When Yuga and the others returned to the house in Ram's Horn Village where they had previously been lodging, that family of three had already finished their discussion and were disguising themselves as an ordinary family doing chores.
When he saw Yuga and the others appear once again, the man disguised as the father finally realized something was wrong, and he opened his mouth and said: "You all…"
But before his words were even finished, he discovered that he could not move. He looked toward Yuga, only to see that right beside Yuga there was a Gengar floating in the air, making faces at him.
As soon as Gengar subdued the man, the other two people immediately erupted violently, swiftly pulling out the Poké Balls hidden inside their clothing, wanting to release their Pokémon.
But Gengar's reaction speed was even faster. Its chubby little hand pointed, and the actions of the woman and the young man instantly froze, not even their fingers could move.
Just like the man, they were suppressed by Gengar's psychic force.
Yuga said to Iris and Seiryu: "Search all the Poké Balls on their bodies."
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
The two responded loudly, striding in big steps to the three people in front of them, and before long, they had already searched out all the Poké Balls on their bodies.
At this moment, the three already realized that Yuga and the others had come precisely for them, but clinging to a fluke mentality, the man still tried to argue slyly and said: "Who exactly are you people? Why are you making a move against us…"
The man wanted to say a few more words, but he only heard Yuga utter a single name.
"King Robi!"
The man's excuses came to an abrupt halt. He knew Yuga and the others must have grasped powerful intelligence, and to continue to deny was useless. He could only obediently shut his mouth, and glare viciously at Yuga.
But… where had the problem gone wrong, how had they been exposed?
The man could not help but think of that Lax who had not arrived even after so long and could not be contacted no matter what.
It must have been that fellow who had met with problems! the man thought through gritted teeth.
"Phew~ finally the matter has been resolved!"
After tying up the three people with rope, Iris wiped the sweat from her forehead, let out a long sigh of relief, and said.
"Mr. Shimizu, how should we deal with these three people?" Seiryu asked. They could not possibly take them all the way back to the Hoenn Region, right?
Yuga answered: "Don't worry, I will immediately have someone come receive them." Saying that, he dialed a communicator number.
Approximately three hours later, several people wearing League Investigation Team uniforms arrived at Ram's Horn Village.
At this time, the commotion on Yuga's side finally attracted the attention of the villagers, and outside the courtyard quite a few villagers had gathered, pointing and whispering.
In order not to cause unnecessary trouble, Yuga walked out and said to everyone:
"The family of three living here are actually wanted criminals of the League. We are people from the Investigation Bureau. We came here earlier precisely to investigate them. Now the matter has already been investigated clearly, and they will soon be taken away…"
In order to prove that what Yuga said was true, one of the Investigation Team members who had come to receive the family of three very cooperatively took out his identification to show.
After hearing Yuga's explanation, the villagers all suddenly realized.
"No wonder, so they were wanted criminals. No wonder they moved to such a remote backwater like our village."
"I said it before, just by looking you could tell that this family was not good people. After moving here for so many days, they always kept to themselves, and when they looked at people their eyes went straight to the heavens, as if despising everyone!"
"Who says it isn't so. Just a few days ago, I accidentally bumped into one of their family, and look how fierce they were! Luckily I didn't argue with them, otherwise who knows if I would have been silenced."
"I told the village chief back then, not to agree to let them move into the village. Now look, something happened, didn't it!"
…
The villagers were all talking over one another noisily, but very quickly they were driven away by Yuga.
"Alright, everyone disperse, don't crowd around here anymore, be careful or you might get arrested for obstructing official duty."
Hearing this, the villagers scattered in a clamor.
Over there, after Iris and Seiryu roughly explained the matter to the Investigation Team people, the Investigation Team immediately took the criminals into custody and prepared to leave.
Before leaving, the squad captain said to Yuga: "Mr. Shimizu, please rest assured, we will escort the criminals to the Hoenn Region as quickly as possible and hand them over to the Search Bureau on your side."
Yuga thanked him, saying: "I'll trouble you with this."
"Not trouble at all, it's only what we should do!" Saying that, he even saluted Yuga.
After the Investigation Team people had left, Yuga said to Seiryu: "Alright, let's go too."
So the three of them left Ram's Horn Village and returned once more to Twinleaf Town.
Because when they left the time of day was already not early, Yuga and the others had no choice but to lodge again in Twinleaf Town for one more night, still staying at Aunt Johanna's home.
Originally, Yuga, not wanting to trouble Aunt Johanna, had planned to pay her a visit and then take Seiryu and Iris to stay at the Pokémon Center, but Aunt Johanna was simply too warm and insistent, and absolutely wanted Yuga and the others to stay.
