Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.

Pokémon: Sinnoh no Isekai

Chapter One-hundred and one: Aerial Action

Dawn and Kenny had suffered a crushing moral loss to Team Scorn at the Weather Institute located on Hoenn's Route 119. It was a moral loss because, despite how they were easily mopping the floor with Team Scorn in battle, those terrible villains still were able to technically complete their job of acquiring at least one of the Castforms that are raised at the Weather Institute while Dawn and Kenny were distracted battling.

To make matters worse, the stolen Castform had been taken from Ayane, the former student of Blackthorn City Academy located over in Blackthorn City, Johto. Dawn and Kenny met up again with Ayane, and they plus Bart and Millie were even partly responsible for the theft of Ayane's Castform, as they trusted her safety to Felecia, a new hire at the Weather Institute who in truth was a Team Scorn member pulling a Trojan Horse type plan to ensure her ilk got their goal.

Despite the crushing moral loss, Dawn and Kenny still trekked onward to Fortree City. There, the reborn trainers intended to challenge Winona, the gym leader in charge of the Fortree City gym, to earn their respective sixth Hoenn gym badges. "This is just like how Team Rocket were able to get away with stealing a bunch of Pokémon back in Sinnoh despite how Bertha of the Sinnoh elite four was breathing down their necks," Dawn lamented, "I now have a full understanding about how Bertha feels."

"Those Team Scorn jerks are a tricky lot," Kenny remarked, his tone an unamused growl, "We cannot afford to screw up when it comes to dealing with them."

Dawn nodded in agreement, then she and Kenny felt their moods perk back up a bit because they saw Fortree City within sight. "We ought to stow away our guilt over letting Ayane's Castform get stolen by Team Scorn for now," Dawn said, "We got our respective sixth Hoenn gym badges awaiting us."

"Winona was foolish for choosing to become a gym leader," Kenny declared as he took off running towards Fortree City, "For having done so she put herself in the path of me and my cringe posse!"

"Kenny, wait up!" Dawn yelled as she began jogging to catch up to her friend. At least Kenny, in his own way, was taking Dawn's advice and putting his feelings of failure over letting Team Scorn steal Ayane's Castform to the side for the time being.

The three-fourths complete point in the Hoenn portion of their Gym Challenge tour was within sight for the reborn trainers; they were too elated to think about much anything else.

...

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, Admin's Assistant Goemon of Team Scorn's Kunai Sector yanked off a burlap sack that was covering the head of a woman in her mid to late forties. This woman was lean, had tanned fair skin, a long and mildly wild mane of brown hair, and she wore a dark green t-shirt over a dark blue hockey jersey, pants matching the color of the hockey jersey, and sandals. Goemon, despite clearly seeing that the woman was awake, slapped her across the face twice, once with the palm of his right hand, and on the return with the back of his right hand.

"Hey, wake up," Goemon said.

"I'm already awake!" the woman nearly screamed, clearly frightened, "Why did you slap me?"

"Yeah dude," Admin Ninja, the head of Team Scorn's Kunai Sector and Goemon's direct superior, said in a mildly scolding tone, "Why did you slap her? It was unnecessary." The woman heard Ninja speak but couldn't see him; he stood behind her, leaning against a wall with his arms folded over his chest, about ten feet away. The woman was also tied to the chair she was sat in so fully, she couldn't turn to see Ninja.

Shrugging, Goemon replied, "Sorry, I always wanted to slap awake a prisoner that we took."

Sighing, Ninja went on, "First, apologize to Mrs. Seiko McGlynn here for slapping her." Doing as his friend and commanding officer said, Goemon apologized to the now identified Seiko. "Second, call out your Shedinja," Ninja continued, "It'll be needed for the interrogation."

"Interrogation?" Seiko said in a worried tone as Goemon called out his Shedinja.

Ninja cracked his neck a bit, keeping his eyes on the bound Seiko. "We're going to be asking you a few questions, Seiko McGlynn," Ninja said, his tone and expression equally firm and serious as one another, "While we're asking you these questions, you'll be under the effect of my assistant's Shedinja's Mind Reader attack, who will help confirm if you're being truthful with us. It's actually a surprisingly effective and accurate method of getting the truth, far more so than standard lie detector tests with the lie detector devices police like to use in interrogations."

