After much contemplation, Rex had come to the conclusion that Metronome was a sham, his luck was terrible, and that all this time, Togepi was the lucky one. No, it wasn't just any luck. It was Super Luck.

Somehow, that made the young trainer feel worse. He was going to get throttled because in a cosmological throw of the dice, his Togepi had teleported him into the bowels of Sea Mauville. The nature preserve was already sinking, but to get teleported into the den of a raging, Terastallized Crawdaunt?

Forgetting rolling ones on the dice, he was rolling zeroes.

"You wanna go? I'll kick your ass! C'mere! Come at me!" The door behind him was locked. It meant that Rex and the only Pokémon that Togepi hadn't spared from teleportation was his Kirlia, bless his heart. "Go, Kirlia! Disarming Voice!"

With a weary glance and a sigh, Kirlia took a deep breath. He hated using this move. It was unbecoming of warrior, yet if Rex demanded it...

Another deep breath.

"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

---

Genevieve Cromwell
09. Use signaling methods to call for additional support.

REDEEMING:
IRON TREADS (MOVES TBA) FROM WATER OPS
USING WATER OPS FREEVO TO KIRLIA -> GALLADE

BUYING:
MEGA RING (GALLADITE AS FREEBIE)
TOTAL: 500 PD

MAIN TEAM:
TOGEPI (MALE) - HUSTLE - Metronome/Baby Doll Eyes/Charm/Double Edge/Life Few/Charm
SNORLAX (MALE) - THICK FAT - Metronome/Swallow/Stockpile/Body Slam/Bite/Last Resort
ZIGZAGOON (MALE) - PICKUP - Pin Missile/Headbutt/Covet/Flail/Sand Attack/Double Edge
TURTONATOR (MALE) - SHELL ARMOR - Shell Trap/Flamethrower/Outrage/Iron Defense/Venoshock/Draco Meteor
TRAPINCH (FEMALE) - ARENA TRAP - Earthquake/Superpower/Crunch/Sandstorm/Dig/Sand Attack
GALLADE (MALE) - SHARPNESS - Psycho Cut/Sacred Sword/Aqua Cutter/Leaf blade/Future Sight/False Swipe - TERA: Psychic

OTHER 'MONS:
AZUMARILL (FEMALE) - HUGE POWER - Superpower/Play Rough/Rollout/Helping Hand/Bounce/Aqua Ring
JUMPLUFF (MALE) - LEAF GUARD - Acrobatics/Cotton Spore/Giga Drain/U-Turn/Stun Spore/Poison Powder
EEVEE (FEMALE) - ANTICIPATION - Quick Attack/Refresh/Sand Attack/Copycat/Detect
Linoone
Espurr
Alakazam
Cinccino
Rabsca
Girafiraig


KEY ITEMS:
MEGA RING
LOTADPAIL

MEGA STONES:
GALLADITE
SNORLAXITE
ITEMS:
ONE POKEBALL
TWO TMS
THREE PREMIUM GACHA
THREE GACHA
ONE LEVEL TUTOR
ONE SPARKLING DUST
ONE DYNAMAX CANDY
MIND PLATE
ONE LEGENDARY CANDY
ONE CUSTOM TICKET
ONE SHADOW SLUDGE
ONE INCENSE
ONE TERA SHARD
ONE SHINY SWAP
RED SHARD

ITEM CHANGELOG
OBTAINED TERA SHARD FROM WATER OPS
OBTAINED TWO TMS FROM WATER OPS
OBTAINED PREMIUM GACHA FROM WATER OPS
OBTAINED FREE EVOLUTION FROM WATER OPS, USED
OBTAINED IRON TREADS FROM WATER OPS
OBTAINED FOUR POKEBALLS FROM CLAMPERL DIVING
USED TERA SHARD ON GALLADE (PSYCHIC)
OBTAINED LEVEL TUTOR/SPARKLING DUST/NOTEBOOK (WILDS 1)
OBTAINED A PREMIUM GACHA, DYNAMAX CANDY, LEGENDARY CANDY, AND MIND PLATE FROM BINGO
OBTAINED THE SHADOW SLUDGE, TERA SHARD, CUSTOM POKEMON TICKET, THREE GACHA, ONE PREMOIM GACHA, AND SHINY SWAP FROM ANNI
OBTAINED RED SHARD AND SNORLAXITE FROM PETALBURG SKIRMISHES
OBTAINED LEVEL TUTOR/SPARKLING DUST/NOTEBOOK (WILDS 2)

Rex wasn't stressed. He was simply wary of breaking the rules! They existed for a reason, and if he and Airi broke them on a whim, they were no better than criminals. Rules were meant to be followed. If they weren't, then...

