Pokemon: Lord of Fear

Edward enjoyed a celebratory dinner with his family, marking the success of his first film. Joseph, his father, seemed particularly overjoyed, indulging in a few extra glasses of wine with a bright smile on his face.

"Brother, weren't you planning to get a second Pokémon? I have a recommendation for you—interested?" Steven asked, clinking his glass of juice against Edward's before leaning in with a sly grin.

Edward paused. A Pokémon recommendation from Steven? What could it be?

"What is it, Brother?" Edward asked curiously. Steven's usual suggestions revolved around steel or rock-types, claiming they'd be helpful for excavating stones in the wild—a notion that always left Edward exasperated.

It wasn't that Edward disliked such Pokémon, but they didn't seem to suit him. Moreover, his first partner, Q, was already an unconventional choice, making him hesitant to add another Pokémon to his roster.

Still, if Steven brought it up, it must be worth considering.

"You've heard about that new region added to the League recently, haven't you?" Steven asked, his smile widening. Edward took a sip of juice, savoring its vibrant sweetness—a testament to its origin from a Tropius, whose juices were famous for their intense flavor.

"Of course. The League announced it not long ago, complete with travel packages," Edward replied. He was referring to the newly integrated Paldea region.

When Edward first learned about it, he'd felt a strange mix of nostalgia and excitement. Paldea was the setting of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet games he'd played before his life in this world, and seeing it here was surreal.

"Paldea has some unique Pokémon. I think you might like them. Want to take a trip there?" Steven asked, his tone encouraging. While Steven admired Edward's knack for filmmaking, he also believed that having strong Pokémon companions was vital in this world.

"Maybe once I've handled everything here," Edward replied, scratching his head. The exotic Pokémon of Paldea intrigued him, but he needed to sort out the film's box office revenue and finalize his charity plans first.

Steven let it drop, instead chatting with Edward about some non-classified League affairs. Edward listened as Steven vented, sipping his juice. His brother was clearly nearing his breaking point. It was only a matter of time before Steven abandoned his Champion duties to chase his passion for stone collecting.

Among League Champions, Steven was likely the most dissatisfied with the role. If Edward's interventions didn't disrupt events, Wallace would probably be the next Champion.

The thought of Wallace made Edward's lips twitch. Wallace's flamboyant personality and style—on par with his animated counterpart—were beyond Edward's comprehension as an ordinary person.

After dinner, Edward returned home and tried to sleep. His excitement, however, made it difficult to settle down. To prevent insomnia, he asked the family butler, Mr. Robert, to have a Pokémon use Sing on him, which finally lulled him to sleep.

The next morning, Edward woke to find a banner hanging on his wall:

"Congratulations! Dead Silence Hits 130 Million on Its Opening Day!"

Edward was pleasantly surprised. 130 million? That was no small sum, especially for a horror film—a niche genre in a world with a relatively sparse population. The figure rivaled some of the Pokémon world's top-grossing blockbusters.

Now the challenge lay in maintaining this momentum. If Dead Silence could sustain its growth, Edward might soon join the ranks of the League's elite filmmakers.

"Master Edward," Mr. Robert's voice called from outside the door, perfectly timed as always. The butler, well-acquainted with Edward's routine, had come to deliver news.

Edward opened the door to see Mr. Robert's somewhat grim expression, which puzzled him.

"Master Edward, there's been a complication with the task you entrusted me," the butler said quietly. Behind him stood two Furfrou—male and female—who bowed respectfully before stepping forward to assist Edward in preparing for the day.

Edward allowed the Furfrou to help him dress. These Pokémon, beloved in the League as elegant and efficient aides, handled tasks with impeccable professionalism.

"Which task?" Edward asked, narrowing his eyes. Recently, he'd only tasked Robert with two things: investigating a charity's legitimacy and addressing the issue of the Pokémon thieves.

"It's regarding the Pokémon thieves. The Officer Jenny unit set up surveillance but found that the thieves have gone missing," Robert explained, his expression darkening.

Edward frowned in thought.

The case of the Pokémon thieves was unusual. Those two creatures had been wandering around Rustboro City for some time. As they hadn't attacked anyone, the League's policy of leniency toward non-aggressive Pokémon had applied, and no one had tried to capture them.

But their sudden rise to fame had made Edward uneasy. He had worried that their popularity would bring trouble, prompting him to ask Robert to arrange their rescue and rehabilitation.

With the support of Devon Corporation and Officer Jenny, Edward had assumed everything would proceed smoothly. Yet now the thieves had vanished.

"Vanished? Or captured? Have Team Magma or Team Aqua been spotted in Rustboro recently?" Edward pressed.

If the thieves had merely gone missing, it wasn't ideal, but they might be safe. If they'd been captured, however, their fate could be grim.

(To be continued...)