Chapter 157. Fuchsia City

From the time Alex had fully recovered and throughout the following week, he returned to exterminating nests to earn more League credits. He managed to earn an extra 1.6 million during that time, giving him a total of 34 million League credits, but the payouts on the missions were quickly decreasing. It turned out that nest exterminations were quite rare and usually built up as a stockpile over the years. Alex was quickly running out of a reliable source of credits. His other options included taking down Underworld businessmen like Don, who owned multiple properties, or going after bounties at the level of Gravik or Varek. There were also more conventional options, such as employment for guaranteed pay in credits. Jobs like bodyguards, hunters, or trainers paid the most and were generally what most Elite trainers did for work after completing the League Gym circuit. Unfortunately, such a life was not meant for Alex. He was simply too headstrong to be subordinated to others. Then again, if the conditions were perfect, he might consider it, but he highly doubted he would ever accept such a job. Despite the lowering returns on nest exterminations, Alex continued anyway. It still paid in credits and remained quite lucrative, allowing him to steadily build a stockpile of Elite and Expert ranked Pokémon meat. As for capturing and selling Pokémon, unless he managed to catch a top quality species, he could forget about profiting from it for credits. The market turned out to be quite fair. Nest hunting itself was also starting to get stale for Alex. He was now able to confidently trap and exterminate nests as he pleased. Typically, it started by baiting with a single Elite like Arcanine to lure out the leader of the nest. Then, he would unleash his team and strike while simultaneously surrounding the nest. Finally, the Crobat couple would lock down the other Elites, preventing their escape before chasing down the rest. He and his team had managed to streamline the process to the point where it no longer gave him the same rush. The returns on his adrenaline were diminishing. Ultimately, Alex was getting bored. To fix this, he had been considering taking jobs in other regions. His favorite target, the human supremacists, had given up on Kanto, meaning he could no longer rely on them to stockpile ammunition. The nests were no longer paying out as well, and neither were the bounties, most of which were paid in Pokédollars. That was nothing more than pocket money by Alex's current financial standards. Still, he was not in a rush to leave at the drop of a hat. He needed Rhea's permission before leaving to ensure the farm was properly protected during his absence. Heading to Johto would require months of travel. On top of that, teleporting back to Kanto placed a significant burden on both Arcanine and Gardevoir, something best avoided when possible. That meant he needed to be ready to stay there for a long time, leaving the girls to manage on their own. Speaking of departures, Vera left a week after Alex returned to work. As expected, she passed her Chief Breeder certification exam and completed the requirements to begin working at Professor Oak's lab. In Alex's opinion, the Chief Breeder information packet had been money well spent. It delivered exactly as promised. Vera shared a tearful farewell with the other girls, but her goodbye with Alex carried a strange sense of guilt. He didn't know why, but he chose to let it go. Vera was her own person. If she refused to share, then it was her responsibility to handle her problems. Once Vera left, Alex returned to exterminating nests for the next two weeks until he finally accepted that he couldn't keep beating a dead horse. He needed a new occupation or a different location to continue earning, as shown by the measly one million credits he had managed to scrape together over the past two weeks. "Alex! I have a job for you," Nyx said excitedly as she burst into the bathroom, where Alex was relaxing in the hot tub. "Details?" he asked casually, already used to having no privacy in his own space, not that he minded. "There's a Pokémon that's been eating the Safari Zone Pokémon, and it's driving the owner mad. He wants someone to track down the culprit and get rid of it for a million credits." Safari Zones were similar to zoos, where domesticated or bonded Pokémon were given large areas to roam freely, safely isolated from the more savage wild Pokémon. It was a fun place for children to play and fall in love with Pokémon, something the League strongly supported. There, people could run around catching Pokémon without battling by tossing Safari Zone Poké Balls, which were significantly weaker at containing Pokémon. With even the slightest resistance, the Pokémon could easily break free. Alex even suspected they were trained to do so. "Why hasn't anyone captured it yet? Shouldn't it be easy enough for other trainers to track it down?" he asked. "No one knows what Pokémon it is yet. The trail always vanishes." "What about the Jenny over there? Her Arcanine should be able to track it easily." "The owner posted on the forums instead of asking the police for help. Said something about the police being unreliable." "Alright. I'll take it, but it'll take me two days to get there. Will that be a problem?" "It shouldn't be. How many trainers even have an Arcanine to track it down anyway? I'll go ahead