Houndoom's legs trembled slightly as it stood before the four imposing figures. Though it had not yet engaged in battle, the confrontation was already over. Its trainer, the female Team Magma operative, wore an expression even more stunned than her Pokémon's.
At this moment, she found herself completely overwhelmed. She had considered the possibility that she might not match the man before her in strength, yet remained relatively unconcerned since her companion had only departed temporarily. Once battle commenced, she believed her partner would return promptly, allowing them to combine forces against their opponent with numerical superiority in both trainers and Pokémon. This advantage should have secured their victory.
When she first laid eyes on Aoki, panic hadn't set in - if anything, she'd felt somewhat amused. After all, how could a trainer of quasi-Champion caliber be considered weak? By no means! Even within this mysterious space they found themselves in, her skills ranked above average among participants.
Yet when faced with equal numbers and levels, her team fell instantly. This demonstrated the stark difference in Pokémon training and battle coordination - or more accurately, the gulf between trainers' abilities.
Despite Houndoom's desperate pleas for mercy, Aoki's Aggron and company showed no quarter. Ultimately, it was the Aggron who delivered the final blow, seizing the Houndoom by its tail. The brutal scene resembled nothing so much as the Hulk thrashing Loki in those ancient Earth films - utterly savage in its execution.
Truthfully, had Houndoom fought back with everything it had, the outcome might have differed. Aoki's strategy relied entirely on his Pokémon unleashing their most powerful techniques in an initial overwhelming assault. Had Houndoom weathered that first wave, the battle could have turned. But the sheer ferocity of Aoki's opening salvo shattered both the Pokémon's will and its trainer's composure.
The Aggron and Blaziken proved particularly devastating. Witness Pidgeot's condition - what does it feel like to have an armored tank slam into you at full force? Ask that battered bird. Then there was the Magcargo, its normally devastating flames rendered useless against Swampert's overwhelming aquatic might. As for the Charizard? Blaziken's relentless kicks kept it grounded, unable to mount any meaningful counterattack.
When the Charizard finally struggled upright, seeing all its companions defeated drained its remaining fighting spirit completely. The Houndoom's failure stemmed partly from cowardice, but more from its distracted trainer's inability to issue coherent commands.
This three-pronged assault strategy relied entirely on that initial overwhelming burst to crush opposition before they could react. Survive that first onslaught, and the battle becomes winnable; fail to withstand it, and defeat is inevitable.
With all opposing Pokémon subdued by Aggron's might, the Team Magma woman remained too stunned to react. Stone chains materialized to bind her securely as Aoki approached. The intricate latticework of rock restraints left little to the imagination regarding the woman's figure.
Aoki coughed uncomfortably. While sixteen (nearly seventeen) and theoretically experienced in such matters, the current circumstances left him entirely disinterested. "Aggron, cover her with more rock," he instructed, and the Steel-type complied, encasing the woman in a modest stone cocoon while leaving her head exposed for questioning.
Seating himself cross-legged before his captive, Aoki stated coldly, "Now we can talk properly." The woman merely bit her lip stubbornly, refusing to speak.
Aoki's expression hardened. However awkward Aggron's initial binding had been, he was no softhearted fool. "We're in the wilderness," he said icily. "Full of wild Pokémon and animals. Do you know what typically happens to defenseless women out here?"
The color drained from the woman's face as she trembled violently, staring at Aoki in horrified disbelief. Weren't League operatives supposed to follow rules? Since when did they employ tactics even Team Magma would hesitate to use? Weren't captured enemies supposed to be treated humanely if they cooperated?
But the coldness in Aoki's eyes told her everything - this man had killed before, and would do so again without hesitation.
...
When Aoki finally departed the scene, no trace remained of the encounter. Yet his expression remained grim. The Team Magma operative, being quasi-Champion level, had known enough to provide troubling intelligence.
His initial theories had proven correct - Team Magma was indeed involved, but so was their eternal rival, Team Aqua. The two most powerful criminal organizations in Hoenn had joined forces for this operation, which explained their confidence in attacking Wattson.
But the true shock came from learning about the third faction involved. Only the involvement of this mysterious third party could have compelled the normally opposed Teams Magma and Aqua to collaborate. Most disturbingly, this third force was none other than the Hunter's Guild - the organization that proudly claimed neutrality in all conflicts!
Aoki initially refused to believe it. But as the saying goes, a dying woman's words ring true. She had no reason to lie, and without an entity as powerful as the Hunter's Guild mediating, no force could have united Teams Magma and Aqua.
The Hunter's Guild was apparently the true mastermind behind this operation. Team Magma had participated only to obtain certain promised rewards from the Guild, and Aoki suspected Team Aqua's motives were similar. The specifics remained beyond the captive's clearance level to know.
The operation's leadership consisted of Team Magma's third-generation executive Hamura, Team Aqua's executive Izumi, and the mysterious leader of the Hunter's Guild. These three had orchestrated the attack on Wattson together.