Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak
Hi all,
Here's the next chapter. Lucas gains a new companion, and Icarus finally evolves.
Chapter 19
"You can talk!" Lucas could hardly believe what he was witnessing.
Meowth bowed his head. "Thank you for stating the obvious. Yes, I can speak, unlike the other Meowths out there."
Lucas knelt to get a closer look at Meowth. Although it may appear absurd, there is precedent for the existence of a talking Meowth, at least in the anime. Because the Pokemon didn't appear to be a member of Team Rocket, he had no reason to suspect him of being a criminal.
"What is that collar around your neck?" Lucas asked. He looked around nervously, not wanting to be seen talking to Meowth.
"This collar ensures a Pokemon's obedience," Meowth explained, lightly touching the collar. "It limits our energy consumption and delivers an electric shock if we misbehave."
"I cannot believe it," Lucas said. "I had no idea these collars existed."
"Yes, even your clumsily executed disguise cannot conceal that innocent, wide-eyed expression of yours. That's why I spoke to you rather than the other suspicious-looking yahoos in this place, Meowth."
"I suppose I should feel honoured?"
"Dat's right, Meowth!"
"Okay... So, you want to escape?"
Meowth grimaced. "Yes. It's not exactly a pleasant environment. To be honest, I had no intention of telling anyone about my ability to speak, but circumstances forced me to."
Lucas examined the sheet attached to Meowth's cage, which stated that Meowth was level ten and could be purchased for a low price of fifteen thousand pokedollars. It was cheap in comparison to some of the other caged Pokemon. Someone didn't think highly of Meowth.
"I am not strong," Meowth said, as if he could read his thoughts. "The only thing I have going for me is my high intelligence and ability to communicate. I have no intention of disclosing my ability to my owner because doing so could result in serious trouble. Meowth."
"You will almost certainly become a test subject," Lucas acknowledged. "Imagine if they could replicate your ability to communicate. It could be worth a lot of pokedollars."
They could also try to force Meowth to produce eggs in the hopes of passing the trait onto his offspring, Lucas silently added.
"You aren't as stupid as you appear, Meowth. So, what do you think? Can you help me get out of here? Fifteen thousand pokedollars is a bargain, and I will make sure to repay you."
Lucas rolled his eyes. "You aren't going to win me over by insulting me. Give me a moment to consider it."
He couldn't deny the advantages of owning a Pokemon that could communicate with humans. Meowth would be able to translate whatever his Pokemon said, which would be extremely useful. Although his team's communication was adequate to meet their basic needs, he could benefit from a deeper understanding of their point of view.
He used Insight on Meowth while debating whether to free him.
Species: Meowth; Scratch Cat Pokemon
Gender: Male
Status: Owned (Enslaved)
Favourability: -
Favourite Food: Salmon
Condition: Fair
Level: 10
Next: [75/100%]
Exp Cache: [0]
Current Level Potential Met?: No
Special Ability: Technician
Attack: 26
Special Attack: 17
Defence: 19
Special Defence: 18
Speed: 34
Luck: 19
Moves:
Fake Out
Feint
Scratch
Pay Day
Description: Meowth is a Pokemon born with vocal cords capable of human speech. He experienced a lot of hardship growing up, constantly going hungry. After joining a Meowth gang, he turned to thievery. To win over a female Meowth, he studied human language, but she turned against him later. He was consequently taken prisoner by Team Rocket and sold into slavery.
Hidden Stats
Intelligence: 9
Endurance: 3
Energy: 5
Aptitude: 3
Affinities
Normal: 34%
Dark: 5%
Move Proficiency
Fake Out: 37%
Feint: 34%
Scratch: 78%
Pay Day: 1% (secondary effect)
Egg Moves - {Not acquired}
Covet: Normal Affinity: 40% required.
Charm: Fairy Affinity: 45% required.
Foul Play: Dark Affinity: 60% required.
Traits
Inherent (Can be passed onto offspring)
Vocalisation: (Mutation) - Has the potential to speak the human language.
Normal-type Aptitude (Novice) - Increases normal-affinity training by twenty percent.
Speed Aptitude (Intermediate) - Increases speed stat training efficiency.
Luck Aptitude (Expert) - Increases luck stat training efficiency.
Learned
Vocalisation (Mastered) - The Pokemon has mastered its ability to speak.
Sleight of Hand - Knows how to pull off deceptive tricks; has limited use in battle.
