Chapter 6

~Jack Blake~

Cars were frowned upon, he learned. That was why there were so few to be seen around this world. Pokémon made that invention, well, not quite obsolete but definitely far less popular. They were still used from time to time, but even public transport was mostly handled by Pokémon. Such as the massive Torterra he was on at the moment.

This one was more of a tourist attraction, though. Most of the time, the mons used were simple ridable fellas like Mudsdale and others like it. While they weren't really native, the breeders who specialised in ridable Pokémon always had some to lend out to those in need and the city reserved most of them and charged a minor fee for using the service.

As for why he went with the more expensive experience? Well, he was a tourist, kind of. And he liked the Mon. It gave him a stable feeling, reliable and solid. Those reasons were enough for him to splurge a bit and Phantump, who was resting on it's head while babbling away at it seemed to get on with him well enough.

The whole way public transport worked here was an interesting concept, which was why he let the handler talk him into buying the info guide he was reading. Hazel had things to do, so she gave him a provisional license for the region since he wasn't officially registered in and affiliated with this league. She then told him how he'd reach the governmental office and sent him on his merry way while she reported Marley's death to her Boss.

The license was proof that law enforcement vouched for him, or specifically, she did. He was touched and thankful that she'd do that for him as it was quite a risky move from her side and he vowed to do something nice for her. It wasn't a matter of course at all, no matter how often she said it.

Soon, they reached their destination and he gave the Torterra a hearty slap on his armoured shell while he thanked him.

"Thanks for the ride big fellow. You are quite a bit faster than I thought!"

The fully evolved starter raised his head proudly as if to say: Of course! He laughed good-naturedly and threw him some of the Nanab Berry-based poffins as a tip. He caught them with his mouth and tasted them on his tongue before his eyes lit up and he chewed them enthusiastically.

Jack whistled a jaunty tune as he went towards the government office, missing the longing look that was thrown at his back. The building wasn't massive but it was quite big. It had a n obscured glass front that gleamed only slightly in the sun as to not blind all those who looked at it at the wrong time.

On top, there was a Symbol that consisted of the 8 main-badges with 24 minor ones being spread in their midst. He was surprised to learn that those existed. He had read some fanfictions where it was the case but reality was a bit different. Challenging them didn't really give you the possibility to participate in the league tournament. It was more a way to test the versatility of the trainer since while the gyms were weaker than the main gyms, the leaders were generalists that followed a theme instead of a type.

Not every league had them and none had as many as Sinnoh. Earning enough of those badges in addition to the 8 main ones made one a seeded Trainer. This allowed one to directly jump to the Top 64, meaning one had five matches to battle at the most. It was a good way to make sure one didn't burn out before reaching the meaningful rankings.

He pushed his thoughts to the back as he entered the building. He had to focus. While Hazel called ahead and introduced him as an individual they definitely wanted to hire, he still didn't want to make too belligerent an impression. Being courteous to one's future employer was only common sense and paying attention when you wanted to achieve something should have been too.

He made his way to the reception as he looked around. Not quite in awe but suitably impressed nonetheless. The building looked as modern from the inside as it did from the outside. The base of the colour scheme was blue in it's various shades, ranging from as light as sky blue all the way to midnight blue. Accented with silver, it had a classy feel to it without seeming too overbearing.

'Good first impression.' He mused to himself as he focused on the person in front of him. The receptionist, a pretty young woman with verdant green hair and understated makeup, looked at him with a practiced but somewhat genuine smile.

"What can I do for you? Do you have an appointment or do you need information?"

Her voice was pleasant to listen to and she was definitely talented in interpersonal matters. He tried for a light smile and answered.

"My name is Jack Blake. Officer Hazel Jenny should have made an appointment for me. I might be a bit early but I don't mind waiting for a bit if necessary."

She nodded and typed in some things before directing another pleasant smile at him.

"Yes. You are in the System. The person you'll meet with isn't available yet, but it shouldn't take any longer than ten minutes before they'll be able to meet you. Please wait in the designated area over there."

He nodded at her.

"Thank you. If I'm asked, I'll definitely give you a good review."

He joked a bit and received a polite laugh for his efforts. 'Meh, better than nothing.' He thought as he made his way to the area she had indicated. Phantump was hidden within his shadow out of habit, but she glided out of it when he sat down, placing herself on his lap. Looking around and seeing at least five security cams, he sighed.

