaire frowned as she scribbled on some paper. "Anything else?"
"Nope," Tank shook his head twice.
"Interesting" Blaire noted. "Come with me, we'll see what the x-ray says..."
Tank walked up to a strange white machine. He held his arms out at his side, staying still as the doctor used the x-ray machine.
Blaire frowned as she looked at the x-rays. Tank's left wrist was normal, but his right wrist had thin cracks through some of his bones.
"Bad news," she explained. "You unfortunately broke a few bones in your wrist. However, you're lucky you came in as soon as possible"
"I did?" Tank tilted his head.
"Yes," Blaire nodded. "See, if you had came in later, there would've been a chance for your bones to never heal properly"
"Oh, okay," Tank looked down and frowned. Guess throwing Poké Balls was outta the question…
"Luckily for you," Blaire explained. "Your wrist isn't fractured too bad, you just need to wear a cast for about...let's see...two weeks?"
"That's not too bad," Tank looked again at his arm; questions flooded his mind like a tsunami. "Can I still draw with the cast on?"
Blaire rummaged through a shelf, pulling out armfuls of material.
"Yes, but" she warned him. "It'll be difficult with the cast on. Hopefully you know how to draw left-handed!"
That didn't make Tank feel any better at all! Blaire took his arm, ready to apply the cast. First, she applied white cotton fabric to his forearm. Next, she wrapped the fabric in web roll, making sure it wouldn't unravel from something as small as a hook on the door.
"So, which color would you like your cast in?" she asked.
Multiple colors, huh?
"Green's fine" Tank said as he watched her fold some of the fabric into the web roll.
"Green it is, got it" Blaire said before reaching for a roll of emerald green fiberglass. She pulled out a strip, then tightly bound the fiberglass around Tank's wrist, making sure he could still use his hoof. "How does it feel?"
Tank moved his forearm up and down in its spot, "It feels alright."
"That's good," Blaire nodded as she put the medical equipment away. "So, any more questions about the cast?"
Tank stayed quiet. He did have one question, but shook it off. Just asking it would be humiliating.
"So, am I free to go now?" he asked.
"Yes," Blaire nodded. "Just make sure to be careful on your arm, and don't go minecart riding for a while!"
"Heh, I won't" Tank chuckled before leaving.
Benedict and Kidd looked up from their phones, watching Tank head out of the examination room. Of course he'd go with a green cast!
"So, how long do you have the cast on?" Kidd asked.
Tank sat down next to him. "About two weeks" he sighed and looked down at his arm. "It's not the end of the world, but she said drawing would be harder with the cast on."
"An' what 'bout showerin'?" Benedict asked.
Tank deadpanned, "It's a waterproof cast."
"So, ready to head out?" Kidd asked the group.
"Sure," Tank shrugged. "I need to eat something already."
The boys headed outside. A wild Swablu hovered next to them, following them through the streets. Most Rustboro restaurants were closed at this hour, with the exception of one. It was a worn-down diner with faded neon lights and a broken window. The diner's sign had a Noctowl on the front door.
They headed inside, a small bell ringing above the door. The restaurant reeked of greasy dishwater and pungent cooking oil. Ceiling lights flickered on and off, like someone forgot to pay the electricity bill. Most of the tables had worn-down seats, with ripped up cushions and scratches in the glass tables. Did someone have a Pokèmon battle here?!
The boys' stomachs growled. It was either eat here and potentially risk food poisoning, or starve until the next morning. Screw it, food is food! They sat down at the diner counter, the Swablu sitting next to them.
The bird Pokémon whistled a short melody.
A bright pink deer walked out of the kitchen, her short blond hair a frayed mess and her makeup smudged across her face. She wore a black t-shirt and matching leggings. The nametag on her chest read 'Fuchsia Moore'.
"Oh, who is it NOW?" she groaned before looking at the group, then looking down to gently smile at the Pokémon. "Oh, you're here for your favorite fries, huh?"
"Swa-swa-blu!" the bird Pokèmon whistled, flapping its wings in its spot.
