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

Chapter 69: The Fairy Badge

Heather set out to cycle to Ballonlea Stadium as the sun's light filled the sky that managed to peer through the leafy roof. Pluto followed her on Wyrdeer. Perry took off to Wedgehurst over their heads.

'Smell ya later, losers!'

Tansy shook her head. She couldn't fly with Nashira, but they certainly weren't taking the bus. They got in Bede's pink car that once belonged to his mentor, Opal. Jamie did take the bus. He wanted to scan the streets, especially those around the Gym Leader's home, for anything suspicious.

The Team Plasma Grunt above the post office, with a bandage around her head where Poppy hit her with the mug, didn't recognise Jamie in his disguise. She didn't stop watching when he stood at the bus stop.

So that's where the spies hang out. I'd ask where Jahzeel got the money to rent all these places, but it's not his money, is it? It's Tance's money.

Two stops later, a woman in a Shadow Force t-shirt boarded the bus. The shirt itself wasn't suspicious. Jamie could only see a small part of the logo on the hat that stuck out of her bag, but he would have recognised that shade of blue anywhere. He was terrified enough of the Team Plasma logo as a child.

This place is crawling with them. Their main base is somewhere under here. No doubt about it.

Yet what were they doing? The woman disembarked at an alternative clothing shop. Jamie followed her, wondering if the shop hid an entrance to Team Plasma's hideout, but it didn't. She genuinely worked there... but while following another customer to attempt to hard sell everything in her size, she snatched one of the Great Balls from her bag. A colleague took it to a back room.

But are this lot really Team Plasma? Or are they Team Volo?

Jamie assumed the owner was clueless, because he yawned as he read a newspaper at the cash desk, but perhaps he wasn't. Perhaps it was a Team Plasma shop. Jamie found shirts bearing a distressed Team Plasma logo on a top shelf. There was an expensive jacket covered in patches, one of which was that distinctive 'P.'

A Shadow Force song replaced a popular new song, Death Is Dead by Dirty Dolls, on the speakers. Zelimir, or rather Volo, screamed about how Arceus had no heart.

Who listens to this shit?

Another jacket was covered in Arceus-related patches. The flyers in a rack advertised a tattoo parlour whose work included Caroline's Team Plasma tattoo and many Arceus-inspired designs.

I guess all the Grunts don't even realise Volo isn't actually working for Team Plasma.

Jamie felt he had to buy something after spending so long in there. He bought the Team Plasma and Arceus jackets, a Shadow Force t-shirt and another t-shirt with Galatea's face, from a horror movie where she played a murderous cult member, on it.

These might actually come in handy.

'My daughter's gonna love all this.'

The owner curtly nodded as he counted out change.

'Hope so.'

Jamie hoped he might offer a Team Plasma membership. He launched into a story about stage diving with Zelimir and Galatea at a nearby pub instead.

'There is no way Zel is that Volo, mate. He's a legend.'

'I... actually have no idea which one is which. My daughter's the big fan.'

At least everyone believed Jamie in that disguise. He felt like his bag was contagious as he hurried on to the pub the man mentioned, keeping out of sight of any cameras. He glanced around. There was no-one looking. He climbed up into a tree and let himself in to the pub through a window on the top floor. It was empty. The rooms were used exclusively by the musicians who played there. No-one was playing that night. Jamie searched the whole pub, but there was no secret trapdoor to Team Plasma's hideout.