A/N: Please check out CH. 15 again. I went through each chapter for edits before I started writing again, and that chapter I feel changed enough to warrant a re-read. The end isn't changed, but to me feels much better. Thank you for reading!
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[Augustine Sycamore POV, Sycamore Lab]
"Hmm, it looks like another Legendary incident," a young woman said, turning to Professor Sycamore. Her computer screen showed a world map with several orange dots and two red rings. She pointed to one of the rings. "This second event happened just last night in Paldea. It looks like it occurred in the Great Crater."
"Tch," the older man responded, his eyebrows furrowing. "You'd think with them applying to join the League they'd be asking for help during an emergency."
"You and I both know Trainers prefer to handle things themselves, especially when they get to Elite Four levels."
"C'est exact, Araceli," the Professor sighed. "Hopefully they will let us know if something truly dangerous appears. We can't have another Pasio or Alola."
"Why does Calem think that's going to happen?" Araceli asked. "My brother told me about his interactions with Marco, and I don't think he's going to be a threat."
"It's not Marco specifically, Araceli. It's the situation as a whole. What do you remember about the Team Flare situation?" Augustine understood why people didn't feel the same sense of urgency as Calem. He often didn't either. But then he'd think about his lack of action against Lysandre, and everything Calem was forced to go through. Not many people understood Calem saw the Ultimate Weapon's use and Geosenge's destruction firsthand, which meant they could never understand how he felt about threats that popped up.
"I was seventeen when it happened. I'd just gotten my first Gym Badge," she answered. Araceli fell into her thoughts, taking a moment to answer. "When we heard Geosenge Town was hit by the Ultimate Weapon, we were scared it would fire again and hit everywhere. But then you and everyone announced Team Flare was defeated, and we celebrated. Jules fell to the floor in relief, actually."
"I'm glad the swift announcement helped alleviate your peur, Araceli. But Calem was there. Everything happened right in front of him. The destruction of Geosenge, the deaths of civilians and Trainers, he witnessed it," Augustine explained, head turning to a nearby window. Araceli's eyes were wide-open, a ghost in her chair. "When he called me right after, he couldn't speak. His face… I will never forget his expression. The hollowness and lack of emotion devastated me in the moment."
Augustine turned to her. "That is why I follow Calem and do my best to support him when he needs me. He's much stronger than I, and more than willing to face danger de front."
Two pings rang out from the computer. An orange dot and red ring appeared on the screen. The dot appeared above a town in northwest Unova, most likely Icirrus City. The red ring blinked on top of what Augustine recognized as Ecruteak City.
'Icirrus and Ecruteak,' Augustine thought. 'The Dragonspiral Tower and the Bell Tower. The Tao Trio and Tower Duo. If the Legendaries are stirring again, this could get bad.'
"Calling Calem, Professor," Araceli interrupted his musings. "The Infinity Energy levels spiked just like the others."
"Don't worry, we have another meeting in an hour. I'll let him know. Thank you, Araceli."
'I hope your theory of an unknown Legendary isn't true, Calem.'
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[Marco POV, Santalune Forest]
The next day found Inkay and I in the forest. The Rangers Association paid me 2000$ for helping with the Pokémon without significantly damaging property and told me the Fuecoco had been causing trouble in the city for a while now. They promised a bigger payout for catching her.
I used that money to buy some camping supplies. 2160$ bought me a pop-up tent, sleeping bag, solar-powered lantern, cast-iron pan, axe, knife, compass, water bottle, solar-powered portable stove, cooking and eating utensils, and a set of camping dinnerware. Most of it didn't fit in my fanny pack, so a proper backpack was next on my list.
After yesterday's side quest, Inkay's Psychic abilities increased to a level where the city was too distracting for meditating. Since Inkay whooped some ass and mastered Peck to a reasonable level, I figured we were fine to go outside of the city as long as we stayed within view.
A five-minute walk was enough to find a comfortable spot for Inkay to start meditating. While he did that, I figured it would be productive for me to improve my own athletics and practical skills for the journey. I brought the axe, knife, and compass. When I practiced cutting wood, I used the compass itself to orient myself and find my way back without my phone's Map app. I used the knife to practice some cutting and stabbing, using trees and the few pieces of "firewood" as practice dummies.
I also started a workout routine, with basic squats, push-ups, jump ups, dead hangs, and pull-ups as the core exercises. It was nice. It felt like I was starting to find a rhythm to my new life. That would change when I started collecting the Badges, but that was the future. For now, I was going to enjoy my new life in Santalune City.
As Inkay meditated, Psychic energy visibly manifested around his mantle. It slowly circled around him, turning from a cloud of cotton candy to a magenta ring of energy. I made sure to stay quiet. This was the first time I'd seen this happen, which I had no doubts resulted from yesterday's fight with Fuecoco. It was honestly crazy to see the effects of a Pokémon battle. Before the battle, Inkay barely managed to get Hypnosis out within eight seconds. During the fight, he was pushing out Hypnosis AND Psybeams in roughly five seconds. Peck took less time, but it clearly wasn't mastered yet.
The fight must have revealed something to Inkay because once the Psychic energy condensed even more and looked like a ring of pink metal, it melted and covered his tentacles. My starter was moving Psychic energy around his body. It looked like liquid mercury as it moved. Every time it moved around his mantle, some of the energy stayed behind and seeped itself into Inkay's head.
After a few minutes of Inkay moving the energy like this, he only had a thin wisp of energy left to absorb. Once it was all gone, Inkay slowly sank to the floor. Suddenly, his eyes popped open.
"Inkaaaayyyyyy!" he shouted out, Psychic energy coating his tentacles. I stopped chopping wood and walked over to him. Inkay held the energy, a proud smile spreading on his face. I rubbed the top of his mantle, and the energy didn't waver as he enjoyed the head rub.
"Fucking A," I congratulated him. "I think we'll have to celebrate soon. What do you say we go to an All-You-Can-Eat restaurant?"
"Kay!" my starter readily agreed.