Ash's Story (Part 5: Modern Sinnoh)

Chapter 32: Arcade Chance

Morning came gently over the village near Route 209. The roofs still glistened from the night mist, and the old woman who fed us after the Spiritomb crisis pressed warm rice balls into our hands before we left.

Spiritomb's Poké Ball rested quietly at my belt. It did not shake with anger anymore, but I could still feel the weight of what happened at the Hallowed Tower.

Lillie walked beside me, watching the ball for a moment before smiling softly. "It feels calmer this morning."

"I think it is listening," I said.

Pikachu rode on my shoulder and touched the ball with one paw. Pikachu's meaning came carefully. "Old anger is sleeping, not gone. Walk gently."

I nodded, because that sounded right. Some wounds did not disappear just because one battle ended. Chimchar had taught us that before becoming Monferno, and Spiritomb had shown the same truth in a darker way.

The road toward Solaceon Town curved along a river before noon. We heard shouting before we saw the bridge.

"Hold that beam!" a woman called from the riverbank. "No, not there! If the left side shifts again, the whole frame will twist!"

We hurried forward and found an unfinished wooden bridge stretching only halfway across the river. Several Bibarel stood near piles of cut stone and timber, refusing to move despite a red-faced head engineer waving papers at them.

A young woman in a hard hat turned when she saw us. "Sorry, travelers. The bridge is closed until we solve this mess."

"I'm Ash," I said. "Can we help?"

She looked relieved before the head engineer snapped his ruler against his plan board.

"We do not need children helping," he barked. "We need these lazy Bibarel to follow the blueprint."

One Bibarel slapped its tail hard against the mud, splashing its boots.

Bidoof waddled forward from my side, ears lifting as it studied the half-built supports. It sniffed one beam, then gave a worried cry.

Lillie crouched beside Bidoof. "You think something is wrong too?"

The young woman nodded. "I'm Isis. The Bibarel stopped working after the last frame started leaning. I think they know the river current better than the plan does."

"Ridiculous," the head engineer snapped. "Pokémon are workers, not architects."

Bidoof's fur bristled with offended determination.

Tox folded his arms. "That is exactly how someone gets people hurt."

The argument ended when Team Rocket's balloon rose from behind a stack of timber. A metal claw shot down and grabbed the construction team's Machamp and two Machoke before anyone could react.

"Team Rocket!" Dawn shouted in immediate recognition.

Jessie posed on the balloon platform. "When a bridge needs drama, we provide it!"

James held a lever with forced confidence. "When strong Pokémon need new employment, we provide that too!"

Meowth grinned from the controls. "And when twerps get distracted, we grab the real muscle and scram!"

The claw pulled the struggling Machamp and Machoke upward. The unfinished frame groaned as the sudden movement dragged ropes and supports out of place.

"Everyone back!" Isis cried with urgent fear.

The head engineer ran toward the leaning frame instead. "No! Keep building! We cannot lose another day!"

The river slammed against the temporary supports. One beam cracked.