"Might I suggest you approach the professor and request a suitable incubator for it?" Floyd recommended thoughtfully.
"I see your point," Ivan responded with a nod, his mind already ticking over the idea as he made his way towards the bustling Pokemon Market.
Meanwhile, Floyd proceeded to the meeting, where he was greeted by the sight of a large assembly. The room was mostly filled, with nearly everyone already seated, patiently awaiting the arrival of the last few absentees.
His group had their places set near the entrance, around a long, imposing, round conference table. Along the periphery of the room, there were also seats along the edges of each wall, occupied by some Japanese attendees. This sight instilled a mix of pressure and excitement in Floyd.
The scale of the alliances had grown significantly compared to their previous gatherings.
Upon locating his assigned seat, Floyd observed Jonathan and Bianca already there. Jonathan occupied the leftmost seat in the middle row, while Bianca was seated to right, leaving one vacant chair beside her.
Floyd felt embarrassed to sit in the middle, haunted by an incident from a week ago that he couldn't shake off.
He also couldn't help but notice Bianca's behavior; she seemed to subtly distance herself from him at every encounter, including now, as she averted her gaze and bowed her head slightly. To avoid any awkwardness, Floyd chose a seat on the left side instead.
"Where's Ivan?" Jonathan's voice cut through the murmurs, noting Ivan's conspicuous absence.
"An unexpected emergency cropped up, but he should be arriving shortly," Floyd explained.
The room's atmosphere shifted as a few more attendees hurriedly took their seats. The Japanese delegates, who had been waiting patiently, displayed faint frowns. Their culture deeply frowned upon tardiness, and while they remained silent, likely out of respect for the foreigners, their expressions betrayed a clear annoyance.
The clock struck 5:38 pm when Ivan finally made his entrance, the last to arrive. He was met with a few disapproving glances, but he seemed unfazed by the reception and calmly took his place between Jonathan and Bianca.
"I apologize for the delay; there was an unexpected incident," Ivan stated succinctly, choosing not to elaborate further and settling into a quiet demeanor.
With a palpable sense of eagerness to lighten the mood,
Pak
Kanraku clapped his hands together, his smile beaming across the room. "Now that we are all present, let's commence with our situation reports," he announced.
"Aye, the matter at hand concerns the burgeoning population of beasts," Yamada began, delving into the report. Unlike before, where Kang Jihoon and Chen Yu had been the primary reporters, it was now Yamada, as the report in his notes was written in Japanese.
Yamada's report was more meticulously detailed than the previous one. After several minutes of thorough analysis, he closed his notes and shifted his gaze to Professor Kanraku. "Professor, for the Butterfree, we need to consider relocation."
Professor Kanraku exhaled a heavy sigh, a mix of resignation and concern in his tone. "It's progressing too rapidly," he lamented.
He had anticipated this scenario but hadn't expected it to unfold so rapidly. He was concerned about the welfare of the creatures, especially the vulnerable Caterpie and the aloof Metapod, in the wild. While he wasn't worried about Butterfree's ability to fend off predators, the safety of the other two weighed heavily on his mind.
He clenched his fist and bit his lip tightly. "I can't bear the thought of them getting into an accident," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. He wiped them away, but they continued to flow.
A somber silence filled the room, everyone understanding the depth of Kanraku's attachment to each Pokémon and how much he cherished them.
"Professor," Chen Yu interjected, his voice laced with empathy. After a brief pause, filled with a sense of gravity, he added, "The wild is their true home."
Kanraku met Chen Yu's gaze, a mix of acknowledgment and reluctance in his eyes. "I know," he nodded slowly, the weight of his decision evident. "I just feel reluctant to let them go." His reluctance stemmed from a promise he felt he couldn't keep.
Chen Yu remained silent, already having conveyed his intentions.
"The harsh truth is they can't thrive in this environment; it only exposes them to greater risks. We can't defy the natural order to which they belong," Floyd spoke up, his voice quivering as he fought back his own emotions.
The rest of the group shared in the sadness, empathizing deeply as many of them also had Butterfree in their care.
"I understand," Kanraku finally conceded, taking a deep, steadying breath. He wiped away his tears, a newfound resolve in his eyes. "Let's prepare a fitting farewell for our friends, later," he proposed, his voice more composed.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Yamada, resuming his report, announced, "The Rattata lineage has now reached a population of 657. It may take a few months, but they'll likely follow suit. Prior to that, we might see the Beedrill line surpass the Rattata, as their numbers currently stand at 404..." Yamada continued with his detailed briefing, outlining the shifting dynamics of various Pokémon populations.
