Archive of Our Own

“Alright...,” Breathing out slowly, Paxton crouched his body slightly forward of his usual posture when encountering a pokémon battle. One red Poké Ball was gripped firmly in his right hand, as his gaze never once left the wild Venipede, which was hissing fiercely at him.

It was a detective case he received from the detective agency assigned by Emma. Apparently, there had been incidents of a particular wild female Venipede attacking trainers and other Pokémon alike for battle.

Witness sightings indicated that the Venipede was frequently spotted in the areas outside Wild Zone 16 and Wild Zone 5. Occasionally, she had also appeared in the area around Wild Zone 15. But she vanished soon afterwards.

One thing in the report of this particular pokémon in front of Paxton, that stood out among the other Venipedes, was that her left antenna was chipped off, probably from a battle a long time ago.

“Maybe she might be lost... I should try to knock her out, heal, and send her back to Wild Zone.” With that plan in mind, the black-haired man threw his pokeball forward. “Go, Excadrill!”

The Poké Ball popped open with a bright light that landed on the ground, forming a mole-like Pokémon that let out a battle cry. His blades flexed and sharpened for combat.

At the sight of her opponent, the chipped-Venipede let out a sharp cry, crawling forward rapidly and about to fire an Infestation attack. Paxton swung his arm out and commanded. “Use Dig attack!”

Excadrill growled at the order and burrowed into the ground with his sharp blade claws, dodging the murky green poisonous spray coming at him.

The chipped Venipede stopped her movement, and its pair of antennae twitched slightly as she tried to sense her enemy’s whereabouts. As she crawled forward rapidly again this time, she didn’t notice that dirt and sand particles were forming beneath her until the ground rumbled hard.

And then, Excadrill emerged from beneath the chipped Venipede with his left claw blade, striking at its body directly. She was thrown high up in the air before hitting the ground with its impact, knocking out the bug Pokémon completely.

Paxton breathed out a sympathetic sigh as he looked at the fainted Pokémon. Hopefully, she learned her lesson and returned to the wild to live in peace. Just as he took out an unused Poké Ball ready for capture, another elderly man approached him.

“Thank you so much, young man! If it weren’t for your help, we would not be able to use the court for our Pokémon battle in peace.”

The black-haired young man turned towards his requestor and shook his head with a smile. “Not at all, Mr. Nicolas. I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

Paxton recalled Excadrill back into his Poké Ball before kneeling down beside the unconscious Venipede. He pulled out a potion from his satchel at his back, gently administering it to the injured Bug-type pokémon.

The older man watched with interest as the Venipede’s breathing steadied. “You’re being awfully kind to a Pokémon that’s been terrorizing trainers for the past week.”

“Well...” Paxton carefully examined the chipped antenna, his brow furrowing in concentration. “Something doesn’t add up. Wild Pokémon usually don’t act this aggressively unless there’s a reason.”

He noticed old scarring along the Venipede’s segments—not fresh battle wounds, but older marks that had healed poorly. “These injuries look like they’re from different battles over time.”

Mr. Nicolas scratched his head in a mix of concern and confusion. “You think someone’s been mistreating it?”

“I’m not sure myself, to be honest,” Pressing the button in the middle to enlarge the size of the Poké Ball, the black-haired man added. “For now, I will just help return the Venipede to her home and visit the Wild Zone to look at it later.”

Just as Paxton threw the red Poké Ball towards the chipped Venipede, the sound of a car tire screeching and stopping, just a few feet away from the pair, awakened the bug Pokémon with an alert and angry look. Positioned herself to stand upright, she let out a sharp and fierce cry before tackling the pokeball away to break it into two.

“Whoa!” Paxton and Nicolas narrowly moved away from the broken object aimed at them, then turned back to see the bug pokémon scurrying away to make her escape. The former turned to where the noise came from, which was a black, expensive-looking car that was parked outside the Rust Syndicate building.

Upon turning back to where the chipped Venipede had been, the black-haired young man’s mouth dropped slightly to see she had vanished entirely, and he muttered. “She ran off….”

Nicolas patted his shoulder apologetically. “At least you tried, young man. I’m sure it’ll find its way back to the wild eventually.”

“Yeah... Maybe.” But Paxton wasn’t convinced, and worried even if it was alright to just let her go on her own. Those old scars, the aggressive behavior of attacking everyone on sight, he felt as if the pokémon was trying to prove something by fighting opponents that were bigger and stronger than her.

The car door opened with a soft click, and Paxton’s attention shifted to the sleek black vehicle. A familiar figure stepped out, a large man in a black suit opening the passenger door for the dark-haired, bespectacled man to exit the car.

All of the Rust Syndicate bowed immediately upon the return of their boss, Corbeau, and his right-hand man, Phillippe. In contrast, both men engaged deeply in a discussion as they entered the building.

Though before Paxton could wonder or note anything, Nicolas’s face had already turned pale at the sight of the syndicate boss, and he handed the pokedollar bills and a few berries to him. “A-Anyway, here’s the reward as promised! Thanks again for helping to scare the Venipede.”

Just as the black-haired man wanted to assure it was nothing, the elderly man had already briskly walked away from the area. Paxton looked at his earned money and then back at the Rust Syndicate building with a thoughtful frown. That timing seemed too convenient—the Venipede fleeing the moment Corbeau’s car arrived.

“Coincidence…?” He muttered to himself, pocketing the money and berries. His mind was already connecting dots that might not even exist, and a conclusion beyond the truth. He shook his head with a decisive tone to murmur to himself. “I’m probably overthinking this. For now, I should head back to the hotel to have dinner with everyone before the Z-A royale starts tonight.”

While Paxton turned around to leave the area, too, walking past the rows of bushes and trees lined up in the streets, the same chipped Venipede from earlier quietly crawled out from its hiding place in one of the bushes, looking towards the Rust Syndicate building with an expressionless gaze.

+++

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm from the floating Rotom phone rang off inside a barely lit room of Hotel Z in Lumiose City, Vert District, Sector 8. Paxton tossed and turned on his bed before a quiet groan escaped him, reminding him that another new day had arrived.

Pushing himself up on the bed, the black-haired young man reached out his right hand to press the button to turn off the alarm, his other hand moving to cover his mouth as he yawned. “It’s already morning, huh… The battle royale rewards should be deposited in soon….”

He flicked the screen on his Rotom phone, looking at the tabulated total rewards of 33 wins, resulting in earnings of 83,790 Pokedollars and additional items. After another intensive late-night battle between two trainers, Feraligatr and everyone deserved a treat.

“Would 20 Lumiose Galette be enough for all of them?” Paxton thought to himself while getting out of bed to change into another fresh set of clothes. “But Garchomp always eats at least 35 of them… And it looks my potions aren’t short of it yet….”

After finishing his morning routine and getting dressed, Paxton grabbed his satchel and headed downstairs. The familiar scent of fresh pastries from the hotel’s kitchen greeted him as he descended the stairs, and he could hear Lida’s cheerful voice chatting with Eternal Floette in the lobby.

“Morning, Paxton!” Lida waved at him with her usual bright smile. “You were out late again last night. More Z-A Royale battles?”

“Yeah, I had a good streak going,” Paxton replied, stretching his arms above his head. The satisfying pop of his shoulders reminded him just how many battles he’d squeezed in from rushing from one trainer to another. “I figured I’d grab some treats for the team before heading out today.”

“You spoil those Pokémon of yours,” Lida teased, though her expression softened with approval. Eternal Floette, floating beside the black-haired young woman, chirped happily with joy at the close bonding.

Just as Paxton chuckled sheepishly at their compliment, his Rotom Phone flew out from his pocket to answer the call from the automated function, where a familiar elderly man’s voice called out. “Young man, is that you?!”

“Mr. Nicolas?” After quickly muttering a quiet apology to both Lida and Eternal Floette to excuse himself, who then gave him an understanding and concerned look, he went to the corner and continued. “Is there something wrong?”

Nicolas’s voice grew breathless with increased urgency, informing him. “T-That Venipede is back on the streets, young man!”

At the unexpected news, Paxton’s eyes widened briefly, then narrowed, the surprise in his voice barely masked by his concern. “The Venipede? Are you sure it’s the same one?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” Nicolas’s voice cracked slightly under the weight of his panic. “She’s causing trouble again, but this time, it’s different. She’s... Looking for something, or someone. That Venipede’s been roaming around Bleu District, and there’s something off about her. I don’t know what, but it’s not acting like a wild Pokémon anymore!”

The fear in the old man’s tone pricked at Paxton’s nerves. He shifted his weight, glancing back toward Lida and Eternal Floette, who were still watching him, unaware of the situation.

“I’ll head there now,” Paxton replied swiftly. He didn’t wait for a response, already gathering his things in preparation. The chipped-Venipede’s appearance from yesterday still nagged at him, and he didn’t want to wait around to see if his suspicions were justified.

“Wait! I think it might be connected to the—” But the line clicked dead before Nicolas could finish, his voice still echoing in Paxton’s mind. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach, and he adjusted his belt and the pokeballs equipped on him one last time.

“Looks like we’re going back to square one,” He muttered to himself as he quickly waved goodbye to Lida and Eternal Floette, giving them a quick explanation about the call. With one final look around the hotel lobby, Paxton stepped out of the hotel to rush towards his destination.

+++

“It’s right that way to the Rust Syndicate building, I saw it, young man! B-But… None of us would like to get close to them, so… Could we trouble you to investigate it on our behalf? We would pay fairly high in return for this!”

Once the guards standing by the syndicate building greeted Paxton in their friendly, gruff tone, having visited Corbeau time and again when he was bored, the black-haired young man scanned his surroundings as he headed to the backyard.

“Those guys didn’t see a wild Venipede coming in earlier…,” Paxton recalled the testimony from the two guards who looked confused and a bit afraid even of letting a wild pokémon enter their boss’s territory without his knowledge.

And probably for those guards’ sake as well, he needed to find the Venipede soon before they and their own pokémon become a chew toy for their boss’s Scolipede—!

A cry.

A familiar cry of a bug-type Pokémon echoed from somewhere deeper in the backyard.

Paxton quickened his pace, weaving between storage crates and maintenance equipment scattered throughout the Rust Syndicate’s back area. The cry came again—sharper this time, more insistent. Not aggressive, but... Happy?

He rounded a corner and froze.

The chipped-Venipede was there, hiding in one of the bushes with her small head peeking out to focus on whatever was in front of her. She wasn’t planning for an ambush; instead, she was watching the Scolipede in particular battling against the Skarmory at the open field.

“Skarmory, use Steel Wing!” Philippe commanded his pokémon with a loud booming voice. One of the steel bird pokémon’s wings glowed white and flew towards Scolipede to slam against him.

However, his opponent and boss, Corbeau, wasn’t deterred and calmly raised his fist instead. “Protect, then use Iron Tail, Scolipede.”

The large, plump, centipede-like pokémon roared at the command, forming a barrier in front of its body to protect itself from the impact. And the twin sharp tails on his rear glowed white, turning his body to slam against Skarmory, which caused it to let out a pained screech.

“Amazing...,” Paxton muttered to himself in awe while remaining hidden behind a wall. He watched the two older men, Corbeau in particular, using moves he knew they were immune to Skarmory’s steel-type trait to bait and to defend themselves before weakening the enemy with his own attack.

The way Corbeau and his partner, Scolipede, worked together with such synchronization was a level of bond that Paxton could only aspire to with his own pokémon. Compared to his mere months of learning how to train and battle with his own pokémon since arriving at Lumiose City as a tourist...

Having spent many years training and fighting alongside Corbeau and his Scolipede since his childhood, Paxton couldn’t help but feel a flicker of respect and admiration for their battle prowess. He still has a long way to go in terms of experience.

But his mind quickly returned to the matter at hand—the chipped Venipede. She was still watching the battle, her antennae twitching in curiosity. And the pair of amber eyes seemed to glitter in awe and excitement as she observed the Scolipede delivering a powerful finishing attack to the Skarmory.

A flicker of memory surfaced in the bug pokémon’s mind—blurry but vivid. She had once seen that same move used in a battle long ago, when she was alone by herself in a heavy storm. Her trainer was nowhere to be found, and her body was battered and broken from the enraged wild Alpha Scolipede.

Still, she couldn’t back down even if it cost her life, when she was finally out of that pokeball to be able to battle with all her strength. But then, before a Poison Jab hit her, a Scolipede had stood tall in front of her against a raging Alpha Pokémon, shielding her with unwavering strength. The bespectacled human, his partner, commanded the next attack while surveying his surroundings to ensure every other person had already evacuated. That moment had etched itself into her instincts, a symbol of power and protection she longed to emulate.

The steel bird pokémon plummeted to the ground with a resonant clang. Corbeau’s Scolipede towered over its opponent, triumphant yet composed, its mandibles clicking in a rhythmic pattern that reminded Paxton of breathing without breaking a sweat.

“Skarmory, that’s enough,” Philippe commanded, his deep voice echoing across the courtyard. He approached his pokémon, stroking the beak comfortingly to reassure it that its hard work had earned the praise. Then he took out his pokeball to return Skarmory back inside for rest.

