Pokemon: Resurgence Chapter 87

Hi all, 

Here’s the third chapter for the week.

Chapter 87

The market sprawled across what must have once been a maintenance junction, gutted and repurposed into this underground bazaar. Flickering electric lights hung from exposed pipes, casting severe shadows across the faces of its inhabitants. The air reeked of unwashed bodies and refuse.

Lucas wrinkled his nose. The smell would take some time getting used to.

"Go invisible," Lucas whispered to Meowth. "Explore the area and listen in on the locals. See if you can uncover any useful information."

Meowth nodded, activating his stealth ability, his form blurring before vanishing entirely. 

Lucas had invested time in boosting Meowth to level fifty-five. Although Meowth had no interest in battling, it ensured his stealth remained undetectable to most Pokemon lurking throughout the tunnels. The ability's effectiveness primarily depended on the level difference—the higher the gap, the more invisible Meowth became. 

No eyes observed Meowth as he slipped between stalls, picking up snippets of conversation from the unsuspecting locals. Over recent months, Meowth had scoured the Rota Kingdom for hidden items, amassing a considerable collection. Despite his diligence, nothing extraordinary emerged beyond the occasional stat-boosting item. 

Lucas observed a pattern. It seemed like rare and unique items appeared in sequence rather than being tied to specific locations. This distribution system governed roughly ninety-five percent of hidden items, with only minor geographical exceptions. The more unique the area, the higher the chance it would have rare loot.

He wove through the bustling underground market, which housed over a dozen makeshift stalls, each peddling merchandise that looked brand new, suggesting they had been stolen. The dimly lit space hummed with the constant murmur of haggling and suspicious glances. As the obvious newcomer, Lucas felt countless eyes sizing him up, measuring his worth as potential prey.

He approached the vendors under his "Rickard" persona, probing for information about Team Rocket's presence. He already possessed partial intelligence on some targets hiding in the Cerulean tunnels, but needed to search for the rest himself. 

Every person he approached declined to respond to his questions. Lucas knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but thought it was worth trying. He stopped before it became too obvious that he was fishing for information.

Lucas found a grizzled vendor selling crude maps of the nearby tunnels. He purchased it for an exorbitant sum, despite not knowing whether it was fake. The map the Adventurer’s Guild provided was limited, so he needed to find other ways to map out the tunnels. He wanted to avoid searching aimlessly since that would take too much time.

A brawl erupted three stalls down. Two men grappled over what looked like a small leather pouch. The market inhabitants simply stepped around them, uninterested in the outcome.

Lucas watched the encounter. One man broke free, shouting obscenities before lunging forward. Steel flashed, and a knife sank into the taller man's chest with sickening ease.

Blood bloomed across the victim's shirt as he staggered backwards, mouth working silently. No one moved to help. Three seconds later, he crumpled to the ground.

Lucas swallowed hard, forcing himself not to react as the killer calmly retrieved his knife, wiped it on the dead man's shirt, and walked away. Death had come so quickly, so casually, without even drawing onlookers' attention. Shichiro hadn't exaggerated the tunnels' brutality.

Meowth's voice tickled across their mental bond. Found something interesting. Meet at the service corridor entrance.

Lucas retreated from the market, slipping into a maintenance hallway. Meowth materialised beside him, whiskers twitching with excitement.

"What'd you find?" Lucas asked.

"Overheard some people talking about newcomers," Meowth said. "The group set up camp a couple of hours northeast of here. They come to the market for supplies weekly, but they are also keeping an eye on the Saffron City entrance."

"Does anyone know who they are?"

Meowth shook his head. "The locals avoid them. They don’t look like people they want to mess with."

Lucas unfolded his newly purchased map. "Show me where."

Meowth's paw traced along a winding passage heading northeast, heading in the general direction of the Cerulean tunnels.

"Alright, let’s check it out." Lucas folded the map. “I promised Sabrina we'd wrap this up within a week."

"A week? We need at least a month to search this labyrinth properly!"

"That's why we've got to rely on intel," Lucas replied. 

