Chapter no.372 Mercenary Trainers

[ POV Change ]
[ Celadon City ]
Austin sat comfortably in a worn wooden booth, surrounded by the rustic charm of an old family-run restaurant. The walls were lined with antique portraits and vintage posters of long-forgotten events, while the aroma of savory dishes wafted through the air, making his stomach rumble with anticipation.
Austin looked across the table and smiled at the elderly lady he was conversing with. As they chatted, Austin's beloved Pokemon frolicked around the restaurant, enjoying their own version of a night out.
Charmeleon was perched on a nearby window sill, basking in the warmth of the restaurant's flickering candlelight. The flames danced and flickered, casting a warm glow over the entire room.
Wartortle was swimming in a large fish tank that was built into the wall behind the bar. The water was crystal clear, and Magikarp darted around playfully as Wartortle chased after it.
Rhydon had found an old jukebox, and was dancing wildly to the music that played from its speakers. His large, heavy feet caused the floorboards to shake, but no one seemed to mind as they watched him bust a move.
Ivysaur was munching on a basket of bread, hos long vines curling around the crusty edges as he devoured each slice with relish while keeping an eye on Rhydon and his dance moves. He paused occasionally to take a sip of water from a glass that was perched on the edge of the table.
Lucario was playing a game of cards with the old man and a few other dinners. His keen senses and strategic mind made him an excellent player, and he had a small pile of winnings stacked up in front of him.
Kingler was snapping its pincers to the music.
Shedninja was perched atop the salt shaker, its translucent wings fluttering as it watched the scene below.
Ninjask was perched on the chandeliers, darting back with the old couple's Zubat and forth in a game of tag. Their movements were so quick that they appeared as mere blurs to the human eye.
Dragonair had found a large potted plant, and was coiled around it like a serpent. Her scales shimmered in the candlelight as she basked in the plant's warmth while look on at Lucario's winning with a loving smile.
Clefable was singing softly to herself, her melodious voice a soothing sound in the midst of the restaurant's bustle. She had a small crowd of children gathered around her, all listening intently to her sweet songs.
Musharna had found a cozy corner near the fireplace, and had curled up into a fluffy ball. She was dozing off, lulled to sleep by the warmth and the sound of the fire's crackling.
Scizor was perched on a wooden beam near the ceiling, surveying the scene below with a watchful eye. He was always on alert, ever the vigilant protector of his trainer and the rest of the group while Fearow tried to move the bug type into playing a game of dart with him while Pidgeot waited for Fearow to convince Scizor to join.
Butterfree was fluttering around the restaurant's various floral arrangements, his delicate wings spreading a fine dusting of pollen wherever he went. The flowers seemed to bloom more brightly in his presence.
Chansey was making her rounds, checking in on each and every patron in the restaurant. She carried a basket filled with fresh towels and other amenities, always ready to lend a helping hand but the demonic look on her face caused many to not approach her.
Haunter had found an old barrel filled with water, and was splashing Abra around in it.
They spraying water everywhere and causing a few nearby patrons to laugh along with them.
" Well, there you have it, folks. Just another day in the life of a Pokemon. Dunked in a barrel by a Haunter. Truly riveting stuff."
Abra commented before getting dunked again.
Austin glanced over at his Pokemon, a sense of contentment washing over him. He was happy to see them all having such a good time, each one indulging in their own little pleasures.
As he turned back to the elderly couple, he couldn't help but feel grateful for their company. They had been sharing stories and reminiscing about their own Pokemon journeys, and Austin was fascinated by their tales of adventure and friendship.
In that moment, surrounded by the warm glow of the restaurant and the joyous laughter of his Pokemon, Austin felt happy.
The warm and inviting ambiance of the restaurant was shattered by the sound of shattering glass. In a heartbeat, the jovial atmosphere was replaced with one of tense silence as everyone turned their attention to the entrance. Two men, dressed in dark clothing and with their faces twisted into sneers, had barged in.
Their footsteps echoed heavily in the restaurant as they made their way towards the center, their menacing voices filling the room with a threatening edge. The patrons of the restaurant watched in stunned silence, unsure of what was happening.
