Resting

After a while, I finally began to process the shock that Sammy was Bill's son, I couldn't believe it. But my mind was still reeling when we were ushered inside the building.

The atmosphere was calm, yet the weight of everything from just a hour ago still lingered. We were led to a room where I was given some pain medication. My ribcage ached from the hit that ı got in the battle,so it felt good to rest. I lay back, contemplating what to do next while Skyla mentioned she had a surprise for me. She took Rotom with her as she left the room while ı closed my eyes for a moment.

Then the door creaked open, and Bill entered, his face still smiling, but there was something about the expression that made me uneasy. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He looked around the room briefly before taking a seat in the chair next to my bed.

"Hi?" I asked, a small thread of worry creeping into my voice, unsure of what to expect next.

"Hello, Alex," Bill replied, but his tone had shifted. There was no trace of the cheerful, Nerdy vibe that usually surrounded him. Instead, his voice was serious, almost... tense. "I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm going to ask you something directly."

He paused, his gaze locking onto mine. "Who are you?"

I blinked, slightly taken aback by the question. "I'm Alex Carter. Am ı not?" I asked, a little more bluntly now.

Bill let out a deep sigh, rubbing his face in frustration. "Alex, what I'm asking is—why did you and Skyla end up in so much danger? Normally, things with Skyla are pretty straightforward. She forgets something at home or gets scared by a Zubat, but with you? She almost got killed twice. And not only that, but she ended up capturing something that was literally trying to kill her. I need to know how that's even possible."

His concern was palpable. His usual relaxed demeanor had crumbled, replaced by a genuine, intense worry. I could tell that his mind was entirely focused on Skyla's well-being, and it made me feel a bit guilty for the danger we'd been in.

"Mr. Bill," I started, my voice steady but earnest. "I don't know why these things happened. I don't know why it only seems to happen when I'm around. But you think I would purposely put somebody in harm's way? No, I wouldn't do that!" I protested, meeting his gaze firmly.

Bill didn't seem convinced. He leaned back in his chair, but I could see the frustration and concern still lingering in his eyes.

I could feel my chest tighten as I stared down at the screen that was before me. With a sour expression, I muttered under my breath, "You're the sole reason I've am here and almost got killed multiple times!"

The screen stayed silent. Like most of the time.

Before I could get lost in my own spiraling thoughts, the door opened again. This time, it was the trainer from earlier—the one with the straw hat. She stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room. She looked at me, then at Bill, and then Bill rose to his feet.

"Did you find anything, Yellow?" he asked, his voice softer now, but still with an edge of urgency.

Yellow?

That's when it clicked. Her blonde hair, the yellow tunic, her Pokémons—this was Yellow! The Yellow from the manga! I had actually just met her in real life, and she was standing right there in front of me.

"Yeah, I found this little girl," Yellow said, pulling a Pokéball from her belt and pressing the button.

A burst of light filled the room, and when it faded, I found myself staring in shock. It was the same Pidgeotto—the one that those people had used against me. But this time, she wasn't in a blind rage. Her eyes were calm, though there was still a flicker of unease in them.

"They must have forgotten her behind," Yellow continued, watching as the Poison-type Pidgeotto shifted uneasily, then let out a small, hesitant squeak to Yellow.

Yellow smiled and nodded at her reassuringly before turning back to me. "Alex, right? This little one is saying sorry to you for attacking you and your Gloom."

The Pidgeotto hopped onto the bed, her talons barely making a sound against the mattress. She lowered her head toward me in a clear gesture of apology.

For a moment, I just lay there, taking it all in. Then, slowly, I smiled and reached out, running my fingers gently through her feathers. "It wasn't your fault, so don't be sorry, okay?" I said softly, wanting to reassure her.

She let out a small chirp in response, her feathers ruffling slightly at my touch.

"And," I added in a lower voice, leaning in slightly, "I'm sorry for hitting you with that pole. It was not aimed to you."

She blinked at me, then let out another small squeak—almost like a quiet acknowledgment.

Yellow and Bill, who had been watching our exchange, exchanged a glance of curiosity.

"And what did this Pidgeotto say to you?" Bill asked, folding his arms.

Yellow answered for me. "She says that the group calls themselves 'The Saviors of Humanity'—but they don't have an official name yet."

A strange tension settled in the room at those words.

"They're using some kind of liquid on Pokémon," Yellow continued, her voice tight with anger. "After injecting them, they throw them into different ecosystems to see how they adapt." She clenched her fists, her body visibly trembling. "This little one said to me that she was thrown into a pool of acidic poison. She watched the other Pokémons getting vaporized the moment they touched the pool. She was the only one who survived. Her body adapted, and her wings transformed into something that could withstand the poison. She became Poison-type because of it."