Corbeau, however, gave a low, satisfied chuckle, folding his arms as Scolipede proudly returned to his side.

“That’s what I like to see, Philippe,” The bespectacled smiled slightly with an approving look. “Your Skarmory’s faster than before, but you still rush your openings. You’ve got to let your Pokémon read their opponent before you make the call. Patience wins battles, not brute force.”

Philippe gave a faint hum of acknowledgment. “Understood, boss. You always did have a knack for seeing through your opponent’s rhythm.”

The two men clearly had a long history together, one built on genuine respect and trust. On the chipped Venipede’s side, her amber eyes glimmered with excitement at the large centipede pokémon.

Paxton observed that the chipped Venipede was now trying to mirror the Iron Tail attack with her own small tail. Each motion, each twitch of her antennae, came just seconds after Scolipede’s. It wasn’t just admiration. It was instinct, as well as an eagerness to challenge another to earn the recognition.

“…Could it be…?” Paxton whispered to himself, a hand rubbed to his chin thoughtfully at the only possible conclusion he was now seeing before his eyes.

Scolipede turned toward Corbeau and gave a pleased growl, lowering his massive head so that its yellow eyes met his. The boss of the Rust Syndicate smiled faintly, brushing his hand across its armored plates—a gesture surprisingly gentle for a man with such an intimidating reputation.

“Good work, Scolipede,” He praised quietly. “Still sharp after all these years.”

Watching the said pokémon letting out a calm yet pleased growl from the compliment, maybe, there was a way now to stop the chipped Venipede from attacking civilians and innocent Pokémon wildly.

+++

Hiding behind the wall of a desolated building in Wild Zone 5, Paxton peeked briefly at the bait he had set. “Alright, this should do the trick.”

Small crumbs of Pecha and Babiri berries, along with Lumiose Galettes, created a makeshift trail to where the black-haired young man was; the chipped Venipede would definitely be hungry for food. And the broken left antenna of her head would make it hard to hunt, which would put the Pokémon in danger.

Paxton also ensured the gap of the trail didn’t have such a huge spacing between each other, and prayed the chipped Venipede wouldn’t wander off elsewhere, or he would have to start all over again.

Just then, the familiar sharp cry reached the black-haired man’s ears, and he quickly hid behind the wall. “It’s here!”

The chipped Venipede crawled past the green holographic entrance and approached the next crumb of berry before it to chew. Paxton held his breath, watching the Venipede inch closer to the next berry crumb, its antenna twitching in that familiar, erratic way.

He could see the hunger in its movements, but it wasn’t the only thing that stood out to him. There was an unmistakable wariness in its posture—its eyes scanning the surroundings as if unsure, yet driven by instinct toward the food. This wasn’t the same aggressive pokémon he had encountered earlier; it seemed… More vulnerable.

Slowly, Paxton crouched lower behind the broken wall, making sure to remain out of sight. He hadn’t been sure how long it would take, but he knew the Venipede’s hunger would lead it to him eventually. Just as he had hoped, the Pokémon cautiously crawled forward, its little legs skittering across the cracked concrete.

With each movement, she devoured the berries one by one, each chewed more slowly than the last, as if savoring the meal sent down to her by Arceus itself. It was only a few more crumbs away from the final bait he’d placed—a basket of all different kinds of berries he purchased from the stall where he would finally make his move.

As she crept toward the basket, the scent of Lumiose Galettes triggered a memory—Scolipede sharing the same treat with his trainer, Corbeau, after a victorious battle. Hidden in the bushes, Venipede had watched from a distance, her broken antenna twitching with envy and admiration.

It reminded her of when she could only stay in her ex-trainer’s Poké Ball to watch her other friends enjoying the celebration. Her attacks didn’t land her any wins at his command, and she was always the one who was first to be knocked out in a fight. The chipped Venipede back then could only curl her body to wait for her hunger to subside until everyone was asleep. She could sneak out to eat whatever crumbs remained.

The chipped-Venipede had never been part of that celebration, but she had dreamed of one day earning such recognition.

Meanwhile, the black-haired young man swallowed anxiously, his heart thudding in his chest. He’d studied the Venipede closely and realized that it wasn’t a threat as people make her out to be. Whatever was going on with the bug pokémon, he’d rather try to resolve it peacefully between them.

Upon reaching the basket, the chipped-Venipede’s antenna straightened in delight at the bountiful offering before her small body. Before she could take a bite of a single berry, she recoiled back and cried fiercely once the familiar human came out of hiding.

“Wait, wait, I’m not here to fight you, I swear!” Paxton raised both hands up in a surrender position. The chipped-Venipede’s body coiled defensively, her intact antenna pointing straight at Paxton like a weapon ready to strike.

A low hiss emanated from her small form, though the sound carried more wary than genuine aggression.

“Easy, easy,” Paxton kept his voice soft and steady, remaining perfectly still in his surrender pose as he squatted onto the ground so that they were about the same eye level. “Do you remember yesterday? At the battle court? I’m the one who called Excadrill.”

He watched the chipped Venipede’s antenna twitch at the mention of his Pokémon. “I know you ran off after our battle, but you weren’t running because you were scared of me.”

The chipped Venipede shifted her weight, clearly torn between the basket of food and the perceived threat before her. Her amber eyes darted between Paxton and the berries, hunger warring with caution.

“You ran because of that car, where Corbeau returned to his office,” Paxton continued, slowly lowering himself to sit cross-legged on the ground, making himself appear less threatening. “And this morning, you went straight to the Rust Syndicate building. You were watching Scolipede train, weren’t you?”

At the mention of Corbeau’s Scolipede, the bug pokémon’s defensive posture faltered slightly. Her hiss quieted into something closer to a confused yet defensive chirp.

“I saw how you were looking at Scolipede.” Paxton lowered his arms to rest on his lap. “You were trying to copy his moves. The way he used Iron Tail—you tried to mimic it with your own. So... You know Scolipede, don’t you? Or at least... You remember him since it looks like you look up to Scolipede a lot.”

The Venipede’s chipped antenna twitched again, this time slower, as if contemplating Paxton’s words. Her defensive stance had loosened just a little. However, she still stayed on edge, her eyes flicking between the basket of berries and the human. It wasn’t just hunger driving the wild Pokémon; there was something else there, something more powerful.

“Those berries and Lumiose Galettes in the basket? They are Scolipede’s favorite food.” The black-haired young man smiled warmly at the surprise and now interested expression coming from the small bug pokémon. “Whenever I came over to Corbeau’s office to hang out, I would buy food for them to eat. Scolipede likes berries that are spicy and sweet since his stomach can handle the acidic taste.”

The chipped-Venipede’s intact antenna perked up noticeably at this revelation. She looked down at the basket with renewed interest, its amber eyes widening slightly as if recognizing something familiar about the selection.

“You really admire Scolipede, don’t you? I noticed it when you were specifically watching him during training.” A sympathetic and understanding smile curled on Paxton’s lips, and he confessed. “It’s the same for me. I admire Corbeau as well. Even though I have won against him, accomplished in reaching Rank A in Z-A Royale, and even saved Lumiose City from destruction… I still feel sometimes he is out of my reach.”

The chipped Venipede’s posture relaxed slightly at Paxton’s confession. Her amber eyes studied him with a new intensity—no longer just wary, but curious. Understanding.

The black-haired human uncrossed his legs to make himself more comfortable, looking upwards to the sky as if to recall the moments he spent with the older man. “Corbeau is strong, confident, and commands respect from everyone around him. But he’s also very bossy, pushy, and easily bad-tempered. Sometimes I wonder if he’s secretly a fire-type trainer.

“He founded and built a home for himself and Scolipede when he had no family to rely on. The people in the Rust Syndicate and Mr. Philippe respected and showed their loyalty to him. But most of all, he’s protected this city in his own way, even though they were an outcast to society.”

Paxton let out a self-deprecating laugh and sighed tiredly. “Meanwhile, I’m just some tourist who got his bag stolen on the first day in Lumiose City and stumbled into the Z-A Royale tournament to help Taunie save this place. Half the time I’m still figuring out what I’m doing.”

Even now, he was still uncertain himself. The black-haired young man knew that the news of his heroic deeds would reach his ‘home.’ However, he still hadn’t found the strength inside him to tell his ‘parents’ of his well-being. The two words that felt alien to him since childhood, when he stumbled onto a truth that he probably shouldn’t have.

His train of thought was then pushed away when a berry rolled towards the side of his hand. Paxton looked down to notice that the chipped Venipede had nudged one of them from the basket towards him as an offering to comfort.

The bug pokémon no longer seemed to be hostile and wary like before, though still guarded at a distance between them. Paxton looked down at the small Bug-type and gave a rueful smile. “We’re kind of similar, aren’t we? Trying to prove we’re worthy of something, and look up to someone who seems so far ahead of us.”

He paused, then added quietly, “And... We’re not quite sure where we belong.”

The chipped Venipede chirped again, softer this time, as if acknowledging the truth in his words.

“But here’s what I’ve learned from watching Corbeau and Scolipede,” Paxton continued, his voice growing more steady. “It’s not about being the strongest or proving you deserve to be somewhere. It’s about... Finding somebody who sees you for who you are. Not who you think you need to be.”

The chipped-Venipede tilted its head, processing this. Its gaze drifted back to the basket of berries, then to Paxton, then back again.

An understanding smile curled on the black-haired human’s lips, and he nodded. “But, if you want to grow stronger to challenge Scolipede yourself. Then, here’s the deal: I will train with you to help you evolve before battling him. In the meantime, you have to promise me that you will not attack others recklessly, alright?”

Offering the same berry that was rolled to him to the bug pokémon, the chipped Venipede stared at the hand for a few seconds before taking a bite at the food as if to accept the deal. Paxton grinned brightly at the acceptance, and he decided. “Then, I’ll look for you here every day in the morning to train, and maybe at night, I’ll bring you to Z-A Royal to fight against other trainers too!”

As Paxton watched the small Pokémon devouring the rest of the berries, he smiled to himself, feeling a sense of warmth spread through him. He had always found comfort in training and helping others. Now, seeing the chipped Venipede slowly begin to trust him, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

The Pokémon was no longer just a stray, hungry pokémon lost in the chaos of the city. It was now a potential partner, someone who, like him, was trying to find their place in the world.

+

Next day…

Outstretching his right hand toward the field, Paxton gave the command. “Alright—Venipede, use Infestation!”

The chipped Venipede let out a sharp cry… But instead of firing immediately, the Venipede first twitched her antennae, scanning the grass warily. Only after a few seconds did it finally launch the attack—spraying a burst of murky green poisonous smog in a direction that was almost accurate… To a lamppost, instead of her targeted wild Pokémon.

“Not that way—the Bellsprout, Venipede! The Bellsprout!” The black-haired called out hurriedly in a frantic voice. He didn’t need Emma to come after him as well for trying to destroy public property.

The Bug-type Pokémon jerked mid-spray, adjusting its aim at the last moment. The attack hit, but sloppily, the Infestation cloud forming unevenly around the wild Bellsprout. Still, the plant Pokémon shrieked as the lingering venomous haze trapped it, cutting off its escape routes.

Paxton exhaled, both relieved and frazzled, that the attack had landed somewhat. “Okay… Close enough.”

The wild Bellsprout stumbled desperately in the smog, movements frantic and uncoordinated. The Venipede tensed, body lowering as she prepared to strike—but Paxton knew that posture too well by now. It wasn’t just battle-readiness, but a fight-or-flight instinct.

“Good job, Venipede!” Paxton called out, the chipped Venipede’s tail twitched—pleased, but still jittery. Her odd-sized antennae quivered, amber eyes jumping between Bellsprout… And the bushes behind Paxton for some reason.

“Stay with me, Venipede,” The black-haired trainer murmured, then raised his voice. “Now—use Tackle! Finish it!”

The chipped Venipede chirped—more like a startled squeak than a war cry—before launching forward. Her speed was fast, but the angle was wild; halfway through, she veered too far left and had to correct herself at the last second.

Even so, the body slam landed with surprising force, knocking Bellsprout back. The wild Pokémon squealed before collapsing, vines limp as consciousness left it.

Paxton let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “You actually did it...! You have knocked down a wild Pokémon!”

He crouched down carefully—slowly, so he wouldn’t spook the Bug-type again. “You did great, Venipede. Really great.”

The chipped Venipede chirped proudly… Then, she immediately flinched when Paxton reached into his bag for an item, its antenna springing up defensively.

“It’s okay, it’s okay—just a few Oran berries and Sitrus berries,” Paxton reassured, holding out the small blue and yellow fruits where the Pokémon could see and smell them first. “See?”

After a few tense seconds, the chipped Venipede inched closer. Her amber eyes blinked slowly as she watched Paxton place the berries onto the ground. When she crawled closer to take a few bites, and seeing the human didn’t make any movement, some of the tension left her body—but not all. The chipped Venipede was still observing Paxton carefully, as though measuring if this human could be trusted.

Paxton smiled with relief; they still had a long way to go. But this was progress if he wanted to train the wild chipped-Venipede stronger. “Let’s keep going. One step at a time.”

And this time, the chipped-Venipede leaned into his hand a little more firmly—as if she agreed.

