Chapter 147: The Roadblock
Having delivered his small measure of payback on the manor's grounds, Xiu drove the vehicle back into a more conventional driving style once they reached the main suburban roads. As they drew closer to Viridian City's center, however, the streets grew increasingly congested.
The festive atmosphere for the League event was palpable. Makeshift stalls lined the pavements, hawking snacks, souvenirs, and cheap Pokémon merchandise. Pedestrians thronged the walkways, spilling occasionally onto the road, and the sheer number of people was swelling rapidly. Xiu noted a significant uptick in individuals who carried themselves like Trainers, some even accompanied by their Pokémon – a relatively rare sight within city limits.
'City ordinances are usually strict about carrying Pokémon openly,' Xiu recalled from his Breeder studies. 'Restrictions typically apply to species considered overly large, aggressive, poisonous, or those with disruptive traits like strong odors. Seeing so many out now means that there are a lot of Trainers for a specific event.' He spotted several Pokémon he'd only seen in textbooks before, clearly belonging to Trainers visiting from other regions, likely drawn by the promise of high-level battles associated with the League event.
The sight of so many Trainers inevitably brought his thoughts to the local infrastructure. 'What about the Viridian Gym itself...'
His thoughts were interrupted as the slow crawl of traffic ground to a complete halt. Ahead, the sounds of shouting and angry horns drifted back through the rows of stopped vehicles.
Xiu initially paid it little mind. With streets this crowded, temporary jams were inevitable. He took the opportunity to ask the Professor, who was still regaining his composure after the bumpy ride from the manor.
"Professor," Xiu began, keeping his eyes on the stationary traffic ahead, "about Viridian City's Gym... Do you happen to know much about it?"
"Hmph. What, thinking of challenging it already?" Oak grumbled, shooting Xiu a sidelong glance. Xiu could practically feel the Professor mentally adding 'menial chores' to his to-do list as payback for the driving stunt. 'Can't let him get idle,' Oak seemed to project.
"No, Professor," Xiu replied smoothly. "Just curious. I haven't actually visited a Gym properly before."
Oak seemed slightly mollified. "Well, if you're talking about official Gyms, the ones recognized by the League where you can earn badges... Viridian City has three."
Xiu turned, surprised. "Three? Isn't the standard rule one Gym per city?" Like in the games...
Oak scoffed, adjusting his position in the seat. "Who told you that nonsense? Some smaller towns or newer cities might only have one, yes. Often because one particular Gym is overwhelmingly dominant, or the city simply lacks a deep enough training history. But established, older cities like Viridian? They often have multiple institutions with long histories. Getting official League recognition for badge awarding is the bottleneck. Three is actually quite respectable."
Xiu frowned, processing this. 'Another deviation from the simple structure I remember.' The reality is always more complex. He had been so focused on his own clandestine operations and immediate survival that he hadn't delved much into the League's practical structure beyond passing the Breeder exam. This was a potentially significant detail he'd overlooked.
Before he could probe further, a louder surge of commotion erupted from further up the blocked street. Not just horns now, but angry shouts, distinct and near. It drew both his and Oak's attention.
"Go see what the holdup is," Oak instructed, gesturing forward. "Been stuck here too long."
"Understood." Xiu mentally shelved the Gym topic. Time to deal with the immediate problem.
He carefully opened the vehicle door and stepped out. The sheer scale of the traffic jam became apparent only now that he was outside. Cars, vans, and small trucks were backed up as far as he could see down the street, disappearing around a bend perhaps two or three kilometers back. Who knew how much further it extended.
A dense crowd had gathered near the front of the blockage, a chaotic wall of noise – arguments, frustrated yells, snippets of unrelated conversations all blending into a messy cacophony.
"Hey! Watch where you're shoving!"
"Idiot! You bumped me!"
"Who're you calling idiot, pal?"
"Damn tourists! Think you own the road?"