“Do you know what your problem is?”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Your problem is that you're completely whipped. A man needs his freedom to leave for a month without needing to worry about what their partner thinks”

Lucas snorted. “Weren’t you captured and enslaved because you were chasing tail? A female Meowth, as I recall. Spare me from your hypocrisy.”

“That was a low blow, Meowth.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=

The tunnels stretched endlessly before them, each corridor blending into the next. They had walked for the past thirty minutes, venturing deeper into the underground tunnels.

Lucas paused mid-stride, straining his ears for the slightest sound. He had heard the faint sound of footsteps behind him. 

"Have you noticed that someone is following us?" Lucas asked.

The feline Pokemon glanced up. "Nope. Too busy looking for loot."

Lucas suppressed a sigh. Typical Meowth, always prioritising treasure over safety. He continued forward, maintaining his pace as he considered his options. Confrontation might prove dangerous, since he didn’t know the person following him. Better to play it safe.

At the next junction, Lucas turned left, following the bend in the tunnel. Once out of sight, he activated his Aura Projection skill. Blue energy coalesced before him, swirling and condensing until it formed a perfect replica of himself—not merely an illusion, but a physical duplicate.

The third level of this skill transformed it from a simple visual trick into something extraordinary. His projection could interact with the physical world—touch objects, move items, even battle if necessary. The duplicate lacked independent thought, requiring Lucas to control its movements, but the tactical advantages were immense. He could manipulate it up to a hundred metres away, the perfect decoy in dangerous situations.

It had some limitations. He could only create copies of himself, not others, and the projection couldn't use his aura abilities. Furthermore, controlling it required concentration that divided his attention.

Lucas recalled Sabrina's expression when he first demonstrated this ability. He'd made a crude suggestion about its potential bedroom applications. Her response had been immediate and devastating. The projection hadn't stood a chance against her telekinesis, smashing it repeatedly into the wall until he deactivated the skill. It was hard to watch an identical version of himself being brutally beaten. Sabrina had promised to do the same thing to him if he brought it up again.

Lucas positioned the projection in plain sight. He placed a pokeball in its hand. Then he and Meowth retreated down the tunnel, ducking into a small alcove carved into the wall.

A minute passed. Footsteps approached cautiously—soft, measured, professional. Their stalker wasn't some amateur thug. Lucas focused, establishing control over his duplicate as a figure rounded the bend.

Lucas made the projection to toss the pokeball. Raphael materialised with a flash, his massive Blastoise form dwarfing the tunnel. He lowered into a battle stance.

The stalker reacted instantly, releasing a Seviper. The serpentine Pokemon hissed, venom dripping from elongated fangs as it coiled before its trainer.

"Who are you?" Lucas made the duplicate demand. "Why are you following me?"

The figure stepped partially into the light—a wiry man with a jagged scar across his left cheek. "We don’t like newcomers. You think you can come here, start poking your nose into our business without any reprisal? Think again."

"You're making a mistake," the projection responded. "Why don't you just let it go before you become another casualty down here?"

The stalker's laugh echoed off the walls. "Not going to happen. Once I kill you, I'll take that Blastoise and anything else you have on you."

Tension crackled through the air. Without a word from either trainer, the battle erupted.

Raphael's cannons swivelled into position, muscles tensing beneath his shell. Pressurised water blasted forth, carving through the air. The Seviper anticipated the attack, body twisting with impossible flexibility, narrowly evading the torrent. The Hydro Pump hammered the wall, cracking the concrete.

The serpent struck immediately, tail glowing with violet toxicity as it whipped toward Raphael. The poisoned appendage collided with the Blastoise's shell, producing a resounding crack. Venom sizzled against the armoured plating but found no purchase on the impenetrable surface.

Raphael's massive arm shot out with surprising speed, catching Seviper mid-retreat. One powerful motion slammed the serpent against the ground.

The snake recovered with frightening resilience. It coiled around Raphael's arm, fangs sinking deep into the unprotected flesh near the elbow joint. Raphael bellowed, deep and guttural. He slammed his arm repeatedly against the tunnel wall, concrete crumbling on impact, yet the Seviper maintained its bite, pumping toxins into the wound.

