Chapter 287: The Villain's Helper

"What I want to know is why the Neo Water Fleet is searching for Lugia."

Baimu said quite calmly, "And whether, since that undersea exploration, the Neo Water Fleet has gone looking for Lugia again — or has even captured it already."

Dr. Akihabara, hearing this, did not answer his question, but countered with one of his own.

"Are you a member of Team Magma?"

"No."

"International Police? Ranger?"

"Not that either."

"Then why are you asking about this?"

"If I said it was out of some strong sense of justice, would you believe me?"

"I see."

Dr. Akihabara nodded without hesitation, but before Baimu could judge whether he believed it or not, he picked up the phone again and tried to dial out.

The latter frowned. "You're…"

"I'll have Miss Izumi come in and explain it to you. If I explain it, things might just get more complicated."

Dr. Akihabara clearly placed enormous trust in Izumi.

However, Baimu did not want to come face-to-face with this Neo Water Fleet officer so soon — even if his subconscious felt the Neo Water Fleet was fine, if something unexpected happened, escaping would be a hassle.

He reached again for the hang-up button, but footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the office.

Knock knock knock.

A knock came at the door.

"Excuse me, may the two of you let me come in?"

The speaker was none other than Izumi, which left Baimu speechless for a second — did this Neo Water Fleet officer have no proper work to do? Far too idle.

Or was there a bug or something planted in Dr. Akihabara's office?

Surely not?

"Come in!"

Dr. Akihabara gave a straightforward reply. Izumi opened the door with a beaming smile, and the moment she saw Baimu she said, "Baimu, I heard you came by this morning. It's my fault for not having my people entertain you properly."

Siluke

The latter's heart skipped a beat.

What's going on? Why so friendly!

He kept his face composed and returned a smile. "Not at all, you're too kind."

"No, no — we in the Neo Water Fleet have always had great respect for an outstanding Coordinator Trainer like yourself." The moment Izumi said this, Baimu immediately understood the reason for her warmth.

Dr. Akihabara looked left and right, then cut in, "Miss Izumi, look at this!"

Izumi glanced over and immediately spotted the battered-looking black box.

"Ah! A data recorder! Where did you find it?" She walked over in pleasant surprise, which also gave Baimu a chance to quietly edge toward the door.

Unfortunately, Dr. Akihabara was far too honest.

"Baimu brought it. And he's curious about why the Neo Water Fleet is searching for Lugia — he's worried you might use Lugia for something bad."

Hearing this, Izumi immediately turned her head and met eyes with Baimu, who was already half out the door.

The latter instinctively wanted to bolt.

"Wait! Give us a chance to sit down and talk!"

Izumi's shout, unaccompanied by the click of a Poké Ball opening, made him halt his steps.

Baimu turned around, looked at Izumi holding the black box with an expression that was helpless yet tinged with a hint of gloom, and asked, "We can really talk?"

"We can really talk."

Izumi nodded firmly, then added, "And even before, we would never recklessly endanger anyone's personal safety. We're idealists, not murderers."

"Villains all say pretty much the same thing about themselves."

Baimu tossed back casually, but he didn't keep heading for the door.

Izumi relaxed a little, didn't pick up that thread, and put the smile back on her face. "Come, let's sit and talk — it's easier on everyone that way."

He glanced at Dr. Akihabara, who gave him a look that said he could rest easy.

Trusting this world-famous professor, combined with his earlier judgments, Baimu went back into the office and sat face-to-face with Izumi.

The latter spoke first.

"Since you know we're searching for Lugia, I suppose you've already seen what's inside the black box?"

"Uh, I did look at the video footage…"

Baimu turned his head aside, a little embarrassed.

"Then this makes things much simpler to explain." Izumi didn't care at all that the organization's privacy had been peeked at. "Do you think a legendary Pokémon like Lugia — a Pokémon that left behind myths and history in the Johto region — exists alone? With no others of its kind?"

"I suppose there should be others."

He answered.

"Good." Izumi nodded, then went on, "Then what do you think the odds are that a Lugia native to Hoenn has never left behind a single trace of history?"

"That… shouldn't be very high?"

"Right. Lugia do exist in greater numbers, but in Hoenn — a region with no myths or legends about Lugia at all — there shouldn't be any Lugia living there."

Izumi continued, "Suppose this Lugia is an outsider — why would it migrate to Hoenn? And what happened at its original home? We're searching for Lugia because we want to get to the bottom of these questions."

"…That's all?"

"'That's all'? Baimu, I have to remind you, this is a very serious matter!"

Facing Baimu's somewhat odd expression, Izumi suddenly grew serious. "Ordinary Pokémon don't change their habitat on a whim, and a legendary Pokémon like Lugia even less so. Leaving the nest is a big deal for any Pokémon!

"Their movement patterns hold deep meaning! The migration of the Lugia might indicate it has this kind of habit, but what if there's a problem with its original habitat? This kind of wishful thinking shouldn't appear in the aspiration to protect the sea. You know the sea nurtures…"

"I'm sorry, I said the wrong thing. I'll reflect on my mistake."

All Baimu quickly apologized, to prevent Azumi from getting angrier the more she spoke.

But hearing these words, he was about eighty percent convinced of the New Water Fleet's purity, with the remaining twenty percent being cautious doubt.

"In short, we may have once done some foolish things in order to expand the sea. But now we understand that some powers should not be wielded by humans. Rather than manipulate it, it's better to let it develop naturally and peacefully under protection."

Azumi seemed to have grown a bit tired of talking, and went to the water dispenser nearby to pour two cups of water.

"Unfortunately, since the last micro-submarine explosion, the undersea cavern where the Lugia lived has completely vanished. Perhaps it has already migrated somewhere else?"

"It's already gone?"

All Baimu couldn't help but show a hint of regret upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Azumi said in surprise, "What… you didn't also see that short video and come all the way to Battle Town specifically to find the Lugia and try to capture it, did you?"

"Not exactly."

He shook his head, edited down his reasons for pursuing the Lugia, and told Azumi part of the situation.

The other party was quite astonished upon hearing this. "A Lugia in the Ohra region?"

"I can't be sure." All Baimu shook his head. "Until I've seen it with my own eyes and communicated with it, nothing is conclusive."

"What you say makes sense… but wanting the Lugia to return to Ohra and continue sheltering you… forgive my bluntness, this may be very difficult to achieve."

Azumi sighed. "To gain the recognition of a legendary Pokémon is just too hard, too hard."

Then.

Without waiting for All Baimu to respond to her words, Azumi proactively said, "In that case, why not let the New Water Fleet help you?"

"Huh?"