Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Apologies for the long absence. I haven't had time to post updates due to a variety of circumstances; the Christmas holidays, a stay in the hospital due to covid complications, and working on my next story. My uploading schedule has now returned to normal. I plan to release another HP Gamer story in about a month to replace the one I abandoned, but it will be very different from the previous one.

Chapter 14

Lucas quickly sought refuge behind the rock in front of him, hoping that it would protect him from the Pokemon that had just entered the cavern. Max and Icarus joined him, burrowing into his side. They were terrified in the face of the impending threat.

The Pokémon in question was a Feraligatr, a fully evolved version of Totodile. Why it was here remained a mystery. Lucas used Insight on it because he believed it would provide important information. Fortunately, as his Insight skill improved, his range expanded, allowing him to scan the Feraligatr from afar.

Species: Feraligatr; Big Jaw Pokemon

Gender: Male

Status: Owned/Wild

Favourability: -

Favourite Food: Dragon-type Pokemon

Condition: Excellent

Level: 45

Current Level Potential Met?: Yes

Special Ability: Torrent

Attack: 135

Special Attack: 59

Defence: 77

Special Defence: 55

Speed: 73

Luck: 19

Moves:

Scratch

Water Gun

Mud Slap

Agility

Crunch

Ice Fang

Low Kick

Surf

Description: Bojack is a Pokemon that was previously owned but went rogue when its trainer failed to effectively control it. As it escaped into the ocean, it attacked several people, killing three. This Pokemon is extremely aggressive, particularly towards dragon-type Pokemon, which it has developed a taste for.

As he read the information, he became increasingly uneasy. The description provided important information, such as the reason for its presence in the cavern—it was hunting the Dratini. What worried him the most was the unusually high Attack stat, which appeared far too advanced for its level. It appeared that Attack had taken precedence over everything else. Could it be attributed to a high aptitude? To learn more, he switched to the Ferilgator's second tab and discovered that its aptitude was only five. It eliminated that possibility. There must have been something he was overlooking.

The Feraligatr glanced at them briefly as it surveyed its surroundings. A cold shiver ran down Lucas' spine, but it was soon clear that the Pokemon had no interest in him. As Lucas followed its gaze, he discovered that the Dratini had sought refuge on the island. However, due to the influx of water, the majority of the island became submerged underwater. Initially, he thought the high tide had arrived ahead of schedule. But the presence of Feraligatr meant that it was most likely responsible for the sudden surge of water.

Feraligatr's appearance was undeniably fearsome. A wicked scar stretched across its left eye, and its well-built body exuded raw power. Encountering the Pokemon in the cavern was the worst-case scenario because they were effectively trapped. It was difficult to imagine escaping with the Pokemon blocking the entrance.

Dratini called out to Feraligatr, who responded with a resounding roar. It didn't sound like a positive response. A massive wave formed behind the Pokémon as if it were about to attack the Dratini.

Lucas wasn't just going to allow Feraligatr to hurt Dratini, but what could he do about it? He was simply a helpless bystander. Dratini, on the other hand, didn't appear to be going down without a fight. When she realised the Ferilagtr wasn't going to let her go, she immediately launched her attack. She summoned and released a small twister powered by dragon energy. However, the attack was not aimed at her opponent but rather at the ceiling above it.

Lucas instinctively ducked as the twister hit the ceiling. An explosion rang through his ears, followed by the sound of rocks falling. He looked up, startled by a sudden roar, to discover that the Ferilgatr had become trapped beneath a pile of rocks. The water it had been holding came crashing down on it, creating a massive wave throughout the cavern. Fortunately, he and his Pokemon were spared the worst of it, with only a small wave cresting the shelf they were resting on.

As soon as the water washed over him, he jumped into action. This was their only chance to escape.

"We need to leave!" Lucas yelled.

His companions didn't argue. Icarus flew into the air, and Max dove into the water behind him. As a result of the attack, the entrance became submerged underwater, but it was quickly receding.

