Dr. stared at the Ralts, sensing waves of numb, negative emotion radiating from it.
His gaze dropped to the cruel black mechanical collar around its neck.
His face flushed red with fury.
He looked up sharply at the purple-haired woman and her cold-eyed companions.
"What have you done to this poor Pokémon?" He shouted. "Release it right now! Can't you see it's suffering?"
Hidden behind the bushes, Ryan felt a similar surge of burning anger rise in his chest.
His fists tightened, jaw clenched, but he forced himself to stay calm, this wasn't the moment to act, not yet.
"Haaa..."
The purple-haired woman laughed. She ignored him completely and crouched down, patting the Ralts' head.
She straightened up and shot a piercing look at him, eyes narrowed with cold amusement.
"This is your last chance, Dr. Seymour."
"Or perhaps you don't understand what this Pokémon could do to you if you don't talk."
"You're the ones who don't understand," Seymour shouted, "What you're doing to that innocent creature is unforgivable! The police will arrest you for this, you should release this Pokémon right now!"
The pink-haired woman glanced at her companion coldly.
"Viper, just do it. Don't waste time."
Viper nodded. "Yes, Commander Nova."
She straightened slowly, shaking her head with a sweet, chilling smile.
"Looks like words alone won't work on stubborn people like him."
She turned to the Ralts, her voice soft yet commanding.
"Use Psychic on him."
The little Ralts hesitated, its body trembling.
The instant it paused, a sharp electric jolt crackled through the collar.
"Ralts... Raaalts!"
The little Pokémon's cry came out high and thin, full of hurt.
It tore through the air like a small child's broken sob: raw and impossible to ignore.
My heart twisted hard, the ache hitting me fresh and sharp all over again.
It reminded me how truly bad these people were, treating Pokémon like nothing more than tools, disposable things to be broken and used.
I still remembered those poachers bragging about it, laughing over how they would sell and break this Rapidash and Ponyta.
The memory fueled the fire already burning inside me.
No more…
Viper shook her head slightly in disappointed impatience, as if scolding a misbehaving pet.
"When will you learn, you stupid Pokémon? As long as that collar's around your neck, you can't disobey me."
With the shock finally over and no choice left, the Ralts' small red horn glowed a faint light pink.
An invisible psychic force slammed into Seymour's mind.
His eyes snapped wide. His body jerked up slightly, gripped by the crushing pressure.
"Aaaarghhhhhhh…." A raw scream tore from his throat.
His face twisted in agony.
Sweat poured down his flushed skin.
Veins throbbed at his temples.
His mouth hung open, saliva dripping from the corner as his eyes squeezed shut, then snapped wide in pain.
Horror froze me behind the bushes as I watched.
A faint pinkish psychic aura rippled out from the Ralts, like a shimmering wave pressing through the air.
Even from far away, I felt the raw strength of it brush against me, heavy and overwhelming.
This Ralts was far more powerful than it looked.
Ten seconds later…
"Stop," Viper said calmly.
The faint pink glow faded from the Ralts' horn. The invisible grip vanished.
Dr. Seymour collapsed forward, ropes pulling tight against his arms as he hit the ground.
He gasped hard, chest heaving with ragged, shaking breaths. His eyes stayed glassy and dazed, staring at nothing.
Viper smiled faintly and knelt down beside him, close enough that he could feel her presence through his haze.
"So... will you tell us now?" she asked softly.
He shook his head weakly.
"I... won't..."
Viper's smile thinned.
She nodded to the Ralts again.
The horn glowed once more.
The Psychic surged back, stronger this time.
He screamed again, louder, more desperate, his voice cracking as the mental assault crushed deeper.
He held out as long as he could, body shaking, teeth gritted.
But the pain became too much.
His screams faded into weak, ragged gasps.
His eyes rolled up, showing only the whites, unfocused and blank.
He passed out, slumping limp in his bonds, head hanging forward.
Viper looked toward her commander.
"Commander Nova, it will take some more time to get the information."
Nova glanced coldly at Viper.
"You four, go search those caves. Find a path to the Moon Stone deposit and the Clefairy Group. We need them all."
She paused, voice sharpening.
"According to the report the boss received, even those losers Jessie and James stumbled onto Moon Stones here before. If they managed it, you certainly should."
"Yes, Commander."
The four male grunts nodded at once and headed straight for the cave entrance.
Their flashlights flicked on, beams cutting sharp lines through the gathering darkness as they went inside.
Meanwhile, hidden behind the boulders, I watched everything.
My blood boiled hotter with every second.
Seeing him tortured like that.
Seeing that poor, suffering Ralts forced to hurt someone against its will.
Meowscarada's claws dug into the ground, her whole body trembling with barely contained rage.
Lopunny's ears were flat against her head, fists clenched so tight her paws shook.
When the other members disappeared into the cave, leaving only the two women and the Ralts outside, I knew this was our chance.
We could handle the two women, at least. Lopunny and Meowscarada were more than strong enough for that.
But that Ralts… its Psychic was terrifyingly powerful.
The collar was clearly forcing it to obey. If we could break or remove that thing, the Ralts would stop fighting, maybe even turn against them.
But there was no guarantee they didn't have other Pokémon ready.
We had to be smart about this.
Rush in blind, and we'd get overwhelmed.
Plan it right, and we could free the Ralts and Dr. Seymour without anyone else getting hurt.
I took a slow breath, eyes locked on the clearing.
We needed the perfect moment.
After thinking for a while, whispering quickly between us, we finally made a plan.
Both Pokémon nodded, eyes sharp and determined.
I took a slow, steady breath, heart pounding but steady.
Eyes fixed on the clearing.
Let's go…
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Although nothing much happens until chapter 50, it just involves some bathing smut scenes that will continue for a while…
And then even more smut scenes as the journey begins once again.