"Magmar, use Flamethrower!" Kessler barked. "Rhydon, Rock Blast!"
A torrent of fire erupted from Magmar's mouth, searing through the air as a blazing pillar aimed squarely at Dragonair. Simultaneously, Rhydon telekinetically ripped jagged chunks of rock from the ground, launching them in a continuous barrage.
Caught in a desperate frenzy, Dragonair whipped its body around, countering with a desperate Aqua Tail. The shimmering blue energy of its tail met the onslaught of fire and stone, barely holding the dual assault at bay.
"A female, average development, mediocre talent," Kessler sneered, removing his thermal goggles. He tapped the device on his wrist, which analyzed the energy signature of Dragonair's move. "Ultimately, a useless creature content to rot in this backwater. If she's the only Dragonair here, the Dratini must be some worthless hybrid."
A flicker of annoyance crossed his face. He had come expecting a prodigy, a Dratini with the lineage to become a truly fearsome Dragonite. Instead, he found what he considered two mediocre specimens. No truly powerful Pokémon would choose to breed with this Dragonair in such a desolate place.
"Still," he sighed, a cold pragmatism settling in, "a Dragonite is a Dragonite. I shouldn't be so picky." He waved a dismissive hand at his Pokémon. "You two, finish it."
Magmar and Rhydon roared in unison and unleashed their full power.
The air itself seemed to ignite as Magmar formed a massive, searing Fire Blast, the flames twisting into the shape of a giant kanji. At the same time, Rhydon summoned a storm of razor-sharp stones, a deadly Rock Slide that sliced through the air toward Dragonair.
The enraged mother used Aqua Tail again, but this time, her strength failed her. The attack was utterly overwhelming. She was slammed by the scorching flames and battered by the sharp rocks, her pained cry echoing across the valley as she plummeted from the sky and crashed into the lake's surface. The agony shocked her back to her senses, but she was too wounded to fight back.
"Draaa!"
A mournful cry pierced the air. Hidden among the unconscious Water-type Pokémon, the young Dratini could no longer bear to watch its mother's suffering and unwittingly revealed its location.
"Venomoth, go! Seize that Dratini!" Kessler commanded, throwing another Poké Ball. The Bug-type Pokémon materialized and immediately unleashed a wave of psychic energy, ensnaring the small Dratini in a Confusion attack.
Seeing its child in danger, the injured Dragonair struggled to rise, firing a desperate Water Pulse at Venomoth. But the attack was weak, and Venomoth dodged it with ease before retaliating with a powerful Psybeam that struck Dragonair, sending it collapsing back into the water.
Powerless and defeated, Dragonair could only watch in despair as its child was about to be stolen away.
"Don't worry," Kessler mocked, savoring his victory. "You and your child will become magnificent weapons under Team Rocket's care. After all, a Pseudo-Legendary is a valuable asset."
'Dan,' he thought with smug satisfaction, 'it's about time I take your position as Squad Leader.'
Suddenly, a thick, powerful jet of water shot from the distance, slamming directly into Venomoth. The force of the impact made it cry out in pain, breaking its psychic hold on Dratini. It flapped its drenched wings, barely managing to stay airborne.
"I must say, you Team Rocket grunts are all cut from the same arrogant cloth," a cool voice echoed from behind them. "This is a protected Safari Zone, authorized by the Pokémon League. Not your personal playground."
Kessler spun around, his face contorted with displeasure, ready to eliminate whoever dared interfere.
What he saw was a boy in a red hat, perched atop a rock pillar, looking down on him and his subordinates with an unnerving calm. The water jet had clearly been the work of the elegant Milotic floating beside him.
"A boy in a red hat… You're Red from Pallet Town?!" Kessler instinctively took a step back, his eyes darting to his subordinates, silently urging them to deploy their Pokémon.
Though they wondered why their captain was so wary of this seemingly ordinary boy, the grunts were conditioned to obey. They immediately threw their Poké Balls.
"Who are you?" Red asked, his voice steady, completely unfazed by the growing crowd.
"Team Rocket, Second Squad Captain—Kessler!" he announced coldly.
Dozens of Pokémon materialized—Zubat, Spearow, Koffing, and Ekans. An army of low-level cannon fodder, just enough to intimidate a rookie trainer.
Red and Milotic didn't even flinch.
"I've heard stories of your 'fame' from Dan," Kessler snarled. "I never thought I'd run into the little jinx who keeps ruining our plans. It's infuriating."
It was true. Red's name had become a source of immense frustration for Team Rocket's leadership. His repeated interference in their major operations—the Lavender Town incident, the Silph Co. takeover, the raid on the Celadon Game Corner—had branded him a major obstacle. Yet, for some reason, the big boss, Giovanni, seemed content to let him run wild, a fact that left the other executives confused and suspicious.
"Your very existence has seriously hindered our sacred mission," Kessler declared, his voice dripping with faux praise as he signaled the army to attack. "Do you really think a few low-level Pokémon can defeat me?"
"An army of ants can still bring down an elephant," Kessler retorted. "And you are only one man."
"Do you think I'd be foolish enough to come here alone?" Red scoffed, a faint smirk touching his lips.
As if on cue, the ground began to tremble violently. A gray Tauros, snorting with fury, charged onto the scene, followed by the entire might of its herd. They formed a wall of muscle and horn, glaring down at the assembled Team Rocket Pokémon. The two forces faced off, the tension crackling like a gang war about to erupt.
Kessler, who had planned to overwhelm Red with sheer numbers, was stunned into silence. This was not how he had imagined this going.
"Unfortunately for you, my Tauros happens to be a herd leader," Red said casually. "Calling in his brothers for a small skirmish like this is nothing." He then calmly tossed four more Poké Balls into the air.
The Blood-Red Gyarados, the colossal Steelix, the sleek Scizor, and a shimmering, powerful Dratini appeared, their combined presence suffocating the field.
Red's Dratini was now 1.6 meters long, nearly the size of a fully grown one. The raw, ancient draconic aura radiating from it struck fear deep into the hearts of the weaker Pokémon, who averted their eyes, trembling.
"That… That is the Dratini I've been searching for!" Kessler exclaimed, his eyes burning with greed as he stared at Red's Pokémon.
Dratini snorted in disdain and spat a glob of cyan Dragon Breath directly at the man.
Kessler didn't move. Rhydon stepped forward, its massive body acting as a shield, contemptuously swatting the draconic energy away as if it were nothing.
[Chapter Complete]
***
Want more? Check out my Patreon for:
✓ Advanced chapters of all my stories
✓ Exclusive novels & fanfics
✓ Early access content www.p@treon.com/meowthtl
💪 Community Goal: 500 Power Stones unlocks a bonus chapter!
Thanks for reading and supporting the story!