"Run!"
"Let's get out of here—run!"
Hunter J's subordinates didn't hesitate. The moment they saw their leader fleeing on Salamence, they panicked and bolted in every direction. The driver of the armored vehicle leaped out of the cabin and sprinted off without even closing the door behind him. None of them had any intention of resisting.
They all knew exactly what kind of person Hunter J was. She cared only about profit and survival. The moment she faced a stronger opponent, she would abandon her own men without a second thought. That was how she had managed to evade the League for so long.
Gary sighed, watching them scatter. "Figures. Cowards to the end."
Then he turned sharply toward Gardevoir. "Don't let them get away. Gardevoir, use Psychic!"
"Gar‑de‑VOIR!"
Gardevoir raised her hands gracefully, eyes flashing blue. A psychic wave burst outward, freezing the fleeing hunters mid‑stride. Their arms and legs stiffened as invisible energy lifted them off the ground. Before any of them could shout, Gardevoir's powers shifted again—her gaze softened—and every one of them drifted gently into sleep.
The group collapsed harmlessly in a heap, snoring softly.
Gary nodded in satisfaction. "Nice work."
In truth, Hunter J had brought only a small crew for this job. Including herself, there had been four people in total. If it wouldn't have jeopardized future League operations, Gary would've gladly dragged the entire gang to the nearest police station himself.
He folded his arms thoughtfully. "J's Salamence is level 65 at least. The rest of her Pokémon don't even come close. That Ariados was gym‑level at best, while her Drapion—if she even has one this trip—can't be higher than mid‑Elite Rank."
He turned toward his team. "Alright, Weavile, cut those webs."
Weavile stepped forward with a graceful bow. "Weav‑vile!" Its sharp claws glinted, slicing effortlessly through the spider silk that still bound the young trainer Hunter J had attacked earlier.
The boy staggered free and immediately bolted toward the armored vehicle.
"Aggron!" he cried, voice trembling. Through the transparent casing on the transport unit, his petrified Aggron stood frozen in a defensive stance, unmoving and colorless.
"Aggron, please say something!" He pounded weakly on the glass, but there was no response.
Gary approached, voice calm but firm. "Relax. Aggron's condition isn't permanent. The petrification will fade once we trigger the release mechanism. Your partner's safe."
The boy turned, eyes wide with relief. "R‑really? Thank you, sir! I don't know what I'd have done without you."
Gary waved off the gratitude with a small smile. "Don't thank me yet. Let's make sure none of J's other victims are still trapped in there."
The armored truck loomed before them, roughly the size of a compact delivery vehicle—small enough to move quickly, but large enough to hide significant cargo.
"Let's see what we're dealing with." Gary and the young man unlatched the rear door and stepped inside.
Rows of dim red lights flickered on the ceiling, illuminating three additional glass pods. Each one held a petrified Pokémon—perfectly still, preserved mid‑motion beneath transparent shells.
Gary read the embedded tags:
[Level 26– Dunsparce (Elite)]
[Level 38– Vibrava (Gym Rank)]
[Level 27– Pawniard (Quasi‑Elite)]
Gary's brow furrowed. "These three aren't even from Sinnoh. Dunsparce comes from Johto, Vibrava from Hoenn, and Pawniard's native to the Unova Region. Looks like J was making cross‑region trades again."
He shook his head. "Of course—they'd be worth more here. Rare Pokémon always sell for higher prices in regions where they don't naturally appear."
The trapped creatures looked fragile under the artificial light. Dunsparce's coiled tail was frozen mid‑twist; Vibrava's wings were locked in place as if still buzzing; Pawniard's dual blades gleamed faintly even through the glass.
"Even the weak ones are valuable when they're rare," Gary muttered. "Johto Dunsparce are nearly impossible to catch—they live deep underground. Vibrava and Pawniard are rarer still, and both require precise skill to handle. Whoever hired J wanted resale profit."
He stepped back toward the boy. "Let's call Officer Jenny. She'll know how to handle this properly."
