Rex coughed lightly into his fist, the sound cutting cleanly through Daisy and Gary's bickering.
Both siblings paused mid-argument and looked at him.
"Enough, you two," Rex said quietly, his eyes already scanning the power plant gates and the ten Team Rocket grunts stationed there. "If you keep arguing, they'll notice us."
Daisy huffed, but complied. "Fine. What's the plan?"
Rex turned to her. "Have Golem use Dig. Quietly. I want tunnels right under all ten grunts."
Gary blinked. "Underground? Isn't that risky?"
Rex smirked. "Only if we rush."
He glanced between the two of them. "Do either of you have a Pokémon that knows a sleep-inducing move?"
Daisy's eyes lit up. "Wartortle knows Yawn."
Gary raised a hand proudly. "Mine too."
Rex's grin widened. "Perfect."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Alright, listen carefully."
As Rex explained the plan, Daisy's expression slowly shifted from interest to impressed approval, while Gary's eyes sparkled with excitement.
'His mind is really sharp, to be able to make a high success rate plan in a few seconds.' Daisy admitted internally, watching Rex outline every step of the plan.
Some time later— One of the Team Rocket grunts guarding the gate stretched his arms and let out a massive yawn.
"Man… why am I suddenly so tired…?" he muttered.
Before he could even finish the sentence, his knees buckled—and he collapsed onto the ground, fast asleep.
A soft rumble followed.
A hole opened beneath him, swallowing his unconscious body without a sound.
From that very hole, a familiar black-and-red figure emerged.
Zorua popped out with a phone between it's mouth, shook off a bit of dirt from its Body, and started the next part of the plan.
In an instant, it used its illusion powers and transformed—now perfectly resembling the fallen Team Rocket grunt.
Zorua adjusted its posture, copied the grunt's stance, and walked casually toward another guard.
It waved. "Hey, c'mere a sec." The voice of Rex sounded from the phone behind Zoruas illusion.
The nearby grunt frowned. "Huh? What is it now?"
He walked closer, rubbing his eyes. "Man… I'm feelin' weirdly sleepy—"
Before he could react, his eyelids drooped shut.
Thud.
Another hole opened beneath his feet, pulling him underground.
From below, Daisy's Wartortle silently caught the unconscious grunt as Golem guided them through the tunnel.
Rex watched from behind the rocks.
'Flawless so far.'
The plan worked exactly as intended.
Golem transported Daisy's and Gary's Wartortle underground using Dig. Near each grunt's feet, Golem created a small opening—just enough.
A quiet "Tor~toise…" echoed softly as Yawn took effect.
Once the grunt fell asleep, the ground opened, and the Wartortles gently caught them before any noise could be made.
Each unconscious grunt was safely transported back underground, where Rex tied them up and confiscated their Pokéballs and communication devices.
Above ground, Zorua continued its performance—acting annoyed, waving grunts over, pretending to complain—until one by one, they all disappeared.
Gary watched the final grunt vanish and whispered, "That was… kind of amazing."
Daisy smirked. "Kind of?"
Within minutes, all ten Team Rocket grunts lay asleep on the ground, bound securely with ropes. Their Pokéballs and devices were stuffed into a bag Rex handed to Daisy.
"Hold onto that," Rex said. "We'll give everything to Officer Jenny later."
Zorua hopped back onto Rex's shoulder, letting out a quiet, proud yip.
Daisy and Gary returned their Wartortle to their Pokéballs.
Daisy crouched and placed a hand on the ground. "Golem, stay underground. If things get dangerous inside, help immediately."
A low rumble answered her from below.
Rex took a slow breath and looked toward the abandoned power plant.
'So far, so good… but something tells me things are going to get tougher from here.'
Rex, Daisy, and Gary slipped silently into the power plant, their footsteps echoing faintly against the cold metal floor. The air itself felt heavy—charged, buzzing faintly with restrained electricity.
Rex immediately pulled them behind a thick concrete wall and peeked out.
His breath hitched.
Team Rocket grunts were everywhere.
They patrolled the plant in organized groups, weapons ready, Pokémon at their sides. Large electric-proof cages lined the walls, inside which hundreds of Electric-type Pokémon lay slumped, sparks barely flickering from their bodies.
'This is bad… really bad.'
From deeper within the plant, beyond massive steel doors, explosions and roars echoed—violent, thunderous, relentless.
Something powerful was fighting.
Near the gates stood twenty grunts, standing shoulder to shoulder alongside five researchers who were clustered around a massive, ominous machine. Thick cables snaked out from it, connected to at least a thousand batteries, all glowing faintly red. Strange red orb-like devices were attached to the cables, pulsing in sync.
Rex narrowed his eyes and counted carefully.
"Thirty-six," he whispered. "Total."
Gary swallowed. "That many…?"
