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

Chapter 42: The Request

No-one in the Wild Area slept that night. Even without fearing that they would be crushed in their sleep, the chorus of unconscious Pokémon waking up never ended. Heather saw no point in trying to sleep. She walked on instead, across a creaking bridge sprayed by the rushing river below.

Two ancient viaducts loomed over the Bridge Field. Grass rustled. Most Pokémon there were already sprayed with Revives by the Pokémon Breeders who ran the nearby Nursery, but they still made a racket as they tried to make sense of what happened. A boy in a Ballonlea Academy uniform followed one of the Breeders. Heather walked on to see Arlene and another girl in a mismatched outfit. She backtracked to the nearest Breeder.

'Hey, can I help?'

The man glanced at her left wrist. As soon as he saw her Challenge Band, he smiled and nodded.

'Of course.'

He gave her a basket of healing items.

'Even if you just check on some Pokémon on your way, we'd appreciate it. If you find one in critical condition...'

He called to the paramedics who came to help. They provided Heather with a radio.

'Call us right away.'

Heather applied Hyper Potions to two Purrloin. They scampered away. Damp grass squelched under her feet as the shadow of the second viaduct fell over her. A sandstorm roared over the vast expanse of the Stony Wilderness. Dim flickers of Hammerlocke's lights were visible through it. The helpers were concentrated around Motostoke's walls, probably because no-one wanted to brave the sandstorm.

But I know someone who'll go anywhere to help Pokémon.

Before Heather even reached the Stony Wilderness, there was sand in her eyes. She revived two Skwovet who fell from their trees. They followed her for a while, probably hoping they would be fed, but even they didn't want to hang around in the sandstorm. They disappeared. Many of the rugged Pokémon that liked sandstorms held their own against the other Dynamax Pokémon. They only had light wounds. Maybe that was why there were no other helpers there, but in the grass by a tall pillar of rock, Heather found a severely wounded Zigzagoon. She disinfected its wounds and sewed them up with her own supplies instead of calling the paramedics. Her mother was a nurse, after all.

It wasn't long until she found a Grimmsnarl in a similar condition. No sooner had she treated it than she nearly tripped over a Dwebble with a broken shell. Then there was a Togetic with a torn wing.

Nope. They really are avoiding the sandstorm.

There was no-one in sight. Only faint Pokémon footprints marked the ground. Their cries were the only sounds to interrupt the rushing wind. Cinderace, who walked beside her, wasn't convinced they would find anyone. Hours passed with no sign of another person. After releasing a Tranquill from her arms, Heather turned to finally, suddenly, see the person she was looking for.

'Well, well, well. I didn't hear you sneaking up on me.'

Pluto was dishevelled. There were dark circles around his eyes.

'You really do love Pokémon... don't you?'

'Most Trainers do, dude. I know you won't agree, but...'

'Battle with me.'

'...Now?'

'If you believe that... if you think I should believe that... prove it to me in battle.'

Well, I've finally found you. That wasn't what I expected you to say, like, at all... but I definitely can't turn you down.