"Excuse me, please. Coming through!" Xiu pushed forward determinedly, weaving through indignant drivers and agitated pedestrians, finally breaking through to the front line of the crowd.
The source of the blockage became clear. A line of men in generic security uniforms stood shoulder-to-shoulder, forming an impassive human wall across the entire width of the road, physically preventing any vehicles or pedestrians from passing. On Xiu's side stood the frustrated drivers and onlookers. On the other side of the human wall, clustered together, was a gaggle of reporters and photographers, cameras with bulky lenses raised.
"Excuse me," Xiu asked a man standing nearby, trying to keep his voice calm amidst the noise. "Any idea what's happening? We've been stuck for ages."
The man shrugged, looking annoyed. "Dunno for sure. Heard someone spotted a really famous Trainer over there." He gestured vaguely past the security line. "Fans went nuts, apparently. Blocked everything up."
'A famous Trainer? Could it be Cynthia? Oh wait...' Xiu glanced at the organized line of security, the cluster of professional media. This looks less like an accident and more like a poorly managed publicity event.
Before he could ponder further, a heated argument flared up right at the security line. Xiu edged closer, catching the words of a middle-aged man, his hair graying at the temples, pleading with one of the guards. His voice was tight with desperation.
"Please, brother, you have to let me through! My goods... they'll spoil if they sit in the sun much longer! I have to make my delivery! My whole village is counting on this load..." His truck, laden with what looked like fresh produce, was visible just behind him.
"Road's closed for safety reasons. Can't have vehicles moving through here right now. What if you hit someone?" The security guard's response was flat, dismissive, offering no real solution. His tone was bored, perfunctory.
"Fine, the trucks can't pass, but why can't we walk?" another bystander demanded angrily. "My house is just down that street! I've walked this way every day for ten years!"
The guard blocking his path barely glanced at him. "That's your problem. Road's closed. Find another route."
This blatant dismissal ignited the crowd's simmering frustration.
"It's a public road! We have a right to pass!"
"Who gave you the authority to block it?"
"Let us through!"
"We have work to do!"
The crowd surged forward slightly, pressing against the human wall. The security guards stood their ground, expressions hardening. Xiu watched, a little surprised by their unwavering stance against the growing anger.
Then, in a synchronized movement that spoke of pre-planning, several guards unclipped Poké Balls from their belts. With curt shouts, they released their Pokémon.
A Raticate snarled, baring its teeth. A Butterfree fluttered uncertainly. A Beedrill hovered menacingly, its stingers prominent. An Arbok coiled, flicking its tongue.
The effect on the crowd was instantaneous and stark. The angry shouting died down, replaced by a tense, fearful silence. People instinctively shuffled back, putting distance between themselves and the Pokémon. Xiu could almost taste the fear mingling with the residual anger in the air.
He assessed the creatures with a breeder's critical eye. Raticate, Butterfree, Beedrill, Arbok – all common Kanto species, nothing exotic. More importantly, none of them looked particularly well-cared-for or well-trained. Their coats were dull, their movements lacked sharpness, their energy levels seemed average at best.
'Trash-tier,' was Xiu's blunt internal assessment. Scyther could tear through them in seconds. Even Abra, with focused Telekinesis, could probably disable most of them quickly.
'So why this reaction?' Xiu frowned, scanning the fearful faces in the crowd. These Pokémon were objectively weak, barely a credible threat to a single, decently trained opponent, let alone this large group of angry people.
Yet, the mere presence of potentially hostile Pokémon deployed by figures in black suits was enough to completely quell the dissent. 'Is the general populace really this easily intimidated? Or is it the uniforms? The implied threat of force, regardless of its actual effectiveness?'
He filed the observation away. Another piece of data about how this world operated, about the psychology of power and fear when Pokémon were involved.
Seeing no immediate resolution and having gathered the necessary information, Xiu subtly melted back into the crowd, turned, and began making his way back towards the vehicle.
No point getting involved directly. Need to report back to Oak.