The Average Factor 3 - (Pokémon, Larry!SI)
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Considering the current travel ban, my trip to Zirca was to be done through my only Flying-type, which is my Starter.
Staraptor had been with me since he was a little Starly, and had been my fiercest companion. In a sense, he was the Pokémon that started me into my lengthy thought of either accepting becoming the OG Larry or add more spice to the formula. Turns out that a mix of both options was the best opportunity for me to gain a sense of normality with a blend of unpredictability that renders me a tough opponent if provoked enough to go all out.
Right now, I was leaving with my best team, a decision that wasn't deliberately pushed by my superiors, but alas advised with the rule of 'be ruthless' in the eventuality of trouble. Paldea may have had some trade deals with Zirca, but that region was deemed by most as lucrative as risky. So, there was no issue in me preserving myself as a more valuable asset to Paldea.
With that being said, I had to 'endure' a few troubles before leaving. Starting with Rika trying to tag along, which was denied as sending two E4 members was tantamount of a stronghanded move to leverage a favorable deal with Paldea. The kind of move that would coerce the Zircan Champion to adopt a non-diplomatic approach which Paldea could not face at the moment - or ever really.
Poppy asked to join too, but she was shot down as soon as she opened her mouth. The kid would have been a worse addition than Rika. Where the older E4 had some maturity to herself, it was also true that Rika had a bit of a temper with bad people. And the upper echelons of Zircan had quite the cast of unsavory people. Geeta was the last 'issue' as she seemed very nervous about her decision. I think she expected me to offer her some excuse to backtrack, but that would just do more harm than good to the entire region.
I had to go. And I had resigned myself to this.
Going at full speed, I arrived to my destination within four hours. Staraptor had gone full speed, being well-fed and at prime condition to do the journey as rapidly as necessary. Yet, it would be a lie to say it was a trip devoid of stops. At the two hours mark I had the Flying Pokémon stop in Hoenn. I had been told to find some 'old friend' of my superiors in Route 114, near Fallarbor Town. Miss Lanette was a Computer Technician, someone that hardly had any clue of what Zirca was, but she was aware that the box of six untraceable Ultraballs were meant to be used for something important.
"Are you a criminal or something?"
"Ma'am, I am a member of the Paldean Elite Four."
That seemed to soothe most of her worries, as these tools, while legal in Hoenn, were deemed quite the troublesome contraband to carry around. And the reason I was carrying those was less about committing a crime, and rather for extra data from Pokémon native to the region - specifically those influenced by Mythrill. We had little data on the drug, the IPC (International Poké Conference) having banned it both as a recreative drug and a research drug.
The sudden decision was driven by a report damning the drug as highly-deadly, but it also crippled any chance for research labs to study any potential cures to it. Now, while it was indeed illegal to research such a drug, that didn't mean that the IPC needed to know I had this secondary mission, or that Paldea was not being overly-nice with this sort of situation. We needed to know how to counter this drug if the crisis was to escalate any further.
So, with that brief stop over, I was soon flying towards Zirca, and I arrived at the Vitaliy Ethan Xavion Airport without much fanfare. Two guards 'escorted' me to get my documents checked. I wasn't checked in regard to illegal items, the Ultraballs having been tinkered about to avoid detection through metal detectors. So, I passed through the standard diplomatic check-up without being caught with that sort of troublesome items. Rather, I was rather curious to know who had been assigned to handle the role of 'guide'.
In the past, Kingston would have taken that hassle, but he had admitted during his visit that it wouldn't be the case this time and, since it was an E4 member to join as an inspector, 'it makes sense that another E4 member to do the honors'. In layman's terms, it could go either hella bad, or mildly good.
The worst part I didn't get any clue on who that was supposed to be even as I waited. I was patient, but I admit that I was nervous of all options at my disposal- even the best one had its drawbacks. And it was all a matter of how much leniency I would get if I got the best option.
To my relief (and growing chagrin), I was graced with a degree of mercy. Or perhaps the Zircan Champion was in the mood to not do a fuck-up. I was given hope and then confirmation of said hope when I heard the Airport growing louder with people. Those were not potential customers to the airlines, but rather a mix of reporters, fans, and other sorts of folk that were expecting this to be some sort of monumental encounter. One of the guards told me that my guide was there, and I stood up from my chair before being directed to said individual.
The person in question was none other than renown model Aysha D'Navari.
