Chapter 13: Team R! Reward: The Quick Claw!
As the others crowded around, they finally noticed the unconscious figure slung over Pidgeot's back.
Melody glanced at Kenji, then gave a brief summary of their encounter with the poacher in the forest.
Lyle, as the class president and the trip's organizer, felt a wave of cold fear wash over him. This was the Gym Leader's precious daughter he was responsible for. "Are you and Kenji okay?" he asked, his voice tight with anxiety.
Melody shook her head. "We're fine. It was lucky Kenji got there when he did."
Hearing that, Lyle finally let out a breath of relief.
The sky had yet to lighten; it was only a little past two in the morning. After an incident like this, Lyle didn't dare stay in the wilds any longer. The group quickly packed up and boarded the bus, heading back toward the safety of the city.
At four in the morning, the bus pulled up in front of the school.
"Do you need me to go with you?" Kenji asked as he unceremoniously dumped the unconscious poacher on the ground.
Melody looked at the dark circles under Kenji's eyes from the sleepless night and shook her head. "No, it's fine. You go home and get some rest. I'll let you know as soon as there's any news."
Kenji yawned and didn't insist. He waved goodbye to Melody, gave a nod to Leo, and started the walk home.
He was almost out of mid-grade Pokéblocks. On the way, he stopped by a 24-hour shop and bought some more. The price difference between low-grade and mid-grade blocks was more than tenfold. But while the cheap ones could only fill a Pokémon's stomach, a steady diet of the mid-grade ones could actively contribute to its growth and development.
After buying the food, Kenji looked at the new, much lower balance on his phone and couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
Looks like I really need to find a way to make some money.
Just owning a Pokémon wasn't necessarily expensive, but raising one well required a serious amount of cash.
When he got home, Kenji fed his Beedrill until it was full, then collapsed onto his bed. Within two minutes, he was fast asleep.
When Kenji finally woke up and opened his eyes, he checked his phone. It was already 6 PM.
He scratched his messy hair and groggily unlocked the screen, which immediately lit up with a series of notification chimes. He tapped the screen and saw they were messages from Melody.
There were only two. The first was from that morning.
Melody: The poacher has been handed over to the police. Did you make it home okay?
The second had been sent just half an hour ago.
Melody: There's a reward for the capture. Let me know when you wake up, and I'll bring it to you.
Kenji bolted upright in bed, his eyes wide.
A reward?
Looks like his chaotic night wasn't a total waste after all.
Kenji: Sorry, just woke up. Are you free now?
He quickly typed and sent the message. Less than a minute later, he got a reply.
Melody: Yep, I am.
Kenji: I can come to you.
A moment later, Melody sent him a location pin. Kenji took a quick shower, threw on some clothes, and headed out the door.
Edgecliff City Gym.
Kenji stood in front of the gym for a moment, hands in his pockets, taking in the impressive building before walking inside. As soon as he entered the lobby, a staff member who had been waiting approached him.
"Welcome. Are you here to learn a new move, or to challenge the gym?" the staffer asked politely.
Kenji rubbed his nose. "I'm here to see someone."
The staff member gave him a curious look but didn't press the issue and walked away. Kenji took out his phone and sent Melody a quick message, then sat down on a sofa in the waiting area.
Just a few minutes later, a familiar figure came jogging out from a hallway. At her heels was her short-legged Charmander, its flame-tipped tail bobbing as it tried to keep up. Following behind them was a tall, imposing man.
Kenji stood and waved a greeting.
Melody ran over, looking apologetic. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's no problem, I just got here," Kenji said with a shrug. His gaze shifted slightly to the man standing behind her.
The man was tall, probably six-foot-three, with black-framed glasses that gave him a cold, almost arrogant air. Kenji felt like he'd seen him somewhere before.
"Dad, this is the guy I was telling you about, Kenji," Melody said, turning to the man.
Kenji's eyebrows raised slightly. So it is him, he thought.
The Edgecliff City Gym Leader. The strongest trainer in the city.
Marcus.
"Hello. I'm Marcus, the Gym Leader of Edgecliff City," the man said, extending a hand.
Kenji shook it. "It's an honor. I'm Kenji, Melody's classmate."
"Thank you for saving my daughter," Marcus said, his tone sincere.
Kenji shook his head modestly. "It was nothing. Melody's Pidgeot did most of the work capturing the poacher."
Neither Marcus nor Kenji were ones for beating around the bush. Marcus reached into his pocket and pulled something out, holding it out to Kenji.
"Is this... a Quick Claw?!" Kenji exclaimed, taking the object instinctively. He stared at it for a moment before the recognition fully hit him.
Marcus nodded. "That's right. The poacher you two captured wasn't just some common criminal. He was a member of an illegal organization known as Team R."
"Team R?" Kenji's brow furrowed.
He had heard of them. It was impossible not to. They were the largest and most infamous criminal syndicate in the entire country. Their operations included, but were not limited to, the illegal trafficking of Pokémon, poaching rare species, theft, destruction of natural habitats, and selling unregulated supplements and banned performance-enhancing drugs. Basically, if it was a crime involving Pokémon, Team R had a hand in it.
It's just like Team Rocket from the anime, Kenji thought. He couldn't believe the poacher had been a part of such a dangerous group.
"Since you recognize it, I won't bother with a lengthy explanation," Marcus said coolly.
In this world, items like the Quick Claw, which were simple held items in the games, were known as "Treasures." They could be used in two ways: held by a Pokémon to gain a special effect in battle, or completely absorbed to permanently enhance one of its abilities. The effect of the Quick Claw here wasn't a guaranteed first strike. Instead, it gave the holder a chance to experience a massive burst of speed when using a move. The probability and the magnitude of the boost depended on the quality of the Treasure.
Treasures were graded from Low, to Common, to High, to Superior, and finally, to Flawless. The one in his hand was clearly a Low-grade Treasure, but even so, it was priceless.
"Thank you, Gym Leader," Kenji said, too excited to bother with polite refusals. He accepted it gratefully.
Seeing Kenji take the item, Marcus smiled faintly. He then reached into his pocket again and pulled out something that looked like a sharp, bony beak.