Evolution Conditions
Persian
Level 28
Condition: Perfect
Experience in Cache: 30,000
Normal-type Affinity: 50%
Evolution Bonuses
Max Experience in Cache = 40,000: + 10 to all stats
Normal-type affinity = 60%: Screech learned upon evolving
Rock-type affinity = 60%: Power Gem learned upon evolving
Luck = 30: Trait - Lucky Hit (Critical Hit Rate +5%)
He understood why Meowth wasn't considered a powerful Pokemon because no one else had the same information as him. For his level, his stats were below average. He was a glass cannon, similar to Icarus, who relied on speed to avoid attacks. Even if they were on the same level, his offensive stats wouldn't compare to those of Icarus.
His luck stat, however, was significantly higher than that of his other Pokémon. It was a difficult stat to improve, but Meowth had a trait that made it easier. It meant that Meowth's strength would be his ability to trigger critical hits and inflict status ailments.
Meowth's hidden stats showed that he was extremely intelligent, but the rest were below average. His aptitude was only three, which is why his stats were so low. When combined with the fact that he didn't have a trainer, he had no chance of capitalising on his strengths.
Meowth showed a lot of potential in terms of traits and egg moves. He would have to put in a lot of effort to unlock them, but he wasn't afraid of the challenge.
The true benefit, however, was that Meowth could pass on his ability to communicate to his offspring. Even if he got Meowth, he would not force him to breed. He appeared more human because he was able to speak. This didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, because all Pokemon were intelligent beings, whether they could speak or not. There was also the fact that Meowth had been enslaved and deprived of his choices, and he didn't want to be the same as his owner.
"You know how to use Payday, right?" Lucas queried. "It's an inherent move in your evolutionary line. How exactly does the move work? "Does it really conjure gold?"
"Not at all," Meowth retorted. "Would I be on sale, and for such a low price, if that were the case?"
"How does it work?"
"It's just another utilisation of energy. The gold disappears after a while, depending on how well the move is executed. But it could be long enough for you to get away with swindling some gullible people, Meowth."
"I see. Before I make my decision, how did you end up here?"
Meowth's tail perked up. "I was betrayed. I have lived a difficult life and have always struggled to feed myself. I joined a Meowth gang and started stealing to feed myself. I was madly in love with one of the members, a female Meowth, and would have done anything for her. She had a thing for humans, which inspired me to learn to speak like one."
Lucas ventured a guess. "She wasn't impressed."
"Datts right. She avoided me after that, believing I was a freak. We were caught stealing from a douche's house a few days later, and she left me to face the consequences. The douche happened to be a Team Rocket member."
"You haven't had it easy," Lucas said, feeling sorry for him.
It was fascinating to see the world from the perspective of a Pokemon. He didn't know Pokemon could fall in love. But why wouldn't that be the case? Just because they did not have physical relationships like humans, that didn't make it any less significant.
Lucas pushed himself to his feet. "Please wait for a moment. I'll go find the vendor."
He walked down the row of cages until he came to the vendor, who was bartering with another customer behind a counter. He waited until they finished before approaching the counter. "I would like to buy one of your Pokémon."
"Very good, sir," the vendor replied, rubbing his hands together. "My name is Victor. Which one are you interested in?"
"The Meowth."
Victor's shoulders slumped. "Are you sure you want him? He is a subpar Pokemon with no redeeming qualities. Could you recommend any of the Eevees on display? They are a scarce commodity, selling for only eighty thousand pokedollars."
"I don't care how powerful Meowth is," Lucas stated. "I would like a companion to keep me company."
"I understand. At least I am finally getting rid of him. I have had him for so long that I will not make any pokedollars from him."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Really? Fifteen thousand pokedollars is an excessive amount for such a weak Pokemon. I'll pay ten thousand pokedollars for it."
"I think there is a misunderstanding, my friend." Victor's gaze sharpened. "These Pokemon belong to Team Rocket, and they set the prices. There will be no negotiations."
"How about your previous customer? He was trying to negotiate a lower price."
"He was a special case," Victor explained. "You aren't. If you are dissatisfied with the pricing, I can always contact my boss to discuss it with you."
"Not worth the trouble," Lucas muttered, handing him the pokedollars from his wallet. "How exactly does this work? Do you take off the collar, and I catch him with a pokeball?
Victor reached beneath the counter and retrieved a small object. It was a tiny device with four buttons and a dial. "This controls the collar. I recommend that you keep Meowth under your control. Even if you catch him with a pokeball, he may abandon or attack you once the collar is removed. It happens frequently with enslaved Pokemon."