Lucas and Max quickly swam to the entrance. Although a fleeting thought of concern for the Dratini entered his mind, he could not afford to dwell on it right now. As they neared the entrance, the water receded, allowing him to climb onto the rock shelf where the Ferilgatr lay. The Pokemon appeared stunned by both the rockfall and its own failed attack. Fortunately, there was enough space for them to slip into the tunnel.

The Feraligatr was already recovering, growling as it attempted to get to its feet. Lucas turned around to see Dratini swimming across the surface of the water, attempting to reach the tunnel. The damage it had sustained slowed its movement significantly, making it unlikely to reach its destination in time. Feraligatr rose to his feet and let out a powerful roar, causing Dratini to halt her advance and cry out in distress.

Lucas suddenly had a desperate idea and grabbed an empty pokeball from his belt clip. He called out to Icarus, who hadn't yet entered the tunnel but was flying near the ceiling. "Icarus, I need you to do something for me, but it will be dangerous."

Icarus clacked his beak in agreement.

"Dratini, don't resist!" Lucas yelled, throwing the pokeball at her, just as the Feraligatr dove into the water and charged straight at its prey.

The ball struck Dratini, and she vanished in a burst of red light. Ferilgatr emerged from the depths of the water, its expression betraying confusion at its prey's sudden disappearance. The force of Feraligatr breaking the water's surface created a swell, pushing the ball away from it.

Icarus dove for the ball without being prompted.

"Hey, Feraligatr!" Lucas called, catching the Pokémon's attention. "The Dratini's over that way."

Lucas pointed to the right side of the cavern, and the Feraligatr instinctively followed his finger. When its back was turned, Icarus pulled the ball from the water and clutched it in her talons. Lucas turned around and dashed down the tunnel as soon as he saw Icarus grab the ball. He dropped to his hands and knees and followed Max into the crawlspace. He quickly crawled through the pool of water, towards the connecting tunnel.

As he emerged from the other side, he heard a ferocious roar. Lucas quickly turned around, hoping to see Icarus appear at the other end of the crawlspace. After a moment, Icarus appeared, but he appeared frantic. In a rush, he kicked Dratini's pokeball at Lucas, sending it skidding along the water towards him. Icarus cocked his head to the right, indicating that something had caught his attention.

"Pidgey!" Icarus cried.

Lucas swiftly grabbed Icarus' pokeball and aimed it at him. "Return!"

Icarus vanished in a flash of red light, followed by a massive foot crashing down exactly where he had been moments before. Lucas rose to his feet after grabbing Dratini's pokeball. He and Max began sprinting right away as an enraged roar erupted from the Feraligatr. Lucas felt a tremor as the Feraligatr crashed into the wall.

As dust and loose rocks fell from the ceiling, Lucas became increasingly concerned that it would collapse on them, but they managed to escape the cave. He knew their ordeal wasn't over, so he dashed across the beach to the small cliff wall that separated the beach from the land above it.

"Kid!" Max looked back and waved his arm as if to encourage him to run faster.

Looking back, he searched for the Feraligatr, but it was nowhere to be seen. When he got to the wall, he immediately began scrambling up its slope. Although there was no convenient trail to follow, the climb was relatively easy. When Lucas reached the top, he rolled onto the grass and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He was gasping profusely due to the exertion and stress of his encounter with Feraligatr.

Lucas stood up and looked down at the beach. He didn't understand why the Feraligatr hadn't followed him. The second tunnel must have an exit, but it could be located elsewhere.

"Kid!" Max shook himself and sprayed water on Lucas.

"Max," Lucas said, exasperated.

Lucas wiped his face with a grimace. He was completely drenched from his impromptu swim. He checked to make sure no one was nearby before pulling out a spare set of clothes from his inventory. Although changing clothes made him feel a little better, he was still uncomfortable because he was still slightly damp.

He removed the pokeballs from his belt and released Icarus and Dartini.

"Pidgey!"

"Tini!"

Icarus landed on his shoulder and pecked at his hair. Lucas reached up and stroked his feathers. "I apologise for putting you in such a dangerous situation. Moving forward, I should be more cautious about where we explore, especially until our capabilities improve."

