The Guardian of Alola

Chapter 20: To Mirror Yourself

Saying it was a mess was an understatement. The accidental, live television feed did not cover the full scale of destruction that happened in the stadium nor did the call Gladion received from one of the staff members specified so. Half of the artificial island was emptied – the people evacuated to the south side where the docks are located. Even so, there are only a few ships operable thanks to Team Skull, and the Aether Paradise has to pitch in some of its ships and helicopters to hurry along the evacuation process. It was fortunate that there were no casualties; those that are severely injured are immediately carted to different hospitals in the region. The hospital and Pokémon Center in the artificial island have not escaped the path of destruction, but not enough to fully cripple their crucial services.

If the higher-ups have left earlier that time, the aftermath would have been more disastrous. Those that were left inside the stadium fended off the intruders as they covered the escape of the civilians. Team Skull managed to slip their grasp and disappear as fast as they appeared. Right now, the Kahunas and Elite Four are on the hunt for the notorious team's leader while Hau and the Trial Captains are taking care of the civilians still left behind in the stadium. Gladion flew to the island as fast as he can and is trying his best to accommodate the press who they expected to swarm as soon as the news spread.

"Sir! Sir! Can you tell us what happened? Is it true that it was Team Skull who is behind this?"

"What will happen to the rest of the League tournament?"

"Didn't Team Skull disband six years ago? Is their return related to Guzma's defeat in the semifinals?"

Gladion hid the grimace on his expression as the reporters inched closer and shoved their microphones to his face. Dealing with the press is one of the things he absolutely hates, but right now, he is the only one who can handle it. "We are still looking into the incident, so we want to ask everyone to be patient. For now, please evacuate. It is dangerous to stay on the island."

"Sir! There are rumors that the region is under attack, given the recent berserk attacks and Ultra Beast encounters. Is Alola still safe? What is the League's take on this? How is the Champion handling this?"

Reporters, in Gladion's opinion, are damn irritating when they want to be. He wanted to get out of there as soon as he can and see the situation for himself, but he cannot just give an answer to things that have yet to be discussed. He has to give them a vague answer until the League itself officially sends out an official statement about the matter.

"That's..."

"The League is going to personally investigate today's incident." Gladion felt a hand clamped on his shoulder and turned to see Hau who has an easy smile on his face. The gathered crowd immediately fell into a hush as the Champion continued. "Right now, the Elite Four is searching for Guz- I mean, the boss of Team Skull. We'll be working together with the police and the Aether Foundation, so until then, I would like to request everyone to be patient and stay in their homes. Any sightings of Team Skull should be reported immediately to the authorities."

Murmurs floated among the press as the cameras flashed spontaneously. Hau ignored them and gestured to the police he brought with him. "Please evacuate the island immediately and stay away while the investigation is ongoing. Everyone's cooperation is appreciated." Hau ended with a reassuring smile. The reporters surged forward to ask questions, but the police barricaded their path. He motioned for Gladion to follow him and the two briskly walked away.

"You've gotten better."

"Thanks to a certain someone who likes scolding me."

Gladion snorted. "It's part of your job. Don't expect me to save your ass every time. I hate dealing with the press."