Pokémon Homecoming | A Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 78: Money Talks

On the other side of the factory was utter chaos. Local police, responding to calls from concerned Galar Minerals employees, were trampled by rampaging Shadow Pokémon. Their Trainers could barely control them. Janice revived Eternatus. Screaming people scattered as Dynamaxed Pokémon were abruptly forced back to their regular forms. Guzma joined all six of his Pokémon in the mayhem. He whirled his heavy Team Skull pendant to whack his opponents. His knuckles were bloodied from relentless punches. Hau worked his way through the Pokémon he weakened with Acerola and Guzma. He rarely got Anabel's attention to check they were Shadow Pokémon, but after the battle with Randal, Tapu Koko began to sense it.

A new surge of Peons led by Ardos set on Victor. Bede threw himself in front of Eternatus. He was hurled over turning heads by a Shadow Machamp. It was slammed into the ground by his protective Hatterene's psychic power. Hop, separated from his friends, stood on Dubwool's back to aim an Ultra Ball at Machamp. Michael's Ursaring shoved Peons aside. He was prepared to challenge his old nemesis, Ardos. Crowds parted for a limousine. It braked smoothly before Hop and Dubwool. A suited man huffed out. His fluffy hair was overtaken by a bald patch.

'Order! Order!'

He was ignored. It infuriated him. He glared at the first person he locked eyes with. Hop glared defiantly back.

'Want to fight, do you?'

'Is that a threat?'

'Should it be?'

'Think you're being smart, eh? This is no place for Galarian schoolboys.'

A Sceptile leapt from his Poké Ball onto the limousine's bonnet. Hop withdrew Dubwool and sent out Cinderace.

'Pyro Ball!'

A well-trained Sceptile could outspeed Cinderace. Hop had more experience. Pyro Ball rammed Sceptile through the window. Smashed glass drew blood. It writhed to put out the flames wilting its tail, but it was trapped. Hop's aim rivalled Michael's. His Ultra Ball swallowed Sceptile. See, Lee, perfecting my Poké Ball throw wasn't so pointless after all. It clicked. His opponent peered, baffled, into the limousine.

'Where'd he go? Sceptile? Argh! Forget it!'

Scowling, he sent out Bibarel. 'Shadow End!'

Hop withdrew Cinderace and sent out Snorlax. Bibarel crashed into it. Snorlax only yawned.

'Snorlax, Hammer Arm!'

Bibarel was crushed by Snorlax's weight. It tried to roll free to smack Hop. Aiming under Snorlax's belly hastily suffocating Bibarel, Hop threw another Ultra Ball. Bibarel was caught. Its Trainer impatiently waited for Snorlax to flop back onto its back.

'Bibarel! Shadow E...'

He prodded the ground with his shiny leather shoe. 'The fuck? Are you some kind of psychic?'

'Nah, mate. Just Professor Hop.'

'All the money I've spent and her Shadow Pokémon are still fucking faulty...'

'Wait –you're Nolan?'

'Who do you think I am?!'

'Well, I'd never heard of you, so...'

Seething, Nolan sent out Slowbro. 'Shadow Storm!'

A whirling tornado of shadow hit Snorlax. It was jolted from its sleepy state. The ground trembled as it angrily summoned Earthquake. Nolan tripped over Slowbro. Hop watched incredulously.

'Bloody hell... I guess money talks.'

'Slowbro! Attack that brat!'

Snorlax blocked the tornado targeting Hop. It curled up as it fell unconscious. Hop sent out Corviknight, but he didn't intend to attack. A third Ultra Ball whizzed towards Slowbro. It trembled. Then it burst out and rushed at Corviknight.

'Hang in there, buddy!'

He threw another Ultra Ball. It broke free again. Corviknight knew its Trainer was counting on it to weather the ruthless attacks. It tried not to show pain. Hop tried another Ultra Ball... and another... and another... and then Corviknight fainted. Nolan cackled.

'Maybe my Slowbro ain't so faulty after all! Hah! He can't even get an attack in!'

He sent out Dubwool and commanded it to use Cotton Guard before he tried again. Slowbro was securely sealed inside. Nolan thought it had fainted. He commanded it to return, but nothing happened. Frustration flared in his eyes. He sent out Yanmega.

'Dubwool! Headbutt!'

Yanmega slammed into the limousine. It recovered to flit over Dubwool's head, hurtling at Hop. Strong jaws clamped his arm. Pain exploded with blood as its teeth sank in. Dubwool charged. Hooking its horns around Yanmega, it yanked it off with a chunk of Hop's skin. Gushing blood drenched his hand. The Snag Machine was too bulky on his left hand to handle the wound. He could only battle on. His aim was hindered. Yanmega effortlessly escaped his Ultra Ball. It darted at him. He ducked in time for Dubwool to ram it back at Nolan. Pain blurred his thoughts. He didn't know if it was his turn now or not. He threw another ball anyway. Relief relaxed his tensed muscles when it clicked.

'Where has it gone?! These shitty Pokémon aren't even loyal!'

He glowered at Hop. 'But this one... you'll wish you'd never been born. Go, my Shadow Mewtwo!'

Hop's energy drained with his blood. His vision began to spin. He couldn't get excited about the legendary Pokémon... especially not when its eerily red eyes burned with pure wrath. Squashed at the bottom of Hop's bag was a gift from Leon long ago. He weakly rummaged to find it. Mewtwo pounced. Its Shadow Strike instantly knocked Dubwool out. Then it turned to Hop. He was trapped in a painfully frozen state as the attack pummelled the mind. Nolan made a mistake harming him prior. His mind was so occupied with pain it was almost inaccessible to Mewtwo. He didn't care when the ruthless Pokémon showed him his brother's face, calling him a failure, or Jovi kissing Victor. If he continued losing blood, he would die, or at least be trampled when he fainted. As if glass shattered, his bloodied fingers broke free of their frozen state to close around the gift they sought. He placed it in the Snag Machine. The effort of standing churned his stomach. He summoned every remnant of his energy to throw the Master Ball. His aim was off. It still scooped Mewtwo up. It rocked violently, but it didn't matter. Even Mewtwo could not escape a Master Ball.

'Did you just... take my Pokémon?'

'Bit late...'

Hop fell to his knees. '...To the... program... aren't you?'

His face hit the grass. He tasted his own blood. A high-pitched voice called his name... Bede's voice. He gently shook his rival.

'Janice! Janice! Where are you?!'

'Take... the Snag Machine...'

Bede tore the sash from his uniform to bandage Hop's wound. Hop nudged his left arm towards him.

'Take... it!'

'You'll die if I leave you!'

'Just... take... it!'

He distantly felt Bede turn him over when he began to choke on his own vomit. The Snag Machine was still on his arm. Then he fainted.