Fuchsia looked at the boys. "Oh, welcome to The Noctowl. Heh, you're the first customers we've had in hours. Well, customers that aren't Pokémon, that is!"
Kidd yawned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing much" Fuchsia shrugged her shoulders as she pointed at the chalkboard on the wall, "Just that we're the only twenty-four-hour place in Rustboro City, oh and most of our customers are Pokémon."
She looked closer at the boys' faces; yeah, she knew exactly what they needed.
"I'll be back with some coffee" she said before heading back into the kitchen.
Tank grabbed a menu from the counter. He looked through it; yep, typical Unovan diner food. Hmm…breakfast all day, huh? That sounded pretty good right now.
Benedict looked to his left. That Swablu was so freaking cute. He held a wing out and whispered, "Hey little guy!"
Swablu chirped before rubbing its beak against Benedict's sleeve.
Fuchsia walked back out with a comically oversized pot of coffee in one hand. She set a tray of mugs down, then slowly poured the coffee in. The coffee smelt slightly burnt, probably from sitting on a burner for hours on end.
"Thanks," Kidd said as he grabbed his mug first. He sipped from the mug; yeah, it was definitely burnt coffee. No amount of Moomoo milk could cover up the pungent taste.
Fuchsia pulled out a pencil from behind her left ear, "So, what can I get you boys?"
Tank looked up from the menu, "I'll do one Nacrene platter, with buttermilk pancakes on the side, please."
Kidd took the menu next, "A pepper steak skillet if you can."
Benedict said, "One Undella combo", while the Swablu jabbed him with its beak. Geez, was this Swablu that desperate for a trainer?
"Got it," Fuchsia said as she finished writing on her notepad.
Twenty minutes passed before their late dinner arrived. The sweet smell of pancakes and maple syrup filled the air, but the lingering stench of oil still floated in the air.
The Nacrene platter consisted of scallion-flavored scrambled eggs, two slices of avocado toast, a slice of orange and of course, buttermilk pancakes on the side. The pepper steak skillet was a large bowl filled with thin sliced steak, diced bell peppers, fluffy white rice on the bottom and a fried egg on top. The Undella combo consisted of Barboach filet and fries covered in Undella seasoning, sauteed okra and a lemon.
While Tank and Kidd feasted on their greasy diner breakfasts, Benedict made some time to give Swablu a few fries.
Swablu joyfully chirped as it ate a few fries, the salty greasy taste a nice change from the boring old Oran Berries it had to deal with. And that Undella seasoning? Yes please!
"Huh" Benedict noted to himself, as he watched Swablu whistle in delight from the fries. "Who knew even a Swablu liked fries as much as any trainer?"
"Oh, that's cute," Kidd looked over from his brunch. He chuckled a little from seeing Benedict feed Swablu some fries. "You should probably catch it!"
"You think?" Benedict asked. Swablu was a pretty cute Pokèmon, but the rest of his team was pretty strong. Then again, Asuka and Freiza had to start somewhere to get where they were now. Plus an Altaria would fit him pretty well…
"I'd do it" Tank sighed as he poked at his hashbrowns before scarfing them down.
"Hmm.." Benedict looked over at Swablu. That face was too damn adorable to resist. "I'll think about it. So, how's the food?"
"Not bad," Kidd said between bites of food.
"I'm just glad it's not burnt," Tank shrugged. The food tasted slightly off, except for the nice fluffy pancakes. Maybe this place should be rebranded into a pancake shop?
"Sounds good" Benedict looked at Swablu. "Oh I know whatcha want!"
He said before dangling a long fry in front of Swablu's face.
The cotton bird Pokèmon turned its beak up, pulling the fry down and swallowing it whole. "Blu blu blu!~" Swablu whistled, flapping its wings as hard as possible. Nothing tastes as good as Rustboro fries…
"Hmm…" Benedict thought to himself as he watched Swablu eat two more fries. He could definitely see the rest of the crew getting along with this little bird. Asuka letting it perch on her tail, Jojo showing how to peck opponents in battle, Makoto dancing with Swablu in his hands, Freiza leaping in battle as Swablu flew above his head, and Kenshiro using Iron Head with Swablu perched behind his spikes. But was he ready to handle a new Pokemon?
