Carl didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Cynthia: "What's your take? Should we face him?"
He left the decision to Cynthia. If they were in Havenport, with the power of his domain, he would be confident in suppressing Giovanni. But here in the Westvale region, with his strongest ally Lucario absent, his current team might struggle against Giovanni's Beedrill.
Cynthia, the only one present who could match Giovanni, weighed her options. Although intrigued by Giovanni's Garchomp, she was more concerned about the safety of her companions, Serena and the others.
Carl noticed her hesitation and reassured her that safety wasn't an issue. He had already confirmed through telepathy that Cosmog and Nebby could teleport everyone away if needed.
As it turned out, Cosmog used teleportation to release excess energy after its breakthrough. This time, Nebby activated it unexpectedly, but they were always ready to whisk everyone to safety.
"Then I'll take on the leader of Team Rocket," Cynthia said, casting a trusting glance at Carl before preparing to summon her Garchomp.
Suddenly, an unexpected change occurred.
The once dormant Nebby suddenly woke up, floating gently.
Carl's heart sank. Something was amiss.
Sure enough, a bright psychic glow enveloped the small creature.
Simultaneously, a voice echoed in his mind: "Carl, Nebby's about to teleport. We've temporarily suppressed it; what should we do now?"
"What happens if we do nothing?" he asked quickly.
"It will randomly teleport to a place to rest, and our power alone won't bring everyone back," came the explanation.
Carl quickly pieced together the sequence of events. Their initial teleportation here was a coordinated effort to locate Mewtwo. Now, with Nebby recharging, it was ready to teleport again. While losing one could be retrieved through other means, losing any of them would jeopardize their safe return. The thought of ending up stranded at sea or on a deserted island was concerning.
Yet, a part of him was oddly excited, imagining a "Survival with Cynthia on a Desert Island" scenario. However, reality quickly set in—encountering a powerful Pokémon could be dangerous.
"Immediate teleportation!" he decided swiftly.
The two Cosmog floated into the air, their psychic powers resonating with Nebby. The surrounding energy barrier intensified, shifting from blue to purple. Moments later, the purple barrier dissipated like smoke, as if it was never there.
"Are we back?" Serena looked around at the familiar scenery, feeling as if she'd just woken from a dream after such a startling series of events.
Cynthia glanced at Carl, her finger still hovering over Garchomp's Poké Ball. She had almost released it, which would have resulted in it being left behind, much like the drone. Just as she was about to question Carl, the three Cosmog suddenly lost energy, falling into her arms.
"Nebby!" Lillie ran over, full of concern.
"They're just exhausted. A rest is all they need. A soak in the hot springs will speed up their recovery," Carl reassured, handing the light-as-pillows Cosmog to Lillie.
"I'll take care of it right away." Without hesitation, Lillie carried them to the backyard.
"I have urgent matters to attend to, make yourselves at home," Carl nodded to Cynthia before leaving in a hurry.
Watching him leave, Cynthia frowned slightly, sensing he was avoiding certain questions.
Sabrina hesitated, deciding against asking. They had only just met, and probing into personal matters seemed inappropriate. Before long, only the three of them were left in the room.
Sabrina quietly moved to the sofa, pulling out a handheld game console from her bag. Her eyes were intensely focused on the screen, as if trying to see through it.
"Are you playing a game?" Caitlin asked curiously.
Hearing the word 'game' instantly perked Cynthia up: "Ah, an XY console!" She had one too, initially recommended by Professor Oak. She had planned to play casually, but the engaging world and storyline had drawn her in, reminding her of her early adventures as a trainer.
However, as both an archaeologist and a champion, her busy schedule meant her progress was slow. Seeing Sabrina play reminded her that the game might hold clues about Mewtwo. Despite just a glimpse earlier, its immense power had left a strong impression.
Instead of searching online, exploring the game seemed far more intriguing. Cynthia sat down on the sofa, pulling out her console to join in. Since Carl said they could relax, she took him at his word, ready to ask for help if needed.
Serena, planning to check on Nebby with Lillie, was drawn in by the sight of Sabrina and Cynthia gaming, and soon joined them.
Caitlin stood by, feeling rather out of place. She knew of the console and Carl's identity but felt it was beneath her to indulge. Yet, watching Cynthia and Sabrina play made it hard to maintain her composure.
"I refuse to play a game made by that man," she muttered, fighting the urge to rush out and buy one.
"Caitlin, aren't you going to join us?" Serena asked innocently.
Caitlin remained silent.
"Don't have a console?" Serena continued, "Carl has plenty of new ones. Want me to get you one?"
Three minutes later, Caitlin found herself staring at a new console in her hands. She couldn't believe she'd succumbed to such a thing. No, she was merely being polite, not because she wanted to play.
Resolving her inner conflict, she picked up the console, only to pause—how did one even use it? Adding to her frustration, Sabrina was watching her with a mocking gaze.
Their eyes met, and Caitlin finally broke the awkward silence.
Sabrina placed her console on her lap, calmly asking, "Don't know how to play?" Her tone carried a hint of condescension.
Caitlin dismissed the comment. So what if she didn't know how to use a console?
Sabrina's taunt made Caitlin's temper flare.
"Tech illiterate?" Sabrina uttered lightly, striking a nerve with Caitlin.
"What are you implying?" Caitlin snapped, struggling to maintain her elegant demeanor as she glared at Sabrina.
Sabrina, lounging on the sofa, seemed to look up at her from a lower position, yet her gaze felt superior. Her certainty stemmed from her own similar experience.