Alias Jones struggled fiercely to hold back his urge to strangle the impedint before them.
Ultra Wormholes were the jurisdiction of Interpol, everyone knew that, and Indigo even signed the morandum willingly. “So why are we wasting ti with this buffoonery?!”
It wasn’t like the Northern Mountain Ranges were part of Indigo’s borders. Well, technically, they were… but the whole region was so inhospitable that almost nobody ever bothered to govern it!
Even the Pokemon Rangers, as understaffed as they were, rarely go out this far north. It was one of the main reasons why Giovanni and Team Rocket were able to hide out here for so long, right under their noses!
“And now they’re claiming sovereignty?! For what?! Just so that they could stick it up to the foreign agency operating outside of their purview and make things just the slightest bit more inconvenient for everybody?!” Nevermind the fact that Interpol’s Indigo’s field delegation were staffed mostly by native Kantonians and Johtons.
“You’re glaring, Inspector Jones.” ca a voice beside him.
Ali jolted, his eyes softening just a little even as his body remained tense. “I’m sorry… But this is just sheer stupidity! All this senseless Ditto asuring when we have a crisis in our hands!”
Chief Inspector Kuchiba, Ali’s boss and colleague in Interpol, sighed. “I know which Arbok has her coils on you, but lashing out won’t solve anything.” She gestured towards their fellow inspector, Larry, who was gesticulating furiously at the League official barring their way. “After all these years, all this bureaucratic song and dance should be painfully familiar to you by now. Try as they might, we’ll get through eventually — we always do.”
Ali teeth clenched as he hissed in frustration. “She’s missing!” The apple of his eyes, one of the pillars of his life. That sunny smile and cheeky grin — that impossibly light fra forced to endure such harsh burdens.
“Where are you, Nina? Are you safe?” He could just imagine it; a fragile little girl huddling desperately against her yellow jacket, lost and scared, calling out to him for help.
Ali’s fist tightened. “If this buffoon doesn’t get out of the way soon, soone is going to get hurt. Diplomacy be damned!”
The whole reason why Alias Jones, the great explorer, allowed himself to be chained to a desk was because he wanted to be closer to family. But what was the point in keeping the job if it ant losing the only ones who mattered?!
“And what could you possibly do for the girl, hmm?” Kuchiba chided. “Recklessly jump into the wormhole after her? You and I both know that the realm between realms is simply too chaotic for any ordinary mind to navigate. And besides, there’s a good chance that lina Jones is under the charge of wtwo. If anyone can keep her safe, it would be that faux-Legendary. So have so faith in your niece until we can set the groundwork for Lusamine and the Aether Foundation to intervene.”
“I—!”
“Ali! The fuck are are you doing here, you big oaf? We called you over an hour ago!”
Before the anxiety-driven inspector could lash out any further, he was distracted by the blonde-haired Daisy Mizuhana, his sister-in-law, who called out to him.
“Daisy! Where’s Nina? Has she been found yet?!”
“Woah there, big guy… Try not to get too excited around . I get that you’re a little pent up, but we don’t wanna get in trouble with Misty now, do we?” The incorrigibly salacious woman said with a wink.
Ali groaned. “Now’s NOT the ti for jokes, woman! Can’t you keep your head on straight for once in your life?!”
Daisy frowned. “Hey, I’m not the one fucking around and counting beans here!”
“They’re not letting us through!” Ali jabbed an accusatory finger at the loathso League official in the distance. “YOURPEOPLE are the ones getting in the way!”
Daisy sneered and responded with a click of her tongue. “Well why didn’t you say so?! You could’ve texted, you know?”
“Because there’s no Pokenet signal next to the wormhole, you fool!” Ali growled as Daisy sashayed her way over to the stubborn bureaucrat. He had been trying to get ahold of his in-laws the entire ti that he was forced to wait. But because the pair of Cerulean Sisters and their rmaid contingents were busy securing Team Rocket’s base embedded within the well, his ssages weren’t going through.
Still, he bit his tongue and watched with no small degree of satisfaction as Daisy tore into the moronic, power-tripping, Snorlax of a man.
