Hop tossed and turned in the bed in his family's Wedgehurst home. Abbey and Leon's house was dusty, but it had been so long since anyone stayed in Hop's home that the dust sheets were filthy. Back when the family split their time between Galar and Orre, Hop and Jovi joked that splaying out in the night would be their reason for divorce. They meant to buy a bigger bed, but never did. Now the empty bed seemed huge.
Zane was an exuberant child whose energy filled the whole house. Even during the night, his parents knew he was still awake, reading his Pokémon magazines by torchlight. He thought he was whispering to his Eevee. He didn't realise that he was so loud, his parents heard every word he said.
Back then, it was difficult to imagine that the house would ever be so silent, it was unsettling. The only sound was the wind that rattled the windows. Hop wished the doors would slam and the floorboards would creak. Ghosts would have disturbed him less than the silent, but palpable echo of his youth.
All but one of his Pokémon were asleep. They were exhausted after the chaos of the previous day. It was Zacian who fought the most, but Zacian who was still awake, staring intently at the sky as the moon, which still looked as full as it did last night, rose to its peak.
'Arreet?'
Hop got out of bed to stroke Zacian's ears, but it never took its eyes off the sky.
***
After a day of trekking through the Wild Area, Heather finally reached Hammerlocke as night fell. She changed her clothes, but her hair was still damp from swimming across the Lake of Outrage that afternoon. She knew Leon used to spend days with the wild Pokémon there, avoiding the rest of Galar, back when he was the Galar League Champion. It wasn't so far from Hammerlocke or Stow-on-Side. She hoped she might find Team Plasma – the real Team Plasma, not whatever Pluto thought he reigned over – camping there, or at least a strong and interesting Pokémon.
If anyone had been watching her, that might have proved she was Heather Haider. No-one else with three Badges would even consider crossing that lake on a Pokémon, let alone swimming. The water was deep and the Pokémon were indeed strong and dangerous. Heather didn't find any signs of the Team Plasma she was looking for; only proof of Pluto's presence in the stitched and healed wounds of the wild Pokémon.
I should've asked him what that Dynamax thing was all about... if he even knows. Oh well. At least I know there'll be a next time... and there's no point in asking him where Crobat is. He doesn't know.
The Pokémon that intrigued her most was actually the hungry Barraskewda that attacked her in the water. They were eaten in Orre, but Heather and her mother rarely had access to meat or fish, so she hadn't even heard of it before. She dodged a raging Gyarados and Mantine that accidentally launched at her. Barraskewda came at her so fast that its teeth left a gash on her arm. She only learned its name and type when she caught it. It seemed annoyed that it lost its meal – the Feebas she blocked its access to – but it cheered up when she cooked a curry with the free Bach's Food Tin she received at The Captain's Table. Joltik evolved after eating it.
The hills on the far side of the Lake of Outrage were deserted. It was safe for Heather to release her other Pokémon to introduce them to Barraskewda. They also appreciated being able to run freely. Lurantis began to look wilted from all the time it spent in its Poké Ball. It was used to the Orrean sun. Heather asked if it wanted to stay in the lab's garden in Wedgehurst, or in Bede's garden under Tansy's watch, but it refused. All of her Pokémon wanted to stay with her. At first, Barraskewda only wanted to stay because it hoped for another curry, but it was impressed by the strong Pokémon. It also befriended Clawitzer before Heather moved on. She couldn't understand her Pokémon like Pluto could, but she knew Cinderace was telling Barraskewda to watch what it said around anyone with green hair.
'Gym Challenger!'
As Galvantula scampered after her to climb the steps up to Hammerlocke, a League Staff member blocked their path.
'It's only a formality, but I must check your Badges before allowing you to proceed.'
Handing over her incomplete circle of Badges, Heather wondered what happened to regular people who entered Hammerlocke from the Wild Area.
'Yeah... that's Vega's Flying Badge, Ace's Water Badge and Olive's Grass Badge! On you go.'
A light chill shot through Heather's veins. She looked up. She couldn't see the sky through the sandstorm that also raged there, but the black aura of the Pokémon above was perfectly clear. She also recognised the silhouette within it: Garchomp.
Volo. Or one of his fans. Where are they going? Where did they come from?
From its angle and altitude, it looked like Garchomp took off from the Giant's Cap.
If they're hanging out there, could that be where they took Crobat...? Do I follow them or check out their hideout?
The League Staff member was left bewildered as Cinderace hoisted Heather onto its shoulders. It ran faster than any human. It sprinted off towards the Giant's Cap. They escaped the sandstorm. Heather briefly asked it to pause so Clawitzer could rinse the sand from her eyes. Now she could see clearly... and she saw a blue tent illuminated by a waning campfire.
She recognised that shade of sky blue right away. Before Euphoria replaced it with their Giratina-inspired 'hellscape,' it was the colour of all their merch. Hessie's tent was plain green. It could only belong to Hazel, but Heather already knew that. She showed them the tent when they last talked about Euphoria.
