Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
Pokémon: Pokédex no Isekai
Chapter Thirty-eight: Wise Widower
The crew of The Big Beauty was in Circhester, Galar, the flying ship parked in a lot next to the local Pokémon Center. The reborn trainers had made some progress on completing the Galar Pokédex and were taking a break from that work, going over their notes and crossing names off of the list that they had. "Alright, folks," Dawn said as she and the other reborn trainers had a private meeting in the meeting room in The Big Beauty, "We're making decent progress on the Galar dex here."
"Well hopefully we'll get it done soon," Trip said, "The sooner we get the Galar dex completed, the better. We'll be able to return to Sinnoh sooner."
"We may also have to go to the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra areas for a few species," Kenny said, "Hopefully we can manage things there."
"Hey, Professor Oak in Kanto seemed pretty keen on seeing us getting every species of Pokémon registered as caught," Mina began, "You think that when we accomplish that we ought to go and see Professor Oak first thing?"
Dawn gave an affirmative nod to Mina. "I was thinking the exact same thing, actually," Dawn said, "We complete the national dex, at least between the lot of us, and then we report to Professor Oak about it first thing. After that and hearing what all Professor Oak has to say, we return to Sinnoh and begin helping to deal with Team Heart in earnest."
The reborn trainers agreed to take a break from the meeting to get up and deal with managing the supplies on board of The Big Beauty, mainly checking to see if there was anything that needed to be refilled before take off. However, right as the reborn trainers all stood up from the meeting table, a knock at the meeting room door caught their attention.
Trip who stood closest to the door went to answer it, and upon opening it saw that Calem was standing there. The look of worry on Calem's face was easily notable. "What's wrong, Calem?" asked Trip as he gestured to the worried looking Calem.
"You know how we've been running guided tours of The Big Beauty to make some extra income for while we're traveling from region to region?" Calem began, "Yeah, a particularly anal woman decided that she was entitled to a discount on the admission fee for the tour, and she began throwing a fit when Leona told her she had to pay full price same as everyone else, and that temper tantrum that the woman threw summoned some Team Heart members to the scene."
"Hoo boy," Dawn said, her tone laced with knowing worry, as she and the other reborn trainers went to go see what was going on, especially as they had a feeling that running damage control might be necessary here due to a Karen deciding that she was above having to pay full price for a tour of The Big Beauty.
Outside, the reborn trainers and Calem went down the drawbridge as a number of people were all gathered on the ground. Leona, backed by Sho and Mitch, was trying to explain to a group of Team Heart members that the self important looking business woman who was standing off to the side was simply throwing a temper tantrum because she wasn't being permitted a discount on paying the fee for the guided tour service being offered.
As Dawn and the others made their way down the drawbridge, Dawn noticed that Ashly, the Captain's Assistant to the First Captain of the Galar Sector of Team Heart, stood with the all of the Team Heart members who were present. She stood with a uniquely dressed older man who seemed to be leading things there for Team Heart.
The older man who was leading things there as fair skinned and had grayish hair, and he wore a black shirt under a pink 'Alolan' shirt with black tropical flower silhouettes all over it, black baggy shorts held up with a belt, pink socks, black leather sandals, and he had a black Team Heart 'H' on the 'Alolan' shirt, right over his left pectoral.
"Ma'am, with all due respect to you, the guided tours that we do have no discounts," Leona said to the self important looking business woman, "We charge the same flat fee regardless of who is paying for a tour."
"Do you NOT know who I am, you little brat?!" the self important looking business woman snarled at Leona, "I am a member of the commission board for the Galar region's Pokémon League! I'm a top name here in Galar! That means that if I say that I deserve a discount, then I deserve a discount!"
"Dude, quit being a Karen and just pay the full admission fee," Sho said to the self important looking business woman, wry eyebrow arched, "You're making a scene."