Don't think about it.

Instead, he puffs up with pride at the praise. It's childish and, deep down, he suspected that Airi was naturally loose with her praise of others. Still, there was little need to look that deeply. It was praise, and what sort of child didn't like praise? Or, as the ranger nurse would call him, a 'kid adult'.

"Gotcha. No worries, shouldn't take me more than a minute..." Rex felt the wall again. Hard, but crumbling. It was plaster designed to be broken later to claim whatever was within. He kicked it once, and it refused to crumble. He did it again, and it refused to crack. His face quickly flushed in shame, which quickly paled as the Crawdaunt wandered in. "Shoot."

He look at Airi innocently. "Think that one's female?"

The ranger nurse leapt into action, leaving the young trainer behind. He grumbled as she did so. He wanted to fight. He hadn't gotten to throw hands since he and keiko mori had beaten that Blaziken. Still, he was riding the high of giving out his autograph and number.

Airi could have this one.

"Alright, Togepi." Rex held the egg in front of him, their heads touching. "Here's what you're gonna do."

"Toge toge!"

"You're gonna do your Metronome thing..."

"Toge."

"Waggle your finger..."

"Toge."

"And you're gonna punch through that wall."

"Toge?"

"I dunno, use like, Brick Break or something! It's brick, right? Break it!"

"Toge." Togepi nodded in affirmation, before waggling his finger to cast another Metronome. Rex's Metronome luck was pretty good, but he had still almost blown up half the ship with an attempted Explosion. This time, though, the Metronome converted into the Brick Break that they both desired. "Pi!"

The wall shattered. Files and folders came falling out.

"Nice." Rex rubbed cheeks with the Togepi in delight. "This is why you're the best!"

---

AIRI WATANABE

The bends were an obnoxious thing. They were fortunate that the water was relatively shallow, though it was still a dangerous thing. Luckily, the safe rose at a moderately slow rate, and the Binacles below weren't willing to swim up and chase after their home.

A fortunate thing, Silverio and Rex getting jumped by a bunch of barnacles sounded like a horrid end to Rex's great tale. The future champion losing to a bunch of barnacles? Absurd. Deranged. A mockery.

He would not allow it to happen. Especially with Silverio to witness such a folly.

The light shimmered above as the safe breached the surface. Rex pulled the apparatus from his mouth and groaned. His voice was wet and ragged, and he fell onto his back, breathing heavily.

"Fuuuuuuuuuck. Silvestre, that sandwich better be incredible. Hell, it better pay my taxes." The safe landed against the floor with a thud, and rangers began to swarm it and their two brave volunteers. "Never doing that again. I'm scared of that shit."

---

silverio delfino

The hook clicked into place. Had a sweeter sound ever been heard? Rex suspected not.

While Silverio danced with the aggravated Pokémon. Rex unceremoniously threw an underwater punch towards a nearby Binacle. It was less of a strike and more of a push. The water would not allow Rex to do any lasting damage to the Pokémon themselves, and he suspected that furthering the gap would be better.

He made a silent vow to grab a Water-type when this was over.

Instead of dealing with the watery threats, Rex swam towards the cord and gave it several ferocious tugs, a signal to pull up the safe. Cracking it would be a pain, but the Hoennian and the Paldean were only here to secure it. Leave it to the corp's safe crackers to do the nerd work.

Slowly, the safe began to rise. Rex gestured at Silverio to hitch a ride.

---

silverio delfino

Togepi looked at Airi with large round eyes, full of childish innocence as he waved his arms around happily. The glee of youth was a delicate flower, threatening to curdle and turn to ash within an uncouth and harsh world. The small egg raised its arms and let out a happy cheer as the nurse doted on him.

'toge toge!' Fingers waggled, a Metronome was cast, which turned into a Safeguard that covered Airi, Mint, Rex, and his Togepi.

Yet that was the disposition of youth. Ideals over truth. Hope over realism. Ambition over judiciousness. The ranger nurse was right. They were a perfect fit, but only because the shared bond of childishness had yet to be fully strained before threatening to snap. When it did, Rex and Togepi would be adults.

That was a harsh truth. Yet it did not need to come today. Instead, they could worry about breaking arbitrary rules in a bathroom that did not matter.

