Disclaimer: I own nothing of the properties within this story. All rights go to the creators and companies of said properties.
Beta by Slothful, Demonoid, and Old man of the mountain
Chapter 9: Hand of Darkness
{Irida's P.O.V.}
"We are keeping her!"
"No, we're not!"
"Are you sure we shouldn't stop them?" I asked Marnie, watching as Gloria and Sonia argued.
"Yeah. Sometimes, the best thing to do is not to get involved. This here is one of those times." Marnie said, holding a fry to Morpeko, who quickly took it and started nibbling it.
Wait. Is it fry or chip? Adam said fry, but Marnie called these yellow sticks chips. It doesn't matter; regardless of the name, it tastes good.
"I know, but they have been at this for hours. It's dinner, and they're still arguing." I said, biting into my dinner. Adam said these things are called burgers, and despite eating one back at the barbeque, I'm still enjoying it—especially the strange sweet red sauce and sour yellow sauce.
However, I'm not a big fan of those pickled cucumbers.
But even those outshine what food the Pearl Clan provides. The meals back home are like I have eaten nothing but dirt my whole life. And while I'm grateful to eat such delicious cuisine that I know I would have never eaten under normal circumstances, it might make me hesitate to return home if I ever had the chance. And I know that hesitation will only grow as time passes and I become accustomed to the comforts of this time.
Life here is infinitely easier than back home. Just that one fact shakes my resolve to go back to my time.
"Gloria, she isn't staying with us! She's too dangerous!" Sonia argues.
"Yeah! Dangerously adorable! Look at her!" Gloria counters, gesturing to the subject of their argument, who has her face covered in red and yellow streaks.
"Pon!" Ogerpon yells, diving her face into her burger, making a thorough mess of herself, almost losing one of the green cucumbers as she eats. It's hard to believe such a cute Pokemon could instill such fear within only an hour of meeting it. Then again, I know that Pokemon being adorable doesn't mean it's less dangerous. Countless clan members lost their lives throughout the Pearl Clan's existence because they lowered their guard against a Pokemon with a cute face or looked cuddly.
"I understand that Ogerpon is cute, but she attacked us a couple of hours ago!" Sonia fireback.
"She has been calm ever since Adam returned her masks!" Gloria shot back.
"Are you forgetting about how she attacked other trainers?! That isn't something you can overlook!" Sonia argues.
"No, but I also know that Ogerpon was injured, emotionally unstable because of what the Trio did to her friend, stressed out and possibly scared when she realized that she was in a foreign land, and hungry, considering she is on her third burger and second serving of chips." Gloria objects.
Sonia lets out a frustrated groan, not that I can blame her. They have been talking in circles. Whenever Sonia makes a reason why we shouldn't take Ogerpon with us, Gloria would make a counterargument.
Sonia turns to us. "What is your opinion, Marnie, Irida? If we are considering taking Ogerpon, we should hear your opinion on the subject." Ah, Sonia is trying to use majority voting. A concept I'm well familiar with. The other wardens and I did the same with Ingo when we decided to allow him to live in the clan and if he should be a warden.
Marnie shrugs. "I'm okay with it. As Gloria said, Ogerpon has been chill since she got her masks back. As long as we don't try to take or damage them, then Ogerpon will behave. The fact she is sitting down and eating with us proves that much. Besides, if we do decide to leave her behind, no doubt some cocky trainer would try capturing her once they hear about a powerful Pokemon being near the mines. And we know some trainers are willing to do stupid things to get their hands on a powerful Pokemon. If they learn how protective Ogerpon is with her masks, they might try stealing them to boost their chances of capturing her, and we already know the outcome of that decision." Marnie explains, eating one of her fries. "And if we decide to take Ogerpon somewhere where she isn't likely to be caught, a process that might take months at best, then we may as well welcome her to the group."
"I'm also okay with Ogerpon coming with us," I said. "I'll admit that I might be a little biased with my decision, as Ogerpon is like me, coming from the past like I am, so I can't say that I don't relate to what she's experiencing. I'm not ignoring what you have said Sonia. You have valid points, but I also can't deny that after hearing Adam's story about Ogerpon, abandoning her seems unnecessarily cruel." I reasoned.
It would be a lie if I said our emotions didn't cloud my, Gloria's, and Marnie's decisions. I relate to Ogerpon's situation. Gloria's reason is Ogerpon's cuteness and Gloria's desire to make the Pokemon happy after hearing about the hardships she went through. Marnie, while being more logical than Gloria or me, has the same feelings as Gloria. I should know because I saw Marnie sneaking a photo of Ogerpon with her Rotom Phone when she thought no one was looking. It still amazes me how something so small can take such clear pictures.