The young man nodded hastily. "I‑I'll do it right now!"
Within minutes, communication lines opened, and the local Officer Jenny was notified. Gary briefed her over the transmitter. "We've subdued three members of Hunter J's team and recovered an armored vehicle containing at least four petrified Pokémon—one of them an Aggron belonging to this trainer."
Jenny's calm voice came through. "Understood. Keep the area secure. A squad car is on its way."
While waiting, Gary examined one of the containment units more closely. At the base of each glass cylinder was a small metallic disc with a green button in the center.
He pressed it gently, and a faint click echoed. The indicator light turned blue. Seconds later, faint cracks spread across the petrified surface of Aggron's body.
"Here we go," Gary murmured. "Come back, big guy."
The stony texture softened, color returning to the Pokémon's armor plates. Aggron blinked once, then let out a loud, confused roar. "AGGRROOONNN!!"
"Aggron!" The trainer threw his arms around its leg, tears of relief welling in his eyes.
Gary smiled again. "Told you so. He's just fine."
The trainer bowed his head. "Thank you. Really. If you hadn't shown up, they would've taken him forever."
"You're welcome," Gary said lightly. "Just make sure he gets a proper health check afterward. That petrification beam messes with elemental flow."
Soon, flashing red police lights cut through the trees. Officer Jenny stepped down from her motorcycle, followed by a pair of aides.
"I heard there was trouble with Hunter J," she said briskly, saluting Gary before softening with mild surprise. "I didn't expect the one to stop her would be Professor Oak's grandson. You really are something, Gary."
Gary only shrugged modestly. "Right place, right time."
Jenny smiled faintly and turned toward the unconscious hunters. "They caused quite a mess. Hunter J's operations have been a headache for the police for years. She keeps slipping through our fingers because of that black‑market technology of hers."
Gary nodded. "She moves everything through mobile aircraft. No fixed base, no records. Even the captured Pokémon are stored onboard so she can relocate anytime."
"Exactly," Jenny agreed. "That mobility makes her almost impossible to corner. And the League can't dedicate their whole regional force just to chase her. To catch her, we'd have to locate her trade meeting with a buyer in advance—nearly impossible without inside intel."
She frowned slightly and added, "We've considered infiltration, but she's cold and paranoid. Anyone who tries to join her crew gets interrogated within hours. Most give up before we gather proof."
Gary crossed his arms. "Sounds about right. That's probably why she's lasted this long."
A few minutes later, Jenny stood near the truck, inspecting the recovered Pokémon.
"Vibrava and Dunsparce's Trainers have already been identified," she reported. "They'll be reunited soon. But this Pawniard… there's no record of any Trainer filing a missing report."
Gary blinked. "No Trainer? Are you sure?"
Jenny nodded gravely. "According to the hunters' confession, this Pawniard wasn't stolen at all. It was a trade item—a bargaining chip sold between smugglers. They said J took possession of it only a few days ago. She planned to resell it but got sidetracked chasing this Aggron."
Gary frowned deeply. "So it's a smuggled Pokémon."
"That's correct," Jenny said. "Technically it doesn't belong to any legal Trainer. By League law it should be handed over for study or released back to its native region."
She gave him a curious look. "Still… you were the one who rescued it. What do you intend to do?"
Gary studied the motionless Pawniard. Even in its petrified state, sharp conviction radiated from its stance. Its potential was clear.
The potential of that Pawniard is impressive, but since it's a Pokémon native to the Unova Region, it can't be used to compete in the Lily of the Valley Conference.
However, its final evolution, Kingambit, is an exceptionally powerful Pokémon.
Kingambit base stat total's base stat total of 550 rivals that of some Legendary Pokémon. Along with its excellent defenses, it possesses three strong abilities that make it highly valuable for breeding and training.
Even if it can't participate in the Lily of the Valley Conference, it would be eligible for the Vertress Conference in the Unova Region in the future.