Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 45: Interlude IV
Later that day,
"Alright Fearow, use Steel Wing!" Lincoln ordered.
"Got it!" Fearow said, as she used Steel Wing against a Graveler, sending it down to defeat.
"Graveler is unable to battle, the winner is Fearow! Therefore, the winner is Earl Lincoln Loud!" the referee declared.
"And that's my twentieth win as an Earl! Thanks a bunch, Fearow!" Lincoln praised.
"Not a problem. I was getting kind of bored waiting at the lab for you to bring me back to the field, as were all the others," Fearow replied. Since he was accepted into the nobility of the Battle Chateau, Lincoln was able to quickly rack up win after win, allowing him to ascend to Viscount, then Earl, while training up all of his Pokemon, with the exception of Selena, who still refused to respect Lincoln's authority as a trainer. As he continued to win battle after battle, his team steadily leveled up, and, in some cases, such as Andrea, who had evolved into a larger, porcupine like Pokemon with large brown spikes on her back.
He even went and gave his two regional Meowth, Pidgeotto, Clefairy, and Clefable nicknames when he brought them over. He nicknamed his Alolan Meowth "Percival", his Galarian Meowth "Gawain", his Pidgeotto "Skyra," his Clefairy "Star" and Clefable "Astra." Needless to say, things were going pretty good as far as training goes. His current team consisted of Pikachu, Lapis, Queeny, Gawain, Inferna, and Fearow.
"Ok, now for the next battle! Gawain, you'll take the lead!" Lincoln said.
"Aye, and I'm looking forward to it!" Gawain replied, raring to go. However, it was then that his Pokedex pinged.
"A message?" Lincoln questioned, pulling out the device, "And it's from Professor Oak!"
"Dear Mister Loud,
I hope this message comes to you at an opportune time. For you see, I've arrived in Vermillion City with your friends from Royal Woods. When you are available to come, please make your way to the Cerise Laboratory,
Professor Samuel Oak."
"Is everything alright, Lincoln?" Inferna asked.
"As a matter of fact, yes, it is. We're going to have to cut this training session short, sorry to tell you this, Gawain. But I've been summoned to somewhere called 'Cerise Laboratory' to meet the Professor," Lincoln replied.
"Ah well, I guess it cannae be helped," Gawain said. Lincoln then recalled everyone, apart from Lapis.
"Lapis, can you use Teleport to take us back to the Pokemon Center? I want to get you guys healed up before heading over," Lincoln requested.
"Of course! You can count on me!" Lapis replied, sounding confident. It made her really happy for her trainer/crush to count on her. She then used Teleport to warp herself, Lincoln, and Pikachu out of the Battle Chateau.
In front of the Vermillion City Pokemon Center,
Lincoln and his Pokemon reappeared in front of the Pokemon Center, "Nice! Thanks a bunch, Lapis," Lincoln said, recalling his Gardevoir, as he entered the Pokemon Center.
"Hello Lincoln. How did your training go at the Battle Chateau?" Nurse Joy asked.
"It went great, Nurse Joy. Speaking of which, could you top off my Pokemon?" Lincoln asked, handing over his Pokeballs and Pikachu.
"Certainly. It'll be just a moment," Nurse Joy said, as she inserted the Pokeballs into the machine, and put Pikachu in a glass dome. Activating the machines, Lincoln saw his Pokemon all getting healed up, "And just like that, you're Pokemon are all back in full health," she said, returning Lincoln's Pokeballs to him. Pikachu leapt up onto Lincoln's shoulder.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy. By the way, you wouldn't happen to know where to find the Cerise Laboratory, do you?" Lincoln asked.
"Of course. It's just up on that big hill. When you exit the Pokemon Center, make an immediate left, and you'll see it on the hill," Nurse Joy replied.
"Ok, thanks," Lincoln said, as he left the Pokemon Center, only to run into Misty, Brock, Raigo, Leaf, Rito, Lala, Momo, Mikan, Celine, Haruna, Run, and Nana.
"Oh, hey Lincoln. Where are you off to now?" Misty asked.
"The Cerise Laboratory, up there. I'm meeting with Professor Oak and my friends from Royal Woods," Lincoln replied.
"Oh, so they came all the way over here?" Nana asked.
"Yep. They're wanting to be trainers too, but they have to pass a qualification test before they can be given a Pokedex and their own Pokemon," Lincoln replied.
"Oh! Maybe we could come and meet them?" Lala asked.
"Sure, I have no issue with that," Lincoln replied, as they began their trek all the way up to the Lab.
Later, just outside of the Cerise Lab property line,
"Well, this is the same address Nurse Joy gave me," Lincoln said, looking at the address plate. He and the others looked up to see a rather normal looking house up a flight of stairs.
"A bit out of place, don't you think?" Rito questioned.
