“Of course,” Alex said with a nod before he began explaining. “The prevailing theory around a Banette’s birth is that they were discarded dolls that held a grudge against their owners. They would then lash out and kill them before going wild and acting like a proper Pokémon. Only love and care would help them regain their sanity.”

“But I didn’t discard him,” the boy exclaimed. “I take care of him, love him, and bring him with me everywhere. He’s my favorite toy.”

“Right, and it has been with you long enough to see you with other interesting things as well. Like how you love playing with cute Pokémon while it watches from inside your bag. Like how you would drop it on the ground in order to pet them, hug them, and love them more than it.”

“I… I didn’t…” the boy stammered as tears began welling up.

“So you’re telling us this thing wants Ethan all to itself?” the mother said angrily.

“It’s because it’s jealous,” Alex said with a shrug. “And jealousy breeds hate and grudges, enough for the toy to become a Banette. It’s incredibly rare, but it has been documented before. Pokémon come from energy, and emotions are a powerful form of energy that mixes quite well with Infinity Energy.”

“Can… can I still take care of him?” the boy pleaded. “I promise he won’t do anything bad. I promise to train him.”

“Ethan, it’s a dangerous Pokémon,” the father scolded. “We can get you a more docile one.”

“No! I want him. It has to be him!”

“Unless your son suddenly becomes mature enough to train a Pokémon of this caliber, I highly suggest you allow me to take it away. If not, I will conclude my investigation with a report to the police, who will come and resolve this with you personally,” Alex said. “It’s responsible for the deaths of seven Pokémon, and their owners would likely demand justice.”

“Take it away!” the mother shouted. “I don’t want that thing anywhere near Ethan ever again.”

“Mom! No! Please! I’ll take care of him! I’ll be mature! I promise.”

Alex hated seeing the boy part with a beloved Pokémon, but his hands were tied in the matter. He needed to report this to conclude his investigation, and he doubted the boy was mature enough to properly take care of a Banette or guarantee it would never lash out in jealousy again.

What was sad was that there wasn’t even a lesson for the boy to learn here. Jealousy was a problem that existed in others, not the innocent person. There was no healthy way to prevent that emotion from surfacing in someone else.

“The best I can do is include my full findings in the report to the police. Perhaps, if you manage to convince the families who lost Pokémon to allow this Banette to live, your son might be able to receive it once he’s mature enough,” Alex said as he jumped out of the window, amid the boy’s cries as he was held back by his parents.

Once Alex landed on the ground, he tried to store the Banette, but it resisted capture. So he fed his Dark type energy into it, sapping its strength before locking it in a Poké Ball.

“Gardevoir,” Gardevoir said sadly, likening the situation to her own experience.

“I know,” Alex said as he stroked her head, “but the difference is that you were too rare a Pokémon to be killed outright, whereas Banette are known to be particularly violent. It would take more than simple compassion to convince it to act like a tameable Pokémon, especially for a young trainer without the necessary experience.”

Once Alex retrieved all his Pokémon, he made his way to the police station and submitted the Banette, along with the torn Cleanse Tag, as evidence. He then filled out the report, staying true to the facts. Ethan was, of course, innocent and wouldn’t be blamed for anything, as he was as much a victim of the circumstances as everyone else.

As for the Banette, Alex didn’t know what the League would decide. It depended on how influential and vengeful the families who lost Pokémon were. Chances were high, however, that the Banette would simply be killed.

Then again, it was a rare Banette, one born out of jealousy rather than rejection. Perhaps it would be allowed to survive as a valuable specimen for scientists. It would also allow Ethan a chance to meet it again in the future.

With this final mission from Mustard completed, Alex called him up.

“I’ve finished all your missions,” Alex said.

“Woo-hoo! Excellent, excellent! Well done, my boy!” Mustard said. “Now then, why don’t you hop on a ferry over to my little island? Little old me would love to chat with you about all this in person! Heh heh, let’s discuss things further there!”