+

Another week later in the night…

Right at the open field of the Racine Construction building, a pokémon battle engaged between Paxton and Zach, with a small crowd surrounding them to watch the fight.

“Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!” The brown-haired male taxi driver commanded with a snap of his fingers.

The small yellow mouse pokémon’s red circular dots on its cheek glowed in a yellow light sparked with electricity. Next, it released a yellow lightning bolt from its body to fire at the chipped Venipede. Paxton immediately commanded the Bug Pokémon. “Protect, Venipede!”

With a sharp cry, the bug pokémon shrank its small body slightly to create a white-colored glowing energy barrier to shield itself from the powerful electrical attack. Once the lightning bolt was gone, the black-haired young man wasted no time in giving his command. “Finish it with Rollout attack!”

Jumping up into the air, the chipped-Venipede curled her small body into a ball and rolled into Zach’s Pikachu at a powerful, rapid speed. The spinning attack connected with a solid thud, sending Pikachu tumbling backwards across the concrete.

Pikachu let out a pained squeak as it rolled to a stop, electricity sparking weakly from its cheeks before it slumped, unconscious.

“Pikachu!” Zach called out, rushing to his partner’s side. He scooped up the small mouse Pokémon carefully and sighed with a resigned smile. “You deserved a rest now, buddy. Thanks for the hard work.”

As the brown-haired taxi driver recalled his partner pokémon into the Poké Ball, the chipped Venipede landed gracefully back on the ground, her body uncurling to hop happily as she let out a triumphant chirp. Zach smiled tiredly with fondness at the small bug pokémon and turned to Paxton. “Looks like you’ve become the 200th opponent I’ve lost to, Paxton. But you’ve got quite a strong pokémon there.”

Paxton smiled weakly with sympathy for the older driver at his infamous nickname’ Le Z Éternel’, and he answered. “I think we’re just getting started, one step at a time. Right, Venipede—?”

When he turned his head downwards to look at the small bug pokémon beside him, she had suddenly vanished into thin air! The black-haired young man’s black eyes widened in panic and quickly scanned his surroundings. “Wait! Where did Venipede go?!”

Zach also moved his head from left to right to assist in searching for the missing pokémon. His own brown eyes grew big upon recognition, and he pointed ahead. “Hey, isn’t that your Venipede over there?”

Following where the driver was pointing, the small chipped Venipede had already scurried off speedily back to the red holographic gate, where tonight’s designated Battle Zone was. Paxton’s eyes widened in realization, his heart sinking as he watched the chipped Venipede darting toward the entrance at breakneck speed, driven by her aggressive hunger for another battle.

Without a second thought, he dashed after her and yelled at the top of his lungs, “Venipede, come back here!”

“Paxton, you really should’ve kept it in the Pokéball!” Zach shouted, a mix of concern and amusement in his voice as he watched the chaotic scene unfold. “But I gotta say, letting a Pokémon run off right in the middle of a battle? Maybe next time, keep it on a leash, yeah?”

“Not the time, Zach!” Paxton shouted back in frustration. Sure, the little bug had a mind of its own. Still, there was no way he was going to be publicized on social media the next day as the most irresponsible trainer in Lumiose City to let his pokémon go loose like some wild creature!

Zach leaned against a nearby bench, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. “Good luck, Paxton! Looks like you’ve got a long night ahead of you!”

Oh, it definitely would be one until the dawn of a new day arrived…

+

Another few weeks passed in the late morning at Magenta Plaza Pokémon Center. The pink-haired nurse handed a fully healed, chipped Venipede and a tray of six Poké Balls to Paxton. “Here you go. Venipede and the rest of your team should all be better now!”

“Thanks, Nurse Joy!” Paxton bowed his head gratefully, collecting and equipping his pokeballs back onto his belt, then carrying up the chipped Venipede, who let out a happy chirp.

As the chipped Venipede chirped contentedly, nuzzling against Paxton’s chest as they exited the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy chuckled fondly at the sight and smiled warmly. “It’s not uncommon to see people bringing wild pokémon to us for treatment. You must have really cared for her, don’t you?”

“Well,” After adjusting his grip on the bug pokémon, Paxton smiled sheepishly and admitted. “It’s a promise between us that I’m helping the Venipede to become strong to challenge the one she admires.”

Nurse Joy gave Paxton a warm smile, her eyes softening at his words. “It’s clear she trusts you. That’s more than a lot of trainers ever get from their Pokémon.”

Paxton’s smile widened as he looked down at the chipped Venipede in his arms. The small Bug-type Pokémon nuzzled his chest affectionately, her antennae twitching in delight. She had come a long way from the aggressive creature to a pokémon that found her purpose and dream. His heart swelled with pride at how far they had come together.

“Oh, I forgot to mention,” The pink-haired nurse gasped slightly when she remembered. “The good news is that Venipede’s left antenna has been regenerating well from the report. Once it is fully recovered, I’m sure she can evolve into a Whirlpede in due time.”

The black-haired young man’s black eyes widened in surprise, relief, and happiness at the mention of the Venipede’s recovery. He looked down at the little Bug-type, who seemed oblivious to the fact, still nuzzling into his chest with a contented chirp.

Now that she mentioned it, Paxton noticed that the left antennae on the Venipede’s head had been returning somewhat to their original form. “That’s… Incredible. I didn’t think her antenna would heal so quickly.”

Nurse Joy smiled kindly, her eyes reflecting the warmth of her profession. “It’s a good sign, actually. Pokémon are incredibly resilient, especially when they’re in the right environment and with the right care. It’s clear she’s been getting the attention she needs.”

A deep sense of satisfaction swelled in Paxton’s heart from her words, his hand gently resting on the Venipede’s back as she chirped again, and he bowed to Nurse Joy again. “Thank you, Nurse Joy. I will make sure she stays that way until she is ready.”

As he walked out of the Pokémon Center with Venipede snuggly in his arms, the sun was warm on their faces, and the streets of Magenta District were just beginning to bustle with activity.

“You’ve been working really hard lately,” Paxton complimented, gently stroking the Venipede’s segmented body. “Fifteen wins this week alone. At this rate, you might even evolve soon, as Nurse Joy said.”

The bug Pokémon’s antenna twitched excitedly at that prospect. However, Paxton noticed a flicker of something else in her amber eyes—nervousness, maybe? Or anticipation?

“You know,” The black-haired trainer hummed as they walked through the plaza, “I’ve been thinking. You’ve gotten so much stronger these past few weeks. You can hold your own against Pokémon twice your size now. Your timing with Protect is almost perfect, and so is your aim in your Poison Sting attack! And that Rollout technique?”

He looked back down at the Venipede and smiled at her. “Even Garchomp was impressed when he saw you practicing it outside Hotel Z while I was helping Naveen to be his model on the sewing commission.”

The Venipede chirped proudly but then tilted her head, as if asking, ‘Where is this going?’

“Mm… Why don’t we celebrate with a treat?” Moving to carry the bug pokémon high up so that she was facing Paxton directly eye to eye, he tilted his head to the left slightly and grinned brightly. “I know a good café around here to enjoy delicious sweets and tea.”

+++

Setting down two white teacups of freshly brewed sweet Pecha Tea and a large plate of berry tarts and Lumiose Galettes, the blue-haired waitress turned to Paxton and asked. “Would there be anything else?”

“No, that’s all, thank you,” Paxton shook his head and smiled as she bowed once more before leaving him alone, together with the Venipede. When he turned back to the wild Pokémon, he chuckled at how her antennae straightened at the large feast in front of her. “Go ahead, Venipede. It’s all yours.”

The chipped Venipede didn’t need to be told twice. With an excited chirp, she immediately dove into the plate, her small mandibles working to devour a Lumiose Galette first. Paxton watched with fond amusement as the bug Pokémon’s enthusiasm caused a few crumbs to scatter across the table.

It was a cozy little café in Magenta Sector 4, with warm wooden furniture and big windows letting in the late morning sunlight. A few patrons lingered—an elderly couple enjoying pastries, a young woman typing on her laptop, a businessman checking his Rotom phone.

“Easy there,” The black-haired young man laughed softly, picking up his teacup. “The food isn’t going anywhere.”

The Venipede paused mid-bite to chirp at him almost indignantly, as if to say ‘you don’t understand how good this is,’ before continuing her feast. Paxton shook his head with a smile, taking a sip of his Pecha Tea.

Unbeknownst to him, the other patrons around them started to grow uneasy. Glances shifted to the door, murmurs passed, and soon enough, the café was emptying out faster than he could comprehend.

Paxton simply chuckled at the Venipede’s adorable behavior of devouring the next berry tart and laughed. “Slow down, you don’t want to get a stomachache now, do you?”

He didn’t notice or realize why he was the only one in the café left—until a voice hummed beside him. “Hmm... So it’s true, then. The reports my men’ve been talking about. You tamed that wild Venipede that was causing all that ruckus around Wild Zone 16, huh?”

Turning to the bespectacled, dark purple-haired man, Paxton, he grew surprised at his unexpected appearance and greeted him. “Ah, good afternoon, Corbeau. Are you done with your work today?”

Corbeau, his dark purple hair falling over one side of his sharp face, stood before him, his usual intimidating presence softened by the faintest of smiles. “Work? Never really done with that, kid. But I thought I’d check in on you. Seems like you’ve done a fine job with that Venipede.”

He pulled out the chair across from Paxton without asking permission. He sat down, his presence immediately commanding despite the casual café setting. The few remaining patrons who hadn’t already fled now quickly gathered their things and left, shooting nervous glances at the Rust Syndicate boss.

Paxton glanced around at the suddenly empty café with a mix of amusement and exasperation. There’s definitely something about the Rust Syndicate’s reputation that garnered respect and fear from the masses. “You know, you really have to work on your ‘approachable’ image if you want people to stick around.”

“Eh, I like the privacy,” Corbeau replied with a dismissive wave to the nervous waitress who finished taking his orders before hurrying back to the kitchen, leaning back in his chair. His eyes, however, never left the chipped-Venipede, who was still munching on her treats joyfully. “Besides, gives us a chance to chat without interruptions. It’s been a while since I saw your face in the office.”

Paxton shifted slightly, glancing down at the bug Pokémon with a smile, and answered. “Yeah, I guess. It’s been a lot of hard work to train Venipede, but it’s rewarding to see her improving.”

The bespectacled older man raised an eyebrow, his glasses glinting in the sunlight. “Improving, huh? That’s good. A Pokémon like that deserves a bit of guidance. I’ve noticed you’ve been getting quite the reputation for yourself lately, like letting your Pokémon run freely in the battle zone as they please.”

Wincing at the teasing tone laced in his voice, Paxton laughed sheepishly as he stroked Venipede’s shell. “I suppose there’s more training to work on… Venipede’s just excited about challenging more powerful trainers than her to grow stronger. Isn’t that right, Venipede?”

The chipped Venipede stopped eating for a moment to let out a high-pitched, excited sound to acknowledge. Corbeau’s golden eyes studied the small Pokémon closely, narrowing as he took in the condition of her left antennae—the one still regenerating. Something flickered in his gaze.

Recognition? Curiosity? It was hard to tell, but Paxton could feel the intensity of his focus.

“Anyway,” Paxton began, his tone light and offering one of the Lumious Galettes to try and change the topic, “I kind of overestimated Venipede’s appetite, but we’ve got plenty to share. Would you and Scolipede like some?”

Flicking momentarily to the plate before he met Paxton’s eyes, Corbeau’s expression was unreadable for a second. Then, with a slight, amused tilt of his head and a smirk, he responded, “I suppose I can spare a moment for some of your ‘extravagant’ hospitality.”

With a smooth motion, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Dusk Ball, tossing it up and catching it. “Might as well let him stretch his legs. We just finished a morning session, but he’s always got room for treats.”

The red light of the Dusk Ball materialized into the massive centipede Pokémon, Scolipede, which appeared with a low rumble. Despite his imposing size in the small café space, Scolipede moved with effortless grace, his size barely fitting in the cramped café. He settled beside Corbeau, his body coiling with practiced ease, leaving a lingering sense of intimidation in his wake.

The chipped Venipede, who had been happily munching on a berry tart, froze completely. Her intact antenna shot straight up, and her amber eyes went wide as they locked onto Scolipede’s form. And then she let out a sharp chattering sound that seemed to be a mix of joy and surprise.

“Venipede?” Paxton watched the bug Pokémon crawl down from the table and began circling around Corbeau’s Scolipede excitedly. Recognition. Longing. That desperate desire to be acknowledged that Paxton had seen in her eyes when she watched Scolipede train from the bushes.

Scolipede, for his part, lowered his head, his gaze soft but curious. Slowly, almost cautiously, he bent down to meet Venipede’s eager approach. His massive body shifted slightly, making way for the smaller Pokémon. When their antennae touched, it was as if something unspoken passed between them.

Scolipede’s amber eyes narrowed as he observed the smaller bug-type with a flicker of interest. Still, there was no hostility in his gaze. The older Pokémon’s long, segmented body twisted slightly, almost as if he was assessing Venipede.

The quiet hum of his mandibles echoed as his large body shifted gently closer, lowering even further to allow the smaller Venipede to feel more at ease.