"A lot of Pokemon Labs usually are. You remember Bill's Lighthouse, right? It doubles as a Lab," Brock replied.
"Well, the Professor should be waiting inside," Lincoln said, as they all began climbing the stairs. Halfway up, they were greeted by a Pokemon. It looked to be a small, cream and beige colored corgi with a small, lightning bolt shaped tail. It was barking aggressively, as if trying to ward off the group.
"SO CUTE!" Misty, Leaf, Run, Lala, Mikan, Haruna, Momo, and Nana exclaimed.
"What kind of Pokemon is that?" Lincoln wondered, pointing his Pokedex at the Corgi Pokemon.
"Yamper, the Puppy Pokemon, an Electric Type. This gluttonous Pokemon only helps people with their work for treats. As it runs, it crackles with electricity," Dexter explained.
"It must belong to whoever runs the lab," Brock guessed.
"Strangers! I won't let you defile my master's lab!" Yamper barked.
"I think it must be a guard Pokemon," Lincoln deduced, as Pikachu leapt down.
"Hey man, you can relax. We've been invited here by someone by the name of Professor Oak," Pikachu explained.
"'Professor Oak'? That's one of the other researchers my master is having over, along with a bunch of other humans as well," Yamper said.
"Yes, I'm one of the trainers Professor Oak is sponsoring at the moment. He personally invited us as his guests," Lincoln said to Yamper.
"Well, if you're friends of my master's friends, then I'll let you pass," Yamper said, scooching off to the side.
"Thank you kindly," Lincoln said, as the group proceeded towards the actual building. Lincoln then rang the doorbell. In moments, the door opened to reveal Professor Oak.
"Ah, Mister Loud, Miss Rose, so good of you to come," he said, before noticing the large group with them, "And I see you brought some company with you as well."
"Yes, Professor. I thought it would be nice to introduce my friends from Royal Woods with the friends I've made in Kanto," Lincoln replied.
"Hmm, that I can respect. In any case, your friends are in the main study area, finishing up their exams," Professor Oak replied.
"So, I guess it's still a bit early to actually meet them?" Lincoln asked.
"A little, but it shouldn't be too long now," Professor Oak replied, letting them inside.
"So, what exactly do you research here?" Haruna asked.
"Well young lady, my field of study is in Pokemon relations with humans, but this laboratory isn't actually mine. It belongs to a former protégé of mine who studies Pokemon to better understand them and the world they live in," Professor Oak replied.
"See, Professor Oak's Lab is in Pallet Town, where Lincoln and I got our start as trainers, along with Red, and Professor Oak's Grandson, Gary," Leaf explained. Just then, Professor Sycamore exited a nearby room, along side several others, who took notice of the group.
"Ah, so there's your guests, Samuel," Professor Rowan commented, his stern look never once changing.
"Indeed. This is Lincoln Loud, the trainer from Royal Woods, just like the others," Professor Oak introduced.
"Very nice to meet all of you," Lincoln said.
"And it's a pleasure for us as well," Professor Sycamore replied.
"So, I take it they've completed the tests?" Professor Oak asked.
"Yep. We're on our way to grade them," Professor Juniper replied.
"I see. In the meantime, why don't you go and meet your friends?" Professor Oak suggested.
"That'd be great, Professor. Thank you," Lincoln replied, as he and the others went to the room the other professors had just exited. And sure enough, Lincoln was greeted with a familiar sight.
"Well, there he is now!" Rusty exclaimed, as he and the others rushed to greet their friend.
"Guys! You made it!" Lincoln exclaimed, sounding ecstatic to see his friends.
"Of course. Though I didn't think we'd convince our parents to let us come here," Ronnie Anne replied, scratching the back of her head.
"Well, it makes me happy to see and hear that you did get their permission," Lincoln replied, before he noticed Margo and the girls from the Sadie Hawkin's Dance, "The five of you are here as well?"
"We got interested by the sound of your adventures, and thought it would be good for us to give it a go as well," Tabby replied.
"So, how have things been since we talked last?" Girl Jordan asked.
"Pretty well. After the Cerulean City call, my friends and I decided to head up to the Cerulean Cape for a little R&R. Along the way, I caught all three of the Kanto Starters, as well as two different regional variants of Meowth and a regular Meowth, as well as a few others I plan on using for Wonder Trading. And along the way, I made a bunch of new friends as well," Lincoln explained.
"Glad to hear you're doing well, little Loud," Bobby said, as he and Carlota came into view.
"Bobby?! Carlota?! Professor Oak told me that there were three teenagers going to act as chaperones, but I wasn't expecting the two of you to be here!" Lincoln exclaimed.
"Well, if you think the two of us are a surprise, just wait till you see the third one," Carlota said, as she went out of view for a moment, and returned with none other than…
"LENI?!" Lincoln exclaimed, surprised, but happy to see the ditzy yet kindest of his sisters.