And I know Sonia isn't being heartless, either. We all feel terrible about what the poor thing went through, but Sonia is simply not letting her emotions cloud her judgment.
Sonia turns to Adam, who has been quietly cooking for a while now. "Adam, can you help me talk some sense into them? Surely you know how dangerous a wild Pokemon can be, right?" Sonia's voice sounded desperate. She was hoping that at least he would be sensible in all of this.
"I'm cool with Ogerpon staying with us. However, I'm currently fighting myself from driving this RV away from the Gym Challenge so we could instead travel through the Galar Region and solve mysteries involving ghosts that always turn out to be people in masks doing a Phantom of the Opera-style haunting." Adam said. I'm unsure what that part meant, but I assume it was a reference.
According to Marnie, Adam is a nerd because of all the games and movies Adam has collected. I still don't know what a nerd is, but I doubt it is anything terrible based on the context. I must ask Marnie or Gloria for a more in-depth explanation later. Considering I will be living in the future, I desperately need to familiarize myself with this time's terminology.
Sonia lets out a frustrated groan, annoyed that everyone besides her was okay with the mask-wearing Pokemon joining our group.
"Alright. Ogerpon is coming with us." Sonia said in defeat as Gloria cheered about the new addition to the RV. "But how will we prevent her from going wild in the future? I'll admit that people taking in wild Pokemon without capturing them isn't new, but people who are attacked or killed by those Pokemon also exist."
"Sonia, would it be safe for me to assume that Ogerpon being a wild Pokemon is the source of your issues?" Adam asks, setting down his pan.
For her part, Sonia opens her mouth before closing it, pondering for a moment.
"Not everything, but yes," Sonia admits. "Captured Pokemon rarely attacked their trainers unless those trainers abused them or did not take proper care of them. There have also been cases where a trainer's Pokemon went wild because they forced said Pokemon to evolve by making them eat a ton of Rare or Exp Candy. But a Pokemon attacking its trainers without reason is virtually unheard of."
"Then the solution is simple," Adam said. Solution? What solution?
Adam reaches into his pocket, pulls out a Pokeball, and tosses it at Ogerpon, hitting her on the forehead as red energy cloaks her body before sucking her into the ball. The Pokeball lands on the seat cushion and shakes three times before a loud click rings out.
"There. Ogerpon is no longer a wild Pokemon." Adam said as he picked up the Pokeball from the seat.
"AH!" Gloria's scream has taken us all aback.
Gloria's screams reminded me of the screams of parents and lovers when the hunting parties informed them that their child or spouses lost their lives while hunting.
"I wanted to catch Ogerpon…" Gloria mutters, falling onto her knees, her voice full of despair.
"Sorry, Gloria, but Ogerpon is a little too strong for you at this point of your journey. But I'm willing to let you battle with her after you get a couple of badges, as long as Ogerpon wants to fight. I'm even okay with giving you Ogerpon if she wants to stay with you after the Gym Challenge. The same goes for you, Marnie." Adam said, tossing the Pokeball in his hand.
"Really?!" Gloria asks, and her mood completely changes. It's somewhat scary to see such a change in mood. Seeing someone going from absolute despair to being brimming with motivation in seconds is bizarre. "My cute dream team still lives!"
"Cute? I agree that Growlithe and Sobble are cute, but I'm not sure about Drizzle and Ferroseed." Marnie said.
"Drizzle is still cute. Moody, yes, but still cute. And my seedy boi is absolutely adorable. Look at him!" Gloria objects, gesturing to her Ferroseed, sipping juice from a comically sized silly straw.
Honestly, sometimes I'm not sure if Ferroseed is even alive. He just sits there, staring.
"Gloria's preferences aside, we shouldn't have any trouble going through the mines no-" the Pokeball containing Ogerpon bounced up from Adam's hand, opening and releasing the tiny green Pokemon, whose cheeks are puffed out, showing her annoyance. "Huh. I guess you don't like being in a Pokeball." Adam states, with Ogerpon nodding in agreement.
"Pokemon can force themselves out of Pokeballs?" I have never seen a Pokemon do that before, not even an Alpha Pokemon.
