In a narrow alley on the outskirts of Oldale Town, a rusty public phone booth creaked and groaned. Inside the cramped space, the Team Rocket trio was squished together. Jessie's long red hair was a mess from being pressed around, James's glasses had slid down to the bridge of his nose, and Meowth was crouched at the bottom, claws gripping the receiver tightly.
"What? The Hoenn region?" Giovanni's cold voice came through the line, carrying unmistakable surprise. "You three idiots, who gave you permission to run off to a place like that? Team Rocket's influence hasn't reached Hoenn yet. You're looking for trouble."
Jessie shoved her face closer to the receiver, her tone instantly turning syrupy. "Boss Giovanni, please don't be mad! We did it for you! That one of a kind Pikachu, that brat Ethan's partner, it's a rare individual with unbelievably strong electricity. We tracked it all the way to Hoenn!" As she spoke, she secretly pinched James to make him back her up.
"Right, right!" James hurried to agree. "We've been giving everything for Team Rocket, all to present that precious Pikachu to you!"
Meowth bobbed his head eagerly. "That's right, boss! Just leave it to us. We'll catch Pikachu and bring glory to Team Rocket, nya!"
But Giovanni's voice stayed flat, even laced with disdain. "Pikachu? It's just a yellow rat. There are plenty in Viridian Forest. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
The trio froze. Their flattering smiles stiffened. Jessie shot James a glare, James scratched his head awkwardly, and Meowth's ears drooped, not knowing what to say.
Giovanni spoke again, clearly impatient. "So you went through the trouble of calling long distance just to tell me this nonsense? If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."
"Wait, boss!" James blurted out, desperate. "Actually… our food money is gone. We can't even afford instant noodles tonight, so we were hoping to apply for a little supply support…"
"No." Giovanni refused without a second thought. "Team Rocket doesn't feed freeloaders. I'm not paying for your reckless decisions. Figure it out yourselves."
"Aww…" The three sighed in unison. Jessie's shoulders slumped, James took off his glasses to wipe them, and Meowth flopped onto the floor.
Just as they thought the call was ending in total failure, Giovanni's tone shifted, carrying a calculating edge. "However… since you're already in Hoenn, you might not be completely useless."
The trio snapped to attention at once.
"Hoenn is a blank slate right now. We have no base there," Giovanni said slowly. "I'm giving you a task. Establish a foothold in Hoenn. Make Team Rocket's name known. Gather local intel, especially on the movements of other criminal organizations. If you produce results, I'll consider promotion."
The sudden bait made them ecstatic. Jessie jumped up so hard she nearly hit the top of the booth. "Thank you, boss! Thank you! We'll give it everything we've got!"
"This is amazing! Boss Giovanni gave us a real mission!" Jessie's eyes went a little red, already imagining herself as high ranking leadership.
James pushed his glasses up, eyes sparkling with dreams. "In other words, we're in charge of Hoenn! From now on, this is our turf!"
Meowth waved his claws wildly. "Nya! That means we're basically Hoenn branch managers! We'll eat as many instant noodles as we want, and we'll have underlings doing the work!"
On the other end, Giovanni ended the call. In Team Rocket's secret base, he lounged on a leather sofa, stroking the Persian in his lap, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
"Hmph. Three fools make perfect bait. Team Magma and Team Aqua are stirring up chaos in Hoenn. Let those three sniff around for information and keep each other in check, while I take the profit. Not a bad deal."
Persian purred lazily and rubbed its head against his hand.
Back in the phone booth, the trio was still daydreaming. Jessie thumped her chest. "Starting today, we're the core of Team Rocket's Hoenn branch! First, we find a secret base. Then we catch stronger Pokémon. And finally… we catch Pikachu and present it to the boss!"
"Exactly!" James agreed. "And we'll collect intel on Team Magma and Team Aqua so the boss can't ignore us!"
Meowth nodded. "Nya! No time to waste. Let's go find a base! The forest near Oldale Town looks perfect for hiding!"
They burst out of the phone booth and sprinted toward the woods, completely unaware they'd already become pieces on Giovanni's board.
Meanwhile, the Pokémon Center restaurant in Oldale Town was filled with delicious aromas. Long tables were covered in food: golden toast, tender fried eggs, steaming curry rice, fresh fruit, and all kinds of drinks.