Lucas looked down at Dratini, who lay supine on the ground. "I apologise for capturing you without first engaging in a battle, but it was the only way I could save you. How about we go back to the city to rest before we fight?"

"Tini," Dratini nodded.

"For the time being, I will have to return you to your pokeball. Leaving you out would undoubtedly cause a commotion, as you are an absolute rarity."

Lucas headed to the Pokemon Centre to get his Pokemon back in good condition. Although Max and Icarus were in relatively good shape, Dratini had suffered some injuries. After entrusting his Pokemon to Nurse Joy, he took advantage of the opportunity to explore the city while waiting.

His first stop was the Adventurer's Guild, which is conveniently located nearby. The building's exterior and interior resembled Pallet Town but on a much grander scale. The notice board displayed a plethora of missions that far exceeded anything we had seen before. He read them out of curiosity. The generous rewards offered for higher-ranking missions fueled his desire to quickly advance in rank. However, reaching such heights in such a short period was purely wishful thinking.

The only requirement for advancing to the next rank was to earn enough guild points.

To achieve the Amateur rank, he needed to accumulate fifteen hundred points by progressing through the five levels of the Initiate Rank. Because the majority of the missions were only worth ten points, it would take a long time to complete them.

He should be able to reach his goal much faster if he focuses more on completing missions. However, progressing from Amateur to Expert requires more stringent requirements than simply earning guild points. To advance, he needed three Pokemon, each of which had to be level thirty or higher. He also needed to defeat a trainer of the guild's choosing.

"You have got to be kidding me," Lucas exclaimed as one of the mission slips caught his eye.

He removed the slip from the board. The mission was an Expert-level mission, which was beyond his current capabilities.

Pokemon Hunt Mission

Rank: Expert

Objective: A level forty-five Feraligatr disobeyed his trainer and killed three people while fleeing. It killed two more people when they attempted to capture it a few days later. We require an expert trainer to find it. Then it must be either captured or killed. Beware that the Feralgtor is extremely dangerous, so do not attempt this mission unless you have a team of capable Pokemon. The Feraligatr can be identified by a distinct scar across its left eye.

Special Notes: Any information on the Feraligatr's whereabouts will be rewarded with guild points and a monetary award if it contributes to the mission's success. False information will result in penalties, including a possible suspension from the guild.

Time Limit: n/a

Completion Reward: 500 Guild Points; 10000 Pokedollars.

Information Reward: 200 Guild Points; ?

Lucas grinned. What a nice surprise. He was not sure if the Ferilgatr was still in the cave, but he hoped to earn some guild points at least. Just as he was about to approach the counter, he paused. He was confronted with a moral dilemma. Should he reveal the information to the guild, knowing that it could lead to the Feraligatr being exterminated? Even if the Feraligatr had killed several people, he didn't know the whole story. Perhaps the Pokemon was abused and turned against his trainer as a result? But did that excuse the Pokemon's behaviour after it had escaped?

He shook his head, not sure why he was so hesitant. After all, even if there was a legitimate explanation for the Feraligatr's aggressive behaviour, it wasn't any of his concern. Even if he hadn't discovered the Pokemon himself, someone else would have eventually.

He took the slip to the front counter, where a male attendant stood. "I have some information about this mission."

The man took a glance at the slip before entering some information into the computer. "Have you got your guild card?"

Lucas handed him the card, which the man quickly scanned. "What information do you have for me, Sir?"

"I encountered the Feraligatr inside a cave nearly an hour ago."

The attendant cast him a sceptical glance. "You are only a rank two initiate. How did you survive an encounter with a level forty-five Pokemon?"

"I wasn't its target," Lucas said, giving him a fabricated story to hide Dratini's existence. "I came across it while it was fighting a Kingdra. I didn't stick around to see who won."

He predicted that Feraligatr's favourite food, dragon-type Pokemon, would be well-known, lending credibility to his story.

His assumption was validated when the attendant paused after hearing the information. He retrieved a map of the area. "Where is this cave located?"

