"Phew～ that was great!!"
With the battle over, Zinnia happily recalled Salamence.
Sure enough, battling Caitlin with Pokémon was a blast!
"Caitlin, let's do a full‑team battle again sometime!"
Zinnia said to Caitlin, full of anticipation.
The only shame was that Caitlin wasn't fully in Champion‑tier yet.
If she were, it would've been even better!
"I'll work hard."
Caitlin naturally understood Zinnia's ideology and smiled as she replied.
"Mhm, mhm! But when we were battling earlier, didn't something fall from upstairs?"
Zinnia walked over to the greenery, speaking in a puzzled tone.
"I think so. Miss Zinnia, I'm a little exhausted. I'll go rest first."
Caitlin nodded. She didn't care much about it. She'd thrown herself completely into the battle just now, and now that it was over, she felt a bit mentally drained.
Plus, the fight with Zinnia had taught her a lot; she needed time to digest it all.
"It's fine, go ahead. I'll look around."
Zinnia was still full of energy. Unlike Caitlin, she'd always had good stamina.
And she didn't have to do what Caitlin did—channeling her psychic power into her Pokémon—so of course Caitlin would be more exhausted.
Caitlin went into the villa through the back door.
"I remember it landing around here, right? Got it—huh?"
Zinnia parted the leaves and froze when she saw a shoe stuck upside‑down in the soil. A shoe?
"It should've fallen from that room… Eh? Why's it so wet? And this smell—"
Zinnia picked up the black shoe, a high heel. She peered inside; there was some kind of questionable "liquid" at the bottom.
More importantly, Zinnia caught a whiff of something on it.
Emmm…
Zinnia scrunched up her little face. She didn't know how to describe it; the smell just seemed kind of weird to her.
"That room should be Courtney's, right? Weird, since when does she wear high heels? And how'd her shoe fall out?"
Zinnia lifted her head to look at the tightly closed second‑floor window, totally puzzled, then casually tossed the black heel back up.
Those damp spots in the shoe and that weird smell had left her completely stumped—but whatever. It had nothing to do with her.
"Man, that hit the spot."
Damian stepped out of Courtney's room feeling utterly refreshed.
This little temptress Courtney was exhausting—in the best way. She really knew how to cooperate too; those stifled little moans were the best accelerator.
Even a battle‑hardened guy like Damian couldn't help getting hyped up.
Well, going too hard had its downsides. One of her shoes had literally gone flying out the window. Good thing Caitlin and Zinnia had been busy battling and hadn't noticed.
And Courtney had even passed out halfway through. Couldn't be helped—it was her first time.
He'd just been about to go downstairs and rest for a bit when he spotted Caitlin.
"Caitlin, you're back."
"Yes. Miss Zinnia is very strong. I'm not her opponent yet."
"I saw. But I believe you'll surpass her in the future, Caitlin."
Damian smiled warmly, encouraging her.
"Mhm～"
Caitlin's lips curved slightly, a gentle smile blooming. The boy's silhouette reflected in her eyes.
"You must be tired after that battle too. Go rest for now. I'll call you when it's time to eat."
Damian fussed over her. Mega Evolution also drained a Trainer's energy—especially since Caitlin had been using psychic support on top of that.
Even if her stamina was a lot better now than before, this had probably still pushed her limits.
"Okay. Sorry to trouble you, Damian."
"With our relationship, you're really gonna say stuff like that?"
Damian chuckled.
Caitlin's refined lips softened into an even deeper smile. She lightly lifted her skirt and started up the stairs, but as she passed him, her pert little nose gave a tiny sniff.
Caitlin's steps didn't falter. She acted like nothing had happened—but her eyes had already changed in a very subtle way.
Damian's body… smelled like another woman's perfume!!!
Caitlin bit her lip, her fair face shifting between light and dark.
Which damn little slut was it?!
Her good mood evaporated instantly.
