"Rip his head off, Shenlong!"

"Wise master, violence is wrong! No mami, don't do it!" his Pokédex cried from his pocket. "Be a nice Pokémon Trainer!"

"I was just being hyperbolic, Dexy."

Nevertheless, Shenlong, who knew not even one single new move (thanks Satoshi), tried to squash Lieutenant Mifune, last of his name, more than once with wild flails of his neck, nearly sinking the ship with each whack. The boat bobbed in the water like cork as metal ripped and tore, and in moments, the entire bridge had collapsed in on itself.

"Hey, watch out! We're here too!"

Shenlong, alas, wasn't paying attention.

"I suggest you find a different ship for your journey back to the Sevii Islands, oh wisest of masters," Dex cautioned. "Your current choice of transport is going to sink any moment now."

"Curses! Shenlong, you're gonna pay for that!"

Ryan didn't have to wait long for his wish to come true (it was really a beautiful wish, just a beauty). When Mifune got to the shore, the giant red Gyarados on his heels, he suddenly stopped and threw a Poké Ball into the sand. A moment later, a fully-grown Haxorus appeared.

"Deal with this nuisance, Haxorus."

"Two four six eight, who do we wanna penetrate…?! That guy! That guy! Whooo, get 'em Shenlong!"

The jet-black skies roiled as Shenlong paced along the shore, spraying foam everywhere, the waves crashing against his sturdy, upright body. Haxorus, though he was much smaller in size, approached Shenlong like a hunter against prey, jumping to the air before the great Gyarados could attack. With a simple punch to the vast chest-neck region of Ryan's glorious 'mon, Haxorus landed on the ground, facing him, not his foe, and a moment later, the Gyarados crashed to the sand, sending a splash of water everywhere, drenching them real good.

Dang it… that was my pipe dream! "Shenlong, return!"

The Painted Dragon folded his arms. "This is your last chance to run, kid. I'm taking all of your Pokémon when my Haxorus beats you again."

"You're not taking the sand in your boots! Rip his head off, Thurnax!"

Out soared Ryan's most experienced Pokémon. Landing before Haxorus, the orange creamsicle stared down her opponent with grim satisfaction. Ryan already had the pocket watch and that little pebble that Lance had given him in his hand. He wasn't about to squander this opportunity to look a bit like a badass. This guy's going to have no idea what's hit him.

And truth be told, Ryan didn't either, as he had yet to use her in her mega form, aside from against the myriad wild Pokémon on Acapulco. But this was an entirely different opponent. Haxorus had already taken out his Gyarados in one blow… and not even a super effective one at that. He's strong, but not stronger than my Thurnax. No way, no how, take it to the bank!

"Outrage, Haxorus! Send this boy back to his mommy!"

"Now that's an outrage! You take that back, Mr. Hideous Elderly Gentleman sir!"

He flipped the Fearow at Ryan. "I'll never take it back!"

"Thurnax, Extreme Speed!"

"Aughghaugh!" Thurnax exhaled.

She took to the sky, moving faster than the man's Haxorus already, which was a good sign. Then Ryan slipped the little pebble into its lock, just beneath the face of the watch, and Thurnax's body erupted in white-blue light like flames that coated her as she gained altitude.

"Hang on lad, what's that now? What's going on? You hackin'?" the old man grumbled.

"Have some more pea soup, sir!" Ryan said helpfully.

"Excuse me? Is that any way to talk to an adult?"

"This is how I talk to everyone!" Ryan screamed. "Yo, I'm famous!"

"Are you, now? I've never heard of you before."

"That's because my name's not really Poonflip! Joke's on you, man."

"Oh, okay. That was a really good."

"Thank you."

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know."

Lieutenant Mifune snarled. He was quite hurt by that remark. Now let's put you out of your misery! Thurnax's gonna smoke your Haxorus. Nothin' better than crushing an old man's dreams while on vacation. This is the good life.

As the Dragonite descended, the light erupted around her like she was a falling star bleeding a blue, bloody trail of flames behind her. He had to look away his eyes hurt so much. The moment before she reached Haxorus, the light faded, revealing her new form: scales turned to blue, her eyebrows expanded into wing-like shapes, her neck surrounded by glowing emerald beads of light, her underbelly faded to milk white, a horn sprouting from her forehead, and a tapered section added just before the tip of her tail. Thurnax was born anew.

Haxorus grunted, "Hax…!"