"And how much will it be?" Tank asked the waitress. His plate was cleared off except for a light drizzle of maple syrup.
"Twelve-hundred Poke Dollars, kiddo" Fuchsia said.
"Got it" Tank said as he paid for the bill. Huh, not bad for three animals!
"Do you boys need any refills on coffee?" she asked.
Kidd shook his head, trying to be polite
"Um, no thank you" he said before gulping. He tried his best to keep the coffee from going up his throat.
—-
The boys headed into the Pokèmon Center, ready to crash for the night. Swablu insisted on following Benedict inside, perching itself on top of the animal's head.
Nurse Shizue giggled to herself as she took their Pokè Balls. Well, this wasn't the first time she saw a trainer's Pokémon sitting atop their head.
"Would you like to get your Swablu healed too?" she asked.
Benedict tilted his head to the side, "Um, Swablu ain't my Pokemon?"
"Are you sure?"
Shizue pointed out. "It does look pretty attached to you."
"Blu!" Swablu turned its chin up, shaking its head no.
After the boys got their Pokémon healed and headed into their room for the night…
Tank was fast asleep under the covers, his right arm over the blankets so he wouldn't roll on top of it while he slept. Swablu perched on the sofa, tossing a few pillows around to form a cozy nest. The bird Pokemon trilled before nesting itself in the pile of pillows.
Kidd walked out of the shower, a black towel wrapped around his waist. Drops of water dripped from his fur, dampening the carpet below him. Huh, what's this?
Benedict sat on the bed, holding a notebook and writing out a list of names. Erica. Madelaine. Nova. Vivian. Rachel. Flora. Holly.
He stopped at 'Holly', circling it and adding a star on the page.
"What're you writing?" Kidd asked as he walked up to the bed.
Benedict looked up from his notebook, blushing hard as he stopped writing
"It's nothin'" he' explained "just names I was comin' up with for Swablu if it wants me to catch it."
Kidd looked over at the notebook. "Holly, huh?"
"Heh, yeah" Benedict chuckled before gulping. Was it too early to tell Kidd the truth? No, he'd tell him when he feels like it! Maybe after beating Apollo in battle.
"I think it's a cute name," Kidd said as he looked at the paper. "But what if Swablu's a guy?"
"Good point" Benedict said before flipping to another page of paper. Phew, crisis averted. He wrote down more names. Pegitan. Tarte. Raquel. Kyubey. Coffret. Cutesy names for a very cute Pokèmon. Perfect.
Kidd scooted under the covers, pulling some of the comforter up to his neck. The fluffy comforters and downy pillows helped him fall asleep faster.
Benedict thought to himself as he placed the notebook on a nightstand. But what if Swablu doesn't like any of the names he came up with…?
—
Rustboro City mornings were always slow; with the exception of coffee shops, most businesses preferred to open at ten-thirty. Very few animals walked down the street, their heeled shoes clicking against the brick roads.
Another day of work, Don thought to himself as he walked to the third floor, writing a long text message. A small ding came from his phone; finally, Professor Nook wrote back.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hawkian. I wanted to come by today, but the missus asked that I come to Mauville for the day. Ultrasound came by, she's having triplets! Let me know how the fossils go, yes yes."
You've got to be kidding me, Don thought to himself. He headed into one of the labs; a shiny blue room with plenty of equipment lining the walls. Fossils were placed near one of the machines. Two employees sat at a table, diligently taking notes.
"Sir, are you sure this is safe?" one of the employees, a black and white zebra wearing a light blue cardigan over a striped dress, asked. "I mean, what if these Pokémon are dangerous?"
"They'll be fine, Savannah," Don assured her. "Just take the fossils and put them in the machine."
"Seriously, Mr. Hawkian," another employee, an orange mandrill wearing a red zip-up jacket, warned him. "I heard they tried to revive fossil Pokemon in Pewter City, and nine animals died from an Aerodactyl attack!"
