Pokemon: Resurgence Chapter 10

Hi all,

Here’s the next chapter. There is a two-week time skip, and Lucas and his Pokemon have made some amazing progress. Also, I made some minor changes to the previous chapters:

Chapter 10

Lucas, Delia, and Ash returned to town in the carriage, accompanied by Sabrina. The woman had attached herself to them after their initial meeting at the harbour, bombarding them with questions about the town. She seemed like a regular tourist at first, but Lucas noticed that some of her questions were directed at certain topics of interest.

Sabrina usually had a placid expression that was difficult to decipher. But he noticed a few subtle reactions when they were talking about the mayor, the Fearow gang, and Oak's laboratory. When Delia mentioned that she and Lucas both worked at the lab, it sparked a series of follow-up questions. It was understandable that she wanted to learn more about the lab, considering Professor Oak’s fame, but her interest in the mayor and a gang was peculiar.

He stared fixedly at the girl, his mind working to unravel the mystery that surrounded her. She possessed undeniable strength as a gym leader, considering the Gengar she had revealed. There was an undeniable aura that surrounded her - a combination of innocence, noblesse, and unwavering determination. She had a formal way of speaking as if she had been brought up in a noble manner, but she also struggled with social interactions.

“Do I have something on my face?” Sabrina asked, reaching up to touch it.

Lucas averted his gaze, feeling embarrassed for being caught staring. Delia chuckled at his expression.

"Will you be staying in Pallet Town for long?" Delia asked Sabrina.

"I intend to stay here for a few weeks at least," Sabrina stated. "My decision to stay longer will ultimately depend on the town's ability to capture my interest."

"Are you not planning to travel to Azalea Town when the ferry leaves tomorrow?"

"I had always intended to make a stop here," Sabrina said. "I desire to further explore Eastern Kanto before continuing my journey westward. I have not ventured far from Saffron City before, so it’s all new to me."

“Did you come here for a specific reason?” Lucas questioned. Why would she choose to spend weeks in a small town like Pallet Town when Viridian City was only a short distance away? It made no sense.

"Not particularly," Sabrina replied, her expression giving nothing away.

"So, there is no business you have to take care of?"

Sabrina merely smiled, choosing not to answer the question.

"Lucas, why are you asking such a question? She is on holiday! There is no need for you to interrogate the poor girl," Delia reprimanded him.

"Please forgive me," Lucas murmured, deciding to stop questioning her. He didn’t know why he was being so rude. The woman appeared to have cast a spell on him, leaving him completely flummoxed.

They arrived back in Pallet Town and the driver dropped them off in the business district. Sabrina observed her surroundings with keen interest, taking in the multitude of sights around her.

“Is this the main shopping area?” Sabrina asked curiously.

“That’s right,” Delia said. “Do you have a reservation? I recommend that you check in early to secure your room before the other tourists have a chance to claim it."

"The inn would not dare to relinquish my reservation," Sabrina said with a hint of arrogance.

“That’s right!” Ash exclaimed. “They would be stupid to give away a gym leader’s reservation.”

"Lucas would be more than happy to show you the way to the inn," Delia kindly suggested, not hesitating to offer his services without obtaining permission. "And if you'd like, he can even give you a guided tour of the town."

"That would be greatly appreciated, thank you," Sabrina expressed her gratitude with a bow.

Lucas gestured for Sabrina to follow him as he wheeled her luggage behind him. She walked beside him, close enough that her yakata brushed against his leg. As he breathed in the lavender scent emanating from her, he tried to ignore the surge of attraction that gripped him.

"You appear to harbour a great deal of suspicion towards me, Mr Walker," Sabrina asserted.

“Call me Lucas,” he replied. “I apologise if I gave you that impression. It is not my business to question your personal affairs."

"Then you may refer to me as Sabrina," she nodded regally. "I am not convinced that you have given up on discovering more about me. Are you going to follow me around to gather information about my activities?”

