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

Chapter 66: Pokémon Trainer Vs. Frontier Brain

To Heather's surprise, Desiderio actually smiled.

'Well, yes, why not? Battling is indeed an excellent stress reliever!'

'Watch N– Thyme for me, Garnet.'

Heather was intrigued to see this battle, too. It was a great idea of Tansy's, although she doubted it was for the sake of the International Police. It was for herself.

'But I doubt you'll beat me, mate. Just so you know.'

There was a flash of competitiveness in his otherwise empty eyes. Heather's mind gradually wandered to the same track as Tansy's. If he was Rigel, if he still loved Queenie and she still loved him, enough for them to reunite, Tansy would be his stepdaughter...

'Perhaps I won't. I can already tell you're quite a strong Trainer!'

Before he followed Tansy out, he grabbed a glasses case from the chair where his scarf was. So it was definitely his scarf. Heather took out her phone to text Triton. She was too curious to wait until later to test any DNA samples left on the scarf. Triton was close by. He arrived in his red-haired disguise as Tansy and Desiderio sent out their first Pokémon: Dragalge and Milotic. Milotic's long, drawn-out cry filled the whole alley.

'Hey, Ciaran.'

That was Triton's fake name. While he blinked bewilderedly at the ensuing battle, Heather dropped the scarf in his No. 1 Pharmacy bag. She leaned in to whisper.

'I'll text who that belongs to.'

Then she stepped back and grinned. She spoke loudly for the benefit of anyone wondering who she was talking to and why.

'Can you believe it?!'

Triton understood. He grinned back.

'Nae! Well! Ye learn something new every day!'

'Like how book bro here's a pretty good Trainer.'

He turned to watch the battle, but his eyes went to the bag. He saw the scarf. He was too curious to hang around, so he told Heather she would have to let him know the result and cycled off again.

Desiderio was a decent Trainer. No average Trainer could even dream of surviving a hit from Tansy's Dragalge. Milotic took three Thunderbolts before it fainted. Dragalge was barely conscious. Desiderio's Porygon-Z immediately knocked it out with Thunderbolt. He was also right that battling was a good stress reliever. Tansy actually smiled as she sent out Electivire.

'Go on, mate! Use Cross Chop!'

Porygon-Z used Nasty Plot before it was slammed brutally to the ground by Electivire's strong arms. It was a critical hit. Porygon-Z fainted.

'Oh! My goodness! You certainly are strong! Sorry, Porygon-Z! Audino! Let's show her what we're made of!'

The Audino that sat at his desk fell from its Great Ball. It crashed to the floor with Electivire, but before it was hit by Cross Chop, it rolled out of the way. Its Yawn made Electivire drowsy. Audino rolled from the path of another Cross Chop. Electivire fell asleep. Audino used Charge Beam until its power increased enough to deal serious damage. Electivire woke up then. Audino wasn't expecting it and didn't dodge in time. It was winded, but stood back up to knock Electivire out with Flamethrower.

'Well, well. You're not bad yourself. Go, Talonflame! Use Brave Bird!'

Talonflame was above the roofs before anyone could react. It dived back down into Audino even faster. The already weakened Audino had no chance of surviving that hit. Desiderio sent out Braviary. The two collided in an airborne brawl of attempted Brave Birds. Feathers fell. Braviary finally pinned Talonflame down. The air was knocked from its lungs in a critical hit. It fainted. Tansy sent out Frosmoth. Its Ice Beam knocked Braviary from the air. Its wings were frozen solid before the ice cracked again, only for it to faint. Desiderio sent out Chansey.

'Frosmoth, good! Come back! Go! Leafeon!'

Chansey sprayed Leafeon with Toxic. It was badly poisoned. Before Leafeon could attack, Desiderio withdrew Chansey and sent out Glaceon.

So they now knew every Pokémon on his team: Milotic, Braviary, Porygon-Z, Audino, Chansey and Glaceon. Then there was the Indeedee helping at the café. None of those Pokémon really suggested he was Volo or Rigel. There was Milotic, which Cynthia used, while Neptune used Braviary, but they weren't the Pokémon either of those people were known for.

Heather was sure Rigel could befriend any Pokémon. Volo, his descendants and fans seemingly couldn't resist using Garchomp and Togekiss. In fact, Cynthia usually used only one Pokémon – Milotic – that Volo did not.

And Rigel wouldn't have his Pokémon from Glimwood Tangle. Jahzeel took them. They're probably Shadow Pokémon by now so they can't tell any snooping Harmonias what's going on... then again, Volo would be an idiot to use his signature Pokémon in public now. But these are well-trained. They love him. They're not Pokémon he recently picked up to hide behind. Maybe he can't be Volo.

'Leafeon! Come back! Go! Alcremie!'

Glaceon's Water Pulse left a creamy puddle around Alcremie. It quickly evaporated as Alcremie whipped up Mystical Fire. Two hits took Glaceon out.

'It's up to you, Chansey!'

Chansey looked like it was ready for a cup of tea. Tansy switched Alcremie out for Leafeon. Toxic had no effect since Leafeon was already poisoned. It powered up with Swords Dance and immediately slashed Chansey unconscious with a critical hit of Leaf Blade.

'Ah! You won! You certainly are quite talented! That was fun!'

He took out his wallet. Perhaps he did hard sell books out of genuine enthusiasm, because he didn't seem to care that the prize money repaid them for both books and several more.

'Cheers! That cleared my mind a bit. Hope it cleared yours.'

'Yes, yes.'

The customers watching from the terrace clapped. Desiderio healed their Pokémon and helped Tansy carry Nashira's pram up to the café. Tansy ordered ice-cream for herself and Nashira. Heather wasn't actually interested in tea, so she ordered a strawberry cake and complimentary juice. Free water and Poké Beans were provided for Pokémon. Just in case, Heather checked if any of it was poisoned before they touched it, but it wasn't. She felt stupid for checking. Desiderio was most likely harmless.

Triton called Heather. The café was busy. She didn't dare answer her phone there. They called a Flying Taxi back to Bede's cottage. Neither they nor Nashira wanted to take another bus. Heather called Triton back.

'So? You got the results?'

'Yep... are you ready?'

'Well... I think that question kind of tells me. Or I guess it could be Volo. I like him. I don't want him to be Volo. And it'd be super embarrassing if I thought Volo was hot.'

'Well...'

'Oh, no. Now you're making it sound like he is Volo.'

Maybe he was. Why else was Volo wearing a Freezington Rovers hoodie? Then again, why was Volo listening to the very same song that Queenie had tattooed on her arms and chest?

'I called Volo a DILF, didn't I? Fuck my life. Or maybe he's neither of them? Maybe it's somehow Jahzeel? The revived corpse of Ghetsis?'

'No! No. It's no-one ridiculous. It is one of them. It's...'