Down by the tide-washed rocks, Shu and Silver played in the shallows one boy, one baby Lugia, laughing as they splashed at each other under the afternoon sun. The joy between them was infectious, pure.
A few meters away, Kai and Ash sat atop a broad rock, calmly watching the scene unfold.
It looked like any lazy post-lunch moment. Peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
And yet… something was wrong.
Misty, Brock, Erika, and Ritchie were nowhere to be found.
Beneath the waves, hidden under the water's surface, a massive black submarine hovered in silence.
Inside the command room, Rocket operatives monitored a live video feed of the beach above. The captain, arms crossed, studied the display.
A grunt leaned forward impatiently. "Captain, we've been waiting for over ten minutes. Should we begin?"
The captain narrowed his eyes. "The report said there were seven targets. I'm only seeing three. Where are the others?"
"No sign of them nearby," the grunt replied. "Maybe they left the island? It's remote—no reason to stay."
The captain stroked his chin. "If they've split up, their strength is divided. That boy Kai is still dangerous… but this might be our best shot."
Then his gaze sharpened. "Launch the operation. Surface the sub. Deploy the team."
Back on the rock, Ash watched the calm sea with a furrowed brow. "Kai… do you really think Team Rocket's gonna show?"
"Patience," Kai replied, stretching out on the stone. "This is just like fishing. The bait's right in front of them. It's only a matter of time before they bite."
Right on cue, the ocean began to churn.
The surface erupted violently as a black submarine broke through the waves, rising like a mechanical monster. The swell knocked Shu and Silver off balance, the young Lugia flailing to stay upright in the water.
Ash sprang up. "Hey! Who's there!?"
Then two voices rang out in unison—confident, theatrical, and unmistakably rehearsed:
"If you're so desperate to know…"
"We usually wouldn't bother replying…"
"But today, we'll make an exception!"
"To prevent the world from destruction!"
"To preserve peace across the planet!"
"To expose the lies of truth and love!"
"To carry the fight to the stars above!"
"We're Team Rocket's top agents—"
"—and your worst nightmare!"
Kai blinked. At first, he thought it was Jessie and James. But something was off—different voices, different presence.
Then the sub's lift rose, and two new figures appeared.
They were familiar. He'd seen them in the anime. But this was the first time he was meeting them here—in person.
The woman—Attila—wore a black Rocket uniform with crisp edges. Her twin blonde pigtails flared outward, her smirk sharp and calculating.
Beside her stood Hun—sharp-eyed and quiet, green-haired, with an air of calm cruelty. Precise. Dangerous.
Team Rocket's elite enforcers.
They were younger than Jessie and James, but their reputation was worse—and their results far better. Unlike their theatrical counterparts, these two operated with serious budgets, top-tier equipment, and actual results.
Ash leaned over. "Kai, those two are Rocket agents too. I ran into them once—they're way more serious than Jessie and James."
"I figured," Kai said calmly. "Keep your focus on protecting Silver."
Attila smirked, pointing directly at the baby Lugia. "We're not here for games. That Lugia belongs to Team Rocket now. Walk away—or get steamrolled."
Hun folded his arms, locking eyes with Kai. "You've caused a lot of trouble for Team Rocket. That ends today."
They were confident. Overconfident.
But not because they were foolish—they had no prior experience with Kai. They'd only heard rumors. Rumors they dismissed.
After all, who'd believe a single kid could single-handedly shut down Rocket ops across Johto?
But they weren't alone.
Behind them, shadows moved—dozens of Rocket grunts emerged from the sub, each clad in black, each armed and ready. Fast boats flanked both sides of the vessel, surrounding the island from the sea.
In seconds, more than seventy Rocket agents had swarmed into a semicircular formation completely encircling the beach.
They weren't here to play.
And they weren't letting anyone escape.
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