Starter Pokémon were strictly controlled by the Pokémon League! To avoid wasting resources, it limited how many could be claimed!
The main reason for this was to prevent infiltration by dark forces!
Eligible applicants were families who had paid taxes to the Pokémon League for over ten consecutive years, or people recommended by a League professor or even an Elite Four member. If dark forces still managed to exploit a loophole, then the price they paid to obtain a Starter Pokémon was hardly small!
But the Pokémon League had become the greatest power in the Pokémon World for two reasons: strength and resources!
Vast quantities of resources!
And only League members could exchange their accumulated contribution points for those resources!
Pokémon! TMs! Rare treasures! Held items! Evolution items! Even eligibility to acquire a pseudo-legendary!
After a moment's hesitation, Yong said firmly,
"Professor, I'd like to leave my chance to receive a Starter Pokémon to someone else! And convert the taxes paid into League contribution points!"
Mr. Yamashima narrowed his eyes slightly and gave a knowing smile, his gaze filled with approval!
Professor Birch wore an expression that said he had expected this. He smiled and asked,
"Are you sure?"
Taking the Pokédex and Poké Balls and handing Nuzleaf to Professor Birch, Yong nodded earnestly.
"Onix is my best partner! With Onix by my side, I have enough for now! Though I really do want a Mudkip..."
The boy smiled slightly.
"I already have a few leads, so I should be able to catch one myself! Rather than waste resources, I'd rather exchange them for contribution points! Save them up and get what I want!"
What an ambitious young man!
Yamashima praised him inwardly, but outwardly, he gave a hearty grin and said,
"That's impressive resolve, kid! Not many boys your age could make a choice like that!"
Professor Birch nodded in agreement and said,
"Then I won't insist! Don't worry, I'll submit your eligibility to the League and get you the corresponding contribution points! The right to receive a Starter Pokémon is worth quite a few!"
Scratching his head a little sheepishly, Yong finally nodded firmly.
"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Professor Birch!"
He looked at Nuzleaf curled up in Professor Birch's arms.
"Professor, I'll leave Nuzleaf in your care! Hang in there, Nuzleaf!"
"Nuz!~"
Nuzleaf cheerfully greeted the boy, looking in excellent spirits!
"Yes, I'll take good care of Nuzleaf!"
Professor Birch stroked Nuzleaf's little head and smiled.
"When Nuzleaf is ready, I'll send Nuzleaf back. Don't worry!"
Yong nodded and was just about to say goodbye when Mr. Yamashima suddenly interjected,
"Kid! Since you're about to set off, there's something else I need to tell you about why the Bug-type swarms went berserk!"
"The swarms went berserk? You mean the Beedrill?"
Yong recalled how he had been attacked by Bug-type Pokémon when he was merely passing by.
"I was confused at the time, too. Beedrill are very territorial, but that's toward intruders. I never entered their territory. I was just passing by! Besides, Onix was with me. They had no reason to attack outright..."
"Exactly! Beedrill may be aggressive, but they rarely leave their territory to attack!"
Yamashima nodded.
"They only retaliate against enemies that enter their territory, and most of the time, they just drive them away!"
As an expert on Pokémon habitats and behavior, Professor Birch had considerable authority on the subject. He nodded and said rather solemnly,
"Apart from territorial intrusions, mating, and wars between colonies, there's one other thing that can agitate Bug-type Pokémon! The precious Golden Honey of legend!"
Golden Honey?
Yong nodded thoughtfully, then saw Professor Birch turn toward the computer and pick up some documents.
"As a rare treasure for Bug-type Pokémon, it exerts a tremendous attraction on all of them! That's perfectly normal! But judging from the current situation, the attack on Yong doesn't fit any of the reasons that would cause Beedrill to go berserk!"
Yong searched his memories.
Golden Honey...
He sighed inwardly as fragments of memory surfaced.
Golden Honey wasn't just precious to Bug types. It was precious to all Pokémon!
It could improve any Pokémon's beauty and its friendship with its Trainer!
And it was even more important for Bug types!