He pointed it out on the map, and the man took note of it. "Very good. I will send a guild member out to investigate. If the Feraligatr is discovered and captured, you will receive a three thousand Pokedollar reward in addition to the guild points. I will call you after the mission has been completed."

Lucas thanked the man and left the guild. He decided not to accept any more guild missions at the moment because he wasn't sure if he would be venturing out again for a while. He spent a few hours browsing the stores before picking up his Pokemon and returning home.

Lucas became concerned when he saw police officers stationed outside Professor Oak's house. What had happened? He rushed up the path, concerned for Delia and the kid's safety. He noticed a bloodstain on the grass, which heightened his anxiety.

"Stop!" one of the police officers ordered. "Please state your identity."

"My name is Lucas Waker. Could you please tell me what happened?

"Do you have some identification?"

Lucas presented his guild card to the officer, who nodded and returned it to him. "You may go inside. Now that you have returned, you will also be under police protection."

Lucas's brow furrowed. "What is going on? Are Delia and the kids all right?

"They are fine. Mrs. Ketchum will be able to explain the incident better."

Lucas nodded and dashed up the stairs and into the house, only to be confronted by Blue, who was standing guard in the entry hall.

"Hey, Blue," Lucas greeted Poliwrath as it stepped aside to let him through. He found Delia and the kids in the living room.

"What happened?" Lucas asked.

Delia rose from her seat and hugged him. He could feel her body trembling against his, so he drew her closer into his arms to provide some comfort. After regaining her composure, she stepped back. "It's good that you are safe, Lucas."

"Mum said a Pokemon killed a guy on our front lawn," Ash explained. "She will not tell us anything else, though."

"That is because you are too young to hear all the details." Misty nodded wisely.

"You should include yourself in that statement, Ginger," Ash said, glaring.

"Don't call me that!"

"Enough!" Delia snapped, immediately silencing them. They looked at her incredulously, as if she had grown a second head.

"Please go out to the backyard while I speak with Delia," Lucas said. "I will join you shortly. I have got something amazing to show you."

The kids nodded and ran into the hallway.

"Take Blue with you," Delia called out as they left, before returning her attention to Lucas. "Sorry, it's been a rough morning."

"I can imagine. Who was the person who died outside?"

Delia recounted the entire incident, which horrified Lucas. She had come dangerously close to being hurt or worse. Not to mention that the kids were also in danger. Lucas couldn't help but wonder if he was responsible for her being targeted. Perhaps Team Rocket pursued her due to his relationship with Sabrina.

"This is my fault," Lucas admitted, frowning.

"Don't be silly," Delia replied. "If anyone is to blame, it is Sabrina for getting us involved in this, but even that is a stretch. She shouldn't have been forced to investigate the case if she didn't have the necessary experience."

"At least we can confirm that Team Rocket is collaborating with the Fearow Gang. I wonder how Professor Oak and Sabrina are getting along."

"It is unlikely that the problem will be solved so easily," Delia said, shaking her head. "Given the mayor's involvement, they will need to proceed with caution."

"Let's forget about it for the moment," Lucas suggested. "Do you want to come outside and see something amazing?"

"Alright."

When they exited the house, they discovered the kids in the backyard. Misty had released two Staryus, who were playing with Blue.

"So, what is this amazing thing you are about to show us?" Ash asked.

"It's a Pokemon, of course," Lucas said. "Before I proceed, I would like to clarify something. While I have captured her, she will not be officially recognised as my Pokemon until I defeat her in a Pokemon battle."

"Show us already!" Misty exclaimed.

Lucas grabbed Dratini's pokeball and released her.

"Tini?" Dratini looked around with curiosity.

Delia gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed, darting ahead to pet the Pokemon. Misty promptly followed suit.

"Tini!" Dratini slithered towards Lucas, climbing him like a tree, until her entire body curled around him, head resting on his shoulder. She was surprisingly lightweight.

"Take it easy," Lucas said as he petted her head. "These are my friends, and they won't hurt you."

"How did you find a Dratini?" Misty demanded, looking incredibly jealous.

