Pokémon Center, Porta Vista!
"Hello? Who is it…?" A listless voice drifted from the other end of the call. On the video screen appeared a bespectacled man wearing a safety helmet, with buck teeth and a rather sleazy look about him.
"Mr. Cole, long time no see," Kael said.
The man on the other side of the video call was the same undercover investigator who had boarded the S.S. Anne a week ago under the identity of a bounty hunter working external security.
"Haaah…" Cole let out a lazy yawn, rubbing his bleary eyes. "That voice sounds familiar. Wait…"
He froze. Staring at the ponytailed boy now visible on the screen, he shot up from his chair as if he'd seen a ghost.
"You brat—are you a man or a ghost?!"
Kael chuckled. "Let's put that question aside for now. About the three conditions we discussed on the S.S. Anne—"
"Hold it!" Cole waved frantically, cutting him off. Then he grinned. "Heh, if you can say that much, it means you're alive. Where the hell did you go? After the S.S. Anne sank, I searched for you for three whole days. Nothing. I thought you'd been swallowed by the sea and fed to the fish."
...
"Forget the three conditions," Cole slumped back into his chair. "I can barely save myself right now." He pointed at the green safety helmet on his head. "See this? I got stripped of my investigator post. Now I've been reassigned to build a reservoir in the forest near Fuchsia City."
"That helmet actually suits you," Kael said, barely suppressing his laughter.
"Thanks," Cole shot back with a dramatic eye roll.
"So you don't hold any official position anymore?" Kael asked calmly. "Then I won't trouble you further. I've got other matters to attend to—"
"Don't hang up!" Cole shoved his entire face close to the camera. "I'm still the chief of the reservoir construction team! Can I ask you for a favor?"
"The three conditions."
"Please! Kael," Cole cried, snot coming out from his nose. "Please don't hang up! I'm really out of options. The S.S. Anne incident was too big. Boss Renard was suspended too. All the savings I'd scraped together for a future wife? Gone—paid out as compensation to the tourists affected by the disaster. I'm flat broke."
Fearing Kael might disconnect at any moment, he quickly plastered on a flattering smile.
"But I'm from the same hometown as Nurse Joy in Fuchsia City. We've always been on good terms. That application for Chansey's breeding rights should still be doable."
Kael fell silent in thought. On the other side of the screen, Cole fidgeted restlessly. His recent luck had been atrocious—even building a reservoir had turned into a disaster.
Arms crossed, face expressionless, Kael finally said, "I'll trust you one more time. What's the problem?"
Cole let out a long sigh of relief, returning to his usual sly grin. "That's my bro—reliable as ever. So, as I said, I've been assigned to build a reservoir in the forest near Fuchsia City…"
…
"It's these damned Diglett outbreaks. Supply trucks and equipment can't get through. The reservoir's half-built and stuck there. Every day of halted construction costs tens of thousands. The League has issued a strict order—it must be completed by the end of the month. If the Diglett problem isn't solved, the project can't continue. And if the project can't continue, I'm packing my bags and sweeping streets."
He sighed heavily. "I've already posted the mission on the bounty hunters' website and at Pokémon Centers in various cities, hoping some reputable bounty hunter or Trainer will handle this Diglett crisis."
"What's the reward?" Kael asked.
Cole immediately grabbed a stack of vouchers from his desk. "A complimentary four-days-and-three-nights stay at a hot spring resort."
"…You've got to be kidding. Who would deal with a Diglett outbreak for a hot spring coupon?"
"You, of course!" Cole said shamelessly. "Not just the hot spring pass—you'll also get Chansey's breeding rights."
"Given your track record, I want to see the Chansey first. Otherwise, no deal."
Cole thumped his chest confidently. "No problem. Leave it to me."
...
"Excuse me, are you Kael?"
As Kael stood beneath the mission display board inside the Pokémon Center reviewing recent postings, a gentle voice sounded behind him.
He turned around. "I am. Nurse Joy, is something the matter?"
Nurse Joy smiled warmly. "A Trainer named Ash left a video message here. He said if a black-haired boy named Kael with a ponytail appears, I should pass it along."
"To be honest, I've been observing you for a while," she added with a soft laugh. "Boys who wear ponytails are quite rare."
Kael followed her to the counter. She tapped a few keys on the keyboard, and a recorded message was pulled up.
The video opened to show Ash, Misty, Brock, and Miki standing together. Yet every one of them wore a trace of worry.
Ash spoke first.
"Kael, if you're seeing this message, it means you're still alive. Miki and the others are fine. I'm in Celadon City now, preparing to challenge the Celadon Gym. If you see this, please send us a message—let us know you're safe. Please…"
The video ended.
Nurse Joy sighed softly. "Your companions truly care about you. Every time they reach a new city, they record a new message. This is the latest one."
"Would you like to leave them a reply to let them know you're safe?" she asked gently.
Kael smiled.
"Thank you, but not for now. I'm planning to give them a surprise."
He was already preparing to head toward Fuchsia City—not just to deal with the so-called Diglett outbreak, but more importantly for Chansey's breeding rights.
Celadon City and Fuchsia City were adjacent. He could stop by and see Miki and the others along the way—consider it a proper reassurance.
After all, if someone regarded you as a friend, the least you could do was let them know you were safe.
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