"Yeah, I fail to see how you're entitled to a discount," said the uniquely dressed older man among the gathered Team Heart members, "Especially since you're one of the commission board members who had been confirmed to be arguing for applying the ableist practices of old Galarian government ideals in the Galarian Pokémon League."
Turning to look at the uniquely dressed older man, the self important looking business woman snarled, "Well why would any sane person NOT want to keep gimps and retards out of the League where only normal people belong? Do you know how embarrassing it is for a normal person to lose to an abnormal freak? Galar is now a laughing stock among the other regions because not only did a retarded girl enter the last Galar gym challenge, but she actually defeated Leon and took his title as Champion of Galar! Galar has a retarded brat for a Champion now! It's mortifying, I tell you!"
The uniquely dressed Team Heart member gave the self important looking business woman a dry, wry look. "...No, what's mortifying is that ableist attitude that you had just proclaimed," said the older man. Turning to look at Ashly, the older man said to her while pointing to the self important looking business woman, "Ashly, lead some of the men here in arresting this woman for openly expressing ableist attitudes, I gotta do a little bit of damage control."
Giving the older man a salute, Ashly replied, "You got it, Grandpa Dana!"
"Ashly, we're on official work here," said the now identified Dana, his tone an even mix of gentle scolding and helpfully pointing things out, "You need to address me by my rank of Captain."
"You got it, Captain Grandpa!" Ashly replied.
Dana chuckled a bit before he turned to look at the self important looking business woman. "Heh heh, grandkids, am I right?" Dana said, his tone showing that he still found some amusement in the situation as the Team Heart men with him already moved to apprehend the self important looking business woman.
The reborn trainers saw it as Ashly led some of the Team Heart men in taking the self important looking business woman away, with said woman screaming the entire time, while Dana moved on to addressing the rest of the crowd of people that was still there. "Can I have your attention folks!" Dana announced, "I would like to apologize to you all for how that woman was allowed to spew her hateful poison just now! Such ableist expressions are by no means allowed in any territory that is a part of the Team Heart Empire!"
"Yeah, why did she have to say that Champion Nina is retarded?" one random girl in the crowd called out, "She's not retarded, she's autistic! There's a world of difference between the two! I keep having to tell others off when they make the same mistake about my little brother Allister!"
As the crowd began to murmur, Dana got them to settle down. "Not to worry, folks! The situation is now under control!" Dana called out, "No acts such as ableism and the like will be permitted here in Galar! Not while Team Heart is in charge!" The crowd, oddly enough, seemed to approve of the fact that Team Heart was in charge of the Galar region and how it's ran.
Dawn took careful note of that, worried that it may be due to a bit of brainwashing on the populace of Galar to condition them into being accepting and okay with Team Heart rule. Sure Team Heart here is actively fighting to keep a lid on discrimination in all forms, but their methods leave a lot to be desired. Dawn was about to speak up, but stopped short when one of the female Team Heart grunts pointed her out to Dana.
The older man turned his attention to look right where Dawn was standing. "Oh, and here's the girl of the hour," Dana said, "Your one fellow says that no discounts of any kind are offered for the guided tour service that is run on your flying ship. Is that true?"
"Are you suggesting that such discounts ought to be offered?" Dawn said, "Because the same flat fee is charged to everyone regardless of anything."
"Well that IS a form of treating everyone equally, I have to admit," Dana remarked, "It shows that you don't discriminate."
Shrugging, Kenny said, "Well, we DO keep people who cause scenes from coming on board. Like that woman just now, we wouldn't let her on board due to the scene that she caused."
Dana nodded in agreement as Ashly caught back up to him. "Yeah, that makes sense," Dana agreed, "We can't have the crazies going everywhere."
"That lady is already on her way to the nearest labor camp, Grandpa Dana," Ashly said, her tone and expression oddly perky and happy for a young girl talking about how someone had just been sent to a labor camp, "With the rank and file taking her there carrying a report on the incident just now that explains her severe ableism related offence."