Victor demonstrated how to use the device. There were buttons for unlocking the collar and shocking the Pokémon with electricity. The intensity could be adjusted using the dial, with the highest setting potentially killing lower-level Pokemon. Lucas slipped the device into his pocket, suppressing his disgust at such a horrible piece of technology.
As Victor led him back to Meowth, Lucas took out a pokeball. He opened his menu and made a brief change to the Pokemon Habitat settings to prevent Meowth from entering a habitat after being captured. He didn't want to divulge his ability to Meowth until he could trust him.
Victor unlocked the cage, and Meowth stepped out, a large grin on his face.
"Does not the collar interfere with the Pokemon's transition into the pokeball?" Lucas asked.
"No," Victor replied. "The collars are made with Pokemon materials. As a result, the pokeball considers the collar to be part of the Pokemon."
Using Pokemon remains as materials for making products was questionable. Nonetheless, it is likely to produce some incredible results. He had no objections as long as the remains came from Pokemon who died naturally and without human intervention.
Lucas touched Meowth with the pokeball, and he was sucked inside. After saying his goodbyes to the vendor, he proceeded to the exit. He had just spent fifteen thousand pokedollars, so he wasn't going to stick around and buy anything else.
He walked a few blocks after leaving the warehouse, checking over his shoulder to ensure he wasn't being followed. He wouldn't be surprised if he was targeted by someone after spending a lot of Pokedollars.
When he was far enough away from the warehouse, he released Meowth from his pokeball.
"Yes, I am finally free of that cage!" Meowth purred contentedly. "Human, free me from this collar."
"My name is Lucas."
"As if I care," Meowth said as he began grooming himself.
"Enough of the attitude," Lucas replied. "How do I know you will not flee once I remove the collar? If you want to leave, I will not object; however, how will you compensate me first?"
"I have a secret stash of stolen goods in the city, Meowth. I will repay you out of that."
"I expect you to pay me double what I paid for you as compensation for the trouble I went through to free you."
"You are such a greedy jerk. I have been duped by a newbie, Meowth."
"I don't feel an ounce of guilt."
Meowth's stomach rumbled. "I will take you after I have eaten some food. I enjoy eating fish, particularly salmon. Find me a place that serves it."
"I suppose I can feed you first." Lucas looked at his watch. At this late hour, the Pokemon Centre was the only place where you could get prepared food for Pokemon.
After feeding Meowth, Lucas followed him through the city streets. He appeared to be familiar with the area, as he expertly guided him to a park near the city centre.
Meowth's stash was hidden in a fort on the playground. He had cut a portion of the wall and hollowed it out, leaving a small space inside for his loot. Meowth took out a small knapsack and emptied his belongings onto the ground. There was a variety of jewellery and accessories, as well as a few stacks of pokedollars.
"Some kid would have been lucky to come across this," Lucas said. "Why did you choose this location out of all the options available?"
"Stop complaining," Meowth hissed. "It is still here after two years, so it must have been an excellent hiding place. Take your share, but not a single pokedollars more. I'm keeping a close eye on you."
Lucas counted out thirty thousand pokedollars. He earned fifteen thousand Pokedollars for an evening's work. Not bad, but the true prize was Meowth. How did he convince him that he should remain by his side?
"Release me from this collar!" Meowth demanded.
Lucas removed the control device and pressed the button to unlock it, allowing the collar to loosen. Meowth flung it to the ground, but Lucas grabbed it and held onto it.
"What are you going to do with that, Meowth?"
"There is no reason to be suspicious," Lucas said. "You cannot just leave it here for some kid to find."
Meowth gave a nod and continued to look through his possessions.
Lucas planned to keep the collar for the time being. Although he was not going to use it on a Pokemon, he could benefit from keeping it with him. He wasn't going to do anything crazy, like figure out how to free all of the enslaved Pokemon, because he didn't want to get on the wrong side of Team Rocket. But he might show it to Sabrina and Professor Oak to see what they know about it.
"What are you planning to do now?" Lucas asked.
"I'm not sure, Meowth. Probably a remote location with few people. Ironically, I went through the trouble of learning the human language, and now I don't want to talk to any of them."
"You could stay with me," Lucas offered. "I believe I have already demonstrated that I can keep my word, and I know your secret already so you don't have to worry about hiding it from me."
Meowth paused and looked up at him. "Why do you want me? I won't fight Pokemon for you."
