Chapter no.340 A Draconic Problem part 1

[ POV Change ]
[ Celadon City ]
The night sky over Celadon City was alight with the glow of neon signs, illuminating the bustling city below in a rainbow of colors. The streets were alive with the energy of the city, as people of all ages bustled about, their chatter and laughter filling the air.
Tall, sleek skyscrapers reached up towards the sky, their windows aglow with the warm light of the city. The streets were lined with shops, their windows displaying everything from the latest fashion to the newest technology. The smell of delicious street food wafted through the air, drawing the hungry to the vendors selling Takoyaki, Yaki-soba and many more.
As the night deepened, the crowds began to thin, and the city took on a different feel. The bright lights of the shops and billboards gave way to the soft glow of lanterns and the warm light of bars and clubs. The sound of live music and laughter spilled out onto the streets, inviting those passing by to join in on the fun.
The streets were now filled with a different kind of energy, one of excitement and celebration. Groups of friends walked arm in arm, their faces alight with the thrill of the night. Lovers strolled hand in hand, lost in their own private world.
But amidst all the hustle and bustle, there were also those who walked alone, their thoughts and feelings hidden behind a mask of stoicism. These were the ones who found solace in the anonymity of the city, where they could disappear into the crowds and be free.
The neon lights of Celadon City illuminated the dark alleyway as Jessie and James materialized in a dumpster with a thud. The stench of garbage and pollution filled their nostrils as they groggily climbed out, their clothes and bodies covered in grime.
Jessie's magenta hair was matted and unkempt, her once pristine Team Rocket uniform now torn and dirty. Her face was streaked with tears as she hugged James tightly, her body shaking with sobs. James, his normally styled periwinkle hair now disheveled and greasy, held her gently, his own injuries causing him to wince in pain.
As they pulled apart, Jessie's words reached James's ears, "I found my mother." His heart skipped a beat as he realized the significance of her words, and a smile spread across his face. But the moment was short-lived as Jessie suddenly pulled away, her gaze fixated on James's roughed up appearance.
"Doflamingo," she exclaimed, her voice filled with anger and hatred. James's expression crumbled.
The alleyway was silent except for the sound of James's sobs as he broke down, his mind consumed by the events that led to their current state. Jessie held him tightly, her heart breaking at the sight of her partner in such a state of distress. She whispered soothing words, trying to bring him some semblance of comfort.
As his sobs subsided, James pulled away, wiping at his eyes. Jessie looked at him with concern, her magenta hair matted and unkempt, her Team Rocket uniform torn and dirty. "What did Doflamingo offer you?" she asked softly.
James reached into his pocket and pulled out a Pokeball. He held it out to Jessie, his hand shaking. "Growlie," he choked out.
Jessie's eyes widened as she saw the Pokeball and realization dawned on her. Doflamingo had offered James something that he could not refuse, something that he valued above all else. She looked at James, her own heart heavy with the weight of her own decision.
"Did you agree?" James asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jessie nodded, tears streaming down her face. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a picture of her mother. "I found her," she whispered. "But at what cost?"
James hugged her tightly, his own tears falling as he realized the gravity of their situation. They had joined something much bigger, something much more dangerous. They could either follow Doflamingo and betray Team Rocket or follow Team Rocket and betray the monster who held the key to their hearts' desires. The answer was clear, they would follow the monster, for he held everything they wanted.
The night was silent, the city was asleep and the only sound that could be heard was the sound of Jessie and James's steps and the beating of their hearts. They were alone with their thoughts, their doubts, their fears and their hopes.
....
The night sky over the city was a canvas of deep navy and speckled with stars, as Austin sat on the balcony, sipping his hot coffee. His long hair, once unkempt, now styled and kept neatly courtesy of Yellow and Green, a stark contrast to his former self. He wore a black leather jacket over a white shirt and a pair of dark jeans and boots.
As he sat, his gaze was fixed on the laptop screen next to him, which displayed an image of Giovanni, the cure leader of Team Rocket, standing alongside his three-year-old son, Silver. Giovanni, dressed in his signature black suit, stood tall and imposing, his dark hair neatly styled and his expression stoic. Silver, with his wild mop of red hair, looked up at his father with wide, curious eyes.
Austin couldn't help but sigh as he remembered those recordings.
