"The meeting's in five days, so I'll be in Route 102 checking out the Pokémon there until then."

"Norman was excited to talk to you when I told him about your plans at the gym leaders' meeting."

"Thanks for that, it made things easier."

"You're welcome, I have to go, Patite was having a fit." Dealing with an Aerodactyl must be tiring.

"I'll let you know as soon as I talk to Norman, bye."

"Bye."

Well, with that out of the way and restocked, it's time for me to go and catch that Ralts. As soon as Nurse Joy gives me my Pokémon back.

As I drink my Coke, I am once again amazed at the size of the city. I know that what we see in games tends to be an abstraction of what cities and towns look like, so to see them in all their glory is astonishing. Petalburg is a city with a number of lakes and groves dotting the landscape, and it is easy to see why it has become a city in just a decade.

"Professor Poplar, your Pokémon are ready."

I hear the intercom and start walking towards the reception, dragging a few glances with me.

"Here, they are healthy and thanks for the advice on the Goomy." The nurse hands me my Pokéballs.

"Don't mention it, they are rare Pokémon, so it's only natural that I say you can't touch them directly."

"You wouldn't believe how many trainers assume we know everything about Pokémon." She laughs softly.

"It shows how trustworthy Pokémon Centres are."

"True, are you staying the night?"

"I won't."

"Understood, have a safe journey."

"Thank you."

I leave the centre and head towards Route 102, where I can relax until the meeting, but I'll focus on what's important there.

-------

"Roberto."

"Anorith?"

"Remember when I say we will focus once here."

"Rith."

"How come we still haven't seen a single Ralt after combing the whole route?"

"Rith." He shrugs.

"It's been five days, we have to get to the gym before dark."

"Goomy, my, my, my."

"Bel, stop laughing and get out of the pool."

Bel leaves the pool, still laughing, as I begin to pack the camp, grumbling. Roberto was resting in the grass, oblivious to my plight.

"Bel come back, Roberto stay close, we are going back."

Luckily I was close to Petalburg as I started to walk back since yesterday, trying not to think about how frustrating it was that I couldn't get the Ralts, regardless I will keep looking for them as soon as I talk to Norman no matter how long it takes.

An hour later, I arrive at the gym to be greeted by a hole in the wall being repaired, which I am pretty sure was not there when I left.

"Excuse me, what happened?" I ask the gym trainer who was supervising the work.

"Some thugs from Team Rocket were trying to steal the Pokémon."

He says, turning around before his eyes widen as he recognises me.

"Professor! Are you here for the meeting?"

"Yes, but the Team Rocket?"

"The Gym Leader will know better, please come in, I'll take you there."

It's still strange to see grown men treating me with such respect when I'm only 14, but I guess it's the meritocratic nature of the Pokémon world, I mean in the 9th Generation, one of the Elite 4 was nine, I think?

After giving instructions to the workers, he led me into the gym, where we passed many rooms before reaching Norman, who was looking intently at a pile of paperwork.

"Sir, I brought Professor Poplar."

"Is it late already? *Thanks Berke, I'll take it from here."

"Yes, sir."

Berke apologised and left the room, Norman is just as I remember him from the games, a man with an enviable posture.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Marcus Poplar." I offer my hand.

"Likewise, Norman Maple." He stands and clasps my hand with a firm and steady grip.

When the greeting is over, he gestures for me to sit down.

"At our last meeting, Roxanne told me you had a proposition for me, I want to hear it from you."

"Of course, but first can you tell me what happened with Team Rocket?"

"Ah, that."

He looked embarrassed.

"Don't worry, they were taken care of. As you may know, Professor Oak's sponsored coach is in the area, he and the Team Rocket grunts who were here yesterday have a history together, we dealt with them yesterday."

So I miss Ash by one day, I wonder if I'll get to see Brendan or if I'll miss him too.

"Where is he now? If I may know?"

"He's on his way to Rustboro with my children. It's a shame you weren't here, Max wanted to meet you." He smiles at the mention of his son.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Your son, right? I wouldn't worry, if our meeting today goes well, he may get to see me in the future."

