Pokémon Trainer Hero

Chapter 55: A Close Watch and a Gift

Meanwhile, back on the civilian setting of the stadium, amongst the unevacuated onlookers who were still celebrating both the defeat of Team Rocket and the safe landing of the Sports Festival Stadium, there was one person who wasn't celebrating. They were not doing much of anything, they were just sitting in the same seat they had been in throughout the whole fiasco and smiling very weirdly. Smiling with very sharp teeth and glowing yellow eyes. Now, this would be the normal appearance for anyone, except this person stuck out for the outfit they wore: a full body trench coat and fedora, in addition to their strange action of staying in their seat the whole time. The person then reached up to the hem of their coat and adjusted a very small camera a little bit more while an earpiece in their pointed ear buzzed something.

"That's it. A little more to the left.", said a young voice over the earpiece. "Perfect! Right there! Excellent job, Zoroark", the voice shouted at finally getting the right angle.

The scene in the camera is one of Mewtwo crawling its way over to the seemingly unconscious Gar, which then pans out to a small tv monitor showing the whole thing in real time. The Tv was set on a dead AC until on top of an abandoned building somewhere in town, and close enough to the Stadium that it could be seen in the distance. The people watching it were semi-crowded around it with one sitting down as the other two stood and watched from behind. The person sitting down was seated on an old cushion with a box of popcorn in one hand and a Bayonet to his side. He eagerly ate the popcorn with excitement as he watched everything unfold till now, dawning a Mega Bayonet style hoodie with mask and goggles.

At the last scene, he excitedly yelled with zeal, throwing his popcorn into the air, scattering it about, as he exclaimed with hands clapping in amusement, "Yes! Yes! Wonderful! Encore! I demand an Encore!"

As the first person cheered with glee, one of the other two people behind him worked up the courage to call for his attention. He was dressed much differently than the one sitting down; dressed in a hooded cloak that came down to his waist and designed like that of a Shuppet, complete with colored goggle lenses that mimicked its multi-eye color. The rest of the outfit was only a slightly darker color than the cloak, with a Purple F stamped on the shirt, along with pants and boots.

"Um, Boss Bayo, er, sir.", the man stumbled over his words.

"You don't have to be so formal and nervous around me, Jake. You worked hard to get where you are and I've seen something special enough in you to give you said position. So just call me Bayo, or Boss if you're more comfortable.", Bayo told him as he stared at the screen while shoving Popcorn into his open zipper mask mouth.

Jake scratched his cheek, looking nervous about his question, before finally finding the nerve to speak, asking "Well, um, it's just…what's the point of all this?"

The other person standing next to Jake, a woman, who was dressed in the female version of the outfit, trading the pants for a knee low skirt, suddenly grabbed him, held him to her face, and yelled, "Don't you dare question the ways of our glorious leader! You may be new, but you have no right to make sure remarks! The Boss is intelligent and wise in a way you couldn't possibly understand!"

Bayo quickly diffused the situation by firmly and nonchalantly saying, "Now now, Melanie. There is no reason to go after his throat like that. Especially after such a vague question.", this almost completely diffused the woman's anger as she looked dumbfounded at her leader. "As your leader, I must lead for the benefit of everyone, but if something I do comes into question, then you should bring it to my attention.", Bayo told them as he popped open a cola can and took a long drink before continuing. "When questions aren't asked, then things start to spiral down quite quickly. Simple mistakes are made, people become scared, power is abused, nobody learns anything, and eventually, things just fall apart.", the two grunts said nothing, but only drank in their leader's words of wisdom like a pure spring. Bayo giggled as he finished off saying, "That's how good things are dismantled so easily. Cause they're eventually governed by dumb people."

Melanie released her grip from Jake's outfit and bowed to Bayo, apologetically saying, "Of course sir, you're right. My apologies."

Bayo wagged his finger over his shoulder, still not looking behind him, and told her, "Don't apologize to me, apologies to Jake."
Melanie gave a small sigh and bowed to Jake while repeating her apology, "I'm sorry. Forgive my earlier outburst."

"I-Its fine.", Jake nervously accepted.

"Now then!", Bayo suddenly shouted, making the grunts jump from the suddenness. "What's that question you had before, Jake?", Bayo asked the man.

Jake stumbled over his words before finally asking, "Oh, um, why did you help Giovanni? Didn't you say he was an idiot?"

Bayo nods as he stuffs down another handful of popcorn, and replies, "Oh I did say that. I also said that he's an incompetent Mankey who thinks far too small, far too shallow, and only about himself. If anything I'm surprised he's able to keep the loyalties of his grunts."

"Then why did you help scrape his team back together, fund, inform, upgrade, and transport him over space time just to take his revenge on Garfield? I mean, he didn't even win. Doesn't that seem wasteful? We could've used those resources and time on ourselves. We could've been the ones to invade them, but instead, we send the paint over washouts? They weren't ready enough, and everything they did have in place was a rush job. We would have taken them down so quickly and your plans, going forward, wouldn't have any hiccups.", Jake rants on in dire confusion of Bayo's logic.