"You know, it's weird to see someone so chipper while talking about a person who had just been sent to a labor camp," Kenny remarked.
"Well that lady was threatening to go against Team Heart in Galar's plans on making the region at large a happier place," Ashly explained, "I mean, what's so good and happy about such cruel and mean spirited acts as blatant ableism, I ask you? Those who are differently abled are still people, same as you and me. They don't deserve to be discriminated against due to something outside of their control."
Gesturing to Ashly, Dawn said, "I believe that Admin Sue was discriminated against in her past due to how she's autistic."
"Exactly!" Ashly said, "It's why Sue is so strongly against ableism! She's been on the receiving end of it! She knows what it's like! All of the Admins of Team Heart knows what discrimination is like, that's why they work as hard as they do to stamp it out! Also, at least if you ask me, there's no room in the Galar region for discrimination."
Pointing to Ashly, Dana said, "My granddaughter here is the kind of person who can turn anything into joy simply by touching it."
Looking to Ashly, Mina said, "I bet that your grandparents are both very proud of you, given how you are so contributing to the efforts of trying to make Galar a better place to live."
Right away, both Ashly and Dana looked unsure, as if an old memory had been dug up. "Oh, umm..." Ashly began, "...My... my Grandma passed away a few years ago, actually."
The reborn trainers and their fellows with them all looked shocked. "Oh my, I... I had no idea about that," Mina replied, "I am so sorry."
"No, no, there's no need to worry," Dana assured Mina, "You honestly had no idea that I had lost my wife a few years ago."
Kenny was able to sense that it was a subject that made the older man feel troubled. "You... wanna talk about it?" Kenny half asked half offered.
...
Surprisingly, the reborn trainers plus Dana and Ashly ended up getting lunch at Bob's Your Uncle, a restaurant located locally in Circhester. There, Dana and Ashly, surprisingly, decided to open up to the reborn trainers about the loss of Dana's late wife, who was the grandmother of Ashly and her younger brother Michaela.
"Oh, my wife had always loved traveling around the world," Dana said, "Taking in all sorts of sights, trying out all sorts of things, meeting all sorts of people. You know, the thing that you kids do with that flying ship of yours, traveling to regions all over the world, my wife would have been chomping at the bit to take part in it. It'd of been right up her ally."
"I'm guessing that you didn't join her in her travels across the world?" Kenny asked.
Sighing, Dana replied, "Not at first. I... I was never as adventurous as my wife. I preferred to stay home here in Galar, living my day to day life. Safe, but not outgoing. Kind of a humdrum life if one thinks about it. But I digress."
"One day," Ashly spoke up, "My mom and dad surprised Grandpa Dana with tickets to fly out to where Grandma was located at that time during her travels. By the time he'd meet up with her, it was going to be her birthday. It took a lot of convincing on mom and dad's part to get Grandpa Dana to agree to go, but he eventually agreed. We gave him gifts from us to Grandma for her birthday, and sent him off to go join her in her travels."
"Where did you meet up with your wife at?" Trip asked.
"We met in Olivine City in the Johto region," Dana said, "She was there because she wanted to check out a Donzish festival that was being thrown at the time. None of us are Donzish ourselves, but we do have several Donzish friends. Ashly's friend Jill is also Donzish, same as Jill's mom Pamela. My wife wanted to see the Donzish people of Johto celebrate their faith and heritage, as well as sample traditional Donzish foods."
"During the festival, a huge group of antidonzites attacked the festival," Ashly said, "It happened two days after my grandparents met up with each other and began traveling the world together. Grandpa Dana, he..." Ashly stopped short, had to keep herself from crying. "...He was pushed out of the way of an attack by Grandma. She saved his life, but in return..."
Dawn had a horrifying thought cross her mind at that moment. "...It was the same attack that claimed the lives of loved ones of Admin Coryn and his Assistant Marshall, wasn't it?" Dawn asked.
