High above, Luo Yuan and wtwo hovered in mid-air, gazing down below.
wtwo tilted its head, a puzzled look crossing its face. "Why are we going to fight again?"
"Because we're in a financial crisis."
"A... financial crisis?"
As a Pokémon only recently brought to life, wtwo was highly intelligent, learned quickly thanks to its imnse psychic power, but its youthful mind was limited by its lack of experience.
From its design to its birth, wtwo had been created and trained for battle.
But terms like "cash flow" and "financial crisis" were entirely foreign to it. wtwo simply couldn't fathom why they'd be fighting over sothing so trivial.
Hearing the question, Luo Yuan felt a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.
He'd gotten used to wtwo being an easy-going partner, but now he was beginning to understand wtwo's more challenging side.
Perhaps it was a quirk of wtwo's design—the human traits and complex emotions they'd programd into it.
Though it appeared mature, in truth, wtwo was more like a curious child, full of "whys" about everything it encountered.
It was a far cry from Deoxys, who silently obeyed orders, ever-reliable and loyal.
No wonder wtwo would one day struggle with deep philosophical questions about its own existence.
But given that Giovanni had entrusted wtwo to him, and since Luo Yuan had found their partnership quite compatible, he felt an obligation to answer its questions.
"We took a heavy hit from the League's attack," he began. "Now Team Rocket's finances are tight. If we don't have money, we won't have food to eat. What we're reclaiming here is our 'al money.'" Luo Yuan explained with a smirk.
And it wasn't exactly a lie.
If Rocket's funds ran dry, Giovanni would certainly cut team benefits to weather the storm. While they weren't quite at the "no food" stage, the principle held true.
wtwo nodded thoughtfully, though it still looked a little unsure.
But Luo Yuan was content to leave it at that. wtwo's expression grew determined, doubt giving way to resolve.
"Alright, then. Let's go get that al money back."
"For our food!" wtwo echoed through telepathy, before they both descended toward the League-sealed Rocket base below.
---
Lance felt cursed.
Otherwise, why was it that, while the other regions' Elites rely dealt with ordinary criminals, he repeatedly faced opponents wielding Legendary Pokémon?
The thought made his frustration grow.
But as the leader of the Kanto Elite Four, Lance knew he had to set an example for all League trainers in Kanto. Regardless of his inner turmoil, he couldn't afford to show negative emotions.
With a deep breath, Lance steadied himself.
Turning to Bruno and Agatha, he addressed them with newfound composure.
"Regarding this Rocket executive, 'K'—you've both encountered him in battle. What are the chances that he's the sa person as the Tech Hunter we've heard about in Hoenn?"
This was the key issue in their debriefing.
As the Elite leader, Lance needed to know their enemy's identity.
"Since 'K' only used two Legendaries in this battle, we don't have much to go on," Agatha began, her voice low and asured as she leaned on her cane. "Based on the information I've gathered on the Tech Hunter, the only link between them is that both wielded a Deoxys."
"I'd say it's highly likely that the Tech Hunter is just another alias of this Rocket executive 'K,'" Bruno added. "According to past records, the Tech Hunter and Team Rocket have cooperated several tis. But for a person of his type, no matter how close the partnership, he wouldn't lend out a Legendary to anyone."
Both Agatha and Lance nodded at Bruno's point.
But even this brought no relief to Lance's expression. "If that's the case, then the situation is even more serious."
"Deoxys plus this newly introduced wtwo... Team Rocket now holds control over two Legendary Pokémon. Can we even hope to keep them in check?"
"..."
Bruno fell silent.
After a mont of thought, Agatha broke in. "I suggest we expedite the separation of the Indigo and Silver Leagues, increasing the Elite ranks from four to eight mbers, with two Champion positions as well."
This would be the most effective way to counter Team Rocket—by bolstering the Kanto League's power.
Right now, four Elites simply weren't enough to stand up to Team Rocket.
But with eight Elites and two Champions, the scenario would change drastically.
While Legendaries certainly had an advantage over Elite-level Pokémon, it wasn't an insurmountable one. With enough numbers, Elite Pokémon could subdue Legendaries.
Lance and Bruno both nodded at Agatha's suggestion.
In fact, the proposal had co up multiple tis before, though due to conflicts over internal interests, it had yet to gain traction. Originally, they had planned to revisit the topic after the next Indigo League Conference.
But now, with the recent turn of events, this might be the ideal opportunity to push it through.
Selecting new Elites and Champions from Kanto or even other regions to combat Rocket's Legendaries could potentially curb Team Rocket's activities.
However, selecting an Elite was no simple task; it wasn't just about power, but also about background and character.
anwhile, Team Rocket's threat lood ever closer.
"To fend off any further attacks from Rocket, alert Professor Oak, Blaine, Koga, and Pryce... we'll likely need their assistance soon," Lance said, listing several of Kanto's strongest trainers.
Agatha's face flickered slightly at the ntion of Professor Oak, though she quickly concealed it.
After a pause, Lance raised another idea. "Additionally, we might consider capturing our own Legendary Pokémon."
"Ho-Oh and Lugia may be out of reach, but Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno, and the Legendary Beasts—Entei, Suicune, Raikou—seem attainable."
"If we're dealing with Legendaries, it only makes sense to fight fire with fire."
Capturing the Legendary Birds and Beasts would go against the League's long-held philosophy of coexisting peacefully with Legendary Pokémon.
But the current situation was dire. Rules were rigid, but people were flexible. So adjustnts were inevitable.
After a few monts of contemplation, Bruno and Agatha both nodded slowly.
It was a sound strategy.
Just as Lance prepared to continue the discussion, a League trainer sprinted over, breathless.
"Lance, Bruno, Agatha—there's trouble..."
"What happened?"
"The Rocket assets we had sealed away... they've been stolen by that Rocket executive, K!"
---
Reader, your presence signifies commitnt.
To walk this path is to contribute to the pursuit of eternity.
Should you wish to further fortify our resolve, step forward: [/WiseTL].
Each action contributes to the unyielding foundation of our creation. Together, we etch a mark that transcends the fleeting nature of ti.
— Raiden Shogun
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