Pokémon: Out of the Woods | A Galar, Unova & Sinnoh Fanfiction

Chapter 12: Weirdos in Wormholes

'...Route 6?'

Tahirah had already worked on Route 6, treating Hikers and Backpackers who overexerted themselves in the harsh sunlight. It was difficult not to. The only way to climb the vertical walls towards Stow-on-Side was by the rickety ladders scaling the cliffs. Tahirah was no expert, but she was sure the only Grass-type Pokémon that flourished there was Maractus. It was too hot. What was a Lilligant doing there?

'It's like an oven out there.'

'Yes... poor Lilligant was suffering... she'd collapsed...'

'So... did you take her to the Pokémon Center?'

'Yes... she was treated for dehydration there... I thought it was perhaps a Galarian form, but the nurse asked me where I was from and if I found her there...'

'We definitely don't have a Galarian Lilligant.'

'No... I asked my sister, since she's a Pokémon Professor, but even she had never seen such a thing... Lilligant grew attached to me, so I couldn't bear to let her go... I thought I'd take her along on my Galarian journey... and I wanted to know more about her myself... I asked my nephew, since he's a history enthusiast, too... he came to check it out and said she was an "old Pokémon."'

'If you want to know more about her, why don't you let my mate have a look? She's Professor Magnolia's assistant.'

'Yes... maybe...'

If Laverne was as flighty as everyone claimed, it was entirely possible that he would change his mind if Tahirah left him to make his own way to the Pokémon Research Lab. He was so drunk, he probably wouldn't even remember meeting her. She reluctantly took out her phone to call a Flying Taxi.

The taxi collected Prita before taking off for the Pokémon Research Lab. Laverne fell asleep on her shoulder. She grimaced. When he began to drool, Tahirah didn't feel guilty about plucking the wallet from his pocket and paying the Cabbie with his credit card. It was true that Lilligant was attached to him, but it also seemed to be tired of his shenanigans already, because it grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the lab.

Sonia was still awake, talking to her daughter and grandson, Ruby Jane and Whitby, over a video call. Like Perry, Whitby lived in Obsidian City when he wasn't at the Pokémon HQ Lab, because his wife, Wisteria, worked at the Battle Frontier. She founded it. With all six of her Frontier Brains and their Trainers flourishing there, she now ruled the Battle Tower as one of two Tower Tycoons.

'Laverne?'

Whitby frowned. While he was at university, he took on a part-time modelling job to pay the bills. He often worked with Laverne.

'What's he doing there?'

'Going on a "Galarian journey," apparently...'

'How weird is this guy, Whitby?' Prita asked, 'On a scale of one to 10?'

'If you're asking if he's Cipher weird, he's a zero. His heart's in the right place. But if you're asking how eccentric he is... a solid eight. With a potential drinking problem.'

'Right... so... are we thinking he really did just find Lilligant and decide to take her along for the ride?'

Before they could continue their discussion, Sonia had to explain what the Lilligant even was to Whitby and Ruby Jane.

'Yeah, then,' Whitby replied, 'He just found it. There's no way he's some Cipher Admin – or Plasma Admin – or anything. Unless he doesn't know it.'

'Triton said–'

'Well, I don't think I'm needed anymore,' Tahirah interrupted, 'My night's gone to shit and I've got to be back at the hospital at eight, so I'm out. Night, y'all.'