"You're going to have a Pokémon use Mind Reader on me?" Seiko asked, sounding worried.

"To make things as easy as possible, we'll be keeping our questions mainly in the form of yes or no type questions," Ninja explained, "While it's using Mind Reader on you, my assistant's Shedinja will make a forward lean movement if you give a truthful answer, and will shake slightly from side to side if you lie."

Seiko gulped. "...You criminals... what will you do when you're done?"

Ninja let out a breath. "...We're going to ultimately aim to confirm if you have certain information that I want. Regardless of if you know the answers I seek or not, I will let you go with your life in tact, and if you're a team player during interrogation, then we won't rough you up." The woman was scared, knowing that she was about to be interrogated by criminals for certain info, although she had no idea what sort of info they not only wanted out of her but would even think she might have.

That bit alone gave Seiko more cause for worry.

Back in Fortree City, Dawn and Kenny stepped into the Fortree City gym, looking around for Winona. "Hello?" Dawn called out as she and Kenny looked around, "We're looking for-"

"GAAHH!"

Dawn stopped short when she and Kenny heard a panicked female cry of surprise, followed by some scuffling around that sounded as if more than one person was trying to straighten themselves out. A few moments later, Winona and, to the surprise of Dawn and Kenny, Steven came walking out of a room off to the side from the lobby that the reborn trainers had entered. "Oh, Dawn and Kenny!" Steven greeted, trying to sound like nothing was amiss, "I'd say I'm surprised to see you two both here, but I know you're both going through Hoenn with the aim to earn gym badges."

Both Dawn and Kenny looked right at Steven and Winona, with Kenny pointing at the Hoenn champion and Fortree gym leader while saying, "You two were macking on each other, weren't you?" Seeing both Steven and Winona blush heavily in embarrassment confirmed for the reborn trainers that Kenny's guess was right on the money.

Clearing her throat, Dawn said, "Sorry if Kenny and I had interrupted anything, but as per what you said Steven, we are here looking for the gym leader so we can try to earn our respective sixth Hoenn gym badges. Also." A hint of knowing grim brooding entered both Dawn's expression and tone. "Kenny and I want to talk to you about our trip to the Weather Institute on Route 119."

"Yes," Steven replied, able to pick up on the hint in his Sinnoh counterpart's tone, "I heard about that. I still can't believe that I had failed to think of the Weather Institute as a possible target."

Taking a step forward, Winona said while gesturing to herself, "If it's the Fortree City gym leader you're looking for, then look no further because you found her, and by her I mean me. I'm Winona, the gym leader of the Fortree City gym."

Dawn nodded in understanding. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to challenge you to a battle to try to earn the badge awarded by your gym."

Winona nodded once in understanding and acceptance. "Very well. The battles will take place in the open air battlefield outside behind the gym. If you'll be so kind as to follow me." Dawn, as well as Kenny and Steven, proceeded to follow Winona outside, where she and Dawn would be having a battle to see if Dawn would be walking away with a Feather Badge when all was said and done.

Dawn intended to walk away victoriously.

...

"First off, just for clarification purposes," Ninja began in the undisclosed location he and Goemon were interrogating their captive Seiko, "Are you Seiko McGlynn, yes or no?"

"Yes," Seiko answered, her tone a bit fearful. Goemon's Shedinja, its eyes glowing while looking at Seiko, made a leaning gesture that resembled a confirming nod.

"Are you the same Seiko McGlynn who participated in the riot on Lilycove City's wealthy elite neighborhood a little over two years ago," Ninja asked, "Yes or no?"

Seiko was surprised that the riot on Lilycove City's wealthy elite neighborhood was brought up in this interrogation, and worried how things might go. Still, she was too scared to lie to her captors, especially since the Shedinja would inform its masters if Seiko was lying or not. "...Yes, I am." Once more, Goemon's Shedinja confirmed that Seiko was being truthful.

"Did you kill any of the victims who were killed in that riot, yes or no?" Ninja asked, "And if you did, state all those whose lives you claimed."