"It's part of why the authority of the Team Heart Empire is demanding the government of the Alola region to hand over the terrorists that they're harboring," Ashly said, "Among the people that Team Heart is demanding to be turned over to their custody is Eric Ericson, one of the ringleaders of the attack on that Donzish festival where Grandma was killed."
"It's my fault," Dana said, "I never should have joined my wife in her travels. I did, and barely two days after we started traveling together she gets killed saving my sorry rear end. If I wasn't there she could have easily saved herself and get to safety. Now I have to live the rest of my life knowing that I got my wife, a woman who I had spent well more than half of my life with, killed."
"Sir, you cannot blame yourself for the evils of discriminatory bastards," Mina said, feeling disgusted that she and the others were forced to ferry Eric and his company to safety in the Sinnoh region. It also turned out that Team Heart, at least so far, has no idea that Eric and his company are in Sinnoh right now, Team Heart still thinks they're all in Alola. That makes it all the more important for Eric and his company to not stand out in Sinnoh.
Ashly let out a sigh. "If there's one silver lining to what happened, it's that it helps give credibility to Team Heart's stance, it helps make it clear that Team Heart rule is better for the people of the world at large. Under Team Heart rule, stuff like the attack that killed Grandma would never occur, or if it did then the persons carrying out the attack will ACTUALLY be punished, harshly and immediately, rather than essentially be kept in a jail cell indefinitely."
Gesturing to Ashly, Kenny asked, "But is it worth it? Although Team Heart does have some noble goals, there's no denying that, there's also no denying how some methods used by Team Heart, at least from an outside perspective, aren't exactly savory."
"The means used by Team Heart are the only ones that actually work to get the desired results," Ashly replied, "The people who needed to be taught better were blatantly, defiantly refusing to learn better. They had to be made to learn better. As sad as it is, sometimes forcing people to act as they ought to is the only way they'll act as they ought to."
"It's not exactly a friendly way to treat those people," Mina pointed out.
"Those people themselves weren't friendly to others," Dana countered, "At least not without being made to do so. People in the free lands complain that Team Heart doesn't permit the people in its lands freedom. Well, look at what some of the people in the free lands, people who have the quote unquote 'freedom' that free landers advocate for, do with their 'freedom'."
"There are far too many bits here and there showing that if people have that freedom, they'll just abuse the privilege," Ashly said, "Assuming that they aren't busy abusing their fellow man at the time. People want to have freedom just so they can act however they want towards others, without care for what all may be going on. Would you seriously grant a privilege to someone if you knew full well that they were just going to abuse said privilege?"
That actually gave Dawn pause for thought. From the perspective of Team Heart, especially those who had suffered the pain of various forms of discrimination, freedom is a privilege that has to be earned, to be deserved regularly. They view freedom as a privilege due to how they've seen people who have it just abuse it via discriminating against others and otherwise be overall horrible people.
The citizens of territories under the banner of the Team Heart Regime have freedom for the most part. ...The most part. Those citizens STILL have to follow Team Heart rule, they STILL have to act in certain ways, treat and be respectful of others in certain ways, or it's off to the labor camps (at a minimum). For the most part, citizens find their day to day lives more or less unchanged from how things were before their homeland was absorbed by the Team Heart Empire.
The only people who really suffer under Team Heart rule are people who, arguably, don't deserve what Team Heart claims is a privilege. But Team Heart still grants freedom to the citizens of its Empire, so long as they follow Team Heart rule. ...But is it REALLY freedom? Is it REALLY freedom when one isn't allowed to act a certain way lest they be sent to labor camps? Dawn could see why Team Heart wants to end discrimination, discrimination truly is bad.
But to go as far as they have? To declare something to be privilege that has to be earned and regularly deserved, where in reality it's actually a right granted at birth, despite how some folks tend to really push that right? Dawn wasn't sure who here was in the right or the wrong. She normally is very much against the actions Team Heart has taken, and on principle will still fight to bring down the inter-regional villainous criminal organization that rules a lot of the world right now.