Golden Honey could improve a Bug-type Pokémon's control over Bug-type energy! Increase its chances of learning moves! It could even help Bug-type Pokémon evolve!
Supposedly, Bug-type Pokémon that evolved by eating Golden Honey would live longer!
But Golden Honey was incredibly rare and mysterious!
In a tiny number of Combee hives, a special Vespiquen would be born.
Compared with an ordinary Vespiquen, she produced more pheromones, attracting and controlling more Combee. Once their numbers reached a certain threshold, a qualitative change would occur.
The numerous Combee worked hard to offer the honey they gathered to please their Vespiquen. As the special Vespiquen nurtured the young bees, she ate the honey and produced a unique hormone, feeding it back into her hive. Over time, it condensed like a flower into a new kind of honey: Golden Honey.
It came from the essence of an entire Combee colony and natural energy!
A Combee colony would only produce one Vespiquen, and only one among many Vespiquen would be special!
Vespiquen
"But I didn't smell that miraculous fragrance from the legends..."
Yong was puzzled. Only a special kind of Burmy from the Sinnoh Region had the ability to find Combee hives, supposedly by following the unique, miraculous fragrance given off by Golden Honey.
A scent of happiness!
"That's because once Golden Honey leaves a Vespiquen's hive, its fragrance gradually becomes contained!"
Mr. Yamashima, who stood nearby, suddenly spoke.
Yong looked at the investigator, who had abruptly turned serious, and heard him say,
"Once its fragrance is contained, humans can't detect Golden Honey. Instead, it produces an odorless, stimulating hormone that only Bug-type Pokémon can sense! It excites them!"
"So Beedrill and the swarms went berserk because they sensed Golden Honey and became excited under the hormone's influence, causing them to attack passersby indiscriminately?"
"No! That hormone comes from Vespiquen..."
Professor Birch spoke up.
"The hormone produced by a special Vespiquen stimulates Bug-type Pokémon's senses and excites them, but it doesn't confuse them, make them violent, or even cause suicidal behavior where they attack themselves!"
"Suicidal behavior!?"
"Yes. Recently, Bug-type Pokémon have been going berserk and attacking passersby not just in Hoenn, but in regions all over the world!"
Mr. Yamashima explained to Yong,
"They aren't just attacking passersby! According to our intelligence, there have even been incidents where Bug-type Pokémon invaded Fire-type Pokémon territory and all died. That's why the League dispatched investigators everywhere to determine whether the cause is natural or the work of dark forces!"
Yong nodded in understanding.
A natural cause would be one thing, but if dark forces were responsible, it could lead to tremendous upheaval.
Every population was an essential part of nature's ecosystem. Mass deaths among Bug-type Pokémon could affect the local food chain and, in more serious cases, lead to irreversible consequences.
This was the Pokémon World, after all, and Pokémon were the ones in charge. Arceus was only asleep, not dead!
Even if Arceus didn't need to act, what about Hoenn's three legendary Pokémon, the Legendary Titans, or Regigigas sitting on the sidelines?
Besides, Bug types had a boss of their own. Genesect was known as the "world-destroying bug"!
"So that's why you're investigating here, Mr. Yamashima?"
"Yes. There were several incidents recently where rampaging swarms attacked Trainers, all in the woods between Petalburg City and Littleroot Town."
Mr. Yamashima nodded.
"That's why we investigators were sent to different areas to investigate the exact cause. Petalburg City is my responsibility!"
"Have you found anything, then?"
Yong asked. After all, he was about to begin his journey, and the route was lined with woods and grass. There would be no shortage of Bug-type Pokémon!
Exchanging a glance with Professor Birch, Yamashima said,
"It's more or less resolved! As long as you don't wander into the depths of the forest, you can set out without worrying for now!"
More or less resolved... huh?
Yong could tell they were still hiding something, but as long as it didn't affect his travels, it wasn't a major problem...
"That's good!"
Putting the matter aside, Yong said happily,
"Thank you, Mr. Yamashima, Professor. I'll be setting off now!"
