Right now, the entire Team Rocket underground base in Celadon City was in motion. Grunts poured into the corridors and spread out through the facility, checking rooms, turns, and blind spots.
Someone had slipped inside. And that was bad.
Because the St. Anne incident still hadn't fully blown over. If this base got reported to the Kanto League, who would they send?
A red-haired woman in a white Team Rocket uniform strode down the hallway with a hard look on her face. Ariana—one of Team Rocket's four Executives.
"What's the situation?"
Ariana pulled out her communicator as she walked. She was in a foul mood. This base was under her watch, and Damian had finally decided to stay a few days—only for this to happen on his first day here.
Of course she was angry.
Giovanni had already publicly cut ties with Damian. Inside Team Rocket, that only meant one thing: the next Boss would probably be Damian himself. And Damian had brought back two high-ranking executives from Alola—both younger, both strong, and both making their presence felt the moment they arrived.
Ariana felt real pressure. She didn't think she'd be pushed out, but she wanted to prove herself. At the very least, she couldn't afford mistakes.
And yet—this had to happen now.
A voice answered through the line. "Apologies, Executive Ariana. We still haven't found them."
Ariana stopped mid-step. "Useless. If you can't find them in the base, check the ventilation ducts. Do I really have to teach you that?"
The subordinate went quiet for a beat. "Yes, ma'am!"
Ariana's voice dropped. "Then move. I want that mouse dragged in front of me before Damian gets back."
She ended the call and kept going.
Then she heard it—an odd scrape above her.
Ariana looked up at the ceiling. The corner of her mouth curled.
"So that's where you are."
She opened a Poké Ball. "Arbok."
A cold, menacing Arbok hit the floor, tongue flicking as it raised its head.
"Arbok!"
It shot upward, smashed into the vent, and forced its way inside.
Boom!
Metal tore. Something shifted. And with a loud crash, a girl in a black dress dropped down from above, landing cleanly.
The girl looked Ariana over and smiled. "You've got a temper, Auntie. What is it—your time of the month?"
Her face was ordinary, but her voice was bright and easy to remember.
Ariana's expression darkened. The girl really called her "Auntie"?
"You little brat," Ariana said.
The girl didn't flinch. "Wow. That look says you want to bite my head off. You know, not only do old ladies get ugly, their tempers get worse too."
Ariana's jaw tightened. Old lady? She was twenty-six and a half. She was in her prime.
"Heh… heh…" Ariana's laugh came out low, like she was forcing it through clenched teeth. "Fine. Keep talking. When I catch you, I'll give you a very warm welcome."
Arbok slid down from above and dropped beside Ariana, its heavy body coiling as it fixed the girl with a cold stare.
The girl lifted her hands like she was being courteous. "Appreciate the offer, Auntie, but I've got things to do. Can't stay."
She turned and bolted without hesitation.
Fighting Ariana here would be stupid. She needed to get out and spread the word that Team Rocket had a facility here. Ariana had chased her personally, which meant she'd pulled a big problem away from somewhere else—so how was her "comrade" doing? They'd split up right after entry.
Truth was, there wasn't much she could do about it. They'd only met by chance while crawling through the vents after getting inside. They hadn't even exchanged a single word.
All she could do was wish that person luck.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the base…
Yellow spores drifted through the air. The two Team Rocket members guarding Exit C blinked slowly, their faces loosening as their vigilance slipped. The Raticate beside them sagged too.
Thud.
"Good. Smooth so far. I just hope that girl gets out safely as well."
A masked figure dressed in black stepped out from around the corner and let out a breath as they looked toward the exit. A Vileplume stood at their feet. The masked person stepped over the slumped grunts on the ground, moved up the stairs, and slipped out of the underground base.
"Way too dangerous," the figure muttered once they reached the alley. "I didn't expect Team Rocket to have a base this big under Celadon."
They removed the black mask, revealing a fair, beautiful face.
Erika—Gym Leader of Celadon Gym.
"I have to tell the League immediately," Erika said, already pulling out her phone. "A base this size won't be run by nobodies. There have to be high-ranking executives here."
There had been no signal inside, obviously because of jammers. But now, outside, her reception returned.
Erika knew herself. She could fight, but trying to erase a base like that with only her and the Celadon police would be a struggle. She walked quickly while working her phone, fingers moving fast.
But—
Erika stopped.
A faint blue light wrapped around her body.
Her expression stiffened. She tried to step forward, tried to force her muscles to move—nothing.
She couldn't move at all.
A binding Psychic move.
"Honestly," a voice drawled from behind her, "you almost got away, little mouse."
Erika's face went pale. Cold sweat broke out immediately.
Oh no.
Vileplume snapped around, green light building across its body—ready to strike—but a second psychic force clamped down on it. The Pokémon lifted off the ground and floated beside Erika, pinned in place, unable to fight back.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps came closer.
Then the same voice again, near enough that Erika felt it in her spine.
"Looks like a girl. Nice figure, too. Mewtwo—turn her around. I want a good look."
Erika's eyes widened. Those words—
The one who caught me… isn't he some kind of creep?!
A bad feeling rose in her chest, fed by every novel and anime scene she'd ever seen: a girl gets caught by a villain, then "this and that" happens, and in the end she's—
Erika's stomach dropped.
She felt her legs go weak, even though she couldn't move.
Please… anything but that.
On the other side…
In another alley, the girl in the black dress kept running, Ariana right behind her.
"Auntie!" the girl shouted while sprinting. "I'm begging you—stop chasing me! There's no future for us!"
Ariana's face stayed dark as she pushed forward.
Then the girl spotted someone ahead and her eyes lit up.
"Trainer over there!" she yelled. "Help me! There's an evil Team Rocket member chasing me!"
The youth ahead turned slowly.
Crimson eyes watched the girl—and then Ariana behind her.
Team Rocket?
"…"
The youth pulled his baseball cap down a bit. Without a word, he took out a Poké Ball.
"One after another," Ariana said, slowing to a stop. Her gaze flicked from the youth to the girl. "You kids really love sticking your noses into other people's business. Guess you haven't suffered enough yet."
She pointed at the girl. "Brat. Hand over that foul-mouthed girl behind you."
The crimson-eyed youth: "…"
He didn't answer. He simply opened the Poké Ball.
A Charizard landed with force, heat rolling off its body as it raised its head.
"Good. Good. Good."
Ariana laughed, not because it was funny—because she was furious.
"Young people today..." he said in a high-pitched voice. "None of you know what respect is."