"Considering the Pokémon you have in your team, that might not be the best idea," Lucas chuckled.

He escorted her to the inn, a few streets away, and she checked into her room. Lucas accompanied her upstairs and placed her luggage on the floor.

"Please excuse me for a moment while I freshen up," Sabrina requested, retrieving some clothing from her bag before disappearing into the bathroom.

Didn't the woman have any sense of self-preservation? Just an hour ago, he was a total stranger. Now, she's inviting him into her room while she goes to take a shower.

Lucas took a seat in the comfortable chair next to the bed. He consciously refrained from imagining Sabrina's naked body as the sound of running water came from the bathroom. Grabbing a magazine off the coffee table, he browsed through it to pass the time.

"Banette!" a voice called out from beside his chair.

Lucas screamed in fright as leapt out of the chair, quickly spinning around to pinpoint the origin of the noise. Suspended above the seat was a Pokémon—a purple humanoid with piercing red eyes. It smirked at him, displaying a sizable set of white teeth. The Pokemon was undeniably creepy, but that assessment could be applied to the majority of ghost-types.

>Species: Banette

Level: 68

Condition: Perfect

Threat Level: Zero<

He took a few steps backwards as the Pokémon advanced, its short arms reaching out towards him.

Sabrina rushed out of the bathroom, wearing only a towel. If he hadn't been so focused on the Pokémon in front of him, he might have been captivated by the sight of all the bare skin.

"Salem," Sabrina seethed, gripping the towel tightly against her chest. "Please refrain from startling my guests in such a manner."

"I assume this Pokemon is yours," Lucas said.

“No, he is not mine. Salem has been following me around since I was a child,” Sabrina said. "Don't worry about him, as he shouldn't be a threat to you. Salem was only curious and wanted to meet you."

“The key word there is should,” Lucas said, eyeing the creepy Pokemon. “That doesn’t fill me with much confidence.”

At least the description indicated a threat level of zero. But he couldn't predict how quickly that could change in a blink of an eye.

"Please wait a moment," Sabrina requested, as she turned and reentered the bathroom.

“Hi there, Salem,” Lucas greeted the Pokemon with an uneasy wave. “It's... um, nice to meet you.”

“Banette,” The ghost spoke briefly before suddenly vanishing from sight.

Lucas's nerves heightened as he glanced around, no longer able to see the Pokemon. How did it manage to vanish so abruptly? He relaxed when Sabrina returned, now wearing casual clothes — black jeans and a sweatshirt. She seemed to have a preference for dark attire, which contrasted sharply with her pale complexion.

“Where did Salem vanish to?” Lucas asked.

Sabrina took a seat on the bed. "I must say, your knowledge about ghost-type Pokemon seems rather limited, doesn't it?"

“I am making up for lost time,” Lucas muttered.

“Well, a ghost-type Pokemon is unique amongst all the other types,” Sabrina explained. “They are referred to as ghost-type rather than ghosts because they are not really apparitions. They are defined by the fact that their bodies are made up of abnormal elements that let them phase through solid objects, turn invisible, and make them harder to hit with regular attacks. But they are not immune to all physical attacks, as they are weak to dark-type. They can be hurt and even killed if they sustain enough damage.”

“That makes perfect sense,” Lucas said. "Why wouldn't these Pokemon be classified as real living beings? After all, they possess the ability to breed just like other Pokemon types."

"Indeed," Sabrina affirmed. "They are Pokemon, albeit with unique qualities, which is why I hold such fondness for them. It is disheartening that they do not enjoy greater popularity. They have acquired a bad reputation due to their propensity for mischief and playing tricks on people."

“I imagine their ability to turn invisible and phase into walls doesn’t help,” Lucas remarked.

"Yes," Sabrina acknowledged. "It is a significant problem as individuals employ them for criminal activities and espionage. Those who wish to safeguard their privacy and possessions have to employ methods to shield themselves from ghost-type Pokémon.”