As the two men approached the table where Austin sat with his friends and his Pokemon, they continued to shout out insults and threats. One of the men, a burly figure with a tattoo on his neck, reached out and grabbed Austin by the shoulder, trying to intimidate him.
But Austin was not one to be easily intimidated. In a lightning-fast move, he grabbed the man's hand and twisted it behind his back, causing him to yelp in pain. "Get your hands off me!" Austin growled, his eyes locked on the two thugs.
The restaurant fell into an uneasy silence as the tension in the air mounted. The only sound that could be heard was the labored breathing of the two men and the low growl emanating from Austin's Pokemon.
The men tried to shake off Austin's grip, but he held fast, his muscles tensed with determination. "What do you want?" he demanded, his voice low and threatening.
The two men exchanged a glance, unsure of how to proceed. The tension in the room was palpable, and the other patrons of the restaurant watched in fearful anticipation.
Finally, one of the men spoke up. "We don't want any trouble," he said, his voice now devoid of the earlier aggression. "We were just passing through, and we saw this place. We thought we'd stop in and grab a bite to eat."
Austin eyed them skeptically, but slowly released his grip on the man's arm. "Fine," he said, his voice still tense. "But if I see you causing any trouble, you'll answer to me."
The two men nodded quickly, clearly relieved to have escaped without incident. They turned and made their way back towards the entrance of the restaurant, their footsteps heavy and uncertain.
As they disappeared into the night, the patrons of the restaurant let out a collective breath, the tension slowly dissipating.
Austin glanced to see the old lady's shaking from fear.
"Miss, do you know those thugs?" Austin asked the old woman, who was nervously rearranging the spoons on display.
"N-No," she stuttered, clearly afraid.
"Miss," Austin pressed forward as the old woman sighed and exclaimed," Those people are from a biker gang at the north east of Celadon. They have been terrorizing small businesses like ours for the last few months. Son, I think you should leave so that gang doesn't mess with you."
Austin nodded, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of indignation at the thought of innocent people being terrorized by these thugs. He decided to press the old woman further, "Don't you have some way to stop them?"
The old woman let out a weary sigh, "If only it were that simple. We don't have the money to hire mercenary trainers and the police refuse to help us as they are too busy dealing with the recent protests going on."
"Mercenary trainers? Protests?" Austin asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Looks like you don't follow the news, sonny," the old woman replied. "Recently, protests have been launched ever since Gym Leader Erika went missing, and people don't feel safe in the hands of the pokemon league."
Austin nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "What about Mercenary Trainers?" he asked.
"Oh, they are trainers that couldn't qualify for statues of ace trainers in the league so they rent out their services," the old woman explained. "They do everything from getting a starter Pokemon for new trainers to dealing with everyday problems like an infestation of Raticates, unwanted Beedrill nests, and much more."
Austin's curiosity had been piqued by the mention of Mercenary Trainers.
"So, are we going to bust down another gang?" Lucario asked, his voice breaking through Austin's thoughts as he placed down his cards.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
[ Omake Paragraph ]
An Unown's Hidden Power, despite the mystique of millennia and many a theory, is nothing more than language. Alone an Unown is futile, a stray letter drifting in the breeze, but it is able to join with other pokemon in a myriad of different ways, giving each a different power. They are most powerful combined with other Unown: a team of one Unown I, one K, and two L's can produce an attack which slays most foes in a single hit. In large circles the size of an alphabet or two, they form word after word, shifting with a fascinating array of tactics requiring the creativity of a Scrabble champion to use effectively. And most importantly, they can communicate over distances not through saying their name or charades, but as easily as humans use neon billboards and the spoken word.
Indeed, it is primarily from Unown that human language developed. The power words of an Unown's attacks and their combinations with existing pokemon provide the building blocks of our language. Consider the term "ghastly", developed to describe Unown H combined with Gastly, an eerie mix which make regular Gastly seem harmless. And although words also came from the need to describe new concepts, and many others originated from the names spoken by other pokemon, one must only recall the Unown techniques of "THE" for targeting and "AND" for summoning teammates to remember how strongly the Unown grip the roots of our speech. After all, every form of writing known to man has developed from either pictographs or stylized representation of the Unown.
Some have sought to tap into the Unown's power in order to conquer the world. These people are called writers, and they have already done so a thousand times over.