"Joseph, I'm leaving this side to you."
Sato turned and called out to Joseph nearby, who was busy directing Gallade and the others in treating the wounded Trainers and Pokémon.
Before the two of them had arrived, both sides had already been locked in battle for a long time. Most of the combatants' Pokémon had lost the ability to fight, so the need for medical care was intense.
Joseph quickly nodded back at Sato, then immediately knelt to perform emergency treatment on a nearby Rhydon.
Seeing this, Sato didn't delay either. Although Joseph rarely fought, his strength was on par with Mark's, so there was no need to look after him.
"Sharpedo, let's go!"
"Shaaa~"
---
Ten minutes later, Sato arrived at Olivine Gym.
From the air, half of the entire Gym had already collapsed. Flames and thick smoke were everywhere; there was no trace left of what had once been one of the League's "Eight Gyms".
"Ralts, scan the area to see if anyone's still around."
"Raaalts~"
Sit on Sato's shoulder, Ralts gave a soft cry. The blood-red eyes beneath its fringe glowed faintly as a surge of powerful Psychic energy spread outward.
"Ralts~"
"That way? Sharpedo!"
Sato gave Sharpedo a pat and had it fly in the direction Ralts had pointed.
Soon, Sharpedo brought him to the site of a collapsed building. Ralts immediately used Confusion to move away the shattered wood and rubble.
"…An escape route?"
Looking at the dark hole that had been revealed beneath the building, Sato muttered to himself.
The entrance was too narrow for Sharpedo to fly through, so Sato recalled it and sent out Umbreon instead, then jumped down with it.
"Umbreon, Flash."
"Umbr~"
A burst of pale yellow light illuminated the underground passage. Without hesitation, Sato advanced deeper alongside Umbreon and Ralts.
"There are a lot of messy footprints… it does look like an escape tunnel. But there's also a chance Team Rocket discovered it…"
Using Umbreon's Flash, Sato silently inspected the traces left in the tunnel. The results weren't promising…
Thinking that, he quickened his pace.
But before he had gone even two minutes, Ralts signaled him to stop.
'Toto, there are people on the other side of the wall.'
"Hiding?" Sato paused but didn't hesitate. He immediately had Ralts use Teleport.
On the other side of the wall, several people had already heard the approaching footsteps. They hurriedly motioned for everyone to keep quiet and breathe slowly, terrified of being discovered again.
But in the next second, a flash of white light burst out, and Sato suddenly appeared right in front of them.
Everyone hiding in the secret room was startled. Someone even ordered their Pokémon to attack without thinking.
"Ralts!"
Ralts used Confusion and blocked both Magneton and Skarmory from attacking. Just as it was about to strike back, Sato waved a hand to stop it.
"Stand down! I'm Yuga Sato!"
"Sato… you're the Gym Leader from nearby Shadownight Gym? The League finally sent reinforcements? How many people came? What's the situation outside?"
One of the young Gym Trainers recognized Sato and immediately fired off a rapid string of questions like a machine gun.
Sato glanced around the room. Most of the people inside were women and children.
Even Jasmine, the future Gym Leader, was among them. And lying next to her was an unconscious old man with white hair.
"Hey! He asked you a question! What's going on outside? Can we leave yet?"
The young man grew anxious when Sato didn't respond. He even stepped forward, as if to grab him.
"…Umbrrrr"
Umbreon let out a low growl, lowering its body as it exposed its Ace level aura, instantly waking the man up and forcing him to retreat in fear.
Sato glanced at the man but didn't pay him any further attention. Instead, he walked quickly over to the unconscious old man.
"Jasmine, do you remember me?"
"Mhm!"
Though her face was pale, Jasmine still nodded obediently. Her small hands were clutching the old man tightly as she whispered a plea.
"S-Sato, please save grandpa… He inhaled a lot of poison gas from Weezing while protecting us. None of us have any healing P-Pokémon… sniff…"
As she spoke, Jasmine finally couldn't hold back her tears. Once they started, they didn't stop.
Sato didn't try to comfort her, sometimes crying in a moment like this actually helped. What mattered now was saving her grandfather, Myron.
"Umbreon, Heal Bell. Ralts, Heal Pulse."
Heal Bell would remove the abnormal Status, and Heal Pulse would restore Myron's health/stamina. With both Pokémon working together, color visibly returned to Myron's face.
"Cough… cough…"
The unconscious Myron suddenly coughed, and his cloudy eyes slowly opened. The people around him, seeing their spiritual pillar wake up, hurried over… though none dared get too close to Sato.
"Cough… cough… I'm still alive? S-So the League finally sent reinforcements?"
Myron was helped up by those around him, but due to the crowd, he didn't immediately see Sato.
"Sniff… Grandpa, you're awake! That's such a relief… sniff… we were all so worried about you…"
The same young man who had earlier questioned Sato now began crying like a little girl. Sato watched as Jasmine was pulled aside rather roughly by him.
"Cough… cough… ENOUGH CRYING! Answer me, what's the situation in Olivine City? Cough, COUGH, COUGH…"
Myron scolded him, clearly frustrated, then broke into a fit of violent coughing that made even Sato frown slightly.
Seeing that, Sato didn't want to waste any more time. He walked toward the crowd, and though people were nervous, they instinctively made way for him.
"So it's you… Words aren't enough to thank you. From now on, Olivine Gym will look up to the Shadownight Gym. We'll rely on your lead and support. Cough…"
"Grandpa, what are you saying?! Since when did Olivine Gym need help from outsiders-?"
SMAAAACK!
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! Cough, cough, cough…"
Looking at his eldest grandson, Myron was furious, and even more deeply disappointed. He had already spoiled his son into uselessness, and now it seemed this "second version" of his grandson wasn't any better.
And then, thinking of the rising fame of the Shadownight Gym over the past few years -a group of incredibly young Trainers who had surpassed all the old established Gyms- he couldn't help but sigh inside.
"Forgive the embarrassment, Leader Sato. You've met Jasmine before, she shows promise as a Trainer. If you don't mind… once the Team Rocket situation is resolved, I'd like her to train at Shadownight Gym for a while."
Looking at the weakened old man before him, Sato became even more certain of what he'd already believed in his heart.
'As long as Myron remained… Olivine Gym would never truly fall.'
"Of course."
Patreonus/Romeloff
150 Ps - Chap