"I think you are underestimating yourself," Lucas said. "But I am not expecting you to fight if you do not want to. I have other Pokémon for that. Your communication abilities, on the other hand, are invaluable. I can learn so much about my Pokemon through you."
Meowth paused to consider the proposition before responding. "I'm not sure I will ever be able to trust anyone again."
"How about a trial period? If you don't like it, you can leave whenever you want."
Meowth nodded and started scooping his belongings back into the bag. "You have got yourself a deal, partner. I hope you don't let me down, or I will scratch your face off."
"Banette," a figure, appeared out of nowhere beside Meowth.
"Yikes!" Meowth hissed, leaping into the air in terror. "We are under attack!"
Salem reappeared after following him around the entire night. Lucas had almost forgotten he was by his side because of his inconspicuousness.
"Don't worry about him," Lucas said. "Salem is a friend."
"I almost died from fright, Meowth."
"What does he say when he appears?"
"Boo!" Meowth replied.
The following morning, Lucas introduced Meowth to the rest of the household. First, he released his Pokemon into his room, curious to see how they interacted with Meowth.
"Pidgey, pidgey!" Icarus' eyes narrowed as he looked at Meowth.
"What is he saying? Lucas asked.
"He isn't fond of feline Pokemon, Meowth. Says he has a bad affinity with them."
Lucas burst into laughter. "He is acting like the typical bird Pokemon."
Max approached Meowth and studied him as if he were a fascinating creature. "Kid?"
"He wants to know if I am a weirdo like his trainer," Meowth said, frowning.
"I'm not sure I want to hear everything my Pokemon says about me." Lucas sighed. "Ignorance is bliss."
They sat down for breakfast, and Meowth's appearance surprised them all. Meowth behaved normally around them, concealing his ability to speak.
"Where did you find him?" Ash asked, petting Meowth on the head, who, judging by his grumpy expression, bore it with ill grace.
"I discovered him in the city centre rummaging through a trash can," Lucas smirked at Meowth. "The poor guy must have been starving. When I captured him, he didn't put up any resistance."
Meowth opened his mouth to argue, then abruptly closed it. He glared at Lucas, his gaze threatening retaliation.
"You poor little thing!" Delia exclaimed. "Here, let me serve you some more tuna."
Misty stopped her from feeding Meowth. "Don't feel sorry for him. When I wasn't looking, the thief took some food from my plate.
"Meowth!"
Lucas planned to continue exploring Viridian Forest to the north. But he realised that if he wanted to take Meowth with him, he needed to tell him about his ability. Meowth was far too astute to believe that someone was secretly burying treasure chests for him to discover. It was a major quandary because nothing could stop Meowth from telling anyone else about his secret. Sure, Meowth would reveal his secret at the same time, but the astute Pokemon may see it as worth the risk.
After several minutes of pondering the problem, he came up with a brilliant idea. After breakfast, he took Meowth to another room to talk to him privately.
"I have a big secret to tell you because there is no hiding it once we venture out into the forest," Lucas explained. "I need you to promise not to tell anyone."
"Sure, no problem." Meowth waved his paw dismissively.
Lucas questioned him, attempting to determine his sincerity. He decided to proceed with his plan because Meowth's reaction was almost too casual.
"If you tell anyone, I will let Salem play with you." Lucas grinned. "Did I mention that Salem killed a Team Rocket member who had come to this house to cause trouble? He has no reservations about acting violently."
Meowth's eyes widened. "I promise not to tell anyone, Meowth."
"Are you ready?"
"Pidgey!" Icarus gave a nod.
The day before Lucas was supposed to return to Pallet Town, Icarus had completed all of the requirements for evolving into Pidgeotto. They were in the backyard, and Dratini was watching them from her poolside vantage point.
The final requirement he fulfilled was the flying-type affinity, which grew surprisingly quickly after Lucas fed him the two affinity potions he had purchased. Icarus gained the ability to use Air Cutter after reaching forty percent affinity. Although he had learned how to use the move, he would still need to put in the effort to master it.
To compare Icarus' size before and after evolution, Lucas measured and weighed him. Icarus had grown by another quarter of his original size by the time the growth potion had worn off. Icarus stood nearly two and a half feet tall, weighed nine pounds, and had a wingspan of almost six feet. The size difference was startling, and everyone in the house had noticed it. He had no intention of explaining the situation to them until he could make the growth potion and demonstrate its wondrous effects.
Max and Meowth were sprawled out on the ground, excited to witness the evolution as well.
