Night falls, yet the streets of Azoth Town remain illuminated by the pervasive glow of street lights, all powered by the vast electrical grid of the entire Azoth Mechanical City. The cover of darkness provided ideal conditions for an operative of Aoki's experience. His movements were fluid and silent, a testament to his skills. Having now reached the level of a high-level psychic, such a nocturnal infiltration posed no significant problem for him. He moved with frantic speed across the rooftops of the town's houses, a blur in the night. His form was shrouded in a cloak of psychic energy, rendering him completely undetectable to any casual observer. His speed was pushed to its extreme, ensuring that even a fleeting glimpse of his passage would be impossible for any onlooker to catch.
Jarvis resided in a luxurious mansion situated on the main street, not far from the central royal castle. This was the estate left to him by his father, but since his father's passing, it had become an object of covetous desire for many powerful figures in the kingdom. These individuals were likely restrained only by the lingering connections Jarvis's father had forged within the royal family, not daring to act too overtly. His father had also endowed him with a certain degree of self-protection power. However, the ridicule directed at Jarvis's unconventional research originated from these very same circles. Aoki found the mansion with ease, its location straightforward and the house itself possessing a unique, almost stark, architectural presence.
Without a moment's hesitation, Aoki slipped into the mansion's overgrown yard. The size of the property was impressive, yet a glance revealed that very few of its windows were lit. The yard itself was in a state of disrepair; the ground was littered with dead branches and rotting leaves. A single, large tree stood completely withered, and the earth was choked with untamed weeds. The pond at the center of the yard was nearly dry, suggesting that any Water-type Pokemon once living there had long since fled, while those unable to escape had likely perished. The condition of the yard spoke volumes about Jarvis's current circumstances.
Aoki moved cautiously toward the only building with any light shining from within. Even for someone of his ability, a measure of prudence was necessary. At his side, his Gengar materialized silently. While Jarvis was widely considered a failure within the Kingdom of Azoth, that did not mean he was entirely without talent. On the contrary, it was precisely because Aoki recognized a spark of that talent that he had come here. Although Pokemon were not Jarvis's primary focus or passion, he still maintained a degree of strength as a Trainer. Aoki signaled to Gengar, instructing it to scout ahead by slipping inside.
Jiejie——
Gengar nodded with its characteristic grin before melting into the surrounding shadows to infiltrate the house. It returned after half a minute, a longer time than Aoki had anticipated. However, when Gengar communicated its findings, explaining the reason for the delay and what it had discovered inside, Aoki understood completely. It appeared Jarvis did possess some capability. After nodding in acknowledgment of the information, Aoki extended a hand covered in a shimmering layer of psychic energy and pushed the door open.
The moment the door moved, a powerful electrical current surged across its surface. This was the first of Jarvis's designed mechanisms. Any intruder unaware of the trap, attempting to push the door open with bare hands, would undoubtedly be electrocuted half to death before even setting foot inside. It was clear Jarvis was acutely aware of his precarious position in Azoth, hence the implementation of such defensive measures. Aoki's psychically shielded hands, however, negated the current entirely, leaving him completely unaffected.
"Who is it?!"
Jarvis's voice rang out the instant Aoki breached the doorway. He spun around to see a figure clad in a black robe standing at the entrance, completely unharmed by the door's mechanism. Aoki's gaze fell upon Jarvis. The man had distinctive purple hair and a face that appeared somewhat pale, likely from spending too much time sequestered indoors. His overall countenance had a cunning, sharp quality. He wore a pair of very small orange glasses and a khaki-colored coat. Seeing the intruder, Jarvis quickly grabbed a golden scepter resting nearby; it was different from the more refined scepter he would later be known for, suggesting this was his current weapon of choice. A Poke Ball also appeared in his hand as he stared intently at Aoki, unable to discern the visitor's identity. Gengar, hovering beside Aoki, maintained its wide, unsettling smile.
Aoki stepped confidently over the threshold. A flicker of hidden joy appeared on Jarvis's face as Aoki's foot crossed the doorway, but it swiftly transformed into stunned surprise. Several arrows, launched from hidden mechanisms around the room, shot towards Aoki but halted abruptly less than ten centimeters from his body, frozen in mid-air. These were all traps set by Jarvis. During its earlier infiltration, Gengar had meticulously identified and neutralized every one of them, which was the reason for its extended scouting time. To Jarvis's astonishment, Aoki continued his approach unimpeded, striding forward as if the mechanisms did not exist. None of his carefully designed traps activated.
It wasn't until Aoki stood directly before him that Jarvis fully reacted. "Is this the extent of the mechanisms you designed? To be honest, I am a little disappointed," Aoki's voice echoed from beneath the black robe, his face completely obscured by a swirling veil of psychic energy. He looked directly at Jarvis, who could see nothing of his features.
"Who are you? Who sent you here?" Jarvis demanded, thrusting the Poke Ball in his hand forward. This was his final resort, the only guarantee of safety his father had left him. The Ball opened, and another Gengar appeared in the room. However, this Gengar was strikingly different from Aoki's; its body was a light gray hue instead of the usual deep purple. A Shiny Gengar. The Pokemon positioned itself defensively.
"Now! I ask you again! Who sent you?! If you do not tell me, I will be forced to take action!" Jarvis shouted, his voice a mixture of fear and defiance.
A slight smile touched Aoki's lips. The man was still somewhat immature, but overall... not without promise.
Pokemon: Shiny Gengar (Dark Teal)
Gender: Male
Level: 61
Attributes: Ghost + Poison
Ability: Cursed Body
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Confusion, Astonish, Grudge, Haze
Basic Moves: Shadow Punch, Hypnosis, Lick, Spite, Mean Look, Curse, Night Shade, Confuse Ray, Sucker Punch, Payback, Shadow Ball, Dream Eater, Dark Pulse, Destiny Bond, Hex, Nightmare
Learnt Moves: Rest, Shadow Ball, Psychic, Snore, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch
TM Moves: Protect, Sludge Bomb, Taunt, Poison Jab, Venoshock
A Shiny Gengar. This was undoubtedly Jarvis's signature Pokemon. Champion level. This, Aoki surmised, was the primary reason Jarvis had managed to survive for so long, surrounded by metaphorical wolves in the Kingdom of Azoth. Preliminary investigations by the Sky Hunters had indicated that there were not an overwhelming number of Elite-level trainers in Azoth. Therefore, a single Champion-level Pokemon still represented a significant deterrent.