The stalker's eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure, urging his Pokemon without words to tighten its hold.

Raphael cannons adjusted with microscopic precision, taking aim at point-blank range. Water erupted with such explosive force that the backlash separated both Pokemon violently. Seviper crashed against the ceiling before plummeting to the floor, momentarily stunned.

Frost gathered around Raphael's mouth. A beam of freezing energy struck the disoriented serpent, flash-freezing its midsection to the floor. Ice spread rapidly, immobilising half its body.

Seviper thrashed violently, tail hammering its frozen prison. Raphael tucked his head, shell gleaming dully in the dim light. His powerful legs propelled him forward like a living battering ram. The impact resonated through the tunnel—a sickening crack as his skull connected with Seviper's partially frozen body.

Ice shattered. The Pokemon skidded across the floor, leaving a trail of scales and blood in its wake. It struggled to rise, swaying unsteadily on its damaged body.

Raphael advanced, his water cannons primed, muscles tensing before releasing a final concentrated blast. The torrent caught Seviper squarely, driving it against the far wall with bone-breaking force. When the water receded, the serpent lay motionless on the ground.

The stalker's hand darted toward another pokeball, panic replacing his earlier confidence. Before he could release another Pokemon, the projection sprinted forward, covering the distance in three powerful strides. Its fist connected with the man's jaw in a perfect uppercut, transferring Lucas's fighting skills into the strike.

The stalker crumpled without a sound.

Lucas emerged from his hiding spot, grinning. At least his physical abilities transferred perfectly to the projection.

He approached Raphael, patting the Blastoise's shell. "Excellent work."

Raphael didn't acknowledge the praise verbally. Instead, he extended his paw expectantly.

Lucas retrieved a gauntlet from his inventory. The device had taken months to design—a custom-fitted apparatus that accommodated Raphael's massive paws while housing paintbrushes and pigments. Art remained the Blastoise's true passion, and the gauntlet was their compromise. Raphael had agreed to evolution only after Lucas promised to support his creative endeavours.

Brock’s brother, Salvadore, had made it. The boy's dream of creating specialised Pokemon equipment and turning it into a career was already taking shape, especially if he could make something as impressive as the gauntlet.

Raphael secured the gauntlet, adjusted the brush, and promptly began painting a comical face on the unconscious Seviper—a moustache, exaggerated eyebrows, and cartoonishly large lips.

Lucas sighed. "Must you?"

Raphael continued, adding a monocle to his masterpiece. The habit had started after his final evolution. Despite Lucas's disapproval, the behaviour persisted.

While he waited for Raphael to finish, he used Insight to examine his parameters. The Pokemon had come a long way in the past few months.

========= 

Species: Blastoise

Pokemon Gender: Male

Favourability: Revered: 20000/32000 (+25% stats) 

Level: 61 Next: [4%] 

Exp Cache: [9040] 

Stats obtained from EVS [300/300] 

Special Ability: Torrent

========= 

Attack: 199 [135]

Special Attack: 211 [177]

Defence: 293 [235]

Special Defence: 297 [238]

Speed: 158 [151]

Luck: 135 [108]

========= 

Moves 

Mastered: 

Tackle, Water Gun, Bite, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Protect, Water Pulse, Iron Defence, Rain Dance, Aqua Tail 

Unmastered:

Ice Beam: 96%, Hydro Pump: 83%, Flash Cannon: 77%, Skull Bash: 65%, Shell Smash: 21%

========= 

Description: Raphael has evolved into his final form, a magnificent Blastoise. His shell's growth has reached impressive proportions, housing twin water cannons capable of precise and devastating attacks. Despite his imposing size, Raphael has refined his motor control to continue his artistic pursuits. 

========= 

Hidden Stats

Intelligence: 8

Endurance: 9

Energy: 8

Aptitude: 8

Affinities

Water: 100%

Normal: 100%

Dark: 91%

Ice: 78%

Steel: 75%

========= 

Traits 

Inherent 

Water Elemental (Master) - Massively increases the power and effectiveness of water-type moves.