May scooped curry with rice into her mouth, face glowing with happiness. "Mmm! It's so good! I can't believe the Pokémon Center food is this tasty, and it's free! This is the best!" Her eyes sparkled as she transformed into a full time foodie, shoveling bite after bite, curry sauce even smudged at the corner of her mouth.
Across from her, Ethan laughed at the sight. On his shoulder, Pikachu hugged a bottle of ketchup, dipping its paws in and eating with total satisfaction. "Pika pika," it chirped happily.
"Of course," Ethan said. "The Pokémon Center is a hub for Trainers. As long as you have a Pokédex, you can eat here for free. And it's also a great place to trade information. A lot of Trainers share news from different places."
"Wow!" May paused mid bite, eyes full of hope. "Then do people share shopping tips, hot spring tips, and food tips too?"
Ethan smiled helplessly. "Uh, it's mostly Pokémon info. Listen, the people over there are talking right now."
May looked where he pointed. Two Trainers at a nearby table were speaking quietly.
"Did you hear? Petalburg Gym has a new Gym Leader," one Trainer in a cap said.
"Petalburg Gym?" the other asked. "The famous Normal type Gym in Hoenn? Wasn't the Gym Leader Norman?"
"Yeah, but I heard Norman went traveling recently, so there's a new acting Gym Leader."
May's mouth fell slightly open, her expression complicated. Norman was her father. She'd come out on this journey partly to prove herself to him. She hadn't even settled into Hoenn yet, and she was already hearing that the Gym had changed.
"Hey, you two made it here safely!" A familiar voice called out.
Ethan and May looked up and saw the archaeologist Mez walking over with a smile. He was still wearing his dust covered work clothes, looking tired but excited.
"Mr. Mez, hello!" they greeted quickly.
Mez sat down across from them as Nurse Joy soon brought him a hot drink. "I had to handle a few things at the ruins first. I only just got here," Mez said after a sip. "Didn't expect to run into you again. What a coincidence."
They chatted for a bit about Oldale Town. Mez was interested in their travel plans, and when he heard they were heading toward Petalburg City to challenge the Gym, he nodded.
"Norman is a very powerful Trainer. His Normal type Pokémon are strong," Mez said. "But if he really left, I wonder how capable the replacement is."
May pressed her lips together and said nothing. She felt uneasy, both hoping her father would be there, and afraid of facing his strict expectations.
"By the way, you mentioned handling something at the ruins. Did you find anything new?" Ethan asked, shifting the topic.
Mez's eyes lit up instantly. "Yes. A major discovery. If you're interested, I can take you to my workroom and show you."
Ethan and May agreed immediately.
Mez led them to a small workroom on the second floor of the Pokémon Center. It wasn't big, but it was neat. The walls were covered in photos and sketches of the Oldale Ruins. Tools and fragments of broken stone tablets lay across the desk. The most eye catching thing was a huge panoramic map of the ruins, marked with red notes all over it.
"This is the structure map of the Oldale Ruins," Mez said, pointing at it. "This place has a long history. Legends say it was the cradle of an ancient Pokémon civilization. Recently, deep inside, I found a mysterious stone tablet."
He pulled out a box from under the desk and opened it carefully. Inside was a black stone tablet covered in strange symbols like ancient writing. Its surface was smooth and faintly glossy, clearly not an ordinary rock.
"The writing records the method to enter a sealed chamber," Mez explained. "According to the tablet, to reach the deepest chamber, you need four mysterious gems as keys. They correspond to wind, fire, water, and earth, and they're hidden in the four corners of the ruins. But so far, I haven't found a single clue about any of them."
"So cool!" May leaned closer, staring at the symbols. "They look so complicated. Can you read them?"
"Only parts," Mez admitted. "The script is very difficult. I've studied it a long time and barely decoded some key information. If we can find the four gems, we might uncover the secrets of that ancient civilization. We might even discover a legendary ancient Pokémon."
Ethan's eyes gleamed. "An ancient Pokémon? Like fossil Pokémon?"
"Possibly. Or something even more mysterious," Mez said. "Hoenn has many secrets. The Oldale Ruins are only one of them."
Right then, the lights in the workroom suddenly went out. The room dropped into darkness. The door was shoved open, and a cold gust rushed in.
"Ah!" May yelped and instinctively clung to Ethan.
Ethan stood up at once, placing May behind him. Pikachu jumped off his shoulder into a battle stance, eyes sharp with caution.
"Who's there?!" Mez shouted, fumbling for a flashlight on the desk.
