Pokémon: Trainer Paul

BOOM!

Inside a chamber constructed from unique yellow bricks, a wall suddenly collapsed with a loud crash. Emerging from the dust was Paul, accompanied by Turtwig and Dewott.

"Nothing here?"

Paul surveyed his surroundings with a slight frown. Moments ago, he'd heard noises coming from this area, but now, nothing.

The room held little of interest, aside from ancient inscriptions carved into the walls. From these alone, Paul could deduce that this was a section of some larger ruin.

Exiting the room, he was met with an eerie sight: strange, totem-like creatures with a single eye floated through the air, their forms shifting and enigmatic.

"Unown?"

These rare and peculiar Pokémon were instantly recognizable to Paul.

The influence of the Unown was palpable. Their presence suffused the space with a violet glow, twisting the environment itself. Staircases floated in the air, ceilings turned into floors, and the entire ruin seemed like a surreal dreamscape.

But this was no illusion—it was a tangible alteration of reality.

In the Sinnoh region, there was only one place known for the presence of Unown:

"The Solaceon Ruins? What's going on here?"

Paul wasn't overly concerned for his safety but found the bizarre distortions disorienting.

His memories of the Solaceon Ruins were sparse. In the games, the ruins were merely a place to catch Unown. However, in the anime, Team Galactic had used the ruins and the power of the Plates to create the Spear Key.

Though the worlds of games and anime were different, the events could still serve as reference points.

BOOM!

"Stop right there!"

"Aah!"

"...!"

Voices and sounds of battle suddenly echoed from a distance. Without hesitation, Paul moved to investigate, his two Pokémon following closely and vigilantly behind.

In a broader chamber nearby, Lucas stood face-to-face with a group of individuals clad in silver-gray uniforms adorned with a prominent "G" emblem. They were unmistakably members of Team Galactic.

True to their organization's peculiar aesthetic, the grunts sported green hair, while a singular blue-haired, androgynous figure—Saturn—stood out, holding a mysterious glowing cube in his hand.

"Team Galactic! What are you doing here? Hand over the Draco Plate and the Adamant Orb and return them to the museum!" Lucas demanded loudly.

In front of him, his Monferno stood on high alert, eyes fixed on both the grunts and the swarm of Golbat hovering around them.

"You're a persistent little brat. Like a Houndoom once you've latched on, you just won't let go."

"Boss, let's get rid of him already!"

"Yeah, finish him off—it'll save us the trouble."

The grunts, exasperated by the youth who had been trailing them, muttered complaints.

Saturn raised a hand, silencing them instantly.

"The boss dislikes pointless bickering. Don't say such things again." Saturn warned. Then, with a smirk, he turned to Lucas.

"Kid, I admire your persistence, but you're wasting your efforts here. Take the Spear Key back to HQ." Saturn instructed, handing the cube to one of the grunts.

"Yes, sir!"

The grunts promptly began retreating, taking the Spear Key with them and leaving Saturn and his Bronzor behind.

"Don't leave! Give it back!" Lucas shouted.

"Monferno, Flamethrower!"

Without hesitation, Monferno unleashed a stream of searing flames aimed at the retreating grunts.

However, the Golbat surrounding them effortlessly countered with Wind Cutter, dispersing the attack.

Lucas clenched his fists in frustration. Reality was far from the simplicity of a game. Enemies didn't wait their turn to attack, and their Pokémon acted in unison, making it nearly impossible for him to stop them.

Even if Monferno was at the level of a Champion, he couldn't protect himself and attack simultaneously.

"Foolish humans." Saturn sighed, shaking his head. "You only see these Plates as museum exhibits or tools, yet they are the keys to creating a new world."

The Draco Plate had already been destroyed to forge the Spear Key. As for the Adamant Orb, it was essential for future plans, and even if Saturn wanted to give it back, it wasn't in his possession.

Taking out a Poké Ball, Saturn declared, "Defeat me, and I'll give you a chance to chase after them."

With that, a Toxicroak emerged, glaring menacingly at Lucas and his Chimchar.

"Bring it on! Monferno, Mach Punch!" Lucas commanded.

"Toxicroak, Poison Jab!" Saturn countered.

The two Pokémon clashed fiercely, each strike landing with precision.

Though Monferno was strong, Toxicroak was no pushover. Saturn, aiming only to stall for time, handled the battle with ease, while Lucas, growing increasingly desperate, struggled to maintain control of the fight.

Suddenly, three figures appeared at the top of a nearby staircase—Paul, his Turtwig, and Dewott.

"A battle? Mind if I join?" Paul asked nonchalantly.

Lucas' eyes lit up at Paul's arrival. "Paul! Go after the grunts—they're carrying a strange cube!"

"Chase them? You think you can catch up?" Saturn smirked, unconcerned. Team Galactic prided itself on efficiency. In the time it had taken for this battle to unfold, the Spear Key had already been transported out of the ruins and in route to their headquarters.

"Not interested. Handle it yourself." Paul replied dismissively.

"Dewott, Aerial Ace!"

Dewott immediately lunged into action, striking Toxicroak from behind with blinding speed.

BOOM!

Caught off guard, Toxicroak faltered under the super-effective attack. Monferno wasted no time, following up with a flurry of Mach Punches that left Toxicroak reeling.

"Unbelievable. Ganging up on me? How unsportsmanlike." Saturn muttered, recalling his fainted Toxicroak.

"This isn't a competition." Paul replied flatly.

In normal battles, Paul adhered to rules. But against criminals? Rules didn't matter.

"Turtwig, Solar Beam!"

With Paul's command, Turtwig unleashed a concentrated beam of solar energy aimed directly at Saturn.

"What?!"

Saturn's calm demeanor shattered as he instinctively stepped back. At the last moment, Bronzor intercepted the attack, redirecting it to the ground and creating a smokescreen.

When the dust settled, Saturn and his Bronzor were gone.

"Ugh, they escaped!" Lucas groaned, frustrated by the turn of events.

"Even if you caught them, it wouldn't matter." Paul said, walking away.

Catching a top operative of a criminal organization was pointless. They'd either escape or be rescued, only to wreak havoc again.

"I'll still try! Next time, I'll battle you, Paul." Lucas said, chasing after the grunts with his Monferno, leaving Paul and his team behind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to access advance chapters, please visit: patreon.com / PMadz_23