Venipede, for her part, was vibrating with excitement, her whole form buzzing in a way that Paxton could feel even from where he sat. She chirped happily, her eyes shining brightly as she circled around Scolipede, clearly eager for his attention.

When Scolipede later let out a quiet growl after another second, Corbeau swallowed down his bite of Lumious Galette and prodded his partner. “So, you recognize her as well?”

Another growl escaped from the large centipede Pokémon to affirm his trainer’s question. Yet, it only left Paxton confused as he stared between the pair. “Wait, you two know this wild Venipede?”

“You could say that,” The bespectacled man simply answered after taking a napkin to wipe the bread crumbs around his lips. “A while back, an Alpha Scolipede went wild, tearing through the area near Café Ultimo, dragging his goons along for the ride.”

Turning to look at where the Venipede was still chirping happily to the Scolipede, Corbeau continued to recount the incident. “At the time, this kid’s trainer got caught up in it, too. I was finishing up some work nearby and saw it happen. So I had Philippe move the folks to safety while I went over to handle the Alpha Scolipede’s rampage. “

His brows furrowed slightly when the pair of golden eyes landed on the Venipede’s healing antennae, looking away and adjusting his spectacles with an unreadable expression. “That Venipede got pretty banged up in that attack as a result. I thought about taking her back to treat the injuries, but by the time I was done, she was gone. Scolipede searched high and low, but never found her. I thought she must’ve gone back to her trainer. But then, the next day, I ran into him again. So I asked that man about it… You know what he said?”

Paxton’s stomach twisted with a growing sense of dread at the question hanging in the air. The way Corbeau’s expression had darkened, the way his jaw tightened as he adjusted his glasses—none of it boded well.

“What did he say?” The black-haired young man asked quietly, though part of him already suspected the answer wouldn’t be good.

Corbeau’s fingers drummed once against the table before he spoke, his voice taking on that dangerous edge that appeared when he was holding back anger. “He said, ‘Oh, that Venipede? Yeah, she got hit pretty bad. Honestly, with how messed up her antenna got, she’s probably not worth the medical bills. I was thinking of just releasing her anyway—she never won me any battles.’”

The café fell silent except for the distant clinking of dishes from the kitchen. Paxton felt his hands curl into fists on the table, a hot surge of anger rising in his chest. “He just… Abandoned her? After she got hurt protecting him from the attack?”

“Not protecting him,” The dark purple-haired man corrected, his tone flat and cold as he picked up the tea to drink. “That kid wasn’t even in the battle. She was just there, in her Pokéball on his belt, when the Alpha Scolipede’s rampage hit. She got knocked around, her Pokéball broke, and she took damage from the debris. The bastard didn’t even bother to look for her afterward. Just wrote her off as a loss and moved on.”

Paxton looked down at the Venipede, who was still happily interacting with Scolipede, oblivious to the conversation about her past. His heart ached thinking about what she must have gone through—injured, abandoned, left to fend for herself in a city she barely knew.

“Obviously,” Corbeau set his teacup down with a cold smirk, his sharp yellow eyes glinting dangerously as he spoke, like a predator remembering the thrill of a kill. “You really think I’d just let that slide after hearing something like that? What goes around comes around, right?”

His fingers tapped the edge of the table as he continued, his voice quiet but full of malice. “As it stands, that bastard’s debt to the Rust Syndicate… And to that poor Venipede… It’s one he’ll never be able to repay. He got what was coming to him. I made sure to ask around about where he dumped her, though… Guess it’s lucky for him you found her first, huh?”

“I guess so…? It just so happens that I got the case from Emma, that she had been going around attacking other trainers and Pokémon alike in the street.” Paxton rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, trying to calm himself from the chills down in his spine at the syndicate boss’s implication.

He glanced down at Venipede, where she was now eating the Luimose Galette that Scolipede had taken from the plate to share with her, oblivious to the grim story that had just been unveiled.

Yet here she was now, thriving and finding comfort with Scolipede—under the care of someone who had seen her potential, not as a broken creature, but as a partner and an equal.

“But… It’s lucky I found her,” Paxton muttered, his tone subdued. His thoughts bounced between anger and sympathy, his heart aching for Venipede, and yet, he couldn’t deny the satisfaction of knowing that, despite everything, she had found someone who truly cared for her.

Corbeau leaned back in his chair, his expression momentarily softening as he looked at the pair. Next, his Rotom phone flew out of his blazer pocket due to a message notification shown on the screen. He squinted briefly and sighed quietly, tapping on the button for it to return into the pocket, and stood up for his seat.

“Oh? You’re leaving already?” The black-haired young man watched as Corbeau went to his partner Pokémon.

“Something urgent came up,” The bespectacled syndicate boss stroked Scolipede’s back to nudge him gently to get up from his spot. “But, thanks for inviting Scolipede and me for the treat. The food was delicious.”

Although he had just shared an unsettling story, Corbeau’s demeanor didn’t shift. He looked every bit the influential figure he was known to be, with Scolipede moving easily by his side, as if the Pokémon had been trained to follow his every motion with a mere glance.

“No problem,” Paxton replied, still a little shaken but grateful for the moment of calm and camaraderie that had passed between them, however brief. “It’s the least I could do. I think Venipede enjoyed it... And I think Scolipede did too.”

Corbeau gave a slight nod, his yellow eyes flickering back to Venipede for a moment, where she was munching contentedly on the last berry tart. As he was about to turn and walk away, Venipede’s antennae straightened at the movement. They hurriedly scurried to the front of the two, with a frantic cry.

“Hey, Venipede, come on!” Paxton rushed over to where the bug Pokémon was and carried her up, though his arms were now struggling to contain the Venipede, which now tried to escape his grasp. “Both Corbeau and Scolipede are really busy, and it’s not the right time for you to—!”

But before Paxton could finish, Corbeau, who had been watching the exchange with a quiet, calculating gaze, approached them and looked at the Venipede. Moving one of his hands, he stroked her shell gently and hummed. “You’ve got spirit there. It’s rare for Scolipede to show interest in another Pokémon, though I could see why now.”

The younger man looked at Corbeau, surprised by the softer tone in his voice. It wasn’t often that the Rust Syndicate boss showed such subtle warmth, but it was there now, lingering in his words and in the way he observed the two Bug-types.

Corbeau’s Scolipede lowered its head against the smaller bug Pokémon for their antennae to make contact with each other. Exchanges of soft growls and high-pitched chirps between the pair, and Scolipede let out a pleased growl afterwards.

After a few more seconds of watching Venipede interact with Scolipede, Corbeau’s lips curved into a smirk, the sharp edges of his personality returning. “Well, it seems like Scolipede wants a ‘dance’ with her when she’s fully evolved.”

“Dance? You mean a battle?” Turning towards Venipede in his arms, Paxton grinned proudly at the bug Pokémon. “Isn’t that good news, Venipede? Looks like Scolipede has really acknowledged your strength now to battle him when you’re ready.”

When the younger man’s grin widened at the Venipede’s chirp, Corbeau’s smirk widened just slightly, a glint of amusement flickering in his golden eyes behind his glasses. He affirmed smoothly, his tone carrying that characteristic blend of casual confidence and something unreadable beneath. “Yeah, Paxton. A battle. Once she’s evolved into her final form, a showdown between a Scolipede and a Scolipede. Only fitting, right?”

The Venipede in Paxton’s arms chirped excitedly, her antennae waving with pure joy at the prospect. Paxton’s smile just brightened for her. This was precisely what they’d been working toward—recognition from the syndicate boss’s Scolipede, a proper challenge, acknowledgment of her strength that she deserved.

Corbeau’s Scolipede rumbled in what sounded like pleased agreement, though there was something almost... Satisfied within the sound. The large Bug-type’s mandibles clicked in a specific pattern that made the bespectacled man’s smirk deepen ever so slightly.

“So we’ve got a deal then,” Corbeau continued, adjusting his glasses with one hand. At the same time, the other remained on his Scolipede’s armored plating. “You keep training her, get her evolved, and when she’s ready...”

He paused, his eyes meeting Paxton’s with an expression that was hard to read—amusement? Anticipation? “We’ll have ourselves a proper match. Give her the recognition she’s been fighting for.”

Paxton nodded enthusiastically, completely missing the subtle undertones in Corbeau’s words. “Sure! But don’t go crying to Philippe if you lose to me again.”

The small Bug-type chirped in fervent agreement, practically vibrating with excitement in Paxton’s arms.

“Don’t get too cocky with me,” Corbeau scoffed and moved one hand to flick against the younger man’s forehead lightly, causing the latter to yelp slightly in pain. “Though I gotta warn you, Scolipede doesn’t hold back in a ‘dance.’ He’s going to give her everything he’s got. You’d better make sure she’s ready for that.”

“But, still! What was that for?”

“You’ve got a long way to go, Paxton. But that attitude—it’s promising.” The syndicate boss’s lips curled into a slight smirk as he looked between the younger man and the wild Pokémon. “I’ll be expecting that match soon. Don’t disappoint me.”

“We will,” Paxton answered confidently, gently stroking Venipede’s head. “We’ve come this far together. We’ll see it through to the end.”

Studying the two of them for a moment longer, Corbeau let out a short laugh—one that held more layers than Paxton could possibly understand. “I’m sure you will, kid. I’m sure you will.”

He turned toward the door, Scolipede following smoothly beside him. “When she evolves, come find me. We’ll set up something... Proper. Make it worth her while.”

The way he said it was casual, almost offhand, but there was definitely amusement lurking beneath. Before Paxton could ask what he meant by that, Corbeau was gone, the door swinging shut behind him and Scolipede.

Paxton blinked, looking down at the Venipede in his arms, and shrugged it off with a smile. “I guess he’s probably just talking about how much stronger you’ll be after evolving to Whirlipede, then Scolipede. Don’t worry—we’ll handle whatever comes our way.”

The Venipede chirped happily, nuzzling against his chest. As the black-haired young man got his Rotom phone to look at the following few tasks and the upcoming battle zone to train the bug pokemon, any other implications that Corbeau said in his words were pushed entirely away to reach their goal.

+++

And so, another few weeks passed since the meeting with Corbeau at Cafe Amie. Between battling in Wild Zones during the day and Battle Zones at night, the left antennae on Venipede’s head gradually returned to their original shape.

Paxton laughed cheerfully when she saw the bug Pokémon circling in front of the mirror at her full recovery. With how hard her battle techniques had improved every day, he could feel her getting closer to Scolipede’s level.

Just like now, Venipede swiftly moved between left and right with her stubby legs to dodge the blonde-haired boy’s Roselia’s Razor Leaf attack. Paxton then shouted in a decisive tone. “Pin Missile attack now, Venipede!”

The Venipede’s rear tail glowed in a white light to fire streams of white pins at Roselia. Roselia staggered, its leaves rustling as it tried to regain its balance. Paxton could see the fatigue in its movements; it was clear that Venipede’s strength was catching up with that of the more experienced Pokémon.

“Now, Tackle!” Paxton commanded, his voice firm but encouraging.

“Roselia, dodge it, hurry!” The young boy shouted in a panic for his Pokémon to evade the attack.

With a determined chirp, Venipede launched herself forward, her body spinning in the air before landing a clean hit on Roselia before she moved a single centimeter. Then, the plant-type Pokémon collapsed to the ground, unable to get back up.

“Great job, Venipede!” Paxton exclaimed, his voice filled with pride as he ran up to her. She chirped happily in response, her antennae twitching with excitement at the success. He crouched down to her level, gently patting her head. “You’ve improved so much. We’re one step closer, aren’t we?”

Venipede chirped in agreement, clearly proud of her victory. Later, the black-haired young man’s gaze shifted from her to the Roselia being recalled back into its Pokéball. The blonde-haired boy, together with his two friends, a brown-haired boy and a dark-haired boy, ran to gather around Paxton excitedly.

“Your Venipede is so strong, mister!” The brown-haired boy praised excitedly, his brown eyes sparkling at the battle he had witnessed.

The blonde-haired boy nodded his head and raised both of his hands up. “Yeah! It reminds me of Mr. Corbeau’s Scolipede! Mr. Corbeau’s Scolipede is really strong and powerful!”

“You make me want to catch my own Venipede to be like Mr. Corbeau, big brother!”

Paxton laughed warmly at the indirect praise of the Syndicate Boss. Despite his attempts to portray himself as a cruel and distant person, his acts, such as trying to get rid of SBC members who bullied these kids and providing unwanted advice for battling, still earned admiration from them.

An anti-hero outlaw who fought against injustice in the shadows.

Just before the black-haired young man could answer, he then noticed the Venipede’s body enveloped completely in a bright white light all of a sudden, shocking the four humans around her.

“Veinpede?” Paxton wondered, realizing instantly what was happening to the wild Bug Pokémon.

Venipede’s body transformed its shape into a larger, circular shape with sharp barbs. Once the light faded away, it revealed an insectoid Pokémon encased in a gray-purple, segmented shell, with two pairs of purple horns on the front and back, and a familiar amber eye at its center.

“That’s a Whirlipede now! She’s evolved!” The blond-haired boy exclaimed in a mix of surprise and amazement.