"Yeah. I have seen Trainers leaving their Pokemon outside of their Pokeballs before. Sometimes, because they hate the feeling of confinement, some Pokemon refuse to stay in their Pokeball. Some trainers believe it's better for the Pokemon's mental state and to help strengthen their bond. Some trainers keep their Pokemon out full-time because they believe letting them out only for food or battle is no different from imprisonment. It's just a matter of option in the end. Of course, you must be mindful of the Pokemon's size, weight, and unique characteristics. Just because you become nose blind to a Muk's odor doesn't mean everyone is too." Adam explains. "Since Ogerpon has been living out in the open all her life, going inside a Pokeball might be too claustrophobic for her."
I suppose that's fair. I would also be frustrated if I'm only let out to battle or eat. Maybe I should let out my Pokemon more often.
"Adam is correct. Some people or Pokemon simply prefer to be out. A childhood friend of mine, Leon, would keep his Charizard out of his ball whenever he could. Leon barely kept Charizard in his ball when he was a Charmander. And look at Marnie's Morpeko. He's barely in his ball, too." Sonia adds.
"Yeah. I have to let Morpeko out of his ball. Otherwise, he would have too much energy and can't sleep." Marnie adds. "He even trashed my room once because I left him in his Pokeball for hours so I could hang out with some friends." Morpeko lets out a nervous squeak, rubbing his head in embarrassment.
"But this could be an issue. The League workers have to stay another day or two to help direct traffic flow since the mines have never had such an influx of trainers, and I doubt they will remain quiet if they spot us with a Pokemon that might be the culprit and cause of the aforementioned problems." Sonia points out.
"Should we wait until they leave? We can camp for a few more days," Gloria suggested.
"I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. If we wait too long, the queue to challenge Milo will be huge. It might even be possible for us to run out of time while waiting our turn." Marnie argues.
"If we can't go the scheduled route, we will detour. The mines can't have only one entrance and exit, right?" Adam said.
"Yes, there are multiple entrances, exits, and openings for ventilation in mines, but the Gym Challenge follows this specific route because it's the safest. And even it isn't truly without danger. The occasional Carkol or two use the minecart rails as their plaything, wracking into some poor trainer. The alternative tunnel routes house far stronger and deadlier Pokemon. It isn't uncommon to encounter beasts like Coalossal and Excadrill. Even a Conkeldurr isn't out of the question. Marnie and Gloria wouldn't be able to catch any new Pokemon since those Pokemon would be too strong for them. That's even considering the possibility we wouldn't be able to enter one of those side tunnels since Galar's Pokemon League typically keeps under lock and key, only opening when a Pokemon's migration patterns begin." I don't know any of the Pokemon Sonia listed off, and I doubt they are as scary as Alpha Garchomp, but if a powerful enough Pokemon runs wild in a cave, it might cause a cave-in.
"Maybe Ogerpon knows a tunnel the League doesn't know about. She did crash the barbecue, meaning she had to leave the mines at some point, and I doubt neither of the two League workers overlooked a club-wielding Pokemon in favor of a burger and a movie." Adam points.
"And as for Pokemon, I checked online to see what Pokemon usually live in the mines, and none of them caught my interest," Gloria said.
"I probably wouldn't be catching any Pokemon either, as I have a full party right now, so I don't need anymore for now," Marnie added.
Sonia cups her chin and ponders for a second. "You might be right. The mines have existed for ages. So Ogerpon could have appeared in an abandoned mine shaft and busted out. But there's still the issue of keeping Ogerpon hidden. Sure, there are trees and bushes she can hide in, but they only go so far. Are we supposed to circle her and walk as one unit until we enter the mines?"
"Don't worry. I have an idea." Adam said with a smile.
{The next day - Sonia's P.O.V.}
"This is your brilliant idea? A raincoat, booties, and a mask?" I can feel one of my eyes twitch as I look at the disguised Pokemon.
"Don't forget about the umbrella. It helps sell the image." Adam proudly states. "If we run into a League worker, I can simply tell them Ogerpon is my little sister, and we are all here to find a nice picnic spot."
"Pon?" The little Ogre Pokemon said, tilting her head, whose face is covered by the Ninetails mask.
"Adam, it is a clear and sunny day. Why would your little sister be in a raincoat and umbrella on a day like this? And why wear a mask? Especially a full-face one?" I tried pointing out the errors in Adam's plan. How can he expect something like this to work?
"My sister has solar urticaria." Oh. That can work.
"Solar Urticaria?" Gloria asks, her voice full of confusion, stopping her photoshoot of Ogerpon in her new outfit.