Heather scanned the hills around her. There was no-one but wild Pokémon in sight. She ducked behind a rock and took the flashlight from her bag to point it at the tent. There was someone inside. They scrambled up as soon as they saw the light. The flap flew open. A man crawled out. The new Team Plasma uniform was most like its first incarnation – arguably its most famous, since it appeared in the Black & White movie – but Heather didn't recognise it right away. It was the blatant blue 'P' that she recognised.
'Wh-what are you doing here?!'
'My Gym Challenge! What do you think?!'
'It's past your bedtime! Soz, mate, but I can't let you go now!'
Riiiiight. Sorry, Pluto, but gotta do what I gotta do. I never promised to leave your minions alone... and I have a feeling this guy doesn't work for you anyway.
'Plasmaaaa!'
I... seriously can't believe that's a real thing. I thought it was in the movies for comic relief...
'Go! Cinderace! Pyro Ball!'
The Wild Area was full of rocks and dust for Cinderace to practice forming its fireballs. Heather remembered Holly's Cinderace regularly practicing on targets in the garden. She drew small crosses on rocks and walls for her own Cinderace to practice its aim. Its Pyro Ball scooped up the opposing Klang as soon as it was sent out. It flew into the collapsing tent. By the time its Trainer checked on it, it was unconscious. Grimacing, he sent out a Liepard. Heather switched Cinderace out for Clefairy. Liepard used Fake Out. As if it sensed something, Clefairy glared at its opponent and didn't falter as it was slapped.
'Use Disarming Voice!'
Liepard used Nasty Plot first. Clefairy's Disarming Voice hit it faster than it expected. It was knocked down in a critical hit. It stood and fell again. The Team Plasma Grunt, an unassuming young man with brown hair, was out of Pokémon. Heather thought he was running away, but he ran to the tent to search the charred wreckage for more Poké Balls.
Your stolen ones, huh? But... isn't it just the Lost Kids who steal Pokémon? No. Of course it's not. The rest of Team Plasma probably have Pluto's blessing to steal them... but he doesn't realise they never get released. They just end up on a production line.
The next Pokémon the Grunt sent out was indeed a Shadow Greedent. It was far stronger than his own pitiful Pokémon. Clefairy was crushed under its weight when it charged.
And that isn't actually a stolen Pokémon. It's someone else's Pokémon... someone senior to this loser. It must be one of the ones that knocked me out. You bitch, Hazel. You bitch.
'Clefairy, come back! Go! Cinderace! Use Double Kick!'
Greedent dropped its stash of rotten Berries as it was winded. Cinderace was as furious as Clefairy. Both its kicks were critical hits.
I don't like Team Plasma, either, but... do my Pokémon know something I don't?
Heather switched on the Snag Machine. An Ultra Ball was already in its glove. She threw it. Greedent was scooped up. The rest of the rotten Berries scattered. The Ball rolled violently, but it clicked. There was one more Poké Ball in the tent. As soon as the Grunt threw it, Heather realised why her Pokémon were so angry. Crobat was inside. Its black aura was like the smoke billowing off the fire of hatred in its eyes.
Pluto couldn't know about this. Surely, once he found out, it would prove to him that Team Plasma was a con?
I'll get you back, Crobat. No matter what.
'Cinderace! Come back!'
But my new Pokémon can't do this... he's too strong...
'Go! Glaceon! Use Ice Beam!'
Crobat was faster. It flew up and dived down, slamming Glaceon painfully into the grass. Heather was sure the Grunt had no idea what he was doing, but she recognised that attack as Shadow End. Glaceon fired Ice Beam from the floor. It was as desperate as all of its teammates to get their friend back. As Heather hoped, the icy crystals lingered on Crobat's limbs until it was frozen solid. Its Poké Ball, with a faded sticker from a bunch of Nanab Berries, was still in her bag. She put it in the Snag Machine's glove and threw it. The Grunt only realised then that his Pokémon were being stolen. He stamped on the ball. It shattered.
It was just a Poké Ball with a worthless sticker on it. It wasn't Heather's precious Pokémon. She still felt like a part of her soul shattered with that old ball that the pathetic Grunt destroyed so casually.
The ice smashed as Crobat broke free. Heather kept throwing Ultra Balls with one hand while healing her Pokémon with the other, but she had a sinking feeling that it was hopeless. The Ultra Balls didn't even roll. They shattered instantly. At first, the Grunt hoped he would eventually knock out all of Heather's Pokémon as she feebly tried to snag Crobat, but her supply of healing items never ended. He jumped onto Crobat's back and took off. Heather followed on Garchomp. They were both exhausted and upset. The Grunt was lost in the sandstorm that still raged in the Stony Wilderness.
Well, if they didn't already know who I am, they do now. But... wait... of course they know. Hazel took Crobat. Jahzeel is either lying to Pluto that he doesn't know who I am, or... Pluto lied to me... and where was that Garchomp going?