Paxton’s eyes widened in amazement as he watched the newly-evolved Whirlipede spin in place, testing out her new form. She was significantly larger now, her movements more powerful and controlled. The sharp barbs on her shell gleamed in the afternoon sun. When she rolled forward experimentally, she left small indentations in the ground.

“Whirlipede!” Paxton called out, his voice filled with pride and excitement. “You did it! You evolved!”

The Whirlipede chirped in response—the sound more profound and more resonant than before, but still carrying that familiar tone that the black-haired human had come to know so well. She rolled around the battle court in circles, clearly delighted with her new power and speed.

The three boys were practically bouncing with excitement, their eyes wide with wonder.

“That was so cool!” The dark-haired boy exclaimed. “She just evolved right in front of us!”

“Do you think she’ll evolve again?” The brown-haired boy asked eagerly. “Into a Scolipede like Mr. Corbeau’s?”

The blonde-haired boy nodded enthusiastically. “She has to! Then she can battle Mr. Corbeau’s Scolipede for real!”

“Yeah, she will. One more evolution to go.” Paxton laughed, and he crouched down as Whirlipede rolled back to him, gently placing a hand on her shell. It felt different now—more rigid, more protective. “But first, we need to get you checked out. Evolution takes a lot of energy.”

Whirlipede chirped softly, nuzzling against his hand despite her new, more intimidating appearance. Underneath the barbs and armor, she was still the same Pokémon who had shared berries with him and slowly learned to trust again.

“Hey, mister?” The blonde-haired boy spoke up hesitantly. “Are you really going to let her battle Mr. Corbeau’s Scolipede?”

“That’s the plan,” Paxton confirmed with a smile. “It’s what she’s been working toward this whole time. To prove herself to Scolipede, to show she’s strong enough to stand beside him.”

The three boys exchanged excited whispers among themselves before the brown-haired boy blurted out, “Can we come watch? When you battle him?”

Paxton blinked in surprise, then chuckled. “I don’t see why not, but you’ll have to ask Mr. Corbeau. It’ll be his call where and when we have that match.”

“We will!” All three boys chorused together, their enthusiasm infectious, so that the young man also felt the thrill of anticipation in fulfilling the promise of a dance between the two Scolipedes.

After saying their goodbyes to the excited trio, Paxton began walking toward the Pokémon Center with Whirlipede rolling alongside him. She was still getting used to her new form, occasionally wobbling slightly or moving faster than she intended, so he had to sprint after her.

+++

“I can’t believe you actually tamed that wild Venipede, or Whirlipede now, to battle with the Rust Syndicate boss.” Naveen stared in disbelief, exasperation, but still slight respect at his friend stroking the Whirlpede’s shell on his lap. They lounged together in the Hotel MZ lobby at night for their usual catch-up sessions.

Paxton hummed idly, his usual easygoing smile in place, and answered. “Well, Emma or the client didn’t have any issue with how I took care of Whirlipede as long as she doesn’t terrorize the street again.”

Naveen crossed his arms, his dull eyes studying the Whirlipede with analytical precision, then turned back to his friend. “That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it. You’re planning to battle Corbeau—the Rust Syndicate boss. The same person who could probably make us all disappear if he felt like it when he had Taunie’s debt hanging over our head.”

“He’s not that bad,” Paxton defended with a laugh, continuing to stroke Whirlipede’s shell. The Bug-type let out a contented rumble, clearly enjoying the attention. “Besides, it was Corbeau who suggested the match in the first place. He wants to see how strong Whirlipede can become against his Scolipede.”

“Uh-huh,” The brown-haired young man rolled his eyes. He wasn’t entirely convinced. “And what exactly did he say when he ‘suggested’ this match?”

Looking upwards to the ceiling to think back to the conversation at the café, Paxton shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “He said Scolipede wanted a ‘dance’ with her once she’s fully evolved. A proper battle between Scolipede and Scolipede. And Whirlipede is eager for it, so why not?”

“A dance?” Naveen’s eyebrow twitched slightly—the most emotion he’d shown so far on this absurd discussion.

“Yeah, you know. A battle,” Paxton clarified, shrugging his shoulders again nonchalantly. “Corbeau has that way of talking sometimes. Makes everything sound more dramatic and threatening than it is.”

“Right...” Naveen’s tone was distinctly skeptical, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he leaned back against the couch, his fingers drumming against his arm thoughtfully. “When’s Lida getting back? I need her to talk some sense into you.”

“She’s getting groceries with Eternal Floette to stock up in the kitchen,” Paxton replied. “Lida wanted to try expanding more dishes aside from curry and croissants for the guests to enjoy. Why do you need backup to convince me this is a bad idea?”

“Someone needs to,” The brown-haired young man muttered. Then, despite himself, his gaze drifted back to Whirlipede with a now intrigued gaze. A face he usually made when inspiration struck him. “Though I’ll admit that shell pattern is striking. The purple segments contrast nicely with the gray base. If I were to design something inspired by Bug-types...”

He trailed off, clearly already visualizing designs in his head. This was the Naveen that Paxton was familiar with—the one who could turn any conversation into fashion inspiration. Something that the black-haired young man both admired and respected greatly, as he was the one who made his black hat when he first joined Team MZ.

“You should sketch it,” Paxton encouraged with a grin. “I bet Whirlipede would be honored to be your muse.”

Whirlipede chirped in agreement, wiggling slightly in place to show off her shell from different angles, which made both young men laugh.

“Don’t encourage her vanity,” Naveen chided, but there was the faintest hint of amusement in his usually stoic expression. “One evolution left though, huh? To Scolipede?”

“Yeah,” Paxton confirmed, his voice carrying a note of pride. “And then after the battle, she could return to the wild and—!”

At that moment, Paxton’s voice trailed off, his hand stilling on Whirlipede’s shell. The realization hit him like a cold splash of water.

Wow, really… How much time passed when you had fun… In all the training, battling, and the time together, the black-haired young man never actually asked Whirlipede what she wanted to do after the match with Corbeau’s Scolipede.

He’d just... Assumed she’d return to the wild. Achieving her goal of being acknowledged by Scolipede would likely be the end of their partnership. She’d earned her freedom and would want to go back to living on her own terms.

“You’re not just going to let her stay with you, are you?” Naveen remarked, his voice casual but with a hint of curiosity.

Paxton shifted uncomfortably, his fingers brushing lightly against Whirlipede’s shell. The wild cocoon Pokémon, oblivious to the tension in her trainer’s thoughts, continued to rumble softly against his lap, content and unaware of the uncertainty swirling in his mind.

He had gotten so used to having her around that the thought of what would happen once she faced Scolipede—once she was truly ready—hadn’t fully hit him until now.

“I... I don’t know,” Paxton admitted, his voice barely above a whisper from his struggles to speak. “I promised her that she would get Corbeau’s Scolipede to acknowledge her strength. But… Does she really want to stay? Or would she rather return to the wild or even find her old trainer…?”

The silence between the two young men stretched, as Naveen’s thoughtful gaze turned toward Whirlipede, who was now resting contentedly in Paxton’s arms, her once-slim body now a force of nature in her evolved form.

“Is it that simple, though?” Naveen asked, tapping his finger against the armrest thoughtfully. “Once she evolves, becomes what she’s been training for, you just... let her go? Is that what you want for her, Paxton?”

The question was like getting hit by Alpha Avalugg’s Icicle Crash attack once, and Paxton found himself frozen for a moment. In the beginning, Venipede had been a wild Pokémon, and now, here she was—strong, determined, and evolved.

But what if the only thing she wanted was to be free? Was that Paxton’s responsibility? To guide her to Scolipede and leave her there to follow her own path, separate from him?

The black-haired trainer looked down at Whirlipede, feeling a lump form in his throat. He’d grown so attached to her, and the thought of her leaving—the idea of sending her off after all they had been through together—left him with an unfamiliar ache in his chest.

“I don’t know what’s best for her,” Paxton finally confessed, his voice strained. “I want her to be happy, strong, and...”

Naveen said nothing for a moment, letting the words settle between them. Then, with a slight smile, he leaned back in his chair. “I still don’t know the whole story behind the Whirlipede. However, if there’s one thing I’m sure, you’ve already given her the best thing she could ever ask for. Don’t think about it too hard, it’s already right there in front of you.”

Paxton nodded slowly, feeling the weight of his own emotions beginning to settle into a quiet acceptance. He wasn’t sure how the future would unfold. Still, he knew one thing: no matter what happened, he would always support Venipede—Whirlipede—in whatever path she chose.

“… Thanks, Naveen,” The black-haired young man smiled softly, feeling a sense of clarity that he hadn’t had before.

Giving a light, approving nod of his head, the brown-haired young man picked up the small sketchbook and held a pencil up in his hand. “Now, about that design... I would need your help to keep Whirlipede still until I’m done sketching her.”

“You’re really determined to get those ideas down, aren’t you?” Paxton chuckled, adjusting the now sleepy Whirlipede on his lap to get her in a comfortable position.

“Of course. A true artist is always thinking ahead.”

As the evening unfolded and the two of them continued their conversation, Paxton couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace settle in his chest. The road ahead might be uncertain, but with every step he took alongside Whirlipede, he knew they would both figure it out—together.

+++

Next morning…

Lida pushed the curtains in the lobby to the side and watched the raindrops pattering continuously against the hotel windows, murmuring. “Aww… The weather forecast didn’t indicate that there would be a significant storm today. And I was about to practice my new dance move with Starmie in the morning!”

As Eternal Floette floated in from the side to peer outside with a curious cry, Naveen joined to stand beside her, watching the rain tap relentlessly against the windows. His expression was thoughtful, almost distant, as he rubbed his chin absentmindedly. “I was supposed to collect the materials for my sewing commission. But it looks like I will rearrange the appointment for another day.”

From the disappointment laced in her friend’s voice, Lida shook her head with an assured smile tugging at her lips. “I’m sure your client understands that if they want the best clothing that comes from you.”

Paxton came out of the elevator with Whirlipede rolling beside him, both looking ready for their usual morning training session. The Bug-type, letting out her usual cheerful cry, was clearly eager to start another round of finding wild Pokémon to fight.

“Morning!” Paxton greeted, only to pause when he noticed both his friends staring out the window. “Oh. That’s... Quite a heavy rain in the morning.”

“You think?” Lida raised an eyebrow at him, looking at the Whirlipede, then back at him. “Please don’t tell me you’re trying to get yourself and Whirlipede sick from the weather too.”

“Besides,” Naveen added, signaling out his Rotom Phone to check something, “The weather report says this storm is going to last most of the day. You’d be better off doing indoor training or taking a rest day.”

“Seriously…?” A frown formed on the black-haired young man’s face, sighing about the unfortunate change in plans. Whirlipede seemed equally disappointed, wiggling by his feet with a frustrated cry.

Lida crouched down to pet the bug pokémon’s shell to try and comfort her. “A rest day might not be the worst idea. Whirlipede just evolved yesterday. Her body might still be adjusting, and she also had a proper tour of the hotel!”

“True,” Paxton admitted, crouching down to stroke Whirlipede’s shell. “What do you think, Whirlipede? Want to take it easy today?”

Whirlipede chirped, but it lacked her usual enthusiasm. She was clearly restless, as evidenced by her fidgety behavior, as she wanted to continue building her strength toward that final evolution.

Naveen swiped one of his fingers against the windows and frowned slightly at the accumulated dust. “Or… We could do some cleaning up at the hotel. I’d not like the next guest to visit to be a health inspector, who would give us a bad audit result of the cleanliness….”

Now that he mentioned it, Paxton could see the dust gathering on various surfaces, cobwebs in the corners, and the windows definitely needed a good cleaning. After AZ’s passing and the destruction of Prism Tower to stop Ange, there hadn’t been a time to do a thorough cleanup of the place.

“I think it’s a good idea as well to have a change of pace, too,” The black-haired young dancer straightened up with a snap of her fingers, a spark of inspiration lighting her eyes. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. We’ve been so busy with our own things lately that the lobby and the hallways could use a deep clean.”

Naveen nodded slowly, signaling his Rotom phone again to review the hotel’s layout. “We could split the area into groups between our pokémon and ourselves. Scrub rotation, polish sequencing, maybe even dusting interval drills.”

“So, Team MZ Cleanup Day?” Paxton asked in a half-joking manner.

Lida beamed. “Team MZ Cleanup Day!”

However, even as Naveen let out an agreeing hum with a nod, Whirlipede chirped in protest and frustration, wiggling in place once, nearly crashing into a side table before Paxton caught her with a gentle tap. “Sorry, Whirlipede. However, today is not a good day for training. How about you play with Floette and everyone in a corner for a while? And when the weather is good, we’ll head out to train, alright?”

Whirlipede gave a low, discontented grunt, her shell trembling ever so slightly as she vibrated in place with pent-up energy. She clearly didn’t like it—but as Paxton gently rubbed a spot behind her horn, she eventually stilled, letting out a reluctant grumble that signaled her reluctant acceptance.