Several attendees raised queries, to which Yamada responded with clarity and detail. On the sidelines of the meeting room, the Japanese delegates observed the proceedings intently
Village Chief Suzuki attentively glanced at each person present. This was his second time participating in this meeting, the first being three days ago in the aftermath of the competition. He noted a significant improvement in the village based on the report, compared to how things were four days ago.
The efficiency of the changes was astonishing and rapid. The meeting structure had evolved as well. Previously, daily gatherings were the norm, but now, with most individuals deeply engaged in their respective tasks, the meetings have been reduced to every three days.
Following the in-depth discussion on logistics, a scout was called upon to deliver their report. Park Taeyang rose to his feet, addressing the group with a sense of urgency. "Our team ventured further east and stumbled upon an old, abandoned village. It's a mix of derelict and partially destroyed houses, all overgrown with vegetation. This place has become a haven for a variety of creatures," he explained, displaying a photo featuring Sudowoodo, Bonsly, Seedot, and Shroomish in their newfound habitat.
Kanraku interjected with recognition in his voice. "Ah, that place, it's Iwazaki Village. I've been there before. However, it's been deserted for some time; the villagers moved to Kasari Village."
Park Taeyang nodded, then revealed another photograph, capturing the attention of the room. It showed a herd of Rhyhorn, led by a formidable Rhydon, traversing flat fields. "This, however, was unexpected," he said.
"That's an old rice field near Iwazaki Village," Kanraku provided some context.
Jonathan's eyes widened in excitement at the sight. "Is that a Rhyhorn? And the large bipedal creature leading them, is that a Rhydon?" He recalled his own Rhyhorn back home, a pang of longing hitting him. The image of the mighty Rhydon sparked a flame of ambition in him; he could already envision it strengthening his team. Lost in thought, he began to daydream about capturing and training these powerful creatures.
"Yes, indeed, they are," confirmed Kanraku, nodding in affirmation.
Park Taeyang quickly redirected their focus. "Everyone, there's something else here that demands our attention," he said, pointing to a specific detail in the photograph. "Look closely at these footprints."
The room leaned in, a collective intake of breath as they noticed. "See? These are unmistakably human footprints," Park Taeyang announced.
"Footprints? Are you certain?" Kanraku expressed his doubt, leaning in to examine the photograph more closely. A moment of surprise crossed his face before he turned back to Park Taeyang with a questioning look. "Could these possibly be from your team?"
Park Taeyang shook his head firmly in response. "We're absolutely sure they're not ours," he assured.
The Village Chief, unable to contain his disbelief, abruptly stood up and strode closer to the displayed image. He scrutinized it intently, a mix of confusion and disbelief in his eyes. "This can't be right," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "The villagers from Iwazaki were relocated a long time ago. There shouldn't be anyone left."
Kanraku, still processing the information, turned to Park Taeyang with another question. "Did your team not consider following these footprints?"
Park Taeyang hesitated before replying, "We evaluated the risk and deemed it too great. The presence of the Rhyhorn herd might lead to aggressive behavior, which would make it too dangerous to proceed."
Kanraku, initially taken aback, regained his composure and asserted, "We need to organize a rescue operation immediately."
Kang Jihoon, always the voice of reason, interjected calmly, "Let's not rush into this. We need a well-thought-out plan. Everyone, please, take a seat and let's strategize."
Kanraku nodded in agreement, then turned to the Village Chief, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Let's approach this calmly, Chief," he urged gently.
The Village Chief exhaled deeply, the tension in his shoulders easing as he took a seat.
Floyd, who had been following the conversation intently, suggested, "Our initial plan was to visit Kasari Village. Why don't we include a detour to Iwazaki Village to investigate this mystery? It seems prudent to check it out on our way."
Kanraku considered this for a moment before asking, "Who among us is prepared to undertake this journey?"
After a few minutes of discussion and planning, the group was finalized. It would consist of Kanraku, Floyd, Park Taeyang, Le Mai Linh, and Tuan. Surprisingly, the Village Chief and some of the Japanese villagers expressed a keen interest in joining the expedition.
Consequently, it was decided to include an additional five members from the village in the team.
Once the team was assembled and the initial planning stage was complete, Kanraku, who had been deep in thought, spoke up unexpectedly, "Before we proceed, there's another important that I need to announce."
