Alex, having been left to his own devices with access to Jubilife Village, decided to go on a shopping spree of his own. He had only had a bit of time earlier to sell his Alpha Alakazam while escorting Cogita, but now that he was free, he went around and bought basic necessities.
He purchased camping gear, a sleeping bag, pillows, blankets, and more so he could sleep comfortably out in the wild. He also bought some cooking utensils, along with spices, fruits, and vegetables. Just because he primarily ate meat didn't mean he wouldn't eat anything else. A complete, balanced diet was the most important factor for maintaining a strong body.
Once he finished gathering the basics, he considered putting some effort into hunting bandits, but the lack of reliable information made it impractical. Reports were scattered and inconsistent, and only a few bandits were named at all. The most notable were the Miss Fortune sisters, Charm, Clover, and Coin, who were only known to steal and nothing else.
Tracking them down would require doing things the slow way, such as following clues to their hideout. A long-term sting operation was another option, using himself or others as bait, but the reward for their capture simply wasn't appealing enough for the effort involved.
With those plans set aside, he spent the rest of the day shopping for a month's worth of supplies before leaving the village. He knew when his presence wasn't welcome, and it didn't make sense to force himself to stay. He preferred the untamed nature anyway.
He made his way east toward the Crimson Mirelands with the goal of reaching Lake Valor. It was close to the portal leading into the Distortion World, so Alex figured staying near it would put him closer to the girls when they came through. If everything went well, he hoped he would emerge at the same moment they left, letting him meet them on the other side.
He ran through open fields, jumped over rivers, and climbed up mountain ranges while circling the southern side of Mt. Coronet. He ate when he needed to and slept when it was dark. He made friends with Pokémon when they didn't show hostility and ate those that picked fights. Overall, it was the most peaceful journey he had ever experienced, but the calm was starting to take its toll.
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Sensing the threat descending from above, Gardevoir acted immediately. At her command, the water team fired Hydro Pumps straight into the sky, forming a column of water that punched through the center mass of the layers of Rock Slides.
Rocks started falling around them, creating a natural barrier between them and the enemies who had them surrounded. Rain fell as a result of the excessive use of Water type moves, bathing them in a light mist.
Rather than return fire, Gardevoir continued to maintain their reactive defense. This ensured they had the stamina needed to fight multiple opponents as the humans discussed.
"Tsk," Brutus spat when he noticed the futility of his attacks.
The formation he was fighting was too comprehensive and would require significant sacrifice to bring down. Fortunately, all he had to do was wait them out while ensuring they didn't manage to escape. And for that, he had plenty of Dugtrio at the ready with Arena Trap to prevent teleportation.
"You know, I normally would never pick a fight with you like this," Brutus said in an obvious effort to buy time. "I consider myself a very successful coward, so confrontation has never been my style."
"Yeah, you just prefer massacring people through tricks," Sable shot back. "Like that cave-in you caused at the Oreburgh Mine."
"THAT WAS NOT MY FAULT!" he shouted in rage. "Those dickheads in corporate needed someone to blame, and I was not about to go down for a fucking accident."
"Is that what you tell yourself to help you sleep at night?"
"Drill Run!" Brutus shouted.
His Champion ranked Excadrill and Rhyperior charged forward with Drill Run, side by side, followed by the rest of his Champions, Steelix, Aggron, Magnezone, and Bastiodon. Once they reached the front of the formation, they tried to break through but were met with fierce resistance from Arcanine and Kommo-o, who blocked their advance with Close Combats while they were shielded with Protect.
The Champions clashed briefly before retreating, unable to pierce the formation and only further infuriating Brutus.
"All together, Dig, Rock Slide, and Drill Run!" he shouted.
Gardevoir stayed a step ahead as she countered every angle of attack. The water team fired Hydro Pumps to clear the skies, while the defense team used Earthquakes to fend off attackers tunneling from underground. The attack team at the perimeter of the formation clashed with the Champions, receiving the occasional Heal Pulse whenever there was a slip in Protect.
This pattern continued for a while before Brutus called off the assault, considering his other options.
"What's the matter?" Sable taunted. "That all you got? You know, for a Champion ranked trainer, you kinda suck."