"Your ability is overpowered, Meowth. It's insane to have so much control over a Pokemon's evolution. How come Arceus couldn't send some of his magic my way?"
"Do you want to evolve into a Persian?" Lucas inquired as he double-checked the video camera he had set up to record the event to ensure it was operating properly.
"No way," Meowth muttered. "I am fine as I am. Furthermore, I'm not sure if I will lose my ability to speak as I evolve."
Lucas hadn't seen anything on his status page indicating this, but it could be possible. Meowth enjoyed standing on his shoulder when they went outside, so he may not want to evolve just for the sake of laziness.
"Here we go," Lucas said to Icarus. He spent the experience points on Icarus' cache, bringing the Pokemon up to level eighteen.
Icarus' body shone with the light of evolution. He let out a loud cry as his body vanished, leaving behind a white, formless shape. It began to grow, reaching for the sky as if ready to take flight. Meanwhile, his once-modest plumage began to change dramatically—the tail and head feathers became longer, forming an elegant extension of his body. His talons were also affected, with their sharp points digging into the ground as they grew larger.
The size difference between the two evolutions, Pidgey and Pidgeotto, was enormous. To put things into perspective, an average-sized Pidgeotto could tip the scales at sixty-five pounds, a staggering sixteen-fold increase compared to its pre-evolved form, Pidgey. Considering Icarus' already impressive size, one can only wonder how much he would grow.
The light faded, revealing Icarus in all his glory. Lucas' jaw dropped in amazement at Icarus' sheer magnificence. Icarus clacked his beak with delight and began examining himself in greater detail.
"Damn, he got big!" Meowth exclaimed.
Max dashed over to examine Pidgey, and the size difference between them was comical. He used to be taller than Icarus, but now he was only half as tall.
Lucas came up to Icarus and stroked his feathers. "You look incredible."
Icarus gave him a playful nudge, and the force nearly knocked him down. Lucas laughed and hugged the Pokémon. He had no idea that evolving a Pokemon could be so exciting. It felt like a natural high, and he wanted more.
Lucas took a step back, measuring Icarus' height against his own. The Pokemon stood almost to his shoulder, indicating that he was approximately five feet tall. He didn't have a large enough scale to weigh Icarus, but his weight had to be significantly higher than average.
He examined Icarus with Insight to see how much his parameters had changed.
Icarus
Species: Pidgeotto; Bird Pokemon
Gender: Male
Status: Owned
Favourability: Respected: 30/4000 (+10% stats)
Favourite Food: Iaflepettle Seeds; Icarus Recipe X
Condition: Perfect
Level: 18
Next: [1/100%]
Exp Cache: [1300]
Current Level Potential Met?: No
Special Ability: Big Pecks
Attack: 63 (57)
Special Attack: 61 (56)
Defence: 36 (33)
Special Defence: 31 (29)
Speed: 77 (70)
Luck: 13 (12)
Moves:
Tackle
Quick Attack
Gust
Sand Attack
Whirlwind
Air Cutter
Feather Dance
Description: Icarus has evolved into a formidable Pidgeotto. He has surpassed the limits of his evolution due to the care and attention he received from his trainer. Icarus recalled his trainer's promise when he first named him. He would rule the skies like an emperor.
Hidden Stats
Intelligence: 7
Endurance: 4
Energy: 4
Aptitude: 6
Affinities
Normal: 41%
Flying: 40%
Ground: 4%
Move Proficiency
Tackle: 32%
Quick Attack: 84%
Gust: 91%
Sand Attack: 3%
Whirlwind: 10%
Air Cutter: 5%
Feather Dance: 1%
Traits
Inherent (Can be passed onto offspring)
Flying-type Aptitude (Expert) - Increases flying-affinity training by thirty percent.
Speed Aptitude (Intermediate) - Increases speed stat training efficiency.
Special Attack Boost (Intermediate) - Moderately increases special attack stat potency.
Superior Conditioning: The energy and endurance stats further improve the Pokemon's condition.
Paralysis Resistance: 50% chance to resist the paralysis status condition.
Learned
Bird of Prey: Increases attack and speed stats by twenty percent when attacking from above.
Evolution/Breeding Conditions
Pidgeot
Level 36
Condition: Perfect
Experience in Cache: 40000
Flying-type Affinity: 60%
Evolution Bonuses
Max Experience in Cache = 70000: + 15 to all Stats
Flying type affinity = 70%: Roost learned upon evolving.
