At the entrance of a departnt store, a man wrapped in a long coat and carrying a backpack walked in furtively, his face half-covered by a red scarf. He glanced around surreptitiously, but there was no trace of a thief's cunning in his eyes—only madness and fervent belief.
The man's suspicious attire and behavior caught the attention of the store's security personnel. However, before the guards could approach him for questioning, the man suddenly yanked off his scarf, threw off his coat and backpack, revealing a black uniform emblazoned with the red "R" insignia of Team Rocket. As the backpack hit the ground, dozens of Poké Balls spilled out.
With a series of pop-pop-pop sounds, the Poké Balls opened, releasing a swarm of Voltorb and Electrode. The Team Rocket operative raised his hands in fanatical triumph and shouted, "All glory to Team Rocket! Long live Team Rocket!!!"
"BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—"
A chain of deafening explosions erupted as every Voltorb and Electrode unleashed Self-Destruct. The store's windows shattered, steel beams twisted, and chunks of brick and mortar crumbled. Thick plus of black smoke billowed into the air as the shrill wail of the fire alarm mixed with the screams of terrified shoppers.
"Ahhh—help!!"
"Mom—where are you?!"
"It's a terrorist attack—run!!"
"My wallet—that's my wallet—OW, STOP STEPPING ON —!!"
Amid the chaos of panicked shrieks, flas roared to life. The store's automatic sprinkler system activated, dousing the ground in icy water while fire licked at the walls. The cacophony of stampeding feet, wailing children, and hoarse cries for help turned the once-bustling mall into a nightmare.
The Vermilion City fire departnt, alerted to the ergency, rushed to the scene with Squirtle and Blastoise in tow. Within minutes, the water tanks on Blastoise's massive cannons unleashed torrents of high-pressure water to combat the blaze.
But before long, several more explosions rocked Vermilion City—two more high-rise buildings, packed with people, were engulfed in flas. The city's firefighting resources were stretched thin, barely making a dent in the disaster.
---
"We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news: a terrorist attack orchestrated by Team Rocket has struck Vermilion City just ten minutes ago. Multiple high-rises are currently on fire, and the Vermilion fire departnt, along with their Pokémon, are working desperately to contain the flas.
Unfortunately, Vermilion Gym Leader Lt. Surge is not present in the city at this ti, and it remains unknown whether Team Rocket will launch further attacks. We now bring you live footage from the scene—"
On the television screen, thick black smoke poured from a burning skyscraper. Even through the screen, desperate figures could be seen waving for help from the upper floors. Flying-type Pokémon darted in and out of the smoke, rescuing survivors, while dozens of Water-type Pokémon on the ground sprayed jets of water at the inferno—but against such a massive blaze, their efforts seed pitifully insufficient.
Ryuuske, lounging on the couch as he watched the news, heard rapid footsteps thundering down the stairs. Monts later, Misty burst into the room, hastily packing her things as she addressed him:
"The League just contacted . Lt. Surge, Vermilion's Gym Leader, is currently in Johto. They have no idea if Team Rocket will strike Vermilion again…"
"...The League wants —as the Cerulean Gym Leader, the closest to Vermilion—to head there imdiately and take command. They also want to mobilize a group of Water-type Pokémon trainers from Cerulean to assist in rescue efforts."
She pulled out a tablet and began typing rapidly, presumably notifying the local trainers.
"You're leaving now?" Ryuuske asked, his tone unhurried.
"Yeah. Cerulean is close to Vermilion—if I fly there on a Pokémon, I can make it in no ti. If we dispatch Water-types now, we can still help with firefighting and rescue operations." She clipped twelve Poké Balls to her belt before turning to him. "You're heading to Vermilion next, right? Want to co with?"
"I don't have any Water-types, so I wouldn't be much help. Besides, you know how I travel—I prefer taking detours through the wild, training my Pokémon along the way."
Misty wasn't surprised by his refusal. "You can stay here until you leave Cerulean. The staff know you—just ask them if you need anything."
"This place is way comfier than a hotel. You'd have to kick out to make leave." He shrugged, prompting a small laugh from her.
"After the rescue, I'll need to file a report… and bring up Sabrina's situation with the League."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ryuuske countered. "Team Rocket definitely has insiders in the League's upper ranks. And if Sabrina dares to walk around openly in a Team Rocket uniform, she's got backing. As fellow Gym Leaders, if you accuse her without proof, she could sue you for defamation. That'd put you in a bad spot."
Misty frowned, then sighed in frustration. "...You're right. Without evidence, it's my word against hers—and she could just turn the accusations back on ."
Her expression twisted with anger and helplessness—clearly, she hated the situation.
"Cerulean's Flying-type trainers are ready. I should get going…"
Before leaving, Misty hesitated, then dug into her pocket and shoved sothing into Ryuuske's hand, avoiding his gaze as she muttered, "...Who knows when we'll et again after you leave Cerulean. This is an 'Everlasting Water Stone'—a token of thanks for helping and saving back then. It's not super valuable, just… a gesture. Don't read too much into it."
The tiny, azure-blue stone bore a droplet-shaped mark. Watching Misty's tsundere act, Ryuuske chuckled. "Got it, got it. Now hurry—every minute counts in a rescue."
"Right. See you!"
This ti, Misty didn't linger, dashing out the door in a whirlwind.
Turning the Everlasting Water Stone and the Cascade Badge he'd earned from her between his fingers, Ryuuske murmured to himself, "...Why would Team Rocket attack Vermilion City?"
To be continued…
Reviews
All reviews (0)