The captive woman was sweating bullets now, her heart beating a little faster. "...Yes, I killed two people," Seiko admitted, tears starting to run down the sides of her face despite how she was able to keep her tone even, "A maid who threw a platter she was carrying at the time at me, and a butler who I saw attack my teenage son with a cane during a raid we took part in during the riot." Goemon's Shedinja confirmed everything Seiko said as true.

Ninja was a bit intrigued to hear that Seiko's son also took part in the riot. Ninja, back when he still commonly went by his real given name Sasuke, had hung out with Seiko's teen son that she spoke of. "...Yes, we have some info on your son as well," Ninja said, setting a new degree of fear into Seiko's heart, "Kosuke, I believe his name is. But I wasn't aware that he took part in the riot on Lilycove City's wealthy elite neighborhood a little over two years ago."

"I assure you, Kosuke didn't kill anyone," Seiko said, sounding like she was on the verge of freaking out, "He and I stuck together for the entirety of everything, we never got separated. All he did was carry loot that he helped some of the others and I steal, I swear!"

Goemon's Shedinja confirmed that Seiko was being truthful. "...Fair enough," Ninja replied, "Kosuke didn't claim a life, so I have no reason to claim his. And although you did admit to claiming two lives, I bet you were able to get away with it due to all of the confusion and chaos that was going on at the time, neither of those whose lives you claimed are the person who I aim to get justice for."

Seiko looked surprised by that. One of her captors was aiming to get revenge for the death of one specific victim of the riot in Lilycove City's wealthy elite neighborhood a little over two years ago? She was figuring that's what her captors ultimately wanted from her, to see if she can give them details that would lead them to getting that revenge that they want. She felt relieved that her captors assured her they'd leave her son Kosuke alone, but at the same time was still worried about who they wanted to avenge, and how they'd react if she honestly didn't know the answers they wanted from her.

"...Who is it that you say you want to get justice for?"

"This is an official Fortree City gym battle between the gym leader, Winona, and the challenger, Dawn!" the referee announced as the battle between Dawn and Winona was about to begin, "Each trainer may use up to four Pokémon, and the battle is over when all of one trainer's allocated Pokémon are unable to battle! Also, only Dawn can substitute Pokémon out at any time. Now then, begin!"

"Swellow, I choose you!" Winona said as she sent out her first Pokémon Swellow, which sparkled upon entering battle due to being shiny.

Sending out her first Pokémon, Dawn said, "Alright, Souji! Let's get goin'!" Coming out into battle was Dawn's named Rampardos, who seemed to recognize the opposing Pokémon that he was facing as a Swellow (he tried a few times to hit Ash's Swellow back in the Lily of the Valley Conference), but wasn't familiar with the color (Ash's Swellow isn't shiny). Pointing forward, Dawn said, "Souji, use Rock Tomb!"

"Swellow, use Aerial Ace!" Winona commanded.

Winona's Swellow didn't have a lot to deal with a Rampardos, so it had to make due. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as Souji nailed it with Rock Tomb as it tried flying in at him, getting slammed down to the ground by the large rocks hitting it. Dust was kicked up by the force of Swellow being slammed to the ground like that, and when the dust settled, everyone saw that Swellow had been knocked out.

Holding up a hand, the referee announced, "Swellow is unable to battle! The winner is Rampardos!"

Letting out a mild sigh, Winona remarked, "I guess that's what I get. Although it doesn't detract from how you were wise to come at me with at least one good rock type Pokémon in your party. A good thing I have counters for rock Pokémon! Skarmory, I choose you!"

Winona's next Pokémon was her Skarmory; Dawn's memories of the Hoenn anime from her previous life were a bit fuzzy, but she for some odd reason felt that Skarmory wasn't used against Ash. But Winona in the games in Dawn's previous life DID use a Skarmory, and this Skarmory here that Winona was using, which was bigger than what Dawn would have expected, fit the letter to a 'T'.

"Souji that's enough, fall back!" Dawn said as she swapped her Pokémon around, "Alright, Chi-Chi! Let's get goin'!" Taking the place of Dawn's named Rampardos was Dawn's named Infernape, wearing the Expert Belt held item tied around her waist. Pointing forward, Dawn called out, "Chi-Chi, use Fire Punch!"