Thurnax crashed into him too fast for any of them to see. The air exploded, the wind whipping around old Mifune's long sailor's locks like it was stormy or something (and it was). Dragonite reappeared on the shore, landing, huffing and puffing, her fists raised, snarling at the Haxorus, her teeth parted, a look of savagery upon her face unlike anything ever seen before, except for a few times.

"Hey, that's not fair! Your Dragonite is an unruly beast!"

"Shut up!" Ryan was having none of that jive. "Nobody talks bad 'bout Thurnax! I won the Indigo League with her!"

"Ieieieiaah!" Thurnax agreed.

Haxorus staggered, muttering, "Hax… hax… hax…" before falling over, unconscious.

"Impossible!" Mifune cried. "That was my strongest Pokémon… my baby boy! Haxorus is number one! He was number one!"

"Well, maybe you're just an idiot old man who's wrong about a lot of things. How about that?"

He flushed, his mustache bristling in indignation. "Wh-why… you… I'll…"

"Thurnax!" the boy called with a smile. "Chase this guy into the forest. I don't want to ever see him again."

"Y-you… you can't! Pokémon only attack Pokémon, not people!"

"There are no rules in war," Ryan replied. "You would have stolen my Pokémon if you had won. I have no sympathy for a coward who would feel so insecure in their own abilities that they think stealing the Pokémon of someone more successful than them would make them a better trainer. It won't. It just highlights how poorly-developed your skills actually are. Now Thurnax… send this polished rube flying into the ocean!"

Lieutenant Mifune, the elderly hominid, let out a grunt of dismay and began to make a beeline for the forest, but he didn't take two steps before Thurnax had shot forward like a cannon and hit him up into the cloudy sky. "That's right!" Ryan shouted gleefully. He would probably land in the middle of the ocean from such a great height, but that wasn't something Ryan wanted to think about. He got what he deserved. That's all that matters. "So long and thanks for all the Qwilfish!" he sang.

Thurnax landed, beating her chest. Katagiri from Ryan's shoulder grew excited and croaked out a rather bold croak. Lightning cracked in the sky, and it began to rain. Well that's just great… What's going on? Where'd this storm come from?

He looked around but found no Painted Dragons. The ship had sunk, having already taken its wounds from Shenlong's reckless attacks. Still, four more were out at sea. He would have to take one of those home. But which way to Sevii? I have no clue where I am… this island wasn't on the map.

One distant ship's bridge windows lit up yellow with light, and he knew at once that there was someone on board that ship (a clever deduction for a boy of Ryan's calibre). That Dragon'll know the way back. I'll just have to watch myself when I get to him. "Thurnax, come on! Let's get out of this rain!"

Thurnax was still transformed, her body blue and white, her snout raised towards the sky, the rainwater cascading down her face. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be enjoying this. You're the best dragon in the world, girl. Ain't no Haxorus gonna bring you down.

In the glimmering near-dark, the ground itself shaking, the air as if boiling, a dozen and a half Painted Dragons stood on the path leading up to the summit of Mount Ember. Each one of them was a man or woman, as most people are, and they held in their hands a single Poké Ball apiece–their only Poké Balls. It was marginally fortunate and not so excellent that they each held but a single 'mon to hold back Alex and Logan. One would think that trusted guards should have more at their disposal, but then this section would take forever, and it really wouldn't affect the outcome either way. One Pokémon or four–that didn't matter. These guys were all going down in one shot.

So had Logan already learned, and so would Alex learn soon. He had released Selena from her ball and commanded her to use Dazzling Gleam on the myriad stolen Pokémon each of the Painted Dragons possessed. Despite all of their arms being covered in the painted trophies of the Pokémon they had stolen at some time or another in their miserable lives, as of present, they had held onto only a single one apiece. It was a remarkable display of vanity and incompetence.

Logan wondered where the others had gone. The Black Market, probably. The bane of all Pokémon Breeders. One day I'm going to destroy that system, even if I have to do it by myself!

Thence went Echo, cutting a swath through Sneasels and Wobbufetts as Alex shouted 'Dazzling Gleam' over and over and over and over again, his Selena the Gardevoir blasting her way through even Klefkis and Simisears like they were nothing–and they were not. After all, these grunts were good for little more than XP.

Rule #1: Never have a bunch of minions that your enemies can level up on with ease. Rookie mistake, Miyazaki. I pity that fool; he doesn't know what's comin'!