...But even Dawn has to admit that Team Heart has some valid points, she has to admit that they have done some good, she has to admit that there really are some people who are consistently showing that they're abusing the right that they had been born with, a right that all people who were ever born had been born with. Dawn was feeling more and more conflicted as the struggle against Team Heart went on, and she wasn't sure if she'd be entirely comfortable with herself afterwards.
Looking to Ashly, Dawn said, "...That is a difficult question to answer. You, and probably Team Heart as a whole, speak of freedom as a privilege that one has to regularly earn, that one has to regularly deserve. But there are others view freedom as an irrevocable right that's granted at birth. That there clashing of differences in ideals is why there's so harsh of a climate between Team Heart and the rest of the world."
"Well how else are we supposed to keep people from abusing having freedom by being utter jerks towards others and keep said jerks from discriminating?" Ashly asked.
Gently shaking her head, Dawn replied, "There's no easy answer that everyone will agree on. No matter what, there will always be some persons who aren't happy with the way that things turned out. It's something that people just have to accept."
"So you're saying that me, mom, Grandpa, Dana, and Michaela just have to accept that Grandma was killed in an antidodonzic attack on a Donzish festival and be happy with it," Ashly said, hints of accusation in her mildly unamused tone.
"She didn't say that at all, Ashly," Dana cut in, "She's not saying we have to be happy and accepting of the fact that your grandmother was killed in a terrible act of religious discrimination. She's saying that people will always have differing opinions from each other no matter what. We don't have to be happy with what happened to your grandmother."
Dawn nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's what I was saying. There's always going to be disagreement amongst people. Always has been, always will be. It's part of what makes people... well, people. But you don't have to like it if there's disagreement. Also personally, I don't feel you have to like it that your grandmother was killed, and if you somehow got a hold of Eric Ericson, well just keep in mind that Admin Coryn has dibs on making him pay."
Nodding once, Ashly said, "Oh yes, I know. Ooh, true story, Jill and her mom Pamela went to Johto to visit Admin Coryn because they were wanting to attend the reopening of an old synagogue for the Donzish faith, and Admin Coryn's little brother had fun playing with Jill's four Torkoals."
"Why does she even have four Torkoals?" Dana asked, "Not to mention how according to Jill, each one has a distinct and unique personality. The shiny Torkoal apparently likes to, and this is what Jill had said on the matter, jam out to Kanto-pop music. I mean seriously! What's weirder than owning four Torkoals?"
"Our bud Ash, who's the Champion of Kanto, owns thirty Tauros," Kenny said, "All Kantonian Tauros caught in the Kanto Safari Zone."
"How in blazes did he catch thirty Tauros?!" Dana exclaimed.
Shrugging, Kenny replied, "Beats me. I'm pretty sure that he wasn't actually trying to catch thirty Tauros, but it happened anyway by sheer chance. At least Ash has better Safari zone luck than me and my girlfriend Mina here."
"When I went to the Kanto Safari Zone, I was chased up a tree by angry Dodrios," Mina said sadly, "All of my Safari Balls fell out and the Dodrios ate all of them."
"I have a similar story, but replace the Kanto Safari Zone with the Great Marsh in Sinnoh," Kenny said, "Replace Mina with me, and replace the angry Dodrios with angry Quagsires."
Dana and Ashly looked wide eyed in surprise at Kenny and Mina. "...Makes me glad we don't have a Safari Zone or similar other place here in Galar," Dana said.
"Totally," Ashly agreed.
After the lunch meeting that they had with Dana and Ashly, the reborn trainers went back to The Big Beauty, and saw that Leona, with help from Sho and Mitch, was managing things just fine. After a few more tours, the crew of The Big Beauty had to call it quits for the night. They would fly off to look into the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra areas tomorrow, but until then they had to rest.