"Skarmory, use Drill Peck!" Winona ordered.

The two Pokémon rushed one another, but Chi-Chi was quicker to hit Skarmory, slugging it right in the left eye with her right fist which was engulfed in flames, making Skarmory cry out in pain not only because the attack hurt it a lot, but it also inflicted a burn. Given how Skarmory looked like it was hanging on by the skin of its metaphorical teeth, Dawn guessed that its ability was Sturdy. Skarmory then rushed in at Chi-Chi to use Drill Peck which, even with the burn halving its physical attack damage output, Dawn still figured would hurt the dual fire fighting Chi-Chi.

But Skarmory's Drill Peck ended up missing as Chi-Chi responded to Dawn's cry and dodged, her evasion aided because Skarmory's vision was compromised a bit due to the Fire Punch it took to its left eye. After Skarmory fell back, it was pained by its burn, after which it gave a tired cry before falling over onto the battlefield, clearly out of it. "Skarmory is unable to battle!" the referee announced, "The winner is Infernape!"

"Not bad," Winona said as she recalled her fainted Skarmory, "You really do know your stuff, Dawn. Let's see how much more you know. Pelipper, I choose you!"

"Chi-Chi that's enough, fall back!" Dawn said as she swapped her Pokémon again, "Alright, Luna! Let's get goin'!" Coming out to battle Winona's Pelipper was Dawn's named Luxray. Dawn pointed forward as she called out, "Luna, use Spark!"

"Pelipper, use Quick Attack!" Winona commanded.

Due to using a speedy priority move, Pelipper was able to hit Luna first, dealing a somewhat moderate hit. However, that put Pelipper in point blank range of an electric type Pokémon, taking aim at it with an electric type move. Luna, cloaked in electricity, rammed right into Pelipper, making it cry out in great pain before it was thrown back by the force of the attack, skidding for a bit on the ground before it came to a stop, laying with a clearly knocked out look on its face.

Holding up a hand, the referee announced, "Pelipper is unable to battle! The winner is Luxray!"

Winona, looking a bit surprised, recalled her fainted Pelipper. "...You really are strong, Dawn," Winona said, "I hope that strength will be used to fight Team Scorn."

"It already has," Dawn confirmed, "And it will continue to do so as long as Team Scorn is a thing."

Winona nodded in understanding, and a bit of mild amusement. "Then let's see how far that strength goes! Altaria, I choose you!"

"Luna that's enough, fall back!" Dawn said as she swapped her Pokémon around again, "Alright, Germany! Let's get goin'!" Facing off against Winona's Altaria was Dawn's named Garchomp, who gave out a confident cry as he entered battle.

Winona looked a bit nervous to see such a Pokémon sent out, so she decided to go right onto the offensive. "Altaria, use Dragon Breath!"

"Germany, use Iron Head!" Dawn called out, "Plow through the Dragon Breath to hit Altaria!"

Altaria took aim and fired its Dragon Breath attack at Germany, but the named Garchomp, his head shining like polished metal, blasted through the ranged breath weapon attack, Iron Head deflecting all of Altaria's efforts. Germany flew right on through and ended up ramming his attack right into Altaria, making it cry out in pain as it reeled back. "Use Dragon Claw!" Dawn ordered.

"Altaria, use Peck!" Winona commanded, almost cried out as if in panic.

Altaria tried swinging back around to strike at its opponent, but the named Garchomp quickly slashed at it with claws glowing fiercely with draconic power, slamming Altaria right down to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust in the process. When the dust settled, everyone saw that Altaria had been knocked out. "Altaria is unable to battle!" the referee announced, "The winner is Garchomp!" Gesturing to Dawn, the referee declared, "Victory of this battle goes to the challenger, Dawn!"

The reborn trainer let out a relieved sigh as Winona recalled her fainted Altaria. "Not bad, Dawn," Winona said, "Not bad at all." The leader of the Fortree City gym then walked up to Dawn and presented to her a Feather Badge, putting Dawn's trek through Hoenn for the Hoenn gym badges at the three-fourths finished mark. And soon when Kenny earns his own Feather Badge, he and Dawn will be aiming for the next gym after Fortree City, which ought to be the one located over in Mossdeep City.

