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

Chapter 45: The Drunk

'What in the world are your ridiculous minions trying to do?!'

Jahzeel dragged the flustered Grunt to Volo's office by the collar, only for his colleague to shrug like he always did.

'I've no idea. It's nothing to do with me, I assure you. You should be concerned that your minion is courting that Heather Haider. He'll end up exposing us, you know.'

Before Jahzeel barged in, it looked like Volo was about to leave. There was a shiny new Poké Ball in his hand.

'Where were you going?'

He dropped the Grunt, who stumbled away before Jahzeel actually gave him permission to.

'I have a Shadow Pokémon to collect.'

'What is it?'

'A Gigantamax Charizard. That G-Max Wildfire is very useful when it comes to arson, you know.'

For once, Volo didn't even try to sound convincing. His lie was transparent. Yet he couldn't be talking about Dialga or Eternatus. Pluto confirmed that Dialga returned to the heavens. Eternatus was still in Victor's possession. Jahzeel let Volo go. He returned to his own office to call the Shadow Pokémon lab.

'Clotilda. Volo is on his way to collect a Pokémon. Refuse to hand it over. Deliver it to me once he has gone to bed. Of course, he may well be lying about his intentions... so if he actually comes to request a Shadow Pokémon conversion, refuse that as well. Report the Pokémon species to me immediately.'

'Got it.'

Pluto did tell Jahzeel that he knew Dialga returned to the heavens. He was sure it did. People struggled to navigate the well-trodden paths of Glimwood Tangle, let alone the thorny undergrowth beyond them. There was no way anyone followed him. No-one, except perhaps a man he knew was fast asleep, was adventurous enough. They would only get lost. Pluto still waited for over two hours, hidden behind a tree, to ensure no-one followed him.

Dialga had no intention of ascending to the heavens. Once Pluto walked away, it planned to rush back to Dawn as quietly as possible to ensure Team Plasma had no idea where it went. It didn't exactly feel that Pluto was untrustworthy. He was brainwashed and gullible. He did, however, seem to be working alone in that instance. He certainly thought he was. Dialga wasn't expecting a Poké Ball to fly from behind another tree. It was struck from behind and dazed. It broke free, only for another perfectly-aimed Poké Ball to strike it in the back of the skull. A concealed Shadow Garchomp charged.

Pluto heard the Roar of Time that boomed through the forest. He smiled. That must have been the sound of Dialga returning to the heavens.

Garchomp was hurled back by Roar of Time. Its head hit a tree. It fainted. Three more Shadow Pokémon charged: Roserade, Lucario and a Hisuian Arcanine. Garchomp was revived. Dialga wasn't a fast Pokémon. There was nowhere for it to run. The attacking Pokémon were frighteningly strong. Dialga still managed to knock them out, but as soon as they went down, they were revived again. The onslaught was relentless. Dialga was beaten until it could barely move. It tried to leap away, because it knew that escaping even via time travel was preferable to the familiar presence of its attacker, but Garchomp only dragged it down again. It was finally sealed in a Poké Ball.

The automatic door to the Shadow Pokémon lab slid open. Clotilda tried to swap her smirk for her sweetest smile.

'Oh, hello, sweetie! How can I help you today?'

Volo was indeed lying to Jahzeel. He had nothing to collect. The Pokémon he wished to turn into a Shadow Pokémon was in the Poké Ball in his right hand. In his other hand was his phone. Clotilda hoped he would hand the Poké Ball over right away. He didn't. It had to be special. She could already see that his grip was so firm, there was no way she could prise it from his hands.