The Teleport hadn't taken them anywhere particularly special.
They were still surrounded by forest. Tall trees blocked much of the view in every direction. For the moment, that was probably a good thing.
Andra wiped some sweat from her face.
"I think we should make camp and heal our Pokémon."
Silas nodded.
"Agreed."
Continuing to travel while several Pokémon were seriously injured would be foolish.
Andra immediately began preparing.
She reached into her supplies and removed several natural herbs and berries.
Ehe took out a came a pot, cooking utensils, and several other ingredients.
Silas watched with interest as she efficiently began assembling a small cooking station.
Nothing about her movements seemed uncertain. She had clearly done this many times before.
Within minutes, the campsite had changed.
A small controlled fire burned beneath the pot while Andra began preparing the ingredients.
Silas expected Pokéblocks. He was only partially right. She was making Pokéblocks and Poffins.
Silas raised an eyebrow.
"You know how to make Poffins too?"
Andra glanced at him.
"Of course."
Silas moved closer and watched more carefully.
He had previously learned how to make Poffins himself.
Eventually, he abandoned the craft.
Compared with the Pokéblocks he could produce, Poffins were more heavily focused on healing, condition, and improving a Pokémon's physical presentation.
Pokéblocks could accomplish much of the same while also helping Pokémon grow stronger. For Silas, that made them more useful overall.
Still, watching Andra work reminded him that the craft had value.
Silas moved closer.
"Show me what you're doing."
Andra smiled.
"You asking me for lessons?"
"Don't get too excited."
"Haha."
She patiently explained each step while continuing to prepare the food and medicine.
Silas listened carefully.
He watched the order in which she added the ingredients.
How she adjusted the heat. How different berries were combined depending on the injuries she wanted to treat.
Silas wasn't arrogant enough to ignore useful knowledge simply because he already knew a different method. For the next 30 minutes, he absorbed as much as possible.
Eventually, Andra finished.
There were enough Poffins for every Pokémon.
She had even made enough for herself and Silas.
Unlike most Pokéblocks, Poffins were actually pleasant for humans to eat.
Silas took one and it wasn't bad.
Their Pokémon appreciated them much more.
Several settled comfortably around the camp as Andra moved between them, checking their injuries individually.
Silas watched her carefully.
She was surprisingly gentle, especially with Electivire.
The Electric type had suffered one of the nastier visible injuries during the battle.
Andra carefully cleaned and treated the X-shaped wound across his chest. Electivire remained unusually cooperative throughout the entire process.
Silas smirked.
Apparently, even Pokémon appreciated good bedside manners.
The remainder of the day passed without incident.
Before settling down completely, Silas and Andra moved several more miles away from the battlefield.
Neither wanted to risk the Luminary Court tracing the general direction of their Teleport and finding them.
Eventually, they located a much safer area.
The next several days passed peacefully.
Pokémon naturally healed far faster than ordinary humans, especially when provided with proper food, medicine, and rest.
Silas' team recovered rapidly.
Before long, nearly every injured Pokémon had returned close to full condition. Only Electivire still carried an obvious reminder of the previous battle.
The X-shaped injury had closed completely and become a thick scab.
It would need more time.
Silas had also grown increasingly accustomed to Andra's presence.
Over the last few days, he realized there were several things he genuinely appreciated about her.
She was an excellent cook. She was easy company. More importantly, she was useful. He hated traveling with people who became burdens the moment something dangerous happened.
Andra was the exact opposite. She could handle herself. She could handle her Pokémon. She could fight beside Silas without constantly requiring help.
They also trained well together. Every day, once their Pokémon had recovered enough, they sparred. The matchup almost always became the same.
Infernape versus Blaziken.
The 2 Fighting types seemed to enjoy testing themselves against each other. Without Infernape activating his ability, the battles were surprisingly even.
Blaziken was skilled enough to match him during extended hand-to-hand exchanges. Neither Pokémon could afford to become careless.
Once Infernape activated his ability, however, the balance shifted decisively. The increase in overall power became too much. Even so, Silas was satisfied with the training.
There were no level increases but he hadn't expected any. At their current strength, advancement was becoming increasingly difficult. Levels alone were no longer enough to measure useful progress anyway.
Silas could clearly see that Infernape's hand-to-hand combat had improved from repeatedly fighting Blaziken.
The uninjured Pokémon also spent time battling wild Pokémon throughout the day. Those fights provided additional experience.
Still, the difference compared with their earlier growth was obvious. The team's development had slowed tremendously.
When his Pokémon were weaker, a few weeks of dedicated training could produce dramatic results. Now, every meaningful improvement had to be earned.
Silas wasn't disappointed.
His team was already extremely powerful compared with when they first arrived.
However, the battle against the Luminary Court had exposed a serious problem.
Silas had previously benefited tremendously from the strange rules of this place.
Everyone might technically fight around the same level, but experience, move proficiency, abilities, and natural strength still mattered.
Now he had experienced the opposite side of that equation.
A Pokémon suppressed down to level 54 from a much higher level simply wasn't the same as a genuine level 54 Pokémon.
