"Crack—"
The sound of shattering glass echoed through a house in Lavender Town.
"Heh heh heh... Not bad, kid."
Agatha chuckled as she examined the broken mirror before her. Her tone carried a note of approval, and her failure didn't seem to bother her much.
"Dragonair is the most versatile of dragons. Beyond weather manipulation, it can freely control energy. But I didn't expect that boy's Dragonair to have mastered this—must be specialized training. Only Lance's Dragonair has shown such precision before."
She murmured to herself, shaking her head as if disappointed in her own oversight.
Most Pokémon could only fire Hyper Beam in a straight line, helpless to adjust its trajectory mid-flight. Stronger, well-trained Pokémon could slightly alter the beam's angle to improve accuracy.
But Dragonair—if properly trained, evolved optimally, and its potential fully unlocked—could manipulate energy-based attacks like Hyper Beam with the precision of a guided missile. Not just bending around corners, but even drawing in the sky if it wanted.
Ryuuske had ordered Dragonair to fire Hyper Beam out of the tower, then loop it halfway around the structure before smashing through the opposite wall to strike Crobat from behind. A move Agatha hadn't anticipated.
While Dragonair couldn't match its evolution, Dragonite, in raw power, its unique abilities made it far more adaptable in dynamic battles and complex environments. From the start, Ryuuske had positioned Dragonair as his team's support. As for frontline fighters? That's what future Garchomp was for.
A Crobat hung upside down near Agatha. She plucked a shattered mirror from its mouth—a specially modified one that could receive ultrasonic waves.
Earlier, she had used Koga's Crobat to scan the tower with ultrasonic pulses, then relayed the data to her own Crobat, which projected the images onto the mirror. This was how she had remotely orchestrated the battle from her home.
She ambled over to a desk, picked up a pen, and began jotting notes in a journal with solemn focus:
"This experiment confirms that Pokémon's cognitive limitations can be exploited. Controlling trainers via Gastly's abilities to indirectly manipulate their Pokémon showed minor flaws but was largely successful. With adjustments, this can be applied to future plans."
"...Cross-referencing Oak's research on Pokémon social structures, it may be possible to manipulate wild Pokémon en masse without capture. Further testing required."
"A Pokémon's loyalty to its trainer is absolute. Unless betrayed, they will never turn. But whether this 'blind loyalty' is commendable remains subjective."
Agatha was less an Elite Four and more a researcher at heart. After recording her findings, she closed the journal—her work over these past two months was complete.
As the notebook snapped shut, deep purple mist seeped into the room, coalescing into a battered Gastly. Its form was faint, its energy depleted after taking Gabite's Dragon Rage at the last moment.
"Well done, Gastly."
Agatha never hesitated to praise her Pokémon.
"Kekeke—"
Gastly's ghostly laughter echoed as Agatha recalled it and Crobat into their Poké Balls. Then, from the shadows at her feet, a pair of eerie, mismatched eyes emerged—one grinning, one weeping. Holding her notes, Agatha was slowly swallowed by the darkness, vanishing without a trace.
But in a place even she couldn't see, another presence lurked—stealing her research from the shadows.
——
The fourth floor of the tower was in ruins. Fortunately, the structure's craftsmanship was robust—despite the upper levels tilting precariously, collapse wasn't imminent. Ryuuske exhaled in relief. Nearly sank the S.S. Anne a week ago, and now almost brought down a haunted tower. At this rate, I'll be labeled a terrorist.
Dust and debris rained from the cracked ceiling. Koga's Crobat lay unconscious, defeated. As for Gastly, it had retreated after Gabite's Dragon Rage—no way a single move could take down an Elite Four's Pokémon.
With the mist gone, the tower's air cleared—but Koga and Gary remained heavily "intoxicated." Recovery wouldn't be instant.
Without Agatha's commands, the two stood frozen, their Pokémon equally dazed. The scene was eerily silent.
Then—
Ryuuske sensed it. Sabrina and Alakazam's psychic energy surged, forming an invisible battering ram that slammed into Koga's mind. The ninja shuddered, staggering back as pain flashed across his face—but the haze in his eyes dissolved, replaced by clarity.
"My thanks, Sabrina."
Koga's first words upon regaining consciousness were directed at her. Ryuuske realized—Koga had been aware the entire time, just unable to control his body.
Sabrina didn't respond. In a flicker of teleportation, she appeared beside Koga, arms crossed, leaning against Alakazam. Her sidelong glance at Ryuuske carried a glint of triumph.
"Shall we deal with these two, Sabrina?"
Though weakened, Koga's tone was light, almost amused.
"Of course. They've been nothing but trouble for Team Rocket. One's incapacitated, the other's Pokémon are exhausted. Now's the perfect time for two Gym Leaders to finish this."
A cold smile played on Sabrina's lips—though Ryuuske could've sworn there was a hint of smugness in it.
Allies turned enemies in an instant. And my former enemy is now my ally.
Ryuuske glanced at the catatonic Blue beside him and sighed. Not that my current ally is in any state to help.
"How ruthless, Sabrina. Last night, in the rain, we bared our souls and shared a bed. And now, at dawn, you're ready to kill me? Your ability to flip allegiances puts me to shame. Ah, women!"
He forced a bitter laugh, feigning heartbreak.
Sabrina's eye twitched. Even Koga shot her a skeptical look.
In that moment, Koga thought of his daughter—raised alone by him—and his ex-wife, who had abandoned them both.
Ah, women.
He smirked wryly to himself.
To be continued…
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