LOG 6: The Little Bird

With that I've seen inside this room, I went out to experience "Wagner Life", but first I had to go to the Pokemon Center.

The bells rang, Nurse Joy greeted me, as I went to their PC. I opened my account that was flooded with emails and spams from my friends. It hasn't been a day yet and they miss me already. I had to switch out Zekrom for Volcarona. He may not be of importance for a while.

<Vol?>

"Yeah, yeah, nappy time is over, back to mission."

<Volca!>Volcarona yawned.

"What the? You were there for a hectic week or so! How are you still sleepy?"

Volcarona stuck out her tongue and went inside her Pokeball on purpose.

"Are you going to be like this forever?" I said sadly, looking at her Pokeball on my grasp. Abruptly, the Pokeball nodded.

"Sigh, we still have a long way to go."

I contacted my friends afterward to see how they were doing. Virgo answered her phone and was the only one there according to her. Team Rocket's been busy lately with new projects. They're even mapping a machine that would send someone to another dimension.

"Well, you guys do that," I said.

She asked me how I was doing and I said I was fine. We exchanged banters and pleasantries. Charlotte's Pidgeot came along and became the spotlight of a screen for a moment, totally reminding me about her.

"Charlotte? I don't know where she is," she said. "And Zeal too. They're off somewhere. I guess."

"What do you mean I guess?"

"They woke up first before me. I don't know what they're doing."

I assumed Charlotte was training with Domino but Zeal, quite unsure until Virgo did a hinting about the arrival of a new member whom Zeal was talking to more often.

"Wow. That all happened within hours?"

"Yes. Forgot his name but Zeal's attracted to him."

"That solves where they are. Probably hanging out with him."

"Maybe."

She and I said goodbye and ended the call from there. I left the Pokemon Center and went out to buy food. At least their exotic cuisine was something that was worth praising in the city. Grilled Ariados and Feebas everywhere. There were also some Pokemon more common in the Kalos Region, making it certain that the place's history has got to do something with the region.

At quarter to three was when I got all uncomfortable. I heard something clink on the drainage below my feet. I was about to search my pockets if something fell when I got distracted from a commotion. There was yelling, screaming, and and an abundance of bragging male voices.

I went by to see what was wrong since the civilians who obviously heard it stood there, did nothing, and went about their business. I ran to an alley where a wall of bricks awaited at the end. I leaned my ear closer to know and the sound appeared to be coming from the other side. I was lazy. I didn't want to go around just to reach the other side so I had to improvise.

With the trash cans and boxes, I parkour-ed my way up and jumped to the other side of the wall. Joining Team Rocket has its benefits after all.

"A bunch of scalawags," I heaved out a sigh. "That's all to it."

Just a bunch of kids playing and fighting over a rope in a construction site wrapped around with metal iron cages. There were pipes, ground was mud, bars and poles of metals scattered throughout. It was somehow like their playground. I was going to leave them in peace when fatter kid successfully took the rope and pushed the young dude at the side. That didn't concern me. It would teach the kid to stand up against bullies some day but what come's next burst my bubble.

He went to a little bird Pokemon with a red head, small velvet beak, and dotty eyes-- a Fletching, and started lashing it with the rope. The other kids were laughing at it as the bird squealed with pain. I was asking myself why Fletching wouldn't fly, after all, it's a flying type, but when I inspected its wings closely, it had a wound. Also, one of its talons were swollen.

"This is their definition of fun?" I told myself.

"Hey! That's enough!" said the kid who was pushed down.

The fatty didn't give up and continued hitting the bird persistently. I had the suspicion that this kid he tumbled down owned the Pokemon, but that didn't seem to be the case when he just said, "Screw it, I'm done!" and darted away crying. He went out of the construction site's exit and presumably went home to tell his parents.

"I would stop if I were you," I rounded up their attention and uttered with poise.

They looked back, glared, and continued smacking the bird. I didn't know why they were doing it anyway and they appeared confident, probably because there was a barrier separating me from them and in order to reach the entrance, I'd have to go to the other side, which is far.

I could climb or do what I did earlier if it weren't for the shards of glass to protect any thieves from entering the site. They were attached at the tip of the barriers.