“B-But Lady Mizuhana—”
“Don’t you dare ‘Lady’ , buster! Now listen here, you Loppuny fucking asshole!”
If there was one thing to be admired about the Mizuhanas, it was their utter lack of sha and their sheer willingness to throw the weight of their na around when it counted. Arceus knew Ali himself had benefited greatly from his wife’s reputation on occasion, ashad as he was to admit it.
“There, done-zo!” Daisy declared when she eventually returned to their side, leaving a fuming, red-faced bureaucrat in her wake. “Now co on! You can save the praise for when we go get drinks tonight!” She beckoned.
Ali turned to look at Kuchiba with a questioning gaze, only to receive a hapless chortle in return. “Go with her. Larry and I’ll stay behind to help smooth things over with the League.”
He smiled. “Thanks boss, ‘preciate it.”
***
The walk through the ruined battlefield was sobering, to say the least. On the surface, trees were toppled as corpses strew the field, of both humans and Pokemon alike. “Most of them are Rocket goons, but still…”
He had seen the ‘education facilities’ that Team Rocket was operating, in their goal of conditioning Ace Trainer candidates to infiltrate their ranks. So he knew for a fact that a lot of those fallen individuals might have been victims themselves.
“Hm-hmm~♪ Hm-hmm~♪”
anwhile, Daisy was just leisurely walking along while humming a cheerful tune, completely indifferent towards the death and destruction surrounding them.
“It’s all a shell…” Ali mused. He had been around the Cerulean Sisters long enough to know that the woman’s cheerful facade was just her way of coping with trauma.
That party animal lifestyle and their odious reputation — it was all in place to distance themselves from society’s reproach. In truth, beneath it all were hearts of gold, just like the love of his life.
“Have you found any traces of Nina?” Ali asked again as they entered into a broken tunnel and boarded a rickety old elevator. The entrance into Team Rocket’s base was disguised as an abandoned Ranger Outpost near a mineshaft.
He would have preferred to just Fly straight down to the bottom, but the League had already instituted a flight ban to prevent any unwelcod vandalism of the site.
“Relax~ We found Misty’s old fla where Giovanni got his shit wrecked. He told us that Celebi showed up and took Nina away. aning she didn’t get sucked into Giratina’s asshole, so calm your tits already.”
Ali sighed in relief, blatantly ignoring the mischievous look that Daisy shot him at the ntion of Misty’s ‘old fla’. “It’s probably Ash Ketchum…”
He had already been briefed about the involvent of his wife’s forr traveling companion, in addition to Misty's own admission about their relationship. Which was to say, nothing special at all. Misty had always just treated the man out of ti as a particularly vexatious younger brother.
“And if there’s one thing I know about romance, it’s that being bro-zoned is worse than being friendzoned, as the kids say…”
“So do we know where she is then?” He continued to ask.
Daisy shrugged as they exited the elevator and passed by a group of children, looking dazed and being herded by a Chansey. “No idea. But I’m sure she’ll show up eventually… Those are so of the other missing children, by the way.”
The woman clicked her tongue in woe. “Honestly, that stupid kid… That stunt she pulled with her Dragonite nearly brought the whole place down. If not for Koga— I an, Kyou—- those kids would have been mush by now.” She was, of course, referring to Nitey’s ridiculously nad ultimate move that he used on Cinnabar Volcano.
“But you gotta hand it to that old Gengar, Kyou wasn’t the big bad of League Intelligence for no reason…”
Because while Morty and his lot were still struggling to disable the barrier surrounding the well, Kyou had already snuck ahead of them. And he would have been able to lend a hand against Giovanni, maybe even kill him, were it not for the fact that he was waylaid by the need to shield Team Rocket’s victims from their crumbling base.
Villain though he may be, it was undeniable that the forr Elite Four and patriarch of the Koga Clan had his own set of principles.
“Or maybe he was trying to make up for his abhorrent sins out of sheer guilt.” Ali sneered. “Don’t forget that his willful negligence was what allowed the Yamaguchi Group and Team Rocket to carry out their sches unopposed.”