“So, what’s Salem’s story? Why is he following you around?”

As soon as he asked the question, he immediately regretted it. Her face darkened, revealing the most acute display of emotion she had ever shown yet.

“That’s none of your business,” Sabrina said with a chilly demeanour.

He had touched upon a sensitive topic, so he reminded himself to not bring it up again. Even though he found her reaction to be a bit excessive.

"Sorry," Lucas said, raising his hands. "How about I give you a tour of the town now?"

Sabrina regained her composure. "That would be greatly appreciated."

=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=

During the following two weeks, Lucas was too busy with his own things and did not have the opportunity to see Sabrina that often. When he did have the chance to spend time with her, she appeared to be preoccupied with something. It fuelled his suspicions that she wasn't here for a normal vacation but for some undisclosed purpose.

His weekday schedule was the same for the two weeks. After finishing work for the day, he would spend his time either making healing salves or venturing outdoors to search for hidden items. He conducted a methodical search, seeking to uncover every concealed item possible. Not only did he unearth numerous valuable items, but he also drew a comprehensive map of the area and stumbled upon an abundance of additional ingredients.

He amassed a significant amount of experience points for both his Pokemon and himself, but his progress came to an abrupt stop once Icarus and Maximus reached level fifteen. Now that the level difference between his Pokemon and wild Pokemon was five, they no longer received any experience points. He couldn't cheat by accumulating experience points in their cache either, as it counted towards their overall level. For example, if Icarus had one level worth of experience points stored in his cache, that would count towards the level restriction.

To find Pokemon that were higher than level ten, he will need to explore specific areas deeper within the forest and the mountain range along the coast. However, it was too dangerous because the levels of the Pokemon varied greatly as the Pokemon Rangers did not keep their levels in check. They were only responsible for overseeing areas near densely populated towns and cities, and major routes. Their levels ranged anywhere from level five all the way up to the mid-thirties. He did not dare to enter there with his Pokemon’s current strength. If he wanted to continue gaining experience points, he would have to go to Viridian City and explore the areas beyond it, such as the expansive Viridian Forest.

There was also a well-known mountain range called Mount Hideaway, located to the west of Pallet Town, near the coast. However, it wasn't an option either, as the Pokémon residing there had even more extreme levels. He made a promise to himself to return and explore the area in the future.

On Saturday evening, he secluded himself in his room, securing his privacy behind a locked door. He had made significant progress in the past two weeks, prompting him to take some time to reflect and establish some new goals.

Lucas dumped out all the items he had dug up onto the bed.

"Kid!" Max exclaimed as he stood on the floor and peered over the top of the bed, marvelling at the treasure on display.

“My thoughts exactly, Max,” Lucas murmured.

In total, he had found twenty-one items, which were primarily healing items. These included five potions, two super potions, four antidotes, two paralyze heals, and one full heal. In addition to them, he also found four Pokeballs, two pearls and a nugget. The combined worth of the last three items amounted to at least eight thousand Pokedollars. It was just a rough estimate because the exact value couldn't be determined accurately, given the variable size and quality. The Pokeballs he had found would cost him six thousand Pokedollars if he were to buy them from the store.

Moreover, over the past two weeks, he has also finished four more portrait commissions. Combine everything, and he had accumulated a substantial amount of Pokedollars. He was close to reaching the required fee for the Pokemon Breeder’s license test. Since that was still some time away, he could prioritise spending it on other essential necessities for now.

Lucas stored the items away in his inventory. He decided not to sell the valuable items in Pallet Town to avoid drawing attention from the Fearow Gang. If they discovered he was making so many Pokedollars, it would undoubtedly bring him trouble.

Lucas opened his menu and evaluated the progress he had accomplished in the past week.