A heavy silence followed her words.

Bill's expression darkened, his usual easygoing demeanor completely gone. "So it's confirmed," he muttered. "Adapted Pokémon aren't a natural phenomenon. This is forced evolution."

I looked at Pidgeotto, who was trembling slightly. Carefully, I stroked her feathers again, trying to offer comfort.

Then, in the corner of my vision, I noticed something.

The red panel in front of me,the one I really didn't want to see was slowly shifting colors. It turned a deep blue, then flashed a new message.

[NEW MISSION!]

I squeezed my eyes shut, pretending I hadn't seen it. I wasn't ready for another disaster. Not now.

"Can you think of a way to find them?" Yellow suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

I sighed, pushing my thoughts aside and joining the conservation. "They said that the Nidoking Skyla caught had escaped from Lab #99, so even if we find one of their bases and destroy it, it won't necessarily stop them. In fact, it could make things worse. If they know one of their labs has been discovered, they'll go even deeper into hiding." I hesitated as a realization hit me. "Or they already have."

Bill and Yellow both turned to me at the same time.

"What do you mean they already have?" Bill asked.

"There was a lab in Viridian Forest," I said, my pulse quickening. "A friend and I found it after Aria ran off in the middle of the night. There was a Man who weared a weird purple outfit as well. I think that lab also belongs or belonged to them."

I reached for Aria's Pokéball on my belt and pressed the button. Light spilled from it, and Aria materialized in front of us. She let out a small, sleepy cry before glancing up at Yellow.

Yellow talked her for a moment, then her eyes narrowed in realization.

"So, it's the left side of the Forest." she muttered, as if piecing together a puzzle in her head. Then, without hesitation, she turned toward Bill. "I'm going to check that place out and if ı find something, ı will call you later."

And with that, she darted toward the door and disappeared outside.

A second later, the door swung open again—this time, revealing Skyla and Rotom.

"So, how's it going?" Skyla asked as she walked into the room.

I gave a lazy wave. "Yeah… it's cool," I muttered, still processing.

Bill, who had been watching our exchange with a tired expression, let out a deep sigh. "I'm going to check the storage room," he said, already pulling out his phone as he left the room calling a number.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Skyla plopped down into the chair he had been sitting in. For a few moments, there was silence—until she suddenly grabbed Rotom with both hands and pulled it toward her.

Rotom flailed in her grasp. [What the—?!]

"I have a gift for you, Alex!" she declared, her face lighting up like an excited puppy.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Y-Yeah? What is it?"

Grinning, she patted Rotom's metallic casing. [Feast your eyes, Alex Carter!] Rotom buzzed, its plasma sparking as it reached into Skyla's pocket with an electric current.

A small, cylinder-shaped capsule shot out, landing in my hands.

Across from me, both Pidgeotto and Aria had been watching the whole thing unfold, their heads tilting in curiosity. At the same time, they both let out small noises of surprise when the capsule finally landed in my hand.

I stared down at it. "...Did you two really have to put on a whole performance instead of just handing it to me?"

Skyla and Rotom looked way too proud of themselves to care about my comment or it looked like that.

"You really don't know anything, Alex!" Skyla teased, crossing her arms.

[Yeah, Alex Carter! Advertisement is everything!] Rotom added with an electric spark.

A small smile tugged at my lips. "Alright, alright. So how does this thing work? Do I just put a Pokéball inside?" I asked, reaching for Oddy's Pokéball.

"Yep! It works almost anywhere, but you'll need to charge it every now and then. But!"—she nudged Rotom—"I think Rotom can handle that, right?"

Rotom let out an excited bzzt! and instantly sent a surge of electricity through the capsule, fully charging it in an instant.

[Of course ı can!]

Nodding, I placed Oddy's Pokéball inside the capsule. As soon as I pulled my hand back, the device lit up, and in an instant, Oddy's Pokéball vanished. A second later, a small screen flickered on, displaying an image of a normal Gloom.

My eyes widened. "Wait… did it purify Oddy?" I asked, half-joking as I grinned.

Skyla pouted, then tapped the screen. A moment later, Oddy's Pokéball reappeared in the capsule, and I picked it up. Looking at it revealed the same old Oddy—still sleeping, still 4× weak to Bug-types.

"It's made for normal Pokémon, not Adapted ones," Skyla corrected with a smirk.

I let out a small chuckle, spinning Oddy's Pokéball in my fingers. "Still, this is really useful. Thanks, Skyla."

She flashed me a grin.

But just as I turned my gaze away, something caught my eye as it made me wear my annoyed face once again.

[NEW MISSION]