Ali bent down to check on one of the listless children with an anguished look. “These kids are only here because Kyou implicitly allowed them to be taken, Daisy. One right does not make two wrongs, and don’t you ever forget that.”
“Yeah, yeah… You think I don’t know that? I’m just trying to be positive here. You don’t have to be all dour all the ti, you know? No matter what he did or didn’t do in the past, the fact of the matter is he did co back to his sense in the end and tried to unfuck his fuck-ups. That’s more than what can be said about the rest of these Rocket cunts!”
Daisy exclaid as she gave a passing Rocket goon a kick in the nuts, sending the asshole rolling on the ground as the accompanying Ace Trainer shot her an exasperated look.
“And as far as I’m concerned, that counts for sothing. Traitor or not.”
Ali waved and nodded in affirmation as the two continued wordlessly on their way, an awkward silence having been wedged between them.
“We’re here. Go and do what you Interpol people do, I guess…” Daisy said when they eventually reached the bottom.
The path to get there was winding and vexatious, with many paths either collapsed entirely or deed too hazardous to traverse owing to chemical leakages, escaped Pokemon and the like.
And upon their arrival, they were t with the ever lethargic sight of Lily Mizuhana and a disheveled looking Ash Ketchum chatting with Morty as they sat atop so of the rubble. All while a sharply undulating tear in reality watched over them like the baleful iris of an enraged Salance.
However, before he could proceed any further, a mischievous green pixie showed up with a handwritten note in her hands.
***
“Gooood morning~ Indigo! This— is INDG News!”
Rhythmic music sounded, signalling the start of the show.
“Assss~ always, I’m your host, Jotaro, and with as usual is…”
“Hello everyone, I’m Saya.” said the sharp but genial looking young woman sitting next to the main anchor.
Du-du-du—du-DUM!
“Breaking news from the Pokemon League this morning; Ookii Urusai, press secretary of the Indigo Pokemon League held a press conference declaring an end to the nace of Team Rocket.”
The screen behind the anchors shifted to show a clip of a loudmouthed old man gesticulating wildly and scattering spittle all over his audience.
“According to Secretary Urusai,” Jo continued, “the Indigo Ace Corp, under the leadership of Elite Four mber, Lady Sabrina Sumrs, embarked on a joint operation between Kantonian and Johton forces to strike against the main body of a secretive Team Rocket base hidden deep within the Northern Mountain Ranges.”
The screen shifted once more to show the still-radiant visage of a haggard but victorious Sabrina returning to her Gym.
“The operation, reportedly one that was months in the making, was dubbed Operation Rocket Plunger and proclaid as a demonstration of ‘power through unity’ by Press Secretary Urusai who, in his speech, also urged for people of both regions to ‘stand strong against any malignant forces that seek to tear us apart’.”
Jo shuffled his notes and paused to take a breath — it was mostly just for show since he was mainly reading from a teleprompter.
“We were unable to get a hold of Lady Sabrina for comnts at this ti. However, our reporter at the scene was able to confirm that the notorious mastermind behind Team Rocket, the escaped convict and forr Leader of the Viridian Gym, Giovanni D’Argento has been pronounced dead and deceased at the conclusion of Operation Rocket Plunger.”
“How joyous!” Saya trilled. “Does this an that both Indigo regions will finally move past the war and see long lasting peace?”
Giovanni wasn’t just any ordinary crilord. He was also a venerated war hero and an intransigent symbol of the past. With both him and Koga gone and Pryce long since incapacitated, it was hopeful to assu that the denizens of Indigo might finally move on from their bloody history.
“It’s hard to say, Saya...” Jotaro continued, his smile shifting to a more somber look. “But if such a major operation between Kanto and Johto could be arranged and kept under wraps for so long, then it’s safe to say that we might finally be seeing so easing in regional politics.”
Saya nodded. “But still… It’s incredible that Lady Sabrina led the charge on this one. The venerated Psychic Master has always been quite aloof with her involvent in League-related matters.”