'Not even five minutes. Whatever, since I agreed to be a government goon for a bit, I already expected her to be exposed quickly. I just hope they won't try to take her from me. She might react violently to that.'

He held a small measure of worry for his little one. But Hazel reassured him on the matter. 'The guy I called is strange but competent. He'll know that taking her from you would sour any kind of relationship that might happen.'

As he absentmindedly teased Phantump with movements that seemed to be a bit too fast and agile to be within the realm of human abilities, much to her continued frustrations, he laid his worries to rest. She wouldn't lead him into a trap for no reason at all. Soon, he was called over by the receptionist.

"Mr. Richmond will see you now. Usually, we ask Trainers to recall their Pokémon into their balls before meeting an official, but he asked me to tell you that it's fine to keep her outside."

That swayed his opinion to the positive side immediately. It wasn't just the fact that he was allowed to keep her released from her confines, though it played a huge role since she disliked being trapped in the contraption. It was also the casual confidence of the guy.

Sure, him attacking for no reason at all wasn't very likely but it was still in the realm of possibility. Either he was strong enough to deal with it, should the need arise or he trusted Hazel's judgment. Both hinted at competence, just in different fields.

'It might even be both.' He thought as he entered the elevator that automatically took him to the floor he needed to be. Once he left the thankfully music-free elevator, he was received by a distinguished-looking fellow who had an absolutely smashing moustache. The thing made everything about the guy more impressive.

"Mr. Richmond is waiting for you. Do not keep it so for long."

He indicated that he had to step through the big and impressive wooden gate since the word door didn't do that entrance justice. 'What the heck. I thought the person I'll meet is some mid-level executive or something. Not a Big Boss.'

He felt slightly underdressed even though he was wearing a nice dress shirt, complete with neck tie, classy slacks, and decent shoes on top. 'At least I'm not dressed like a hobo. The expenses on the way here were worth it.'

He pushed open the gate. It was quite heavy and he actually had to exert a bit of strength to do so. 'How the heck are normal people supposed to get in there?' Shot through his head as he looked at it incredulously. He couldn't deny that it felt imposing in an old-fashioned way, but it clearly clashes with the modern setting he saw earlier.

Focussing, he looked into the room. Behind a massive piece of furniture that was vaguely desk-shaped, there was a man. He didn't look all that impressive to be honest. His appearance was that of an elderly man with distinguished features. He had elegant facial hair that stood in contrast to the thinning strands of grey hair on his head. An impressive collection of wrinkles that somehow enhanced his features instead of diminishing them could be found on his face.

He was dressed in an olive-green suit and was staring at him through a monocle that was fixated to his eye by a serious frown while a chain, seemingly made out of gold, connected it to the pocket of his suit's jacket.

He was quite thin and didn't really look as if he could hold himself well in a fight. All of that impression that his physique aroused came crashing down with the amount of pressure he was releasing after he entered the room.

It felt as if a physical force was pressing down on him and his instincts screamed at him to retreat. He could feel Phantump shiver in his arms and made an effort to shield her from the worst, taking even more of this insanity onto himself.

'Why do I suddenly hear Final Boss Music in the background?' He joked to himself in an effort to alleviate the insane tension that had spread through his very being. Just as he thought he couldn't take it any longer, he looked down on Phantump. She was exhausted but she still tried to push through it to help him.

That was enough motivation to glare at the old guy defiantly. If not for himself, he'd withstand everything for her. He hadn't noticed that he was slowly hunching, almost kneeling, but once he did, he used everything within himself to push back. Inch by inch, he rose to his full height as sweat soaked through the newest pieces of his wardrobe.

All other thoughts but to protect Phantump left his mind, leaving him in a peculiar state. Finally, he managed to stand tall again and in the same moment, the pressure disappeared, leaving him reeling from the sudden feeling of relief. He nearly lost his balance, but managed to stay on his feet.

"You're hired."

He heard from in front of him. He looked on with a deadpan as a giant smile split the face of the madman in front of him in two, digging even more furrows into his already well marked face.

~Roland Richmond~

He steepled his hand, waiting for another one to fail the most basic of tests. This one was recommended by his dear niece and with a glowing review too, so he'd probably hire him for some job or another anyways if he wasn't too unpleasant to his eyes. There was something in the voice of her that caught his attention but when he asked, she answered with uncharacteristic mischief.

