Interlude - Consequences
Inside a dim room, a man had a grim expression as he held a phone against his ear.
"Useless!!"
A chair smashed against the wooden floor as the lanky man screamed in frustration. On the side, Liligant trembled and reached out her hand to calm him down.
"Don't touch me! How can she be captured?! What about the task?"
When the thin man heard the response on the other side, his teeth clenched and his nails dug into the skin of his palms. Especially when he heard the whole story, he began to pant like a rabid beast.
He had cooperated with Hunter J, the most renowned criminal in the world, to begin the 1st step of revenge against his enemies. He had it all already planned out.
He'll begin with that kid Dante. After that bastard loses his Pokemon, he'll target his friends and family. And when he lost everything he held dear, that's when he'll show up to end him.
He planned to do the same to those charlatans; Neuvillette and Chasca. Learning that the French Champion's daughter had Dragonite, one of his main Pokemon, he informed and sought cooperation with a prominent Pokemon Hunter.
But after providing all the intel, all the manpower, risking his remaining influence by letting her in the portal, she had nothing to show for it?
"RAAGGH! IMBECILES! IMBECILES ALL OF YOU!"
Liligant quivered as her Trainer hysterically shouted and threw the communicator at the wall. Then, he began punching and kicking said wall, throwing and hurling curses at it as if he had a deep-seated hatred against it.
Knock Knock
The room fell silent. The scrawny man stared at the door, his mouth opened in mid-shout. Remembering that he didn't expect anyone today, he forcibly took a deep breath and stormed towards the door.
"What is it?"
Opening the door, he found himself face-to-face with a burgundy-colored-haired lady. And behind her were a group of men dressed in police uniforms.
"Richard Ramirez, you're under arrest for attempted murder, conspiracy, and solicitation to murder. You have the right to remain silent. Know that anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law."
"Ms. Chasca, what do you mean? I've been well-behaved in my room all this time."
Richard scrunched his face in confusion, his earlier wrath seeming to disappear like the pop of a bubble. Lilligant also walked over with an aggrieved look as she pleaded for her Trainer.
"Give up the act. Your partner has already named you."
"Partner? Who? This is a frame-up! A mistake! I demand to see my lawyer!"
Chasca watched with an impassive face as the thin man was dragged away kicking and screaming. His Lilligant had been forcibly returned to its Pokeball, and all his items confiscated.
"Cordon the room. We'll make sure he gets locked behind bars this time."
Snorting coldly, she followed after her officers, the corner of her lips curved upwards.
Interlude - Misunderstanding?
"Twirly, use Dig!"
"Abomasnow, Icy Wind!"
On the flat grass field in front of Mualani's mansion, Kachina's Excadrill faced off against Candice and her Abomasnow.
Dante, Shinobu, Focalors, Furina, Mualani, and Dawn were sitting under the shade of an umbrella, a glass of drink held in their hands.
"Kachina's Drilbur evolved just in time. The Ranking Competition will begin next week!"
Mualani said as she watched the battle with rapt attention, cheering for both girls whenever they made a great move.
"Aren't you worried, Mualani? All the other students are talking about how you will be replaced by Dante."
Dawn asked, her head turning back and forth between said duo.
When Dante and the others left the Pokeportal, word had spread about how a student almost single-handedly defeated and captured Hunter J.
After hearing about it, the people in the Pokenet's first reaction is that it was a hoax, especially when they learned that said student is a freshman. But when Hunter J was really shown to be arrested, a large discussion ensued.
Of course, most people still don't believe the story of a freshman subduing such a notorious criminal. They were more willing to accept that it was due to the cooperation of the two professors, along with the support of the students, that made this operation possible.
But on campus, it was a different story. All the 1st Year Trainer course students knew what really happened. After swearing by their story in the University Trainer's group chat, Dante's status rose enough to challenge Mualani.
Right now, all that is discussed in the group chat is who will win in next week's Ranking Battle: The current rank 1 Mualani? Or the rising freshman Dante?
"Why should I be worried? In fact, I'm looking forward to it! You better give me a decent match, Dan!"
Mualani turned her head and gave Dante a provocative grin.