Don flashed a glare that could freeze even Mt. Chimney, "Boone. We're not reviving a damned Aerodactyl. These are smaller Pokèmon. Nobody is going to die," he gritted his teeth before hollering. "Now put the fossils in the machine or you're both fired!"
"Sir yes sir!" Boone and Savannah shouted at the same time, saluting him like soldiers. They picked up the fossils and placed them on a large tray, watching as the tray slid into the machine. Calculating at lightning speed, the machine hummed as it analyzed the carbon age of said fossils.
"T minus thirty minutes" the machine beeped.
Boone glanced at his coworker, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "So" he asked. "Care for a coffee break?"
"I'd like to, but," Savannah looked away and frowned. "Mr. Hawkian might snap if he catches us 'goofing around'. It's best if we stay inside."
"Alright" Boone sighed in his spot. The last thing he wanted Don to see was coworkers flirting with one another, even though it wasn't even flirting in the first place.
Thirty minutes later, the machine stopped beeping. Heavy black smoke billowed out of one of the pipes. A large silver tray automatically opened, showing two new Pokémon. The first Pokemon, a purple plant Pokémon with odd pink tentacles, looked around in curiosity. The second Pokémon, a grey arthropod Pokémon with long claws, blinked twice. The blinding lights and shiny tech were harsh on their eyes. Where were all the oceans, the seafloors, wild Relicanth swimming in harmony? Instead, anthropomorphic animals were staring at them like ravenous Archeops.
Don gasped in awe, "It's beautiful…" he wiped a single tear away before snapping. "I told you two it'd be fine!"
The arthropod Pokèmon leaped off the floor and hissed, scuttling across the wooden floors for potential prey. It clawed at the floor, leaving deep scratches that would cost hundreds of dollars to fix. Several chunks of floor were ripped off, revealing deep holes that could break anyone's ankles.
The plant Pokèmon screeched, then hurled a cluster of glowing white rocks. The animals screamed as they dodged the rocks. The rocks flung through the laboratory, crashing through the windows and breaking them into pieces.
Don looked at his employees, his stern demeanor not changing as he pointed at both of them, "That's coming out of your paychecks, by the way."
"What?!" Savannah gasped, placing a hoof on her chest. "But sir, you told us to revive these Pokèmon!"
"I did," Don explained. "Reviving the Pokemon meant they'd act natural, just looking around at the place, not tearing up my lab! My Arceus, were you two dropped on your heads as children?!"
Savannah tried to hold back her tears, while Boone fumed in his own anger.
Someone knocked on the door.
"WHAT?!" Don hollered. "I'm BUSY!"
"Is this a bad time?" Coco asked as she pushed the door open. "I was hoping this'd be quick, and–"
"No, Ms. Haniwaki, I'm fine" Don sighed in exhaustion, pinching the bridge of his beak. "My lab's torn up because of these Pokèmon, and my employees are too cowardly to do a thing about it"
Coco frowned. This was the first time she'd seen him so….defeated.
"...Mr. Hawkian, is there anything I can help with right now"
"Not right now, no." Don shook his head. "I'll email you if I have any problems. Now, if you excuse me, I have business to take care of"
He said before heading back to his office. He looked around, making sure NOBODY was watching him head inside.
Coco sighed as she walked to the stairs. Why does she even bother associating with Hawkian Corp in the first place? Oh, right. Biggest corporation in Rustboro City and esteemed research. She hoped a gym battle would help clear her mind.
The rabbit headed out of the building, planning a strategy in her head. Maybe a new Pokémon could jazz up her tired old battles. She looked over her shoulder; a group of teenage boys walking on the other side of the streets. They looked incredibly familiar. She swore she battled someone with red hair like that before.
—
The boys walked through one of the Rustboro blocks, looking for something to do before heading back to Petalburg City. They got breakfast at the Pokémon Center, then stocked up on more trainer goods at the Poke Mart. The yellow brick roads of the eastern Rustboro district shone brightly in the sun, but the turquoise pieces of glass glowed even brighter.
Wait. Why were there shards of glass on the street? This was off….
Kidd kneeled down and picked up a shard, "This is weird…."
