Living in a city like this, where the air is filled with vitality and the rhythm of life is easygoing, people can maintain cheerful moods day after day. Even the elderly, with years carved upon their faces, could still find genuine happiness simply by residing here.
On the bustling commercial street of Celadon City, there stood a massive game corner—one of the city's most famous landmarks.
Yes, a game corner. Not only could visitors come here to gamble away their time with flashing machines and clattering tokens, but the tokens themselves could even be exchanged for a wide variety of items, rare technical machines, and even Pokémon themselves!
To make things even more outrageous, it was possible—if one saved up an astronomical number of coins—to exchange for the pseudo-legendary Dratini, the very first stage in the evolutionary line that one day became the majestic Dragonite.
Of course, the price for such an exchange was utterly sky-high, and the Dratini available were often of ordinary potential, but that hardly mattered. Simply having the name "Dratini" displayed on the prize list was enough to act as a glittering banner that lured countless players inside.
Every single day, the profits rolling into this game corner were nothing short of astronomical. After all, games of chance… well, those who understand, understand.
At this very moment, Lucas and his companions had made their way to a quiet corner of the hall. Once inside a private room, a polite attendant guided them into a concealed passage that led underground.
"Mr. Lucas~ what an honor! Had I known you were coming to Celadon City, I would have prepared a grander welcome ahead of time," a refined voice greeted them warmly.
As they stepped into the depths of the underground base, a tall, slender man in a crisp white Team Rocket uniform approached with graceful steps and an impeccable smile. This man was none other than Archer.
That's right—the famous Celadon Game Corner was, in fact, one of Team Rocket's enterprises, and beneath its polished floors lay a sprawling Team Rocket base, hidden from the eyes of the city above.
"Archer. It's been quite a while, hasn't it? Seems life has been treating you well lately," Lucas said casually, his gaze sweeping the room before settling on the man in white.
Compared to the disheveled mess Archer had been at the disastrous end of the S.S. Anne incident, he had now fully recovered his elegance, his composure restored. Clearly, he had pulled himself back from that shadow.
"Mr. Lucas mustn't tease me so… Even now, I remain deeply ashamed. That time was, without a doubt…" Archer's voice trailed into a bitter laugh.
It had been nothing less than a humiliating failure.
The S.S. Anne incident was, in his heart, an indelible stain. If not for Lucas's presence, he might not even have survived long enough to escape that doomed ship.
"There's no need to dwell on old mistakes. Tell me instead—how have things developed since then?" Lucas asked lightly, waving the matter aside.
"Thanks to your reminder, I had my men locate that boy… and we used his family as leverage." Archer's lips curved into a smile. "He agreed to remain silent, to never reveal Lieutenant Surge's true identity to the League."
This was the one thing Archer was genuinely grateful for.
The failure of the S.S. Anne scheme was a setback, yes, but survivable. If, however, Surge's status as a Team Rocket executive had been exposed to the Pokémon League, the consequences would have been catastrophic.
So afterward, Archer had swiftly ordered his subordinates to track down Red, confronting him through a "friendly video conversation." By dangling the safety of Red's family in the balance, they forced him to abandon the thought of reporting Surge to the League.
The process was hardly pleasant for Red, but Archer couldn't have cared less. What mattered was that the Team Rocket's secrets remained intact.
As for the boy's burning hatred of Team Team Rocket—and of Archer in particular—that was a trivial detail, unworthy of consideration.
"As expected of you, Archer. Always reliable when it matters," Lucas remarked with a faint smile, his eyes gleaming with an ambiguous amusement.
Deep down, though, he could only hope that next time Red crossed paths with Archer… the boy would at least leave the man a complete corpse.
Using someone's family as a hostage—such methods were utterly shameless. But then again, Team Rocket was an organization steeped in villainy. To them, such tactics were not only acceptable but practically standard practice.
For the victim, however, it was a bitter, unforgettable scar.
To Red, the Team Rockets had now become sworn enemies. And above all others, his fury was focused squarely on Archer.
"Has there been any trouble with the base recently? The Kanto League's eyes are fixed sharply upon us," Lucas asked as they walked deeper into the base.
"But of course," Archer replied with absolute confidence, his chin lifting proudly. "Mr. Lucas can rest assured—this place will never be discovered!"
This was his base, under his command. It was one of the most critical strongholds in all of Team Team Rocket's network. How could he ever allow himself to betray Giovanni's trust?
Lucas nodded, about to reply—when suddenly the entire base was pierced by the blaring wail of an alarm.
Someone had infiltrated.
Lucas: "…"
Karen and Will: "…"
Green and Marnie: "…"
…Well, this was awkward.
Even Archer's face flickered with embarrassment before his features twisted into barely contained rage.
"What is going on! Ariana, how did someone manage to infiltrate the base?" Archer barked into his communicator, his voice shaking with fury.
He had just finished boasting mere seconds ago—and already, reality had slapped him square across the face.
"Ariana! What's going on?!"
Archer's voice thundered through the channel. This wasn't just a matter of his personal pride being trampled—this was one of Team Team Rocket's most crucial bases.
Even now, experiments on genetic fusion were underway within these very walls, experiments Giovanni himself placed tremendous hopes upon.
This was not something that could be allowed to fail.
