Watching Meowth dart through the trees, occasionally looking back to make sure he was following, Hora realized the bond between the Team Rocket trio was deeper than he had imagined.
After thirty minutes of trekking, Hora suddenly stopped. "Alright, you can go back now."
Meowth turned around, bristling. "You're backing out? We aren't there yet, Meow!"
"I have my own way of finding it," Hora said flatly. "Go back and save your partners. Our deal ends here."
He didn't need Meowth anymore. Just moments ago, the System had pinged with a precise location:
[Treasure Hunt Task Issued]
Target: Obtain the Evolution Stone (Coordinates X201, Y29).
Time Limit: 1 hour.
Reward: Unlock the Potential Upgrade condition for Bulbasaur.
Meowth hesitated, then called out, "I'll remember your word! If you hurt Jessie or James, I'm coming for you!" Then, it vanished into the brush.
The Gang War
Hora reached the coordinates and gasped. In a wide clearing, two massive "factions" were locked in a tense standoff:
The Aerial Faction (Left): Led by a massive Fearow with a two-meter wingspan, flanked by dozens of Pidgeotto, Pidgey, and Spearow.
The Bug Faction (Right): Led by a robust Beedrill with glowing blue stingers, surrounded by Butterfree, Beedrill, Weedle, Caterpie, Kakuna, and Metapod.
In a crevice of a rock right in the middle of the "No Man's Land" sat a glowing blue gem: a Water Stone. While useless for evolution to these specific Pokémon, its concentrated elemental energy acted as a potent tonic for any species.
"No wonder Team Rocket didn't dare take it," Hora thought. Without a squad of high-level trainers, a direct assault would be suicide.
The Infiltration Plan
With the one-hour timer ticking, Hora formulated a plan to trigger a "riot."
Bulbasaur's Task: Use Vine Whip to knock berries from bushes onto the Bird faction, then use Razor Leaf to roll dead wood into the Bug faction to make them think they were being attacked.
Kakuna's "Secret Agent" Task: Hora released his Kakuna. "Slowly crawl over and blend in with their Kakuna and Metapod. When the wood rolls in, use Tackle on a Pidgey, then hide. Don't get caught."
Kakuna shimmied through the grass and settled among the other pupal Pokémon. In the chaos of a standoff, no one noticed the "outsider."
The Spark
"Do it!" Hora whispered.
Bulbasaur yanked the berry bushes. Thud-thud-thud! Berries pelted the Pidgeotto. The birds panicked, their flapping wings messing up the Fearow's groomed feathers. Fearow shrieked in rage at the Beedrill.
Simultaneously, Razor Leaf cut the vines holding the dead wood. The logs rolled into the bugs, knocking over several Weedle and Metapod. The bugs buzzed with fury.
Then, the "undercover" Kakuna lunged out of the pile and slammed into a nearby Pidgey before shrinking back into the crowd.
Chaos Erupts
That was the final straw.
Fearow unleashed a gust of wind, and Beedrill retaliated with a barrage of Twineedle. The clearing exploded into a massive brawl: Pidgeotto clashed with Butterfree, while Beedrill swarmed the Spearow.
Hora watched from the grass, signaling Bulbasaur to get ready. The Water Stone was sitting unguarded, and everyone was too busy fighting to notice a small trainer and a Bulbasaur creeping toward the prize.