The Confidence Within.

Emerald's Plea

"I-uhm Emerald. Wha-" I stumbled over my words. Emerald seemed to be completely disheveled. His clothes were torn and his hair was a complete mess. "What happened?"

Wow, it's this guy again. What happened to his face? He looks way less cool now Wal. I returned Kirlia to his Pokeball to stop his word vomit.

May and Brendan had their mouths shut. They looked at each other with their eyebrows raised.

Emerald put his hand on his chest and caught his breath. "I'll explain everything in just a moment. I just need to rest for a moment."

I closed my mouth and waited for Emerald to speak again. It didn't take long for him to slightly recompose himself. "I suppose I have some explaining to do. Do you remember Team Crown from Verdanturf town?"

I nodded and Brendan's head perked up. "Oh yeah those are the nuts we battled back in Lilycove, weren't they?"

"Ah, so you've encountered them once again? Well, I have a... personal vendetta against the team. So I've been trying to track down my-their leader. From what I've been able to find he's heading towards Sootopolis City." Emerald explained, taking very notable pauses while explaining. "I don't believe I can beat him alone. I need your assistance so I can corner him."

I had absolutely no idea how to process what he was telling me. Brendan took the lead instead though. "Well sure we can help you but what's this crazy guy even want to do at Sootopolis?"

Emerald rubbed his temples. "I'm not sure. I can only imagine it has to do with his desire to destroy all of Hoenn. So he can rebuild it into New Hoenn."

May and Brendan's curiosity had been piqued at this point. "New Hoenn? We're going to need a better explanation than this." May said.

Emerald sighed and then looked around. "I... suppose I'll have to explain a little more of what I know but... if so can we please go somewhere with food? It's been quite a painful week."

The four of us went into a nearby restaurant to eat something while Emerald explained his full dilemma.

"You see Team Crown are a group of villains who believe they're part of some ancient royal line. They also view themselves as entitled to this land. They have some sort of powerful Pokémon under their control that they're using to destroy all of Hoenn." Emerald explained, afterward, he dug into his food.

Brendan's eyes darted back and forth while he furrowed his brow. "Hang on... destroy all of Hoenn? Are these guys the ones screwing with the environment?"

"That would make sense. The Pokémon's powers are relatively weak from what I know so it would be a slow buildup." Emerald said after swallowing down an entire bowl of soup.

May clenched her fists. "So hang on, how do you know so much about these crazies anyway?"

Emerald seemed to plan out his next words very carefully. "I have informants who would rather Hoenn not be destroyed and I've taken it upon myself to prevent that destruction."

I decided that I had sat in silence for long enough. "So what happened to you after you left? That made you so... hurt?" I wasn't sure how to phrase things but I wanted to know what had left him all battered during the week we'd been apart.

"Well... it's dangerous work trying to take down an organization bent on destroying the region. I'll spare you the details but some members don't give up until they AND their Pokémon are defeated." Emerald explained to me.

Brendan shot up. "Well, that settles it. Let's go and stop this guy before he can cause any more damage!"

May opened her mouth to say something but clamped it shut. Emerald finished his food and we went down to the docks where a boat was set to depart for Sootopolis City soon.