...But they'll have business to look into in Lilycove City before that.

...

"Sakura Senbon?"

Over at the undisclosed location where Goemon and Ninja were interrogating Seiko, the woman expressed surprise when Ninja told her who he was going to be asking her about. "Yes, Sakura Senbon," Ninja replied, "The daughter of the now late Senbon family. Sakura is among those killed by your cohorts in the riot on Lilycove City's wealthy elite neighborhood a little over two years ago."

"So you want to know if I know anything about that Sakura girl's death."

Ninja nodded in the affirmative, although Seiko couldn't see it due to how she was bound to the chair she sat in. "...I'll just cut to the chase. Do you know who killed Sakura Senbon, yes or no?"

Seiko was nervous, because since these men will be getting the answers they want out of her regardless, she'll be selling out certain persons, betraying friends of many years by throwing loved ones of theirs under the bus. "...Yes." Goemon's Shedinja, still using Mind Reader on Seiko, leaned forward in a nodding motion to confirm that Seiko was telling the truth.

"Tell me the names of all persons involved in Sakura Senbon's death," Ninja said.

The woman let out a shuddering breath, having a strong feeling she's going to be signing some death warrants here. "...Chie Byrd and Colleen Yuzuki," Seiko admitted, her tone barely above whispering, "Respectively the niece and daughter of my two closest friends Harold and Daiki. All four of them had also taken part in the riot, alongside most everyone else in our neighborhood." Goemon's Shedinja confirmed all of what Seiko said as true.

Ninja's brows furrowed, his gaze narrowed murderously. He distinctly remembered Chie and Colleen, them respectively being the pink haired and blonde haired (with long high ponytail) girls who heavily flirted with him to the point of nearly harassing him way back in the day. He also knew that they had nothing in their hearts but hate and utter contempt for Sakura, solely because she unlike them had money. Ninja already knew of two people that he'd want to be seeing when he initiated his sector's plans for Lilycove City, which will be taking place within short order.

"...Very well," Ninja said, "Anyway, onto business. You ought to be informed that you and everyone else of your income bracket will get a second chance to make your displeasure with Lilycove City's wealthy elite known to them."

Seiko looked surprised by that. "...What do you mean?"

"My men and I will be helping to knock down those wealthy persons from their pedestals," Ninja said, "Point you all in the direction of the right ones to knock down this time. We will also let you take as much as you all can carry away from the wealth elite persons you give the royal Kalosian treatment to."

Seiko looked more surprised than ever; it was true, she and everyone else in the low income neighborhood that they lived in over in Lilycove City not only were still suffering under the wealthy elite, but it was worse than ever due to how the bad seeds among the wealthy elite in Lilycove City got away the first time. They were making the low income citizenry suffer out of spite with a dash of the ever present greed that the bad seed wealthy elite had an everlasting abundance of. Many in the low income neighborhood, Saiko herself included, had often entertained fantasies of recreating their riot on the wealthy elite neighborhood a little over two years ago.

And now Seiko's captors, surprisingly enough, were offering Seiko and all those still suffering in squalor a chance to strike back at their oppressors, their real oppressors. But there was one thing still bothering the woman. "...Why would you and your men help us?"

"I want to send Hoenn a message," Ninja replied, "And helping you and your fellows being forced by the wealthy elite of Lilycove City to live in squalor get revenge on those who would oppress you will help me send that message. That's all I expect you and your fellows to give me in return for me and my men helping you all get back at your oppressors, help in sending a message."

Seiko was a bit worried now, given that she felt that she and her neighbors and friends in Lilycove City's low income neighborhood not only were going to be helping with a terrorist attack, but they may not even be given a choice in the matter. Seiko remembered hearing on the news about the terrorist attack that was launched on and over in Blackthorn City, Johto, and how many places over in Blackthorn City were still rebuilding, especially Blackthorn City Academy, that elite trainer school. Seiko had to ask something, despite how she not only feared the answer, but had a dreading feeling that she already knew the answer.

"...You guys are Team Scorn, aren't you?"

Ninja let out a mild breath, kept his focus on Seiko. "...Yes."