"Yeah, the old creep got creamed worse than an Alcremie in a pastry shop.", Melanie chimes in.

Bayo swallows down the last of his popcorn, before giving a deep and sinister chuckle. He then tells the grunt, "Oh my dear sweet Jake. It wasn't about helping Giovanni at all. It was about sending a message."

"What kind of message?", Jake asks, even more, confused than before.

A cruel smile forms under the zipper mouth of his mask and he explains to him, "A message of change. This world of theirs is going to be changed drastically. This is to show that no matter what they do to plan or rush, they're still so underprepared for anything and everything. Everything is going to be flipped on its head, and this is just the start.", Bayo takes another swig of his cola before finishing off his explanation. "Giovanni wasn't going to make a name and place for himself in this world or any other. In the end, he was just another pawn on my chest board. And a pawn who played his part perfectly.", he chuckled at the thought.

Jake was silent for several moments as he absorbed and processed the information. When it finally clicked, his eyes widened with shock as he asked, "Wait, so Giovanni….despite all we wasted on him….he was just a small piece in your bigger plan?"

Bayo looks over his shoulder and says with a small chuckle, "It's the Klink that makes the Klinklang turn."

Jake's eyes widen even further as his mouth drops, and he says to his partner in a low tone, "Unmerciful Giratina. You were right, Melanie. The boss is crazy smart."

"Told ya.", Melanie said back with a smile in an equally low tone while playfully elbowing him.

"So what happens now?", Jake excitedly asks his boss.

"Now we-.", Bayo tries to say until something loud and obnoxious cuts him off.

Suddenly a purple-colored Rotom phone flies out of his pocket and loudly announces, "Phone call! Zipp. Phone call! Zipp. Phone call! Zipp."

Bayo grabs the floating phone Pokemon and looks at the caller ID. His face lights up as he happily proclaims, "OH! If it isn't my favorite person calling!"

"Favorite person?", Jake asks Melanie with a hint of sadness and jealousy.

Melanie snorts at his reaction and says in a low tone, "He says that about everyone who calls him."

Bayo pressed the accept call button and answered in a sing-song tone, "~HELLOOOOOOOOOHOOO!~"

"Good afternoon sir. I hope I'm not disturbing you.", the caller replies in a cold and robotic-sounding female voice.

Bayo's face lit up even more as he excitedly exclaimed, "Majesta! No no no! It's never a bad time! The climax has finally come to an end. How are things set up at the base?"

"Smoothly sir. We should have everything up to 100% efficiency by tonight.", Majesta reports in her robotic neutral tone.

Bayo laughs and says, "Excellent, excellent! But I'm sure that's not why you called me."

Majesta gives a slight hum in her throat as she replies, "Actually sir I have someone on the other line. One Mr. All for One."

"Oh, so the Duke has finally called me back, mother!", Bayo hams it up in a mock female Victorian voice.

"Sir.", Majesta says in a more serious tone.

Bayo laughs at her reaction and exclaims, "I'm joking, I'm joking! What's he saying?"

"He wants to speak to you directly, regarding his meeting with him. Shall I punch you through?", she asks him.

Bao hums in thought for a moment before telling her, "Hmmmmmmmm…no, don't do that. I don't want him to think I'm desperate to meet him. I want him to work for me. Make him show he's serious about all this."

"Of course sir. Anything else you like me to add?", Majesta asked him as the quiet sound of typing on a keyboard could be heard.

"Send him my warm regards and eagerness to our meeting. Talking of such, tell him that I agree with his allotted time, date, and location. Oh, and ask him if he got my gift.", Bayo listed off a few things as the woman typed away.

"Right away sir.", she replied monotone.

Just before hanging up, Bayo suddenly had a light bulb moment and stated, "Oh! And before I forget. How's our other project coming along?"

Bayo could almost hear the small smile inch on the woman's face over the phone at his question. Majesta then told him with the slightest ounce of chirpiness in her neutral tone, "Wonderfully sir. It was the first thing we finished up. All probes are in place, all connections are made, and all Grunts on the other side have stocked them up to full capacity within their max range."

Bayo laughs again and says, "Perfect! Right after this call, activate Project Eris."

"As you wish.", Majesta replies as the leader hangs up on her end. After the line goes dead, Majesta punches into another call she had on hold. Once back on she asks over the line, "Mr. All for One."

"Please my dear, call me Sensei.", the very deep and horse brooding voice of All for One tells her in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Majesta resists the urge to gag at his word choice and says back simply, "Very well, Sensei. Sorry to keep you waiting, but unfortunately, our glorious leader is unable to speak with you as of now. He's currently in the middle of something that requires his full attention.", she informs the man.

"Understandable.", All for One replies.

"However, he was able to pass on his words for you through me.", Majesta informs him further, making All for One hum in his throat. "First he would like to send his warm regards to you for your welcome and offer. Speaking of which, he has agreed with all of your stated arrangements regarding it. He also would like to know if you have received his gift recently.", she asks the man.