“I guess that’s that,” Alex said with a smile. “I can finally visit the Isle of Armor.”

The Isle of Armor is a large, temperate island home to the Master Dojo, where former Champion Mustard trains students in advanced battling techniques. The island is characterized by diverse ecosystems, including beaches, marshlands, caves, forests, and training grounds, many of which are designed to encourage exploration and physical growth.

It is also notable for its focus on Dynamax research, particularly the creation and refinement of Max Soup, which enables compatible Pokémon to Gigantamax. Wild Pokémon on the Isle of Armor tend to be stronger and more varied than those on the mainland, reflecting its role as a high-level training environment.

Somewhere along the way, an emphasis on the trainer being as strong as their Pokémon took root in the Isle of Armor’s culture, shaped by Mustard’s philosophy that true strength is forged through shared growth rather than command alone.

Training on the island often involves direct physical conditioning, sparring alongside Pokémon, and drills designed to test a trainer’s endurance, reflexes, and composure under pressure. This inevitably led to the Isle of Armor garnering a reputation as a mecca for martial artists, drawing fighters from across the Galar region and beyond who sought to refine both body and bond.

The Master Dojo became the island’s cultural and logistical center, where structured trials, traditional techniques, and Pokémon battling were integrated into a single disciplined curriculum. Over time, even wild areas of the island came to reflect this ethos, with challenging terrain, roaming strong Pokémon, and secluded training spots like the Training Lowlands and Tower-facing routes serving as informal proving grounds for those aiming to surpass their limits.

Alex couldn’t wait to see the place for himself, so he teleported to Hulbury City and booked the first ferry to the island. It was too far to simply fly over, so he might as well take a relaxing cruise along the way. He figured he would need the rest, considering he had been running around the entirety of Galar doing missions for the Pokémon Nursery.

“Alex?” a woman called out as Alex left the ticketing booth.

His earliest ferry to the island was tomorrow afternoon, so he decided to book a hotel for the night.

“Nessa, what a coincidence,” Alex said, recognizing the voice, not to mention the powerful Champion ranked presence behind it.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, then caught herself. “I mean, I can see you’re here to book a ferry ticket, but um… where are you headed?”

“The Isle of Armor,” Alex answered. “I finally managed to get an invitation from Mustard. I had to run all over the Galar region dealing with issues at the Pokémon Nurseries, but I finally managed to complete them.”

“Really? Congratulations, but I didn’t think getting an invitation to the island was that big of a deal. They’ve got programs you can join that wouldn’t only take you on a tour of the island but also allow you to join their training. Anywhere from a relaxing visit to a year-long retreat.”

“I was aware, but I was hoping to personally meet Mustard himself. Hence the extra effort.”

“You really want the premier training package, huh?” she said with a smile.

“Something like that. I doubt just looking around and doing exercises would be enough for me to actually learn much. Nothing less than Mustard’s personal training would suffice. Besides,” Alex said as his fighting intent sharpened, “I might even get to fight the old man.”

“I didn’t think you’d be into beating up old people,” Nessa joked.

“Beating up old people?” Alex asked, brows raised in disbelief. “I didn’t think you’d be the type to underestimate someone who was once a Champion of the region. You know he’s a Master ranked trainer now, right? He might look old, but he could probably take me down with his pinky.” 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

“That makes sense,” she said, amused.

For a moment, the conversation eased into a comfortable silence, the sound of the harbor filling the gaps between them.

Nessa glanced toward the ferry schedule, then back at him. “You know… if you’re just waiting around anyway, there’s a place nearby I usually go to when I don’t feel like heading straight back to the stadium.”

Alex raised a brow. “Oh?”

“It’s quiet, out of the way, and has a good view of the water,” she said in a casual tone, though her gaze lingered a little longer than necessary. “You can wait there instead of booking a hotel.”

After a beat, Alex nodded. “Alright.”

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R-18 chapter available.