Late in the afternoon over in Fortree City, Winona after her Pokémon had all had sufficient time to be rested following the battle with Dawn ended up taking on Kenny's challenge to her gym. Similarly to the battle with Dawn, Winona ended up losing the battle against Kenny, thus she awarded him a Feather Badge. "So kids," Winona said as she was seeing Dawn and Kenny off, "Where are you all heading off to now? I assume you'll be wanting to hit up Mossdeep City next, given that's where the next closest Pokémon gym is located."

"We will eventually want to hit up Mossdeep City, yes," Dawn replied, "But Kenny and I first want to go to Lilycove City."

"Oh ho," Winona remarked in some mild amusement, "I take it you wanna hit up the department store they have over there?"

"Actually Winona," Steven cut in, "Lilycove City has a number of possible targets that we've discussed might be targeted by Team Scorn. I've already sent some security to all of said targets, but Dawn and Kenny will still want to see things personally, at least on the way to Mossdeep City."

The Fortree City gym leader nodded in understanding. "I see. And I can also assume you'll look into gathering some security to send over to the Weather Institute? They've already been hit once, so who's to say that they won't be hit again? Especially since they've been hit back before Team Scorn became a thing."

"Yes, I'll arrange for security for the Weather Institute right away," Steven replied. Turning to Dawn and Kenny, Steven said, "That being said, Dawn and Kenny, I'll have to leave looking into any possible Team Scorn activity over in Lilycove City to the two of you. Given how Team Scorn was able to sneak one of their own into the Weather Institute right under the noses of the scientists working there, I will personally have to verify and bring over all security who will be sent to the Weather Institute. By no means do I want a repeat of what Team Scorn was able to get away with."

"I know that feeling all too well," Dawn remarked. She and Kenny nodded respectfully to Steven and Winona before they turned to leave the Fortree City gym. They went to the local Pokémon Center, rested their respective on hand Pokémon before rotating their respective parties to better prep for the Mossdeep City gym.

According to the cheat sheet provided by May and Max, the Mossdeep City gym has a pair of twins as its gym leader rather than one lone person, named Tate and Liza. The gym battles held at the Mossdeep City gym are always double battles, where Tate and Liza, who specialize in psychic types Pokémon, will come at challengers with Solrock and Lunatone. Dawn and Kenny already knew all of this thanks to knowledge from their previous lives, but they had to play along.

"We'll only be allowed two Pokémon in the battle against Tate and Liza, so we ought to be careful with which Pokémon we use," Dawn said, "Luckily for me, I have a plan involving Souji and Albedo."

Shrugging, Kenny said, "Imma just gonna use Godzilla and Cell. They can down a pair of dual psychic rock types like the champs they are."

Dawn nodded in acknowledgement, able to see what Kenny would have planned. Confident that the two of them would both be seeing victory in their respective goes at the gym in Mossdeep City, Dawn and Kenny proceeded to trek their way over, although they would first be crossing through, and have to stop in, Lilycove City first, given it's where a number of potential targets that Team Scorn might take aim at are located.

The reborn trainers had no idea what awaited them in Lilycove City.

END, CHAPTER ONE-HUNDRED AND ONE

Author's notes;

This chapter goes back and forth between Dawn and Kenny's time in Fortree City, and Ninja and Goemon interrogating a woman who took part in the riots that led to the death of many innocent persons in Lilycove City's wealthy elite neighborhood. Eventually, both Dawn and Kenny walk away from Fortree City with a Feather Badge each, while Ninja sets up Team Scorn's plans for Lilycove City while also acquiring certain information that he wanted personally, although what that information turned out to be exactly surprised even him. The next chapter or two will be packed, so hang on to your seats.

Dawn's Pokémon: (on hand) Chi-Chi (female Infernape), Souji (male Rampardos), Zatch (male Hariyama; shiny), Tsukune (Palkia), Luna (female Luxray), Germany (male Garchomp)

Kenny's Pokémon: (one hand) Shallot (male Glaceon), Juan (male Pikachu; Libre), Android 21 (female Weavile; shiny), Godzilla (male Tyranitar), Sophie (female Lileep), Priestess (female Liligant; Hisuian; alpha)