"Twenty guarding the gate," Rex continued calmly, "five scientists with the machine. Sixteen roaming around, catching Pokémon and stuffing them into cages."
Daisy's eyes had gone straight towards the machine. She studied the machine intently, her fingers twitching as if itching to dismantle it.
"That machine…" she whispered. "It's siphoning electricity directly from the Pokémon."
Rex and Gary both turned to her.
"That's why they're not resisting," Daisy continued quietly. "They're exhausted. Their power is being drained and stored in those batteries."
Gary clenched his fists. "That's disgusting…"
"And worse," Daisy added grimly, "the electricity being taken from the caged Pokémon is being redirected."
She glanced toward the sealed generator room.
"Whatever is fighting in there… the machine is feeding on its power to weaken it."
Rex felt a chill run down his spine.
The sounds from beyond the walls grew louder—thunder crashing, metal bending, something roaring in defiance.
Gary's eyes widened suddenly. "I—I heard a rumor once," he said hesitantly. "People say a Zapdos lives in the abandoned power plant."
Rex and Daisy froze.
"Zapdos…?" Daisy whispered.
Rex's fist clenched. 'A Legendary…'
"No wonder Team Rocket came in such force,"
Daisy muttered. "And no wonder they're using over a thousand batteries."
Rex exhaled slowly. "They're trying to make this easy for whoever's inside fighting against Zapdos."
He turned to Daisy. "Can you disable that machine? Destroy it—or reverse it?"
Daisy nodded without hesitation. "Just give me a few minutes."
Rex looked at Gary next. "Free the Pokémon in the cages."
Gary smirked, fear giving way to excitement.
"Gladly."
Rex took Zorua and handed him to Daisy. "Zorua, stay with her. Listen to everything she says."
Zorua nodded seriously and hopped onto Daisy's shoulder.
Rex stepped forward.
"It's my turn."
He pressed the button on the Poketrix.
With a sharp click, the dial sprang outward, the Poké Ball symbol unfolding as red light spilled into the air. A glowing black silhouette of a Pokémon rotated within the display of the dial.
Rex turned the dial carefully.
Once.
Twice.
Then— Click.
He slammed the dial down.
Red light engulfed him.
"What the—?!" one of the grunts shouted.
Rex felt his body change—green scales spreading across his skin, his neck inflating like an airbag. A powerful tail burst from his back as his head sharpened into a sleek, reptilian shape. Orange circular markings formed where his ears once were, and a black bodysuit wrapped around his form, the Poketrix emblem glowing proudly on his chest.
The light faded.
Standing there was a Cyclizar.
"Cyclizar!" Rex shouted.
"Quick Attack!"
He vanished.
A blur of green and black reappeared in front of a grunt—THUD.
A gut punch sent the man flying unconscious before he even hit the ground.
"INTRUDER!" another grunt yelled.
Poké Balls flew.
In an instant, over a hundred Pokémon flooded the battlefield—Muk, Grimer, Spearow, Fearow, Magneton, Pinsir, Arbok, and more.
Rex clicked his tongue. "Tch."
He leapt skyward.
"Aerial Ace!"
A barrage of attacks tore through the space where he'd been moments earlier. Rex landed squarely on a Fearow's back.
"Breaking Swipe!"
His tail elongated, wrapped in draconic energy, sweeping through the air and smashing into multiple flying Pokémon at once. They screeched as their power visibly dropped.
Rex flipped off midair.
"Acrobatics!"
Fearow crashed into the floor.
Rex became a whirlwind—Dragon Claw, Quick Attack, hit and run, never staying still long enough to be targeted.
"Now!" Gary whispered.
He released his Pokémon. "Wartortle, Nidoking, Nidoqueen!"
"Wartortle—Aqua Jet!" Gary whispered.
Wartortle shot forward like a cannonball, slamming straight into a grunt's stomach.
"Gah—!"
Another.
And Another.
Panic spread as the grunts realized their Pokémon were fully occupied with Rex.
"Stop him—!"
Too late.
Wartortle smashed through them one by one while Nidoking and Nidoqueen tore open the cages, freeing the weakened Electric-types.
Meanwhile, Daisy's Wartortle had already knocked out the five scientists.
Daisy's fingers flew across the controls. "Come on… come on…"
"Dragon Rush!" Rex roared.
He became a streak of pure draconic energy, plowing through a cluster of Pokémon and sending them flying.
"Scale Shot!"
His scales launched like bullets, smashing into Pokémon as his speed skyrocketed.
Within moments, the battlefield fell silent.
Rex clicked the Poketrix.
Red light flashed as he returned to human form—then immediately pressed it again.
This time—Regice.
"Ice-type containment," Rex said calmly.
"Blizzard."
A freezing storm erupted, locking every remaining Pokémon in solid ice.