"I have just been extremely fortunate," Lucas said, grinning.

"You have not claimed her yet," Ash stated. "Hey, Dratini, after defeating this loser, how about becoming my Pokémon?"

Lucas moved away from the boy. "Keep your thieving hands off her, you scoundrel!"

He released Icarus and Max from their Pokeballs. "By the way, Dratini, would you like to have our match right now?"

"Tini!" Dratini made a long, derisive sound as she looked at its two Pokémon. To emphasise her opinion, she raised her head and looked away dismissively.

Max raised his hand and shook his fist, and Icarus clacked his beak, clearly unimpressed with her behaviour.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that she doesn't think you guys stand a chance," Lucas sighed. "I hate to admit it, but she is correct. Dratini, how about we postpone the match for two weeks so I have enough time to train them?"

"Tini!" Dratini nodded.

Lucas looked at Delia. "How long will the police be watching over us? I don't have time to sit around at home all day."

"I imagine until the situation in Pallet Town is resolved," Delia answered.

"I'm not going to wait that long," Lucas said. "I guess I will spend the rest of the day training my Pokémon before deciding what to do next."

While Icarus continued to perfect Whirlwind, Lucas shamelessly asked Dratini to teach Max Thunderwave. He bribed her by giving her one of the mushrooms he found in the cave. When he checked her favourability, it was neutral. He supposed he couldn't ask for more, given that she didn't consider herself a member of his team yet. Although he was slightly disappointed because he had saved her from the Feraligatr.

Lucas understood that pokeball technology was critical in strengthening the bond between Pokemon and trainers; otherwise, the mortality rate would have been higher. While it didn't guarantee a Pokemon's loyalty or prevent them from fleeing or retaliating against mistreatment, it did allow for the formation of an initial bond.

The government kept the specifics of pokeball designs a closely guarded secret. He suspected that Arceus had been involved in their creation. Before the war, pokeball technology was far less effective, and people had to be more careful when catching Pokemon. He supposed that it was another benefit that the legendary Pokemon brought to this world after the war.

Lucas watched as Dratini demonstrated the move to Max. Thunderwave was an effective way to incapacitate Pokémon, so having multiple Pokémon with this move seemed like a good idea. It wasn't difficult to learn, given Dratini's low electric-type affinity, so he saw no problem with Max learning it.

After ensuring that his Pokemon were busy training, he returned to his room to get a book. He settled into a lawn chair and kept an eye on his Pokemon. The book he had brought outside was the most recent edition of a compendium containing information on all known Pokemon and their evolutionary paths.

While each region had its own unique Pokemon, they were remarkably open to sharing discoveries and information about them. This included details about new species, evolutionary conditions, and other general discoveries. Something felt wrong about this situation, as some regions were more closed off than others, especially in the aftermath of the war. Though only four regions participated in the conflict, its consequences reverberated around the world. Whatever the reason, it enabled more open discourse in research, fostering positive relationships between professors from various regions.

There were nine hundred and forty-three known Pokemon. The number surprised him because he was certain there were over a thousand Pokemon after the most recent game was released. Even though he hadn't played it, he knew how many Pokemon there were. Browsing through the book, he noticed that the discrepancy was not due to regional variants, as there were many listed.

He started with the Kanto region because he was most familiar with it. He immediately noticed that a few Pokemon were missing from the original one hundred and fifty-one. There were no Porygon, Kabuto, Kabutops, or Mewtwo, for example. The latter made the most sense because, if it were like the anime, the artificially created Legendary Pokemon wouldn't appear for quite some time. Porygon, like Mewtwo, was created in a lab, so its absence came as no surprise either. Kabuto was a fossil Pokemon, which means their fossils hadn't yet been discovered. His knowledge of the Johto region was sketchier, but he was aware of some gaps.