"Huh? What the heck is it?" Benedict asked.
Kidd looked closer at the piece of glass, "This looks awfully familiar…"
"Let me guess," Tank sighed. "The Rustboro Gym?"
"No, I don't think so," Kidd said as he held the glass up to the light. "Probably the Hawkian building..."
Loud shouting echoed from one of the higher floors. Something had to be done about it! They rushed to the doors, knocking as loud as possible without breaking the glass.
A familiar yellow hamster walked to the door, gasping and smiling, "Come on in, guys!" Graham said as he opened the door for them.
Benedict asked first, "What's goin' on upstairs?!"
"Oh, it's horrifying!" Graham explained as he led the boys through the lobby. Several employees were swamped with work, some of them drinking three energy shots in a row. "Mr. Hawkian and the fossil research team tried to revive some fossil Pokémon and–"
More yelling came from the third floor, a heavy object falling on the ground and cracking against the wood floors.
"Just come with me!" Graham rushed up the stairs, the boys trailing behind him. They slid across the waxed floors, stopping in front of one of the laboratories.
Boone stood on top of a work desk, trying to swat Anorith away. Meanwhile, Savannah dangled from a ceiling lamp, clinging for her life to the swaying cable.
Kidd placed his hooves on his hips, "They don't have their own Pokémon, do they?"
"Believe me!" Boone yelled from the table. "If we could have our Pokémon with us at work, we wouldn't be in this mess! Graham, get outta here before the boss yells at you too!"
"Got it!" Graham hollered before running back to the first floor.
The boys facepalmed. If you're researching Pokémon, wouldn't it help to have actual Pokémon at the office? They looked around at the laboratory; yeah, most of their Pokémon would be too big to battle in here.
Anorith and Lileep screeched as they continued attacking the lab, knocking down vases and attacking each other by clawing at their bodies and throwing rocks at their faces. Well, there was only one thing to do about violent Pokémon in the workplace…
Tank held a Poké Ball in front of him and yelled, "Shiitake, go!"
"Bre-LOOM!" Shiitake cried out as he popped out and landed on the ground.
Benedict grabbed Kenshiro's Poke Ball, but was stopped with a loud chirp.
"Huh? Swablu, you wanna battle instead?"
"Swa-bluuuuu!" Swablu chirped, flying off his shoulder and hovering in front of him.
Kidd spun in his spot, throwing a Poké Ball in the air, "Aries! Spotlight!"
"Pika pika!" Aries cheered as she bounced on her tail.
Anorith and Lileep stopped their scurrying. They looked up at the three Pokémon, flashing murderous glares. These were NOT fellow Pokemon from millenia ago!
Tank held his hoof out, "Shiitake, use Mach Punch!"
"Loom, loom!"
Shiitake frontflipped in the air, his fists glowing white. He landed behind Lileep, then sucker punched it in the head.
"LEEEEEEEEEEEP" Lileep screeched as it whipped its head around like a flail. It turned its head around, using its tentacles to tie up Shiitake.
"Bre-" Shiitake grunted as he tried to kick himself out of the trap. Lileep tightened its tentacles tighter, the thin suction tightly gripping the Breloom.
Benedict shouted, "Swablu! Peck on Lileep's tentacles!"
"Swa-blu!" Swablu darted through the sky, its beak glowing white before pecking Lileep at the base of its tentacles. Shiitake backflipped to escape, doing a split on the floor before getting back up. He chirped at the other Pokemon, thanking it for helping escape.
"Liiiiiiiiiiiii…"
Lileep hissed as it retracted its tentacles back into its head. The sea lily Pokemon glared at the two Pokemon, before throwing its head back and vomiting bright purple goop across the air. The gunk splattered on the ground, a shallow hole corroding in the floor.
Kidd grabbed onto his scarf as he commanded, "Aries, use Iron Tail!"
"Pi-KA!" Aries torpedoed across the air, her tail sharpening and glowing silver. She spun like a ballerina, using her tail to ricochet Lileep through the air. While Aries floated onto the ground, Lileep was flung across the laboratory. The sea lily Pokemon crashed against the wall, leaving a cracking dent in its wake.