Jo chuckled. “Perhaps… But you have to rember, Saya. While Lady Sabrina was never the most proactive Elite Four mber, she was certainly the one who was most faithful to her duties, always showing up whenever she was needed without fail. Not to ntion, there’re also the rumours that she’s the current frontrunner to succeed Champion Lance as the next Indigo Champion. So perhaps this is just a testant to that fact. I, for one, would feel much more assured under the guidance of such a cool and level-headed beauty as our Champion.”
“Oh, so you’re saying that we might finally see an end to the Blackthorn Clan’s decades long dominance of our region?” Saya asked. “But speaking of which, it is said that Champion Lance was absent during Operation Rocket Plunger, is that true?”
Jo nodded. “Indeed. Several of our anonymous sources have corroborated that fact. So perhaps there is so truth to these rumours of a change in guard after all. But speaking of a change in guard…”
“You’re referring to the list of key contributors that was released to the press?” Saya continued.
“Exactly right!” Jo exclaid. “According to the list, one of the lynchpins of Operation Rocket Plunger’s success is a na that’s been on everyone’s mind recently, the region’s hottest rookie… our favourite Maiden of the Seaaaa — lina Jones!”
Saya nodded fervently in agreent. “To think that this is the third such incident involving Team Rocket that Miss Nina has contributed to. It seems she really has it out for those Rocket fellows, huh?”
“The fourth incident, actually.” Jo added. “That we know of. She and Lady Misty had a run in with Team Rocket when she was much younger as well, which might explain her dogged crusade against them. But she’s not the only mber of the new generation who contributed. According to the list, Lady Sabrina also brought along her nephew, Mash Hinatsu. Though his na isn’t as prominent as Miss Jones’ in terms of rit.”
“He’s the boy who’s set to inherit Lady Sabrina’s position as the Saffron City Gym Leader, right? I heard he’s a year younger than Miss Nina and still studying in Trainer School.”
“That’s right. Mr Hinatsu is Lady Sabrina’s nominal successor, and Miss Jones was accompanied by her two aunts, the noble Daisy and Lily Mizuhana, from the Cerulean Gym as well, likely in place of Lady Misty who is currently away on maternity leave, which gives further credence that we’re about to see a significant shift in Kanto’s hierarchy.”
The two continued speaking for so ti, going further into the details of Operation Rocket Plunger — the heavily sanitized and redacted version of the events allowed to the public, that was.
In the end, it was all just propaganda — a carefully crafted ssage designed to steer public direction in a way that was conducive to the League’s agenda.
Nobody knew that an Ultra Wormhole was torn in the region, in the sa way that they didn’t actually know that the operation was a hastily put together affair by Violet and Clair, or that Giovanni wasn’t actually confird dead, nor the fact that majority of the Indigo League, kept out of the loop as they were, were now scrambling to cover their bases and keep the situation under control.
“— Yes, I’m quite looking forward to what sort of exciting new changes this new generation of talent has to offer. And speaking of which, I suppose it’s about ti for us to bring it over to our expert on all things Gym related — take it away, Dirk!”
Du-du-du—du-DUM!
The cara cut and shifted to a neighbouring set where an energetic young man was standing in front of a green screen.
“Thank you, Jo! And thanks, Saya! I’m Dirk Schmidt, here to bring you yet another weekly update on this season’s Gym battles!”
The green screen, which was originally interposed with a giant logo of the Pokemon League, shifted to show a collage of portraits for this season’s most notable young Pokemon Trainers.
“Starting from Kanto, we, of course, have our ever prominent Aquarium Girl, lina Jones, in the lead with four whole star badges and two regular badges. This brings her up to a whopping six badges in just May of this year — barely halfway through the season!”
The smiling portrait of Nina expanded — one of the more visually appealing photos that she took while modelling for PKQLO — as a clip started playing of her most recent match with Blaine, showcasing the awe-inspiring sight of her ga Dragonite facing off against a supersized Volcarona in the skies of Cinnabar Island.
“This clip you’re seeing here is of dear Miss Jones’ most recent star battle in Blaine’s Gym — universally recognised as one of the toughest Gym Leaders to win over in Indigo, let alone trying to best the forr Champion in a star battle. So it’s pretty safe to say that Miss Jones ain’t no firecracker. Better watch out, folks!”
