September 30, Monday.
After traveling with Paul for nearly a week, Young Master Mao and his companion successfully arrived in Oreburgh City!
As a rising new professor in Sinnoh, Young Master Mao finally received an assignment from the Pokémon League, in addition to the Gym battle he would complete along the way.
This was the sort of "perk" assignment all professors received. Generally, it involved researching and protecting rare Pokémon.
Aside from their use in research, these Pokémon essentially became the laboratory's property.
Examples included the Kangaskhan population at Professor Oak's Laboratory and the Clefairy population at Elm's Laboratory in Johto.
They were all legally protected and bred under commission from the Pokémon League.
The assignment Young Master Mao received was to protect, research, and breed a wild Shieldon population discovered on Mt. Coronet.
These were not Shieldon revived from fossils, but living Shieldon whose lineage had continued from ancient times to the present!
After surviving to this day, their population numbered just five!
The Ranger Association immediately issued an Endangered Species Notice, and the Pokémon League directly intervened as well.
As a professor in Sinnoh, Gary was assigned this task.
The five Shieldon had already departed Mt. Coronet and were heading toward Veilstone City, escorted by Rangers in relays.
"Shieldon, huh? They evolve into Bastiodon. If I remember right, their faces are so thick they have incredible defenses," Young Master Mao mused, stroking his chin.
Donggua of Canalave City had a Bastiodon as his ace, and it seemed to be renowned for its ironclad defenses.
Pokémon like these ought to be fairly rare.
At the Oreburgh City Pokémon Center, Gary sat in the dining area, sipping coffee while waiting for his delivery.
Paul had taken his Pokémon to the front desk for pre-battle checkups.
Thud, thud... Heavy, synchronized footsteps