Nearing midday, outside the electronics mall, in a nearby restaurant…
"If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave," the restaurant owner said, rubbing his hands nervously and forcing a smile.
Officer Jenny nodded. "Thank you."
Bang!
Before she could finish speaking, the restaurant owner had already slid the door shut and made a quick exit.
Although Volkner was already fixing the power box, no one knew if another explosion might occur or how powerful it might be. If not for Officer Jenny's request, the owner would have been long gone.
"Vulpix, would you mind?" Johan asked, smiling as he handed a cup to the Pokémon.
"Oowu—"
With a gentle breath from the little fox, the drink instantly turned ice-cold.
"Great job!" Johan praised, lightly patting its head.
"Oowu~"
Vulpix let out a soft, pleased cry, its six tails swaying gently, clearly enjoying the compliment.
Seeing this, Officer Jenny and the nearby officers began placing their own cups in front of the little fox.
"Oowu?" Vulpix hesitated and moved closer to Johan, seeking comfort.
"Helping others is a joy," Johan encouraged with a smile.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Vulpix stepped forward and blew on each cup, turning every drink into a chilled delight.
"Logically, I get it, but it's just so cute!"
"Thank you, little Vulpix! You're amazing!"
Hearing all the praise, Vulpix ducked its head shyly, but its tails wagged even more vigorously.
"Mr. Johan, Vulpix is getting more lively by the day," Officer Jenny noted with a smile.
Johan nodded warmly. As he made regular visits to the Rustboro Police Station, Officer Jenny had witnessed the gradual change in Vulpix over time.
For Vulpix, learning to control its cold breath and turn drinks into iced ones was not just training its power but also its confidence, helping it face more unfamiliar people and bask in well-deserved praise.
Meanwhile, Volkner's Pikachu held a plug in its paws, its cheeks sparking gently to keep the rice cooker running.
Haunter floated over stealthily, offering a Mago Berry.
"Ka-kah~~ (Hungry?)"
Pikachu glanced at the berry and turned its head aside.
"Pika~~ (You shouldn't eat food from strangers.)"
"Ka-kah? (Really?)" Haunter took out some Pokéblocks.
"Pika-pika! (Unless you can't resist!)"
Pikachu grabbed the Pokéblock from Haunter and gobbled it down in one bite.
"Pika~chuu!!"
Haunter chuckled mischievously. It had learned a thing or two about winning others over with food from Johan.
With the ice broken, Haunter felt more confident continuing the conversation.
"Ka-kah ka-kah~~"
"Pika pika~~"
"Kakah"
"Pika…"
"…"
For Pokémon, beyond discussing their daily meals, the most significant topic was often their Trainers.
Haunter, of course, couldn't stop singing Johan's praises, talking about his top-notch skills in psychology. He was one of a kind! Well, except for those odd browsing histories that showed up on his phone now and then…
Pikachu wasn't one to be outdone. It declared that Volkner was the best Trainer ever—great at battles and an amazing inventor. But even Pikachu admitted it didn't understand everything that showed up on his devices sometimes.
As the conversation progressed, Pikachu's ears drooped.
Over the past few years, Volkner's enthusiasm for battling had waned. No, it wasn't just waning—he seemed to have developed an aversion to it. For Pikachu, a Pokémon that loved battling, this was tough to adjust to.
"Ka-kah~~ (That's a problem that needs fixing!)"
Haunter rubbed its chin thoughtfully.
"P-Pika? (A problem? How do we fix it?)"
Hearing the word "problem" made Pikachu nervous.
Haunter turned to glance at Johan.
Pikachu followed its gaze.
Him?
Haunter gave a sly grin and patted Pikachu on the shoulder reassuringly.
"Ka-kah~~ (Don't worry. Friend discount.)"
Swish—
The sliding door opened, and Volkner, hands in his pockets, walked in carrying his tools.
"Pika~~"
Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder.
"Mr. Volkner?" Officer Jenny asked as she stood up.
Volkner raised an eyebrow and spoke lazily, "It's stable for now, but the converter is missing a part. You'll need to replace it with a new one later."
"Understood." Officer Jenny nodded.
After they all sat down, with Pikachu's efforts, the rice was finally cooked, and they began to eat.
During the meal, Volkner spoke up again. "It's likely the work of an Electric-type Pokémon. I found bite marks on some of the wires."
"That's what we suspected," Officer Jenny said, sneaking a glance at Johan. She added, "I've already informed my colleagues back at the station, and they're searching the area."
Volkner simply nodded and continued eating.
"Ka-kah~~"
After the meal, Haunter discreetly tugged on Johan's sleeve and led him aside to explain what had transpired with Pikachu.
"You're serious?"
"Ka-kah!"
"You didn't make any weird requests, like licking it? I have to remind you, Volkner's Pikachu is male…"
"Ka-kah!!ヽ(#`Д)"
Do I look like that kind of ghost?!
Haunter seemed genuinely offended.
Johan glanced over at Volkner, meeting Pikachu's gaze. It blinked at him and Haunter with a knowing look.
Johan sighed, feeling a headache coming on.
He's a Pokémon psychologist, not a psychologist for humans. How can you compare a person's complex mind to a Pokémon's simple one?
And yet…
Why was a Pokémon seeking psychological help for its own Trainer?
More importantly, why was this "client" brought in by his own Pokémon?
Johan decided to just let things unfold naturally.
"We're almost there."
Officer Jenny parked the car near a public park.
They noticed an open manhole cover by the roadside, with burn marks surrounding it.
"Pika!"
Pikachu, sitting on Volkner's shoulder, perked up. It looked toward a wooded area in the park and let out a warning cry.
Electricity crackled faintly across its cheeks.
Suddenly—
Bzzt!
Amidst a harsh buzzing sound, a bolt of golden electricity shot out from the woods.
Without hesitation, Volkner tossed out a Poké Ball.
In a flash of red light, a Luxray, with a body covered in black and blue fur resembling that of a full-grown lion, appeared in front of the incoming lightning bolt.
"Luxray, use Thunder Fang!" Volkner commanded.
Boom!
In an instant, the electric energy exploded, scattering currents that seared a nearby tree, leaving charred marks.
"Awooo!!"
Luxray assumed an aggressive stance, its fur bristling with electricity.
Volkner frowned. He couldn't see their opponent, but Luxray, with its x-ray vision, had already locked onto its target.
After a moment's hesitation, Volkner gave the command: "Luxray, use Thunderbolt!"
"Awooo—"
Electricity surged around Luxray's body, and a bright golden arc shot toward the trees.
Yet surprisingly, there was no reaction, as if the attack had vanished into thin air.
Furrowing his brows deeper, Volkner wasn't satisfied with the result.
"Pikachu, Luxray, use Thunderbolt again!"
Pikachu leapt from his shoulder.
"Pika—chuuu!!"
"Awooo!!"
Two bolts of lightning, like twin golden serpents, struck into the trees with astonishing speed.
But once again, there was no response at all.
What was going on?
Even if the opponent was strong, there should have been some reaction.
Meanwhile, in Johan's field of vision, a Pokédex entry had appeared, revealing the opponent's identity.
His expression became slightly strange, and a serious look appeared in his eyes.
It seemed like this incident might be connected to Vulpix as well.
Because the opponent turned out to be a Vikavolt with… four Charjabug!
Johan stepped forward, surprising Volkner.
"I'll take care of this."
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Powerstones?
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