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"Wattson, aren't you the Gym Leader of Mauville City? Weren't you supposed to be carrying out the mission to restore power to the power plant? How do you still have time to come eat ice cream at my shop?"
Horn, who was in the middle of cleaning, looked puzzled when he saw Wattson enter. Thinking about how the power still hadn't been restored, he immediately complained, "I'm telling you—if the electricity doesn't come back soon, I'm going bankrupt."
"Ah—don't even mention it."
At Horn's words, the smile on Wattson's face faded instantly, his mood sinking as he sighed.
"The power plant has turned into a giant spider nest. The operation isn't going well at all. Some unlucky guys were even captured by the electric spiders occupying the plant. At this point, they're probably as good as dead."
It turned out that the reason Mauville City had been without power for several days was because a group of electricity-obsessed uninvited guests had suddenly moved into the power plant. And these guests were none other than Joltik and Galvantula—species originally native to the Unova region.
This happened to be the peak breeding season for Joltik. As invasive Pokémon with very few natural predators here, their numbers quickly spiraled out of control.
Since Joltik and Galvantula cannot generate electricity themselves and rely on electricity as their primary food source, they usually hunt other Electric-type Pokémon and siphon off the power stored in their bodies.
Naturally, other Electric-type Pokémon would never sit idly by while their hard-earned electricity was drained. Under normal circumstances, Joltik and Galvantula had to work quite hard to capture suitable prey.
That was until they discovered the unmanned power plant near Mauville City—almost entirely automated. Faced with food scarcity caused by overpopulation, the spiders immediately claimed the power plant as their new nest.
Once the blackout began, Wattson quickly gathered personnel to investigate the power plant. But the moment they entered, they discovered it had completely transformed into a spider lair.
The unmanned power plant was blanketed in layers of webbing. Ordinary people couldn't even get close. Worse still, anyone who touched the webs risked not only being stuck but also electrocuted by high-voltage electricity.
The webs spun by Joltik and Galvantula were as conductive as metal and incredibly tough. Aside from burning them away, it was nearly impossible to remove them.
But the problem was that these webs surrounded the power plant itself. Using fire to clear them could easily cause a massive explosion.
At that point, forget restoring power—they might as well build a new power plant altogether.
For safety reasons, Wattson and his team had no choice but to painstakingly clear the webs around the exterior first before finally entering the plant.
However, the moment they went inside, they were ambushed by numerous web traps set up by Joltik and Galvantula throughout the corridors. Casualties were severe.
Wattson himself barely managed to escape. If he had been even a little slower, he would have ended up as emergency rations for the spiders.
"Then what are we supposed to do? If the power outage continues, this business really can't go on."
"I know, right? Hoenn is warm year-round, and even now at the end of summer it's still scorching. It's been sunny nonstop—hot as hell."
"Exactly! No air conditioning at night. I just lie in bed sweating without doing anything. I haven't slept properly for days."
The five or six customers in the shop grew increasingly anxious after hearing Wattson's report, all venting their suffering from living without electricity.
"Just hold on a few more days."
Wattson hurriedly explained, his expression darkening.
"I've already reported to the League and requested support. This can't be rushed. The spiders have completely wrapped the power plant in webs, and burning them is out of the question—one mistake could blow the whole place up."
"The worst part is that those webs are connected to high-voltage electricity and are razor-sharp. Anyone entering has to wear specially made rubber suits. One careless touch and it's over."
"The rubber suits are already on the way. Once they arrive, we'll be able to enter safely and drive out those damn spiders."
After listening quietly from the side, Sato recalled what he knew about the Joltik line. Very quickly, he formed a pessimistic view of Wattson's next operation.
Still, the blackout in Mauville City wasn't really his concern right now. He was in a hurry to head to Fortree City to complete his own mission.
After finishing another serving of ice cream generously offered by Horn, Sato prepared to leave with Pikachu.
"Young man, you look quite capable."
Just as Sato turned around, Wattson suddenly appeared beside him. The old man's eyes were shining as he stared at Pikachu, smiling like a crafty fox.
"That Pikachu of yours looks exceptional. And its ability isn't Static, but Lightning Rod, right? How about joining my operation team? The rewards are very generous."
"Join us and you'll immediately receive 1,000 League Contribution Points and 100,000 PokeDollars. Once the mission is completed, there's another 3,000 Contribution Points and 500,000 PokeDollars waiting."
"And if you perform well, I'll even give you a private bonus. Hehehe. Think about it."
"Sorry, Mr. Wattson."
Sato smiled apologetically.
"I've just accepted a League mission to advance as an outer Trainer. Time is tight, so I don't have the bandwidth to help right now."
"That said, your thinking is absolutely correct. To deal with the electric spiders occupying the power plant, bringing along Pokémon with Lightning Rod or Volt Absorb is the safest approach."
"I suggest applying to the League for a batch of Rhyhorn with the Lightning Rod ability. Rhyhorn are Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon, naturally countering the Bug- and Electric-type Joltik line. With their help, the operation would be far more efficient."
Looking at Wattson's fox-like grin, Sato knew full well that this seasoned Gym Leader had already figured out the most reliable solution. He simply voiced it with a smile.
"Oh ho! You're a sharp one, kid."
Wattson's eyes lit up immediately.
"Then I won't beat around the bush. I'm critically short on Lightning Rod Pokémon right now. With Mauville City out of power, even the Pokémon Center can't function properly. How could the League teleport Rhyhorn over?"
"And Rhyhorn usually live in the Kanto region. They're rare in Hoenn. Transporting them here by Flying-type Pokémon would take at least a day or two."
"You can see it yourself—Mauville's been without power for days. The economic losses are growing by the day. The power plant issue must be resolved as soon as possible."
"Since you figured out the solution instantly, you must also know how to push it further. I've got manpower, but not enough capable commanders. Do me a favor and join my team as a field commander. I'll give you a private reward."
Listening to Wattson's explanation, Sato couldn't help but complain inwardly:
'This old guy lies without batting an eye. Mauville might be out of power, but Slateport City next door isn't. Why not have the Slateport Pokémon Center teleport the Rhyhorn over? Does he think I'm stupid?'
Still, Sato knew Wattson meant no harm—his goal was simply to restore Mauville City's operations as soon as possible. Seeing the pleading looks from Horn and his daughter, and the ice cream they were eagerly offering, he thought for a moment before replying:
"If the operation is tonight, I can help. Tomorrow won't work—I have to reach Fortree City as soon as possible."