To Zoroark, ordinary Poké Balls were nothing more than paper cages—something she could break free from without effort.
But the black one before her…
She could feel something different. A subtle pressure. A sense of restraint.
She'd never been caught, of course—but her instincts as a Pokémon told her: this ball had a much higher capture efficiency.
That alone was enough to pique Zoroark's curiosity—especially since she'd been so invested lately in researching [Origin Ore].
Elias, too, felt a similar intuition.
He weighed the Poké Ball in his hand, then looked up at the woman in front of him.
"What is this?" he asked.
"Allow me to introduce myself first. I'm Cyllene, commander of the Galaxy Team."
"And on behalf of our leader's disgraceful behavior just now, I offer my sincerest apologies."
She bowed low as she spoke, her tone respectful and sincere.
Compared to Kamado, she was practically from another universe—it was hard to believe they were even from the same organization.
She then gestured to the ball in Elias's hand.
"As you can see, this is the latest type of Poké Ball developed by our Galaxy Team."
"We call it the Heavy Ball. While it's less agile than standard models, its capture rate is significantly higher."
Cyllene gave a concise explanation.
Elias nodded thoughtfully.
He'd toyed with the idea of developing something similar, but hadn't yet found time to act on it.
Now, to learn that someone had gotten there first stirred a flicker of curiosity in him.
Still...
"So, Miss Cyllene—you're hoping to sell these?" he asked uncertainly.
There was something about her pitch that reminded him of the salespeople Cynthia had mentioned before.
"No."
Cyllene blinked, then shook her head.
"I heard from Miss Cynthia that the Poké Balls used by the Pearl Clan were developed by you alone."
"But... for someone as capable as you, I imagine time for research must be limited?"
"If possible, the Galaxy Team is willing to freely share all our Poké Ball technology and collaborate with the Pearl Clan on further development."
"In exchange, we simply ask for a small piece of land to settle on in Hisui."
Her voice remained low and earnest, distinct from anything Elias had heard from the Galaxy Team so far.
As if worried he might reject the offer outright, she added quickly:
"Of course, we promise to keep our distance from the Pearl Clan and to strictly follow all the rules of Hisui."
Even as she said this, Cyllene felt a pang of resignation.
The Galaxy Team's power was lacking—so all they could do now was comply.
And honestly, she had no other choice. Kamado had made such a mess, she was now trying to salvage what she could.
If it hadn't been for Cynthia letting slip that Elias was the mind behind the Pearl Clan's Poké Balls, she'd have no leverage at all.
Though stunned that someone so versatile even existed, at least it gave her a path forward.
Grateful, Cyllene glanced at Cynthia.
Receiving her look, Cynthia puffed her cheeks slightly.
She hadn't meant to share that.
It had just slipped out. One thing led to another—she'd started singing Elias's praises, watched Cyllene's face morph in shock, and only then realized...
...This woman might be a little too competent.
She hadn't expected anyone else to have invented a new Poké Ball, let alone bring one to trade.
Still, she wasn't too worried.
Elias would definitely refuse, right?
As expected, Elias frowned slightly.
After a moment's hesitation, he shook his head.
"Sorry. If it's just you, Miss Cyllene, the Pearl Clan would welcome you."
"But the entire Galaxy Team... no."
With Kamado still around, he wasn't about to risk spontaneous combustion from sheer frustration.
Cyllene's face fell a little.
She sighed. Truthfully, she'd expected this outcome.
If it were her, she wouldn't accept the Galaxy Team either.
Cynthia nodded to herself.
Perfect. Everything's going according to plan.
But—
Just as that thought crossed her mind, Zoroark spoke up.
"You guys... do you only study Poké Balls?"
She glanced between Cyllene and Elias, as if testing the waters.
She didn't want Elias to overexert himself, but she did want to study [Origin Ore].
Cyllene's arrival had sparked an idea—but Zoroark still wanted Elias's permission.
Feeling her eyes on him, Elias quickly understood what she meant.
He hesitated.
Truthfully, he had his own doubts.
Without his help, the two clans wouldn't have a clue how to develop new Poké Balls—it would take decades, at best.
And if another group like the Galaxy Team ever arrived… the clans still wouldn't be able to defend themselves.
Cyllene blinked at Zoroark's question, then quickly nodded.
"Yes. As long as we're given a general direction, we can study almost anything."
"Our research lead is actually a very kind person—very different from our commander."
Her stern face softened ever so slightly, touched with urgency.
"Elias...?"
Zoroark looked up at him, unsure.
He paused, deep in thought.
He knew how intrigued she was by the [Origin Ore]—otherwise, she wouldn't be making this request.
So...
"If Kamado's too injured to continue as commander—would it be a problem for you to take over?"
He offered a clean solution.
Cyllene blinked, stunned for a moment.
Then realization dawned in her eyes.
A mix of emotions flitted across her face before she drew in a deep breath and nodded.
"I'll give it a try."
After everything that had happened today, it was clear: Kamado wasn't fit to lead.
As the deal fell into place, Cynthia stood nearby, her mouth slightly agape.
Cyllene is Cyrus's ancestor.
And Cyrus—he would become the future leader of the modern Team Galactic.
Now this woman was being appointed as the Galaxy Team's new head?
Unbelievable.
But...
Elias's reasoning wasn't wrong.
If Hisui's tech didn't evolve, and someone worse than the Galaxy Team showed up one day...
There might not be a Sinnoh left.
It could very well become...
Team Rocket: Hisui Branch.
Rubbing her temples, Cynthia made a silent vow:
She would keep a close eye on Cyllene.
No matter what—it was her mission now to make sure this woman never married or bore children.
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T/N: did someone say... Team Rocket's Hisui Branch? August is that you?