"Hey, I've been kissed! Loads of times!" Rex reddened and looked away, annoyed. "I have game! I'll have you know that I gave a girl my number after saving her from a Blaziken. You're asking a lotta weird questions. It's embarrassing..."

Togepi had done that, his Metronome converting into a Hyper Beam which had left a large chunk of Sea Mauville ablaze. Airi didn't need to know that, though. It was neither here not there. Instead, the younger trainer focused in on an odd section of the wall. He peered at it, before knocking on it.

A hollow thud rang out as knuckle rapped against plaster.

"Hey, Airi. Use that item finder gizmo, would ya?"

---

AIRI WATANABE
14. Ensure the area is safe from remaining threats.

Binacles were, unfortunately, assholes. As soon as they started to shift that safe, they'd start throwing hands with the duo. Silverio's frog would be an important ally in this, given Rex's lack of aquatic Pokémon to balance the tide.

Still, if they could avoid conflict for as long as possible, it'd be nice. Rex was fine with a fight, but there wasn't anything he could fight with. Training, then, would be redundant. It was best to focus on the task at hand, get his precious sandwich, and then move on with his life.

As they dove deeper, the safe shined in the darkness. Barnacles crusted over steel and iron, covering the metal life a gentle blanket. Rust spotted the safe like patches of mold, threatening to, with time, punch through the safe's thick walls and destroy the contents within.

Nearby, a hook connected to a thick cord descended alongside Rex and Silverio. A gift from above. Attack the hook to the safe and be done. Easy! As he reached for the hook, his hand brushed against a Binacle, which batted at him.

An explosion of bubbles emerged as Rex grunted in pain.

---

silverio delfino
48. Access supply drops to help assist your operation.

He shuffled back further, cringing at the sheriff's wrath as the Elite Four member clenches at him, a desperate ghoul of yesterday.

This man represents today. A past that shapes him even now. His loss is what makes him strong. It's what drives him to the pinnacle of power in this region of gods and men. That might is what will shape tomorrow, even if that tomorrow is for the next generation, not for him.

There are words that Rex could say. Yet he knows that if they fall from his lips, his chances of becoming champion go up in smoke.

He thinks them instead, his face still cringing as he does so.

Gabriel Navidson was weak.

Yet those words can never be spoken into existence. Gabe had died. Rex would not. He was like Navy, a warrior. He would be the strongest because the people of Littleroot demanded it of him.

"It's fine. I get it. I've lost people too." Littleroot wasn't a big town, but they had their own small graveyard for those lost when time bent two years ago. People that Rex would never see again lay buried there. "Can I... go?"

The sheriff unnerves him.

---

Navy

"Eheh..." Rex giggled again as Melody's Hatterene pushed the cables out of the way with a firm psychic push. As the cables fell link, the young trainer continued to cackle. "Eheheh... eh?"

He stopped suddenly, regarding Melody with the bright eyed idealization of a loving fan. She could practically see the sparkles reflected in his eyes. He was one fan out of millions, an aspiring trainer out of thousands. One that would likely be buried in the annals of history and Team Rocket's heel.

"Oh, sorry. It's just that..." He paused, thoughtful, as if attempting to organize his thoughts. "It's really hard to believe..."

His shouts echoed through Sea Mauville as he opened his mouth again.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M IN THE SAME ROOM AS THE TOP CHAMP! I CAN'T WAIT TO BEAT YOU WHEN I MAKE IT TO EVER GRANDE!"

---

Melody Miro
17. Create distractions to draw threats away from vulnerable areas.

"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

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

"Yeah, and I need this key. Come on, you fat little—" Rex throttled his Munchlax again until it Spat Up the key, which hit the trainer in the eye. He fell backwards, groaning, before shaking his head in annoyance and running towards the door. "We're gonna live!"

He forced the key into the lock and twisted, rust grinding against ancient steel as Rex struggled with the door. Of course Sea Mauville hadn't updated its infrastructure in decades. Stupid nature preserve.

"C'mon... I ain't drowning here. I've got so much to live for!" He looked at Roy. "And you, I guess."

He slammed his body against the door. It groaned slightly, rust falling from the hinges. He did it again, and it continued to groan. Meanwhile, Munchlax waddled up to the door and waggled his finger, causing a Metronome to trigger.

The door exploded off its hinges.

Rex blinked once, that worked.

"Nice." He started running through the hall as more water rushed in. "C'mon, Roy! Let's hustle!"

---

Roy Aker
43. Force open a locked or barricaded door to access a critical area.