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Heading into the afternoon we decided against battling other teams in earnest and did kind of a big group training of the youngest pokemon. My Sandshrew, Lacy’s Leafeon, Jane’s Venipede, Naomi’s Ralts and Mienfoo all got to compete in little beach competitions against the other teams like races and tag.

Dawn’s team brought out her Bagon, the one I caught apparently, Ed boy’s Rookidee, and Tommy’s Phanpy.

May and her girls are working with her newly caught Stufful, the living pink teddy bear, a slime called Goomy, a small horse, Mudbray, and an Oshawott.

Honestly, it’s all fun and games until the baby horse stomps flat the slime ball and accidentally kicks the venipede into the water. I manage to rein it in before Ralts gets kicked as well. Of Course I finally learned the scrappy orphan’s name, Juanita, or Nita, from Slateport.

The other thing I learned, Nita reeeeally hates rich kids, or maybe she just can’t help scowling at Naomi constantly.

Thankfully I get a break from hypercompetitive teens when the breeder ranch calls, “This is Kurt.”

Lydia Moss is in all business mode, “Solid work on the Swablu and Bagon, I have another commission for you on Akala if you're interested.”

No ‘gee I’m glad you survived an attack!’ tho I guess news might not have reached the workaholic. “Sure what have you got, mind I don’t have a lot of free time here.”

“No worries, it’s all over the TV promos that your team will be at Wela Park this week for the race.”

TV promos?

“Our branch partners in Lavaridge need some fresh Fire types. Are you familiar with genetic diversity? Anyway, I’ll text you a list and anything you can catch off of it would be appreciated.”

Hold on, “Let's talk poke.”

“10k per.”

Nice joke, remember it's practically yen, “Ya that’ll fill the fridge for a weekend. How about 50?”

I can hear her choke on whatever she was drinking, “15!”

Almost, “40.”

“25, and not a dime more each!” She sounds angry.

“Okay, 25k each but I need an enclosure at your ranch. When I get back, we can talk long term.”

A long breath, “Look you’ve only been on the scene for a minute, I can comp you boarding if you need it but finish out the season before we negotiate long term stuff.”

Fair enough, “Alright send the list.”

We hang up and a minute later I have a list of pokemon to catch; as many Salandit as reasonable, at least two Fletchling, a female Magby or Magmar, finally one female from the Tepig line.

Lacy looks at the list over my shoulder and rolls her eyes, “Burns are the worst, well maybe after poison.”

“I believe it.” Thinking of our talk last night, “The pokemon though, a lot of the fire types seem cool, there must be one you wouldn’t mind.”

She shrugs but pauses looking at the beach.

Checking her line of sight I spot that nerd girl, Patricia, actually teaching her Braxen to use her firespin like a hula hoop.

Looking back at Lacy, “I could see you with a fire fox.”

“Well,” she’s at least thinking about it, “Delphox can actually cure burns, so that would be really helpful.”

Right, “And I’m sure those big fluffy ears didn’t sway you at all.”

She swats my arm, “shut up, they’re adorable!”

The rest of the evening continues this fun and relaxing type of vibe, thank Arceus. No evil trainers and their monster charizards jumping from the bushes.

The next day has me once more shooing Zilla from my pack before we hop in a rental jeep. Naomi is back in form after being reassured that Zapdos is healing up rapidly and will be just fine.

Our first stop is just ten minutes from the hotel in Heahea city. A tourist town for sure, with two more hotels and a cruise ship pier. I can see a fisherman's wharf and the seafood restaurants that come with it.

Taking another look around, this whole little commercial area might be one big pier. Across the bay I can see what looks like a neighborhood of more traditional styled homes. Locals must commute here to work and this keeps the tourists off their lawns.

Olivia’s shop turns out to be a massive corner store, four floors with all glass walls. The sunlight enters the skylights inside and reflects off of prismatic chandeliers that make all the window displays glitter. Rows upon rows of fine jewelry and gemstone decor set against white marble counters.

Just when I’m wondering about security I spot a Solrock floating among the rafters of the vaulted ceiling. Looking around as we step in I can spot a few floating geodes with eyes glancing my way...Carbinks. Apparently they have a rare evolution to a mythic that if anyone knows how to make happen, they haven’t shared.

Crystal is sitting on one of the counters and spots us entering, “Mom, Kurt and his team are here.”

Grace and Iris’ heads pop over a balcony above us, Iris hides back away.

Ash’s girl just says, “What’s up.”

Olivia also glances down from the third floor, “Be right down.”

“Quite the collection you have here maim.” It really is a stunning display.

Her arms wave at it all, “It didn’t come without hard work. Before we talk about your lab appointment, is there anything in here that catches your eye? I certainly owe you.”

While Naomi darts off dragging Jane, Lacy just shrugs. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear more than the gold hoops at the mosh after dinner.

But there is one thing, I pull out the red star piece Zilla is obsessed with.

“My Tirtouga keeps trying to eat this, I found it in a pile of pirate treasure.”

The Elite four member looks at me as if expecting a punch line while the rowdy Grace pops back out, “Did you say Pirate treasure?!”

“Yup, hidden cave on Dewford. I’ll be helping Hoenn’s Oceanographic Institute recover the ship later next month.”

Jane starts telling the other girls the story while Lacy and I follow Olivia towards a work bench near the back.