"We are already in pursuit of the intruder," came Ariana's cold, harsh voice from the other end. As one of the Team Rocket's Four Generals herself, being berated so bluntly stoked her own simmering fury. But she could not deny the truth: security was her responsibility, and the fact that someone had slipped inside was, in the end, her fault.
Her anger was no less than Archer's, but she swallowed it down, replying with restrained words.
"Make absolutely certain the intruder does not escape. You know very well how grave the consequences will be otherwise," Archer snapped before cutting the transmission, his eyes flashing darkly.
The cheerful mood he had carried moments ago, thanks to Lucas's visit, had completely evaporated.
"My sincerest apologies, Mr. Lucas. I did not intend for you to witness such a disgraceful scene."
Archer bowed slightly, his tone heavy. He had wanted to proudly show off this base, a monument to his competence. But now, with this blunder, he could hardly stomach his own embarrassment.
"It's fine. Focus on capturing the intruder first. If word of this base leaks out, the losses will be incalculable," Lucas replied, his voice even.
Given how relentlessly the League was cracking down on Team Rocket, this was no small matter. Even a base hidden beneath Celadon City itself would not be spared.
"You are right. Excuse me."
Archer's expression hardened, and with another short bow, he strode quickly toward the monitoring room.
As Lucas had said—if that infiltrator escaped, the price would be far too steep. They had to be caught before any information could be passed along.
Archer's heart was racing with panic. True, the base was equipped with communication jammers—only Team Rocket's special transmitters could function here.
But still. What if?
"Well, well… seems we're in for a show," Karen drawled, her lips curling into a wicked grin as she watched Archer's back retreat.
She wasn't particularly concerned. At worst, the base would be destroyed. It wasn't her problem.
Yes, she was a Team Rocket member now, but loyalty? Attachment? Those were things she did not possess.
"Let's split up and look for the intruder as well. After all, we are members of Team Rocket now," Lucas suggested after a pause. Standing idle while chaos unfolded hardly seemed fitting.
"Knew you'd say that. Fine, then. Splitting up sounds fun enough. Playing cat-and-mouse once in a while isn't so bad."
Karen stretched lazily, her slender waist curving gracefully, her every motion brimming with allure. She might not have the most voluptuous figure, but her charm was undeniable.
"Let's go, Will."
She gave her companion a quick nod and sauntered off in the opposite direction.
"Phew~ finally gone," whispered Green as she watched them leave, letting out a long sigh of relief. She patted her chest—her exaggerated, disguise-enhanced chest.
Being near those two had been suffocating. At any moment, she feared they would see through her disguise.
"Well, weren't you bold earlier? Afraid already?" Lucas teased with an amused look.
"Afraid? Me? Of those two? Don't make me laugh. They chased me for an entire year and never once got even a glimpse of my shadow," Green sniffed, tilting her chin with mock pride.
Lucas only chuckled softly, leading Marnie by the hand.
"Let's see how long you can keep that up."
"Wait for me! Don't just leave me behind in this place!" Green squeaked, scampering after them. This was a Team Rocket base, after all—no place to be left alone.
"You're not really planning to help them catch this intruder, are you?" she asked quickly.
"And why not?"
"What benefit does helping Team Rocket give you?"
"It's fun."
Lucas's answer was offhand, casual. For him, aiding Team Rocket against the League was just a game, an amusing way to stir up trouble. Otherwise, honestly, Kanto was turning out to be a little dull.
"But—"
"Enough. Be more like Marnie: quiet, doing more and talking less. You chatter far too much," Lucas interrupted bluntly.
"Tch… fine. I'll shut up. So, mean," Green pouted, muttering under her breath. This hateful Lucas, how dare he be so harsh to her.
Falling slightly behind, she made a mock ferocious face at his back, only to sag in defeat moments later.
Ugh… she couldn't beat him anyway.
Click. Clack.
At that moment, a faint, abnormal noise pricked their ears.
Both Lucas and Green instantly sharpened their attention, scanning their surroundings. Their gazes soon locked onto the same spot—the air duct above.
"Up there," Green whispered, pointing.
Her instincts were rarely wrong. With her skill at tracking and counter-tracking, her observation skills were top-tier.
"Gardevoir."
Lucas's lips curved, and he released a Poké Ball.
With a flash of white light, the graceful, elegant Gardevoir spun once in the air before landing lightly at his side.
Meanwhile, inside the ventilation shaft, a figure dressed all in black, face concealed beneath a dark mask, was crawling carefully forward.
The infiltrator had already been discovered. The only option left was retreat. Still, some evidence had been gathered—enough that if it reached the League, they would surely dispatch forces to destroy this Team Rocket base.
The seconds ticked by. The black-clad figure could hear movements below, which only made them even more cautious.
Steady, deliberate, measured. Inch by inch, they advanced—until at last, after what felt like an eternity, they slipped out of the ducts and into the open air.
"Haah…"
Breathing hard, the intruder darted into a deserted alley. With swift fingers, she pulled away the damp cloth covering her face, revealing pale but striking features. She was, in truth, still very young.
"It's enough… With this, once I deliver the evidence, the League will surely come. These Team Rockets will be brought to justice," she murmured to herself, eyes glimmering with determination.
This was why she had risked everything to infiltrate the base.
(End of Chapter)