"I'm warning you, I'd stop," I said calmly again. Since they were kids, I thought of going smooth with them first.

They just laughed and babbled words of mockery. Fletching's eyes were tearing and since it couldn't get away, it had to accept the pain.

It was time that I handle this conflict. I sent out Gardevoir, who with her Psychic powers, brought me inside the construction site. I then placed her back into the Pokeball and replaced her with Mismagius.

"You kids gonna stop or what?" I told them.

Finally, they were furious. The fatty ceased his actions and threw the rope at the ground. He approached me with his two other friends and walked like gangsters closer towards my position. Their confidence was high, their boasting spirits as well, might I give them a lesson instead.

Of course, bullies won't go away very quickly. It's a give and take system for them. They said I had to battle their Pokemon, a three against one, sort of thing and if I win, they'll let Fletching go and leave in peace.

"You guys have Pokemon? How old are you three anyway? Only people who are ten years old and above can have Pokemon."

They said no response and nevertheless flung their Pokeballs.

"Oh wait. I think you can. Well, they're not called youngsters for nothin'. Alright, let's get this over with. Charge Beam, Mismagius!"

Their Grimer and Pidgeys waited for their master's command.

"Use Peck!"

"Gust!"

"Sludge Bomb!"

Those three moves of theirs was of no use. Pidgey and peck ran towards the beam, Sludge bomb just got sliced upon touching the beam and the beam went through the gust.

"I'm not done yet," I whispered, even if it was evident that their Pokemon were fainted.

"Shadow Ball!"

<Mis~>

All three perished as their trainers grasped them in their arms.

"You three still have a long way to go. If I were to give a tip, I'd use moves that correspond to the current situation. But that will take long for you to master. Alas! I suck at battling when I was in my teens."

The fatty and his friends nodded and shuddered with fear. I was going to ask them why they were heating the bird but they barreled away immediately with their shuddering bodies.

"I... I... I didn't mean to scare you."

I dusted my hands and went to the poor Fletching hiding underneath the bed. It was shivering immensely. It was small that I sheathed the Pokemon with my handkerchief, calming it while walking to the Pokemon Center. It was cute. I loved playing with its beak. It even tried biting it. The more Fletching knew about how I was willing to help it, the more comfortable it became on letting me touch it. If there's any, it would be Nurse Joy who would give proper treatment to the bird.

I told the Nurse every bit of detail and reported the incident with the bullies. Her face was aghast. It was as though she was familiar with these people around the city proper.

"Oh my. Those three are at it again," she said as her Chansey brought the Pokemon to the emergency room.

"You know them?"

"Yes. In fact, they're notorious in Wagner City for their malevolent behavior against Pokemon. Any kind. You see, they're not friends but brothers."

"Brothers?"

She began spilling gossips. "Their mother and father were killed after their private plane was struck down by an unidentified Pokemon on their way to the Galar Region. Ever since, these kids have been living in the slums. For some reason, they hate Fletcher."

"Fletcher?"

"That the name the town's people gave to that Fletching. It's the only Fletching in this area and not a single one wanted to own it."

"Fletcher, so a male right?"

"Yup. We don't know who the bird's parents are. We just found it nestling on a nest. At first, we thought the Pokemon's parents would return, but they never did."

"So, this wasn't Fletcher's first experience on getting bullied."

"I'm afraid not."

The Pokemon Center's light blinked five times. On a tray, Fletcher's wings were wrapped in bandage as so as his left leg. He was teeming with energy and zest and even made small little hops.

"Why, you're looking fine, Fletcher, and you never told me you had a name."

Fletcher tilted his head sideways. At that exact moment, I received a notification from my phone. It was an important one that I couldn't miss. I quickly checked the clock and was informed that it was already half past five. Madam Boss will be calling me at six for the mission so I needed to head back to my room fast.

"Well, er... Since that's settled, bye Fletcher! I have to get going. Thanks a lot too, Chansey and Nurse Joy!" even if it was Chansey who did all the work.

I ran out of the doors, nearly bashing through it and looked at Fletching one last time. He was still confused on why I was running and instead uttered a single chirp. I replied with a smile and waved at it once more.