Chapter 198: Counting The Spoils
Xiu found another derelict structure in the decaying sprawl of Viridian's Old Town.[1]
This one was even worse than the previous hideouts – little more than a ruin, walls crumbling, roof sagging, the faint scent of mold and decay hanging heavy in the air.
Looks like the original owner didn't just move; they fled. Still, after a cautious sweep of the perimeter with Abra providing psychic surveillance, Xiu deemed it secure enough for the time being. Inside the dusty, debris-strewn main room, he finally allowed himself to process the night's gains.
First, the cash. Abra carefully levitated the stacks from the spatial backpack. Neat bundles of 1,000 Poké Dollar bills. Xiu did a quick count: 7.62 million. Solid amount. Likely the payment from his backers for training those thugs, or maybe laundered funds. He nodded with a smile. Untraceable money was always welcome.
Next were the miscellaneous items: evolution stones, some raw ores, and processed compounds. Difficult to price accurately without appraisal, but hidden alongside that much cash? Definitely valuable. He set them aside.
Then came the paperwork: deeds, account ledgers, gym registration documents.
Xiu skimmed through the main ledger. He noted income streams, expenditures… and then paused. Entries detailed significant income from several commercial properties listed in Viridian's central district.
He flipped back, then checked the bundle of property deeds again. Nothing. No deeds corresponding to those shop locations. His brow furrowed. Did he sell them off? How does a Gym Leader lose control of prime city center assets without it being recorded somewhere? That doesn't make sense. He made a mental note but pushed the puzzle aside for now.
He turned his attention to the letters and the two micro-cassette tapes. Abra levitated one tape, its psychic energy simulating the playback mechanism.
Garbled voices solidified into conversation – the Gym Leader haggling with a middleman, discussing the "training project," the price dropping from a proposed ten million down to eight million.
Other details emerged, but Xiu's expression tightened. Conversations through cutouts, coded language. Tsk. Cunning old fox... He let out a quiet sigh of frustration.
With a pragmatic sigh, Xiu began sorting. The evolution stones and valuable materials went back into his pack. Finder's keepers. The cash was already secured. The account books, the tapes, the letters – these he bundled together.
Without Head Nurse Joy's backing, these deeds are worthless paper anyway. And getting involved in the Gym's messy finances and property disputes? No thanks. He'd rather hand his bundle of cash over. Only the untraceable cash is truly mine.
Finally, after securing the physical loot, Xiu took out the unique Poké Ball recovered from the fleeing Gym Leader – the one belonging to the aged Beedrill. He turned it over in his hand, examining the worn, yellowed casing with its custom insignia. Definitely older tech, higher quality than standard. How did this guy get his hands on it?
Hesitantly, he pressed the release. The aged Beedrill materialized, hovering weakly with its clouded eyes vacant, movement sluggish and uncertain. It seemed lost, almost like an elderly person suffering from severe dementia.
Xiu tried speaking to it again, gently explaining his purpose, but received no discernible reaction. He glanced at Abra, then back at the Beedrill. "I need to understand what happened to your original trainer," he said softly. "Apologies for the intrusion."
Closing his eyes briefly, Xiu directed Abra. Gentle probe. Telepathic contact. Focus on conveying peace— a subtle wave of psychic energy reached out, aiming to bypass language barrier and connect directly through emotion and intent.
The effect was immediate and unexpected. The moment Abra's energy touched the Beedrill's mind, the Pokémon, previously almost catatonic, snapped its head up.
A startling flicker of sharp light flashed within its clouded eyes. Xiu felt a palpable wave of psychic force push back against Abra's probe, staggering his companion mentally for an instant.
Whoa! Xiu instinctively raised a hand, signaling Abra to stop the attempt. Abra immediately threw up a protective psychic barrier around them both. That was… strong.
But just as quickly as it appeared, the flash of resistance vanished. The Beedrill sagged again, its wings beating unevenly, resuming its confused, aimless hovering.
Tricky. This was unlike any Pokémon mind Xiu had encountered. He didn't dare force the issue. He watched the Beedrill slowly turning its head, trying feebly to sense its surroundings. He sighed. "Alright. One step at a time."
He signaled Abra to lower the barrier, then retrieved a nutrient paste tube and a bottle of water from his pack. Slowly, carefully, he offered them to the Beedrill.
The scent of the nutrient paste seemed to register. The Beedrill reacted instinctively, latching onto the tube with surprising eagerness, consuming the contents rapidly. It drained the first tube, then immediately nudged towards him for more.
Xiu obliged, feeding it tube after tube, bottle after bottle, while observing closely. It's starving. He noted the peculiar pattern of scars – concentrated almost entirely on its twin stingers, barely any old wounds on its body.
This was consistent of a highly skilled duelist focusing on parrying and precise strikes, not tanking hits. However, this Beedrill's wasn't just of old; it was also severe neglected. Its abdomen, initially looking streamlined, was actually shriveled and emaciated.
That bastard wasn't feeding it properly, just giving it the bare minimum in that high-quality ball.
As the Beedrill consumed the nutrient paste and water, a noticeable change occurred. Its abdomen gradually filled out, regaining some semblance of healthy proportion. The buzzing of its wings grew stronger, steadier. The milky film over its eyes seemed to recede slightly, though they remained clouded.
After several tubes and bottles, the Beedrill abruptly stopped eating. It pulled back, wings beating more purposefully now, hovering with greater stability. It turned its head, actively scanning its surroundings, a spark of awareness returning whilst a faint smile touched Xiu's lips.
His slight movement, however, seemed to draw its attention. The Beedrill focused on him, its head tilting, the massive stingers raising slightly in a defensive, almost threatening posture.
"Easy," Xiu said quickly, keeping his voice calm and even. "It was me. I fed you. Remember?" He held his hands out, palms open.
Perhaps recalling the recent source of food, or sensing the lack of hostility in Xiu's voice, the Beedrill slowly lowered its stingers, though it remained wary.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Xiu continued softly. "I need your help. I need to know what happened here."
He nodded to Abra again. Try again. Gentler this time. Just convey intent: 'No harm. Only seeking truth.'
This time, the connection established more smoothly. There was still a barrier, a wariness, but not the violent rejection from before. Xiu felt the Beedrill tentatively accept the contact, processing the simple message of non-aggression.
Taking the chance, Xiu projected his questions mentally: Are you the partner of the previous Gym Leader? How did he die? Was the man who fled involved?
The moment the questions registered, the fragile connection fractured— a wave of intense emotion flooded back – grief, anger, betrayal, and confusion – followed by an instantaneous shut down of the psychic link, pushing Abra firmly away once more.
Got close. Too close. Xiu frowned as he dawned with understanding.
The trauma was deep. This wouldn't be easy.
[1] The oldest part of a city is often referred to as the Old City, according to Wikipedia. It is also commonly called the Old Town, or Historic Core.