"It means you're allergic to sunlight or ultraviolet lights. It's a rare genetic condition, and one of the best ways to prevent an attack is to cover as much skin as possible." I explained. "So even in the event the League worker is suspicious of our claim of Ogerpon being Adam's sister, they could do anything without risking the chances of the allegations being true and causing a young child to have an allergic reaction, miles away from the nearest hospital. Sometimes, ignoring what you see is better if it means protecting yourself and your livelihood."
"Now, with that taken care of, lead the way, Ogerpon!" Adam yells, pointing forward.
"Pon!" Ogerpon cheered, thrusting her umbrella like a sword.
I sighed, watching the two dash onto their adventure. Arceus. It's like traveling with Leon again.
"Maybe those two can pull off the sibling act." Gloria giggles. "They certainly act like they are."
"Nah. Siblings don't act like that." Marnie chimes in. "Not all siblings are close. For some people, the person they argue with the most is their sibling."
"Oh? Are you not on good terms with Piers, Marnie?" I asked. I remember battling Piers a few times while still participating in the Gym Challenge, and I remember him talking fondly about Marnie. However, I suppose a person could change a lot over the years. After all, I didn't plan on becoming a Pokemon Professor when I started my Gym Challenge.
"No. We are fine. However, my brother has wanted me to replace him as Spikemuth's Gym Leader for some time now. But you can't be the Champion and Gym Leader now, right? It has led to some arguments but nothing too serious." Marnie explained.
"Wait. Piers is retiring?" I asked. It's the first I've heard about it.
"He has been considering focusing all his energy on his band and music. He also says I'm better at battling than him, but the real reason is that he might think I thought less of him if he gave the position to someone else. Which I wouldn't. The only thing I care about is Piers choosing someone who can fill the shoes appropriately since the Gym Leader is practically the face of Spikemuth." Marnie said.
"What?! You could have been a Gym Leader?!" Gloria shouted, her eyes pulled away from her Rotom Phone for the first time in hours. "And you refused?!"
"What's a Gym Leader?" Irida asks. Oh yeah. Irida doesn't have Gyms in her time. Or a Pokemon League, for that matter.
"Gym Leaders are skilled battlers who usually focus on one Pokemon type. And when you beat a Gym Leader, you get a badge. The more badges you have, the better trainer you are. And when you get all 8, you qualify to fight in the League in order to earn the right to battle the Pokemon Champion, the one considered the greatest trainer in the region." I roughly explained.
"Oh. So badges are like the Galaxy Team's star ranks. Wait. Does that mean Marnie is a great battler since her brother offered her the position?" Irida asks.
"No. If I were to become a Gym Leader right now and battle all these other Leaders, Spikemuth might become where people get their first badge instead of Turffield or even drop to the Minor League, meaning our Gym wouldn't be part of the Gym Challenge anymore." Marnie explains. "Besides, taking the position might cause more drama than it would be worth. Some people will claim I only got the position because my brother gave it to me. It would be nothing short of a PR nightmare. My brother is good at many things, even great in some aspects, but my brother is far from being referred to as a socially aware person. I can't tell you how often he caused trouble by skipping a public appearance just because he couldn't be bothered."
"It sounds like you're the older sibling." I joked.
Marnie, for her part, simply shrugs. "It's annoying, but I can't complain. My brother isn't perfect, but nobody is. He was there for me when I needed him. He was the one who taught me about Pokemon. He even caught Morpeko for me. Are there times I wished Piers didn't annoy or embarrass me as much as he does? Yes. But I still love my brother."
"My. I didn't know that's how it feels to have a sibling. I don't have any myself, but I consider the younger children of the clan as my little brothers and sisters, but I suppose the bond between blood and unity is different." Irida said as she scrunched her brows. "Siblings sounded more complicated than I initially thought."
"Don't use me as the golden example of siblings and sibling bonds." Marnie chuckled. "Not many siblings have to live under the shadow of being the younger sister to one of the youngest Gym Leaders in Galar's history."
"Shadow? What shadow?" Gloria questions.
"Piers is considered to be the tragic genius of Galar. Many wonder if Piers would have been the eighth Gym Leader instead of Raihan if he had transferred to a city with a Power Spot instead of living in Spikemuth. Others even say Spikemuth holds back my brother's true potential, believing his loyalty to our hometown is nothing more than a chain around his neck. And as the younger sister of that genius, several people expect similar results from me, if not better, as I had my brother to teach me." she sighs sorrowfully. " However, while my brother's shadow is vast, it is nothing compared to the shadow cast over Hop. I almost feel sorry for the guy." Marnie said somberly.