"Hey Linky! I hope you aren't too taken by surprise by me being here," Leni said, as she went up to greet her brother.
"Uh, maybe a little bit, but I'm really happy to see you here," Lincoln replied.
"So, these are your friends from Royal Woods?" Raigo asked.
"Yep. There's Clyde McBride and Ronnie Anne Santiago, my best friends, as well as Rusty Spokes, Zach Gurdle, Liam Hunnicut, Stella Zhau, Girl Jordan, Tabby, Polly Pain, Giggles, Haiku, Margo, Bobby Santiago, Carlota Casagrande, and my second oldest sister, Leni," Lincoln replied, introducing his friends and sister from Royal Woods.
"Nice to meet you guys. The name's Raigo. I'm from the Hoenn Region's Lavaridge Town," Raigo said.
"I'm Leaf Rose from Pallet Town. I met Lincoln when he was studying for his exam," Leaf said.
"And these are some of the friends I made when I visited the Cerulean Cape with Brock and Misty," Lincoln said, motioning to Rito and the others.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Rito Yuuki, and this is my little sister, Mikan," Rito said, introducing himself and his sister.
"My name is Lala Satalin Deviluke, and these are my little twin sisters," Lala said, introducing herself and her sisters.
"Nana Astar Deviluke," Nana said.
"And Momo Belia Deviluke," Momo said.
"Haruna Sarenji," Haruna said.
"I'm Run Elise Jewelria," Run said.
"And this little one is Celine," Mikan added, holding up Celine.
"Mau, mau!" Celine exclaimed.
"Aww, she's so cute! She must be the same age as Lily," Leni commented, looking down at Celine.
"And that little flower accessory she's wearing is so adorable!" Stella commented. It was then that Margo noticed something about Lala and her sisters.
"Hey, where'd the three of you get those tail accessories?" she asked. The three of them looked back at their tails.
"Uh, this may be a bit hard to believe, but these aren't accessories," Nana replied. The friends from Royal Woods, as well as Raigo and Leaf all had the same reaction.
"Huh?"
One brief explanation later,
"WHAT!?" they all exclaimed.
"You girls are all aliens?!" Bobby exclaimed.
"From an Earthling's standpoint, yes. See, our Daddy's the ruler of the entire universe, governing the cosmos from our home planet, Deviluke," Momo replied.
"Of course, even he needs help with ruling every square inch of the universe, so he has allies who help to govern different sections," Lala added.
"Which section would Earth be in then?" Raigo asked.
"The southern section. In fact, Earth is one of the most remote planets in all the universe, so not a whole lot of people from other planets come by here. That being said, there are some aliens that take on human disguises and try to blend in with human society," Lala replied.
"I'm actually an alien too. I'm from the Royal Family of the Planet Memorze," Run added.
"Oh man, Mom and Dad will flip when they hear this!" Zach commented, feeling a little overwhelmed from learning that aliens do exist.
"I was taken aback myself when Nana told me as well," Lincoln replied.
"Well, as amazing as this new is, why don't we move onto something a bit more off the current topic? How've you been doing with your training, little Loud?" Bobby asked.
"Pretty good. I've been training up all of my Pokemon at the Battle Chateau so I can get ready for my rematch with Lt. Surge later today," Lincoln replied.
"A rematch? I take it that means you lost the last time?" Giggles asked.
"Yeah. His Raichu overpowered us, so I came up with a new strategy in preparation for it," Lincoln replied.
"Glad to see you're going about it the right way," Margo commented.
"Yep. All that's left for me to do is to wait and then challenge Surge," Lincoln replied. Just then, Professor Oak came into the room.
"Having fun with getting caught up with your friends, Mister Loud?" he asked.
"Yep. This was definitely something to look forward to," Lincoln replied.
"That's good to hear. And I have something that they'll be happy to hear as well," Professor Oak said, turning his attention to the group, "After reviewing your exams, I'm happy to say that each of you has passed well within the margin of error."
"Great! That means we're going to be trainers like Lincoln, right?" Clyde asked.
"It does. Now, if you'll all come with me to the backyard, you can all choose your starter Pokemon," Professor Oak said, as he led the group from Royal Woods out of the room.
"Why don't we go see what they'll choose?" Lincoln suggested.
"Sounds good," Misty replied, as they followed after. However, a certain trio was eavesdropping from outside.
"So, there are more brats from America now? Just our luck!" Jessie grumbled.
"I agree. Didn't you see all those other Professors that were here? They all came from different regions, which means they must have some pretty rare Pokemon with them!" Meowth said deviously.
"Catching all of them might put us back in good graces with the Boss," James added. Jessie perked up immediately.
"Glad I thought of it! Let's move into position to see what kinds we have to steal!" she ordered, as they maneuvered themselves around the building.
