Hideo couldn't see the oil slick up ahead - but the Beheeyem by his side could. And through its Telepathy, he understood that it wasn't the best situation out there. He was no expert at cleaning up things like this - but that didn't mean he couldn't help.

"Well, best place to start is right in front of us," he said, noticing a small nudge on his shoe. A Pokemon that wasn't his, his Beheeyem told him.

He knelt down, picking the Togepi up. No harm in some upsies, so upsies would be had.

"I got a Pokemon that can help with the oil itself," he said, taking out a Pokeball and letting out the multicolored Muk from within. "Blobbert here's a big fan of messes like these. Aren't you, boy?"

The Alolan Muk let out a guttural gurgle before gliding its way towards the slick. The noise might be disconcerting, but the wide smile on the Muk's face(?) would make it clear he actually was excited for a nice, oily meal. "Don't think he can eat it all, but he'll help out."

"By the way…this your Togepi?"

35. Use a pokemon to contain and neutralize hazardous materials.

Althus Rex

Blobbert was a hero to Water-types everywhere. The Magikarps would hail his name from the depths of Route 120 to the shores of Shoal Cave. He would be a god and savior to the Horsea and the Krabby as well. As the Muk grinned, all Rex could do was offer a thumbs-up.

"Huh? Oh." Rex turned to regard the Togepi curled up in Hideo's arms, waggling his fingers with eldritch glee. "Yeah, that's mine. He's just a little guy, you can hold him if you want. He likes you. Makes sense, you probably saved his life."

With that, Rex turned back to the ocean to regard the spill. It really was dangerous, like a dark miasma that crept across the sea like a tumor. A small microcosm of Hoenn.

The finger wagging continued.

'toge toge...'

"Y'know, after the battle there."

---

Hideo Kino
03. Address environmental hazards.

Hideo would absolutely give his heroic Muk affectionate headpats after it finished the job - with thick gloves, a Safeguard around him, several Pokemon that could cure poison, a water-type to wash him off afterwards.

The Muk would get the affection it deserved, after it was down sipping up oil like it was slurping noodles out of a ramen bowl without a fork.

"Works for me," Hideo said, holding the Togepi in one arm as he pat it on the head with his other hand. A patented Hideo Headpat™, popular among his own Pokemon. "I just tried to help as many people as I can. And Pokemon."

His Beheeyem didn't think anything of the Togepi's hand-waggings, so it would be left unreported.

"I've been trying to make sure nothing like that happens again. Or if it does, Littleroot'll be more prepared for it." Not just an invasion - any catastrophe. Like that kinds that seemed to hit Hoenn every month or so.

Althus Rex

"Hm." Rex shuffled from foot to foot, awkward next to the younger Gym Leader. He was so well put together. So mature. So... in control. Had sight deprived him of his chance to be a kid, or had Hoenn done that to him? It had certainly done it to Rex. "And if that big blue dragon shows up again?"

In Hideo's arms, the Togepi's wagging grew in frequency and intensity, and a Metronome began to brew. In the oil slick, a bright light glowed.

'Toge!'

Metronome. Nearby, a large pile of oil-slicked Spheals were teleported to safety. Black oil fluttered from their bodies as they shook the toxic spill off, before chattering at Hideo and Rex in appreciation.

"I'm gonna beat you, y'know." Rex looked at Hideo and his Togepi. "I'm gonna get your badge and challenge the Pokémon League and prove that I'm the strongest. That way, nobody in Littleroot will have to rely exclusively on you."

The inhuman need to battle.

---

Hideo Kino
06. Use non-lethal methods to calm or capture rogue pokemon.

"Then we fight it again. And beat it."

Or just fend it off. Littleroot had been in the middle of Hoenn, away from most attacks and events that were becoming common. Rocket's attack proved even Littleroot was at risk, and so he could help protect the town from anything that threatened it.

The perfect place for an aspiring trainer to begin their journey.

His Beheeyem only realized what the Togepi was doing after the Metronome Teleported the two Spheals in their vicinity. There was no chance for it to stop one of the sprays from getting all over its body.