Unbelievable! She'd just gone off to battle for a bit and someone had already snuck a taste of Damian!
How could this be allowed?! Way too much!!
The next day.
"Damian, I heard there's going to be a Pokémon Contest in Lilycove City tomorrow."
Caitlin ate her breakfast with elegant composure. Thanks to her careful checking, she'd quickly figured it out.
Yesterday's little sneaky cat thief had been Courtney!
She'd known it. That crazy‑brained woman had definitely been eyeing Damian's body!
But she hadn't expected that just while she was gone for a short while, Courtney would already find an opening. Truly infuriating.
Still, it was only Courtney—a complete non‑threat. How could a woman like that possibly compete with her?
A mere weakling with a battle power of 2.5.
Before she successfully claimed her place, she might as well let Courtney satisfy Damian's urges a bit. Whatever. She totally didn't care.
That's what Caitlin told herself.
Why did it feel like Miss Caitlin had a huge problem with her today?
Courtney quietly sipped her tonic soup. Caitlin's needle‑sharp gaze made Courtney feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.
A moment later, though, Courtney just stopped thinking about it. A suspicious blush rose on her cheeks as she snuck glances at Damian from the corner of her eye.
Caitlin's gaze grew even colder.
"A Pokémon Contest, huh? You interested, Caitlin?" Damian thought for a bit.
He honestly didn't have much interest in Pokémon Contests. Coordinators focused on making moves more beautiful and gorgeous.
But going to watch wasn't out of the question. He could just treat it as taking Caitlin out for a stroll.
"If you want to check it out, I'll go with you."
"I am a bit curious. Back in Sinnoh, I'd heard about them a lot, but I never had the chance to see one in person."
Caitlin's calm tone couldn't quite hide her delight—she was clearly happy.
"All right, then you'd better not sleep in tomorrow. It starts at ten in the morning."
Damian glanced at his phone. He'd just looked up the Lilycove City Pokémon Contest schedule.
"Mmm～ I'll do my best to get up early."
A faint shadow crossed Caitlin's delicate features.
This psychic young lady actually loved napping quite a bit—she even had a bit of morning temper.
Unless something special came up, she pretty much always slept until she woke naturally.
"Good."
Damian couldn't help laughing.
After breakfast, Damian and Caitlin headed out. Courtney, on the other hand, used "not feeling well" as an excuse to go back and rest.
After how intense last night's first time had been, she really was still sore. And with Damian going out today to hit Team Magma, Courtney didn't want to be part of that.
Damian, very considerate, agreed.
As for Zinnia, she was still sleeping in. Smashing Team Magma didn't require her at all.
So Zinnia just kept right on sleeping.
On the northwest coast of Lilycove City, Damian and Caitlin arrived to find Archie—now in a tight black uniform—already waiting with his people.
"You really do like skintight suits, huh."
Damian looked Archie up and down, words blunt as ever. With his sharply defined muscles, Archie looked exactly like some macho "big bro."
"Hahaha～ tighter's better for fighting. Lord Damian, let me introduce you. This is Matt. He was willing to join Team Rocket too."
Archie was in a great mood right now, laughing as he pointed out the even more massively built man beside him.
This was Matt, one of Team Aqua's three former Admins.
"Lord Damian."
Matt had good instincts. He immediately bowed his head and greeted Damian respectfully.
"Not bad. From now on, stick with Archie." Damian was very satisfied.
"Too bad Amber got captured by Officer Jenny. I couldn't get him out."
Archie scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.
During the Mt. Chimney operation, Amber had been nabbed by Officer Jenny. Archie hadn't been able to do anything.
He might've been hot‑headed, but even he knew better than to go storming a Police Department.
"Let's move."
Damian nodded.
No way he was going to tell Archie that he'd been the one to knock Amber out and personally hand him over to Officer Jenny.
"Move out!"
Archie was fired up. If someone was going to lead the charge against Team Magma, it had to be him!