In the backyard of the Laboratory,
The group from Royal Woods were now standing before each of the regional professors, who were ready to give them their own starter Pokemon, "Ok, first off, we'd like to congratulate each of you for passing the Trainer Qualification Exam. That is one of the first steps to becoming an official trainer. And because of it, you may now each chose a single starter Pokemon to be your partner," Professor Oak said, as he tossed three Pokeballs, releasing Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, "These are the three starters for trainers in the Kanto Region; The Grass Type, Bulbasaur, the Fire Type, Charmander, and the Water Type, Squirtle."
"And here are the three starters for the Johto Region: The Grass Type, Chikorita, the Fire Type, Cyndaquil, and the Water Type, Totodile," Professor Elm said, releasing three Pokemon of his own.
"Next up are the starters from the Hoenn Region: The Grass Type, Treecko, the Fire Type, Torchic, and the Water Type, Mudkip," Professor Birch said, sending out the three Pokemon he had brought with him.
"Next are the Sinnoh Region starters: Turtwig, the Grass Type, Chimchar, the Fire Type, and Piplup, the Water Type," Professor Rowan said, releasing the three Pokemon.
"Continuing with the Unova Starters, we have Snivy, the Grass Type, Tepig, the Fire Type, and Oshawott, the Water Type," Professor Juniper said, showing the Pokemon she had brought.
"Now we have the Kalos Region Starters. First is Chespin, the Grass Type, Fennekin, the Fire Type, and Froakie, a Water Type," Professor Sycamore said, as he sent out his three Pokemon.
"From the Alola Region, we now have these three. Rowlet, the Grass Type, Litten, the Fire Type, and Popplio, the Water Type," Professor Kukui said, showing the three Pokemon he had with him.
"Now to show you the Galar Region Starters: The Grass Type, Grookey, the Fire Type, Scorbunny, and the Water Type, Sobble," Professor Magnolia said, as the three Pokemon stood at her feet.
"And finally, I received these three from the Paldea Region. You have your choices of Sprigatito, the Grass Type, Fuecoco, the Fire Type, and Quaxly, the Water Type," Professor Cerise said, as he showed the three Pokemon from the Paldea Region.
"Whoa, this is too cool!" Ronnie Anne commented.
"I'll say. Which of the Kanto starters did you choose, Lincoln?" Carlota asked.
"Well, the thing is, mine was kind of a special case. See, along with Leaf and myself, there were two other trainers starting out from Professor Oak's lab, but there were only three Pokemon for him to give away. As a result, I caught my Pikachu the very night before I set out, making him my starter," Lincoln explained.
"And I've been his partner ever since!" Pikachu proclaimed proudly, despite no one other than Lincoln and Nana being able to understand him. From a nearby bush, the Rocket trio was amazed at all of the starter Pokemon they saw.
"Incredible! With that many rare Pokemon, not only would the boss forgive all of our past blunders, but we're sure to get promoted!" Jessie gushed.
"And when they evolve, they'll become real powerhouses! Charizard, Feraligatr, Blaziken, Torterra, Emboar, just to name a few of them!" James said, looking at his handheld device.
Back up with group, Lincoln's friends were carefully mulling over their choices, "Hmm, didn't think it would be this tough to choose," Girl Jordan commented.
"Ah, yes! Before I forget, Lincoln, I have a little gift for you," Professor Sycamore said, as he pulled out what appeared to be a black bracelet with a jeweled stone embedded in it.
"Oh, thanks Professor, but what is it?" Lincoln asked.
"It's a Mega Ring. As you can see, it has a Key Stone embedded in it. If you tap the Key Stone, then your Pokemon, holding the appropriate Mega Stone, will be able to Mega Evolve," Professor Sycamore replied.
"What does 'Mega Evolve' mean?" Rito asked.
"See, there are a fairly large number of Pokemon in the world that are capable of undergoing a transformation unlike regular evolution. Mega Evolution, which is my field of study, appears to draw out all of a Pokemon's hidden potential during battle. And after the battle is done, the Mega Evolved Pokemon returns to their normal state," Professor Sycamore explained.
"Whoa, that sounds awesome!" Mikan commented.
"It is. In fact, my research shows that the fully evolved Kanto and Hoenn starters are six examples of Pokemon that can Mega Evolve. On that note, I also have a research subject of my own with me," Professor Sycamore said, tossing a Pokeball into the air. When it opened up, a large, bipedal shark like Pokemon emerged. It was a dark blue, with a yellow star pattern on what appeared to be it's nose.
"What Pokemon is that?!" Lincoln exclaimed, pulling out his Pokedex.
"Garchomp, the Mach Pokemon, a Ground and Dragon Type. When it folds in its body, and extends it's wings, it appears like a jet plane. It flies at supersonic speeds, and never allows it's prey to escape," Dexter explained.