Unable to dissuade Aunt Johanna, Yuga could only agree.
That evening Yuga borrowed the phone in Aunt Johanna's house to report his safety to his family. After having been inside the Dragon Ruins for several days, he had not managed to contact home, and he was worried that Doudou and the others might be unsettled.
Hearing Yuga's call, Doudou was extremely happy, and even told Yuga some good news.
The two children of Charizard and Dragonite were already showing signs of hatching, and perhaps by the time Yuga returned home, the two children would already be alive and bouncing about!
Twinleaf Town was a peaceful and tranquil town. The next morning, Yuga awoke to the cheerful calls of Starly. Last night he had been in a good mood, so his quality of sleep had been very good, and he slept soundly until broad daylight.
Yuga sat up from bed, rubbed his eyes, and just so happened to see, outside the window, a Starly on the branch hopping onto the windowsill. So he greeted it and said:
"Good morning, Starly."
"Starly~ Starly~"
The Starly also flapped its wings to greet Yuga. At that moment, a person suddenly hung upside down from the tree.
"Good morning, Mr. Shimizu!"
"Starly~"
Starly was frightened, flapping its wings in panic and fleeing away.
Yuga too was startled by the sudden appearance of Iris.
"Ah la la~~" Looking at the fleeing Starly, Iris playfully stuck out her tongue. "Looks like I scared that child." Finishing, she leapt down from the tree and quickly climbed up to Yuga's windowsill, her movements nimble like an Ambipom.
Yuga said helplessly: "You got up this early?"
Iris blinked her big eyes and said: "Is it that early?"
Yuga said: "We were exhausted for several days in the Dragon Ruins. It's rare to get a rest, of course we need a good sleep. You still don't think it's early?"
"Is that so? Maybe it's just habit." Iris said carelessly. "By the way, Mr. Shimizu, are we leaving today?"
Yuga nodded and said: "Yes, do you have some thoughts?"
Iris thought for a bit, tilted her head, and said: "Why don't we stroll around Twinleaf Town? This is Dawn's hometown, isn't it?"
Iris also knew Dawn.
"It's not impossible, but it also depends on Seiryu agreeing." Yuga said. "Are you very curious about Dawn's hometown?"
"A little bit." Iris nodded, then jumped down from the windowsill, leaving behind only a string of words for Yuga: "I'll go ask Seiryu!"
Truly a vigorous and resolute girl… Yuga shook his head, then quickly jumped out of bed.
After Yuga had put on his clothes and finished washing up, he came downstairs and saw Iris saying something to Seiryu. Seiryu's face was expressionless, while Iris was talking with great enthusiasm.
When she saw Yuga come down, Iris immediately waved her hand and shouted: "Mr. Shimizu, Seiryu agreed."
On Aunt Johanna's side, breakfast was already prepared. Today Yuga's Florges had also given her a hand.
"Everyone, come eat breakfast!" Aunt Johanna called out.
At the table, Iris talked with Yuga and the others about today's plan to play around Twinleaf Town. Aunt Johanna said: "As it happens, today the town has an event, you all can go have a look."
"Really? What event?" Iris asked, immediately full of interest.
"Hmm… I think it's a Pokémon Wrestling Tournament." Aunt Johanna thought for a moment and said.
In the Pokémon world, such events were very common—things like Fighting Tournaments, Fishing Tournaments, Bug-Catching Tournaments, Surfing Tournaments… practically every so often there would be one, nothing rare at all.
"Yay, a Pokémon Wrestling Tournament? I want to participate!" Saying that, Iris began rapidly finishing up her breakfast.
Aunt Johanna persuaded, saying: "Eat slower, there's no need to be in such a rush."
After breakfast, Iris happily dragged Yuga and Seiryu out of the house.
The Pokémon Wrestling Tournament being held in the town was sponsored by a Pokémon goods company, and the venue was none other than Twinleaf Town's Pokémon Center. The battle grounds there had been completely rented out by the Pokémon goods company for today.
By the time Yuga and the others arrived there, quite a lot of people had already gathered on site.
While Iris ran off to register, Yuga went to look at the tournament rules.
The rules for these kinds of small-scale promotional commercial activities were mostly very simple. For example, the rules of this wrestling tournament required participants to use only one Pokémon to wrestle against their opponent. During the match they were forbidden from using moves, and not allowed to fly into the air. The one who held out until the very end would be the victor. There were no other restrictions.
The prizes were actually very generous—the champion would receive a full year's supply of Pokéblocks for one Pokémon.
