Amidst the shallow pool of water, a pair of eyes suddenly opened from within its surface. In the next moment, a mermaid-like Pokémon, its body entirely composed of water, leaped out before splitting apart to reveal a human figure inside.
"Phew... That was not a pleasant experience, turning into water molecules. Thanks, Vaporeon!"
Ryuuske stood up, rolling his neck as he stretched. The sensation of being dissolved alongside a Pokémon was indescribable—he could still breathe and feel, yet his physical form had seemingly vanished. It was bizarre, almost beyond words.
Vaporeon happily nuzzled against him, licking his hand with its watery tongue.
"Eevee~!"
In a flash, Vaporeon reverted to Eevee and hopped back onto Ryuuske's shoulder.
"Let's go. First, we hit the basement of this building. Then, we head to the top floor. I have a feeling someone's waiting for me there."
Ryuuske glanced upward at the ceiling of Silph Co. Tower. A hundred stories tall, stretching over five hundred meters into the sky—it was the tallest building in Kanto.
---
Silph Co. Underground Surveillance Room
A young woman sat bound in the corner of the room, her hands and feet tied behind her back, a strip of tape sealing her lips. Her light brown hair was disheveled, yet unlike what one might expect, her eyes burned not with fear, but with fury and unyielding resolve.
She glared at the two Rocket grunts lounging nearby, who barely spared her a glance before turning their attention back to the surveillance screens.
"She's Professor Oak's granddaughter, right? Not some famous researcher or Trainer. Why's she getting special treatment here? Just toss her in with the rest of the Pallet Town hostages."
"Who knows? But if the boss says to guard her, we guard her. Ugh, when's the next shift coming? This is boring as hell."
"Saffron's resistance is almost crushed. Once we fend off those Gym Leaders, we'll regroup and move on to the next city. Soon, all of Kanto will belong to Team Rocket! And after that—Johto!"
The two grunts chatted excitedly, while a pair of Hypno stood guard, their eyes locked on Daisy.
"Huh? That's Koga-sama's battle feed. Hey, lady, isn't that your little brother fighting him?"
One of the grunts gestured toward a screen displaying Koga and his Articuno locked in combat with Gary.
At their words, Daisy stiffened, her gaze snapping to the screen. The moment she confirmed it was indeed Gary—and that he was losing—her breath hitched.
Seeing the previously defiant girl finally show distress, the Rocket grunts burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! No need to panic, sweetheart. Once Koga-sama catches that brat, you two can have a nice family reunion. How about a game? We'll make you choose—which one of you dies? Will it be selfless sacrifice, or will you beg for your own life?"
"Heh heh heh!"
Their malicious grins widened.
Daisy's eyes blazed with even greater fury. She struggled against her bonds, though most of her desperation was for Gary's safety.
Still, she was grateful for one thing—despite their cruelty, Rocket's discipline was ironclad. They weren't mere terrorists, but a well-organized military force. At the very least, they hadn't resorted to… other atrocities.
"...Sorry to disappoint, but I'm afraid you two won't live to see that sibling drama."
A voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Who's there?!"
The grunts whirled around, only for their vision to be filled with a storm of needle-like projectiles—Pin Missile—raining down like a deadly hailstorm.
"GAAAH—!!"
A single scream.
Their bodies hit the floor, riddled with countless tiny punctures. Though barely any blood seeped out, their lives had already been snuffed out.
"Thud—"
As the two corpses and their Pokémon collapsed, the surveillance room fell silent. Daisy stared in shock at the walls around her, now embedded with countless needles. Testing her restraints, she realized with astonishment that the attack had severed her bonds without leaving a single scratch on her.
"'Pin Missile' is pretty handy, huh? Especially against Psychic-types—double damage. Only downside is how creepy it looks. Trypophobia nightmare."
Ryuuske strolled in, hands in his pockets, Jolteon at his side. After scanning the room for threats, he relaxed.
"Ryuuske!!"
Daisy's eyes lit up with relief. Tearing the tape from her mouth, she stumbled to her feet, her legs unsteady from prolonged restraint.
Ryuuske quickly caught her as she lurched forward.
"Y-You're here... Thank goodness...!"
The girl who had faced death with defiance now sobbed openly. The mind could steel itself in crisis, but once safety arrived, even the strongest would crumble.
"It's alright, Daisy. It's over..."
Ryuuske patted her back gently as she buried her face in his chest, tears soaking his shirt. Though her soft form and faint fragrance were undeniably pleasant, his focus remained on comforting her.
After a long moment, Daisy finally calmed, pulling away with flushed cheeks.
"...Sorry. You saw me at my weakest."
Her tear-streaked face held a fragile beauty.
"Crying isn't weakness, Daisy."
"A-And you don't need to be so formal. Just 'Daisy' is fine." (dropping honorifics)
She bit her lip, then glanced at the monitor, panic resurfacing. "...Gary, he's—"
"That's his fight. We need to focus on rescuing Pallet Town's people first. Do you know where they're being held?"
Daisy blinked, then shook her head meekly.
"...You're right. Gary's grown up. The others need help more."
Ryuuske nodded, satisfied. Good. Once you and the townsfolk are safe, Ash and Gary can fight at full strength—taking some heat off me.
Ideally, I can even nudge them toward Sabrina.
"But... I'm sorry. I don't know where the others are."
Daisy lowered her head. "...After I was captured, they brought me straight here. I never saw them."
"You don't know?"
Ryuuske's brow furrowed briefly before smoothing out. "...No matter. This is a surveillance room. We'll find them."
Just then, the room's intercom crackled to life—a voice Ryuuske knew all too well.
"If you're looking for Pallet Town's residents, Ryuuske-kun... I might be able to help."
Ryuuske's pupils contracted sharply. He spun toward the speaker, his voice dropping to a growl.
"...Giovanni."
To be continued…