Every Painted Dragon was distraught to be defeated, and it wasn't happy times for those losers. "I swear I shoulda won! I shoulda won! No fair, why didn't I win?" asked a man with a bucket on his face, whom Logan decided to call Buckethead, as he ran past them, down the path, now that his Pokémon were defeated. Why do they always run away when they're out of Pokémon? You'd think at least one of them would go up and tell Miyazaki who's coming…

Alex led the way, and after a time, the Dazzling Gleams stopped gleaming up that dank, moist cave. The pittering of footsteps sliding over gravel grew faint. They were alone again.

"Not bad," Alex said. "I didn't think you'd make it all the way."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I didn't think you were a skilled-enough trainer to make it this far."

"Well, I am!"

Alex cocked his head, thinking. "Or maybe those guys were just noobs."

Can't you ever let me have anything?! "Well at least I'm better than a bunch of noobs, Alex."

"Yeah, true, maybe. Anyways, I'll take out Miyazaki myself. Stand back and don't interfere, okay?"

"Why can't we do this together?"

"Well, I don't need your help, so that's all that matters."

"B-but… I can help! Echo and Chansey can help!"

"I don't want to risk it. Just stand back and shut up and don't get in my way. Okay?"

It was a force of habit when his mind returned to that old memory that he no longer truly remembered but only remembered the memories of remembering it: a white shore, a sunburnt man messing with a metal detector without his shoes, that lady with the mirrors on her hobnail boots pulling a dead tooth from her blackened gums, two Clefairy chasing each other on the beach. He was faster than them; nobody could keep up with him. He kept wondering when he would evolve into Clefable, but then that Officer Jenny had appeared, scolding him, asking him where his parents were, asking him why he was down on the ground, why he was shouting 'Clefairy' over and over again, why he wasn't with his mommy, why, why, why.

He swallowed hard, not letting Alex see, blinking his stinging eyes, and followed the older boy up the path to the summit.

They were more brazen in their organization on Six Island than on Seven. Beneath a soot-black sky, Jessica placed her hands on her hips, observing their encampment, standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley below. Look at them all… oblivious to their impending doom. It makes me sick.

"Oh, dear, look at how many there are," Mom said, coming up behind her. "Are you sure you can take them on by yourself?"

"It would be easier with Mewtwo at my side, but I'll manage… Giovanni left plenty of powerful Pokémon for me. Don't worry, Mom. I don't need your help."

"W-well, that's good, isn't it?" her father stuttered like a coward. He was not even facing the valley, but was huddled in front of a pile of sticks trying to start a fire by banging a few rocks together as he shivered terribly.

Good for nothing, more like it. She smiled warmly at her parents. "While I deal with these cretins, why don't you two try to come up with a method to find and capture Mewtwo? You're good at that, Mom, aren't you?"

"Why of course, dear. We'll do anything for our little snookums darling! Just you wait and see… we'll capture that pesky Mewtwo for you no problem."

"Y-yeaaaaaah!" her father agreed, his voice rising and breaking against the wind. "We never lose!"

Neither do I. "Go, Salamence! Go, Gengar! Go, Klefki! Go, Skarmory! Go, Hawlucha! Go, Garchomp!"

Her team was ready. She was ready. Below, in the valley, Painted Dragons were auctioning off Pokémon they had caught in the sea, or stolen from careless travelers to a variety of people. The group they were indulging currently were wearing dark blue suits–three men with buzzcuts and sunglasses and bright fedoras. I wonder who they are. They don't look like anyone I know… but they've got to be some kind of organization. I'll have to keep watch over this in case they ever try to invade Kanto.

Kanto was hers. She had already driven the Painted Dragons away. Soon they would be broken here and crippled. She waited until the three men purchased their chosen Poké Balls and left down the valley trail before attacking.

"Salamence! You're up first!"

"Mence!" the flying dragon roared impatiently.

"Hawlucha, you too. Skarmory, provide them support."

"Lucha!"

"Skar skar!"

"Klefki, Garchomp, come in from the right. Pin them down."

"Kiiiiiiiiiih!"

"Garchomp."

"Gengar, old buddy… with me."

"Gengar gengar!" he grinned maliciously.

She couldn't help but return the look. They moved faster than she would have expected. Gengar held her like a damsel in distress as he jumped down to the valley floor, before setting her down on the ground. It had been the most glorious moment of her life when he had finally evolved as she had been training him against the rest of the team. It had only happened a few weeks ago. Even more than tasting victory, than becoming the leader of Team Rocket… witnessing her first Pokémon, the one she had caught in the forests near Lavender Town, finally evolve into his most potent form, had been a euphoric moment, a moment of sheer catharsis.