"Then don't keep me waiting."

I take a folder with all the information about my next work for my bag.

"This is the Ursaluna project, please read it."

Wordlessly, he takes the papers out of the folder and begins to read, becoming more and more excited as time goes by, even though his face remains unchanged, his breathing becomes more and more agitated.

"How true is this information?"

"As true as Kleavor. Both the Ursaluna and Kleavor projects are derivatives of my thesis, Noble Pokémon and Where to Find Them, I offer you the same deal I made with the Rustboro Gym with the Kleavor project, and if our cooperation brings satisfactory results, I have knowledge of at least two more evolutions of normal-type Pokémon."

He thinks for a moment.

"To be honest, this is a great offer, but why this gym? You could have opened your own lab and reaped all the benefits."

"Because you have ties to the Jotho region, all these Pokémon are native to that place, and I want to go on my journey."

"Your journey?"

"Despite what I have achieved, I am 14 years old, and I want to see the world and search for the things I love and long for."

Like a Gardevoir.

"I see... I forgot for a moment that you are not much older than my son. I accept your offer, I'll contact Nigel to get the papers from the Union."

"I hope for a fruitful cooperation. Do you have ursarings in the gym or do we have to wait for a batch?"

"I have bringed some from Jotho, although I have to ask, what is a peat block?"

"Well, peat is, how to explain, a type of soil formed from plant and organic matter."

"How do we get it?"

"......"

"......"

"I don't think anyone sells it, but it's common in bogs or swamps."

"They are more common in the north of Hoenn."

"Let's do this, you do the paperwork with the Union, I fly to Fortree and look for the peat in Route 120."

"I feel like I got the short end of the stick."

"It's not like you can leave the gym during the season."

"*Sight* You are right."

We continue to iron out the details of our deal before I leave the Gym and go to the Pokémon Center to eat and spend the night.

--------

I look at Roberto and Bel sleeping in the pool and being cute, and as I prepare to go to sleep.

*Ring* *Ring*

Who can that be at this hour? I answer the call.

"Yes."

"Marcus, sorry about the time." Steven's voice straighten me out.

"No problem Steven, what's up?"

"Earlier today Team Magma stole some important pieces from an employee of Devon Corp. This, along with other evidence, gives me grounds to declare them a terrorist organisation, so your contract with them will no longer have a legal basis."

Part of me is relieved to sever my ties with Magma, but the other part is worried.

"Where did this theft take place?"

"In Rustboro, as soon as the employee in charge of the parts was alone, he was attacked."

This is early, they are impatient to get to Sootopolis and for that they need the submarine the parts are for.

"Thanks for telling me Steven, I was planning a trip to Route 120 but that can wait, I have something to tell you."

"Carry on."

"I think I know where the orbs are."

"Is that true?"

"Yes. They are on Mt Pyre, guarded by the family who run the place."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Only you, I would like to go there to confirm what I have just said."

"Where are you now?"

"At the Petalburg City Pokémon Center."

"I don't like the idea of exposing you, but you're the only one I know who knows more about the orbs and everything around them. I'm busy, so I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning. Just don't tell Roxanne."

I shudder.

"I won't, good night."

"Good night and good luck."

I hang up the phone.

This is bad, if this continues Team Magma will fall early and that is a good thing, it also means that Team Aqua will go unchallenged and they are much more dangerous than Magma.

I don't know what they'll do once I've secured the orbs to awaken Kyogre, and without Brendan involved in the whole mess, I hope things don't get any worse.

Worrying won't solve anything, I've got a busy morning, so I'll just go to sleep.

-------

As I wait for the person to pick me up, I can't help but regret that I'll have to postpone my search for Ralts for a while.

And I am getting nervous about the possibility of Roxanne getting wind of this and going all big sister on me... She is only 24, I wish I was transmigrated into an older body so I could get over this dynamic we have.

My feelings aside, yesterday's events confirm that Ash is on a steady journey and Brendan is MIA for the moment, I could always ask Nigel about him, tough.

A shadow in the sky interrupts my Toughs and I can't help but wonder.

Why is a big-ass Swanna coming my way?