Chapter 161: I Was Serviced by a Dragon
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
Hypnosis was successful; the Electivire entered a state of sleep.
"Hah, your idea was quite novel, but the bait was too obvious. A normal person wouldn't have fallen for it."
Red ignored the look on Zeus's face, speaking in an understated tone.
Although, by "normal person," he meant someone at the Elite Four level, or perhaps even in the upper echelons of that level.
"If your Electivire had used a standard fighting style, defeating you with this Gengar wouldn't have been so simple… Gengar, use Dream Eater," Red instructed.
"Geng!"
Facing the fallen yellow Pokemon before it, Gengar's blood-red eyes shot wide open. A purplish-black afterimage seemed to float out from its body, rapidly blanketing the Electivire like a demon.
*Zzzzzzt—*
Instantly, a ghastly red energy emanated from the Electivire's body. Its energy was continuously siphoned, flowing through lines that connected to Gengar and transforming into green, healing energy, restoring its stamina.
In less than two turns, Gengar's stamina was restored to a healthy condition.
"Return, Electivire."
But to Red's surprise, even though the Electivire had not completely lost its ability to battle, Zeus directly recalled it.
After all, the level difference was plain to see. By the time it woke up, Gengar might have been in for another tough fight.
"I lost."
Words that would be difficult for most people to say rolled off Zeus's tongue with absolute frankness.
"To see through my plan and accomplish this much with a Gengar so far below my level… your skill as a Trainer is far greater than mine. There's no need to continue."
Zeus stared intently at Red, his thoughts unreadable.
Though he was a member of Team Rocket, he hadn't joined for fame or profit, nor to be a villain. He was only there to battle against the strong, unbothered by the rules of the righteous.
That was why an organization like Team Rocket, which operated in a gray area, was a better fit for him than the Pokémon League.
He respected whoever was stronger than him. It was a simple logic.
Zeus could see the gap between himself and his boss, Giovanni, and he knew that one day he would overthrow that old fox.
But when it came to the person before him now, Zeus was completely at a loss. After recalling his Poké Ball, he finally couldn't help but ask:
"What is your true strength?"
With such powerful command over strategy, his Pokemon couldn't possibly be weak. Zeus wanted to know the true gap between himself and Red.
Red pondered for a moment. Although this burly, bear-like man was from a different camp, their obsessive love for battle was the same. Thinking this, he decided to answer truthfully.
"A single glance is enough to one-hit KO you."
Zeus: "..."
Though the words were utterly absurd, he couldn't stop himself from taking half a step back. Finally, he let out a wistful sigh.
But then, an untamed smile reappeared on his rugged face, his battle intensity flaring even hotter as he let out a low growl:
"Even so, I won't lose to you next time!"
"I'll be waiting."
Red nodded, accepting this promise of a rival's bond.
Their conversation over, Zeus had no intention of doing anything more to Red. He was just a mole; it was best to just pretend he didn't see him. Besides, Team Rocket had plenty of moles.
"Right, there's one more thing…"
Red finally remembered the purpose of his infiltration. He informed Zeus about the strange phenomena happening to the Pokemon in the Pokémon Center and the bizarre disappearances of children in the city.
Zeus: "?"
He looked at Red with a bewildered expression.
Celadon City was different from other places. It was where Team Rocket peacefully made big money. The city's economic development meant an increase in Team Rocket's profits; their fortunes were tied together.
To be honest, this place was Team Rocket's legitimate gold vault. They had never even considered stirring up trouble here.
Red: "?"
Seeing the innocent look on the other man's face, it was Red's turn to be dumbfounded.
"I suggest you go check the roof of the Celadon Building. Some rich people up there like to mess with these kinds of weird things…"
Before they parted, Zeus gave him a tip.
His objective complete, Red, still controlling the bodyguard Grunt's body, smoothly passed through the initial stairwell and returned to the Game Corner lobby.
Perhaps due to the Earthquake from the earlier battle, the crowd in the Game Corner had thinned by a fifth. But most of the gambling addicts were still playing with feverish expressions, for gambling was, after all, more important than life.
Meanwhile, Ash was nowhere to be seen in the lobby.
So, Red recited a sentence in his mind:
"Mewtwo, open a line to Ash."
With the terrifying ability of the Mewtwo he had left with Ash, it was more than capable of converting his thoughts into telepathy from a great distance and transmitting them into Ash's mind, allowing for seamless, no-delay, real-time communication.
A moment later, Red felt a flicker of annoyance.
Another moment passed, the call connected, and Red sensed Ash's familiar, reckless aura.
"Hey, is that you, Brother Red? Is everything taken care of?"
Ash's voice was high and excited, yet tinged with a sort of intoxicated bliss. It was very strange.
"It's done. Where are you now?"
"Oh, oh! I'm at the Foot Massage Parlor next to the Game Corner, enjoying Team Rocket's super VIP all-in-one service… Yeah, yeah, right there! Ah, you're too rough!"
Ash replied enthusiastically, letting out a sudden, strange cry mid-sentence before his voice gradually became soft and limp.
"Okay~ I'm satisfied now~~"
Over the phone, Red could faintly hear the oily sound of flesh and liquid rubbing and colliding.
Red: "..."
The situation seemed… not good.
With a thought, Red's soul hurriedly separated from the bodyguard Grunt's body and flew off in the direction of the telepathic signal.
The nearby Gengar also turned invisible and floated along after him.
There was nothing left for it in this city worth staying for. It was time to go.
"Ugh…"
The spirit had fled its vessel. Left behind, the bodyguard Grunt regained control of his body and couldn't help but shiver.
"Did I doze off for a second?"
He looked around. He was still leaning against the same wall at the edge of the lobby. After failing to figure it out, he gave up thinking and went back to sneakily eyeing a beautiful dealer.
***
Celadon City, Foot Massage Parlor.
It was called a Foot Massage Parlor, but it was actually an associated recreational facility for the Game Corner, located right next to the casino. It offered an all-in-one service of massages, foot baths, and saunas, and was utterly extravagant.
This was another of Team Rocket's major industries.
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Following the source, Red and Gengar passed through several walls in succession, floating toward Ash as if they had a wall-clipping cheat enabled.
"Geng-geng-geng!!"
The sights along the way excited Gengar. Its cries seemed to suggest it had recently been up to activities similar to what the humans below were doing.
Red: "..."
Soon, the two arrived at their destination. Ash was lying on a large bed, dressed in a towel robe. On two other large beds lay Brock and Misty.
He was on his stomach, his head resting on a pillow, enjoying the service.
On his back stood a brownish-yellow Pokemon nearly two meters tall. It had a plump body and limbs, small, cute wings, two curved antennae on its head, and a cutesy face.
"Mmmm~~"
A Dragonite was dancing on Ash's back, using the soles of its feet to continuously strike the pressure points on his back, giving him a relaxing massage.
"Ah, that feels good, bro Dragonite! A little harder~~"
"Mmmm~~"
Hearing this, the Dragonite increased the force of its steps, and the sound of bones creaking, *crack-crack*, echoed out.
Perhaps only Ash's body of steel muscles and iron bones could withstand it. Anyone else would probably have fractured bones by now.
"So this is what being 'serviced by a dragon' means?"
Witnessing this scene, Red couldn't help but rub his temples, his expression instantly darkening.
(end of chapter)