'Oh, you'll see. I think you'll like him.' His curiosity was well and truly piqued. Just who could stimulate his niece's teasing personality traits like this? She hadn't shown them ever since her husband met his demise at the hands of a Team Rocket executive. To this day, all they knew about this incident was that his presence wasn't an idea directly conceived by Giovanni.

And even that, they only learned because he interrogated the suicidal fool himself. It was a blow to his pride that he didn't manage to unearth the whole truth. But even more so, it hurt him that he could not offer Hazel any closure. He mourned the potential, squandered because she was still grieving a person who has been dead for years.

He understood. He truly did, as it was the same for him after his wife died. 'But the young should live in the present and future, not dwell in the past. It's bogging her down and I don't know what to do...'

Even in his own mind, he disliked admitting it. He hoped, Amelia would be able to pull her out of the mire that was her grief, and she somewhat did, but it wasn't enough. The only people she still showed a genuine smile were some members of the family. And of those, only Amelia, his delight of a grand-niece, received unconditional affection.

But... There was something akin to it in her voice when she talked about this fellow. Well, he'd see his true character soon enough. Only the most perilous situations could force out all those traits that were hidden beneath a pleasant exterior.

He had decided. Whether he'd pass his first trial or not, he would undergo rigorous testing. For if he had any designs on his niece, he had to first prove himself worthy!

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt someone press against the First Gate of Trial. He was pleasantly surprised when the Gate actually opened after a short pause. The young man glanced at it with incredulous eyes, even though he opened it with relative ease. He then turned his gaze onto him, and he reciprocated.

As soon as he stepped into the room completely, Roland unleashed his pressure. 'Let's start lightly. Elite level pressure should do nicely.' He mused as he called upon his weakest Bond. He bore it surprisingly well, though one could see the strain. Slowly, he ramped it up but the difference in demeanour was minor from his side.

'Hmm... I wonder...' A spark of excitement glimmered into existence deep within his old, hardened pump. He switched to the next one in the hierarchy of his team, but was surprised when he dealt with it better than before. 'Innate Affinity?' He thought as the glimmer grew. 'Which typing, though?' He tested through with his team, careful to keep the pressure at the same level, until he landed on the Dark Typing, which caused the strain on him to explode.

He even released a silent groan, not that he himself noticed. 'Ghost Typing, huh...' He thought as his thoughts wandered shortly towards a monster in human skin, living in Lavender Town. 'Just as well.' He was ready to stop when he noticed him slowly being forced towards the ground. That was until he looked down at the little Aberrant in his arms.

Steel entered his spine as he refused to budge any further. But not just that. Instinctively, the guy actually alleviated the pressure on the Pokémon by circulating his Aura into her, taking even more of the strain. And yet... He didn't budge.

Later, he would cite a minor lack of judgment when asked. But in this moment, he truly wanted to see how far he could go. The Dark Type pressure surged as he started to ramp it up. 'Nice glare...' he thought absentmindedly as he took in the defiance in his eyes. He didn't look away even as he was pushed lower and lower.

But then something changed. And Roland nearly smiled. Because he pushed back. Roland was certain he was only at the first stage in Aura Control, Internal Circulation. But he pushed it to it's absolute limits as he slowly rose again.

His bloodshot eyes transmitted nothing else but protective intent. By now, he was sure he and the Phantump, they were Bonded. And he was filled only with the desire to shield her, pushing himself further and further.

'Just a little bit more...' He breathed within as he increased the pressure even further. But instead of being pushed back again, the madman doubled down and rose bit by bit. Seeing such resplendent potential presented in front of him, he couldn't help himself.

He very nearly breached the Ace level with his pressure before his Bonded gently chided him. He was right, Roland realised. The Maniac in front of him had given such a ludicrous performance that he had forgotten that he was just a little Advanced Stage whelp. Looking at him now, he could see veins close to bursting push out of his well-built physique. His mind probably shut down in the middle of it all, when he decided to shoulder it all for his Bond.

And yet, he was standing. 'What a good seedling. He might be worthy of her. Just slightly.' He thought as he pulled back his Aura and had only one thing left to say. With a broad smile that belied his usually stoic mien, he told him.

"You're hired."