"You see, Garchomp is one such Pokemon I've found that is capable of Mega Evolution, and this one is more than happy to assist in my research," Professor Sycamore said, petting Garchomp on it's snout.
"Didn't you say that you have some Pokemon capable of Mega Evolution too, Lincoln?" Clyde asked.
"Yep. Just meet the rest of my party," Lincoln said, tossing his five Pokeballs, releasing Lapis, Gawain, Queeny, Inferna, and Fearow.
"I remember you," Leni said, looking at Fearow.
"Yep. Fearow's been a great team member for my party. Anyhow, it's Lapis and Inferna here that can Mega Evolve. Though in the latter's case, she still needs to evolve once more," Lincoln commented.
"Hmm, they both look well trained. And this one here is especially nice to look at," Rusty said, eying Lapis, who seemed a little put off by the boy's advances, "To be honest, she does look like a real space babe."
"Eh, sorry, but I've already got someone I like," Lapis said, though Rusty couldn't understand her.
"Lincoln, you speak alien, right? What did she say?" Rusty asked.
Lincoln simply had a deadpan look on his face, "First of all Rusty, I can translate Pokemon, not aliens."
"Dang it," Rusty cursed.
"Secondly, Lapis isn't an alien. She's a Pokemon. More specifically, a Gardevoir."
"Dang it! Well, what did she say?" Rusty asked.
"She said she already has someone she likes," Lincoln replied. Lapis blushed when she heard her trainer say that, avoiding eye contact with Lincoln. Steenee blushed slightly as well, though neither of their blushes were noticed by anyone there.
"In any case, it is true that Gardevoir can Mega Evolve," Professor Sycamore said.
"And she's been holding onto the Mega Stone she had when I first got her in a Wonder Trade," Lincoln replied.
"Is that so? Then why not show us what Mega Evolution is all about?" Zach asked.
"I would strongly recommend waiting on that. Mega Evolution needs a third component to be used; a powerful bond of trust between trainer and Pokemon," Professor Oak warned.
"But I promise that I can handle it! I'll do anything I can for my trainer!" Lapis exclaimed.
"Well, Lapis sounds like she's willing to give it a go," Lincoln translated. Lapis kicked herself for blurting out her words like that.
"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see how well you've bonded with her," Professor Oak said.
"But don't worry. The rest of us can jump in if there's any trouble," Professor Kukui said.
"Did someone say trouble?"
"Oh no, not them!" Lincoln groaned.
"Oh yes, and they'd better make it double!" a familiar Meowth shaped balloon descended from the sky.
"To protect the world from devestation!"
"To unite all people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"And James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, that's right!"
"Is that the Team Rocket you've been running into, Little Loud?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah. But don't let their cheesy motto fool you. They can be pretty dangerous when they want to be," Lincoln warned.
"That's right! And for all the trouble you've caused us, we'll take all of those Pokemon off your hands!" Jessie declared, as a large number of mechanical arms emerged from the balloon basket, and reached down, grabbing all of the starter Pokemon, Garchomp, as well as all of Lincoln's Pokemon, apart from Queeny and Gawain, who were able to fend off the arms. Once the arms retracted, the Pokemon were all thrown into an energy cage.
"No! Those Pokemon are for beginning trainers!" Professor Juniper yelled.
"Well now they're for Team Rocket! And we heard every juicy detail about Mega Evolution! So, we'll be training up these little cuties until they're able to Mega Evolve! Then we'll evolve into Team Mega Rocket!" Meowth declared.
"Koffing, use Smokescreen!" James then sent out his Koffing, which began belching out Smokescreen, allowing Team Rocket to get away.
"No! We can't let them get away with this!" Misty declared.
"Good to see that Queeny and Gawain are still here," Lincoln said, relieved that Team Rocket didn't steal ALL of his Pokemon.
"But how do we track them down?" Zach asked. Lincoln felt so foolish in allowing his Pokemon to be taken so easily. But then, he felt something… strange. It was like he could sense where they were at, or more specifically, where Lapis was. He looked down at the Mega Ring he had gotten from Professor Sycamore, and saw that it was glowing slightly.
"Call me crazy, but I think I might know where they went," Lincoln commented.
"Alright, you're crazy," Rusty said nonchalantly, only to get smacked by Margo.
"What are you saying, Lincoln?" Leni asked.
"It's hard to describe, but I think I can sense where Lapis is going," Lincoln replied.
"Hmm, I know what you're saying. I can sense where Garchomp is myself," Professor Sycamore replied.
"But how can that be?" Tabby asked.
"It's part of the bond needed for Mega Evolution. I talked with Diantha, the Kalos Champion, and she explained a very similar situation that happened to her during one of her movie shoots. Her Gardevoir appeared from it's Pokeball, and guided the film crew to where she was at after she got lost in a fog," Professor Sycamore explained.