Three Affinities above 50% = Energy + 1
Defeat a total of twenty trainers: Aptitude + 1
Icarus' parameters changed significantly after he evolved. His attack, special attack, and speed had all been increased by ten. His favorability had increased to Respected, which boosted Icarus' stats even more.
He unlocked Feather Dance and gained some extremely useful traits. Overall, his combat abilities had significantly improved, which would benefit him in his fight with Dratini. Pidgeot's evolution bonuses were also fantastic, as they would allow him to increase Icarus' hidden stats. He had no idea how to increase them other than by creating pills through alchemy, which was still a long way away.
"Tini!" Dratini slithered across the grass and locked eyes with Icarus.
"She is looking for a fight," Meowth explained.
Lucas knelt and stroked her head. "We will have our battle tomorrow before I return to Pallet Town. I want Icarus to get used to his new form and practise his new moves first.
"Tini!" Dratini slithered up his body and draped herself across his shoulders.
"Awesome!" Ash dashed out of the house with Misty and over to Icarus to check him out.
"Icarus has grown so much," Misty exclaimed in amazement. "Can you tell me your secret?"
"I might have discovered something incredible with alchemy," Lucas said. "It still requires extensive testing, so I will show you when it's ready."
"All right, I can wait."
Delia emerged from the house and joined the kids in exclaiming about Icarus. She turned to speak with Lucas when she was finished. "Now that the police have completed their protection detail, we should be able to leave the house without being escorted. I need to run an errand for Professor Oak. "Can you look after the kids for me?"
"I don't mind," Lucas replied. "I need to go get the Vulpix egg and some more supplies. We will be able to find something to do with ourselves afterwards."
"Thank you," Delia said with a smile.
"I'd like to go and see the battle arena," Ash exclaimed.
Lucas paused to consider the idea. People gathered in the battle arena to compete against one another, and the variety and strength of the Pokemon on display varied significantly. Because it wasn't an official competition, like the Pokemon League, you didn't need to be a trainer to participate. This meant that it wasn't region-specific, and you could frequently find trainers from other regions.
There were even ranks similar to the Adventurer's Guild, and progressing through them allowed you to compete against arena representatives and earn valuable rewards. He didn't have much time to devote to it, but it could be a good way to acclimatise Icarus to his new form before the battle tomorrow. Besides, Icarus had to defeat twenty trainers to fulfil a bonus requirement for his next evolution.
"Sure, we can go after I have run my errands," Lucas told them.
Ash and Misty cheered. They were stuck in the house for several days, and while they bore it well, you could tell they were getting stir-crazy. Taking them out for some fun before returning to Pallet Town would be a reward for their good behaviour.
Lucas summoned a carriage, and they entered the city proper. The first stop was Gloria's Pokemon Daycare, where she sold him the egg. She also gave him a harness that appeared to be designed to fit around his chest.
"What is this?" Lucas asked as he examined the harness.
"You have to keep the egg close to you to form the bond," Gloria said. "You will be able to carry it with you everywhere and keep your hands free. It is preferable if the egg makes contact with your skin. You can customise some of your shirts or purchase specialised shirts from any clothing store.
He was looking at a glorified baby harness. Who knows, maybe if he decides to have children, this will be good practice. Lucas thanked Gloria and exited the store. While the purchase had made a small dent in his savings, he had earned more than enough in the previous few days to compensate.
For the time being, he slipped the egg into his rucksack. After shopping for supplies, the trio headed to the battle arena. The exterior of the building was a harmonious blend of contemporary and traditional elements, establishing it as a prominent landmark in the city. As they approached the building, they could hear the crowd's enthusiastic roars from inside. The Pokemon Gym was nowhere near as popular as the battle arena.
They entered the building and pushed their way through the crowded lobby to the front desk. As he approached it, he collided with a man's back.
"Sorry."
"There is no reason to apologise," the man said as he turned around. He was dressed in a suit, with sharp eyes and slicked-back hair. "You have good taste in Pokemon, I must say."
"Huh?" Lucas came to a stop as he was about to move on. He pointed at Meowth, who was perched on his shoulder. "Are you referring to him?"
"That is correct. I own a Persian, so I am fond of the evolutionary line. My name is Giovanni, and I am the gym leader for Viridian City. What is your name?"
Lucas's body froze. What kind of luck did he have when he ran into the leader of Team Rocket? Was it just a coincidence?
So, what do you think? Lucas has met the leader of Team Rocket. What will happen next?
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