"No, but it seems your time is up, and I've spent enough of your stamina to count as a proper effort," Brutus said with a smile.
Beside him, the light of an incoming Teleport glowed, revealing a Claydol and a heavyset man who looked ready for a mountain hike, Rowan Trekker, the Master ranked trainer.
"Good work, Brutus. You'll get your money once I reach my base with the girl," Rowan said.
"That's fine with me, but I want those two included as part of the payment," Brutus replied, pointing to Lyra and Mika.
"Deal. Now take the east side and cut off their escape while I break their formation."
"Sure."
Brutus took his team and circled around while Rowan released his thirty Champion ranked Pokémon and Master ranked Rhyperior. They formed a loose concave around the west side of the girls' formation, while Brutus reinforced the other directions, completely trapping them inside.
Without any fanfare, Rowan began a bombardment on his side while Brutus continued his previous tactics to wear down the girls.
Meanwhile, Gardevoir adjusted their formation. The defense team moved to the outer perimeter to block any Champion's attacks from slipping through. The attack team shifted to Rowan's side to contend with the Master ranked Rhyperior. The water team moved to Brutus's side and maintained a continuous Surf to hold off the Champions.
Sable's team focused on fending off intruders emerging from underground with Earthquakes, while Gardevoir and Espeon alternated using Expanding Force to clear the skies of Rock Slides. Every Pokémon contributed, either attacking or using Protect, to ensure their survival, but they were only delaying the inevitable.
"Charge in and break them," Rowan ordered.
His Champion ranked Pokémon split to either side, while the Rhyperior charged front and center. It lifted its leg and slammed it down with full force, unleashing a devastating Earthquake that cratered the ground beneath them. The impact tore the ground apart, collapsing it into a jagged crater filled with loose soil and scattered debris.
In the chaos that followed, the girls' formation was immediately shattered as the Earthquake reshaped the battlefield. The sudden shift disoriented them, breaking their perfect coordination and sending them tumbling down.
The Champions, already accustomed to this tactic from training, followed up with close-range physical attacks. They leapt between falling debris and the cratered wall to pick off vulnerable Pokémon one at a time.
Fortunately, Rotom was ready. It retrieved every Pokémon that was about to be knocked out, including the girls' Pokémon that Alex had registered with Lifeline. This prevented any casualties from the chaos, ensuring everyone was safely tucked away in the backpack.
After the fall, Gardevoir reformed the formation with noticeably fewer Pokémon. They had lost roughly 30% of their numbers from that single devastating move. Fortunately, the losses were limited to Lyra and Mika's Pokémon, who weren't trained well enough to use Protect mid-fall.
Unfortunately, they found themselves in a crater, surrounded on all sides by Brutus and Rowan's Pokémon, which had dropped down along with them, while their trainers looked on from above with smug expressions.
"Give up!" Rowan shouted. "You're outnumbered, outranked, and in hostile territory. You have no chance of fighting your way out of this."
"Oh, yeah?" Sable shouted back. "Too bad you're not leaving any way out for me or the girls. Looks like we'll just have to fight you to the death."
"Hm… how about a deal, then?" Rowan said after considering Sable's point. "You come work for me, and I'll make sure the other two are taken care of."
"Hey!" Brutus shouted from the opposite side. "We had a deal!"
"I'll pay you for your services, but I also need to keep my new employee satisfied. If you have a problem with that, I'll honor our arrangement only if you can deliver the girl to me alive."
"Bullshit. This is not what we agreed."
"And what are you going to do about it?"
Brutus fumed but held his tongue. He knew Rowan would tear through his team with ease, especially that menacing Rhyperior that had shattered hardened ground with a single Earthquake. He had no choice now but to ensure the girls were captured rather than killed.
"Fine. You want them alive? I'll get them to you alive," Brutus said, already thinking of how to back up his words. Then he caught a flicker of movement behind Rowan, and his eyes widened in shock.
One moment he was making a deal with Rowan on the other side of the crater; the next, Rowan's head was twisted at an impossible angle while a well‑armored hobo stood behind the now lifeless man, staring at him with wild eyes, a terrifying smile, and a gun he had never seen before.
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