"Yeah, people love slapping labels on others. What we should do is mind ourselves and try not to look at people through tinted glasses."
Grey lifted Riolu and pinched its black ear.
"Riolu~"
Riolu let out a happy little sound, completely relaxed by Grey's practiced touch.
"I wonder when you'll evolve."
Grey scraped Riolu's nose with his knuckle. He really wanted to see what this little partner would look like after it evolved.
Once it evolves, it can take the field in the Dojo bracket matches.
If he wanted to handle trainers on Giovanni's level, having only three Pokémon he could truly call battle-ready just wasn't enough.
It was only after the match with Karen that Grey understood his shortcomings.
His raw power wasn't great.
The reason Annihilape won was all thanks to the buff Blaziken left behind.
If Houndoom, Karen's ace, had come out right away, he'd have been in real trouble.
"Riolu~" (Big sis Riolu said I'll evolve when it's time for me to evolve~)
Riolu rubbed its head and hauled the little Riolu out.
"Hm?"
Hearing Riolu, Grey looked over at the little Riolu leaning against Articuno's chest.
"Miau~" (Hee-hee, tasty treats~)
"Ling~" (I'm the mightiest Articuno in the world—who dares challenge the great Bird Lord~)
The little one and the big one were both talking in their sleep.
The little Riolu had drool at the corner of its mouth, while Articuno was lost in a glorious daydream.
Saying that it was the strongest in Grey's entire team.
Even a Pokémon as strong as Annihilape was barely fit to carry its shoes.
"Ling~" (Hey, Poliwag, scratch me right there with your tail… What? You can't reach? Then jump!)
"Graaa…" (This temper of mine… I'm about to deck it right in the beak…)
Annihilape had already slipped out of its Poké Ball, brow furrowed. Hearing Articuno's sleep-talk only made its blood boil.
It cracked its fists together, practically ready to grab that tail and swing the bird around like a lasso.
"Bwu-bwu." (Yeah, that scruffy bird is like this. I don't get why humans call a Pokémon like that a "Legendary." Blaziken could drop it with one punch.)
Poliwag's tail thumped the floor with a dull thud, its tone full of confusion.
All it did was eat and sleep, and its strength wasn't anything special.
All talk, no bite, just a pretty face.
If the Legendary birds included a weirdo like Articuno, what a "tragic family" the legendaries were.
But…
Even if Articuno was like this, the other two Kanto birds shouldn't be the same… right?
A chill ran through Poliwag.
If all the Kanto legendaries were like this, the region was doomed.
Then they should elect a new "legend."
A "Legendary Poliwrath," an Annihilape, a Riolu—those could work.
Yeah, first kick those three scruffy birds out.
You can't coast on a title while acting like that.
Poliwag figured if it was all just daydreaming and not doing anything, it could take the job too.
"Chaoh!" (Question!)
Blaziken strode over, flames jetting from its wrists as it confronted Poliwag head-on.
"Chaoh." (What do you mean even I could beat it? That Articuno's just so-so. If you have higher power and still can't beat it, you shouldn't be one of Grey's Pokémon.)
Blaziken felt that even comparing itself to Articuno was an insult.
"Bwu-bwu." (Mm-hmm, that was careless of me.)
Poliwag corrected itself promptly.
Judging by Blaziken's power, it was at least one-and-a-half Articunos strong!
"Chaoh." (That's better.)
Blaziken nodded, the blaze around its wrists slowly settling down.
All this Pokémon chatter drifted into Grey's ears, and for a moment he didn't even know what to say.
Half an hour later…
"Ling~" (Aaah, that nap felt amazing~)
Refreshed from its catnap, Articuno stretched its wings wide, shaking down a glitter of ice crystals.
Then…
"Ling?" (Why are you all staring at me? Do I have something on my face? Or are you dazzled by my looks~)
With that, Articuno set its left wing over its chest and dipped forward like a gentleman.
But it very quickly sensed something was wrong.
"Ling…" (Uh, why are you all looking at me like that…?)
Pinned by the entire team's gaze, Articuno felt a chill that cut to the bone—impressive, considering it was an Ice-type.
"Graa!" (Since you slept so well, how about we settle a tab? While you were napping, I was pounding your back for ages!)
"Chaoh!" (And you made me keep you warm!)
"Bwu-bwu!" (And you had me jump up to scratch your itch!)
All that sleep, and the bird had mouth-ran nonstop, leaving a rap sheet long enough to wrap a Snorlax!
"Ling!" (Grey, save me!)
Articuno sent an urgent SOS to Grey.
"If you can't even handle my Pokémon, what good is talking about revenge?"
Grey refused, loud and clear: Articuno needed to deal with this itself.
Otherwise, what would happen next time they ran into Team Rocket?
They couldn't just keep running.
Bolt at the first sign of trouble?
Then don't call yourself Articuno—call yourself Run-ticuno.
Hearing Grey, Articuno's thought of cutting and running vanished.
As a legend, how could it fall here?!
"Ling!" (Come at me!)
Articuno swept a glare across the circle of hungry-eyed Pokémon and let out a high, ringing cry.
Its wings flared wide, cold light sliding along the edges!
One versus many?
Heh, interesting!
Taste my Blizzard!
I'll win!
Thirty seconds later.
"Ling…" (Big guys, I was wrong… please don't punch my face…)
Articuno lay flat on the ground, rump in the air, begging them to go easy.
Articuno, out!
——
Viridian City, Team Rocket base
Tap, tap, tap…
Petrel paced in front of a massive black display, both hands stuffed in his pockets.
Click—
The screen lit up. A green-haired man in a white R-uniform sat on a redwood chair, a few suited underlings standing respectfully at his side.
"Archer, how are things on your end?"
Petrel's voice rasped low from his throat. He kept his head down, thumb rolling the Ultra Ball on his belt.
"Still putting together our personnel. We let Articuno slip last time—this time, Zapdos can't be affected."
Archer crossed his legs, picked his teeth with a toothpick, and brought up another feed.
"Proton, how's the Celadon Game Corner? You've got everything the Boss wanted, right?"
A fine-featured man appeared on-screen. He adjusted the black sailor-style cap on his head and shook his head. "We're still searching for Moltres's location."
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