Zinnia honestly felt the Team Rocket guy in front of her was a little too extreme.
Blowing up buildings on a whim. Flattening estates like it was nothing. In an era that was supposed to be peaceful, who even thinks like that?
Damian, on the other hand, thought Zinnia was being too restrained. She carried hatred that deep, and she still didn't accept his offer on the spot?
"You know our tribe's prophecy, don't you?" Zinnia asked.
She shelved the earlier topic for now. Even if she hadn't agreed immediately, she was moved by Damian's "sincerity."
She had to avenge Aster.
But the three forces she named weren't simple—especially the Johto Pokémon Association, backed by the Kanto League.
"Of course," Damian said with a nod. "The meteor crisis from the prophecy."
A long time ago, meteor showers tore across the night sky. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre fought each other, and people were left with nothing to hold onto. Then Rayquaza descended and stopped them.
A thousand years later, a meteor fell into what is now Sootopolis City. Groudon and Kyogre awakened and clashed again. Once more, people were swallowed by despair.
Back then, the Lorekeeper prayed to a rainbow-colored meteorite, begging Rayquaza to descend. The prayer reached it. The power of that rainbow meteorite let Rayquaza Mega Evolve, and it defeated Groudon and Kyogre again, forcing them back into deep sleep.
The Draconid people—saved twice by Rayquaza—built Sky Pillar to worship it. They also left a prophecy on Sky Pillar's murals.
One thousand years later, a new meteor would fall. Before it struck the continent, Rayquaza had to be summoned again to shatter it.
"So you really do know," Zinnia said, narrowing her eyes. She couldn't understand why Damian—who wasn't Draconid—knew any of this.
"That part doesn't matter," Damian said, waving it off. "What matters is you need help, don't you?"
His smile stayed in place.
"Whether it's the prophecy… or your sister's revenge."
"I can do it alone," Zinnia said, cold. She didn't like his tone.
"Sure," Damian replied without missing a beat. "But wouldn't help make it easier?"
He didn't stop smiling.
"If you want justice for your sister, you're going to need allies who won't flinch. Team Rocket won't flinch."
Damian picked up the gold badge from the table and placed it into Zinnia's hand.
This time, Zinnia didn't let go.
"There's no downside for you," Damian said. "And you can use Team Rocket's resources however you want."
"That sounds great," Zinnia said, looking at the badge for a long moment. Then she laughed. "So I'll be wanted by the Pokémon League next, right?"
"So what?" Damian said. "It's not like we lose anything."
He and Zinnia looked at each other, and they both laughed.
Yes—Zinnia hadn't refused.
Damian was right. If she wanted justice for Aster, she needed a force that wouldn't fear the League.
Reckless Team Rocket fit perfectly.
Team Rocket needed her strength, and she needed Team Rocket's reach. A clean trade.
Watching Damian and Zinnia reach an agreement, Courtney stayed expressionless. No one could tell what she was thinking.
Her worldview felt flipped over.
Team Magma wanted to expand land.
But what had these two been discussing just now?
The Berlitz family. Devon Corporation. The Pokémon Association. A prophecy about a falling meteor.
Seriously—those topics were on another level. And they were talking about taking all of it down?
Courtney suddenly felt her past perspective had been narrow. She didn't know whether they could actually pull it off.
But she did know Team Magma and Team Aqua were likely about to suffer.
They were.
In Lilycove City, Maxie stared at the phone that had gone silent. His brow tightened.
An hour had passed, and Courtney still hadn't sent anything.
Maxie didn't know exactly what happened, but he could guess: Courtney had probably been captured.
"Team Rocket…" Maxie muttered. "Why would Team Rocket come to Hoenn?"
Unease crawled up his spine.
Even in Hoenn, Maxie knew the name. Team Rocket was the strongest criminal organization in Kanto's underworld.
They had grown right under the Kanto League's nose.
An organization like that wasn't something you dismissed. Even if they crossed the sea, they were still dangerous.
And now they had kicked down his door.
"Do they think Team Magma has no one left?" Maxie pushed his glasses up. A cold light flashed in his eyes. Even with his usual composure, anger rose.
Team Rocket had just arrived and immediately broke into his base. They had even taken Courtney—one of his Admins.
What was that?
A slap in the face.
Fine. Fine.
So they really did look down on Team Magma.
But Maxie always prided himself on being calm and rational. He wasn't like that muscle-brained Archie. Maxie used his head.
"Team Rocket is coming on strong. A frontal clash isn't the best move."
He decided quickly. Team Rocket was an outside force, and he didn't even know how many people they brought.
The fact that Courtney couldn't escape at all told him one thing: the people Team Rocket sent were not weak.
Maxie didn't want to charge in and gamble everything on a death match. What if he lost?
