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Somewhere in the depths off the coast of the Whirl Islands, a hidden Team Rocket base lurked on the seafloor.
Constructed atop a flat seabed ridge, the base was a massive, dome-like structure made of reinforced steel.
Even in the pitch-black waters of the deep sea, it glowed from within casting eerie light into the murky blue around it.
Water-type Pokémon in the surrounding area kept their distance. None dared approach the structure.
Through the thick glass of its observation windows, silhouettes moved inside—Team Rocket operatives working in silence. This wasn't just any base—it was their most secret laboratory in the Johto region.
And at the center of it all was Dr. Namba, a fiery-tempered scientist well into his sixties.
With bright red hair and a matching mustache, Namba looked like a walking inferno—what was left of his hair, anyway. Age and stress had left him bald on top, the sides flaring like a flame. Though he was a decorated mind in the scientific world, one thing drove him mad: everyone always got his name wrong.
At that moment, Dr. Namba sat in the base's control room, flanked by Rocket agents in dark uniforms.
On the massive screen in front of him, a live feed transmitted from a reconnaissance drone spying on the island above played.
He ignored the repeated calls from the field team requesting further orders. His attention was completely locked on the boy standing beside the baby Lugia on the monitor.
More precisely… on Kai.
The corner of his brow twitched. "You've got to be kidding me… isn't that the one they call Team Rocket's No. 1 threat? Why is Kai here of all places? This just got complicated…"
After a tense moment of silence, he waved over an agent.
The grunt stepped forward, saluted, and said, "Dr. Tamba, awaiting instructions."
Namba's eye twitched so hard it looked painful. "Not Tamba. Namba!"
"S-Sorry, sir!"
Letting out a heavy sigh, Namba said, "Tell our strike teams to close in. We'll initiate Plan A. Capture Lugia—now."
The agent nodded firmly. "Understood, Dr. Namba!"
---
Back on the island, Kai stretched his arms with a satisfied groan. Lunch was over, and his stomach was pleasantly full.
Misty yawned, then glanced over. "So, Kai… what's our plan now? We can't just sit here waiting for Team Rocket to show up, right?"
Before Kai could respond, Ash suddenly sprang to his feet, eyes burning with energy.
"Hey, Ritchie! How about a quick battle while we have the time?"
Ritchie smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Ash. I'm not really in the mood. After seeing Lugia… all I can think about is how to protect it. A battle just doesn't feel right right now."
"Oh… yeah, I get that," Ash mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe at the Silver Conference, then?"
But Ritchie shook his head. "Actually… I'm not entering the Silver Conference."
"What!?"
The announcement shocked not just Ash but everyone. Misty, Brock, Kai—they all turned toward Ritchie, stunned.
"Why not?" Misty asked, confused. "You've been working so hard toward it, haven't you?"
"Yeah," Brock added. "After everything you went through in the Indigo League, you're stronger than ever. You'd have a real shot."
Ritchie shrugged. "After the Indigo League, I realized how much more I still had to learn. I'm traveling now capturing new Pokémon, training harder. Someday, when I feel ready… I'll return. But for now, I need to grow."
Ash looked down, disappointment flickering across his face. Part of him had really looked forward to battling Ritchie again. "I understand," he said quietly.
For a moment, the mood turned heavy.
Then Kai clapped his hands to break the silence. "Alright, everyone focus up. We've got a more urgent problem."
The others turned to him.
"If we're serious about protecting Silver and stopping Team Rocket, we can't just sit around waiting for them to strike. We're out in the open they're in hiding. That puts us at a huge disadvantage. So instead of waiting… we hit them first. Take control of the situation."
Misty instantly nodded. "I'm with Kai. Whatever he says we do it!"
"But…" Ritchie hesitated. "Shouldn't we keep Silver away from danger? Maybe we should leave the island or contact Officer Jenny."
Misty scoffed. "And what? Broadcast Lugia's location to the entire world? And even if we try to run, where do we go? Team Rocket won't stop. They'll chase Silver to the ends of the world."
She turned to Kai with eager eyes. "So? What's the plan?"
Kai gave a confident nod. "We draw them out. Bait them into a location we choose one where we control the terrain. Then we take them down hard and hand them over to the authorities. No more threats. No more chances."
"I agree," Erika said firmly. "Better to attack than to sit around waiting. I support Kai's plan."
Brock rubbed his chin. "It's risky… but logical. And like Misty said, the usual channels aren't equipped to handle something like this."
Everyone nodded in unison.
Even Ritchie, though reluctant, turned and glanced at Shu who was quietly nodding along too.
He sighed. What is it about this 'Guardian of the Sea' that gets everyone on board without question?
Still, it was hard to argue with the results.
And so, with determination burning in their eyes, the group began preparing for what came next an all-out counteroffensive against Team Rocket.
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