“I gotta say, Dirk.” Jo chid in from the other set. “I don’t envy the poor saps who’re unlucky enough to et her in the conference. As far as we know, that’s the first ever recorded ga Dragonite sighting, right?”
“Exactly!” Dirk exclaid. “So unless Giovanni rises from his grave or unless the Blackthorns have sothing up their sleeve, it’s looking pretty likely that this year’s conference is going to be a clean sweep for the Cerulean Gym. Though I have to question Miss Jones’ sowhat erratic Gym route, going from Kanto to Johto then back again. I wonder if there’s so sort of logic to the madness.”
There was none. Little did the newscaster know, Nina was literally just going to whichever part of the region struck her fancy at the ti. And with a Dragonite-shaped jet engine as well as an Espeon capable of Teleport at her beck and call, it really didn’t matter to her much.
Thus, after showing a few more clips of Nina’s Gym battles — sothing that the producers were very fond of doing given how flashy and dramatic the girl tended to be — the screen shifted once more and returned with the portrait of a blonde, curly-haired girl with a surly look on her face, almost like a Snubbull given human form.
“Next down the line, we have Tanya Morimoto, hailing from the storied Morimoto Clan whose legacy dates back to the days of the Pewter Military Complex, with three star badges under her belt.”
A clip played of a fiery Arcanine chomping down on Erika’s Venusaur.
“Unlike Miss Jones, Miss Morimoto’s route has been a lot more sensible, almost boring in its moderation, earning her star badges from the Viridian Gym — before Victor’s betrayal — to the Pewter Gym and, most recently, winning against Erika in Celadon City. In other words, it seems dear Miss Morimoto is playing it safe and going for the Kantonian badges by order of ascending difficulty. I predict that her montum will stall in due ti, but what do you guys think, Jo, Saya?”
“I dunno…” Saya mused. “Miss Tanya looks super adorable, and playing it safe isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As they say, the steady Torterra wins the race, and not everyone can be equally as flamboyant as a Cerulean rmaid.”
Jo chortled. “I don’t see how the girl’s cuteness factors into all of this. But I agree, taking it slow and steady is perfectly valid. Though she would have to work extra hard if she’s looking to contend with Miss Jones, especially considering her Arcanine had already lost to Miss Jones’ Dragonite once in the past. And that was when he was still a Dragonair, before his Evolution and before the pair got a hold of a ga Stone.”
At the anchorman’s words, the clip changed to one depicting a standoff between two girls in school uniforms standing behind their respective Pokemon in the inter-school et.
“I agree!” Dirk continued. “Looks like it’s gonna be an uphill battle for our poor Miss Morimoto, folks!”
The screen shifted once again and another portrait was expanded. This ti, of a haughty, red-haired visage.
“Moving on! We have an illustrious scion of the Blackthorn Clan, Lady Lilian Blackthorn, who is only possessed of a single regular badge so far. My, how concerning… Is she rely biding her ti? Or is there a larger stratagem in play, perhaps? Last we heard, she was taking on the role of a temporary Gym Trainer in the Cianwood Gym. Is there trouble in paradise? A falling out with her clan, maybe? It’s hard to say… But what we do know is that Master Chuck of the Cianwood Gym had recently declared the participation of one of his young disciples in this year’s conference.”
A clip began playing, showcasing the rotund and ever boisterous figure of a laughing Chuck, dynamically posing in front of the cara. “Gahahaha! As if we’re gonna let soone waltz into our Gym and snag a star badge for free. Look out, Aquarium Girl! Look out, Misty! We’re coming for you!”
“Oh my, it seems that the competition is really heating up for this year’s Indigo Conference! But since we’re already on the subject of Johto, let’s look at what other promising talents the region has to offer—”
The TV blackened as Lilian tightened her grip on the remote, her other hand pulling fervently against her half-cape while biting down on her lip.
“Nina… I won’t fall behind… I can’t fall behind…!”
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