Eternal Floette twirled in the air and floated closer, letting out a few cheerful notes as if inviting Whirlipede to join her with a motherly gesture. The bug-type Pokémon glanced toward her and let out a small huff. Still, after a few moments, she rolled in slow, lazy circles to follow the fairy companion into the corner of the lobby.

As Paxton huffed and muttered gratefully under his breath for Eternal Floette’s intervention, Lida stood and clapped her hands together, her voice rallying. “Alright! Let’s get this cleanup started! I’ll take the guest hallways with Starmie.”

“I’ll take the kitchen and reception,” Naveen said, already summoning his Scrafty, who came out with a low grunt.

Paxton stood and gave Whirlipede one last look before calling out his remaining six Pokémon with a quick toss of his Pokéball. Feraligatr, Garchomp, Delphox, Venasaur, Frolass, and Excadrill let out their cry to stretch their limbs and turned to their trainer when he clapped for their attention. “Guess that leaves the guest rooms and lounge to us? Let’s get the cleaning started!”

As vacuums whirred, mop handles spun, and dusters swept in rhythm together with their Pokémon using controlled attacks to clean the place, Team MZ got to work scrubbing, polishing, and airing out every dusty corner of the once-neglected hotel.

+

Hours passed, and the rain outside continued to fall, but inside, the hotel felt alive with motion and laughter. Paxton draped a large, clean blanket over each of his pokémon sleeping soundly in the corner of his room. All of them deserved a well-rested nap for today’s chore and maybe a treat as well for the hard work.

But the satisfaction and peace didn’t last for long when he heard a familiar worried cry coming from outside his room. “Floette?”

Peeking his head outside, the black-haired young man saw the Eternal Floette floating down the hallway, with one of her small arms placed on her head as she searched for something. Her soft and gentle cry continued to call out, yet there didn’t seem to be a reply at all.

“Hey, Floette, what’s wrong?” Paxton approached her cautiously to avoid startling the fairy Pokémon. Eternal Floette turned to him with a distressed trill, floating in agitated circles. She gestured down the hallway with her red-black flower, then made a rolling motion with her petite body—mimicking Whirlipede’s movement.

“Wait, you can’t find Whirlipede?” Paxton’s eyes widened in concern. “How long has she been missing?”

Eternal Floette let out another worried cry, holding up what looked like three of her small appendages. Three... Hours? No, probably more like thirty minutes, given the cleaning schedule they’d been following.

“Okay, okay, don’t worry. She couldn’t have gone far.” Paxton tried to sound reassuring, though his own concern was growing. The hotel wasn’t huge, but Whirlipede was still adjusting to her new evolved form. She could have accidentally rolled into somewhere she couldn’t easily get out of, or knocked something over and gotten stuck.

Heading down to the elevator, where both Lida and Naveen were tending to their own resting Pokémon, looked up with the former asking first. “Paxton, what’s wrong?”

“Has anyone seen Whirlipede? Floette says she wandered off.”

Lida’s eyes widened in shock, but she shook her head worriedly and answered. “I didn’t see her, sorry. Do you want me to check in the kitchen?”

“Neither did I,” Naveen’s brows furrowed in concern, as if trying to recall further back whether he had seen the bug pokémon anywhere else. He took it out of his phone to check on the screen. “But, I’ll keep an eye out on the social media if anyone has spotted the wild Pokémon outside.”

With a grateful nod to his friend, Paxton’s mind raced through possibilities. “Where would she have gone to? There’s a thunderstorm right now, and it’s too dangerous to go outside to train—!”

At the particular word ‘thunderstorm’, the black-haired young man soon remembered a few days ago his meeting with Corbeau in the café. “A while back, an Alpha Scolipede went wild, tearing through the area near Café Ultimo, dragging his goons along for the ride. This kid’s trainer got caught up in it, too. As a result, that Venipede got pretty banged up in that attack from fighting it all by herself.”

“Don’t tell me—!!”

His legs moved before his brain finished processing, as Paxton rushed out of the hotel, Lida stood up from her seat and ran to the door. “Paxton?!”

“Where are you going in this bad weather? Paxton!!” Naveen also shouted for his friend to come back; however, their words fell on deaf ears to the black-haired young man, who was hurried by the rain and the footsteps to wherever the Whirlipede was.

+++

“When the attack happened, Whirlipede—no, back then, when she was only a Venipede, she tried to protect herself against the wild, rampaging Alpha Scolipede,” Paxton thought to himself, breathing heavily through his nose and mouth despite how soaked his body was right now.

The rain pelted against his face as he ran through the streets of Lumiose, his clothes already soaked through. Thunder cracked overhead, and Paxton flinched but didn’t slow down. Paxton’s hair clung to his forehead, rainwater streaming down his face. Still, he didn’t stop—couldn’t stop—not when he finally understood what Whirlipede must have been thinking.

“Her trainer abandoned her when she didn’t bring him any wins during the battle…,” Paxton muttered between gasps. “So, Whirlipede wants to prove she’s strong enough… Not just to Scolipede himself, but to her old trainer.”

His Rotom Phone buzzed in his pocket, probably Lida or Naveen trying to call him back, but he ignored it. He had to find her. Had to make sure she was okay. Paxton would apologize to them when he returned, hell, he would accept whatever scoldings or punishments from his friends as long as Whirlipede was alright.

The Wild Zone 15 street was nearly empty due to the storm, only a few people huddled under awnings or rushed between buildings with umbrellas. Paxton scanned every alley, every corner, his heart pounding. “Think, think,” he said aloud. “Where would she go? Where...”

A loud monstrous growl came further down from the corner near Café Ultimo, the place where it all happened. Paxton changed direction, running faster now despite the slick pavement. When he rounded the corner onto the street where Café Ultimo stood, he barely stopped himself before getting hit by an Earthquake attack.

In front of the black-haired trainer, a gigantic wild Alpha Scolipede roared viciously with its eerie, glowing red eyes staring down at its opponent. Whirlipede’s cocoon body was bruised from the fight, but still stood strong and resilient, her amber eyes narrowing in fierce determination despite the overwhelming size difference between them.

“Whirlipede!” Paxton shouted over the rain and thunder, his voice cracking with desperation.

The Bug-type Pokeon’s amber eye flickered toward him for just a moment—surprise, then something that looked almost like shame and guilt at being found. But she didn’t retreat. Instead, she let out a defiant grunt and launched herself at the Alpha Scolipede again with Rollout.

The massive centipede Pokémon roared and swatted her aside with its glowing twin horns, using a brutal Megahorn attack. Whirlipede crashed into the side of a building, leaving cracks in the wall, and Paxton’s heart stopped.

“No!” He started to run forward, but Whirlipede was already getting back up, her shell scraped and dented, but her determination unshaken. She rolled back into position, body trembling but refusing to back down. And then Paxton understood—truly understood—what he was witnessing.

This was no longer about getting stronger or recognition from Corbeau’s Scolipede. It was the trauma that led her to her abandonment that convinced her she was worthless to her old trainer’s eyes. Whirlipede wanted to rewrite that memory. To prove that she wasn’t the weak, useless Venipede her trainer had discarded.

But she was outmatched. Badly. The Alpha Scolipede was easily three times her size, battle-hardened and vicious, its red eyes gleaming with wild aggression.

“Whirlipede, stop!” Paxton called out, finally reaching her and trying to help her up. “You don’t have to do this alone! Let me help you!”

Whirlipede growled sharply—an almost angry sound. She didn’t want help from the human. She needed to do this herself. The Alpha Scolipede roared again and charged, its massive body coiling for another devastating attack. Whirlipede tried to dodge, but she was too injured and too slow. The Poison Tail connected, sending her spinning across the wet pavement.

Paxton ran to her without thinking, sliding on his knees beside her poison-inflicted body. “Whirlipede, please. You’re hurt. You’ve already proven—”

She interrupted him with a fierce chirp, her amber eye blazing with determination even as her body shook from the damage she’d taken. She didn’t want to hear it, and to stop her battle, not yet, not even when her shell could crack any moment.

The Alpha Scolipede was charging again, and Paxton realized with horror that it wasn’t going to stop. Wild, rampaging Alpha Pokémon didn’t show mercy. They didn’t care if their opponent was already down. He had those experiences firsthand when searching for new Pokémon to complete Mable’s requests.

“Fine,” Paxton said, his voice suddenly steady despite the rain and fear coursing through him. “You want to face this? Then we face it together. You’re not alone anymore! You don’t have to prove anything by yourself!”

The Alpha Scolipede’s horn glowed with poisonous energy, A Poison Jab attack ready to impale anything in its path—

And Whirlipede rolled in front of Paxton, her shell glowing with protective light as she used Protect, shielding them both from the devastating attack. The barrier held, but barely. Cracks spiderwebbed across the protective shield as the Alpha’s attack hammered against it.

When it finally shattered, both Paxton and Whirlipede were knocked backward by the shockwave. Paxton scrambled to his feet, his hand immediately going to his pokeballs, only to find nothing equipped on his belt. “Shoot… I left all of them back in the hotel to rest after the chores…!”

The Alpha Scolipede roared, sensing weakness, and prepared to charge again.

“Whirlipede, look out—!”

Whirlipede began rolling, picking up speed despite her injuries. The rain-slicked street actually helped, letting her build momentum faster than usual. She launched herself into the air at the perfect angle, and the shell collided against the horn, breaking the former.

At that second, Paxton’s heart almost stopped in horror, dreading the inevitable end for the poor Pokémon. But then, a familiar white light enveloped her body.

A brilliant, pulsing glow that lit up the storm-soaked alleyway like lightning frozen in time. Paxton gasped, stumbling back from the force of it, the light nearly blinding through the rain. “Whirlipede…?”

No—not Whirlipede.

The cocooned form began to stretch and shift, her shell splitting as powerful, spiked limbs emerged from the sides. Her segmented body grew longer, sleeker, and more deadly in shape. Two amber eyes flared to life on a broad, pointed face crowned by a pair of sharp, curved horns. The glowing white light shattered outward as the evolution completed.

Standing tall, elegant, and terrifying in the middle of the thunderstorm was a fully evolved Scolipede.

The new Scolipede let out a feral, piercing shriek—a cry that shook the raindrops from the air around her, powerful and wild and triumphant. The Alpha Scolipede reared back, clearly startled by the sudden transformation. For a moment, the two centipede Pokémon faced each other—one wild and massive, the other newly evolved and burning with purpose.

The smaller Scolipede lunged forward with her new, powerful legs, moving with a grace and speed that her Whirlipede form could never have achieved. Her horns glowed with purple energy as she drove a devastating X-Scissor directly into the Alpha’s chest.

The Alpha Scolipede roared and tried to counter with Earthquake, but Scolipede was faster now. She dodged with fluid precision, her new body responding to her will with deadly efficiency. All of her pent-up frustration, abandonment, and determination poured into every movement.

“Scolipede!” Paxton called out, finding his voice again to support her. “Use Iron Tail to finish this!”

She didn’t need the command as she was already moving towards the Alpha Pokémon, but hearing the black-haired human’s voice seemed to focus her rage into something more controlled. The pair of rear horns on her end glowed in a white light.

The smaller Scolipede lowered her body to swing to the side, dodging the incoming Double-Edge attack. And at that opening, she turned her lower body to hit her glowing horns against the Alpha Scolipede’s attack, mimicking Corbeau’s own Scolipede when he trained with Philippe a few weeks ago.

The rear horns found their mark—right under the Alpha’s plated neck—and the larger Scolipede reared back, screeching. It stumbled. And finally, it collapsed—body twitching, breath heaving.

Rain pattered down steadily as the silence returned, broken only by thunder in the distance. Paxton stood motionless for a second, eyes wide, until he finally exhaled. His knees gave way as he dropped down to sit on the pavement, utterly soaked, breathless, and smiling like an idiot.

One of the unused Dusk Balls fell out of his pouch. Scolipede turned towards where Paxton was. She stepped forward slowly and cautiously, her massive claws clicking against the broken concrete. Her amber eyes had softened again, that wild fire tamed into something steadier…

A resolution and acceptance.

Before Paxton could ask anything, the centipede Pokémon lowered her head to nudge the Dusk Ball orange button gently, causing it to open and absorb her. Then, the Dusk ball wiggled on the spot once. Twice, next. Lastly, a third wiggle before coming to a stop and standing still.

The click echoed louder than any thunder.

Paxton stared at the Dusk Ball sitting in the rain-soaked street, his breath caught in his throat, heart pounding. The glowing ring had faded, the ball still and silent in the gloom. For a moment, he didn’t move. He just sat there, frozen, chest rising and falling with each trembling breath.

Then—finally—he laughed. It came out breathless and soaked in disbelief, but it was genuine. A relieved, overwhelmed, teary laugh that shook his shoulders as he leaned forward, resting his forehead on his knees.

“You… you really did it,” The black-haired young man whispered, rain running down his face, mingling with the tears he hadn’t realized were falling. “You evolved… And…”

He looked up, reaching for the Dusk Ball with both hands, cradling it against his chest like something sacred. “Welcome home, Scolipede.”

