"I'll kill you, I swear I'll kill you!!"
Hunter J, her lip split and bleeding, glared fiercely at Lucas, spewing threats in impotent rage.
She vowed that, once she escaped, she would take revenge on this unknown trainer—no matter the cost!
Pleased to have avenged the Pokémon Hunter J had hurt, Lucas cleaned his hands, then cuffed her with supreme silver handcuffs. "I know what you're thinking, but I suggest you behave for now."
"Especially don't let me hear any of your revenge plans. There's no one else here, you know?"
Hunter J gritted her teeth. All she saw was snow, just this man and his Pokémon.
With strength reminiscent of Sinnoh's champion, he might well silence her for good here, later dismissing it as an accident.
Though she'd be sent to the International Police and then to prison, knowing escape wasn't impossible, Hunter J dared not provoke Lucas further and fell silent.
Lucas returned her fainted Pokémon to their Poké Balls, locked them, and looked at the battered Hunter J, then at Dragonite.
Dragonite, tired from the fight, shook its head furiously. Since hearing of Hunter J's deeds, it didn't want to fly with her, or even touch her.
Seeing Dragonite's disgusted look, Hunter J's humiliation deepened.
What goes around comes around—she would get her revenge, one day!
Finally, Lucas had Serperior make a vine rope that looked frail but was actually strong, tying Hunter J up. Dragonite grabbed the other end and, only then willing, flew off toward Glaseado Mountain's peak, dragging Hunter J through the snow.
"Run! Hurry, run!"
Group A, the elite squad under Hunter J, had landed near the summit before the crash, fully armed.
Barely having survived, they were met by Anabel's Snorlax, Tront's Delibird, and Luxray and the others brought with Capture Styler.
Luxray, wreathed in terrifying lightning, smashed their weapons with a swipe, scattering Group A like sheep before a lion.
Soon, under Snover's admiring gaze, Luxray knocked out the last fleeing squad member, then disdainfully cleaned its paws in the snow before licking them, watching Anabel and Tront tie up the last of the poachers.
Tront wiped imaginary sweat from his brow, looking at the twenty-odd tied-up poachers, and sighed, "That's all the poachers who fell nearby. The rest is up to your colleagues."
Anabel nodded. "The other arrests are ongoing. Not a single poacher will escape Glaseado Mountain."
"I wonder how Lucas is doing. If all goes well, Hunter J's transnational poaching ring is history as of today."
At that, Luxray paused, gazing at the sky.
Speak of the devil—an orange figure flew toward them. It was Lucas and Dragonite.
"Luxray~"
Luxray called to Tront and Anabel, yawning, able to clearly see the woman being dragged by Dragonite.
That must be Hunter J. Looks like it's over—they could finally leave the cold.
If Luxray could choose, it'd be by a warm farmhouse fireplace.
"It's Lucas and Dragonite. Are they carrying…?"
Anabel and Tront exchanged glances, delighted.
Dragonite landed, handing over the unconscious Hunter J to Anabel. "Drago~" (A local specialty for you~)
"Yes, Hunter J herself was captured by Lucas. Yes, we'll prepare to descend the mountain right away."
Anabel hung up the communicator and, beaming, said, "Headquarters reports that most of Hunter J's gang has been captured. All units are to pursue the remaining fugitives—no one escapes."
"Looker says we can bring them down the mountain."
Tront nodded. "Their vehicles still work—we can take everyone back to Montenevera."
The two began loading the poachers.
As they worked, Lucas noticed the little Snover watching him anxiously, as if asking if he and the others were leaving.
Anabel, directing Snorlax, also noticed Snover's dejection and looked worried.
Right, they could leave anytime—but what about the Snover who'd lost its parents?
Anabel wondered whether to take Snover to the International Police to find a suitable trainer, have it live with Tront in Montenevera, or let Lucas take it back to the farm.
But a Snover's best home was still the snowy mountains.
Tront looked worried, too.
"Don't worry, I've thought about Snover already." Lucas smiled mysteriously, taking out two Poké Balls. "Abomasnow!"
With a flash, two calm-faced Abomasnow appeared.
The moment Snover saw them, tears burst forth and it rushed into their arms.
Anabel exclaimed, "Are those… Snover's parents?"
How did Lucas find them?
Tront, just as shocked, asked, "Lucas, what's…?"
Lucas, satisfied, explained briefly, "I actually caught Hunter J early on, and since there was time, I went to find Snover's parents. I found them at the bottom of a deep ravine—they must have fallen during a fight and couldn't get back."
Anabel & Tront: "…"
No wonder Hunter J was covered in frost. Lucas had dragged her around in the blizzard.
As for how Lucas could find Snover's parents so easily, they gave up trying to figure it out.
Don't ask—just the composure of a champion-level trainer.
"Here, I saw you liked these Pokéblocks. Keep them."
Before leaving, Lucas handed Snover a box of Pokéblocks, made of special metal to keep them fresh.
"Live happily with your parents."
Snover hugged the box, treasuring it, watching Lucas leave as if wanting to remember him forever.
PS: Bonus Chapter at 100 PS