Defence Aptitude (Master) - Massively increases defence stat training efficiency. 

Defence Boost (Master) - Massively increases the defence stat potency. 

Special Attack Boost (Master) - Massively increases the special attack potency. 

Special Defence Boost (Expert) - Significantly increases the special defence stat potency. 

Shell Armour Plus - Prevents critical hits and reduces damage from physical attacks by 20%. 

Tactical Retreat - Moderately recovers condition while withdrawn into the shell. 

Shell Immunity - Give up one point of condition to prevent a guaranteed status effect. 

Learned/Acquired/Unique 

Rubber Shell - Immune to electric-type attacks while withdrawn into its shell. 

Water Manipulation Plus - Advanced control over water molecules, allowing for complex water-based constructions and attacks. 

Maximum Pressure - Water attacks launched from cannons gain 30% additional power. 

Giant Strain: The Pokemon grows well beyond the average size for its species.

Attack Plus: (Giant Strain) Increases Attack by twenty percent.

Speed Minus: (Giant Strain) Reduces Speed by twenty percent

========= 

Raphael has gained the Giant trait, making him an imposing figure in battle, only slightly smaller than Max. These two Pokemon form Lucas's defensive core, capable of absorbing devastating attacks while still delivering substantial damage themselves. When exploring dangerous territory, Lucas relies on them as his bodyguards while deploying his other Pokemon for offence.

Despite his progress, Raphael’s development remained incomplete. Lucas still needed to find a Mega Stone compatible with Raphael. Adding a second Mega-capable Pokemon alongside Icarus would significantly enhance his battle capabilities. 

Lucas dismissed his projection, the aura construct dissolving into wisps of blue energy. He studied the unconscious man sprawled across the ground. 

"Reckon he's worth interrogating?" Lucas muttered, nudging the fallen stalker with his boot. The man didn't stir. "Probably just another tunnel rat looking for an easy mark."

Meowth darted forward and searched the unconscious man's pockets. His claws extracted a leather wallet.

"Jackpot!" Meowth exclaimed, holding up a wad of pokedollars. "Bloke's been doing alright for himself down here."

Lucas crossed his arms. "Was that really necessary?"

"He tried to nick our stuff," Meowth replied. "I'm only returning the favour.”

He recalled Raphael to his pokeball. They moved deeper into the tunnels, leaving their would-be ambusher sprawled on the damp floor. Someone would find him eventually—or not. It didn’t matter to him.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=

Two hours later, Lucas and Meowth observed the underground settlement from behind a stack of crates. They'd followed the trail to an auxiliary tunnel branching off the main passage, eventually leading to a large chamber that must have once served as a storage area.

The criminals had constructed a small underground town. Crude buildings formed distinct sectors, with flickering electric lights strung between them. Guards patrolled the perimeter with their Pokemon. Using Dante's teleportation abilities, they'd bypassed the security checkpoint, materialising behind their current hiding spot.

Lucas focused on a circular structure near the settlement's centre. A tall fence surrounded it, blocking his view, but the cacophony of cheering and shouting carried clearly across the chamber.

"What do you reckon that is?" Lucas murmured.

Meowth's whiskers twitched. "Some sort of arena, I'd bet. That's where most of these low-lifes are gathered."

The rest of the settlement appeared eerily deserted, with only occasional figures moving between buildings. The majority must be attending whatever spectacle was occurring within the fenced area.

"Should I go take a closer look at what's going on?" Meowth asked.

"We go together,” Lucas said. “Something about this place is giving me bad vibes."

He summoned Dante and pointed toward the fenced arena.

"Can you get us closer? Right in front of that structure?"

Dante nodded, placing one hand on Lucas' shoulder and the other on Meowth. The world blurred, reforming instantly at their destination. Lucas found himself standing directly before the fence, the roar of the crowd now deafening.

Ducking low, they approached the barrier. Lucas peered through a gap between the wooden slats, blood draining from his face at the sight within.