The street was silent save for the rainfall; the chaos now faded into memory. The Alpha Scolipede’s unconscious form lay still, breathing shallowly but alive. Emergency responders would find it later—Paxton was too exhausted to deal with that at the moment. He had to get back and tell others that—

“… You fucking thief!!” An unfamiliar voice of a man yelled furiously at where Paxton was.

Paxton froze. The rain felt suddenly colder—sharper—against his skin as he turned toward the stranger storming down the flooded street. The man’s boots splashed through puddles, each step heavy with fury. His light brown hair was plastered to his forehead by the rain; his jacket was drenched, but none of it could dull the unmistakable rage burning in his eyes.

A Poké Ball belt hung at his waist. And his gaze was locked directly on the Dusk Ball in Paxton’s hands.

“What…?” Paxton managed, still breathless, still clutching the ball close to his chest. “Who—?”

“That’s my Scolipede!” The man snarled, pointing at the Dusk Ball with a trembling hand. “You—You stole her! I’ve been tracking that worthless bug for weeks, and now you catch her? Give her back!”

Paxton’s blood ran cold.

Worthless bug.

His arms tightened instinctively around the Dusk Ball.

Thunder cracked overhead, illuminating the man’s furious expression for a split second. Paxton stared at him, and something inside him clicked with sickening clarity.

It was him. This was the trainer that Corbeau informed him about when he also tried searching for the injured Venipede after the attack.

Scolipede’s old trainer. The one who abandoned her left her injured in the rampage when he fled for his life selfishly and also said she ‘wasn’t worth the medical bills’ to treat the wounds. Paxton’s fingers clenched around the Dusk Ball until his knuckles turned white.

“You’re… Her trainer,” He said quietly, voice trembling—not with fear, but anger for the Scolipede. “You’re the one who left her behind.”

The man scoffed. “Yeah? So what? The stupid thing didn’t win me any battles. After that alpha pokémon rampage, she was even more useless than before.”

His lip curled into a sneer, and he darted his eyes at the Dusk Ball. “Didn’t think she’d actually survive. Guess not even the wild wants her.”

Paxton’s jaw clenched hard enough to hurt. Those moments of seeing the small Venipede, attacking people and Pokémon out of fear and anger, her hunger from her trembling body for days, being unable to find food with her injured antennae, and her desperate desire to be acknowledged like Corbeau’s Scolipede, she wanted to follow…

All of it flashed through the young man’s mind like lightning. And this man… Had the nerve to show up before her again.

“Give. Her. Back.” The trainer stepped closer, jabbing a finger toward the Dusk Ball. “That Scolipede’s strong now. I could use her to earn some money to pay my debts. So hand her over, and I might not report you for theft.”

Paxton stood up slowly from the wet pavement, rainwater dripping from his hair and jacket, his expression darkening into something unreadable.

“… Report me?” He repeated the two words softly.

“Yeah, you heard me!” The man snapped. “A wild Pokémon that was previously caught still belongs to its original trainer. I have every right—”

“No,” Paxton cut in, his voice low, shaking with a rage he hadn’t felt in years. “You don’t.”

The man blinked. “What—?”

“You abandoned her,” The black-haired young man stepped forward, clutching the Dusk Ball protectively, and glared back at the man defiantly. “You said she wasn’t worth healing. You didn’t even look for her after the attack. She was dying, alone, hurt, confused—and you couldn’t even be bothered to pick up her broken Poké Ball.”

Paxton’s eyes flashed as he glared at the man through the storm and retorted. “The very moment when you choose to run for your own life at the Alpha Scolipede’s attack instead of trying to fight or protect her, you forfeited every right you ever had to her. Scolipede is no longer your Pokémon, not anymore!”

The man took a step back, startled by the intensity in Paxton’s voice, but quickly regained his anger and grabbed hold of the younger man’s shirt roughly by the front. “Look, kid—she’s mine. I caught her. I trained her before you ever—”

Thunder cracked again. And Paxton finally snapped to shout back. “Don’t you dare spit bullshit at me! You didn’t train her! You hurt her and threw her away. You don’t even deserve to call yourself a Pokémon Trainer at all!”

He raised the Dusk Ball slightly—not as a threat, but as a declaration. “Scolipede evolved to protect me. She fought beside me. And she walked into this Poké Ball on her own.”

The man’s expression twisted with disbelief and outrage, throwing a punch across Paxton’s cheek. The impact caused him to fall onto the ground with a clatter. “She CHOSE—?! Don’t be ridiculous! Pokémon don’t choose—WE choose!”

Paxton’s anger simmered into something colder… Sharper… Almost similar to a peculiar syndicate boss in Lumiose City. “Then maybe that’s why you’re such a shit trainer.”

The man recoiled as if slapped. Before he could retort, the Dusk Ball on the ground shook and popped open to let Scolipede out. Even though her posture remained calm, Scolipede’s presence radiated a quiet, warning growl as her amber eyes glared at her former owner viciously.

“See? She doesn’t want you,” Paxton stood up and rubbed away the dirt on his bruised cheek to stand in front of his Pokémon. “And I won’t let you hurt her again.”

The man’s face flushed red with fury. “You—! You little—!”

His hand flew to his belt, grabbing a Poké Ball. “Fine! If you won’t give her back, then I’ll MAKE you! You think you can beat me in that condition?!”

Paxton’s pulse quickened—but he didn’t step back. The Scolipede then moved to stand beside him as if to give him her support in the confrontation despite her own injuries from the Alpha Pokémon’s attack. But before the other man could throw his Pokémon out—

A deep, rumbling voice cut through the storm. “Well now… Ain’t this a mess.”

Paxton froze, and the other man stiffened. Both turned slowly to see, standing under a dripping black umbrella held up by the larger man in black, a familiar figure in a dark coat, soaked around the edges, with glasses fogged and an expression mildly murderous, was Corbeau, the Rust Syndicate boss.

Behind him, towering even in the rain, Scolipede, his trump card and partner, had a murderous gaze, despite its calm appearance.

Corbeau tilted his head, golden eyes sharp even in the storm. And he drawled, annoyance rich in his tone. “I step out for one damn errand… And I find someone trying to pick a fight with something that belongs to me.”

Paxton blinked his eyes and murmured weakly with a confused tone. “Something that belongs—“

His breath hitched when the older man stepped closer to him; the cold, snake-like golden eyes narrowed as they flicked down to the bruise on his cheek. He then turned away and ordered. “Philippe, get the two in the car. I will join you shortly.”

“Understood, boss,” Philippe approached where Paxton and Scolipede were, his umbrella shielding the younger man from the rain, and gestured. “Please follow me, Mr. Paxton.”

Paxton found himself being pushed along by the larger man’s hand away from the other two men. Scolipede briefly glanced at Corbeau and his partner before she was returned into the Dusk Ball at the black-haired young man’s command.

Once Corbeau watched that Paxton and his Pokémon were no longer in sight, his gaze locked back onto the brown-haired man, who immediately paled upon realizing his greatest mistake.

“Funny,” The bespectacled syndicate boss hummed casually. “I recall hearing about some mister who tossed his Pokémon away like trash.”

The man stumbled back. “H-Hey, I—I don’t know what you’re talking about—!”

Corbeau merely smiled, a slight smile that was too calm for someone befitting his position. It was the first sign of danger for a prey towards their predator. His Scolipede behind him—towering, armored plates gleaming wet in the rain, antennae low, body coiled with a tension so raw and killing-sharp it vibrated the air.

The trainer gasped. “W-Wait—hey—!”

“Normally,” Corbeau spoke without raising his voice. “I would let the law deal with you. Pokémon cruelty. Abandonment. Attempted physical assault on another person.”

He took one step forward. The man took three steps back.

“But tonight,” Corbeau continued, brushing water from his coat sleeve, “You did something far worse.”

His eyes gleamed—sharp, predatory, unblinking. “You laid hands on someone that belongs to me.”

The man tried to step back, but Corbeau didn’t even spare him a whole glance. He snapped his fingers once.

A sound tore through the rain. His partner Pokémon’s mandibles clacked together—slow, deliberate, and hungry. Scolipede stepped forward, towering, the glow of his horns faint but unmistakably lethal.

The trainer choked on a scream, stumbling backward as the massive centipede lowered its head, his amber eyes narrowing viciously like a vengeful predator hungry for kill rather than to eat.

“Tell me,” Corbeau asked softly. “Do you know what a Scolipede does to something he considers a threat to him and his mate?”

Scolipede’s hiss slithered through the air. The man backed up until his heel hit against the wall of the Café Ultimo. The syndicate boss tilted his head, his dark purple, wet bangs nearly shadowing the upper part of his face, to give an ominous look, and his voice drawl curled like a blade dipped in honey. “Relax. We’re not killing you.”

A beat.

“Not yet anyway,” Corbeau added. The ‘yet’ was implied so strongly it might as well have been shouted.

“But Scolipede,” He turned towards his Pokémon and returned to the man with a wicked smirk, “He doesn’t forget faces. Especially someone he had been waiting for months to get his fangs on for his mate.”

His partner’s claws clicked once. Twice. A warning.

“And neither,” Corbeau murmured, “Do I.”

The rain masked what followed. There was no thunder-loud scream, only a wet, choked cry—cut short. Corbeau watched with a cold, quiet patience. Never once did he interfere or encourage further cruelty to his Pokémon, but rather, he simply let the consequences unfold as naturally as rainfall.

A splash, a thud next, followed by a whimper swallowed by the storm. Minutes passed. Eventually, Scolipede returned to the syndicate—armor smeared with muddy water, breath steady, no longer trembling with rage.

Corbeau rested a hand on his horn, his voice soft with approval. “You did well, Scolipede. We should get going as well.”

After returning Scolipede to the Dusk Ball, the syndicate boss turned around and walked away. He didn’t look back once, not that he needed to. Anyone who passed this street tomorrow would know: Someone had crossed the Rust Syndicate, and the consequences of those who did shall receive the same price.

+++

“Is there anything you have to say for yourself?”

A sense of deja vu hit Paxton’s mind while he was now practically sweating bullets at the imposing figure sitting in front of him inside Rust Syndicate’s in-house clinic office.

Philippe had left him here while he took Scolipede with him to treat her injuries separately. The syndicate doctor also left soon after Corbeau had returned, leaving the poor, black-haired, younger man to deal with the enraged man.

Despite Corbeau’s small and well-built stature, Paxton still remembered the fear when he and Lida went into his office to deal with Taunie’s debt and her racked-up interest of $1,000,000.

“You know?” Corbeau drawled in irritation, his arms folded while giving a furious glare to the young man in front of him. “People don’t just go into the Wild Zones without their Pokémon unless they are asking for a death wish.”

Paxton swallowed hard, fidgeting with his hands in his lap. The luxurious purple dress shirt and pants were loaned to him after the shower by Corbeau while his soaked clothes were being washed. It was making him even more uncomfortable while sitting on the expensive-looking chair, but that seemed like the least of his problems right now. “I... I had to, Whirlipede—Scolipede—was in danger, and didn’t have time—!”

“Didn’t have time?” The bespectacled syndicate boss repeated, his voice rising slightly along with veins bulging on his forehead. “It takes two seconds to grab a Pokéball with you, Paxton. TWO. FUCKING. SECONDS.”

When Corbeau put it that way, it did sound pretty stupid, and Paxton winced to understand there was nothing he could prove otherwise.

“Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?” Corbeau continued, standing up to pace around the doctor’s office. “That Alpha Scolipede could’ve trampled you, poisoned you, and used you as a chew toy!”

He went over to stand in front of the younger man, leaning his body down so that their faces were a few centimeters apart. “And here I am, getting a call from your friends that you ran out into a thunderstorm—WITHOUT YOUR TEAM—to face an alpha Pokémon by yourself!”

"… I’m… Sorry, Corbeau…,” Paxton murmured quietly, lowering his head and biting his lower lip and apologizing. “I just... I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was so worried about her, and I—”

“You acted like a complete idiot?” Corbeau supplied, returning to his seat with a heavy sigh. He rubbed his temples. “Look, I get it. You care about your Pokémon. That’s good. That’s what makes you a decent trainer. But you can’t protect them if you’re dead.”

Nodding his head miserably, the black-haired young man stared at his hands. He was fortunate, for sure. If Whirlipede hadn’t evolved back then, he would only return to his friends with the broken, lifeless body of a Pokémon and his own dead body as well.

“And another thing,” Corbeau added, his tone shifting to something almost... Anger? Concerned? “What were you planning to do if that guy had actually attacked you? You’re gonna fistfight a trainer with his full team while you’ve got nothing?”

“I... Didn’t really think that far ahead,” Paxton admitted.

“Yeah, no kidding,” The dark purple-haired older man muttered. Then, after a moment of silence, he sighed again—this time with less anger and more exhaustion. “At least you and your Scolipede’s okay. That’s what matters.”

Paxton looked up, surprised by the softer tone. He saw the way Corbeau’s posture had relaxed, just a little, as if the weight of his frustration had finally settled. His glasses were slightly askew, his sharp features softened by exhaustion, the intensity in his gaze dulled just enough to let Paxton see the flicker of something else—something almost... Himself.

Corbeau was known for his cold demeanor, his tough exterior, and his ruthless business acumen. He had never imagined that this man—this syndicate boss, feared by so many—could show any sort of vulnerability or concern for someone like him.