As the crew all had dinner together, it was Paul who saw it that Dawn had a concerned look on her face. "...You seem troubled, Dawn," Paul said, "Care to share your thoughts?"
Dawn let out a troubled sigh. "...It involves a conversation that me, Trip, Kenny, and Mina all had with a Team Heart Captain and his Captain's Assistant who also happens to be his granddaughter," Dawn explained. She then spent the next few minutes giving the highlights from the conversation with Dana and Ashly, with Trip, Kenny, and Mina pitching in every so often.
Dawn ended her explanation by saying, "Team Heart views freedom as a privilege that one has to earn and regularly work to deserve having. But others view freedom as an irrevocable right that's granted at birth. What do you think?"
"I believe that freedom, at least in that sense, is a right granted at birth," Paul said after a bit of time, "But it's not irrevocable." A hint of grimness entered Paul's expression. "Team Heart has proven that by invading regions, taking them over, and taking away the freedom that those they had conquered used to know. From that point onwards, the conquered people have to live by Team Heart's rules." Looking to Dawn, Paul said, "Freedom, I believe, is a right granted at birth, but rather than having to work to deserve having it regularly, you have to fight to keep it."
"You are troubled by the talk that you had with Team Heart," Barry said.
"Because I can see things from their point of view," Dawn replied, "At least to an extent."
Salvia looked concerned. "It is troubling when absolute villains actually have at least a little bit of credibility to their ideals, yes," Salvia remarked, "But I hope that doesn't mean you're actually thinking of siding with Team Heart."
"Oh hell no," Dawn said, "Regardless of the points that they make, regardless of how I personally feel, I will still do what all that I can to fight against Team Heart."
"But you DO see some sense in what they say," Calem remarked.
Nodding once, Dawn said, "You guys remember when we had to bring our guests we picked up in Alola over to Sinnoh? Aside from the three that I vouched for, would any of you say that any of them are good, decent people?"
"Mitch does not approve of that Chandler man who scoffed in the face of mighty Den," Mitch said as Den, his shiny Dedenne, sat perched on his shoulder, "That Chandler man obviously did not know he was close to dealing with a might that had felled many a dragon Pokémon in battle!"
Dawn held her right index finger in front of her closed lips as she looked at Mitch. "We are not supposed to name names while we're in Team Heart territory," Dawn reminded the Kalosian Ranger, "We never know if Team Heart may somehow find out what we did."
As Mitch bowed his head in apology, Leona said, "So Dawn, where are we going to be heading off to first when we leave tomorrow?"
"I'm thinking about having us swing by the Isle of Armor first," Dawn said, "Search out what all unique Pokémon are there first. Then the Crown Tundra after that."
"We'll be going from warm sandy shores to cold snowy fields," Trip said, "That said, you guys all better be ready to dress appropriately."
"Ooh! That reminds me!" Alexis said before she got up from her seat, "Dawn, can you come with me for a moment?" Curious, Dawn got up and followed Alexis out of the dining area. A few moments later, Alexis and Dawn return, only now Dawn was wearing a size appropriate copy of the outfit that Alexis wears as a bard, the outfit that's a spot on replica of the female minstrel outfit from Dragon Quest 9. "I was finally able to find a copy of my usual outfit in Dawn's size," Alexis said to the rest of the crew, "What do you think?"
"Is she gonna go flying in a magical flying golden train?" Trip asked.
"Huh?" Barry asked, looking confused.
"It's an inside joke between me and Trip," Dawn explained.
"Well Captain Dawn has Mitch's approval!" Mitch said, "It is a lovely outfit you're wearing!" Den made some chittering noises. "Oh! Den also says that Captain Dawn looks lovely," Mitch said, "And if Den says so, who can argue?"
