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

Chapter 36: Deceiver

Heather was impressed by Hessie's team in her battle with Olive. She found a Fire Stone stuck in a drain and used it to evolve her Growlithe into Arcanine. Her Chinchou and Drifloon had evolved. She had six Pokémon now, the others being Thwackey, Stufful and Baltoy. When she said she was going to train hard to ensure she never had to think about Ace's kayaking again, she meant it.

Regardless, she wasn't entirely happy with her win. If she hadn't decided to battle everyone in Hulbury Market even after defeating Ace, instead of heading to the mine with Ralph, perhaps she could have called the police or an ambulance. They both would have been hurt, probably, but it might have prevented his death.

Hazel's Pokémon had also grown since last time Heather saw them. Scorbunny was now Raboot and her Milcery became Alcremie. She also had a new Pokémon, Wimpod. Laughter filled the stadium when it hid behind her. It was her last Pokémon. Once again, she had no choice but to Dynamax it. Its weak Struggle Bug became Max Flutterby. The laughter was silenced when it saved the day by knocking out Olive's Ludicolo.

There was no noticeable difference in Bard's Thwackey and Pawniard, but he had three new Pokémon: Stunfisk, Ninjask and Shedinja. He wasn't quite as clueless as Heather assumed. Most people ignored weak Pokémon like Nincada, but only super-effective attacks affected Shedinja, the possessed shell it discarded on evolution. He knew Olive's Venusaur couldn't touch it. He won, regardless of how long it took to chip away at Venusaur. He couldn't use that strategy against Allister, but the fans had never seen it used at Motostoke Gym before. They were impressed.

Amongst the departing crowds, Heather spotted green curls. Pluto was there. She couldn't approach him. The shuttle bus waited to take the challengers to Stow-on-Side, though she wished she had wandered off when they all turned down the bus.

The journey from Motostoke to Stow-on-Side, crossing the Wild Area to Hammerlocke and on to the sweltering paths of Route 6, was one of the Gym Challenge's greatest adventures. They wouldn't get any stronger by cowering away. League Staff already patrolled the Wild Area. There were more than ever now. Vega had no more challengers, since they either moved on or dropped out, so she and her Gym Trainers joined the patrols; but not before she joined Olive and Ace in seeing off the challengers who managed to defeat them all.

'You've all done fabulously. I'm especially proud of you, Hessie! And you'll all get even better yet!'

Footsteps clattered on the cobbles behind them. Reusable shopping bags flapped in Sonia's hands. She was out of breath. The Flying Taxi that delivered her took off again.

'Well... I made it.'

She felt all 86 of her years of age in her aching legs and tired lungs.

'Here... I've got something for you lot.'

She carefully placed the bags down on the sooty cobbles and took out the first white case.

'If you're going to travel all over Galar, you're going to run into some bad guys at some point. And if you've beaten Vega, Ace and Olive, you're pretty special. I think we can trust you all. So... we'd like you to take these Snag Machines.'

'S-Snag Machines?!'

Hessie looked aghast. Hazel glanced at her.

'You can get your Ponyta back!'

'But... I'll never be able to snag anything...'

Bard looked down. 'I doubt I'll be of any use... I didn't even realise about my Steelix... I let her hurt Hazel's Scorbunny...'

If Daeng's family hadn't gone to Orre, he wouldn't have had a clue what a Snag Machine was. He was the first to uncertainly accept a case from Sonia.

'How will we know which Pokémon to snag...?'