When Haunter had become Gengar, so too had Jessica shed her old skin and donned a new one. Her past was dead and buried, learned from, but not driving her. She had been born anew in that moment, and she had known from then on that she would not be stopped–not again. Not here, of all places. She had a plan. The Painted Dragons were nothing compared to her. Neither was that Ryan boy, but she would not challenge him until she had found Mewtwo… not because she doubted her team, but because she wanted to see the look on his face as a Legendary Pokémon took from him all his hopes and dreams and notions of confidence. She would burn his arrogance to the ground, much as she would this black market trading post.

The Painted Dragons were busy tending their flesh market–too busy to notice Salamence descending upon them. We'll not wait for them to draw their Pokémon. I'm here to drive those fools out, not do battle with them. I don't care to see what they've got. The Painted Dragons I've already faced have been nothing short of disappointments. Never again.

Salamence shrieked as he soared, his wings spread wide, over their complex. As all the Painted Dragons froze, then came Hawlucha and Garchomp and Klefki, her well-trained flock. The men and women let out cries of surprise and confusion and the Pokémon attacked. Though a few put up moderate defenses, her Pokémon converged on any other Pokémon sent out to deal with them, instantly taking them out in the least fair way possible. Life isn't fair, and neither am I.

One of Garchomp's Fire Blasts set the building on fire. That was the point most of them began to flee. "Alright, Gengar, let's go."

They came in from behind, catching the fleeing Dragons unaware. Gengar washed over them like a tide, plucking their Poké Balls from their hands, belts, pockets, bags, and piling them at the entrance to the building. With all these Pokémon, Team Rocket will become so much more powerful. I will send these back to my soldiers in Kanto so that they may have better Pokémon to use… even Gilly, if he'll accept any of them. But he probably won't, knowing him. He still thinks all of his Pokémon are the greatest there ever were. Pathetic child.

Ahead, Klefki and Garchomp were pulling the caged and penned Pokémon from the burning inferno. Above, her Pokémon circled as if the warehouse was reeking carrion. Gengar didn't miss a ball, and when Jessica noticed the installation admin amongst those fleeing, she had Gengar not only take his Pokémon, but stop him from leaving.

Maybe he knows more than that last lout. Maybe not… either way, Gengar will get to feast upon many dreams today.

It grew silent rather quickly. The Dragons had left their leader behind. He sat cowering in the dirt, ash smeared across his sweaty, ruddy, oval-shaped face. The man was bald. He looked bewildered to be stuck where he was. He has no clue what happened. What an amateur. I would expect more from a man of his age and rank. Disgraceful.

She had learned long ago to stop assuming adults were competent by default. "Hello," Jessica said, bowing before the man. "My name is Jessica. I am the leader of Team Rocket."

"O-oh… pleasure to make your acquaintance ma'am."

"Where's Mewtwo?"

He was scared; she could read his mind through his moist brown eyes. "Mew… what?"

"Mewtwo, the Legendary Psychic Pokémon. Surely, you've heard of Mewtwo?"

"N-no… I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, ma'am."

"Don't lie to me. I won't be kind to you if you do."

"With all due respect, ma'am, I'm not… I have absolutely positively no clue what you're talking about. Please, if you can, explain yourself…"

"Explain myself? Explain myself?! Are you serious? You're the admin of this installation, aren't you?"

"Uh, yes ma'am."

"How could they have appointed such a stupid man to so high a post? No wonder your gang is collapsing around you."

"I-I… well, there was no need for name callin', ma'am. That was uncalled for if you ask me."

"I wasn't asking you, you insolent Rattata!" she snarled, spinning in place, kicking the dirt, biting down on her lip to prevent herself from screaming out. Impossible. They can't all be this dumb. "Gengar! He's all yours."

"Wh-what…? Hang on, what do you mean, ma'am?"

"You had one chance to prove your usefulness to me, and now that chance has passed," she replied coldly. The warehouse collapsed on itself, sending sparks like hordes of furious fireflies into the air. Her Pokémon waited calmly on the perimeter, the spoils of their victory calling out in dozens of different anxious voices.

"Gengar geng! Geng geng!" her Pokémon cooed as he landed just in front of the man.

Jessica was surprised that the admin never screamed. Perhaps he was merely ignorant and did not know what came after Gengar put him to sleep. Shame. He's too dumb to appreciate the severity of the situation. She often felt like that was the case, though: not only with Ryan and his motley gang of loudmouth imbeciles, but with her parents too.

