Outside the Blackthorn City.
"Cousin, can't you stay a little longer?"
A girl with blue hair, who seemed about the same age as Stephen, closely followed a flamboyantly dressed boy. He had bright red spiky hair and wore a dramatic black cloak that made him stand out.
They had just left the Dragon Cave, a sacred domain revered by the Dragon Tamer Clan in Blackthorn City. Inside, a large number of dragon-type spirits resided. Members of the Dragon Tamer clan, as well as certain trainers deemed worthy, often trained there.
"I came back just to train. I'm not interested in anything else," said Lance, his tone lukewarm. He had little patience for his cousin's constant trailing. Unlike Claire, who grew up as a proper member of the Dragon Tamer clan in Blackthorn City, Lance's origins were different. His mother had left the family when she was young, falling in love with his father in the Viridian Forest, where Lance was eventually born.
Thanks to his forest upbringing, Lance inherited the blessing of the Viridian Forest, granting him unique powers. As he made a name for himself in Kanto, the Dragon Tamer Clan summoned him back—a gesture that felt oddly reminiscent of a long-awaited return of the Dragon King.
Initially, Lance had no interest in their invitation. However, the rewards they offered were too enticing to ignore. The Dragon Tamer family, known as the Dragon Masters of the Pokémon continent, used their resources to tempt him. Among their offers were two Poké Balls containing rare mini-dragons—prizes he couldn't resist.
Since then, Lance and the Dragon Tamer family reached a mutual understanding: they didn't interfere in each other's affairs. Lance bore the Dragon Tamer name and acted as their symbolic representative in Kanto and Johto, while the family provided him with top-tier resources and access to their training grounds, including the Dragon Cave.
"But every time you come back, you just train in the Dragon Cave and leave. You never spend time with me..."
Claire pouted, her voice tinged with frustration.
Seeing Claire's disappointment softened Lance's heart slightly. Though his decision didn't change, he patiently explained, "I'm not used to the atmosphere here."
The Dragon Tamer family was the most prominent in the Johto region, frequently interacting with other elite families and powerful capitalists. Lance, who despised corruption and evildoers, had little interest in such circles.
Suddenly, the ground trembled with heavy vibrations. Crashing noises and panicked cries from wild Pokémon echoed through the forest. Lance and Claire instinctively looked ahead, spotting trees toppling as weaker Pokémon—such as Oddish, Caterpie, and Paras—fled in fear.
"What's happening?"
Lance dashed toward the source of the commotion, with Claire following close behind.
"Damn Team Rocket! If you're making my life miserable, don't expect any better for yourselves!"
The roar came from a fierce battle. Lance's expression darkened as he recognized the familiar figure. His grim look mirrored Whitebeard's fury at Akainu or Sasuke's hatred of Danzo.
As an Elite Four member and chief investigator for the Indigo League, Lance had encountered Team Rocket numerous times, sending many of their operatives to justice. To him, the criminal organization was irredeemable.
"Where's Team Rocket?!" he barked, quickening his pace.
Bursting through the forest, Lance emerged onto a clearing where many trees lay in ruins. He saw a Drilbur clash mid-air with an unfamiliar dog-like Pokémon, their Abyssal Spike and Iron Tail attacks colliding in a fierce stalemate. After a brief struggle, Drilbur was overpowered, crashing into its owner.
"You're... Anders, the B-rank wanted criminal?!"
Lance's sharp eyes identified the figure. But what drew his attention next was a masked youth standing opposite Anders, dressed in black and radiating an unsettling presence.
It didn't take long for Lance to piece things together. Anders's earlier destruction had been a diversion, likely to lure residents of Blackthorn City into chaos and escape unnoticed. However, the masked youth appeared to be a member of Team Rocket, likely sent to eliminate Anders to cover up any connections.
His deduction wasn't far off—it perfectly mirrored Anders's thoughts. Meanwhile, Stephen, the masked youth, blinked in surprise behind his disguise. He hadn't anticipated this twist. What started as a ploy to apprehend Anders had drawn not only him but also the formidable Lance and his cousin Claire into the mix.
"Well, isn't this a jackpot," Stephen murmured under his breath.
Lance, unfazed, reached for his Poké Ball.
"Perfect. You two can go to prison together and rot there."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa—don't be so hasty," Stephen protested, raising his hands.
"This guy's a wanted criminal, right? If I take him down, it saves you the trouble. Consider me a bounty hunter."
Lance narrowed his eyes.
"A bounty hunter? Then take off your mask and prove it."
Stephen hesitated. He couldn't reveal his face—it would ruin everything. Now, explaining himself had become much harder.