The next day, Alex went out and bought an expensive watch.
He planned to have Ditto transform into it and stay in that form permanently as a means of extra protection as he travelled. He had learned the hard way that there was no such thing as being too prepared after losing both arms to a second attacker.
For Ditto's training, Alex simply had it transform into different Pokémon he had while mimicking their fighting styles.
One important fact about Ditto was that they were always weaker than the target of their transformation because they only had Basic proficiency with their moves. This meant Ditto could never fully match the strength of the Pokémon they copied, making them less reliable in battle.
Even so, two Hydreigon at the same power with different HP were still two Hydreigon, which was devastating enough to justify adding them to the team.
That morning, Alex went to see Rhea to ask about the progress of her project. Specifically, he wanted to know if the farm was ready to defend against a Champion ranked Pokémon.
They had spent the previous weeks discussing how to defend the farm in the event a Champion arrived and started a fight.
The drones were only as strong as Expert rank, which meant threats at the Elite rank would have to be handled by Absol, Houndoom, and Morpeko, who were more than capable of fending off the local lone Elites they might encounter.
Unfortunately, this would not be enough to defend against a professional Elite ranked trainer. That was why Rhea had developed a special mounted rotary cannon, more than capable of taking down Elites in large numbers despite its firepower being classified at the Expert rank.
The weapon fired at a rate of 1500 shots per minute, enough to bring down an Elite despite the relatively low individual firepower. Even trainers could be targeted by Metagross, who would have full control over the system.
The question then became how to defend the farm from a Champion ranked Pokémon, and the answer was relatively simple: add more rotary cannons.
As long as there were at least three rotary cannons aimed at every entry point on the farm, any Champion that tried to rampage their way through would face a slow and painful defeat, suffering death by a thousand cuts.
Sure, the plan wasn't foolproof, but it was still better than keeping Alex trapped on the farm forever, stuck taking jobs that paid less than a million credits each for the next several decades.
As Alex stepped into Rhea's lab, the difference was immediately striking. The last time he was here, the space had been underutilized, with random machines pushed against the walls and plenty of open floor. Now, it looked like a lab straight out of a science fiction film.
Drones hovered through the air, carrying metal parts and welding them mid-flight. Conveyor belts steadily fed energy crystal bullets into metal space bags. The entire lab was alive with motion, every machine and drone working in perfect rhythm to keep the operation running at full capacity.
He spotted more than a dozen fully assembled rotary cannons lined up along the far wall. Each one had eight barrels and was connected to a metal space bag, which Alex assumed served as a magazine to hold the ammunition. The setup resembled a linkless feeder system, designed to keep every round accounted for.
"Rhea?" Alex called out.
"Alex?" Rhea replied, sticking her head out from behind the stand of a rotary cannon. "Just a sec!"
Alex heard the sharp buzz of machinery, the grinding of saws, and the clanging of metal before a sudden shower of sparks erupted from where Rhea was working. After a few more loud clangs, Rhea finally emerged from behind the machines and walked over to him.
"How's it going?" Alex asked as he watched the drones continue their work.
"So much better now that Metagross is helping out," Rhea replied, grinning. "Turns out he's a pretty decent guy. Big help with the small stuff, you know?"
"I just came by to ask for an update."
"We should be done by tonight, I think. After that, we'll need to install it and run some tests, so maybe two more days."
"That's good. No need to rush. I want to see it in action."
"Hahaha! My babies will mow down the whole farm if you let me."
"Please don't."
Alex looked around some more before he was satisfied with the progress. He truly wasn't in a rush. He was just feeling bored lately due to the lack of action.
Hunting people just hits differently than hunting Pokemon.
Two days later, Alex and the girls gathered to watch Rhea's defense system in action. Each corner and side of the farm had a rotary cannon installed, 12 in total. Two more were mounted on the mansion's rooftop for added security. Lastly, one was positioned near the generator of the hydroponics farm, bringing the total to 15 rotary cannons ready to defend the farm.
"It's like playing a tower defense game," Nyx commented, her voice filled with excitement.
"Haha! Are you amazed? Are you excited? You haven't seen anything yet! Behold! The Tri-Lock Defense Network!" Rhea shouted as she slammed her hand down on an exaggeratedly large red button.
The cannons beside her fired small metal targets into the air, scattering them in all directions. As the targets reached the peak of their ascent, three rotary cannons whirred to life. They locked on, tracked the projected paths, and opened fire.
Bursts of energy blasted from the cannons, tearing through the metal targets with ease. They quickly re-aimed and fired again, systematically clearing every target from the sky above the farm.
Every target was struck by no fewer than three projectiles at once from different angles, ensuring that any defensive measures could be overwhelmed. The system was also programmed to fire at least one Feint or Phantom Force round from each cannon, guaranteeing that even Protect shields would be broken.
It was a menacing defense system, one designed to make even Champions think twice before trespassing on the farm.
As for how the identification, tracking, and firing system worked, it was all controlled by Metagross, of course.
When Metagross heard about the plan to install a defense system on the farm, it immediately imagined what it would be like to play a tower defense game in real life. The thought excited it so much that it decided to help Rhea build the system to speed up the process.
"Wow!"
"So pretty."
"Can it kill the birds and bugs that keep targeting my orchard?"
Came the girls' responses.
"Hehe, praise me more, peasants. Hahaha!"
While Rhea basked in her well-deserved praise, Alex finally made up his mind to leave for Johto the next day. Now that the farm was secure, he could afford to be away for months at a time while hunting for high-paying bounties.
Bounties like Gravik, for instance.
The thought of finally facing a Champion ranked trainer thrilled Alex to no end.
"Nyx," Alex called out.
"Yeah?"
"I'm leaving for Johto tomorrow. Get me a list of targets that pay in League credits, either from the bounty board or nest extermination requests."
"That's a bit sudden."
"I've been wanting to leave for some time now. The lack of opportunities in Kanto hasn't been exciting enough. I want a fresh set of targets in Johto."
"I'll send it to you before you leave."
"You can keep me updated from a region away, right?"
"Yes, that shouldn't be a problem."
"Good. I'll start traveling first thing tomorrow morning."
Alex headed inside the mansion and began packing his travel kit.
He grabbed his DEEP suit in case of an underwater excursion, the camping gear Rhea had upgraded, a few dozen armed drones for Rotom to use for security, spare armor for emergencies, multiple space bags for storage, enough Elite ranked meat to feed his entire team for a month, and a few spices for cooking.
He was preparing to go months without civilization, just in case. As for only packing a month's worth of meat, he figured he could restock once he reached Johto. He wasn't going there for sightseeing, after all.
As Alex continued packing, Nyx called Kaia and Rhea in for a quick meeting.
"Alex is leaving," Nyx announced.
"So?" Kaia asked.
"He's leaving for Johto. He won't be back for months," Nyx added.
"What!? Who's going to play with me?" Rhea whined.
"I'll miss the daily fucking he's been giving me, but honestly… a little break wouldn't hurt," Kaia replied.
Nyx's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "I think we should prepare a goodbye present."
"Oh? What did you have in mind?" Rhea asked, intrigued.
That night, as Alex finished packing, the door to his room creaked open. Nyx, Rhea, and Kaia sauntered in, wearing nothing but matching cat ears, swaying tails, and teasing smiles that left little to the imagination.
Without a word, they climbed onto the bed, settling on all fours as they turned back to face him with mischievous eyes.
"Meow," they purred in unison, their voices soft and dripping with playful intent.
"Goodbye sex?" Alex asked, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"Meow," they replied, their gazes still locked on him.
Alex chuckled, a playful spark in his eyes. "That works for me."
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