A crude arena occupied the space, surrounded by makeshift stands half-filled with spectators. Several wore the unmistakable black uniforms with red 'R' insignias—Team Rocket members. They screamed and waved fistfuls of cash as two Pokemon battled brutally in the central sand pit.

Both Pokemon bore horrific injuries—deep gashes, burns, and what appeared to be previous wounds poorly healed. Around each Pokemon's neck was a metallic collar identical to the one Meowth had worn during his captivity.

"Humans are a bunch of bastards," Meowth spat, his claws digging into the wooden fence.

Lucas grimaced. "I can't say I disagree with you at this particular moment."

The Pokemon clearly had no desire to continue fighting, backing away from each other with evident exhaustion. A man stood at the pit's edge, holding a control device. Each time they retreated, he pressed a button, sending both Pokemon into convulsions as electricity coursed through their collars.

Lucas shifted his attention to the stands. One section stood apart, elevated above the others. A man reclined on what could only be described as a throne—a bizarre affectation in this underground hellhole. He wore an executive-level Team Rocket uniform, teal hair slicked back from an angular face. A cruel smirk played on his lips as he watched the brutality unfold. Two Pokemon flanked him, occasionally offering food which he accepted without acknowledgement.

"He's a Team Rocket executive?" Lucas frowned. "I don't recognise him. He's not on the bounty list."

Meowth bristled beside him. "Who cares about the bounty. This bastard needs to be taken down."

Lucas glanced at his companion, surprised by the intensity of his reaction. Though considering Meowth's history with slave collars, perhaps he shouldn't have been.

Below, the battle concluded when both Pokemon collapsed, unable to continue. Handlers dragged their unconscious forms from the arena, and another pair was brought in. The crowd roared, money changing hands rapidly as new bets were placed.

"I've seen enough," Lucas muttered, dropping down from the fence.

Meowth followed, visibly seething. "Did you see the tunnel the Pokemon came from? They must have a holding area where they're kept."

Lucas nodded, a plan already forming. "I just had an idea. Do you want to cause some chaos?"

Meowth's mouth stretched into a wicked grin. He had an inkling of what Lucas was planning. "Boss, you're an evil genius."

They circled the arena, keeping to the shadows. Lucas spotted the entrance to a concrete building attached to the arena—likely the holding area for the enslaved Pokemon. Two guards stood at the entrance, looking bored.

Lucas gestured to Meowth, who activated his stealth ability and vanished. Seconds later, one guard stiffened, crumpling silently to the ground. The second turned, confusion evident on his face before Meowth materialised behind him, delivering a precise strike to the base of his skull.

"Nice work," Lucas said as they hid the unconscious guards.

Inside, the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, illuminating a corridor lined with cells. The stench hit Lucas immediately—unwashed bodies, excrement, and the acrid tang of fear. Voices echoed from further inside. Lucas created an aura projection of himself, sending it ahead as a decoy.

Two more guards lounged at a table, playing cards. Their heads snapped up as the projection rounded the corner. Before they could react, Lucas struck from behind, knocking their heads together with enough force to render them unconscious.

The main holding area stretched before them—dozens of cages stacked along the walls, each containing a Pokemon. They huddled inside, collars around their necks. Many bore the scars of repeated battles, while others appeared emaciated from neglect. 

"This is..." Lucas couldn't finish the sentence.

Meowth darted to the nearest cage, examining the lock. "I can pick these. Find the control for the collars."

Lucas searched the guard station, finding a panel of switches and a key ring. "Got it."

Working methodically, they moved through the room. Lucas deactivated the collars while Meowth opened cages. At first, the Pokemon remained motionless, too traumatised to comprehend their freedom. Lucas approached a Houndoom whose ribs protruded sharply beneath matted fur.

"You're free now. But if you want justice..." He pointed to the gate leading to the arena. "The humans who did this to you are out there."

Understanding kindled in the Houndoom's eyes. A low growl rumbled in its throat.

The awakening spread through the room as more Pokemon grasped their liberation. 

Lucas found the main gate controls. "Ready?"

Meowth nodded, a savage satisfaction in his eyes. Lucas pressed the button, and the great doors swung open.