No. He'd redirect the disaster.
"That idiot Archie can be used. And also…"
Maxie thought it through. Let Archie lead Team Aqua into Team Rocket first. Either side winning would benefit him.
Provoking conflict between them wasn't simple—but Maxie didn't need to force it. Team Rocket wouldn't let Team Aqua off anyway.
If only he knew the location of Archie's core base, he could feed it to Team Rocket and watch the tigers tear each other apart.
It was a shame he didn't know where Archie was staying.
But it didn't matter.
Maxie had another plan.
A cold smile curled at his lips. He opened a drawer and pulled out a spare phone.
"Hello? Ever Grande Police Station."
Officer Jenny's serious voice came through.
"Officer Jenny, I need to report a crime!" Maxie coughed and put on a panicked, worried tone.
"Please calm down, sir," Officer Jenny said, steady. "Tell me what happened."
"My friend and I were visiting Mt. Chimney," Maxie said. "We ran into terrorists calling themselves Team Rocket. They stole our Pokémon—and they kidnapped my friend!"
"What?" Officer Jenny blurted out, shocked.
Team Rocket?
"Are you sure it was Team Rocket?" She sounded dazed. Why would Team Rocket be in Hoenn?
Wasn't Hoenn already dealing with those two ridiculous extremist eco-teams—Magma and Aqua?
"There's no mistake," Maxie said, voice anxious. "They were wearing black uniforms. I'm really worried. Officer Jenny—my friend is a girl. I'm afraid what those Team Rocket people might do to her."
Expressionless, Maxie continued in the same fearful tone.
"I understand," Officer Jenny said at once. "I will notify Lavaridge Town immediately. Please rest assured—we will do everything we can to rescue your friend."
She asked for details, including the location of the incident.
Maxie gave her the area near the base. That base was already Team Rocket's now. If Team Magma couldn't have it, Team Rocket wouldn't keep it either.
He ended the call.
"Heh," Maxie laughed softly. "Redirect the trouble. Team Rocket? Go play with the Hoenn League first."
If the Hoenn League started hunting Team Rocket, Team Rocket's life here wouldn't be easy.
This was Hoenn. Team Rocket had no foundation here. They hadn't even settled in.
Under the Hoenn League's "care," they'd struggle to take even one step.
That was Maxie's wisdom.
A person had to use their brain. If you only used brute force, you ended up like Archie—muscles everywhere and a walnut for a brain.
Meanwhile, Officer Jenny passed the report up the chain immediately.
The final result was—
"Huh? Team Rocket?"
Inside the Hoenn League building in Ever Grande City, in the Champion's office, the current Hoenn Champion looked genuinely confused.
White cape. Pale, handsome face. Elegant aura. Tall, slender frame.
Wallace.
He had once been Sootopolis City's Gym Leader and a Master-level Contest Coordinator. Later, because of his best friend's persistent invitation, he became the Hoenn Champion.
As for that best friend—he was off somewhere happily digging up stones.
Yes. Wallace had "greeted" his best friend in his head more than once.
"Team Rocket…" Wallace rested his chin on his hand, thinking. "They're from Kanto, right?"
He didn't take it very seriously.
To him, so-called evil organizations were minor troublemakers—just like Team Magma and Team Aqua.
Honestly, when Wallace first heard Magma's and Aqua's "ideals," he almost laughed out loud. Expanding land and sea? The reason was too bizarre.
They felt like comic relief.
"Yes," the Jenny Commander said, worried. "Team Rocket is a powerful criminal organization. According to intelligence, they even invaded Alola recently."
"Champion Wallace, now that Team Rocket has entered Hoenn, I'm afraid they have bad intentions."
"Don't worry, Officer Jenny." Wallace gave a calm smile, confident. "It's just an evil organization. They won't amount to much."
He even suspected Team Rocket had been pressured too hard by the Kanto League and was looking for new ground—hence Alola, and now Hoenn.
"But stealing the Pokémon of Hoenn residents and kidnapping someone?" Wallace's expression sharpened. "That's going too far."
He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, righteous anger on full display.
Officer Jenny watched in silence.
"This is treating the Hoenn League like we're nothing," Wallace said firmly. "For criminals like this, we strike hard."
"Then what do you plan to do, Champion?" Officer Jenny asked.
"I'll handle it personally." Wallace smiled faintly, cool and composed. "It's only Team Rocket. Let me, Wallace, give them a proper ending."
"Champion… you don't need to go yourself, do you?" Officer Jenny said, stunned.
"For an organization like this, the best method is a decisive strike," Wallace said solemnly. "Don't give them time to escape and come back later."
Was he joking? If he didn't take this chance to leave Ever Grande City, how would he enjoy the upcoming Contest in Mauville City?
And besides—Team Rocket?
Easy win.