The next morning, the sun shone brightly in the sky.
On the bustling streets of Goldenrod City, countless people were already moving about, going to and fro. After finishing their breakfast, Lucas and his three companions headed toward Jack's dye workshop.
"Hey, Jack~ you're really not looking so good."
As soon as Lucas reached the counter, he found Jack hunched over a computer, chewing on the end of a pen as he stared at something on the screen with great excitement.
But those dark circles under his eyes were heavy—so heavy that, if Lucas hadn't seen him just yesterday afternoon, he might have suspected that Jack had gone three whole days and nights without sleeping.
"Lucas, you finally came."
The instant he heard the voice, Jack sprang to his feet, waving at Lucas.
"How's the project coming along, Jack?"
Lucas handed him a cigarette. From the look of him, it was obvious Jack really had pulled an all-nighter.
Indeed, yesterday Lucas had left Rayquaza here. After all, Rayquaza's massive size made it impractical to take it elsewhere. And for such a project, of course Lucas demanded absolute perfection. Because of that, Jack and all the workers in his workshop had labored without rest through the entire night.
"What, are you doubting my ability, Lucas? The work is basically finished. Now there's only the last bit of tidying up left."
Hearing the question, Jack's expression turned a little dissatisfied—no one was allowed to question his professional skills.
"Come, I'll show you."
Without waiting, Jack impatiently led Lucas and the others toward the dyeing room.
"From yesterday afternoon onward, we began drawing Rayquaza's image from every possible angle, using the photos you provided for the most precise references."
"Just the discarded drafts alone filled up seventeen trash bins!"
"Afterward, following the Greenprints, more than twenty of my finest craftsmen worked without rest throughout the night, while I personally oversaw every step on site."
"And finally, at exactly eight o'clock this morning, we completed this breathtaking dye job on Rayquaza!"
As they walked, Jack explained proudly, his tone brimming with self-satisfaction, as though he had just completed a monumental engineering feat.
And in truth, for Jack, being able to dye Rayquaza's scales was indeed an honor unlike any other.
This was the Sky Dragon of legend in Hoenn!
To dye Rayquaza—such a feat was truly unprecedented!
Green and Zinnia exchanged a glance. Both of them were utterly speechless, left with nothing but ellipses in their hearts.
"Well then, my friends—now it is time for you to witness a miracle!"
At the door to the dyeing room, Jack widened his exhausted but sparkling eyes, his expression suddenly solemn. With dramatic flair, he pushed the doors open.
Creak…
The great doors slowly parted, revealing the enormous interior of the dyeing hall.
And there, standing tall, its head raised high and its long, powerful body stretching majestically, was a colossal dragon—Rayquaza, reborn in a brand-new color.
Majestic. Grand. Awe-inspiring.
The three girls widened their eyes almost to the point of disbelief, staring in shock at the transformed Rayquaza before them.
Its dragon body was now a deep, profound black. Along the wing-like projections along its sides—like the rudders of a great ship—ran streaks of dark crimson, adding a strange, wicked edge to its overwhelming aura.
"My god… this—this is supposed to be dyeing?!"
Green's eyelids twitched uncontrollably as he gawked at the newly colored Rayquaza.
This wasn't dyeing at all—this was gene modification! The effect was far too realistic!
Marnie and Zinnia were just as stunned.
"Good heavens… you actually made a Shiny Rayquaza through artificial coloring?"
They couldn't help but admit it: "Jack, your craftsmanship really is extraordinary."
Lucas carefully examined this "Shiny" Rayquaza from head to tail, nodding in satisfaction as he praised,
"Excellent—absolutely excellent."
It looked so natural, so seamless, that there was not the faintest trace of artificial dyeing to be seen.
If he released this Rayquaza in public now, who would ever believe it wasn't a real Shiny?
"Hahaha~ we used only the most precious dyeing materials. This dye is waterproof, and under the sunlight it reflects with a natural sheen. However… after about half a year, it will need to be reapplied."
Jack laughed proudly, boasting of what was without question his magnum opus: a Shiny Rayquaza, crafted entirely by his own hand.
"Rayquaza, how do you feel about it?" Lucas chuckled. Half a year between reapplications was nothing to worry about.
Still, he asked for the dragon's own opinion. Appearance was one thing, but Rayquaza's comfort was more important.
"Perfect! Human, I am very pleased!"
The great dragon swayed its newly blackened body ever so slightly, testing its movements. Finding no discomfort, it turned to face the massive full-length mirror with satisfaction.
Hahahaha! Now it, too, was a Shiny Rayquaza!
"Though it won't fade in the rain or blur easily… there is one thing…" Jack hesitated, his roguishly handsome features showing a flicker of uncertainty, as if he had something to say.
But before he could finish—
"Human, human! Look at that!"
Suddenly, Rayquaza's telepathic voice boomed excitedly in their minds.
"What is it?" Lucas asked, momentarily stunned by the dragon's uncharacteristic enthusiasm.
But when he followed Rayquaza's gaze, his expression turned odd.
Zinnia quickly turned away, unable to bear watching.
Rayquaza had turned its head toward a work desk. A sheet of paper had slipped from the drawing board, revealing the image beneath—an illustration of a black-and-white patterned Rayquaza.
"This one! This one!! Human, this form would suit me as well!"
Rayquaza's great eyes sparkled with delight as it stared at the sketch of the two-toned Rayquaza, calling urgently to Lucas.
It had discovered a new joy in life—changing its "clothes"!
Lucas: "…"
Huff~
Rayquaza exhaled a gust of wind from its mouth, blowing across the papers on the board.