and confirm the request for you and give them your ETA." "Thanks, Nyx." It wasn't exactly an extermination mission, but it was still worth a million credits. At this point, Alex would take any job for that much, and tracking Pokémon happened to be one of his specialties, thanks to Arcanine. He quickly got dressed, gathered his Pokémon, and teleported to the midsection of the bike trail on Route 17 before heading south along the trail on Hydreigon. The bike trail was a project funded by Celadon City decades ago to boost traffic and tourism. Rather than building a port far from the city on Route 17, they chose to construct the bike trail instead, as it allowed significantly more direct traffic into the area. As expected, the construction had been a monumental undertaking that drained a large portion of Celadon's funds at the time. The situation became even more difficult because of the many Pokémon nests that had to be cleared during development.  For years, the project placed a heavy burden on the city's finances. However, as anyone could see now, it had been the right decision. Celadon City was now famous for its luxurious accommodations and had become a popular destination for vacations and retirement. The route itself was relatively safe as long as travelers stayed on the trail. Numerous League-appointed nests were positioned throughout the area to keep the local Pokémon calm, ensuring the safety of the path.  Even so, stray Pokémon would occasionally wander onto the trail and encounter travelers. If unlucky, novice trainers could easily find themselves overwhelmed, especially if they crossed paths with passing Elites. Alex had no problem simply flying through. Even the occasional Elite ranked Fearow knew better than to cross Hydreigon's path, as she was among the stronger ones within her rank. The journey remained peaceful, which Hydreigon greatly enjoyed. The last time they traveled like this was over a month ago when Alex had to visit Cinnabar City, and she had missed having her alone time with him. The bike trail beyond Route 17 was, in Alex's eyes, a marvel of construction. The bridge was wide and sturdy, allowing plenty of traffic to safely pass over the dangerous waters below, which were known to be filled with Gyarados. Alex still remembered the Champion ranked nest he had once encountered in that area, and the memory sent a chill down his spine. Even now, he was not confident that he could take down such a beast. Perhaps if it were on land, but even then, Steelix would struggle to wrestle something of that size. When Alex reached Route 18, he saw plenty of biker gangs hanging around, enjoying their trip. He thought back to his own motorcycle, which had remained untouched since the day he bought it, though he did not feel bad about it. Riding on Arcanine was a far more exhilarating experience. Alex teleported home once night fell and resumed his journey first thing in the morning. By late afternoon, he arrived in Fuchsia City and was pleased to see it had become a bustling metropolis. Fuchsia City had changed greatly from the quiet town it once was. Now, it stands as a vibrant city filled with life and color. Towering buildings lined the main streets, blending modern architecture with the traditional wooden designs that had once defined the city. The air carried a mix of scents, including the fresh sea breeze from the southern coast, the earthy aroma of farmland to the east, and the faint wild tang of Pokémon from the nearby Safari Zone to the north. The Safari Zone dominated the skyline, surrounded by tall walls and dense greenery that stretched far into the distance. From where Alex stood, he could see the watchtowers stationed around its perimeter and the flocks of flying Pokémon occasionally soaring over its canopy. It was easy to tell the Safari Zone remained the heart of the city, drawing tourists and trainers alike. South of the city center, the coastline unfurled into a stunning beachscape. Golden sands met the calm, shimmering waters of the sea, where families and tourists enjoyed the warm afternoon sun. Rows of shops and cafés faced the ocean, their terraces offering perfect views of the gentle waves and vibrant umbrellas dotting the shore. The sound of the sea blended with the lively chatter of the crowds, giving the area a welcoming, laid-back charm. To the east, just beyond the city limits, sprawling farms stretched along the coastline. Fields of berry crops and apricorn trees swayed in the coastal breeze, tended by farmers and ranchers who worked alongside their Pokémon. Narrow dirt roads wound through the farmland, connecting clusters of cottages that overlooked the glistening sea. It was a peaceful sight, where the land met the ocean in a gentle, uninterrupted expanse. Fuchsia City had become a place where wilderness, city life, and the calm beauty of nature all blended seamlessly together. As Alex gazed across the scenery, he couldn't help but admire how much the city had grown compared to the few buildings he had seen on his tiny screen. He made his way to the Safari Zone to begin the investigation. He didn't bother with a hotel room this time, figuring the job wouldn't take long. Besides, with the farm only a few teleports away, he saw no reason to book a room. He suspected finding the culprit would be easy. The only real mystery was which Pokémon it would turn out to be. ----- Support me on Patreon patreon/babywrath