I, Gary, Want to Become a Pokemon Master

Zinnia sat on the edge of the bed, sulking. Though she was burning with frustration, she couldn't do anything. She didn't even know where the president of the Aether Foundation was, let alone how to confront him.

"Hmph! Whatever... I'm going to rest."

With that, she flopped onto the bed, turning away. Right now, the only thing she could do was conserve her energy and wait for their next move.

Gary also lay back in his bed, his hands behind his head. There was no point in pushing forward blindly.

The next morning…

After getting up and having breakfast, Gary and Zinnia made their way to the control room to check on any updates.

Steven was already there.

"Mr. Steven, any news yet?" Zinnia asked anxiously as she entered.

Steven shook his head. "Nothing so far."

"Ugh… still nothing?" Zinnia groaned, visibly frustrated. "It's been a whole day!"

"Don't worry, Zinnia," Steven said patiently. "If their goal is to harness energy from the meteorite, they'll have to run experiments. And once they do, we'll detect the energy fluctuations immediately."

He paused. "Besides, they only just got their hands on the meteorite yesterday. Even if they plan to run tests, it's unlikely they've had enough time to prepare. Just give it a bit more time."

"...Okay."

So the wait continued.

Gary and Zinnia spent most of their day in the control room. Occasionally, they'd get up to stretch or walk around when it rained outside. But by evening, there was still no progress.

In the cafeteria of the Devon Corporation energy research base...

Gary and Zinnia sat at a small table, poking at their dinner trays in silence.

After a full day of nothing, their spirits were starting to droop. Even the local Pokémon that usually lingered around the cafeteria for scraps had disappeared.

Seeing Zinnia lost in thought, Steven tried to cheer her up.

"Zinnia, I know this is hard, but try not to let it weigh you down. Even if the meteorite really is lost, we have to keep moving forward."

"I know…" Zinnia mumbled. "But I failed. This was my trial… and now I have to face my grandmother after losing it."

Steven looked at her thoughtfully. "If you're that worried, why don't you take me to Meteor Village?"

At his suggestion, Zinnia's expression instantly shifted to suspicion.

After the meteorite theft, she had become far more cautious. Now that she knew corporations were researching how to convert meteorite fragments into energy, she realized the Rainbow Meteorite hidden in Meteor Village could become their next target.

Steven noticed her reaction and quickly reassured her. "Don't worry. If your people aren't comfortable with it, I won't force anything. I just want to understand. The village's location will stay secret."

Gary, listening in, felt Steven was being sincere—mostly.

Steven wasn't the kind of person to resort to force, but Gary knew if Steven learned about the Rainbow Meteorite, he'd likely propose a peaceful trade or research collaboration. It wouldn't be a threat, but it would be a heavy ask.

In Gary's view, maybe giving it to the Pokémon League for safekeeping wasn't such a bad idea. Otherwise, the Draconid Tribe would constantly have to look over their shoulders, wondering who might try to steal it next.

Zinnia narrowed her eyes. "→_→"

Yeah. She wasn't trusting Steven with anything unless he could recover the stolen meteorite first.

Suddenly, Professor Bori burst into the cafeteria, waving a data tablet.

"Mr. Steven! We've picked up an energy signal!"

Steven, Gary, and Zinnia shot to their feet.

"Let's move!" Steven said.

They rushed after Professor Bori to the control room.

"We detected a spike in Infinity Energy about fifteen minutes ago—on Route 108," Bori explained, pointing to the screen. "It was just a flash, though. The signal dissipated almost instantly."

Gary looked up at the regional map. Route 108 was out at sea, with no known islands nearby.

Steven frowned. "That area's open ocean… there shouldn't be any kind of facility out there."

He knew every inch of Hoenn, including the waters. A large research base capable of generating Infinity Energy would require immense infrastructure—something that couldn't be hidden easily.

Could the Aether Foundation have built a sea-based platform without anyone noticing?

"Kennedy," Steven called, turning to one of his aides. "Check if the Aether Foundation has any current projects near Route 108."

"Yes, sir!"

Kennedy left immediately.

Steven turned back to Gary and Zinnia. "I need you two to go investigate tomorrow. No matter what you find, stay calm and don't act rashly."

"Got it!" Gary said.

"No problem," Zinnia added with a sharp nod.

Of course, the reminder was mostly for Zinnia. Steven was hoping she wouldn't charge in without thinking again.

A short while later, Kennedy returned with a report.

"Mr. Steven, the Aether Foundation did invest in that area. They started building an offshore energy collection platform three years ago. Its purpose is to harness geothermal energy from under the sea."

Steven nodded slowly. "Is the platform open to outsiders?"

"We're not sure yet. We'll need to visit the site to confirm," Kennedy replied.

"Understood. Start preparing. We'll leave tomorrow and pick someone up on the way."

"Yes, sir."

Kennedy turned and left.

Gary looked at Steven. "Pick someone up? Who?"

"This concerns more than just us," Steven said. "We're going to bring in Wallace."

"Wallace? Who's that?" Zinnia asked curiously.

Steven paused. "You don't know Wallace?"

Gary stepped in to clarify. "Wallace is the current Champion of the Hoenn League."

"Huh?! But I thought you were the Champion?" Zinnia blinked in confusion. "Can there be two Champions?"

Steven chuckled awkwardly.

"No, I'm the former Champion," he said. "Wallace is the current one."

"When did that happen? You're still so young. Why retire?" Zinnia asked.

"Personal reasons," Steven said with a small smile.

Steven had become Champion at just sixteen—the youngest in Hoenn history. But not long after, he voluntarily stepped down, leaving the position open for Wallace, his close friend and fellow Trainer.

His decision shocked the entire region.

"But why bring Wallace into this?" Zinnia asked.

"Because only a Champion has temporary investigative rights on certain corporate grounds," Steven explained. "To legally investigate the Aether Foundation's offshore platform, we'll need permission from the Pokémon League—and Wallace can help us get it."

Zinnia folded her arms. "Hmph. If it helps get the meteorite back, then fine."