My mind turns to Hop, the bright and cheerful teen who spent hours as a child chasing after his Wooloo.
Yeah. Hop has the most enormous shadow over him—the shadow of the undefeated Champion.
"Hey! What's with the holdup?! Ogerpon just found the cave that will lead us into the mines!" Adam shouted. There must be no League worker since Adam is shouting.
"Pon!"
"We better get moving. We shouldn't lag too far behind." I said.
The four of us caught up with Adam, who was examining the cave, and Ogerpon, who was playing with her umbrella.
"Wow. It's so dark inside." Gloria stated, pointing her Rotom Phone's flashlight into the cave's darkness, illuminating the cave's floor and wall.
"Considering how these side caves and tunnels weren't for travel, it's to be expected. They only put up lights when they needed to mine coal, which hasn't been in high demand since Rose managed to convert Dynamax energy into a power source. Pokemon might have made this tunnel, or it could have formed naturally. So be careful and watch your steps." I warned them. Because humans didn't design these tunnels, the chances of a cave-in are present, and those chances will only grow if we, or more likely Adam or Ogerpon, have to fight in the mines.
"I wonder about that." Adam chimes in. "There are so many tread marks on the ground. However, while I can't tell how old these treads are, I can say for sure that whatever made them left before Ogerpon arrived. Maybe these treads came from a cart carrying coal. Even if Galar doesn't need as much coal, Rose or whoever is in charge of foreign affairs could use it for trading."
"Then why weren't the mines sealed off?" I asked.
"Maybe they were pressured to stop mining because of the Gym Challenge. Or the person in charge could have been lazy and figured nobody was stupid enough to enter an unmapped mine tunnel. And we know what happened after that." Adam said.
"A trainer encountered an injured Ogerpon and ended up injuring themself," I answered.
"Galar's Pokemon League probably changed some of the details to run crowd control to prevent the whole incident from becoming a shit show." Adam theorized. "We probably beat them to this tunnel. That's my guess, at least."
"We can't afford to waste too much time, then," I added. "Irida, stay close to us since you don't have a Rotom Phone. It would be easy to separate by accident with how dark the mines are. Also, talk only in whispers. Our voices could attract wild Pokemon." I advise.
The three girls nodded as Marnie pulled out her Rotom Phone and turned its light on. With that, we all entered the mines.
"Wow. It's pretty cold here." Gloria said, her light scanning the walls. "I wish I had some leggings or something."
"It's not that bad. It's pretty nice here." Irida argues.
"Of course, you would say the unmapped, dark, dangerous cave is not bad. You complain about how hot it is despite being fall and wearing so lightly." Marnie said, her light facing forward.
"You aren't dressed heavy yourself, Marnie." Adam teases. "Hm. What's that?" Adam points his light at an indent on the ground.
Adam and I approach the indent, kneeling for a closer examination.
"I don't know, but this indent wasn't naturally made. The sides are too smooth, and the shape is too perfect," I said.
"Pon!" Ogerpon jumped before us, waving her arms to get our attention. "Pon!" Ogerpon lay down on the ground, curled up. "Pon!" Then she got up, acting hurt. "Pon!" Then, she moves deeper into the mine, dragging her foot before stopping.
"Ah. This spot must be where Ogerpon wakes up in our time." Gloria said.
Hm. So this indent is proof someone came from another time?
"Irida. Do you remember waking up in a small crater before meeting us?" I asked.
"No. I was too focused on figuring out where I was then." Irida said.
So, it isn't definitive proof of time travel, but maybe it was related. It wouldn't hurt to take some photos, at least.
While I was taking photos of the crater, I heard Gloria gasp. Panicked, I turned away from the crater to see if Gloria was okay, only to see why she freaked out.
"Cave paintings?" I said, getting up and scanning the wall with my Rotom Phone. No. It isn't a simple cave painting. It was a mural. Embedded into the cave's wall under the painting was ancient text. "Ah! Of all times to not have my ancient text translation book on me! Maybe grandma could translate for me after I send her a few pictures."
"This is a story of our Day in Darkness. The day when the giant demon hand blackened the heavens and caused Pokemon to become giants. And how two youths save us from our demise." Adam rambled.
Wait. Day in Darkness? Giant Pokemon? This mural is talking about the Darkest Day!
"Adam! You can read ancient texts?!" I asked, not surprised at this point.
