"Old He?"
"Doctor Hayden?"
Owen was momentarily confused by the nickname. But quickly, he realized who it was. Who else at the Pokémon Center would be called "Old He" besides the surgeon who had been treating Eevee's injuries?
Since their first meeting, Owen had run into him several times. Because they were fellow townsfolk, Doctor Hayden found Owen quite likable.
Whenever Owen had questions about nurturing Eevee, Hayden answered them as best as he could. To Owen and Eevee, he was a genuine benefactor.
"Old He and I are friends," Ethan said.
"After the disaster alert was issued for South Nanwu Town, we immediately contacted the local police and the Pokémon Center.
Once Old He heard the coordinates of the rift, he looked up your contact info and found you were unreachable. Knowing you and Eevee liked to train near that area, he guessed you might have been trapped and alerted us instantly."
"He was mostly worried you'd do something reckless inside. He repeatedly urged us to start the rescue immediately and search every inch of the place."
"Oh, by the way, since the rift opened in such a remote spot where almost no one goes, you were the only unfortunate soul to get caught in it..."
Ethan glanced at Owen and Eevee. They certainly didn't look like "well-behaved" types. A rookie trainer with a one-month-old Eevee provoking a powerful Pidgeot? That didn't scream "playing it safe."
"Well... just bad luck," Owen said with a wry smile. Eevee let out a long, dramatic sigh.
After flying for a while, the Charizard landed. To Owen's surprise, a large group of people was stationed nearby, including the police.
"That's the safe zone over there. You'll have to walk the rest of the way and go through security. I'll walk you over," Ethan said.
"Wait a second!" Owen's expression suddenly shifted as if he'd remembered something. "Ethan, could we speak privately for a moment?"
He had almost forgotten. The Salac Berry pits were still in his pocket. Without hesitation, he pulled them out and handed them to a confused Ethan.
"Eevee and I found these by accident. I think they're Berry pits. They might be useful to you, so please take them," Owen said. "The Pidgeot probably targeted us because of these. Ahem, maybe we accidentally stole its food."
Owen had kept the pits after Eevee finished the fruit. It wasn't that he didn't want to plant or sell them himself, but the law stated that any resources found in a Secret Realm within national territory belonged to the Trainer Association.
If he tried to take them out and got caught, he'd be forced to hand them over anyway. It was better to give them to his rescuer as a gesture of gratitude.
If Owen guessed correctly, this man, capable of leading a rescue mission, was likely a Professional Trainer.
As members of the Association's core tier, Professional Trainers were entitled to a portion of the profits from Secret Realm resources.
"Berry pits?" Ethan looked closely at the pits in his palm. They were fresh.
He gave Owen a deep, searching look. What a clever kid.
"I haven't seen this type of pit before, but I'll take them. I'll let the Association evaluate their value later."
"Do Professional Trainers have to hand over their findings too?" Owen asked, surprised.
"It depends on the situation. For a rescue mission like this, our findings are split with the Association at a certain ratio," Ethan explained.
"Since you gave them to me, they count as my 'harvest.' Keeping them would have been useless for you anyway.
I'll handle these and let you know once the evaluation is in. If they turn out to be useful to me, I'll owe you a favor."
"Hahaha... no worries! I'm the one who owes you a favor, Ethan."
Owen scratched his head. He didn't think a few pits would be worth an astronomical amount—after all, a whole Salac tree was still back in the realm.
Regardless, nothing was more valuable than his and Eevee's lives. Getting back in one piece was enough for him. Plus, he might even get some "mental distress compensation" out of this, which was a nice bonus.
The biggest win? Eevee had already eaten the Salac Berry flesh. Given the chaos of the situation, no one could hold them accountable for that.
The Aftermath
Owen was escorted to the safe zone by Ethan. As expected, he was searched under the guise of a security check. After finding nothing of "value," he and Eevee were treated as guests.
An elderly man with thinning hair fussed over Owen, asking if he was hurt, while a psychologist provided a brief consultation.
However, seeing that neither Owen nor Eevee seemed particularly traumatized, the psychologist just offered a few words of comfort.
Normally, the "Golden Hour" for rescue in an Ultra-Miniature Secret Realm is within thirty minutes.
Owen and Eevee had not only missed that window but survived for six agonizing hours. It was a miracle.
Because the location was so remote, no one had even known the rift existed until the Association's sensors picked it up.
When Owen was confirmed missing for six hours, many had assumed the worst. The management of the South Nanwu and Fairview Trainer Associations were overjoyed—no casualties was the best possible outcome.
After leaving the realm, Owen saw Doctor Hayden again. Based on Ethan's description, he owed his rescue to Hayden's quick thinking. Owen and Eevee immediately went over to thank him.
"It's good that you're okay. Get some rest now. The police have contacted your parents," Hayden said. "Stop the special training for a while.
You won't be able to go back to those woods. There are interdimensional rifts all over the place now; it'll take a long time before the area is declared safe."
"Ah..."
Owen and Eevee froze. Without the woods, their special training would hit a wall. Eevee hadn't even fully mastered the "Trunk Drill" yet; there was still so much room for growth.
"Well, nothing we can do," Owen muttered. Though disappointed, he didn't push it. He could use this time to figure out how Eevee could deal with Ghost-types.
"Vee..." On Owen's shoulder, Eevee felt a wave of relief upon hearing the woods were closed. She patted Owen's head with her paw, signaling him not to be sad.
It's destiny, Owen. It's destiny.
◆ Bonus & Support ◆
◆Read 60+ Chapters ahead on my P@treon --> patreon.com/Master_Studios677
◆1 Bonus chapter for every 10 reviews
◆1 Bonus chapter for every 60 Powerstones