"Heh, same. Be prepared to move out of your mansion. I don't think Shinobu will be happy if I live under the same roof with other girls."
"Don't worry. I'll make sure I just won't have to leave then."
The two looked at each other for a few seconds, before bursting out in laughter.
Mualani herself knew just how low the chances of her victory against Dan were. Based on what she heard from Kachina, Dan took down two of Hunter J's Pokemon without any help from the professors. One of them was even a Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon!
Although she is confident in her strength, even she knows just how impressive such an accomplishment was. Besides, they'll be in the same team in the future anyway. Having a strong teammate is much more important than any personal glory.
Of course, that doesn't mean she'll just give up.
Shinobu looked at the two people and shook her head in amusement. Then, as if she thought of something, she narrowed her eyes and stared at Mualani. She frowned in contemplation before speaking up.
"There's no problem with me if you want to stay, Mualani. There are so many rooms in the mansion, it'll be a waste to leave them vacant."
"Eh? Really?"
Mualani scratched her chin as she stared at the green-haired girl. Although she had no intentions of doing so, isn't Shinobu worried about her boyfriend cheating with her? Did she trust her that much?
Dante had the same thought as he turned towards his girlfriend. When their eyes met, he saw a knowing look in her eyes. Suddenly, his pupils shook. Did she mean what he thinks she means?
After their threesome with Juniper, Shinobu admitted that she quite liked the experience. Dante had half-jokingly asked when the next threesome would be, and her reply made him both hopeful and entangled.
According to her, Dante would be responsible for looking for their next partner. However, the girl he found must obtain Shinobu's approval.
Dante had been unsure whether that was just Shinobu subtly rejecting his request. After all, if she didn't accept anyone, then isn't that the same as them not doing it? He didn't expect she would give her approval so soon- and to a friend no less.
But why Mualani? Is it because the girl was much more open? More mature than their other friends in handling emotions? Or maybe he is wrong? Maybe he just misinterpreted Shinobu's signal due to all the pent-up lust he had not released since entering the portal.
One thing is for sure though, he'll confirm it with her as quickly as tonight.
Interlude - Entrusting the Eggs
"Aunt Chansey!"
"Coming~"
The Pokemon toddlers in the nursery whined when Chansey suddenly stopped in the middle of her story-telling. After placating them, she walked out of the nursery with a curious expression.
She doesn't recognize the deep voice of the Pokemon calling her, but the term 'Aunt Chansey' was mostly used by the kids she raised. Therefore, she was quite puzzled at who this was.
Exiting the building, Chansey's feet suddenly left the ground as she was swept into a powerful embrace.
"Aunt Chansey!"
"...Teddiursa?"
"Hehe, I'm Ursaring now!"
Ursaring let Chansey down and began to flex his new body. Chansey clapped in cooperation, showing a fond smile. However, a question did pop up in her mind.
"That's amazing, Ursaring! But, can you tell me how you evolve? Isn't evolution impossible right now due to the weird flow of time?"
Ursaring scratched his head in embarrassment. He was about to use the pre-prepared lie Dad told him when a voice from behind interrupted him.
"We also don't know. We were fighting in the dungeon when Teddiursa suddenly glowed and evolved into Ursaring."
Dante stepped forward and stopped next to Ursaring. Pikachu and Azumarill were right beside him, both of them carrying an egg in their arms.
"Hey, Chansey! We came to entrust an egg again, well, two this time."
"Hello, too! And thank you for remembering not to put them inside the Treasure Bags."
Chansey beamed as she took the eggs, not bothering to further ask about the excuse Dante gave. Mystery Dungeons are weird places. Something similarly weird happening in such places is nothing uncommon.
She held the eggs proficiently and securely in each hand and was about to walk inside when suddenly, Chansey stopped. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she scrutinized the slightly larger egg in her right hand.
"Is something wrong, Chansey?"
Dante swallowed his saliva. The egg Chansey's looking at is the one he chose from the Forest Ranger's base. He was lucky they still had the egg of an Alolan Vulpix, but was there something wrong with it? Did the machine from the Alliance malfunction?
"...no. In fact, it's the opposite. Congratulations! You will have twins!"
"Eh?"