She handed over the phone. The boy looked average in build for his age.
In the photo, he had silver eyes and a medium-short cut of red hair.
Grey: …?
He'd braced himself, but when he saw the photo he still swallowed hard.
That face was too distinctive.
You could tell who he was at a glance!
Silver—Giovanni's son, Silver!
"You can't…?"
Seeing Grey fall silent, Green blinked. It was like she'd already predicted the answer; her mood dipped.
"Find a time to bring him by. Two-week trial. No funny business in the meantime."
Grey's reply caught Green off guard.
"Yay! Thank you, Grey! You're a good guy! You'll be tripping over Legendary Pokémon on the street from now on!"
Green bounced, snatched her phone back, and shared the good news with Silver over the call.
"Alright, Sabrina and I have to leave the Dojo for a bit. You and Bumiao keep this place running, okay?"
Grey's gaze slid between Green and Bumiao.
He suddenly turned to Sabrina. "Maybe have Fumika come too? With those two here, I'm still a little uneasy."
Green, Bumiao: …?
"That's fine. I'll tell her."
After so many days together, Sabrina had a clear read on things.
In this situation, one more set of hands helped. Calling Fumika in was an extra layer of insurance.
A psychic could always Teleport two people out if someone kicked in the door.
Messages sent, loose ends tied.
Grey and Sabrina stepped out of the Fighting Dojo and headed north and east, respectively.
Sabrina moved faster—one Teleport and she was gone on the spot, making Grey jealous.
Psychic powers were just too convenient!
Teleport was a gift.
"Do I Teleport too… or ride Articuno?"
Grey hesitated.
He really envied Sabrina—no decision paralysis for her.
"…"
"You think you're funny?"
Sabrina's voice slid into his head. Grey jolted, looked around, and saw no sign of her.
"Stop looking. I'm already at Saffron's east gate. Get moving, or I'll be waiting on you."
With that reminder, the link cut.
"So that's a psychic… kind of ridiculous…"
Grey rubbed his nose, sighed, and headed north.
The city was crowded with eyes; he couldn't flash Articuno around.
He'd summon it on the outskirts.
Out beyond Saffron, not a soul in sight.
Grey pulled out a Great Ball and sent out Articuno.
"It's you, Articuno! Northeast—go!"
He took a running step, vaulted onto Articuno's back, and pointed the way.
——
Kanto region, near Rock Tunnel.
Articuno flew fast. In under two hours, they arrived.
So yeah—raising Articuno paid off.
By car, even pedal to the metal, it would've taken two days.
Flying-types were just… convenient.
Yep—Articuno wasn't fed for nothing.
"Set down here. Any closer and I'm getting danger vibes."
Grey picked a patch of ground and landed, then recalled Articuno.
The nearby river ran hard, water bursting into spray.
It spattered his clothes, soaking his sleeve.
Wild Pokémon were strangely scarce out here. The emptiness made Grey wary.
Even Saffron's outskirts had Meowth and Persian gangs.
Not many, but not few—every few steps you'd spot one.
And here?
Besides the water's roar, not even a Pokémon's shadow.
Silent. Even with a Pokémon Center not far away, this stretch felt abandoned.
Looked like only the occasional Hiker came out this way.
He'd heard Rock Tunnel used to be lively.
Downstream there was a thriving Power Plant that drew Electric-types to feed the grid.
Later, for reasons unknown, the plant expelled its workers and was left to rot—an abandoned Power Plant.
That was his destination this trip.
"Miou, miou!" (Grey, there!)
Curled against Grey's chest, little Riolu lifted its gaze toward a big truck parked at the Rock Tunnel entrance.
"Hm? A Rocket truck?"
Following little Riolu's eyes, Grey spotted the tarp-draped vehicle.
The auras inside were chaotic. Through his system, he could gauge the Pokémon within.
On a knife's edge.
Their lives were already in danger.
Treating Pokémon as disposable—that was Team Rocket's way.
Pokémon were inventory. Only survivors counted as "good stock."
If some died in transit, it was a minor loss—more than anything, they'd be mad about the gas money.
Seeing the Rocket hauler parked there, Grey wasn't about to "mind his own business."
With no one around,
Grey kept low and slipped along a hidden line, closing on the truck.
No driver. Only captured Pokémon pulsing faint aura from within.
Those auras were faint enough that, added together, they might not even match a newborn Farfetch'd.
Grey set his hand on the black tarp shrouding the truck.
Then—
Whoosh—
He yanked. The tarp whipped upward, snapping in the air.
With the cover gone, the truck's insides came into view.
Growlithe, Abra, Vulpix and other rare Pokémon were crammed together; their coats were soot-black and miserable to look at.
The sudden light stabbed at their eyes. Many wore pained expressions.
After so long in the dark, daylight made it hurt to even try to open them.
"Waan!" (Who are you? Back off!)
A small, human-shaped Pokémon pushed out of the pile.
Its hands clenched the bars; its lips were bloodless, pale and weak.
Even so, it stood up.
The Superpower Pokémon—Machop.
Grey's gaze hardened.
These Pokémon were in rough shape.
If he hadn't come, they'd be in for a long, brutal haul.
And that was a very bad sign…
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810