The freed Pokemon surged forward, a wave of righteous fury pouring into the arena. Screams erupted as the audience realised what was happening. The teal-haired executive leapt to his feet, face contorted with rage as chaos consumed his fighting pit.

The Team Rocket members scrambled, panic giving way to desperate defiance as they released their Pokemon. The freed Pokemon met them with unbridled fury, their accumulated trauma fuelling each attack.

"Time to even the odds," Lucas muttered, releasing Max from his pokeball.

The massive Electivire materialised with a roar. He lumbered into the arena, his hulking frame dwarfing the Team Rocket Pokemon surrounding him. Max ploughed forward, clearing a path with devastating Thunder Punches. 

Lucas summoned the rest of his team, with the exception of Raijin. They followed Max’s path of destruction and began fighting alongside him.

He kept Raphael beside him, the Blastoise standing guard at the entrance to the arena. Through the chaos, he spotted the teal-haired executive shouting orders from his elevated position. 

The man’s eyes locked with Lucas' across the chamber. Something in Lucas's stance marked him as the architect of this disaster. With a snarl, Proton vaulted over the railing, landing with surprising agility on the arena floor.

"You," he spat, jabbing a finger toward Lucas. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Lucas shrugged. "Freed some Pokemon, ruined your day. All in an honest day's work."

Rage contorted his features. He hurled two pokeballs forward. "Weezing, Crobat, tear him apart!"

The bat-like Pokemon emerged first, four wings beating with such speed they blurred into near-invisibility. Beside it materialised Weezing, its bloated, poison-filled body hovering ominously as noxious gas leaked from its pores.

The poison-type Pokemon expanded, then contracted violently, expelling a dense cloud of toxic gas. The purple miasma rolled forward like a living entity, engulfing everything in its path.

Lucas raised his palm, blue energy coalescing into a translucent shield. The aura barrier expanded, encasing both him and Raphael in a protective dome. Toxic fumes washed against the shield, unable to penetrate.

Raphael’s cannons swivelled, locking onto the hovering Crobat. Pressurised water erupted with devastating force, cutting through the poison cloud like a spear. The torrent struck Crobat squarely, hurling it against the far wall with bone-crushing impact. The bat-like Pokemon slid to the ground, wings twitching feebly.

Lucas focused his energy, condensing his aura into a concentrated lance. The spear-like projection materialised above his outstretched hand, humming with barely contained power. With a sharp gesture, he launched it toward Weezing.

The aura lance streaked through the air, piercing the poison-type's bloated body. Weezing emitted a high-pitched wheeze, deflating partially as it listed to one side, poison gas escaping from the puncture.

A few months ago, Lucas would have hesitated to display such abilities publicly. The Church of Arceus had actively persecuted them, spreading propaganda about their "unnatural powers." But times had changed. With the church's influence disappearing from Kanto and the Rota Kingdom opening its borders, public perception was shifting towards the positive. Lucas still kept his abilities relatively private, but no longer feared persecution. 

The executive staggered back, fumbling for another pokeball.

Lucas channelled his energy into a new projection. The duplicate materialised beside him, a perfect physical copy down to the smallest detail. It charged forward, moving with identical precision to Lucas himself.

Raphael's cannons tracked Weezing, who had partially recovered from the aura lance. A second Hydro Pump struck the poison-type, driving it into the arena wall.

Lucas’ projection seized Proton by the throat before he could release another Pokemon.

The executive struggled briefly before a precise strike to his temple rendered him unconscious. The projection lowered him to the ground, then dissolved into wisps of blue energy as Lucas released the skill.

Lucas surveyed the battlefield, satisfied with the outcome. The freed Pokemon had fought with savage efficiency, their rage fuelled by months or years of abuse. Most Team Rocket members lay across the arena floor, sprawled amid their defeated Pokemon. A few more determined individuals attempted to scale the fence, only to be driven back.

He approached Proton's unconscious form and relieved him of his pokeballs. 

The Houndoom approached Lucas, its earlier hostility replaced by cautious respect. It nodded once, acknowledging his role in their liberation.

"You're free now," Lucas said. "All of you are."