The group set off on Water‑type Pokémon, while Damian and Caitlin flew on Metagross.
This Team Magma base was on a small island just north of Lilycove City.
After about ten minutes, they landed on the island.
Inside the base, Maxie sat in his office, sorting through their recent findings.
He was feeling a serious sense of urgency. Team Rocket had been a complete surprise.
And even though he'd already tipped off the Hoenn League about Team Rocket, why hadn't the Hoenn League done anything yet?
Useless. Absolutely useless.
"Mt. Pyre, huh?"
At last, Maxie found the intel he'd been looking for. He stood up, clearly excited.
He'd finally found it—the legendary Red Orb, on Mt. Pyre, in the hands of a certain husband and wife.
Once he obtained the Red Orb and located Groudon, he could use the Orb's power to control it.
Land was what mattered most. Only by expanding the land could humans and Pokémon gain far more room to live and move. That would be a truly beautiful world!
"I can't waste any more time. The sooner I get the Red Orb, the better!"
Maxie made up his mind. Just as he reached for the bell to summon his subordinates—
Bang!
The office's main doors were blown open with a deafening boom. Smoke and dust filled the air.
Maxie dropped into a crouch immediately, peering cautiously toward the door with alarm and suspicion. What the hell?
"Hey～ I see you, Maxie. Get your ass out here already."
That familiar, rough, arrogant voice reached Maxie's ears, darkening his expression.
"Archie. What are you doing here?"
Maxie adjusted his glasses, glaring darkly at Archie as the man swaggered in with that "no one can tell me anything" strut.
Something was off.
Even if Team Aqua had found this base's location, with their strength they shouldn't have been able to bulldoze their way in this fast.
That was how confident Maxie was in this base.
"Heh～ I walked in, of course. Maxie, you scrawny little twig, today's the day Team Magma dies! Hahahaha～!!"
Archie laughed savagely, posture screaming arrogance.
"Heh. Just you and your braindead Team Aqua?" Maxie snorted.
"Of course, I'll admit that taking down Team Magma wouldn't be easy with just me. But I'm not Team Aqua anymore."
Archie's grin turned even wilder.
"???"
For the first time in front of Archie, the usually composed Maxie actually looked stunned.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm a Team Rocket member now. Hahahaha～ Lord Damian, you promised you'd let me solo Maxie, right?"
Archie gave Maxie a "friendly" smile, then turned to Damian and asked. He could barely hold himself back. His fists had been starving for this for ages!
Team Rocket? Archie had joined Team Rocket?
Maxie's pupils shrank. Now he saw the beautiful boy and the gorgeous girl standing behind Archie.
"Wait, I—"
Maxie had just started to speak when he realized he suddenly couldn't move at all.
"Of course. Mind if I record your fight?"
Damian raised a camera in his hand. Cameraman Damian—online!
Former Team Aqua boss Archie versus Team Magma boss Maxie in a passionate wrestling match? No way he wasn't filming that!
Once he posted it, the masses were going to love it.
"Hehehe～ I don't mind at all!" Archie's grin turned downright feral.
"I've already confiscated his Poké Balls. The rest is all yours."
Armored Mewtwo floated all of Maxie's Poké Balls off his body, then released its psychic restraints on him.
Regaining control of his body, Maxie's face went from ugly to almost chalk‑white as he watched Archie slowly walk toward him.
Maxie was completely numb.
"G‑gulp—w‑wait! Archie, calm down! I think we can talk this out!"
Maxie swallowed hard, backing up step by shaky step.
Seeing Maxie so terrified and panicked, Archie felt an indescribable thrill of satisfaction.
"Talk's pointless. C'mon now, Maxie—time to let me enjoy myself. Hahahaha～!!"
"Don't come any closer! Stay away! Get away from me, aaahhhh!!"
~~~
Get early access to 80+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
~~~
Every 100 Power Stones = 2 extra chapter