"Yes, be careful on the road! I hope you do well at the League Conference, Yong!"
Professor Birch patted his shoulder encouragingly.
"Yeah, I will!"
"Then I wish you luck too, kid!"
Mr. Yamashima returned to his hearty manner.
Yong nodded, returned to the medical room to recall Onix, then said goodbye to Professor Birch and Mr. Yamashima once more before leaving the laboratory.
Watching Yong's retreating back, Professor Birch asked quietly,
"There won't be any problems, will there? Have you found the cause?"
Mr. Yamashima nodded solemnly.
"There won't be any problems. This chaos was man-made! A bunch of sewer rats actually dared to conduct genetic research on Pokémon at will! The sheer audacity!"
Mr. Yamashima took out a Poké Ball and walked toward the laboratory's entrance. He was leaving as well.
"Drake came personally. The two sides should have made contact by now!"
"Drake of the Dragon-type Elite Four? He's certainly dependable!"
Reassured by this news, Professor Birch then shook his head and returned to his computer. Paying no further attention to the departing Mr. Yamashima, he resumed his research.
From Littleroot Town, a Dragonite flew swiftly north.
Meanwhile, deep in Petalburg Woods,
A series of powerful explosions thundered!
High in the sky, an enormous Pokémon hovered!
Its body resembled a giant, four-legged lizard from Yong's previous life! It had two magnificent, crescent-shaped, blood-red wings and a long tail.
Its body was primarily deep blue, while the inner sides of its head, neck, limbs, and tail were blood red. Three shell plates covered its lower jaw and belly. Two blood-red ridges rose above its eyes, and three small triangular wings protruded from each side of its head.
This was a mighty dragon!
Salamence!
Hoenn's pseudo-legendary! Drake's ace!
Salamence
"Salamence, Dragon Breath!"
Standing on the dragon's back, Drake watched the members of Team Dark scatter below. His calm command carried not a hint of emotion.
An immense surge of Dragon-type energy gathered in Salamence's mouth. Then a massive red shock wave blasted toward the ground!
The tremendous energy exploded amid deafening roars and screams.
"Pokémon, nature, and people-all these elements together make up this world! And it was a Dragonite that taught me that truth. That's why I remain at my post in the Elite Four!"
Closing his eyes, Drake reminisced.
"I once vowed to become the world's greatest sailor and conquer every sea route in the world! But during one voyage, my ship was caught in a storm. We barely managed to avoid sinking, but our food and water began to run out!"
"When I fell into despair and was about to give up, a Dragonite appeared! It guided my ship and brought me back to land..."
He opened his eyes and looked down.
"Whether human or Pokémon, there is kindness that asks for nothing in return! But you..."
Anger flared in his eyes.
"You used vile methods to provoke conflict between humans and Pokémon, disregarding the destruction of Pokémon and showing no reverence for life! As accomplices of the Evil Moon Organization..."
Sensing Drake's fury, the already hot-tempered Salamence beat its wings and roared. Its overwhelming pressure pinned the Pokémon on the ground, leaving them unable to move!
Teams of League investigators escorted Team Dark's members into vehicles and recalled their Pokémon into Poké Balls. After questioning, Pokémon that had committed no wrongdoing would be released or entrusted to League Trainers.
A Dragonite flew over swiftly, carrying Investigator Yamashima on its back.
"Sir Drake, is it over?"
"Yes. This was the last location. Take this!"
Drake took out a case and handed it to Yamashima.
"What's this?"
"Open it and see!"
"This is...!"
He stared at the eight bottles of golden, partially solidified liquid neatly arranged in the case.
"Golden Honey?"
"That's right. Each base had one bottle. There were nine bases in total, but we didn't find any here."
Drake frowned.
"Take these back to the League first and store them safely. I'll stay in Rustboro City for a while and keep an eye on things."
"Yes, Sir Drake!"
"I'll leave things here to you. Let's go, Salamence!"
"Roar~!!"
With a mighty roar and a powerful beat of its wings, Salamence flew into the distance.