"Gold, what did Professor Oak say? How much longer do you have to stay there?" Lyra gazed at the computer screen, her eyes misty with concern as she looked at Gold, who was seated behind a quarantine glass.
"It's fine, Lyra. I'm doing great!" Gold replied nonchalantly. "I feel even better than before, both physically and mentally. The food is good, I get plenty of rest, and I have Treecko keeping me company. Honestly, it's more comfortable than camping out in the wild."
Seeing Gold act so nonchalantly, Lyra felt a strange weight in her chest, an unexplainable unease.
"Oh, right! I'll ask Professor Oak if your Shinx can stay with me and Treecko. I can help take care of it, so you can continue your journey without worry," Gold added with a grin.
Due to the virus still being present in his and Treecko's system, all his other Pokémon had been quarantined.
Meanwhile, Cerulean City had begun conducting large-scale Pokémon screenings using a newly developed device. Lyra's Shinx had also been flagged and was subsequently transferred to the same facility.
"If anything happens, you must contact me immediately," Lyra emphasized after they had chatted for a while. Gold's usual upbeat nature reassured her, but she still felt the need to stress this point.
"Of course! And hey, good luck! I want to see you standing on the podium at this year's Indigo League awards ceremony!" Gold said with a bright smile.
After ending the call, Lyra sat in silence. Gold hadn't revealed any details, but she knew him too well. Something big was happening.
"Wow, so this is Saffron City?" Flora stepped off the helicopter, staring at the towering skyscrapers of Kanto's largest metropolis. "Mandarin Island always claimed it was just as grand as Saffron, but I almost believed them!"
Saffron City was the most prosperous city in Kanto—densely populated, immensely wealthy, and brimming with opportunities. If you could imagine it, you could find it here.
Mandarin Island was also well-developed, but its economy was tourism-driven, lacking the deep industrial foundation that supported Saffron City's wealth.
For Flora, who had never set foot outside the Orange Archipelago, the dazzling sights of Saffron City filled her with excitement.
The Rocket Grunts assigned to pick her up exchanged silent glances, unimpressed by her reaction.
Team Rocket valued composure, efficiency, and ruthlessness. Most recruits underwent rigorous training in the organization's youth camps, emerging as calm and disciplined operatives. Flora's excitable demeanor was unusual.
But since Commander Archer had said nothing, none of them dared comment. Who knew? Maybe she was someone's mistress...
Lucius had initially intended to send all four of them to Cerulean City, but after reconsidering, he stationed one in Saffron City to establish contact with Ophelia. Flora was chosen for this role—partly because she lacked composure and needed the experience of working within the Silph Co. system.
Members with clean records were often more useful in Silph Co. than within Team Rocket itself.
Watching Flora's wide-eyed fascination with the city, Sham—her face hidden behind a mask—subtly curled her lip in disdain.
She had already reviewed the four recruits' profiles. While she didn't know why Archer had gathered such a mismatched group from all over, it was clear that, aside from Zeyan, none of them showed potential as elite operatives.
Especially Flora. A former barmaid with no experience in raising Pokémon—her only companion was a recently captured Rockruff.
Sham couldn't help but wonder what exactly had caught Archer's eye about her. Or rather, what situation had forced him to choose her.
Regardless of her private thoughts, Sham would never openly question Archer's decisions.
With an hour left before their scheduled meeting, Lucius allowed Flora to wander the city, while he and Sham headed for Team Rocket's Saffron branch.
...
Silph Co. Headquarters.
As Kanto's largest and most powerful corporation, Silph Co. was situated at the heart of Saffron City. Its headquarters housed thousands of employees, its interior blending luxury with cutting-edge design, showcasing both deep heritage and modern ambition.
"Good morning, Matori."
"Morning, Miss Matori."
A young woman with deep violet hair, dressed in a maroon-striped business suit, strode through the building with an air of cold professionalism. Everyone she passed greeted her with deference.
Her expression remained unreadable as she stepped into the executive elevator, ascending directly to the second-highest floor of the building.
The top floor of Silph Co. was entirely reserved for the company president, Giovanni. Only he had the authority to use the vast space. The floor below housed the offices of the senior executives.
What is she doing here?
Ophelia had just finished delivering her report when she noticed the executive elevator being used. Initially, she assumed Giovanni himself had arrived, but when the doors opened, it was Matori who stepped out.
She acknowledged Matori with a brief nod as they passed each other.
Matori was Giovanni's personal secretary and the only person besides him permitted to use the executive elevator.
Though Ophelia held the title of Vice President's Secretary, her authority was worlds apart from Matori's.
Matori wielded enormous power within the company—far beyond the scope of a typical secretary. If she wished, she could bypass the HR department and fire anyone below Vice President Andreas without question.
She was, in essence, the second-most powerful figure in the company.
Yet she rarely appeared alone at Silph Co., always remaining at Giovanni's side.
If Matori is here… does that mean Giovanni is in Saffron City as well?
Ophelia silently analyzed the situation. As the leader of the Viridian Gym, Giovanni was frequently occupied, issuing directives through Matori rather than appearing in person. But her presence suggested that he had come in person this time.
As she waited for the elevator, Ophelia discreetly observed Matori's movements. She watched as she headed straight into Andreas' office.
When the elevator doors opened, Ophelia stepped inside without hesitation. However, in the brief moment before the doors closed, the shadow beneath her feet twitched—then silently detached itself, slithering along the floor…
"Well, well, if it isn't Lord Archer himself."
Lucius had just stepped into the Rocket branch when a rough voice boomed across the room.
"I heard Lord Archer wiped out an entire division with a single command. Truly impressive, hahaha!"
Lucius glanced up to see a hulking man wearing a golden half-mask and a flamboyant red vest, grinning at him.
Archer's ruthless operation in the Orange Archipelago—sacrificing dozens of subordinates to capture the Crystal Onix and mutant Pokémon—had already spread among Team Rocket's higher ranks.
While criminal organizations valued rare Pokémon above all else, the loss of manpower was still a significant event.
Lucius merely chuckled in response.
There were few in Team Rocket who would dare to speak to Archer in such a tone.
But the man before him—Vicious—was one of them. Reckless and fearless, Vicious had left an impression on Lucius, especially considering his role in the movie timeline, where he used advanced technology to capture Celebi.
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