The Poketrix let out a sharp beep as red light burst out from its surface, engulfing Rex completely.
Rex staggered slightly as his body reverted back to normal. He looked down at the Poketrix and frowned.
The dial had turned white.
"Tch… recharge already," he muttered under his breath. 'Bad timing… really bad timing.'
He jogged toward Daisy just as Zorua leapt from her shoulder and landed smoothly on his own, letting out a small relieved cry.
Daisy pulled down a large lever with both hands.
Immediately, the machine hummed violently as stored electricity surged back through the cables. Bright arcs of lightning shot outward, striking the weakened Electric-type Pokémon Gary had freed.
One by one, sparks reignited across their bodies.
"Pika!"
"Volto!"
"Jolt!"
The Pokémon slowly stood up, their eyes regaining clarity as their strength returned. They turned toward Rex, Daisy, and Gary, voices filled with gratitude as they cried out in thanks.
Gary let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Looks like they'll be fine now."
Rex nodded, though his expression remained tense. "The real problem hasn't been dealt with yet."
Daisy's face hardened. "The executive."
Rex glanced toward the generator room. The violent sounds of battle—once deafening—had noticeably weakened.
"That's bad," Rex said quietly. "It means the fight inside is almost over."
Gary stiffened. "Meaning Zapdos…"
"…is about to be captured," Daisy finished grimly.
"Let's move," Rex said firmly.
They ran forward, Rex leading the way as Zorua jumped down and fired a Dark Pulse, shattering the heavy gate in a blast of dark energy.
When they rushed inside—They froze.
Even though they had prepared themselves, nothing could have prepared them for the sight before them.
Zapdos.
One of the Legendary Birds of the Kanto region stood in the center of the generator room.
Or rather… struggled to stand.
Its wings trembled violently, unable to lift its massive body off the ground. Burn marks and bruises covered its golden feathers as it screeched in fury, releasing massive Thunderbolt attacks from its body.
But every bolt of lightning—Was absorbed.
Three Raichu, a Manectric, and a Zebstrika moved like blurs, drawing in the electricity effortlessly.
"Lightning Rod…" Daisy whispered in horror.
The speed of the Electric-types increased even further as they struck back mercilessly—Flame Charge, Giga Impact, blow after blow slamming into Zapdos's already battered body.
Zapdos cried out in pain.
It was already weak in defense. After enduring nearly an hour of nonstop physical attacks—while its electricity was continuously being drained—it was barely standing.
'It can't even use its other moves…' Rex realized.
'Most of them are physical…'
Even Ancient Power had only been delaying the inevitable.
"STOP IT!" Rex shouted.
At his cry, Golem burst from beneath the masked executive, its massive fist swinging upward—Clang!
A barrier shimmered into existence, stopping the blow completely.
The executive stepped back as his cloak fell away, revealing his tall, muscular build.
Behind him floated a grinning Porygon-Z.
"Teleport."
In an instant, the executive vanished—and reappeared right beside Zapdos.
"Ice Beam."
A freezing blast struck Zapdos head-on.
The Legendary Bird let out one final cry before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
"No—!" Rex shouted.
Click.
An Ultra Ball sealed shut.
The executive turned slowly, smirking beneath his mask as he faced Rex, Daisy, and Gary. The Ultra Ball containing Zapdos was secured to his belt.
Rex ran forward, rage burning in his eyes, while Zorua fired another Dark Pulse—But the three Raichu intercepted it, while Zebstrika barely flinched, sparks dancing around its hooves.
The executive's voice emerged distorted, mechanical. The mask had a voice regulator to alter the voice.
"You've been getting cocky, Rex."
Rex froze.
"Ever since you got the Poketrix, you started believing you could solve everything."
Rex clenched his fists. '…Damn it.'
"All that confidence," the executive continued mockingly, "came from defeating Proton—the weakest executive. The boss was thinking of getting rid of him anyway."
Rex glared at the man, teeth clenched so hard they hurt.
'He's right…'
'I did get cocky.'
'The fame… the praise online…'
The praise from the internet echoed in his mind, inflating his ego all over again.
"The time isn't right for us to fight," the executive said calmly. "But we will meet again."
He tilted his head slightly. "And that will be the day you lose the Poketrix."
Porygon-Z glowed with psychic energy.
The executive recalled his Pokémon.
Zorua fired one last Dark Pulse, but it passed through empty air.
They were gone.
Rex dropped to one knee and slammed his fist into the metal floor.
"Damn it…!" he shouted, his voice cracking. 'My fault… all of it.'
Anger. Shame. Regret.
He had failed.
Daisy knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder, saying nothing—because there was nothing she could say.
She looked up at Gary.
Gary met her gaze, nodded once, and silently turned away to tie up the unconscious grunts and researchers.
Rex stared at the ground, fists trembling.
Today—Marked Rex's first defeat.