Pokémon Mars

Chapter 35: Appointment at the Town Hall

It was early afternoon at the Birch Lab, five hours behind Ironville. Betty's eyes were tired and bloodshot. She stared at her computer screen for over 24 hours now, studying data from the orbiters and the lab's machines before they were switched off. She noticed something, or rather someone. At a glance, it was easy to assume the lone person wandering around the Olivine Canyon day after day, year after year, was an Ares astronaut or member of Team Magma, but they couldn't be identified by any normal means.

The orbiters could spot rovers from afar. Humans were so tiny compared to the planet that they were only specks, but Betty was certain that when she compared the speck from 10 years ago to the speck that appeared recently, it grew with time. It used more oxygen and ate more.

If this wanderer couldn't be identified, they were either a stray Ares astronaut or from the so-called Origin Village. Betty was certain it was the latter. It was a child from the Origin Village, wandering the wilderness alone, but what were they doing near the Olivine Canyon? Linchee had long fallen asleep. Farah was busy examining the data Jin sent on the Heatran prints. Betty kept talking anyway.

'Well, I know what they're doing there. That place near Mt. Coronet isn't their only settlement. They could be everywhere, which would explain all the disappearances... but since a disproportionate number of those are Ares, not Team Magma or Aqua, I still think Rudolph and his architect buddy are responsible for most of them.'

Farah heard the end of what she said.

'I agree.'

'Well, I think I'm done... I know what I want to know. That's a kid growing up. A kid who isn't from Ares or either of the teams. They're obviously from the Origin Village, but I still don't think they're "real Martians." I guess that just tells us they've been here for...'

Betty turned her tired eyes back to her scribbled notes to check when she first spotted the child.

'At least 14 years. Since 2095.'

'But if that kid is Sonnet...'

'I don't think it's necessarily Sonnet.'

'Is the person still there now?'

'No... they haven't been around for, like, a month. So it could be Sonnet, but I think we're just assuming it is because he's the only one we know.'

'I was just going to say that if he was born here, or arrived very young, we can probably add five years or more to that estimate.'

'Yeah. True. How're you doing with those prints?'

'Well... Jin already found some Pokémon DNA in the samples. He sent the digital analysis through. I just tested it... and it's 100% real Heatran DNA.'

'Wooow!'

Betty's eyes lit up. She no longer looked so tired.

'How old are they? I guess I shouldn't get excited 'til we know if some numpty brought it here...'

'I don't know if I can tell from the samples he shared... they're too small. I don't know if he even has more. But I'll let him know.'

Jin left the lab by then. He asked Nyx if she could help him choose skateboards for his Pokémon and, possibly, some Roller Skates for him. They were at the mall when Mercury found his invitation. He knew Jin told them not to walk around alone anymore, but no-one else was home. Eden was repairing the bubble. Thalassa and Callerya went to the gay bar with Julien. Not that Callerya was attracted to women at all, but everyone was welcome.

'Whaaat?!'

Jin scowled when Mercury found them in the sports store.

'What does he want from you?'