"It isn't hard. It's just Unown writing. Compared to the time I had to read Braille, Unown writing is easy." Adam shrugged.
Unown writing and reading Braille? No. That isn't important right now.
"Adam. Can you read the rest for me?" I asked, opening the recording app on my phone.
"Sure." Before turning to the inscriptions on the wall and reading aloud what was written. " The Demon Hand appeared one day without warning, clouding the skies until they were as black as night and caused the very stars of heaven to fall. Pokemon of the land then became giants, causing untold destruction and death. When all hope seemed to be gone, two young boys, one bearing a sword while the other a shield, managed to seal away the giant hand, ending the Darkest Day. Afterward, the people of the land decided to crown the two boys as kings and named the kingdom after their glory and valor, becoming the kingdom of Galar." Adam finishes.
"The kingdom of Galar," I mutter to myself. Not only does this mural talk about the Darkest Day, but also the very beginning of Galar. And I will be the first person to document it!
Wait. Why didn't the workers inform anyone about this? This mural is a massive discovery of Galar's history.
Things aren't adding up.
"Two kings? I thought there was only one." Marnie's voice popped up.
"No. There are two kings. Or, at least, I think there are." Gloria said, sounding unsure. "I remember reading there about being two kings in Galar's history when I was a kid."
"Then why did the inn have only one statue?" Marnie argued.
"Budget issues? The thing didn't look cheap." Gloria countered.
First, a cave mural was discovered and kept hidden from the public. Now, there are disagreements on how many founding kings Galar had. What's going on here?
"Sonia. There is one more part." Adam said, cutting Marnie and Gloria's argument short and getting our attention. "We, the people of Galar, decided to hide away the demon so nobody could reawaken it should they fall into the temptation of the demon's power. But, we also know the demon will live in our minds for all eternity, so we named it Eternatus."
"Eternatus." I said the name. The name of the Pokemon that caused the Darkest Day and caused Pokemon to Dynamax.
A Pokemon that would live on in eternity.
{Rose's P.O.V.}
"Are you sure we should let Bede off so lightly, Chairman?" Oleana asks.
"Yes. Bede is young, and boys will be boys. I'm not surprised that he couldn't handle waiting a few hours." I laugh.
"Chairman, the issue isn't Bede being impatient. It's how he used your name to get his way." Oleana snapped. Maybe it would be best to send a Macro Cosmos employee when Bede calls in to deliver his next shipment of Shooting Stars. The boy shouldn't have to face Oleana's scorn for something so small.
And if Bede misusing my name and position helps me locate trainers of a similar, if not equal, class to Leon, then you won't hear me complaining.
While the video of Bede's battle posted on PTO doesn't prove much about our unknown trainer's skill, the testimonies of the workers at the scene describing how they saw Champion-grade Pokemon chopping up vegetables and serving people added much-needed validity.
"Have you been able to gather much about our new friend, Oleana?" I asked, watching the video again. Thankfully, the trainer fighting Bede explained what he did, making research into Z-Moves far easier.
"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to gather much. We thought it would have been easy to find some records on Adam Gustav when the field workers told us that he was a foreigner, but no record in our airline or ship logs mentions a trainer by that name." Oleana answers.
"So, a possible illegal immigrant," I said. Not that I mind. As long as he is willing to help Leon when I awaken Eternatus from its slumber, I can overlook this minor crime. Besides, based on the reports I have read, Adam doesn't seem like a hardened criminal, so it wouldn't be an issue to offer him citizenship for his aid in helping prevent Galar's future energy crisis.
"But we were able to gather information on three of his four companions," Oleana said, tapping her tablet as three pictures replaced the video. "We couldn't find anything on the female blonde in the group, but we know two Gym Challengers, Piers's younger sister, Marnie, and the daughter of two Professor Magnolia's assistants, Gloria, are traveling with Adam, with rumors of Adam himself teaching them more about Pokemon, and Professor Magnolia's granddaughter, Sonia, is traveling with them as well."
"Oh. Quite the interesting group." I chuckled. With Adam traveling and teaching two Gym Challengers, it will be easy to make some encounters with this strange but powerful trainer— with plenty of chances to convince him to lead his assistance.
And all it costs is Bede's pride. A fair trade if you asked me.
Author's note
Sorry for the wait. The holidays are a bitch where I work, but hopefully it will calm down soon. (It will probably be worse now.)
I'm also part of the SGO server, so if you want to join and chat, here is a link
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I also started my server for anyone who wants to ask me about my fics or to hang out.
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