Chapter 128: Sheffield Begs for Forgiveness
Being addressed as "Supervisor Sheffield" made the man in question flinch. Even with skin as thick as a fortress wall, Sheffield couldn't hide his embarrassment.
But embarrassment was just a feeling. As a veteran of office politics, Sheffield wasn't about to be driven off by a single sarcastic comment. He forced a smile and explained his reason for being there. "Basalt, my boy, I heard you were promoted to the A-Group's upper tier! I came by specifically to congratulate you. A small token of my admiration, nothing more, nothing more!"
Sheffield's face was plastered with a greasy smile as he pulled a small, exquisite box, roughly the size of his palm, from his pocket and quickly offered it to Basalt.
A smirk played on Basalt's lips. Without opening it, he pushed the box back towards the supervisor. "Supervisor Sheffield, a gift for me? I couldn't possibly accept. If anything, I should be the one giving you a gift, to show my respect!"
"Hey now, Basalt, that's not right at all," Sheffield's smile widened as he pushed the box back again. "As a member of the camp's management, I absolutely cannot accept gifts from trainees. Besides, you're all young adults who've just come of age; you don't have any savings to speak of. It's the thought that counts, and your sentiment is more than enough."
He continued, "This is a Float Stone. It's a wonderful item I've had in my collection for years. A Pokémon holding it can resist the effects of gravity, making its body feel much lighter."
"It's a fantastic item, but unfortunately, I'm getting older and don't battle as much these days. A treasure like this is just collecting dust with me. But in your hands, Basalt, I'm sure it will truly shine!"
As Sheffield described the item, he laid the compliments on thick, pouring them out as if they were free. Even Basalt was starting to find it nauseating.
"A Float Stone?"
Despite himself, upon hearing the item's function, Basalt's interest was piqued. In the games, a Float Stone was a remarkably light stone that halved the holder's weight. In the real world, it seemed to resist gravity itself. Not only that, by reducing a Pokémon's weight, it would also significantly increase its running speed and jumping height. It was a versatile item that offered a passive boost to both speed and agility.
"Well… if you insist," Basalt said with a smile, taking the box and no longer refusing.
Seeing that Basalt had taken the bait, Sheffield let out a huge sigh of relief. "Don't you feel bad about it for a second, Basalt," he flattered. "I'm part of the management here. As long as you perform well in the regional tournament, I'll be happy. This is just a little something. Don't think too much of it."
After a pause, Sheffield added, "And, of course, please don't think too much about our… unpleasantness in the past."
He had finally, subtly, stated his true purpose.
Clutching the box, Basalt gave a sheepish grin. "You know, Supervisor, there's one thing about me you might not know. I'm great at a lot of things, but my memory is terrible. Anything that happened a while ago? I've already forgotten all about it."
"Good! That's good!" Sheffield nodded, beaming.
After another round of hollow pleasantries, Basalt accepted the gift, and on the surface, the two had "buried the hatchet."
Watching Basalt's back as he accepted the gift and disappeared into his private training hall, Sheffield felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders.
Who in their right mind could have predicted that the kid he'd once mocked would have so much potential? He had already climbed to the top of the A-Group. Of course, if that was all, Sheffield wouldn't have needed to grovel like this. The real issue, the key point, was that Basalt's Drilbur could use Sandstorm.
As a professional-level trainer, Sheffield was experienced enough to understand the profound implications of that single fact.
Drilbur's potential was immense. Basalt's future was limitless.
To make matters worse, just a few days ago, Sheffield had seen Basalt and Director Sterling politely seeing off a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair. The Charizard that man used as a flying mount was at least "Gym Leader-level." And most importantly, while the man had been cold towards Director Sterling, he had been oddly friendly and familiar with Basalt.
Sheffield had been floored. For two days, he'd tossed and turned, unable to sleep. After mulling it over, he had decided that an apology gift was his only option.
Smack!
Suddenly, Sheffield slapped himself across the face. "You and your big mouth," he muttered in regret. "Look at you now. The Float Stone is gone."
He felt an overwhelming urge to cry. A Float Stone was a rare item, its value comparable to a type-enhancing held item.
Inside the private training hall, Basalt released his two Pokémon to begin their training while he toyed with the dark, orange-sized Float Stone in his hand.
He had once despised Sheffield, but as time passed, the anger had faded. At the end of the day, it wasn't some deep-seated, mortal grudge. However, if Sheffield hadn't come bearing a gift and an apology, the score would have never been settled. Once Basalt had grown stronger, he would have definitely found a way to get his revenge. After all, what were enemies for if not to be crushed?
But for the sake of the Float Stone, he could let it go. He just hoped Sheffield would have the good sense not to cross him again.
On the surface, the stone was unremarkable, its only notable quality being its lightness. There was nothing else to see. That meant it was time for a test.
"Alright, Drilbur, I want you to hold this. And Bronzor, I need you to use Gravity on Drilbur. I want to see the Float Stone's effect," Basalt called his Pokémon over. After explaining the item, the test began.
"Chaa!" Drilbur took the Float Stone curiously. This thing can resist gravity? For real?
The moment the stone touched Drilbur's body, the little mole felt its body become significantly lighter. Even breathing felt easier.
"Chaa?" Drilbur blinked in surprise, then leaped. It shot over a meter into the air, a shocking display of jumping ability.
"It really can make a Pokémon as light as a feather? This thing is amazing!" Basalt's eyes lit up. He thought of Sheffield's begging expression and felt even more satisfied.
"Dooo~"
Once Drilbur was ready, Bronzor's psychic power surged. A Gravity field immediately enveloped Drilbur, and the very air seemed to thicken.
But surprisingly, Drilbur, now at the center of a high-intensity gravity field, felt no discomfort at all. At the same time, the sense of lightness from the Float Stone had vanished.
"So, it seems this Float Stone works just like in the games. It halves the effect of any gravity-based moves." Rubbing his chin, Basalt now had a clear understanding.
The only pity was that held items were not allowed in official competitions. They could only be used during wild expeditions or unofficial battles.
"Still, this means we can finally start working on coordinated tactics between Drilbur and Bronzor."
Basalt looked at his two Pokémon, his mind already formulating plans. In the future, battles wouldn't just be one-on-one duels. Double battles, wild skirmishes, and team fights were not far off. As an ambitious trainer, he felt it was best to prepare for anything.
Besides, Drilbur and Bronzor were a good match in many ways. They would make a great pair. For example: a Gravity and Rock Slide combination; Bronzor's Levitate made it immune to Drilbur's Ground-type moves; one was a physical attacker, the other a special attacker; one was a brute-force powerhouse, the other a tricky status user... the possibilities were endless.
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