Despite the large number of undiscovered Pokemon and their evolutions, he was surprised that Eevee had been studied so extensively. However, the book contained a brief explanation that shed some light on the situation. Eevee's were once extremely common, much like Rattatas are now. Its popularity caused a decline in its wild population over many decades as trainers continued to zealously capture them. The species remained popular as ever, despite some mysteries surrounding some of their evolutions, such as Umbreon and Espeon. Because their evolutionary conditions were still unknown, these Pokemon were among the rarest in the world. Some trainers had stumbled upon their evolutions by accident.

Lucas recognised an opportunity in front of him. If he was able to reveal some of these undiscovered Pokemon, he would gain popularity, which would help his Pokemon Breeding career. He was confident that his system would allow him to make these discoveries, such as determining the evolutionary conditions for Pokemon. It was why he was so intent on improving his Insight skill.

He had no choice but to keep levelling up and earning more skill points to improve the skill even more. After all, Icarus was approaching the point at which he could evolve. If the skill revealed any special circumstances that would benefit Icarus, he wanted to know as soon as possible. Fortunately, he could still fish at the harbour to gain experience, as long as the fishing area had been repaired.

After an hour of training, he instructed his Pokemon to take a break and rest. He went back inside and prepared some lunch for his Pokemon. He had no idea what Dratini liked, other than the mushrooms he found. So he ended up making her a salad out of them, and she seemed satisfied with the meal. He would need to experiment and find a recipe she liked.

After lunch, he returned to his alchemy. As he browsed through one of his ingredient books, he found an entry about the moss he found in the cave. It was named Blue Ethermoss, but it wasn't used in any recipes to make gels. Fortunately, he had a recipe for paralysis cure gel and all of the necessary ingredients. So he started working on figuring out the recipe and making the first batch.

The next day, Lucas was out the door early. As he expected, he was barred from leaving the house without an escort.

"How about you find someone to look after me for the day?" Lucas suggested. "It's not like it will be difficult, as I will be spending my day fishing at the harbour. I will even compensate them for their work."

The two police officers considered it for a moment. "We will have to consult with our superior first."

Once they had the go-ahead, they contacted Bob, an off-duty officer. They travelled to the harbour together. Lucas decided it was best to leave Dratini behind because she attracted too much attention. She appeared content, having found a home in the backyard pool. Fortunately, the backyard was bordered by several trees, which provided ample privacy.

When Lucas arrived at the harbour, he was relieved to see that the repairs had already been completed. He decided to rent a Good Rod and secure a fishing spot for the entire day. The plan was to expand the number of Pokemon he could capture to reduce the likelihood of encountering another Gyarados. He could afford the luxury because the Adventurer's Guild had rewarded him after the Feraligatr had been apprehended. He earned three thousand Pokedollars and two hundred guild points, which immediately elevated him to the rank of level three Initiate.

Lucas prepared for a long day of fishing and grinding. He encountered a variety of Pokemon, including Goldeen, Staryu, Qwilfish, and Horsea. He was extremely tempted to catch the latter but ultimately decided against it. He was going to be more selective in who he chose for his next Pokemon now that he had found Dratini.

He also used Icarus, but he was slower to finish off his opponents. As a result, Lucas, Icarus, and Max had gained a considerable amount of experience. Even though they were still a long way from levelling up.

They continued their actions the next day. As a result, his bodyguard and Jeremy from the fishing store began giving him strange looks. As the day came to an end, both he and Max had accumulated enough experience to level up once more. Because he had a minder, he decided to wait until he returned home before levelling up to twenty and obtaining the new function.

When he returned home, Delia quickly summoned him to the living room. A reporter was on television, delivering some news, and Oak's laboratory could be seen in the background.

"...Oak and Sabrina, the gym leader from Saffron City, launched an attack on a building this afternoon. It is now known that this is the Fearow Gang's headquarters. Reports are still coming in, but it appears that the majority of the gang have been apprehended. However, the leader escaped during the ensuing chaos. The gang was developing a drug that could force a Pokemon to evolve, despite a lot of severe side effects."

"Damn." Lucas took a breath. "They are not messing around. I wonder how the mayor will react to this."

So, what do you think? Things are heating up in Pallet Town. What will Lucas' new function be?

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Thanks for reading.