"Is that the power of a bond?" Liam asked.
"More than likely. It's something that can't easily be explained by science," Professor Sycamore said.
"If I'm not mistaken, Team Rocket's balloon went… that way!" Lincoln said, dashing off towards the forest, followed closely by the others.
Meanwhile, at the Team Rocket Warehouse,
"And those are your orders. Make sure that the message that those three are no longer allowed in Team Rocket by any means," Giovanni said to Proton from a computer screen.
"And by 'any means', do you mean like straight up telling them they're fired, or do you want me to do more?" Proton asked. Needless to say, he was elated when he heard that he was in charge of kicking out Jessie, James, and Meowth.
"Tell them they're fired, make sure they're lost at sea, or just make sure they're never heard from again. I really don't care. I've tolerated one too many blunders of theirs, and the organization will be much better off without them," Giovanni replied.
"Yes sir, Giovanni sir," Proton replied.
"Good. Now, how are preparations for the St. Anne heist?"
"Everything went according to plan. We managed to distribute all of the free passes to the ship. But, if I may ask, sir, is it really a good idea to hand out so many tickets for free?" Proton asked.
"A small price to pay for what Team Rocket will get from the heist."
"Very well, then, sir. I will report to you when the operation is complete," Proton said, as the call was hung up. Proton then slumped down in his chair, "Phew, as much as it's nice to be in this position of power, it never fails to wrack my nerves talking to him," just then, a knock came from the door, "What is it?" the door opened to reveal a pair of Rocket Grunts, including the woman Lincoln and company encountered at the Cerulean Cape.
"Mister Proton, sir, we've received intel that a member of the Elite Four was seen in Vermillion City," the woman said. Proton's face turned concerned.
"Who was it? Lance? Bruno? That Agatha hag?" Proton asked.
"No sir. It was Lorelei. But she's going by the alias 'Prima'," the other grunt said.
"Hmm, what could she be doing here? The St. Anne is going to be docking first thing tomorrow. Was she one of the trainers you gave a pass to?" Proton asked.
"No sir. All of the other grunts said they never once saw anyone matching her description taking a ticket," the woman replied.
"Hmm, she must've gotten it from a spy. But it doesn't matter. We can't afford to let all this planning go to waste! Giovanni is counting on us to bring him all kinds of rare Pokemon!" Proton said. The woman's face turned more intense.
'So, it is Giovanni who's in charge of Team Rocket,' she thought.
"What's the status on the heist preparations?" Proton asked.
"Everything is ready to go. We just need to wait for the St. Anne to dock," the other grunt replied.
"Good. In the meantime, I guess everyone can have the rest of the day off. Just be sure to let them know to be back here by 10 PM," Proton ordered.
"At once, Proton," the female grunt said, as she and the other grunt left the room.
"Well, I know what I'm going to do with my time off!" the other grunt said, as he waltzed away. The woman took this opportunity to go change into casual clothes and leave the warehouse to find somewhere more secluded. From her cleavage, she pulled out what appeared to be a communicator.
"This is Special Agent Midori, contacting the Pokemon G-Men HQ, do you read me?" the woman said.
"This is HQ. What is the status of your mission, Agent Midori," the voice of Lance asked from the other end.
"I was able to find out a few things about Team Rocket's heist plan for the St. Anne," Midori replied.
"Go on," Lance urged.
"They already know that Lorelei is here in Vermillion City and has assumed her alter alias of 'Prima,'" Midori replied.
"I see. Are they planning to pull out?"
"No. Proton is insistent on carrying out the operation. But I also came across some more news, regarding the Team Rocket boss," Midori replied.
"Good. What did you find out?"
"The boss of Team Rocket is Giovanni."
"Giovanni? As in, the Leader of the Viridian City Gym?"
"Affirmative."
"Hmm, Giovanni has always been the most suspicious of all the Kanto Gym Leaders, and this is the final piece of the puzzle. Have you managed to find out anything more?"
"Sort of. I only heard rumors about it, but there might be a Team Rocket secret base somewhere in Celadon City."
"Hmm, I would have Erika launch a city-wide investigation, but she's going to be in Kalos for the next two weeks, doing a perfume show. Oh well. Rendezvous with Lorelei at Vermillion Beachfront, and give her anymore intel you've acquired," Lance ordered.
"Roger that. Over and out," Midori said, hanging up, and slipping her communicator back into her bust, "Pretty soon, Team Rocket will be history, hopefully."
Back at the Loud House,
Rita and Maria were chatting away in the dining room. About what, you may ask? Maria was helping give advice on enforcing discipline on the Loud Sisters, "So, if all else fails, you'll need to use La chancla on Junior if she doesn't shape up," Maria said.
"I still don't know. I mean, I do want her to stop with this whole 'bad luck' thing, but I think actually striking a child is going a little too far," Rita replied.