Anorith scuttled out from under one of the tables, spittle flying from its mouth as it hissed at the other Pokémon.
"Anoooooooooo…" it droned before opening its mouth and blasting a hard stream of water towards the trio.
Aries curled into a ball and rolled to her right, while Shiitake grabbed Swablu and jumped to the left. The blast of water exploded against the walls, dripping onto the floor.
Anorith scuttled into the light, its growl sounding like clanging metal against an aluminum floor.
"Shiitake, use Leech Seed!" Tank yelled as he pointed ahead.
"Loom!" Shiitake turned around, firing a cluster of green seeds from his tail. The seeds planted themselves into Anorith's body, wrapping the roots around its white wings.
Anorith screeched as it tried to fan the seeds away. The roots sunk in tighter, absorbing energy by the minute.
Benedict stepped backwards before yelling, "Swablu! Disarming Voice!"
"Swa…." Swablu took a deep breath in before screaming at the top of its lungs. It blasted a pink ray of energy balls at Anorith's face. "BLUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
"Riiiiiiii!" Anorith screeched as the pink energy blasted into its earholes, flailing in distress from the pounding in its skull. If only its claws were long enough to cover its earhodes…
Kidd flipped back his hair and shouted, "Electro Ball!"
"Pika-chu!" Aries held her paws up, forming a burning yellow ball of electricity above her head. She jumped into the air, held onto the ball, then threw her hands back and pelted the ball at Anorith.
Anorith panicked as it scuttled backwards, trying to dodge the ball of sparks. The ball of electricity exploded in its face, throwing it backwards and crashing against another wall.
Savannah gulped as she climbed down from the ceiling lamp. "They're not dead, are they?"
Tank walked up to the Lileep, gently placing his hoof on its head. Despite the cool temperature, he could faintly feel a pulse running through its head. "Nope, just knocked out!"
Boone climbed down from the table, gasping in horror at how trashed the place was. His paycheck was done for.
Don opened the door, then walked into the lab. One of his shirt buttons was unbuttoned, and he had smudged lipstick on his suit collar. He blinked twice before exploding in anger, "What happened to my freakin' lab?!"
He looked at the boys, then at his employees, "These kids don't work here! Boone, Savannah, what did you two DO?!"
"We didn't do anything, sir!" Boone tried to explain, standing in front of the boys to block them from his boss. "Honest!"
Savannah gulped, "They let themselves in, it had nothing to do with us! They just came to calm down the wild Pokémon!"
Tank and Kidd returned their Pokémon to their Poke Balls, while Benedict held his arm out so Swablu could perch on it.
Tank stepped forward, "That's not true at all!" he explained. "Graham let us in, he asked for help with Pokemon, and he DID! You can go ask himself downstairs!"
Don raised an eyebrow. "Oh really now?"
Boone and Savannah looked at each other. Was there a reason Don wasn't yelling his heads off at them?
He looked down at the boys and crossed his arms.
"Look, I'm glad you boys wanted to help out," he tried to explain. "But this is a Hawkian company matter. You boys really shouldn't be butting in adult matters like what happens in my lab, okay?"
Benedict and Kidd nodded, staying quiet just to stay out of a fight.
"Yes sir?" Tank tilted his head. Seriously, why was Don talking to them like he was their dad?
"Good" Don nodded. He kneeled down to scoop up both fossil Pokémon. "I'll be back in twenty minutes. Just stay here for a bit, alright?"
—-
Don walked into the Pokémon Center, heading towards the counter.
"Hey" he said, setting the Pokémon on the desk. "We just revived some Pokémon today at the lab, and they got in a pretty bad fight."
"Got it" Nurse Shizue smiled as she took the two Pokémon.
Don sat down in the lobby and tried to take his mind off things. He grabbed a book from the bookshelf, it was about a man who buried his own child in a cursed cemetery. The plot intrigued him, and he only got to the third chapter before Nurse Shizue whistled for him.
He closed the book, put it back on the shelf, then walked up to the counter.