The Orre Region !
Team Cypher !
Doctor Ein !
Black Aura !
If he hadn't made that connection then he would be legally brain dead but never in his wildest imaginations would he realize that the villain team of Pokémon Colosseum and Gale of Darkness were connected to team rocket.
From what little info he could gather on the internet, Team Cypher was the reason for the great war that Surge was a part of, with the war ending when an unknown Legendary Pokémon " Victini ", which I presume was from Pokémon Black and white, nuking the entire Orre region.
Not gonna lie, that shit scared me when I read it.
As Austin sat lost in his thoughts, the door to the balcony opened and Green walked in. She was dressed in a brown cardigan, her hair styled in a simple ponytail. She sat down next to Austin, and they sat in silence, the only sound the gentle sip of Ash's coffee.
Leaf reached out and took the cup from Ash's hand and drank the whole thing in one go, Ash couldn't help but realize that her life as a thief must have reinforced her habit of quickly eating and drinking.
Green turned to him, "How are you doing?" he asked softly.
Austin gave her a small smile. "I'm fine, just thinking," she replied.
Green nodded understandingly, she knew that he had his own demons to deal with, just like him. They both have seen and experienced things that no one should have to endure.
They sat in silence, watching the city below, the distant sound of cars and people filling the air. Ash couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as he thought back to the days when he was a child living in Honolulu where him and his brother would always play this game of counting specified coloured cars.
" Ash, what are we going to do now ?"
" Well, the agenda is still the destruction of team rocket. With Jessie and James on our side to get us weapons and information, we are one step closer to that goal."
Leaf smiled but it quickly went away when she saw the blank expression on Austin's face.
" What's wrong ?"
" I found your mother."
" What ?! How ?"
" Team rocket had dough into alot of people's pasts, that includes your father."
" ..... "
Austin gazed upon Green, thinking that she would be overjoyed with the news he had to tell her. However, Green's body shook as she asked in a low tone, " Are you trying to get rid of me?" Austin denied it, saying that he was fulfilling the promise. A silence enveloped the two as Green asked him to tell her the truth. Austin, with a heavy heart, answered that it was for her own best.
Green's eyes narrowed as she grabbed his collar and pushed him closer to her, bringing their faces just inches apart. Austin could feel Green's breath on his face as she exclaimed, " You aren't going to get rid of me that easily. You already paid for my services and I am a woman of my word." Austin smirked and asked in a jovial fashion, "Wasn't the money I gave you compensation for feeling you up?"
Green put on an innocent look and asked, "What would Yellow think if she heard that news?" Austin saw through Green's tricks and asked her what she wanted. Green replied that she wanted the legendary Pokémon detection machine and Austin flat out refused. As Green was about to say something else, Yellow hurriedly opened the door and shouted, "Ash, something is wrong with Charmeleon!" Austin's stomach sank.
...
[ Omake Paragraph ]
The discovery of Crobat a few years ago by researchers in Johto is most remarkable for the fact that it took so long for them to be discovered. Zubat and Golbat have long been known to trainers across the pokemon world, largely as cave pests, but often as comrades as beloved as any Bulbasaur or Pikachu. And yet, despite the requirement for evolution simply being to make them happy, none of them ever evolved.
A Golbat's smile looks more like a painful grimace than a gesture of happiness, and this misunderstanding has stuck with trainers for millennia. It had therefore become a piece of accepted folk wisdom that Golbat hate the great outdoors and prefer their pokeballs and caves; in reality, the opposite is true, for Golbat's ancestors were pushed into caves by humans in the first place. Likewise, Golbat were thought to be unable to digest poffins, and were thought of as too ugly for contests; in reality, they love their taste and enjoy contests as much as battles. So accepted was this belief that when Crobat were finally discovered, it was by accident, when a Golbat was left outside in an open-air enclosure with a pile of poffins nearby.
A great deal is still not known about Crobat, including the long-term health effects of this evolution; indeed, some suspect that poffins are bad for them after all. What they are notable for is restlessness. A Crobat's wings are so big that they can barely stand, nor are they effective enough to glide; instead, they are flapped constantly, with the pokemon never seeming to tire or stop, only to hover with seemingly more effort than it takes to move. But they are almost always smiling, and their smile looks like happiness.