SWSH022: Grrr!! Noble Kidnappers

is the 3rd chapter of Pokémon Adventures: Volume 4 (SWSH).
==Synopsis==
As Casey talks about her revelation, the group is invited by Sonia to discuss more about her findings. However, Sonia gets attacked by an unknown assailant, and as she is being carried by Leon and Raihan to a medical center, two suspicious figures confront Casey and Henry.
==Chapter plot==
Marvin reads from a book the definition of a celebrity: a famous person, who is either rich or has a high-class in the society. Marvin wonders what did Casey mean by that, to which she replies that they boasted about stealing. Henry is skeptical about that, but Casey remembers that they did praise themselves for obtaining the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield, as it was fitting for them. Marvin counts Leon, Chairman Rose and Professor Magnolia as the only celebrities in Galar region, but Schilly shouts that there were two people, and they weren't as old as the "predecessors" that Marvin has mentioned. Henry wonders why did they take only Schilly's Pokémon, considering they could've taken his Lancelot. Schilly screams in frustration, for she wants to know that, too. Schilly exclaims that she was very worried about her Pokémon, who could've been starving or injured, and still worries about Giga and Mega, who are still in the wild. Thus, she resolves herself to find them.
She storms off, promising to find a trail that those two celebrities left. Suddenly, Magnolia receives a call from Sonia. She is in Corvinkight taxi, and tells her grandmother that she'll be there soon. Magnolia ponders about her words, but Sonia exclaims that she may have found something about the celebrities that Casey has mentioned. To be sure, Sonia asks that Casey checks it out, and is frustrated that a person familiar to her is involved in that incident. Magnolia asks of Sonia to calm down, who promises to wait for them at the tunnel at Route 9. As Sonia ends the call, she looks at an object. From a distance, a Klinklang notices that and attacks the taxi. Corvinkight and Sonia are electrocuted badly, and the taxi falls down.
At Spikemuth, Raihan is surprised that the entrance is closed. He wonders how will the challengers get in. Suddenly, he notices an Obstagoon, who pushes him away. Raihan soon finds a person at a container, calling him "Rai-Rai". Raihan asks the person, Piers, what is he doing here. Piers admits that his Gym's Trainers are worried what might happen to Spikemuth if their approved challenger doesn't make it to the Champion Cup. Raihan is dumbfounded, seeing that they would count on barring Trainers from battling so that they'd lose by default. Piers finds that tragic, since his Trainers won't believe his words that the Gym would be fine. Raihan claims the old Piers could've told them off, but the latter admits that everyone has high expectations of this challenger from Spikemuth, since they are aiming for the Champion Cup since he participated in the Gym Challenge.
In fact, Spikemuth's representative knows that, and is coming to reach Spikemuth first. Raihan realizes that Piers even refused Chairman Rose's request to move the stadium to a Power Spot. Piers claps, seeing Raihan has done his research. Raihan asks him to stop, since people would get worried if someone contradicts Rose like that. Piers comments that a modest Gym Battle without a live broadcast means less tourists, and then less money. He comments people would get depressed and leave. However, he knows there are also people, like Team Yell, who would live here and make their own fortune, however the turn may turn out. Piers reminds if Spikemuth became the same as other towns, where would its citizens live if it was not an alternative to that lifestyle. To that, Piers adds that Chairman Rose loved Galar, whether it was shiny or not, which makes Raihan laugh.
Piers notes that Raihan came to talk about the chairman, and is told about the encounter. Piers notes that while the chairman is worried about what may happen a thousand years from now on, it wasn't safe to experiment with the particles, since they don't know much about them. Piers wonders if the chairman's concern is genuine or not. He goes to call Opal, who talked to him about the way the chairman treated Bede. He admits that despite his disagreements, Piers admires Rose for his ability to lead and get things done right away. Piers sees that Rose was analyzing challengers since he was a committee member. In addition, Rose has built many childcare centers for less fortunate and have good candidates, like Bede, give opportunity. Moreover, he has even protected them from public attacks and slander, too. Furthermore, he respects Gym Leaders, even the ones that disagree with them.
However, Raihan and Piers find it odd that Rose simply gave up on Bede after he destroyed the mural. Piers and Raihan note that they did much worse stuff than they were as kids, and believe Rose could've given Bede another chance, or at least prevented him from destroying the mural. Piers starts wondering if this act was that Rose found Bede's actions unforgivable, or that there was a greater plot going on. Raihan asks what does he meant with that, so Piers responds to him about the story about the powerful man, who helped many other people, only to turn on them and cause destruction. Raihan remembers that, so Piers states that bullies who harass other people can learn to be more considerate of others, and sees that the opposite could also be likely. Suddenly, Piers stands up. Raihan asks did he hear something, but Piers walks away, claiming that his ears are fine and that he just heard stuff.
They come to a tunnel, where Team Yell grunts report that they heard something beyond the tunnel. Piers and Raihan come to the other side, seeing a Corviknight taxi had crashed, and Leon carries an unconscious Sonia. Leon greets Piers and Raihan. Leon explains that Sonia called him to meet at this point, and even called Magnolia's group to come as well, and are waiting for them to meet up. However, he saw the taxi crashing, and while Sonia is unharmed, she is unconscious. Piers comments that there is a medical center in Spikemuth, but since there is better care in Hammerlocke, Raihan promises to take Sonia to that town on his Flygon. Before leaving, Leon gives an item to Piers, as Sonia, before she lost consciousness, wanted him to pass that item to Henry. Piers acknowledges that, and sees Raihan and Leon departing away with Sonia. Piers examines the taxi, and sees traces of electricity, thinking someone was targeting Sonia.
Casey attempts to call Sonia, but with no luck. Magnolia attempted to do the same, and hopes that nothing happened to her. Suddenly, Casey notices on her radar that Sonia is flying on a fast speed, and believes she is on a Flygon to Hammerlocke. Magnolia sees that they can't reach them, but will still go to the meeting place. Suddenly, the motorhome begins to shake, and from the roof, a hole is opened. Casey opens the door, finding a Bronzong and a Golisopod. Golisopod mutters that the kids can hand it over and they will be unharmed. Marvin is astounded that the Pokémon talked. Henry points out that they are wearing devices that broadcast these human voices. Henry asks who are they, but the voice states they cannot mention that yet: there is a time and place for everything, and heroes need time to make their appearances. Henry notices they mentioned "heroes", and Schilly realizes these are the voices of the celebrities that took the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield: they are thieves and kidnappers.
The voices are surprised, and brush Casey off that her behavior is too rude that she calls them thieves. Casey yells out that no behavior is noble if it involves kidnapping Pokémon and stealing items. The voices laugh, stating they were insulted, and were even considering of returning Casey's Pokémon: Giga and Mega. Casey shouts their names, but the voices want their thing returned. Casey is frustrated, since they don't even know what they are supposed to return, and the voices don't even want to tell them. Piers steps into the scene, showing the object that Leon passed to them, if they wanted it. The voice pause for a moment, and recognize it to be the thing they want.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
*Piers' Obstagoon
*Sordward's Golisopod
*Shielbert's Bronzong
*Shielbert's Klinklang
==Gallery==
Category:Pokémon Adventures: Sword & Shield Chapter chapters