=====

Lucas Walker

Level 19

Next: [7/100%]

Exp Cache: [0]

Skill Points (SP): 8

Profession:

Pokemon Trainer Lv.4

Pokemon Breeder Lv.2

Alchemist Lv.3

Skills:

Insight [Active/Passive] (Level 2/5)

Coach [Passive] (Level 4/5)

Bountiful Gains [Passive] (Level 1/3)

Pokemon Friendship [Passive] (Level 1/5)

Salve Mastery [Active] (Level 1/3)

Green Thumb [Passive] (Level 1/3)

======

Functions:

Inventory (Capacity: 30 slots) [Unlock 10 slots: 10000 Pokedollars]

Itemfinder: (Range: 5-metre radius) [Increase radius by five metres: 10000 Pokedollars]

Pokemon Search: (Number of searches per week: 1) [Increase efficiency: 10000 Pokedollars]

=====

He had levelled up nine times and now had a total of eight skill points to allocate. He had invested five skill points into raising his Coach skill to level four, resulting in a significant amount of experience. He now earned four hundred experience points for every stat point Icarus and Max gained, and his training efficiency had also been boosted. The required experience needed for levelling up was growing significantly, but by increasing this skill, and all the grinding he did, he still made good progress.

Pokemon Search was the new function he unlocked for reaching level fifteen. The feature enabled him to search for a particular Pokemon in a five-square-mile radius. One of the best aspects was its ability to significantly boost the probability of encountering Pokemon with greater potential or rare characteristics, like the elusive Giant or Shiny variants. He was definitely going to check out this feature in the near future to see if he could find some amazing Pokemon.

Furthermore, all three of his professions had levelled up. He acquired a new skill for his Alchemy profession, while the cost to level up two of his other skills decreased. His new skill was called Green Thumb, which proved to be quite useful.

======

Skill: Green Thumb Level 1/3 Next: 2 SP Type: Passive Charges: --

Description: The player is an expert at gathering ingredients. Each ingredient they pick has a twenty-five per cent chance of being of the highest quality. Additionally, there is a twenty-five per cent chance that they will be able to harvest two ingredients with just one plant.

======

Having eight skill points to spend was both a blessing and a curse, as he didn’t know where to spend them. The final level for Coach was too cost-prohibitive, so he decided to leave it for the time being. Browsing through his remaining skills, his eyes landed on the Insight skill. Levelling it up was only going to become more important going forward.

Among other things, he had read through the books on Pokemon Breeding that Professor Oak had given to him. The amount of information he needed to know was significant, and creating Pokemon Eggs involved a great level of complexity. The initial obstacle that Pokemon Breeders encountered was the task of locating or raising Pokemon that possessed the appropriate egg moves. Furthermore, they needed to be compatible with each other as well. They were unable to simply compel two Pokémon to produce an egg together. The books he had studied on the topic emphasised this point repeatedly.

His Insight skill could potentially eliminate much of the guesswork, enabling him to produce eggs more quickly. Taking all this into consideration, he decided to increase his Insight skill. Before he did so, however, he wanted to take a look at his Pokemon’s parameters first so he could see the differences.

=======

Species: Elekid; Electric Pokemon

Gender: Male

Status: Owned

Favourability: Liked: 50/2000 (+5% stats)

Favourite Food: Lightning Infused Bamboo;

Nutrition: Maximus Recipe X

Condition: Excellent

Level: 15

Next: [4/100%]

Exp Cache: [0]

Current Level Potential Met?: Yes

Special Ability: Static

=======

Attack: 39 (38)

Special Attack: 40 (39)

Defence: 42 (40)

Special Defence: 29 (28)

Speed: 33 (32)

Luck: 9

=====

Moves:

Quick Attack

Thundershock

Charge

=====

A change had occurred that affected both Pokemon—their favourability increased to Liked, giving them a five per cent bonus to all their stats. Although the current bonus may not be great, as their favourability continues to increase, the bonus will only get better.