The rest of the crew all agreed that Dawn also looked good, then Alexis handed Dawn a tambourine. "I'll play the lute and sing," Alexis said, "You dance around and bang and shake this." Dawn chuckled a bit in amusement as she agreed to help Alexis perform to entertain the rest of the crew of The Big Beauty. The night passed without any incident, and the crew of Dawn's flying ship felt that nothing was going to go wrong.
(Opelucid City, Unova region)
Bianca, the Boss's Assistant of Team Heart and the public face ruler of the Team Heart Empire, was sitting in her chair at her desk in her office at her mansion home in the wealthy neighborhood that's located in Opelucid City in the Unova region. Standing before Bianca were her usual maid, Admin Wolfgang, and Admin's Assistant Betzabe.
A very much unamused frown was across Bianca's round, plump face as she regarded the persons standing before her. "What do you mean the terrorists wanted by Team Heart, the ones confirmed to be in the Alola region, are nowhere to be found?" Bianca scowled.
"According to Admin Black of the Alola Sector," Wolfgang began, "The whole of the group that's been labeled as Ericson's Company has disappeared without a trace. There are no known leads to where any of them are located. All that we know for sure is that there's no way that any of them had been able to leave the Alola region."
"Admin Black was able to confirm that by coercing an Alolan government official," Betzabe went on, "But the government official in question apparently didn't have a high enough level of clearance to be let in on where Ericson's Company is being kept in Alola."
Bianca continued to scowl. "Among the members of Ericson's Company is that bastard Yoshitsugu who wounded my dad. There's also Ericson himself, multiple Admins of Team Heart want to see him put to death."
Wolfgang nodded in understanding. "I believe that a Captain of the Galar Sector, as well as her Captain's Assistant who's also her daughter, are both Donzish. Admin Coryn told me about how he met them when they came to visit a synagogue in Johto."
Bianca nodded once in understanding. "Yes, Captain Pamela and her Assistant Jill. Apparently Jill owns four Torkoals, one of which is shiny."
Arching a wry eyebrow, Betzabe said, "Wow, she must really love Torkoals."
"What should we do about the terrorists wanted by Team Heart that are living in Alola?" asked Wolfgang, "We can't let them hide out of our reach forever."
Bianca arched a wry eyebrow as she leaned back in her swivel chair, a specially made one that had been made to be able to more than handle the weight of her considerable self. "We're still trying to get things settled in Kalos after we had just taken it over," Bianca said, "But I think it might be within the realm of possibility to... turn the heat up on Alola."
"How do you figure, ma'am?" Betzabe asked.
"Tell me," Bianca began, "Are any of the lands under our rule able to spare sufficient forces to storm Alola and take the terrorists wanted by us?"
"If push comes to shove, yes we can," Wolfgang said, "But I'm not exactly sure if we should invade Alola, even if it's to get those terrorists."
"I hope that we won't have to invade either," Bianca replied, "But we WILL dangle that threat above the heads of the Alolan people. We'll even threaten send Kalos Champion Serena over as part of what all forces we'll send if Alola doesn't surrender the terrorists to Team Heart custody." A hint of smug amusement entered Bianca's eyes. "Surely the people of Alola will yield if we threaten to sic their Island Guardians on them."
Wolfgang saw logic in that idea; the Alolan people are very strongly ingrained into their local customs, traditions, and beliefs. They would find it blasphemous to even think about trying to fight the Tapus, which are commanded by Kalos Champion Serena, who is now commanded by the Team Heart authority. The people of Alola, unable to shy away from respecting and honoring tradition, should be more than glad to yield Ericson's Company to Team Heart if they're threatened with being made to go against their much beloved local traditions and beliefs.
Alola was going to be turning Ericson's Company over to Team Heart, whether the tropical region wanted to do so or not. Bianca saw little way in how Alola would be able to refuse the demands that Team Heart will be making.
(Sunyshore City, Sinnoh region)
"Yeah, there's no way in hell we're letting you two take any sort of command in the Sunyshore City trainer militia," Volkner said as he and Jazmina confronted Zed and Chandler.