A woman with long green-blue hair that alternated between a darker shade and a neon hue. Her eyes were red, hidden by a pair of purple-tinted sunglasses. She was athletic, not overly muscular, but walking both with style and a sense of purpose not many models have. She was forged from previous experiences that defined her first as a Pokémon trainer and then as whatever she wanted to be now.
Aysha was quite famous for her beauty, but also for her ruthless management of her clubs. As a member of the Zircan E4, she was once the second strongest trainer before being beaten by the current holder of that title. The scars by her left arm, hip, and right cheek were proof that the one that had her defeated was someone that had quite left a mark on her.
Nonetheless, her being my guide was both a blessing and a curse. It was good since she was the 'sanest' of the group, and it was bad because she was the one that carried the most media personality attitude beyond the Ice-Type Rudi.
It wasn't going to be a fun business, that much I had long accepted.
The first thing that Aysha did as we finally stood face to face was to lower her glasses and give me a cursory look. Her face lacked much emotion, but I could tell she was taken aback by the fact I wasn't a flashy-looking individual. In a sense, I was the simplest Normal-Type trainer one could expect but, at the same time, I was also the kind of man that had risen up to the E4.
"You are Larry from Paldea."
I bowed my head. "That is me. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss D'Navari."
It took me a while to memorize her last name before the trip. The last thing I needed was to sound disrespectful but... even with that effort, I could tell the woman didn't seem too pleased with the formality. I doubt she could have been pleased with else, but I took this as a win of sort.
She looked briefly up, then turned and gave a simple order. "Follow me."
Nothing else was added to the tone, nothing that could be 'mistaken' by the reporters as I merely nodded and did as she said. I ignored the buzzing flashes, the loud chatting of people 'wishing' to be in my situation and other dull details that felt more like distractions. After a few minutes of walking, we got out of the airport and I got led to a limousine. Never liked that sort of vehicle, but I had to admit this one was properly-maintained as it lacked the 'stench' of a closed space. It was something I loathed, and I found the overall fresh scent used after recently cleaning the inner sections of the vehicle quite reassuring.
Once the car door closed and the limousine started to move, I found myself sitting in front of the woman as she briefly removed her glasses to massage her nose, closing her eyes and sighing before providing me with a tired look.
"Would you prefer to be addressed formally or may I call you just Larry?"
"If it can expedite business, I can be addressed through just my name."
A nod, then she put her glasses back. "Larry, I wish to make it clear that my assignment to the role is a novelty, and while I am usually in a good mood to promote cultural exchanges, I have to address a few things."
"Such as?"
"The fact that I have been told against giving you access to Lower Zirca."
As I had expected.
"I see. Even though Zirca has shown an interest to 'not repeat' the same perplexing 'fumbles', there is an interest to ward away those areas..." I pointed out, and Aysha nodded.
"It's not a matter in my hand, rather I was told that this was the one thing I could not show to you."
"I understand. When a superior gives an order, the subordinate has to follow out of loyalty to the hierarchy," I pointed out flatly. "However, may I inquire if there are any other restrictions I should be made aware of?"
"Beyond the one I mentioned, and those tied to your diplomatic role? None."
I nodded, this was good news for me as I retrieved some papers from my work bag.
"Then, if it isn't asking too much in my position as an inspector, I would like to have access to this public data which Zirca had many times found an excuse to hide away from the IPC."
I saw Aysha's posture stiffening as she heard my response, but the woman actually waited until her eyes were done studying the words of the file to respond.
"A... 'Child Mortality Index'?"
"That is a form of data that has been available from all regions since ten years ago when it was mandated to all governments, with the sole exclusion of Zirca as there have been several circumstances that had, oddly so, deleted the data before it could be sent over to the IPC," I elaborated thoroughly. "I understand there's no order from the Champion denying me from inquiring over the CMI and the other indexes highlighted in the files."
This was the game. Aysha had played the role of the 'sympathetic' guide that 'had no choice in following orders', but she overplayed her hand by letting me know that the only restriction was a physical visit into Lower Zirca- and yet I had nothing restraining me from 'visiting indirectly' through the data on the overall region.
I saw her lips twitch in clear discomfort. "You are playing a dangerous game, Larry."
"Perhaps. But I wonder if you are willing to play it too for the sake of honesty and good-will."
Her eyes glowed a curious glint as she offered a mischievous smile.
"Perhaps. But we may have to be 'quiet' about the whole thing."
What I had yet to understand was... that Aysha had more reasons to help me than actually hindering my progress. And that this was going to play a big role through my visit in Zirca.
AN
Larry may not like this job, but he is not a quitter.
Aysha may not like this job, but she finds Larry interesting.