Their bodies had experienced far more development. Their techniques were better, instincts were sharper, and combat experience was greater.
Mega Emboar had made the difference painfully obvious.
Silas could overcome 1 or 2 advantages with tactics. When multiple Pokémon possessed that sort of foundation, the gap became much more difficult to bridge.
Unfortunately, there was nothing Silas could do about that in the short term. He couldn't magically give his Pokémon years of additional combat experience.
So Silas did what he often did with problems that currently lacked solutions.
He shelved it.
They would continue improving. Eventually, it wouldn't matter.
On the fifth night, it was Silas' turn to cook.
A small campfire burned between him and Andra while the surrounding forest remained quiet.
Silas stirred the food as they talked.
Technically, there was no longer any reason for them to remain here.
Their Pokémon had long since recovered enough and Silas knew that.
Andra probably knew it too. Neither seemed particularly eager to mention it. Silas was enjoying the company. Camping with Andra felt different from traveling with Jason or the Rocket trio.
Silas genuinely considered them friends but Jason, Jessie, James, and Meowth were also his subordinates.
There was always an underlying hierarchy.
When Silas made a serious decision, they generally followed.
Andra was different.
They held the same rank. Their personal strength was comparable. Their Pokémon teams could genuinely challenge each other.
All things considered, she wasn't that much weaker than him.
The fire crackled quietly between them.
Andra suddenly spoke.
"So, what made you join Team Rocket?"
Silas stopped stirring for a moment. That question was more difficult than she realized.
He obviously couldn't tell her the truth.
Well, I died in another world, woke up here with knowledge of Pokémon as a fictional franchise, and decided Team Rocket offered advantages based on information nobody else knows or can confirm.
That explanation probably wouldn't go particularly well.
Silas thought carefully. Fortunately, not everything he was about to say needed to be a lie.
"I'm an orphan with few friends in the world."
Andra quietly listened.
"I learned early that the League, Team Rocket, and whatever other organizations you want to name are all basically the same thing dressed differently."
Silas shrugged.
"Everyone pursues their own interests. Every faction has good and bad people mixed together."
He looked toward the fire.
"Team Rocket simply suits my style more. There are ample opportunities for advancement and increasing my power."
Andra considered his answer.
"Interesting."
She looked into the flames.
"I guess I could say the same."
Silas turned toward her.
"I'm from Hoenn, where the dominant underground forces are Team Aqua and Team Magma."
Her expression subtly changed when she mentioned one of the names.
"I have a personal grudge against Team Aqua."
Silas immediately noticed it.
"You could say Team Rocket will help me collect it."
Silas nodded.
There was obviously more behind that statement.
He didn't ask.
"Okay. I get it. I won't pry."
Andra looked toward him, perhaps slightly surprised by how easily he let the subject go.
Silas leaned back.
"Beyond your vengeance, do you have any goals?"
He thought for a second.
"Actually, let me rephrase that."
Andra waited.
"Give me your greatest long-term goal, if you're willing to share it."
Andra froze slightly.
A faint blush appeared across her face.
Silas raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected that reaction.
For Andra, however, the question felt strangely personal.
Most people didn't ask about her ambitions.
She usually had conversations about things like missions, Pokémon, strength, and resources but genuine interest in what she actually wanted from her life was rare.
Odin was different from the rest in her eyes. The conversations they had shared over the last few days weren't simply superficial exchanges to pass time.
He truly listened when she spoke. More importantly, Andra felt as though he actually understood her perspective.
She looked toward the campfire for several seconds before answering.
"I want to one day become the Champion of Hoenn."
Silas' eyebrows rose slightly.
Andra continued.
"And change the system from the inside."
Silas chuckled quietly.
That answer immediately reminded him of someone.
Zane.
It was exactly the type of thing Zane might have said.
Andra noticed his reaction and had an angry look on her face
"What's funny?"
"Nothing bad."
Silas shook his head.
"You just reminded me of someone I grew up with. Both of you have similar ambition for sure."
Both looked at the existing system and believed reaching the top would allow them to change it.
There was one rather significant difference.
Andra was an elite officer of Team Rocket.
She was considerably more dangerous in general.
Still, the goal itself was interesting.
"Champion of Hoenn."
Silas smiled.
"That's not exactly a small goal."
"I never said it was."
"Good, dreaming big is essential otherwise you lack ambition. I'd be disappointed if you said something boring."
Andra glanced toward him.
For some reason, that made her smile.
Their conversation continued long after the food was finished. They both opened up more than usual.
They discussed their ambitions. The things they wanted to accomplish. What they expected from their Pokémon. Where they wanted their lives to eventually lead.
There were plenty of differences between them but one common denominator appeared repeatedly.
Strength.
Neither of them was satisfied remaining where they were.
They wanted more power, influence, and freedom to determine their own futures.
As the fire slowly burned lower, Silas realized that over only a few days, the distance between him and Andra had become noticeably smaller.
They were no longer simply 2 Rocket officers who occasionally worked together.
Something resembling genuine closeness was beginning to form.