All of Max’s stats increased significantly, except for his speed. Since he was developing Max into an offensive tank, his focus needed to be on improving his Attack, Defence and Special Defence stats. Furthermore, he needed to teach him some new moves to increase his options in battle. While his existing moves were adequate for dealing with low-level wild Pokemon, they would not be enough against trained Pokemon.

He took a look at Icarus’ parameters next.

======

Species: Pidgey; Tiny Bird Pokemon

Gender: Male

Status: Owned

Favourability: Liked: 320/2000 (+5% stats)

Favourite Food: Iaflepettle Seeds; Icarus Recipe X (nutrition).

Condition: Excellent

Level: 15

Next: [2/100%]

Exp Cache: [0]

Current Level Potential Met?: Yes

Special Ability: Big Pecks

=====

Attack: 39 (38)

Special Attack: 32

Defence: 27 (28)

Special Defence: 25 (24)

Speed: 53 (51)

Luck: 10

=====

Moves:

Tackle

Quick Attack

Gust

Sand Attack

=====

Icarus has made significant improvements as well, particularly in terms of his speed and offensive stats. His position on the team would function as a glass cannon, characterised by powerful offensive skills but limited defensive capabilities. Icarus' main strategy would be to eliminate the opponent as quickly as possible. He would rely on his speed to evade attacks, and Lucas considered the idea of teaching him Protect in order to assist him in mitigating his type weaknesses.

Soon, he would need to consider Icarus’ evolution, as it shouldn’t be too far off. From what he remembered Pidgey usually evolved around level eighteen in the games. He had ample time to further research evolutions and determine if there were any specific preparations required for Icarus, since he had full control over his levelling. Max still had a long way to go before he evolved, so he didn’t have to worry about him yet.

Lucas spent three skill points and increased his Insight skill to level three. When he examined Icarus' parameters once more, he was confused when there were no new additions to his parameters. Then he noticed the presence of a new tab at the top of his status window.

How can I access the new tab?

As if in direct response to his thoughts, the window seamlessly switched to display the other tab. Lucas's eyes fixated on the new information presented before him, and a surprised exclamation escaped his lips.

========

Icarus

Hidden Stats

Intelligence: 7

Endurance: 4

Energy: 4

Aptitude: 6

Affinities

Normal: 37%

Flying: 21%

Ground: 4%

Move Proficiency

Tackle: 32%

Quick Attack: 57%

Gust: 41%

Sand Attack: 3%

Egg Moves

Air Cutter: {Not acquired} - Flying Affinity: 40% required.

=======

What do these hidden stats even mean?

Lucas retrieved the guidebook and began flipping through its pages, searching for the new entry that would provide him with the information he sought. He perused its contents before setting the book aside to consider the implications.

The hidden stats profoundly impacted a Pokemon, though their influence was not easily recognisable until they reached higher levels, with intelligence being the exception. They maxed out at ten, and each Pokemon was born with a predetermined amount. Although it is possible to slightly influence them through Pokemon Breeding. None were inherently maxed out at ten, except for the Legendaries. He remembered reading about the possibility of pills existing that could enhance a Pokemon's hidden stats. Was this what it was referring to?

Intelligence was straightforward in that it determined their cognitive abilities, but it also affected their mental resilience. A Pokémon experiences mental stress due to battles, which gradually increases over time. They needed to rest whenever they accumulated too much stress, regardless of their condition, to avoid the risk of falling seriously ill. This was the reason why his Pokemon couldn't spend the entire day grinding battles by feeding them a nunch of healing salves.

Icarus possesses an intelligence stat of seven, which is above average. He had observed multiple instances of Icarus demonstrating his intelligence, so it came as no surprise that it was so high.

The following two hidden stats, endurance and energy, influenced their condition. The closer they were to ten, the slower their condition would decrease.