It gave Hideo a quick notice that it'd escort the Spheals over to get a proper cleaning, the two orbs rolling by its side.

Hideo smiled at the challenge. "You're free to challenge my Gym whenever you want. If it's just a battle you want, we got plenty of space for those right now." His non-traditional challenge was far and away more popular than the traditional.

"But being a strong trainer's a lot more than just battling. Gotta be ready to handle a lotta situations. Like, you know, oil spills."

That Muk was going at that oil. It'd already grown in size with how much oil absorbed, and there was no sign of it slowing down. Like a child let free at a buffet.

38. Manage and guide hordes of pokemon to safety.

Althus Rex

He would return home to Littleroot, one day. Yet...

"I can't. Not yet, Hideo." Rex's voice was soft and distant as he looked at the horizon. He stuffed his hands into his pocket, his voice contemplative as he spoke. In his mind, he saw Littleroot burning. "It's not time yet."

He caressed Togepi's spiky head and smiled. Togepi waggled his fingers and reached up for Rex's hand, though the young trainer pulled his hand away before Togepi could touch his hand.

"You'll be last. The final Gym Leader I fight before I walk up to Ever Grande and become the strongest trainer in the world. My first and last, my alpha and my omega."

The only way to be strong was to battle. Rex needed it. He craved it. That was why Hideo had to be last.

All roads cycled back to the beginning.

---

Hideo Kino

Hideo gave a little shrug - not too big a motion, as to not disrupt the Togepi he was holding. "It's up to you when you wanna do it," he said, "But I'll be sure you got a good challenge waiting for you at the end."

Not quite how he planned to be a part of someone's journey, but he wasn't one to argue against it. Not when he'd already faced challenges from other Gym Leaders, and even ex-E4.

Hideo was more than willing to let Rex hold his own Togepi - but it seemed Rex didn't want to. Ah well; he didn't mind holding the Togepi a bit longer. They were oddly comforting to hold onto, like carrying a baby.

A baby that could fire off any attack at a moment's notice.

His Beheeyem returned, a rag Psychically brushing off the sprayed oil.

"Just…don't forget to take care of your Pokemon too. Not just train them to fight - give'em good attention and care."

He hoped this instance of refusing to give the Togepi affection was a one-off

Althus Rex

"Don't worry, Hideo. I won't forget. I'll make sure both me and my Pokémon find a place in the world where we're satisfied. Yours, too. We're gonna put Littleroot on the map, and when that blue dragon comes back, we'll be ready. When Team Rocket comes back, we'll be ready."

Togepi looked happy with Hideo. The Gym Leader understood Pokémon. He understood the struggle of protecting something. That was why he was a Gym Leader. When had his journey started, Rex wondered.

Protect Pokémon. Love Pokémon.

"That's why we're here, isn't it? Making sure that everything here is a-okay, yeah? It's good practice, too." He scooped up Togepi. "You're a good person for helping out, Hideo. Our battle is gonna rock."

Rex's eyes were fervent as he stared at Hideo, an expression lost in the gaze of the blind.

"You mind if I get going? There's a safe I gotta salvage soon, I think. Blobbert and Beheeyem did much of the work."

---

Hideo Kino

"'Course we will." They had to be ready, for whenever Rocket struck. For whenever a stray Legendary got a rock in its shoe and wanted to make it everyone's problem. For whatever ordeal they may face. "And I'm sure you'll find what you're best at in time. It's what the whole journey's about."

He definitely didn't think he would be a Gym Leader when he first struck out on the Gym Circuit.

But was that truly what he wanted?

"'Course it'll rock!" Hideo said, helping pass the Togepi back to Rex. "I look forward to it!" He gave the same smile he gave most people; when Rex was finally ready to challenge his Gym, he'd be ready for it.

Though it seemed Rex had to head out. "Oh, sure! I should probably make sure Blobbert hasn't overeaten." A difficult thing to judge, but he had to make sure it wasn't about to vomit out some oil mixed with poison.

He didn't want to cause another disaster.

Althus Rex