Three figures appeared in the doorway. They wore matching red uniforms and black masks that showed only their cold eyes. Beside each of them stood a large Houndoom, its eyes glowing red, drool hanging at the corners of its mouth, radiating danger.
"What do you want? Who are you?" Mez finally found the flashlight and clicked it on, illuminating them.
The leader stepped forward, voice low and hoarse. "Professor Mez, we're Team Magma. We'd like you to come back to the Oldale Ruins with us and help solve a few puzzles."
Ethan's heart sank. Team Magma. He'd already heard about them on the way to Hoenn. Their goal was to awaken Groudon and expand the land, and they were known for stealing archaeological resources and damaging the environment.
Ethan quickly checked the Houndoom's strength through the system.
Houndoom
Gender: Male
Ability: Flash Fire
Strength: Gym level (mid)
Moves: Flamethrower, Fire Fang, Smokescreen, Dark Pulse
Houndoom
Gender: Male
Ability: Flash Fire
Strength: Gym level (late)
Moves: Flamethrower, Fire Fang, Smokescreen, Crunch
Houndoom
Gender: Female
Ability: Flash Fire
Strength: Gym level (mid)
Moves: Flamethrower, Fire Fang, Smokescreen, Toxic
The one at Gym level (late) in the middle was the biggest threat. Ethan didn't send out Eevee or Phanpy. They were still growing, and facing Gym level opponents head on was too dangerous.
Ethan raised his voice. "If you want to take Mr. Mez, you'll have to get past me and my Pokémon first! So you really are Team Magma. Come out, Pidgeot!"
A red beam flashed. Pidgeot spread its massive wings in the small room and let out a powerful cry.
May stayed behind Ethan, pale faced. Her Torchic was still in treatment, so she had no Pokémon to fight with and could only rely on Ethan.
Pidgeot beat its wings, stirring a gust as intimidation. Pikachu hopped onto Pidgeot's back, ready to battle.
"Hmph. A brat who doesn't know his place," the Team Magma leader snorted. "Houndoom, Flamethrower!"
All three Houndoom opened their jaws at once. Three streams of orange fire blasted forward, lighting the room with scorching heat.
"Pidgeot, Pikachu, dodge!" Ethan shouted. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Pidgeot, dive in and use Giga Impact on the middle one!"
Pidgeot lifted hard with Pikachu, slipping away from the flames. Pikachu gathered golden electricity and fired Thunderbolt at the trio. Pidgeot folded its wings and shot forward like an arrow, a white glow wrapping its body as it targeted the strongest Houndoom.
The Team Magma members' faces changed. They hadn't expected this kid to have Pokémon with such pressure.
"Bad! Houndoom, Smokescreen, then spread out!" the leader barked.
Black smoke exploded into the room, swallowing everything. Visibility dropped to nothing. Thunderbolt struck empty air, and Pidgeot's Giga Impact missed as the target vanished into the haze.
The Team Magma leader laughed. "Now what are you going to do? Houndoom, Fire Fang!"
Houndoom were canine Pokémon with sharp senses. In the smoke, they moved like shadows, closing in to ambush.
"Pika!" Pikachu warned, but the smoke was too thick to pinpoint their position.
Pidgeot tried to fan the smoke away, but it kept billowing.
Ethan stayed calm, mind racing. He couldn't let Team Magma control the pace. He needed to break the situation open.
"Don't think this will stop me," Ethan said, eyes narrowing. "Pidgeot, Hurricane, full power. Blow the smoke away! Pikachu, be ready. The moment you see them, use Thunder!"
Pidgeot roared and unleashed Hurricane. Violent wind tore through the workroom, ripping the smoke apart. The three Houndoom were revealed mid ambush.
"Now! Pikachu!" Ethan shouted.
"Pikaachuu!" Pikachu erupted with electricity. A massive bolt of lightning crashed down, striking all three Houndoom cleanly.
The Houndoom cried out in pain, bodies spasming under the lightning before slamming to the floor, knocked out.
"Damn it!" The Team Magma leader's face turned green. "Brat, you dare ruin Team Magma's business. We won't let you off!"
They turned to run.
"Trying to escape? Not happening," Ethan said. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
A golden bolt shot out and hit the last man in line. He screamed and fell hard. The other two stumbled as the electricity grazed them.
Ethan rushed in and used rope to tie all three up. May found her courage and helped pin one of them down by the arm.