"Rita, you're the mother of this house, right? That means you and Lynn HAVE to take charge and control your daughters. Otherwise, they'll wind up becoming over entitled adult brats who think they can do whatever they want. Actually spanking them might do them a world of good," Maria replied.
"Well, I suppose I could use it as a last resort," Rita relented.
"That what I try to do with my kids. Physically disciplining your kids may come off as controversial, but if it's meant to teach them a lesson, then it'll be alright. Besides, you'll only get in trouble with the law if you do so in cold blood," Maria reassured.
"Mrs. Santiago?" both mothers saw Lori peering into the room.
"Is something wrong, Lori? I'm kind of in the middle of talking with Maria," Rita said.
"I just need to ask her something Mom, then I'll be out of your hair," Lori replied.
"Ok, what would you like to ask?" Maria asked.
"Can you please try to get Bobby to talk to me again? I need him in my life! I haven't been able to call him since he dumped me!" Lori pleaded. Maria shook her head, much to the oldest Loud daughter's dismay.
"Sorry Lori, but Bobby is already heading for the Kanto Region with Ronnie Anne and Carlota. Besides, some time away from him might do you some good, as well as my phone bill," Maria replied.
"'Phone bill'? Mrs. Santiago, my calls with Bobby are hardly that long!" Lori exclaimed.
"'Not that long'? Lori, more often than not, your calls with Bobby last two, maybe three hours at most! And our last phone bill was a little over $300! Before he started dating you, we barely scratched $50!" Maria yelled.
"Ok, maybe we can try to set time limits for our calls, but can you at least convince him to talk to me again? I miss talking with him!" Lori pleaded, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"Sorry Lori, Bobby left his phone here. Besides, Bobby's decision to break off his relationship with you was a result of YOUR selfishness and negligence towards your siblings. If you need someone to talk to, then talk to your sisters or your parents," Maria replied.
"But they're not Bobby! I can't trust anyone by Bobby with MY problems!" Lori sobbed.
"And what about HIS problems? His needs? A relationship requires a mutual understanding between both parties. Without it, then it's about as toxic as industrial waste from a factory," Maria replied.
"She has a point, Lori. And besides, you always preach about how 'family matters are for family to deal with'. As I recall, Bobby isn't officially part of the Loud family," Rita added.
"That only applies to Lincoln! He has no right to get himself or others involved in family problems! It's always HIS fault when problems arise in this house! I thought you of all people would know that!" Lori screamed, as she ran back upstairs, slamming her door. Both mothers could only sigh in exasperation.
"Sorry you had to see that, Maria," Rita said.
"Don't worry about it, Rita. That girl needs a major reality check. I mean, who puts a relationship with a romantic partner before their own family?" Maria asked rhetorically.
"Fair point," Rita replied.
Meanwhile, in Lincoln's Room,
"And that's how things have been since I cast the spell, Great Grandma Harriet," Lucy said, as she was conversing with the spirit of her Great Grandma, Harriet, through her crystal ball.
"Hmm, very good, Lucy. I'm glad that you're putting some kind of plan into motion to teach the others a lesson," Harriet replied.
"Of course. Though there is one thing I don't quite understand. Well, maybe two things," Lucy admitted.
"And what might those be, child?" Harriet asked.
"For starters, how were able to come up with such a powerful spell in the first place?" Lucy asked.
"Oh yeah, that's right. Now, don't get too mad, but I kind of promised the hand of one of my grandsons to Demon Royalty in marriage," Harriet admitted sheepishly.
"Wait, actual Demons? You mean from Hell?" Lucy asked.
"More like the Monster Realm. Of course, when they met your father, they were severely unimpressed, saying that they wouldn't take him if he was the last man on earth, and believe me, that's actually the nicest thing they said to him. So, they decided to wait until a suitable Great Grandson of mine was born," Harriet explained.
"Would that mean…?" Lucy asked, putting two and two together.
"Yes. Given how mature he is, I'm sure these ladies would take a shine to Lincoln once they meet him. Of course, given that they're the current generation you and Lincoln are in, I doubt they'll take kindly to the idea of such a betrothal right away," Harriet replied.
"I can only imagine," Lucy smirked.
"And what was that second thing you wanted to ask about?" Harriet asked.
"Well, over the past few days, Lori, Luan, and Lynn have mentioned seeing doppelgängers of themselves. They said that they were trying to convince them that they're the bad guys in this and not Lincoln," Lucy replied.
"Hmm, sounds like phantasms."
"'Phantasms'? What do you mean?"
"Didn't you read the entire section on the spell?" Lucy then pulled out the spell book, and flipped it to the spell page.
