"Officer Jenny, can I adopt that Pawniard?"
Gary asked earnestly. He had always liked Steel‑ and Dark‑type Pokémon, and the idea of raising a Pawniard intrigued him.
Jenny. "Of course. Come with me."
She led Gary through the back halls of the police station to the large containment room where rescued Pokémon were kept.
Inside were dozens of Pokémon—some timid, some restless, others staring blankly at the walls. Gary immediately noticed the anxious atmosphere.
"These must all be strays," he said softly.
Jenny nodded. "Yes. Many were abandoned by their Trainers. Some learned to survive in the city and became aggressive; a few even attacked people. Those are caught and brought here. Eventually they're handed over to the Pokémon Conservation Association for rehabilitation."
She sighed. "Humans abandon them, and then blame them for lashing out. It's unfair, but we still have to protect the city."
Gary watched as an officer placed food inside several pens. Despite the care, most of the Pokémon looked wary of people.
Soon, Jenny led him to a smaller enclosure. Standing there, arms folded, silver body gleaming faintly in the fluorescent light, was the Pokémon he recognized instantly.
"Pawniard…" Gary murmured.
But this one was different. Its armor shimmered with a faint bluish tint instead of the usual dark red.
"A Shiny Pawniard," Gary said, eyes widening.
Jenny nodded. "Right. Its coloration is unique, so we classified it separately. When it came under our care, we learned it had been involved in Hunter J's smuggling operation. It doesn't have a Trainer, and we can't release it here in Sinnoh—so adoption is the only option."
Gary stepped closer, studying the Pokémon. Pawniard stood proudly but tensely, refusing to show fear. For an abandoned Pokémon, it had remarkable self‑control.
"That's not surprising," Jenny said quietly. "Pawniard aren't rare, but they're disciplined soldiers by nature. Their instinct is to follow a leader—usually Bisharp—but without one, they tend to become restless."
Gary nodded slightly. "So they only trust strength."
"Exactly," Jenny agreed.
She motioned for Pawniard to come forward. "Pawniard, this is Gary, the Trainer who saved you from Hunter J's team. He'd like to be your new partner."
Pawniard glanced at Gary, its sharp eyes unreadable. After a long pause, it gave a quiet nod.
Jenny smiled. "It accepts you."
Gary blinked in surprise. "That… easily? I thought it would reject me."
Jenny chuckled. "Not every Pokémon needs convincing. Some recognize sincerity when they see it."
Gary crouched down to its level. "Pawniard, I'm a Trainer. That means we'll battle together."
At those words, Pawniard straightened, eyes shining. It nodded quickly, excitement flickering across its otherwise stoic face—as if afraid Gary might change his mind.
Gary laughed softly. "Alright then, you really do want to fight."
Gary knew Pawniard were naturally fierce. They spent their youth endlessly training under Bisharp commanders, dreaming of one day leading their own group. They thrived on battle and discipline—never backing down no matter how tough the fight.
He sighed fondly. "You're an ambitious one."
He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "Alright, since you're willing, let's make it official."
Before Gary could even throw it, Pawniard jumped high, slashing the ball's activation button with its blade. In an instant, it was pulled inside. The capsule shook twice, then clicked shut in Gary's palm.
"Efficient as ever," Gary said with a smile.
[Ding! Mission complete. Reward issued to the space backpack.]
At last, Gary had completed the long‑standing task that had lingered in the system for three years.
Unfortunately, once it finished, no new mission appeared. But he didn't mind—the reward was already worthwhile.
He checked the message display.
[Reward: Advanced Flash Amulet– increases encounter chance of Shiny Pokémon to 1 in 200 average.]
Gary nodded thoughtfully. "Not bad."
He recalled that when cycling through Sinnoh's routes, he passed roughly two hundred wild Pokémon for every few cities he traveled. On average, that meant one Shiny encounter per full journey—a useful tool for research and breeding alike.
Even so, he doubted he'd ever capture a Pokémon that didn't feel right to him. Force was never his style.
Curious, Gary accessed the Pawniard's data.
Pokémon: Pawniard (Shiny)
Type: Dark⁄ Steel
Level: 27
Potential: Quasi‑Elite
Ability: Defiant (When any of the Pokémon's stats are lowered by an opponent, its Attack increases by two stages.)
Moves: Leer, Fury Cutter, Metal Claw, Torment, Assurance
Intimacy: 94 (of 255)
Gary smiled in approval. "Decent stats for a freshly caught fighter."
Still, as he read the data closer, he frowned slightly. "Defiant's good, but the other two abilities—Inner Focus and Pressure—are mostly situational."
He chuckled. "Not bad, little guy. You ended up with the one ability that actually encourages aggression."
He continued reviewing Pawniard's data while tracing the evolution chart.
"Hmm… evolves into Bisharp at level 52."
Gary exhaled slowly. "That's quite a grind. Most Pawniard never reach it."
He thought for a moment. "Still, once it does evolve, Bisharp's potential skyrockets. High base stats, tough armor, and excellent offensive control."
He rubbed his chin. "But until then, Pawniard will have to rely on its skill pool to survive."
Jenny approached with a clipboard. "Everything's processed. The Pawniard is officially yours, Professor Oak's grandson," she said with a friendly smile.
"Thanks," Gary replied. "Anything I should know about before we leave?"
"Just be careful," she cautioned. "You're the first Trainer to successfully shut down one of Hunter J's hunts in years. Her organization might want revenge."
Gary shrugged. "I'm not worried. Ash has tangled with her before and she didn't bother chasing him either. She only moves for money, not vengeance."
Jenny nodded. "That's true. If there's no profit, she won't waste her time."
"Exactly," Gary said with a small smirk. "She's greedy, but predictable."
After leaving the police station, Gary headed straight to the Pokémon Center.
He released Pawniard to the training room, feeding it three low‑level Rare Candies to help it gain experience more quickly.
"Alright," Gary said after the faint glow subsided. "You're level 30 now."
Pawniard blinked in surprise and held up its sharp hands, feeling the surge of strength ripple through its body.
"Pawww!" it exclaimed, startled but thrilled.
Gary smiled. "That sudden spike in power feels good, doesn't it?"
"Paw‑ni‑ard!" came the enthusiastic reply.
He nodded. "You'll get used to it. Here—this will help."
From his inventory, Gary pulled out a small silver bell attached to a fine string. "This is a Soothe Bell. It'll keep you calm and build trust faster. Put it in your storage space."
Pawniard accepted the bell carefully, examined it, then nodded and clipped it to its belt.
"Good choice," Gary said. "It suits you."
Gary started teaching Pawniard new moves. It hadn't evolved yet, but with enough training it could learn many skills. Since evolution wouldn't come until level 52, broadening its move set was essential for its survival.