"Your Pokémon are all better!" Nurse Shizue handed him the two Pokémon. "Have a good day, sir"
Don nodded as he took the Pokémon in his arms, then headed back to Hawkian Corp. Anorith and Lileep dozed off in his arms, still wiped out from the battle. Unknown to Don, Coco walked behind him, carrying a stack of books.
He walked upstairs, stopping when he heard shouting and yelling. What the…?
Graham scurried up to his boss
"Sir! Something's going on upstairs, I think you need to do something about it!"
He ran back to his office, leaving Don in his spot.
Don's eyes went dark. He sighed as he walked upstairs, dreading something much worse than his wife finding out about friends of his.
Oh. Fuck.
Benedict and Savannah shouted as they threw punches at each other, while Boone hollered back and forth with Tank and Kidd.
"Don't you GET IT?!" Boone hollered. "Savannah and I have worked here longer before you brats were even born, but the three of you don't get yelled at all because 'ooooo lookit me I'm friends with Apollo I'm better than everyone around here'!"
Kidd gasped, placing a hoof on his chest. "It's not that!" he yelled. "You're the ones blaming us for stuff we didn't do!"
"Seriously" Tank rolled his eyes. "Just because we gave Professor Nook the fossils doesn't mean we're responsible for you two losing your paychecks! For Arceus' sake, we're way too young to work here!"
Coco cleared her throat, turning her head up as everyone stopped to look at her.
"How'd you get in, miss?" Don asked her.
Coco gently smiled as she showed him a shiny orange and yellow card. "University pass. And I came to return some books, sir. Totally didn't want to ask about our plans for tonight."
"Is that so?" Don smiled as he handed her a small card with a list of restaurants on the back, along with a hastily scribbled phone number.
"Also sorry if I yelled at you," he whispered "these two have been a thorn in my side and–"
Anorith hissed as it tried to wriggle out of Don's beefy arms.
Coco tilted her head, "Um, sir. Are you sure you want to keep those Pokémon here? I mean, aren't you worried they'll destroy more property inside?"
Don gulped. He looked at her, then back at the boys. His employees had left the floor and went back to their offices. As much as researching fossils with Nook would be fascinating, who knows what environments these relics of the past could even tolerate without screaming their heads off?
"You're right." he nodded before asking the group. "Would anyone like to keep one of these Pokémon?"
Benedict and Kidd looked at each other. Their own Pokemon were already a handful, but a Pokémon from the past?!
Tank raised one of his hooves, "I'll take Lileep please. I've been training Grass-types for a while, and I think he'd be great on my team!"
"He's all yours, then," Don said as he handed Lileep to Tank.
Tank gently cradled his new Pokémon, looking up in awe. A Pokémon from the past, right here in his hands!
Lileep looked down, his tentacles gently floating in the air. Something about this trainer's aura was calming to his soul.
Tank smiled at his new Pokémon, "Hey little guy. How'd you like to go by Martagon?"
"Leep?" Martagon tilted his head. "Li-leep!"
Tank kneeled down to set Martagon on the ground. He pulled an empty Poke Ball from his pocket, then gently tapped his Pokemon on the head.
The ball absorbed Lileep in a red glow of light, then rocked three times before dinging. Three white stars shot from the Poke Ball.
Don looked at Coco, "You could use a new Pokémon, right?"
Coco held her paw out to Anorith. As much as Giorno and Outlandos were great Pokémon, it was time to mix up her team a bit…..
"Yes, please," she nodded.
She held out both her arms, smiling to herself as Don handed her the bug Pokemon. Anorith clapped its claws in delight, already feeling safer with Coco.
"So, do you plan on giving him a name?" Don asked her.
"Hmm…" Coco thought as she looked into Anorith's dark eyes. What would fit him best…A-ha!
"I'm thinking Tsutsuji."
Meanwhile, in Petalburg Woods... Everything was ordinary, with Grass and Bug types scurrying around to their own pace, bird Pokemon flying in between the trees. Even the colony of Ariados were at peace. A single ball of ice fell from the skies, then a flurry pelted the muddy earth.