The freed Pokemon gathered, their injuries and scars stark reminders of the cruelty they'd endured. Lucas distributed healing items from his inventory, starting with the most severely wounded. He couldn't heal all their trauma—the psychological scars would take far longer to fade—but he could offer them this small mercy.

As Lucas administered the last of his healing items, he noticed the Pokemon weren't leaving. Instead, they settled around the arena's perimeter, eyes fixed on their former captors. It meant he could capture the remaining Team Rocket members.

Lucas led his remaining Pokemon into the settlement. Already, figures emerged from buildings, drawn by the commotion. None of them were a match for his team. They moved systematically through the settlement, neutralising resistance as they encountered it, and taking them back to the arena.

He slapped the executive awake. Proton's eyes fluttered open, focusing slowly until they locked onto Lucas with pure hatred.

"What's your name?" Lucas asked.

"Fuck off!"

"Your parents were terrible for giving you such a name." Lucas drummed his fingers against his thigh. "Not very cooperative, are you?"

He pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of the executive, who tried to turn his face away but wasn't quick enough. Lucas composed a message to Cassidy, attaching the image.

Know this guy?

The reply came less than a minute later.

That's Proton. Executive in Team Rocket. Giovanni's inner circle. Complete psychopath. He’s killed a lot of people.

Lucas crouched down, bringing himself eye-level with the bound executive. "Your name is Proton. See how easy it is to get information?"

Proton's eyes narrowed to slits. "Who told you? When I get free, they'll regret opening their mouths."

"That's hardly your biggest concern at the moment." Lucas gestured around the arena. "Why set up your base of operations here? So close to the Saffron City exit?"

A grin spread across Proton's face. His silence carried a mocking quality.

"You were watching the exit," Lucas persisted. "What were you waiting for? Who were you looking for?"

Still nothing. Proton's expression remained fixed in that unsettling grin.

Lucas sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Perhaps he should have brought Sabrina along after all. Her mind-reading abilities would have made this interrogation far simpler. But that was easily remedied.

Without warning, Lucas's fist connected with Proton's jaw. The executive's head snapped back, his grin replaced by momentary shock before his eyes rolled up and he slumped unconscious.

"Lost my patience," Lucas muttered, shaking out his hand.

He summoned Dante, the Gardevoir materialising silently beside him.

"I need you to take him to the designated area. Shichiro will handle it from there." He paused, considering. "Tell him to get Sabrina to extract whatever information she can. This guy knows something important."

Dante nodded, reaching down to grasp Proton's shoulder. In an instant, they both vanished, leaving only disturbed dust where they'd been.

Lucas had established a drop-off point earlier, a secure location where Shichiro's people could collect the captured bounties. The arrangement simplified his work considerably—no need to escort prisoners through the tunnels and risk them escaping.

The remaining Team Rocket members presented a different challenge. Lucas turned to survey them, an idea forming. He walked toward the holding area, the freed Pokemon parting to let him pass.

The Houndoom that had approached him earlier padded forward. Lucas explained his plan to lock the Team Rocket members in their own cells temporarily. The Houndoom's approving growl suggested the irony wasn't lost on the Pokemon.

"The cells are yours to guard," Lucas told the assembled Pokemon. "I'll be hunting more of their kind over the next week. When I'm finished, I'll return here, and we can discuss what happens next."

The Houndoom dipped its head in what appeared to be understanding. Without obvious communication, it seemed to have become the de facto spokesperson for the freed Pokemon. Several of the larger Pokemon began herding the conscious Team Rocket members toward the holding area.

"You're coming with me," Lucas said to Meowth. "We still have a job to finish."

Meowth nodded, but his eyes lingered on the freed Pokemon. "What do you think they'll do?"

"Hard to say," Lucas replied. "But they deserve the chance to decide for themselves."

They moved toward the exit, leaving behind the arena that had witnessed so much suffering. The hunt was far from over—more targets awaited them in the labyrinthine tunnels. But they'd struck a significant blow today.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas and Meowth continue their hunt, and uncover an audacious plot.

Thanks for reading.