Logan noticed Blue had fallen into deep thought and asked curiously,
"What's wrong?"
"…No, it's nothing. Just… the idea of a Pokémon being able to take on a human form… it makes one want to study it."
Blue closed his eyes and turned his head aside, speaking in a steady tone.
"Yeah… I feel the same way."
Logan lowered his gaze toward Mew. Appearing in the form of a little girl, she was endlessly curious, fascinated by everything around her. Though she could mimic the outward appearance of any Pokémon, perhaps this was her first time taking on the form of a human.
"Mew?"
Catching Logan's watchful eyes, Mew tilted her head in confusion, letting out an adorable sound.
Despite her age, which could be counted in the tens of thousands of years, Mew seemed utterly naïve, her personality forever childlike. Legendary Pokémon didn't mature in the way humans did—their innocence remained untouched by time.
"Logan! Blue! Red! Thank goodness you're all safe!"
A delighted cry rang out from the distance. Logan turned his head to see Daisy Oak hurrying toward them, supporting the unconscious Green. Raising his hand, Logan used psychic power to gently take Green from Daisy's arms, laying her carefully on the ground.
"Sis…"
Seeing his sister safe at last, Blue finally let out a breath of relief.
"You're all badly hurt. We should focus on treating these injuries first."
Daisy looked anxiously at the group, especially Red, whose pale face was frightening to see.
"It looks bad, but they're not fatal wounds," Logan explained calmly. "Some medicine will stabilize us. And in any case, Saffron City isn't a place where we can expect medical help right now. Until the Gym Leaders clear out Team Rocket completely, this city won't recover its functions."
Logan swept his gaze across the ruins. Once the most prosperous economic hub in Kanto, Saffron now lay in shattered ruins. The devastation of Pokémon warfare rivaled that of modern weapons. Perhaps it was even worse—because of the agility and destructive force of Pokémon, even a Raticate with enough strength could bite straight through the steel girders of a skyscraper.
"Yes… war is truly cruel," Daisy sighed, her expression darkening. "Since the Alliance was founded seventy years ago, Kanto hasn't seen such large-scale devastation."
But quickly, she forced herself to brighten, turning to Red. "Everyone from Pallet Town is safe. They're in underground shelters now, so you don't have to worry about your mother."
"Hah… as long as Mom's safe…"
Red let out a deep sigh of relief. He had grown up in Pallet Town, and the thought of its people being captured by Team Rocket had weighed heavily on him. The possibility of losing his mother had been unbearable.
"For now, this place should be safe. The fleeing remnants of Team Rocket aren't worth worrying about."
Logan extended a Pokéball toward Daisy. "This is Green's Blastoise. Give it back to her when she wakes up."
Daisy blinked in surprise, nervously taking the Pokéball. "Logan… you could easily return it to her yourself once she's awake. Where are you going?"
Her heart pounded nervously. Was he about to walk into danger?
"Didn't you notice? Sabrina is missing. And the two Gym Leaders you defeated—Surge and Koga—are gone too. With their injuries, they can't have gotten far. I intend to track them down. Don't worry… even though my only battle-ready partner now is Mew, she alone is more than enough to capture them."
A confident smile tugged at Logan's lips. Even if those three had been at full strength, he was certain he could handle them with Mew. In their weakened state, they were no challenge at all.
Of course, his true interest was Sabrina. But that was not something he'd reveal so openly.
"Mew?"
Daisy finally noticed the little girl-like figure at Logan's side. Her eyes lit up, sparkling as she dashed toward her. "Oh my goodness, what an adorable little sister!"
Girls could never resist something so cute.
But Mew skipped backward lightly—not with her feet, but floating gracefully. She dodged Daisy's enthusiastic embrace with ease, giggling sweetly behind her hand. She drifted to Logan's side, clutching his sleeve and peeking shyly at Daisy with a doll-like face.
Seeing Daisy lunge forward again, Logan quickly intervened. "Come, Mew. Let's go find them."
The moment his words fell, a pink aura shimmered, enveloping Logan and Mew. In the blink of an eye, both vanished into thin air.
Daisy stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief. She had no idea that the "little girl" was actually a legendary Pokémon.
"…Sis, maybe we should just rest here for now."
Blue coughed lightly, trying to hide his sister's embarrassment.
Flustered, Daisy scratched her hair awkwardly, then helped Green to a safer corner of the ruins. The group sat down to catch their breath.
Not long after, hurried footsteps echoed nearby. Red and Blue tensed, muscles coiling, but relaxed when they saw the newcomer—Erika, the Gym Leader of Celadon City.
"Erika? What are you doing here?"
Red, who had met her a few times, greeted her warmly.
Erika's eyes lit up when she saw them, but quickly scanned the area, her gaze betraying urgency. When she found no sign of Logan, her heart skipped. She fought to keep her tone calm, though her voice trembled. "Where's Logan? Why is it only the rest of you here?"
Her body quivered faintly, shadowed by unease. Inwardly, she felt dread clawing at her chest.
Logan must have been caught in that cataclysmic battle at the city's center. The collapsed towers and scorched ruins told a story of terrifying power unleashed.
"He went after the three Rocket Executives," Red answered simply, unaware of her turmoil.
"…He went after them?" Erika's brows furrowed.
Blue, more observant than Red, asked cautiously, "Is something wrong, Erika?"
"It's like this," Erika explained carefully. "Before the battle, I asked the Alliance Chairman how we should handle Rocket's upper ranks. He told me the plan was simple—reveal Giovanni's true identity as their leader, put all the blame on him, and if Gym Leaders like Surge, Koga, and Sabrina were willing to cooperate, accept punishment, and allow their freedom to be restricted for a time… then the Alliance would give them a chance at redemption. They would even be allowed to remain Gym Leaders."
She paused.
It was a pragmatic choice. Removing four Gym Leaders at once would shake the foundations of the Alliance. If half the Gym Leaders were branded traitors, what would the people of Kanto think? Distrust would spread like wildfire. The stability of the entire region would crumble.
"…So, in truth, Logan chasing them is pointless?" Red asked, finally grasping her meaning.
"That's exactly what I fear…" Erika whispered softly, her tone filled with worry.
Anyone would think she was merely concerned for Logan's safety out of kindness. But her concern was deeper, sharper—because she carried a hidden bond, a secret reason to fear for him.
"Don't worry," Red said confidently. "Those three are already badly injured. They don't stand a chance against Logan."
"…I hope you're right."
Erika forced a breath, her heart still heavy. She knew Logan was cautious and would not rush into recklessness. And yet… if she had witnessed his battle with Giovanni, she might never have been so reassured.
…
Elsewhere, Logan arrived before the ruins of a collapsed skyscraper. He inhaled deeply, eyes narrowing.
Sabrina… you won't escape me this time.
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