Endurance directly influenced the amount of health a Pokemon gained upon levelling up, increasing the amount of damage they could receive. Icarus’ Endurance stat was below average in this regard. The best thing was that if you managed to increase the stat, the Pokemon would receive all the benefits they missed out on from the previous levels.

Energy determined the Pokemon’s energy reserves Pokemon received at level up. It operated similarly to endurance, allowing you to significantly boost the Pokemon's reserves by retroactively increasing the stat. It also had an impact on their ability to increase their affinities.

Aptitude determined the number of stats they could train at each level. Even though having a higher aptitude was a significant advantage, it only made a difference at higher levels. One reason for this is that Pokemon tend to level up quickly at lower levels, so trainers fail to sufficiently train their Pokemon in order to fully benefit from all the available stat points. It was not until reaching higher levels, where levelling up became significantly more challenging, that this factor started to have a greater influence.

As for the other information the tab revealed, it was useful to have a clear idea of where he stood with his Pokemon’s affinities and move progression. It would be more convenient to track their progress in the future and establish specific goals to strive for.

The second tab also showed a Pokemon’s egg moves, which did not show up within their main tab. This was a huge advantage for his Pokemon Breeder aspirations, as he would be able to find Pokemon with the right egg moves a lot easier. He was pleased to discover that Icarus possessed an egg move, though he knew it would require some time for him to learn it.

Lucas checked out Max’s hidden stats next. His intelligence, endurance, energy, and aptitude were five, seven, four, and six, respectively. He had an edge over Icarus by one point overall, and he possessed one egg move; Hammer Arm. The requirement to learn it was a fighting-type affinity of seventy per cent, so he wasn’t acquiring it anytime soon.

Lucas closed the menu, deciding to save the rest of his skill points for now.

“What’s your problem?” Lucas said when he spotted Max and Icarus giving him strange expressions.

It wasn't the first occasion he had witnessed that identical expression on their faces. If they could speak, they would be saying, “What a weirdo! He stares off into space for long periods of time.”

He ignored them, trying to maintain some dignity. How was he supposed to explain the concept of the system to them?

Lucas reached for a notebook and penned down some short-term goals. Having financial security enabled him to be more ambitious and accomplish things he had been postponing. After he finished, he shut off the light and crawled into bed. This time, he had a restful night's sleep without experiencing any nightmares for once.

========

Lucas went back to work the following day. As he entered the reception area, he found Daisy waiting for him, a smile lighting up her face.

“Lucas, you are just in time,” Daisy said. “Two of the lab's Pokemon, a pair of Glooms, are about to produce a Pokemon Egg. Do you want to watch it?”

“Did you even need to ask?”

This was an amazing opportunity. Not only had he never seen a Pokemon Egg before, but he also got to witness one as it was being formed. Although he had read up on the process, it couldn’t compare to seeing it in person.

Lucas trailed behind her as they made their way outdoors, passing several large enclosures until they arrived at a smaller enclosure where the ground was mostly hidden beneath a thick layer of dense foliage. There was a small patch of grass near the fence line where the two Glooms were reclining.

“We will stay behind the fence,” Daisy said. "Several Pokemon feel uncomfortable with human presence while they are producing an egg."

Lucas nodded. He used Insight to take note of the Gloom’s parameters as he wanted to see what changes occurred after the egg had formed.

After a short wait, the two figures leaned into each other. A dazzling glow radiated from them, reminiscent of the light that shines forth when a Pokemon undergoes evolution. Except the energy wasn't white, it was actually a vibrant combination of purple and green, representing poison and grass type. Above them, energy started to coalesce and take the form of an egg.

A Pokemon egg is formed through a process of fusion in which two Pokemon harmonise their energy frequencies and willingly contribute a part of themselves to create the egg. This is why compatibility was crucial. In order for the fusion to work, they required frequencies that could easily combine together.