They mean well, but…

The admin fell with a dull thud to the ground, passed out. Her nostrils filled with burning smoke. They don't have the traits of a leader, like I do. Only I can lead Team Rocket to glory; only I can find and return Mewtwo home. It is all on me, or we fail. I cannot rely upon anyone else. Nor will I.

"Sup D," Ryan said in a friendly tone as he crept up behind the old frog-faced fellow.

"Oh blimey, who's it now? I just emptied my chamber pot, I swear!"

"It's me, Poonflip, don't you remember?"

The man was in his fifties or sixties, was lounging on a folding chair, smoking a cigar, wearing an Alolan buttoned-up shirt and short shorts and sandals with socks, and was fishing over the side of his boat from the dry safety of the bridge, the door held open with a black brick in the corner. It was cold in there, but the man didn't seem to mind, which Ryan thought was very odd. He was positively shivering already, although he hadn't brought any warm clothes with him. The Painted Dragon was listening to a sermon from three-time Journalistic Slowking Award Winner Chunk Ugo'gir on the radio, the man's voice unmistakable, but cracking regularly from the rusty brown device.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. Cool. Hey, guess what?" the man said eagerly. "I've caught three Magikarp, six Tentacool, and a baby Mantine today! What do you think about that, eh? Lieutenant Mifune's going to be so pleased, ain't he? That Mantine alone'll fetch a month's pay on the market. Tell him, won't ya?"

"Yeah, okay man, look, I don't care about any of that. We need to get back to the Sevii Islands… specifically One Island–right now, alright? Can you take me back?"

"Oh, we're going back in a few hours, don't worry. Just waitin' for the lieutenant's call."

Frickin' maroon. "He's not calling."

The man sat up, as if surprised, but then began reeling in his fishing pole really fast. "Ooh, I got one! Ah, he's a real biter! Ooh, it's gonna be a big one! Whaddya think, Poonflip? Sharpedo? Could I be that lucky in one day? Hah!" He excitedly pulled the fishing line all the way in until it revealed a rather shrimpy-looking Magikarp that he unhooked and threw unceremoniously onto the floor, getting water everywhere.

This guy's filthy as a Tepig. What the heck? Ryan shook his head, walking over to the Magikarp and then punting it out the door without care. It made a pretty big splash, despite its size. "Take me back to the Sevii Islands. I'm not asking you."

"Huh, what? Just gimme a little more time, alright? Y'know, I'm going to have to be out here even longer now that you just did that… I have a quota after all."

"I don't care. Take me back. Katagiri Bubble him!"

"Greee!" Katagiri replied loyally, leaping onto the table next to the man, puffing out his chest, and croaking menacingly. At length, a single bubble appeared on the Froakie's lips. He spit it at the man, and a second later it made contact with his cheek.

The man cried and fell to the floor, flinging his fishing rod up into the air. Ryan watched coolly as the rod flew over the side of the ship. It felt good not trying to save it.

"What the heck, Poonflip?! That hurt! That really hurt! And golly, my rod! I've lost my rod! Heck you, man! What's wrong with you?"

Ryan slammed the door shut, folding his arms. "Take me back to the Sevii Islands, or there'll be more of that."

"More Bubbles?!" The Painted Dragon's lip was quivering. He looked entirely terrified. That's right. Embrace the suck, you old seadog.

"Katagiri, use Bubble again!"

"No no no no no! Stop it! Please, mercy! Mercy! I'll do it, I'll do it! Please… not that again… no more Bubbles… I can't… I can't…!" he cried, holding his cheek, his eyes brimming with tears. "Fine, I'll take you back there, but you owe me!"

"Watch your mouth boy," Ryan retorted. "I'm Poonflip, Indigo League Champion! That's no way to talk to me!"

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Poonflip, I didn't know. We'll be on our way momentarily!"

"Good. How long will it take?"

"Oh, about an hour, if the storm doesn't let up."

"Do you know what caused the storm?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's Lieutenant Miyazaki's doing."

"What do you mean?"

"He's trying to catch that Moltres living at the peak of Mount Ember, dontcha remember, Mr. Poonflip? He told us about it durin' the mornin's briefing, and–"

Ryan still didn't understand. "But why would that cause a storm? There are plenty of Moltres in the world, and I'm sure people catch them sometimes, and I've never heard of a storm accompanying that…"

"Well, that's because he's using his Articuno to capture it, of course," the man laughed, revealing his loose brown teeth. "He told us, remember? 'Member, Mr. Poonflip, 'member?"

So that's why. Alex has to stop him… I don't know if I'll get back in time. But if anyone can, it's Alex. That dude's alright.