One by one, more illustrations fluttered into view—Rayquaza in black and white, Rayquaza in rose pink, Rayquaza in gaudy gold, Rayquaza in peach-yellow and ash-gray…
So many colors. So many designs.
Rayquaza's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
So many! Too many!!
"This red one! Human, I don't want black anymore—I want this red one!"
Lucas: "…"
Expressionless, Lucas silently raised the Luxury Ball and recalled the dragon that had been so easily seduced by worldly temptations.
If he didn't stop it now, its eyes were going to fall straight into that sketchbook.
Red? Red your ass!
Inside the Luxury Ball, Rayquaza shook and thrashed, clearly voicing its dissatisfaction.
"Behave yourself. Otherwise, I won't ever bring you here to dye again," Lucas said coldly, without the slightest pity.
At once, the ball went silent.
"Thanks for your hard work, Jack." Lucas put the Poké Ball away and smiled at him.
"Haha, don't mention it! This was an unforgettable job for me as well. Any time you need this service again, you know where to find me." Jack waved generously.
"Good. When it needs a touch-up, I'll come back." Lucas patted his shoulder.
After chatting a while longer, Lucas and his group took their leave.
Although Lucas technically held shares in the workshop, the actual operations were all managed by Jack. Lucas only needed to wait for the dividends and count the money.
"Boss, you didn't tell them… you know, that thing."
After Lucas left, a worker came over to Jack, reminding him in a low voice.
"That thing? Oh, hell—" Jack smacked his forehead. He had meant to mention it earlier, but Rayquaza's excitement had distracted him.
"Eh, it should be fine. I don't think it'll be an issue."
Yes, while the dyes were waterproof and natural, if a Pokémon engaged in excessively fierce battles, the color could chip off.
But come on—this was Rayquaza!
What kind of opponent could possibly beat it badly enough to strip its paint? Such a thing was practically impossible.
Lighting another cigarette, Jack decided the problem was negligible.
-----------------------------------------------
"Hey, Lucas, where are we going next?"
Outside Goldenrod City, Green asked Lucas curiously. Their next destination hadn't yet been decided.
"We'll head toward—hm?"
Just as Lucas was about to answer, his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out—Giovanni was calling.
"Lucas, where are you right now?" Giovanni's deep, magnetic voice came through the receiver.
"I'm in Johto, Boss. What's the matter?" Lucas replied casually. Giovanni never called without reason.
"I've begun preparing. Soon, come to Saffron City. We're going to take over the Silph Co."
Giovanni's tone was calm, but resolute. Yes—he had made his decision.
The Silph Co. was fated to fall under Team Rocket's control.
"As expected of you, Boss. No problem. I'll finish up a few matters here, then return to Kanto," Lucas said with a faint smile. He wasn't surprised at all.
After all, in the original story, Team Rocket had directly invaded the Silph headquarters and seized the entire building.
Facing a criminal organization like Team Rocket, even a world-class company like Silph Co. could do nothing.
Not every corporation had the kind of luck Devon had, with a champion-level son at its helm.
"There's no rush. It'll take some time to prepare properly," Giovanni added.
It was not an easy thing to seize Silph Co. silently, without alerting the Pokémon League. He needed careful planning.
"By the way… you went to Hoenn again, didn't you?" Giovanni's voice shifted.
"Oh? You knew that already, Boss?" Lucas raised a brow. He had only just returned to Johto yesterday.
"The news has already spread among the League's higher-ups. After all, the events in Hoenn the other day couldn't possibly be concealed." Giovanni's voice carried a faint chuckle.
Just two days ago, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre had appeared. The clash of the Desolate Land and the Primordial Sea had plunged half of Hoenn into turmoil.
Panic had spread among the people, forums had nearly collapsed under the flood of anxious posts. It was impossible for such events to remain a secret.
"I don't want to say this, but… I know you captured Reshiram and Rayquaza. Still, Lucas, it would be best if you kept a lower profile for now."
Giovanni lowered his voice slightly. Because of Hoenn, Lucas was once again under the scrutiny of the League's upper echelon.
As a Blackthorn, he was already a figure of immense attention. Now, having subdued Rayquaza as well, the League would inevitably watch him even more closely.
"These days, the conflict between Indigo's Elite Four and the League councilors has deepened once again. Lucas, perhaps our chance will be coming soon."
Giovanni's sharp eyes glimmered. Through his spies within the League, he had access to much of their inside information.
Just yesterday, when Lance returned to the Indigo League, he had been harshly questioned by the council.
During the Hoenn crisis, the Hoenn League had requested aid, but Lance had not been present at the time. As a result, Indigo had sent no reinforcements.
Though the situation had ultimately resolved, Hoenn expressed deep dissatisfaction at Indigo's inaction.
The council, unwilling to take the blame, turned their anger on Lance.
But Lance was never one to tolerate such things. With his proud and fiery temper already soured by Reshiram's rejection, the councilors' incessant nagging finally made him snap.
Right there in the conference hall, he released his Dragonite and unleashed a Hyper Beam that "renovated" the entire chamber. Rumor had it that two of the loudest councilors had been seriously injured and sent to the hospital.
If Agatha hadn't been present to restrain him, Lance might have done even more.
In the end, Lance stormed out, slamming the doors behind him. The councilors dared not stop him. Their political titles meant nothing in the face of his power.
Though President Logi had stepped in to smooth things over, everyone knew the truth: the rift between Lance and the council was now out in the open.
The Indigo League was no longer united.
"Well now… isn't that interesting." Lucas's smile deepened.
He hadn't expected that his dear cousin was already at the point of clashing openly with the council.
At this rate, the day when Indigo's Elite Four and the League council parted ways completely might not be far off.
Tsk, tsk… perhaps I should give things a little push myself?
(End of Chapter)