While using an eyepiece to inspect the red gem, “Can I see your Tirtouga?”

She points to an area with enough space after some of her employees scoot their chairs aside.

Iris asks Naomi about my custom Fossil Ball as Zilla appears. The turtle seems happy enough to be out again already but once she spots the red star piece she immediately starts to shuffle forward.

Olivia squats down, careful to keep her dark hair off the floor as she feels the ridges of Zilla’s shell, then she actually gives the turtle my gem. Fortunately the reptile is still unsuccessful at crunching it down… or damaging it at all for that matter.

As Olivia then shows me, “See, not a scratch. This isn’t a normal star piece for all they are rare, and your pokemon has my cousin’s handiwork written all over it.”

Lacy doesn’t let that slide, “That awful harpy, is your cousin?!”

“Shelly,” Olivia rolls her eyes, “Is a bit of a black wooloo in the family. Regardless, yes, you can already feel how this Tirtouga has sharper edges in lines that are usually smooth. She has micro serrations along the sides of her shell, and the keratin on the upper beak comes to a corner over the eye instead of a rounded curve.”

“Small variations,” I can see what she’s talking about as I compare it to the dex app database, “I’m guessing they’ll become more pronounced as she gets closer to evolving, but what does this have to do with the Star Piece?”

Turning towards a monitor she types a command causing a nearby big screen to stop displaying ads for her shop and instead show a map of an unfamiliar region along with a row of pokemon images scrolling across the bottom. Each one familiar yet different.

Lacy knows something I don’t, “That crazy bitch is going to bring down Arceus’ wraith.”

Oliva turns back to me, “I take it you’re unfamiliar with the Galar region? Ah, your file did mention amnesia.” She points to an image of a pokemon scrolling by, “This is Gigantamax Blastoise and Drednaw.”

The image changes to what amounts to a Kaiju battle in a massive stadium, “In Galar, an extraterrestrial pokemon called Eternatus once crashed down thousands of years ago. An aberration that is kept heavily sealed away, yet there's no real way of containing the energy it emits.”

Right space aliens, “So that energy makes pokemon grow to monster size?”

“Not exactly,” She changes the image to show not quite as summer blockbuster large pokemon, “After the last time the aberration was sealed, it became impossible for that degree of energy projection even in the specialized arenas. Yet it remains that there is a chance pokemon born in the Galar region are more likely to carry the titan gene that promotes such rapid growth.”

“How does that work in the wild?”

She changes the image to a large water spider in a pond surrounded by smaller ones, “It’s actually similar to totem pokemon here in Alola. The Titans act as sort of an alpha figure to a large herd of similar pokemon who support it’s dietary needs like a hive.”

Another image, this one of a mountainous Torterra, “The PCL lab in Ryme City used genetic modification based on studies of Totem and Gigantamax pokemon to create these behemoths. Two died of starvation, the last is in deep hibernation.”

Finally she holds up the red gem, “This is a chunk of Eternatus. Your Tirtouga’s DNA sampling for fossil reconstruction was taken from the three big turtles I’ve just shown you.”

Sooo we’re go for Godzilla?

Lacy with the responsible adult question, “So is it safe?”

Olivia pats Zilla’s head and gives her some chin scritches, “As long as you keep her happy. Which probably includes letting her chew on her favorite rock as a reward. Like a salt lick. Besides, what research Shelly turned over showed she was trying to rein it down to something more manageable.”

Grace leans over the counter to watch my turtle, “You’re saying all this like it’s not a massive revelation that might bring the NOPE down on us.”

Right, the apparently not so secret, Natural Order Pokemon Enforcers.

The older woman sits down while smoothing her dress, “I’ll have you check out the sub level lab today. Your darling Zilla has an Auntie that merits visiting. Along that line, may I see your Sandshrew?”

Rusty is popular with the girls, how could a palm sized anteater not be.

I pull Naomi aside with Grace and Oliva, “Look, how common is this sort of thing? I feel like it's one giant secret after another if I include Evil Alain from an alternate timeline.”

Grace just laughs while Oliva rolls her eyes.

Naomi has something useful to say, “Pokemon can do anything Kurt. It's fun while my Floette dances with flower petals but you saw our Zapdos create a Thousand Bolt Storm.”

Olivia nods, “The legendary birds are actually on the lower end of mythic power. She’s right Kurt, if you can imagine it, there’s probably a pokemon that can do it, even if we haven’t discovered it yet or it’s in a reclusive region.”

I give another glance toward the screen showing the mountain sized turtles. I’m not paying for that much pokemon food.

“I really need that raise.”

Grace smacks my back, “You know the grand prize in each region’s annual tournaments are percentages of the leagues profit for the season?”

Ah, “I do now.”

The little punk laughs, “We’ll it’s mine so don’t get your hopes up. Wela race is the day after tomorrow, I’ll show you the gap between our teams.”

Olivia flicks the braggart, “It’s time for you to get up to the lab Kurt, it’s a thirty minute drive.”

Back in the car, Naomi presents Jane with a set of ruby ear gauges shaped like talons or claws.

Looking at my girl, “Sorry we didn’t get you anything.”

She laughs and punches my arm, “Who had time to think about that? But I wouldn’t mind some new earrings for our wedding.”

A small grin paints her lips as she leans on my arm for a moment.

Right, wedding... that's what getting engaged involves. When the hell are we supposed to do that?!