"Everything's fallen apart!"
A man's voice rang out, angry and hoarse amid the whistling wind. He wore a deep blue uniform of the Water Supply Bureau, gripping his communicator so tightly it looked like he might crush it. His eyes darkened, and his voice dropped low, filled with frustration.
"The original plan has been ruined… by a stupid little girl!"
Behind him, four accomplices stood silently, but a mere glance revealed the cunning lurking in their eyes.
Watching from a distance, Alex knew clearly — these weren't real Water Supply Bureau staff. Beneath that disguise, they were all members of Team Aqua.
Their initial plan was simple: destroy the fountain, then use it to trap the Pokémon Mr. Stone brought through this area every day, funneling them into the pond. Amid the chaos, they would kidnap Mr. Stone and vanish quickly.
Everything was calculated… until May showed up. One unexpected presence shattered their entire preparation.
"I understand."
From the communicator came a calm, cold, and decisive voice: "No matter what happens, the mission remains. Mr. Stone must be captured today. Find a quiet corner and strike directly."
"Yes, sir!" Several Team Aqua members shot sharp looks at May, who stood nearby, then quickly dispersed into the sparse crowd.
Alex watched their strange movement closely.
"Thank you so much!" Mr. Stone spoke, relief evident as he held the recovered floating ring.
"No problem." May smiled, revealing two adorable little fangs.
The trainers around, seeing the scene ended, began to disperse. Route 104, usually bustling, suddenly grew quiet except for the soft whisper of passing wind.
"Hello, young lady, I'm Mr. Stone. What's your name?"
"I'm May." She handed him the small Pokéball.
"You're brave to make it through Petalburg Woods on your own."
"No, actually… I got lost." May blushed and scratched her head. "I met a guy in the forest. Without him… I probably wouldn't have made it out."
She glanced briefly at Alex, who was now squatting down, removing heavy metal gear from Riolu.
"Alex?" May stepped closer, curious. Mr. Stone followed, still clutching the floating ring.
"What's all this?" May frowned, eyeing the heavy metal pieces on the ground.
Before Alex could answer, Mr. Stone froze, almost exclaiming: "This… this is the super heavy protective gear weighing 10 kilograms!"
"And… there are four pieces here!"
As chairman of Devon Corporation, he recognized it immediately.
"Super heavy protective gear?" May looked puzzled.
"Yes," Mr. Stone explained, "When worn, the Pokémon must bear extra fixed weight, training both strength and speed. One piece weighs 10 kg. Four pieces… means Riolu was carrying an extra 40 kg!"
He glanced at Riolu with a mix of amazement and respect. "To move so agilely while carrying twice its body weight… it's unbelievable!"
"What?!" May gasped, recalling the earlier battle — Riolu had carried all that weight, yet her Torchic and Aron barely stood a chance.
Alex removed the last piece, the click resonating sharply on the ground. He released Ralts and looked at May. "May, release your Pokémon. Protect Mr. Stone. I'll handle the rest."
May hesitated for a moment. Though Alex had always been cheerful and kind during their brief acquaintance, now his expression was serious, without a hint of a smile.
Instinctively, she sensed something was approaching.
Quickly obeying, she released Torchic and Aron, who positioned themselves protectively beside Mr. Stone. The old man also sensed the danger, eyes scanning cautiously.
Alex turned his head, voice firm: "Leave on your own… or I'll drag you out."
Aura from Riolu flared, pinpointing the location of five lurking figures.
Footsteps echoed. From the forest edge, shadows emerged, discarding their fake uniforms. Their signature blue uniforms of Team Aqua gleamed in the sunlight.
Mr. Stone recognized them immediately. In Hoenn, there were only two major criminal organizations — Team Aqua and Team Magma. They wore the guise of "great ideals," but their actions were dirty, earning universal contempt.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. The pieces of the puzzle fit together — the floating ring incident was only the opening move of this scheme.
"You brat." The Team Aqua captain sneered. "I advise you not to interfere. Our target is Mr. Stone. Don't look for death."
He threw out a Pokéball.
Mightyena appeared, its gray fur bristling, eyes burning bright yellow like flames.
[Ability]: Quick Feet — When affected by status conditions, speed increases by 50%, immune to speed reduction from paralysis.[Description]: Mightyena has a pack mentality, coordinating smoothly to protect its comrades.
Other members released their Pokémon simultaneously — all level 15 Poochyena, unevolved. A small but well-prepared formation.
Mr. Stone gritted his teeth. "They've come for me… you don't need to—"
Before he could finish, Riolu vanished from sight and reappeared beside Mightyena. Its fist charged with power struck the opponent's side.
Rock Smash!
Super effective!
The heavy impact rang out; Mightyena was knocked back, crashing into a tree and collapsing unconscious. A finishing blow!
Without giving the opponents time to react, Riolu charged into the Poochyena pack, pounding them with rapid fists like a hammer. In a flash, two more lay defeated.
"What… is this?!" The Team Aqua captain shouted, face pale. "Fall back! Everyone, charge in!"