The syndicate boss’s golden eyes caught his troubled, guilty expression and scowled tiredly. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m still mad at you.”

“Right. Sorry.” Paxton lowered his head again.

Another beat of silence between them. Corbeau’s eyes flickered, and he exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair, a hint of his familiar smirk finally breaking through his stern face. “Though I gotta admit, telling off that asshole he was a shit trainer? That was pretty satisfying to hear about.”

Paxton blinked his eyes in surprise and tilted his head. “You... Heard that?”

“I was standing like twenty feet away by the time I arrived. Of course, I heard it.” The Rust Syndicate boss leaned back in his chair, arms still crossed. “Philippe and I got there right when you were doing your whole ‘righteous fury’ speech. It was very dramatic. Almost made me proud.”

“Almost?” Paxton asked, managing a weak smile.

“Would’ve been fully proud if you’d had at least ‘one’ Pokémon with you,” Corbeau shot back to the younger man and caused him to flinch from another scolding. Still, there was no real heat in it anymore. “But yeah. You stood up for your partner. That counts for something.”

At that moment, the door opened and Philippe entered, carrying a medical report. “Apologies for the intrusion. The Scolipede is stable and resting, with most of her injuries having been tended to. There is slight muscle strain from evolution and exhaustion, but nothing that won’t heal with proper rest.”

“Good,” Corbeau stood from his seat, then turned back to Paxton. “You’re staying here tonight. Both of you. Doctor’s orders—and mine.”

“Then… I should probably let Lida and Naveen know I’m okay,” The younger man nodded and stood up as well, signaling his dried-up Rotom Phone to send a message to the team. “They’re probably worried sick.”

“I have already handled it earlier after receiving the report, Mister Paxton. “Philippe said calmly. “They’re relieved to know you’re safe and sound after the whole ordeal. And Miss Lida… She would like you to know that she is going to have a thorough word on safety when you return.”

Paxton groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Great.”

That’s clearly something to look forward to with Naveen, Lida, Eternal Floette, and perhaps even his own Pokémon to scold about his reckless behavior.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Corbeau chuckled with a wicked grin. “I have also informed them about the ‘running into a Wild Zone without Pokémon’ thing. That girl sounded ready to strangle you.”

“Do you really have to tell them that part too?” Paxton threw a side-eye glare at the older man.

“You think you only get one lecture? Nah, you’re getting the full experience.” Beckoned with one finger for the younger man to follow him, Corbeau entered the elevator together with Philippe. “Anyhow, I’ve already got a guest room ready for you and Scolipede. But I bet you haven’t had anything to eat since all that mess, huh? I picked up some of your favorite sweets while I was out, so help yourself if you’re hungry.”

Paxton blinked his eyes, feeling a mixture of surprise and reluctant amusement. Despite everything that had happened, Corbeau still managed to throw in a curveball. The fact that the syndicate boss had thought to pick up his favorite sweets was unexpected, but not that the young man was going to complain.

He followed the older man and Philippe into Corbeau’s office, sitting down on those expensive, luxurious, comfortable black sofas. At the same time, Philippe prepared tea and sweets for him. His thoughts were still a whirl of frustration, guilt, and an overwhelming sense of relief that the ordeal was over for now.

Speaking of Scolipede, the black-haired young man soon spotted the pair of large centipede Pokémon huddling closely together. Corbeau’s Scolipede let out a contented growl while his own Scolipede chirped and nuzzled against the other with her head affectionately.

Paxton opened his mouth slightly and, after that, sighed softly with fondness. “Isn’t that great, Scolipede…?”

Once Philippe had set down the tea and sweets, he muttered about taking his leave first, only to leave both his boss and the young man alone in the office. Corbeau then joined him and sat beside him, pouring them both a cup of tea. “Here you go.”

“Ah, thank you,” The younger man took hold of the cup appreciatively as he continued to watch the pair of Scolipedes cuddling together.

“Sit. Eat. Recover. You’re not leaving until I’m sure both you and Scolipede are good.”

The moment felt strangely peaceful. Paxton took a sip of the tea, savoring the warmth that spread through him. And when he looked at the sweets, they were all his favorites from the cafe he visited with his Pokémon, especially the mochis from the Sushi High Roller restaurant. It was odd how the syndicate boss knew about his taste, but that’s a question he would ask another time.

And then—he saw it when he looked back at the two centipede Pokemons again. A cluster of round, lightly speckled... Eggs? That’s an egg, right?? It was nestled between the two Scolipedes, who were curled up together like lovesick Pokémonpokémon on a honeymoon. One, two, how many of them are there? Maybe about five, he counted from where he sat?

“Hey, um, Corbeau…,” Paxton’s voice hesitated, unsure how to even start asking the right question from his confused thoughts.

“Yeah?” The syndicate boss beside him merely grunted nonchalantly.

Pointing at the thing between the two Scolipedes nervously, the younger man asked. “Um… What is that?”

Following where the finger was pointing, Corbeau took another sip of his cup and scoffed. “What? Is this your first time seeing a Pokémon egg?”

“N-No, I mean, yes, I’ve seen Pokémon eggs before, but—” At some point, Paxton’s brain short-circuited and gave up trying to ask any more questions from the Syndicate boss. He looked at the eggs. Then at his Scolipede. Then at Corbeau’s Scolipede. Then back at the eggs.

The color slowly drained from his face once the dots finally connected in his brain to form a single truth from his own prowess as Emma’s detective assistant. “Wait… Wait, wait, wait. Are those... Did they just...?”

Corbeau raised an eyebrow, taking another casual sip of tea. “So?”

“But—when—how—” Paxton sputtered, his face turning progressively redder by the second. “She JUST evolved! Like, an hour ago! How are there already—”

“You see, Paxton.” Corbeau interrupted casually as he set his cup down on the table, looking far too indifferent for the black-haired trainer’s comfort to begin speaking like one conducting a lesson in class. “When two Pokémon really love each other, and the Daycare Man isn’t looking—”

“I-I know where eggs come from!!!” Paxton squeaked with a red face, nearly spilling his tea. “But—but she was injured! And resting! And—”

He turned to stare at his Scolipede, who chirped innocently while still cuddling against Corbeau’s partner Pokémon, and shouted in disbelief. “Scolipede, what did you do?!”

His Scolipede just rumbled contentedly, clearly having zero regrets in whatever resulted from her and the other Scolipede. Where did he go wrong in raising her?! Was it because he was too harsh? Inexperienced in handling a bug-type poisonous Pokémon? Or did he overpromise something like—?!

“... Hang on… When you said ‘dance’ back then,” Paxton recalled quietly, turning back to Corbeau with dawning horror and realizing too late why Naveen had given him an odd look about Scolipede’s relationship with the syndicate boss’s partner Pokémon.

“Yeah?” Corbeau’s smirk was evil now.

“You didn’t mean a ‘battle,’ did you?!”

“Oh, I definitely meant a battle,” Corbeau corrected, his grin widening with hints of white teeth peeking under his lips. “Just... A different kind of ‘battle’ than what you’ve thought of.”

Paxton made a noise that wasn’t quite a scream and a whimper. He buried his face in his hands. “Oh my god. I can’t believe this! You knew. This whole time, you KNEW what your Scolipede wanted and you just—!!”

“Don’t blame me,” Corbeau shifted his body so that he was facing the younger man, though he was clearly enjoying this far too much to the latter’s liking. “Scolipede’s been interested in her since she was still a Venipede. I told him to wait until she was fully evolved and ready. He’s been very patient.”

“Patient?!” Paxton’s voice cracked in disbelief and irritation. “She evolved ‘tonight’ for crying out loud!”

“And apparently decided she was ready,” The syndicate boss shrugged his shoulder. “Pokémon know what they want. And, who am I to get in the way of true love?”

The black-haired young trainer would’ve wanted to flip the table right at this cunning bastard, except the last thing he wanted to do was to add another debt to Team MZ when they just cleared one of them. “’ True love’?! She’s known your Scolipede for like three months!”

“Some things just click.” Corbeau gestured at the two Bug-types, who were now grooming each other’s armor plates with obvious affection. “Look at them. They’re happy.”

Paxton looked at the two Pokémon, who were unwillingly. His Scolipede did seem... Extraordinarily content, more relaxed and peaceful than he’d ever seen her. And Corbeau’s Scolipede was being surprisingly gentle with her, careful of her injuries, his massive form curved protectively around her smaller frame.

“But... But...” The black-haired young man tried to form coherent thoughts. “Five eggs. In an hour. H-How did it just—?! P-Please don’t tell me there’s more!”

“Bug-types are efficient,” Corbeau answered matter-of-factly while adjusting his spectacles with one hand. “Though, I have expected more since an average mating session between two Scolipedes lays about 15 to 30 eggs. I think they only barely started when Philippe found her up here. My men told me that she apparently woke up in the recovery room, broke out, and went looking for her mate.”

“Her ‘mate’?! What ‘mate’ are you talking about?!”

“You know, my Scolipede she’s been pining after for months?” The bespectacled syndicate boss looked at Paxton like he was being deliberately dense. “The one she’s been training so hard to impress? Literally evolved fighting an Alpha to prove herself worthy to?”

Paxton opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. For a moment, the only word ‘cute’ ran across Corbeau’s mind on how the younger man now resembled a Magikarp. “I thought... I thought she wanted to prove she was strong enough to be acknowledged as an equal...”

“She did. And she was. And now they’re bonded.” Corbeau set down his teacup after taking another sip. “Congrats, Paxton. You’re about to be a grandfather.”

“I’m only 22!”

“For eight baby Venipedes,” Corbeau continued, deliberately ignoring Paxton’s crisis to relish the panic expression on his face at the unexpected number. “They’ll hatch in about two weeks. Hope you’ve got space at Hotel Z for a nursery.”

Paxton made another strangled noise and slumped back against the sofa, staring at the ceiling. “Lida’s and Naveen’s going to kill me. Floette might decide that using Light of Ruin is the best solution for a death sentence. Arceus, I’m just going to be dead….”

“Or, why don’t I offer another proposition for you?”

When Paxton looked to where Corbeau was, his heart nearly skipped at least two to four beats upon seeing the older man hovering above him slightly. One of his arms rested on the side of his body, while the other hand moved to grab his chin, and he smirked devilishly.

Corbeau leaned in, his voice low and smooth. Too close to his liking. “We could always arrange some… Co-parenting session between you and me. The Scolipedes will want to raise their babies together. Which means… We’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”

Paxton’s brain completely flatlined and then rebooted, repeating the word like a broken Rotom recorder.

Co-parenting?

With Corbeau?

The words echoed loudly like an Alpha Pokémon roar in his skull. Is this happening?

Is this real?

His heart thudded against his ribs, not from fear—but something far more dangerous.

Excitement?

Panic?

Arceus, please let it be panic!

"C-Co-parenting?!" His face turned an impressive shade of red as he processed Corbeau’s proximity—the way those yellow eyes were boring into him, the smirk that suggested the syndicate boss was enjoying his panic far too much, the hand on his chin that was making it very difficult to think straight.

“W-What do you mean by co-parenting?!” Paxton managed to squeak out. He shifted slightly, trying to put space between them. But the plush leather sofa beneath him was too deep, too soft—like a trap designed by a predator who knew exactly how to corner his prey.

Corbeau’s hand reached out, fingers brushing Paxton’s chin with deliberate ease. His smirk was wicked, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. “Well, it’s mainly a little of regular visits. Coordinating feeding schedules. Making sure the little ones are properly socialized with both parents. Shared custody of our grandchildren, very domestic.”

“Domestic?” Paxton’s thoughts scrambled like a herd of startled Espurr. Also, did he just say grandchildren?! What did he mean by grandchildren?!?!!

“That’s—that’s just—” The younger man’s thoughts were scrambled. “That’s just responsible Pokémon care!”

“Exactly,” Corbeau said, his voice dropping lower, more amused and more devilish. “But it also means you’ll be here. A lot. With me. Unless you’ve got a problem with that?”

“I—no—I mean—” Paxton tried to lean back, but he was already pressed against the sofa.

Why is he so close? Why does he smell like expensive cologne and danger? Paxton’s breath hitched. “This is about the Pokémon, right? Just the Pokémon?”

Corbeau’s smirk turned downright sadistic. He licked his lips with deliberate slowness and leaned in just enough to make the younger man’s pulse spike. “What else would it be about, I wonder?”

Oh no. Oh no no no. Paxton’s face turned a brilliant shade of red. This isn’t just about Pokémon anymore, is it?

Inside the Rust Syndicate building at the boss’s office, the sofas inside were something that Corbeau took great pride in among all his other furniture. According to his ‘customers,’ his sofas were made of high-quality black leather. They brought comfort to those who sat on them, worth perhaps more than a million Pokedollar.

It was so comfortable that his ‘customers’ would not be able to stand up from their seats unless Corbeau received a ‘Yes’, ‘I agree’, ‘I accept’, or any synonyms from them to accept his terms and conditions in the business, willingly or not. And unfortunately for Paxton, it appeared that he won’t be getting up from the sofa for a long while until Corbeau got what he wanted.