"Now see here, son," Zed began, "I have more experience in military command in one of my fingers than you and the Kalosian woman have in the entirety of both of you combined. It's obvious that I'm the best choice to lead forces being raised to fight the Team Heart threat."
"No, any and all command of forces against Team Heart ought to be given to me," Chandler insisted, "I had actually fought against Team Heart, I had actually led forces against them. I have a whole lot of practical experience here."
"The two of you are a pair of self-important, arrogant, incompetent idiots," Jazmina said to Zed and Chandler, "Not to mention the fact that you and the others in your group that were brought here to Sinnoh by Dawn are supposed to keep quiet and anonymous so that Team Heart won't find out that the lot of you are here. There's no way you're going to be allowed to act up."
"You're making a huge mistake in not letting us help," Zed said in a warning tone, "And I don't like that tone and attitude that you're giving me."
"Tough," Volkner replied dryly, sending Zed and Chandler away. After the two men were both gone, Volkner turned to look to Jazmina. "Man, what is with those two?" Volkner asked, "It's like problems for others to fix are all that will occur if those two are allowed to have their way."
"They're children, really," Jazmina said, her tone showing that she agreed with Volkner, "But they're the kind of children who had outgrown being cowed with the threat of being spanked to discourage misbehavior. I also highly doubt that threatening to clout them about the ears will also make them keep in line."
END, CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Author's notes;
This chapter sees the reborn trainers in Circhester, where they run into a situation involving a woman who's significantly less important than she thinks she is acting like everyone around her will be all to glad to bow head and bend knee to her, only for Team Heart to take her away due to how she made some ableist remarks.
Dawn and the other reborn trainers then sit down with Captain Dana and Captain's Assistant Ashly, who is Dana's granddaughter. They learn that Dana lost his wife in the same attack on the Donzish festival that Eric Ericson had a part in leading, as well as how Team Heart views freedom as a privilege that has to be earned and regularly deserved, rather than as a right that's granted at birth.
Dawn and the others return to The Big Beauty, and Dawn although she still intends to fight Team Heart is feeling troubled because she sees some points made in Team Heart's stance. Plans are then made for the crew of The Big Beauty to go check out the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra areas in the morning, so as to let the reborn trainers continue working on the Galar dex.
Meanwhile in Unova, Bianca asks Wolfgang and Betzabe about how Team Heart can make Alola surrender Eric and his group over to Team Heart custody. The idea of threatening to invade Alola, with Serena and her Tapus as a spearhead, is tossed around, and Bianca seriously considers it in order to capture Eric and his group.
However, Team Heart has no idea that Eric and his group are in Sinnoh, with Zed and Chandler trying to wrest control of the Sunyshore City trainer militia from Volkner and Jazmina. Both Volkner and Jazmina tell the two men to stuff it, knowing full well they'll be nothing but trouble if allowed to have their way in any degree.
Anyway, the next chapter will see the reborn trainers make more progress in completing the Galar dex. Until then, take care.
Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Tsukune (Palkia), Leni (female Lucario), Argent (male Arcanine; alpha; Hisuian), Lincoln (male Latios), Ezio (male Eevee; shiny)
Kenny's Pokémon: (on hand) Black (Giratina), Shallot (male Glaceon), Cell (male Scizor; shiny), Roshi (male Torterra), Zarbon (male Machamp), Kermit (male Politoed)
Trip's Pokémon: (on hand) Deelia (Dialga), Lisa (female Latias), Mr. Popo (male Magmortar), Veda (female Abomasnow), Myde (male Empoleon), Villetta (Miraidon)
Mina's Pokémon: (on hand) Scar (male Eevee; scared over one eye), Gardevoir (male), Lucario (female), Umbreon (male; shiny), Espeon (male; shiny), Jolteon (male; shiny)