"Thank you so much, Ethan!" Nurse Joy arrived with Chansey after hearing the commotion. She'd been hiding outside the door, too worried to come in until the fighting stopped.
"Ethan, you're incredible!" May stared at the bound Team Magma members, eyes shining. "You beat three Gym level Houndoom all by yourself!"
Ethan scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Pidgeot and Pikachu were the ones who did the work."
At that moment, a cold mechanical voice rang in Ethan's mind.
Ding. Congratulations, host. Mission complete: Defeat Team Magma for the first time. Reward: Awaken Aura.
Ethan's heart leapt. Aura was a rare power that could sense emotions and intent, even allow limited communication with Pokémon through the mind. Strong Aura users could also unleash Aura Sphere. He'd always admired Sir Aaron and Lucario. He hadn't expected to awaken Aura himself.
Ding. System has opened the status template.
Host: Ethan
Physique: Super Pallet Town Body (immune to most fatigue and minor damage; recovery speed far above normal)
Ability: Aura (Beginner): Can sense nearby Aura and perform simple mind to mind communication with Pokémon
Pokémon:
Pikachu (Elite Four level, early)
Pidgeot (Gym level, late)
Bulbasaur (Gym level, mid)
Charizard (Elite Four level, mid)
Squirtle (Gym level, mid)
Krabby (Gym level, early)
Eevee (Normal level, late)
Phanpy (Normal level, late)
Items: Pokédex, Poké Ball x20, Potion x5, Great Ball x10, Ultra Ball x5
Ethan's confidence surged. With Aura, he could coordinate with his Pokémon even better and read an opponent's movement and intent more clearly.
Before long, police sirens wailed outside. Officer Jenny arrived with officers. Seeing the captured Team Magma members, she looked serious.
"Thank you for your hard work, Ethan, May," Officer Jenny said, giving them a salute. "These Team Magma members have been active near Oldale Town, trying to steal artifacts from the ruins. We've been chasing leads for a long time. I didn't expect you to catch them all at once."
During the search, the officers found a black box on them. Officer Jenny opened it, revealing four glittering gems: blue, red, yellow, and green, matching water, fire, wind, and earth.
"These gems…" Mez's eyes went wide. "They're the keys from the tablet! I can't believe Team Magma already had them!"
Officer Jenny nodded. "Looks like they planned to kidnap Professor Mez and force him to open the sealed chamber. Now the gems have been recovered." She held the box out toward Ethan. "You defeated them, so you could keep these. Also, our investigation suggests there are more Team Magma members lurking around the ruins. We'd like your help to capture the rest."
"I understand. Leave it to me," Ethan said, accepting the box. The gems gave off a faint energy, and through Aura, he could feel the power contained within.
Ethan then handed the gems to Mez. "Mr. Mez, these are the keys to the chamber. It makes more sense for you to keep them."
Mez nodded deeply, moved. "Thank you, Ethan. With these, we can enter the sealed chamber and uncover the secrets of that ancient civilization."
With Officer Jenny leading the way, Ethan, May, and Mez headed to the Oldale Ruins. When the remaining Team Magma members realized their main force had been caught and the gems were gone, their morale collapsed. Under Ethan's command, Pidgeot and Pikachu worked with the police, and the rest of the Team Magma members were quickly arrested.
Hidden in a corner of the ruins, the Team Rocket trio watched the scene, trembling.
"Nya, that's terrifying. Team Magma got wiped out that fast," Meowth whispered.
"That kid is way too strong. Three Gym level Houndoom weren't even a match," James said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Jessie clenched her teeth. "Ugh! We were going to take advantage of the situation, but we nearly got caught instead. Let's go. This place is dangerous."
They slipped away in the chaos and fled into the forest. For now, they decided to hide and figure out how to carry out Giovanni's task later.
The next morning, the sun was bright. May hurried to the Pokémon Center front desk and received Torchic's Poké Ball back.
"Torchic, you're finally better!" May released it, and Torchic chirped happily, rubbing its head against her hand. After a full night of rest, it looked refreshed and energetic.
Ethan checked Torchic's status.
Torchic
Gender: Male
Ability: Blaze
Strength: Normal level (mid)
Tera Type: Fire
Moves: Ember, Peck, Growl
Seeing Torchic grow stronger, May was even happier. "That's great, Torchic! We'll work hard together and become great Trainers!"
Torchic nodded firmly, eyes shining with determination.
(End of Chapter)
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