Pokémon Mars

Chapter 13: Stuck in Pens

Thalassa didn't want to leave any of the Pokémon on their own out there now. Graveler, Boldore and a few more Geodude were out of reach. She glanced from them to the mouth of the lava tube before rushing back in. Jin was watching the Ferroseed. He looked up. He smiled sadly to himself inside, because he was sure Thalassa's ex-girlfriend would have appreciated the sight of her in a spacesuit, surrounded by Pokémon that were usually too busy showing off their strength to be affectionate, but simply adored her.

'All good?'

'The Pokémon are, but there are weirdos with loads of Beldum, Metang and Metagross out there...'

'Whaaat?'

'They're using the group only thing. I can't hear them.'

'Yo! Nyx! There're weirdos outside! Hack 'em!'

Nyx was finally dozing, but after a sip of bottled iced coffee that went warm in the tent, she opened her laptop and quickly gained access to the communications outside.

'Yes... I think here is fine. There are caves for them to shelter in if necessary.'

The leader of the expedition had a Galarian accent. Jin grimaced.

'Ugh! It's that Primo Walterson!'

Callerya shared his scowl. They were all wide awake now.

'Who gave him a permit to release Pokémon here?'

'Some plonker in an office,' Jin grumbled, 'Who wouldn't even know – and doesn't care – what all these different Pokémon might do to each other. Bloody wanker! Where did he get off, calling me names? I've been planning this for nine years! Since I was 13! Don't think we can say the same for him. What's his degree in, anyway?'

Their internet connection, delivered by a mast on Mt. Silver that hadn't been checked over for years, was slow. Roto-Search eventually told Nyx that Primo's degree, from Hammerlocke University, was in the same fields as Thalassa's: Mathematics and Physics. She shook her head.

'He can hardly introduce Pokémon with that. I wouldn't have a clue what I'm doing without you lot.'

'Exactly! But I'd make mistakes without you. We can only do it together. And it sounds like those losers with him are just his minions...'

Callerya stood. 'We can't just let him leave those Pokémon here. Ours might fight if they didn't know each other. And any Metagross will be much stronger than our Pokémon. They'll steal all the food we drop. They might even eat our cameras and stuff. I'm going to speak to him.'

Nyx and Joshua went with her. Joshua requested access to the strangers' communications. He was their team leader, after all.

'This is Dr. Joshua Pickett. Requesting access.'

'Access granted.'

They could see the name on Primo's spacesuit by then. He held up a hand in greeting.

'This is Team Utopia. How may we help you?'

'Right, well... I don't know who gave you a permit to release Pokémon here, but they were a bit stupid. We've just released a bunch of them. They probably won't get on with yours. We've had our permits for two years, by the way.'

'...I see. Well, I doubt it'll be a problem. Pokémon aren't like people.'

Callerya counted to 10 in her head. She had to resist the urge to shout at that patronising man.

'Excuse me, Sir, but in a place like this, it'll be "survival of the fittest." Your Metagross have an unfair advantage. We put a lot of effort in to making sure our Pokémon don't, but that means yours will just take all the stuff we drop for them. You'll have to find somewhere else.'