Usually, there is a requirement for a female and male pair to create an egg, but this rule is not set in stone. There are certain Pokemon that do not have a gender, yet they are still able to produce Pokemon Eggs. Gender did not mean the same for Pokemon in the traditional sense, as they didn’t have sexual organs. But because their energy frequencies were so distinct from each other, scientists had decided to classify them as female and male in order to differentiate between them. Usually, scientists found that when they paired a female and a male, it resulted in the highest production of eggs.

As the egg continued to form, Lucas checked the Gloom’s parameters again.

What the hell? The levels of both Pokemon had decreased by one, which also affected some of their stats. A moment later, it decreased once more. Lucas shook his head in incredulity. He knew the parents gave up a part of themselves, but he never considered the fact that it would literally affect their parameters. The Gloom lost two more levels before the egg fully took shape.

The egg fell and the Gloom nimbly caught it with the flower on top of their head. The egg had a predominantly blue colour, with green accents, mirroring the actual colours its body would have when it hatched.

Lucas used Insight and inspected the egg. He had always been curious about whether his Insight skill could read the parameters of a Pokemon's Egg. Just think of the possibilities. He could walk into a Pokemon Breeder's shop and choose the highest-quality eggs for himself.

Nothing happened. Lucas sighed in annoyance. It looked like he would have to find another way to examine the egg. Perhaps if kept levelling up his Pokemon Breeder profession, he would acquire the skill.

“Thank you for treating me to such an amazing sight,” Lucas said to Daisy.

“It’s fine,’ Daisy replied. “Now, I am going to show you something new today. Pokemon grooming! It's an important aspect in caring for a Pokemon, and some of our residents are in dire need of a groom."

“Alright, I look forward to it.”

Later that morning, he deeply regretted having made that statement. He got knocked over by an overly enthusiastic Tauros while grooming it, resulting in a substantial bruise on his side. He was going to be sore tomorrow.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Daisy said with a sympathetic smile.

Lucas slowly pulled his t-shirt over his torso. “Yes, that is the first thing that came to mind when I found myself lying in the mud.”

"If it’s any consolation, Tauros looked to be remorseful," Daisy smirked before she checked her watch. "You can take the rest of the day off and go home to rest. We are not that busy."

She left the infirmary, and Lucas got to their feet and collected his bag. Going home and soaking in the bath sounded like a good idea right now. Leaving the infirmary, he proceeded down the hallway. As he approached an intersection, he heard raised voices which prompted him to slow down and quiet his steps. He leaned against the wall and cautiously peered around the corner.

Two scientists from the lab stood close to each other, conversing in hushed tones. One of the individuals was elderly, while the other appeared to be in his thirties. Their demeanour and actions appeared suspicious, prompting Lucas to strain his ears in an attempt to hear their conversation.

“Next time, show a little more discretion,” the old man hissed, raising his head to look around. Thankfully, Lucas retracted his head out of sight just in time.

"Please don't be angry with me," the other man responded. "Can't you see that I'm feeling stressed? I don't know how much longer I can do this."

"You must do as you are told or face the consequences from the leader."

“But that woman is in town, poking her nose into everything. It won’t be long until our entire operation is discovered.”

“Don't worry about her,” the old man smirked. “The leader is going to deal with her shortly. There is no need to worry.”

The conversation. Lucas waited with bated breath as they walked away. Once they had departed, he was left to contemplate the conversation he had overheard. It seemed highly suspicious, and it sounded as if they were going to harm someone.

“Banette.”

Lucas almost screamed when Salem emerged from the wall. This was the second instance in which the Pokemon had caught him off guard. What on earth was he doing here?

Just as he was about to speak, he caught the expression on Salem’s face, and the words died in his mouth. His insides froze at the extremely sinister expression on his face. Thankfully, it was not directed at him. Salem stared in the same direction as the men had left. What had they done to piss him off?

Wait a minute. Had they been speaking about Sabrina?

So, what do you think? What is Lucas going to do now? Should he just leave it alone, or poke his nose where it doesn’t belong?

Thanks for reading.