Yuga did not register. Iris and Seiryu both participated instead. Seiryu had been forcibly dragged in by Iris, his face full of reluctance.
As for Iris, she was mainly joining for fun.
The competition began very quickly. Because the prizes were generous, the range of participants was extremely diverse—there were all kinds of people, even an old man in his sixties.
For Yuga, of course, this level of competition was nothing more than child's play, but he still watched with great interest. Not that the matches were especially exciting, but the lively atmosphere was truly infectious.
Very soon it was Iris's turn to go on stage. Her opponent was a dark-skinned middle-aged man, not very tall, but extremely stocky, and the expression on his face was even fiercer.
This man seemed to be quite well known in Twinleaf Town. As soon as he stepped onto the stage, the crowd of spectators below started shouting in excitement.
"David, your opponent's just a little girl, you'd better show some mercy!"
"David, don't hit too hard, give the little girl some face."
"Little girl, how old are you? You'd better hurry on home!"
…
Down below, without exception, everyone was belittling Iris.
That uncle who was called "David" looked at Iris and said arrogantly: "Little girl, you'd better step down early. Otherwise, if you get beaten down by me later, you'll lose face."
Saying that, the uncle released his Pokémon, a big and burly Hariyama.
This Hariyama had the exact same attitude as its trainer—just as arrogant. The moment it came out, it began mocking Iris wildly.
In truth, the uncle didn't actually look down on Iris as much as he appeared to. In the world of Trainers, judging by age was not reliable at all. Trash talk was merely a tactic he used to disrupt his opponents' focus.
But Iris was indeed angered. With a huff, she released her own Dragonite.
"Dragonite!!!"
Iris's Dragonite had a fiery temper. As soon as it came out and heard the noisy racket from the spectators, it let out an enraged roar, then fiercely glared at the Hariyama on the opposite side.
"Dragonite, let them see how powerful you are!" Iris shouted.
The opposing Hariyama stiffened all over under Dragonite's glare. The uncle opposite also secretly cursed inwardly: what bad luck, to have actually run into an opponent like Dragonite!
Down below, Yuga was watching the match, when suddenly he heard shouting from the side.
"Yes, that's it, well done! Teach him a harsh lesson! So many people ganging up to mock a little girl, too despicable! Fine them, fine them!"
Yuga turned his head and looked, only to see a yellow-haired boy jumping up and down, clearly standing up for Iris. Because he was about the same age as Iris, he felt that it was very impolite for the uncle's side to mock someone else's age.
The other party seemed to notice Yuga's gaze. He turned his head, and just happened to meet Yuga's line of sight.
In an instant, the expression on the yellow-haired boy's face froze, then immediately revealed an expression of wild joy. In the blink of an eye, he had rushed to Yuga's side.
"You… you are… you are… Mr. Shimizu! The Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town in Hoenn!"
The boy recognized Yuga's identity.
"Too… too amazing, too amazing!" The boy jumped up in excitement, "Fine them, fine them!"
Fine them? Yuga was completely at a loss. Why would seeing him mean they should be fined? And also… who are you?
Before Yuga could ask, the boy grabbed Yuga's hand tightly and began to introduce himself, extremely familiar and forward.
"Mr. Shimizu, my name is Barry. I'm so very happy to meet you! Today might just be my lucky day, to actually run into you here in Twinleaf Town!"
"Ah haha… you… hello, Barry!"
At this moment Yuga finally remembered who this boy in front of him was. When Ash traveled in the Sinnoh Region, he had a rival whose name was also Barry, and his hometown was exactly Twinleaf Town.
Barry was also the son of the Frontier Brain of the Battle Tower in the Battle Frontier—the Tower Tycoon Palmer.
Mr. Palmer was a very famous Trainer, so it was not surprising that Barry could recognize Yuga.
Barry was extremely enthusiastic toward Yuga, chattering non-stop and talking endlessly with him, which caused Seiryu next to them to turn his head repeatedly in surprise.
"Mr. Shimizu, did you also participate in the wrestling tournament? Then you would definitely win first place!"
Yuga shook his head: "I didn't participate, I just came with a friend." As he said this, he pointed to Iris, who was on stage commanding Dragonite to attack furiously.
Barry suddenly understood, and at the same time became even more excited.
"Wow, that girl is so amazing, I definitely want to battle against her! Wuu~~~ fine them! Fine them!"
…
Why on earth did it have to be 'fine them' again? Yuga truly could not understand the boy's train of thought.
Iris's match ended very quickly. The uncle and his Hariyama were simply no match for her and Dragonite. After defeating her opponent, she and Dragonite came striding off the stage full of pride and vigor.