Chapter 17: The Pokémon Kidnapping Incident

"This detective is so useless," Green couldn't help but remark.

"Right? That's exactly how it feels!" Hilda nodded with her arms crossed, taking on the air of someone who had been through it all. "When I first heard about the entire incident at the rich man's house, I had the same thought. After the ransom vanished into thin air, the detective even returned all the commission fees to the rich man out of guilt."

"That's understandable. After all, no matter how you look at it, this was a complete failure for the detective—letting the culprit escape right under his nose."

Green thought of the burning Feather Roost Manor and how even three obedient beginner Pokémon couldn't be managed properly by him. What a useless man, indeed.

"But the pit in the ground is intriguing," the brown-haired girl said, sipping her steaming coffee as she continued explaining to her junior.

"In that moment, the culprit didn't appear, and the box vanished. This was likely a magic trick achieved using a Pokémon. Let me think... This might have been the result of the move Dig. A Ground-type Pokémon could have already dug a tunnel under the bench and, at the designated time, emerged to retrieve the box before escaping while filling in the tunnel behind it."

"As expected of Green! That's exactly what the detective concluded!" Hilda clapped her hands in admiration, then added some details.

"The detective did present this theory to the rich man before ending the case. But by then, the criminal had long since vanished, and no amount of reasoning could undo the damage. The rich man, seeing how Hugo had monitored the situation tirelessly for half a day, even considered letting the detective keep the commission fee as compensation. But the detective still insisted on returning the money."

Green remained unimpressed by the detective and shared her opinion: "Ultimately, when the detective discovered the pit, he should've sent out a Pokémon to use Earthquake in the park. With double damage, the kidnapper's Pokémon would have been forced to surface immediately."

Being a skilled trainer from Pallet Town, Green analyzed the situation from a battle perspective. Her Blastoise just so happened to know Earthquake, and if she had been the detective, she would have caught the kidnapper long ago.

Hilda shook her head. "That detective would never think to use such a method. He and Pokémon just don't get along."

Green didn't understand what "don't get along" meant, but seeing the look on Hilda's face that said, There's more to this story, she didn't ask further and quietly waited for her to continue the recounting of this mundane kidnapping case.

"The case didn't end there. The rich man's Pokémon was still missing, and the kidnapper hadn't returned it. That's when a second ransom note arrived at the rich man's house," Hilda continued.

"Greedy beyond belief," Green shook her head. "Though that's to be expected. If the culprit weren't greedy, they wouldn't have committed a crime in the first place."

"This time, the kidnapper demanded 10 million Pokedollars in cash, ten times the original amount. Unlike before, the kidnapper instructed the rich man to bury the money in a large box—ten times bigger than the previous suitcase—in a remote forest. Once that was done, the kidnapper promised to return the rich man's Pokémon."

"The rich man must have refused, right?" Green asked. "Burying the box underground would make it even harder to track the kidnapper. That Ground-type Pokémon that knows Dig could steal the ransom at any time without a trace. And there's no guarantee the criminal wouldn't go back on their word again."

"Of course. The rich man was furious and even considered paying to have the kidnapper assassinated on the black market. But because the kidnapper's identity was unknown, he ultimately gave up on that idea," Hilda replied.

"So the rich man isn't exactly a saint either…" Green clicked her tongue. "The world of the wealthy is terrifying."

"It was around this time that I visited the rich man's residence to discuss the purchase of Feather Roost Manor," said the girl from Unova, who was also quite rich, with a nonchalant air.

"That's such terrible timing. It's like barging into a government office at 6 PM—those employees who are about to clock out would look at you like you're a dead person."

"So that's why I got so many glares at the office back then!" Hilda clapped her hands in sudden realization.

Green facepalmed. "You actually did something like that?"

"The world is so complicated. Looks like I have a lot to learn from Sister Green," Hilda said with a cheeky smile, her ponytail swaying as she teased her senior.

Their conversation meandered from topic to topic, and before they knew it, the detective's story was left behind.

"Speaking of which, let's go shopping together this afternoon! It's not every day you visit Castelia City. You'd want to check out places like the art museum, fashion street, and Battle Company, right?" Hilda, acting as the local guide, suggested to her traveling companion.

Green readily agreed, as it was part of her itinerary anyway. "Sure. But just so you know, I only brought an unevolved Eevee this time. Don't blame me for holding you back if you plan to rely on doubles battles for prize money."

The mention of the Battle Company immediately revealed Hilda's true intention, and she gave an embarrassed smile. "You figured it out... But I trust your skills, Sister Green. Even an Eevee with you would surely win the championship!"

"You really are after the prize money. Why are you so obsessed with earning prize money from battles?"

"To become a Pokémon director." Hilda's eyes lit up. "I need to raise funds for making movies. I'll become the greatest Pokémon director ever!"

"Then why buy Feather Roost Manor? Owning a villa isn't a prerequisite for being a director, is it?"

"To be honest, I fell in love with it at first sight." The aspiring director's words were astonishing. "A villa surrounded by skyscrapers, a luxurious piece of land with picturesque scenery—a hidden paradise in the city. The moment I saw it, I vowed to one day film an amazing Pokémon movie there! It has to be Feather Roost Manor!"

"What an ambitious goal," Green remarked, feeling a bit envious of her junior. The girl's eyes shone brightly, radiating a passion for her dreams.

As a senior, Green was familiar with that look. It often appeared in the eyes of her fellow trainers from Pallet Town. When she met their gaze, she always felt they were not just looking at her but chasing something far beyond—toward the summit of the world.

Green, unable to see that distant landscape herself, decided to embark on a journey again to find her direction.

"That's why you have to help me in the doubles battles I signed us up for! My Emboar will do its best to keep up with Eevee's pace!"

Using Emboar as a support? There's no way an Eevee could be that good!

"You already signed us up?!" Green was startled. "And why do you have so much blind faith in my abilities? Have I done anything to deserve your admiration?"

"Do you not realize it at all, Sister Green? The last time we met at the Whirl Islands, you managed to…"

"Hmm… That was a tough battle, and I was using my main Pokémon," Green recalled, then shook her head. "That kind of record isn't a big deal among our batch of Pallet Town trainers."

"Your peers include Blue and Red!" Hilda retorted. "One's a Gym Leader with a history of defeating the Champion, and the other is the current Kanto Champion—a living legend in battles. Being on par with them is already an incredible feat!"

"That's why I like traveling," Green sighed. "Everywhere I go in Kanto and Johto, people always bring that up. By the way, what was the resolution of that kidnapping case?"

What was the truth behind the rich man's stolen Pokémon? Was the criminal driven purely by greed, demanding ransom after ransom? And on what basis did the detective confidently return to the rich man a second time?

The conversation eventually circled back to the detective.

"Oh, right…" Hilda closed her eyes, trying to remember where the story had left off before it had gone off track.

"Got it! The detective ambushed near the park bench…"

"You went too far back!" Green shouted in frustration. "You said earlier that the rich man was furious over the second ransom note!"

"Oh, right!" Hilda snapped out of it. "The rest of the story is what I witnessed firsthand."

"You mentioned meeting the detective for the first time?"

"Yes. After leaving the rich man's house dejectedly, the detective returned uninvited to look at the second ransom note. This time, after reading it, he smiled and said—"

Hilda spread her arms wide and pointed an unused straw dramatically at Green, like a director on set.

"The case has been completely solved. The real culprit has received their just punishment," she declared, imitating the detective.

This left Green utterly baffled.