"Ok, it says here that while the Curse is a great motivator for a person to right their wrongs, sometimes a little persuasion is needed, and this can come in the form of a phantasm. Huh, I guess that's what they meant," Lucy commented, only for her normally pale face to pale even further upon seeing the next section.
"Lucy? Is something wrong, child?"
"Great Grandma Harriet, this next section talks about an even darker part of the curse," Lucy said.
"Oh? Would you be willing to tell me what it says?"
"Certainly. It says that 'it takes patience to forgive someone, especially if the one who's asking for it refuses to acknowledge their own wrongdoings. However, even patience has it's limits. If the afflicted refuse to pay back their karmic dues, then the effects of the Karmic Misfortune Curse will gradually worsen over time up to a period of a full year. If the karmic dues are not paid by that time, then the Karmic Misfortune Curse become a more powerful variant called the 'Curse of the Mule,' and cannot be removed, even when forgiveness is finally achieved'," Lucy read.
"Oh dear, that certainly is a pickle! When exactly did you cast the curse?"
"The night after the Cerulean City call from Lincoln. That was when Lynn ran her big mouth and nearly jeopardized our chances at making amends with Lincoln," Lucy replied.
"Hmm, at that was a little over a week ago. Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Lynn and the others will have to apologize to Lincoln eventually," Harriet said.
"Should I tell them about it?" Lucy asked.
"Hmm, I would say not. After all, if they knew about the curse, not only would they make insincere apologies to Lincoln, but they could turn their whole 'anti-bad luck' attention towards you. And both Lynns are far too stubborn for their own good," Harriet replied.
"That's right. If Dad does come to terms with the reality that Lincoln did lie, he would only focus on that instead of the damage our actions caused him," Lucy replied.
"Indeed. So for now, don't say a word about the curse, unless you feel you absolutely need to," Harriet advised.
"Very well. Uh, by the way, those Demons you talked about… do you think they know about Lincoln?" Lucy asked.
"Well, considering that you cast the Curse with HIS picture, it's more than likely that Infelicis has already notified them, or at the very least, is in line to inform them of it. I heard the lines to just ONE of those castles is like a line at an amusement park," Harriet replied.
"Well, could you tell me about the Demons you dealt with?" Lucy asked.
"I thought you'd never ask, child," Harriet smiled.
Meanwhile, in the Monster Realm,
"Ugh, come on! I have places to be, and things to do!" Infelicis grumbled, as he was next in line to enter a big castle of some kind, 'The sooner I inform just one of the royal families about this young man, the sooner I can get home and veg,' he thought, just some monsters, a lamia and a slime exited the castle. One of the guards undid the ropes keeping Infelicis from proceeding.
"Prince Stolas will see you now," he said. Infelicis took his cue, and proceeded into the castle. He followed the signs to the throne room. Upon entering, he saw what appeared to be an anthropomorphic owl person sitting atop a throne in regal wear.
"Ah, Infelicis, what brings you to my humble abode?" Stolas asked, sounding tired, and a little bored.
"I come bearing news about a deal you and the others made with a witch by the name of 'Harriet Loud'," Infelicis replied. Upon saying the name, Stolas now looked fully awake and focused on the karma demon.
"What news do you have to tell me?" Stolas asked. Infelicis then pulled out the picture of Lincoln, and presented it to Stolas.
"One of Harriet's great granddaughters had summoned me to afflict my curse on those who wrong this boy. The girl who summoned me told me that he is the lone son of his family and Harriet's Great Grandson by blood," Infelicis explained. Stolas looked closely at the photo.
"Hmm, the deal states that when a suitable grandson is born, then he would be promised the hand of the daughters of all the demons Harriet made a deal with. What's this boy's name?" Stolas asked.
"Lincoln, sir. Lincoln Loud. Son of Lynn Sr. and Rita Loud," Infelicis replied. Stolas looked irked upon hearing the Loud Patriarch's name.
"So, that man was able to marry and bear offspring? Didn't think he'd find anyone who would put up with him. Right! I shall be needing to contact the others about this development. We'll be heading for Royal Woods tomorrow to meet with Lincoln Loud, and make the betrothal official," Stolas declared.
"One problem with that, sire," Infelicis said, catching Stolas' attention, "From what I gathered from Harriet, Lincoln is over in an Island Region just off the course of Japan."
"Japan? That's awfully far for a little kid to make on his own," Stolas commented.
"Yes. Apparently, his family agreed to send him away to that location due to allegations of him being 'bad luck'," Infelicis explained.
"'Bad luck' you say? Well, I'd say that this boy might feel exceptionally lucky after we meet with him," Stolas mused.
Updates:
Lincoln: Baron Earl
Sandshrew (Andrea) Sandslash
Alolan Meowth Nicknamed Percival
Galarian Meowth Nicknamed Gawain
Clefairy Nicknamed Star
Clefable Nicknamed Astra
Pidgeotto Nicknamed Skyra