He wasn't foolish. Facing a 300-meter tall Dragonite, even with the entire Dragon Clan, they'd likely be defeated in an instant.
"Didn't you say you wanted to capture it before, Carl?" Lance questioned.
Anyone paying attention to Carl and Ethan Cross's conversation would notice his interest in the ancient Dragonite.
"Yes," Carl admitted readily.
Such a straightforward answer left Lance and the others stunned.
"Are you confident you can capture it?" Lance asked skeptically, noticing Carl's calm demeanor.
"No," Carl shook his head.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If Carl truly had the power to defeat an ancient Dragonite, his strength would be unparalleled, potentially altering the world's balance.
"Then why...?" Lance wanted to ask why Carl seemed so confident, but the words didn't seem appropriate.
Carl flashed a sly smile. "Direct confrontation is out of the question, but there's always trickery."
"If I could deceive the ancient Dragonite, maybe by saying I know the whereabouts of its companions, wouldn't that be a win?"
"And even if the deception fails, there's nothing lost."
His unexpected answer left everyone speechless.
Upon reflection, it was indeed the only viable option. The allure of capturing an ancient Dragonite seemed worth the risk, though the plan required immense skill.
Only someone as worldly as Carl would dare attempt such a bold strategy.
Professor Oak, curious, asked, "Carl, do you know of any other ancient Pokémon?"
"Of course," Carl replied confidently.
He had long studied the hills behind Pallet Town, where ancient Alakazam, Gengar, and Jigglypuff were hidden, along with an ancient Claydol.
These were his bargaining chips for negotiating with the ancient Dragonite. With its power, capturing these four ancient Pokémon would be effortless. Once the Dragonite found new companions, Carl, as the facilitator, would naturally become friends with it.
Plans are always perfect, but reality often surprises.
"Are you sure?" Professor Oak swallowed nervously, and Lance and the others held their breath.
Carl calmly said, "This information is actually well-known, like the whereabouts of Rayquaza, Kyogre, and Groudon."
He thought to himself: Who would be foolish enough to casually share crucial intel?
Everyone finally understood.
It turned out to be those three legendary Pokémon, indeed common knowledge. Yet, even knowing their locations, no one dared provoke them.
"I thought..."
"Thought what?" Carl interrupted Professor Oak. "If I knew their exact locations, I'd have captured them already, not discussing it here with you."
Professor Oak chuckled awkwardly, realizing he had overthought it.
Carl turned to Ethan Cross. "Let's exchange contact info."
"Feel free to reach out anytime," Ethan agreed readily. Though their interaction was brief, he saw Carl as someone extraordinary, worth befriending.
After exchanging contact information, Ethan had to leave.
"Now it's your turn," Carl signaled to Cynthia.
"Finally remembered me," Cynthia teased.
"Weren't you the one listening most intently?" Carl retorted.
Cynthia wisely shifted the topic. "Chairman Whitaker, Lance, what's the matter?"
Judging by their expressions, it wasn't an urgent issue.
"Do I need to step out?" Carl interjected. Though curious, he didn't want unnecessary trouble. Besides, he hadn't eaten breakfast yet, and his stomach was growling.
Chairman Whitaker explained that Carl's earlier conversation hadn't been confidential, and if interested, he could listen in. He believed Carl might have more information than they did, so there was no need to exclude him.
Carl gestured for them to continue.
Whitaker detailed Team Rocket's latest movements, including Giovanni gathering members in Vermilion City. Initially, he contacted Cynthia to ensure she arrived quickly, preventing any sudden actions by Team Rocket from causing conflict.
"The situation is more urgent than anticipated," Cynthia said seriously. "I'll fly to Kanto immediately, using Pokémon for travel to save time."
"Safety first," Whitaker reminded. "We still don't know Team Rocket's true intentions, so you have plenty of time."
"The sooner, the better," Cynthia said, preparing to leave when she noticed Carl deep in thought. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing," Carl snapped back, smiling. "Just realized why Giovanni is so focused on Vermilion City."
Everyone was surprised; this was the answer they most wanted.
"What is the reason?" Whitaker asked eagerly.
"There can only be one reason for Giovanni's elaborate efforts: he's here to recapture Mewtwo," Carl declared confidently.
The storyline of Mewtwo was about to unfold earlier than expected, making things more interesting and disrupting the timeline.
"Would anyone be interested in a trip to Vermilion City?"
7:30 PM, Vermilion City's military airport.
Carl wiped his mouth as he exited the terminal, complaining, "The VIP meal was awful, not as good as Serena's home-cooked dishes. I should've had dinner before coming."
Hearing this, Cynthia, Caitlin, and Sabrina all rolled their eyes.
The plane they were on was no ordinary one; it was the highest-level private jet of the Johto League. Chairman Whitaker, upon learning of Carl's visit to Vermilion City, immediately authorized the use of this plane, a privilege even Cynthia hadn't experienced.
It wasn't favoritism from Whitaker; initially, the situation wasn't so dire. Kanto, being on par with Johto, couldn't easily request outside help without losing face. But with Carl mentioning Mewtwo's recapture, the situation had changed dramatically.
Amusingly, Carl insisted on finishing lunch before departing after receiving the notification. Now he was complaining about the plane's food.
"You could bring Serena," Caitlin remarked.
"No, she's not strong enough," Carl shook his head. "Vermilion City is about to erupt in a battle between Team Rocket and the Kanto League, requiring at least Elite-level trainers for safety."
Serena had only recently become a trainer, making it too dangerous for her. Besides, Carl had other plans.
"Won't Sabrina and I be useless?" Caitlin frowned. In a champions' and elite-level brawl, they were like novices.
"You're psychics; you'll find opportunities," Carl replied mysteriously. "You might even get some unexpected benefits."
"What benefits?" Sabrina perked up.
"Can't reveal that," Carl said, feigning mystery.
Seeing they wouldn't press further, Carl relaxed. Cynthia, observing the entire conversation, decisively said, "Let's meet with Chairman Whitaker first."
"Lead the way," Carl gestured for her to go ahead.
Cynthia gave him a look, then pulled out her phone to make a call. Shortly after, a helicopter landed before them.
That's the power of privilege.
"Is that the Vermilion City's Wild Area?"
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