All for One makes something equivalent to a chuckle and cough in his throat before answering, "As a matter of fact, we just received it today. And I have to say, I've never seen young Tomura so happy before. Send my thanks to your leader, and let him know I'm looking forward to our meeting."

"Of course Sensei. Have a lovely rest of your day.", Majesta greets him before cutting the line on her end.

When the line goes dead from All for One's side, he places the phone receiver back on the plate it was holding out in service to him. Standing next to All for One is Kurogiri who takes the phone and puts it away before speaking with full attention to his master.

"Sensei, are you sure this is a good idea?", the bartender looking at the smoking man asks his true leader of The League of Villains.

Showing no offense to his question, the decrepit man asks back, as machines beep and tick away for his vitals, "When did you think it wasn't, Kurogiri?"

Kurogiri narrows his eyes with stress and worry as he explains, "The moment you decide to elope with these…..interlopers. It may just be my nerves, but I don't trust them, especially their boss. He sounds far too…cheerful, for someone with plans and goals similar to ours. It is quite unsettling."

All for One chuckle before going into another coughing fit. After the coughing has subsided and machines beep back at their normal pace, he says with a calm yet dismissive displacement, "Be as it may Kurogiri, I believe it is far better to form a connection with them. As you said, their plans and goals are similar to ours. It would only make sense to find a medium between our two groups rather than an inevitable fight in the future.", Kurogiri couldn't help but nod silently at his master's sound logic. "And besides, they don't even know what I have planned for them.", the old man smiles with malicious intent in his large white teeth.

Kurogiri cocked his head to the side a bit, and asked him, "This Team Freak and their boss are just a bunch of pawns to you, aren't they?"

"Indeed.", All for One confirmed with an even wider smile, holding back the urge to laugh to not go into another coughing fit. He then turns his mechanical chair towards a monitor and says to the bartender, "Now, put young Tomura on."

Kurogiri bows silently and briskly walk over to a control panel while pushing several buttons. A camera above the monitor glows to life as the monitor itself displays live footage of none other than Tomura hunched over his laptop on the floor. The room around the young man was completely dark apart from the bright glow of the laptop with his eyes glued to the screen, nothing out of the ordinary there. The only thing that didn't seem normal to All for One, was the fact that his presence wasn't immediately recognized like it normally was.

So speaking frilly into the mic attached to his chair, he called out, "Tomura."

Tomura almost jumped out of his skin upon hearing the old man's voice! He quickly whirled around, cracking the entire length of his spine in the process, and stated apologetically, "Oh, sorry Sensei. I was so engrossed I didn't even notice you."

If All for One still had eyebrows under his threatening-looking mask, he would have raised one in amusement. To this he replied, "How interesting. You never done this before, not even with your video games. I take it you are enjoying the gift sent by our Interdimensional Interlopers?", he asked the young man.

A smile that was half as creepy as the ones All for One pulls spread across the young man's face at the question. He glares at the laptop screen and says excitedly, "Oh yes Sensei. Oh yes! I've never been so interested in something before! I've only just scratched the surface and I still want to know every single detail.", over on the laptop screen was a neatly organized and filed list with separate folding containing all known information on every current Pokémon known to the better part of the world.

Tomura's fingers shivered with delight as he wanted to continue scrolling down for even longer. He then looked out to something in his darkroom and told the old man, "And these creatures, these Pokemon. I had a completely wrong impression about them from before. They are…..incredible."

As he said this, several previously unseen Pokemon appeared on All for One's screen within the young man's room. A Mareanie was holding his laptop on its head, a Wimpod was cuddled into his lap and nervously looking at All for One on-screen, a Pawniard was sharpening its blades on a provided whetstone, a Grimer was mindlessly meandering around, a Gligar was hanging from the ceiling and glaring down at All for One, while an Areodactyl snoozed in the far corner, as a Duskull and Misdreavus played around his head, and a Sandygast slinked around the floor.

Tomura poked the Wipod's antenna and made the Bug type hide its face into his legs. He then reached out and petted the Gimer's head with all five fingers; the Pokemon didn't even flinch or even wilt to his touch and grabbed his hand to get more affection. After removing his hand and shaking it clean he reached it up towards the two Ghost types. Misdreavus came down and grabbed the hand with its hair, mashing its face into all five fingers, again not being affected by his quirk. Even Duskull squeezed itself into his shoulder and allowed the young man to pet him with his other hand. Tomura then reached out and shifted around the body of Sandygast; again the Pokemon showed no effect apart from some slight irritation to being played with. Seeing all this, Gligar got jealous and reached down to poke Tomura with its claws and lick the back of his head. All while Areodactyl continued to snooze, Pawniard continued to sharpen, and Mareanie just stood there with an indifferent expression. All while Tomura sat there with the largest smile on his face.

All for One smirked at his response and actions, and replied with a pleased tone, "I'm so glad to hear it."