"Everyone step back. I'll break the gate."
Grey sent out a gentle pulse of Aura, trying to calm the Pokémon crowded together.
The Machop nearest the bars felt that Aura roll over it. Its face twisted at first, but when the corner of its eye caught the others behind it—shaking, hollow-eyed—it didn't move an inch.
But then…
Hiss—
This power…
Kind of… comforting?
Machop's expression eased. It met Grey's friendly gaze and parted its lips.
"Waan…" (C-can… you save us?)
"Yeah. That's why I'm here."
Grey slid a half-step back, bent his arm slightly; power flooded in, coiling and ready.
Machop's pupils shrank. Seeing the motion, it shuffled back a few steps.
Was this human about to break the cage with his bare hands?!
"Annihilape—Cross Chop!"
Grey's fingers pressed; the miniaturized Poké Ball in his palm swelled to full size, and he hurled it at the truck!
Whoosh!
Annihilape burst out, arms crossing into an "X," Fighting energy flooding along its forearms until the pressure in the air spiked!
It hacked down on the iron grating. The instant metal met muscle, a surge of electricity shot through Annihilape.
Familiar…
Yes, that feeling!
Its crimson eyes went manic; veins corded across its brow, stark and throbbing!
"GRAA!" (Back the hell up—now!)
It roared. Arm muscles bulged; it poured every ounce of strength into the cross!
In a flash, the live current skittering over the gate shattered under the chop, and the alloy bars themselves buckled.
Not even ten seconds—and Annihilape split the cage apart!
KRA-BOOM—!!!
The blast rattled Rock Tunnel; the Rocket hauler now had a hole big enough to scrap the whole ride.
"Graa!"
Like a demon-king, Annihilape rose from the wreckage.
Smoke billowed; coughing broke out in waves.
"Waan!" (Now—run!)
Machop barked. The Pokémon inside blinked through the daze, and Annihilape started hauling them out one by one.
Ten minutes of shuttle work later, the last of them were outside.
Grey already had Berries in hand; with Kirlia and Riolu helping, he handed them out to the traumatized little ones.
"Hey, hey—these are for them. You can sneak a few, not a whole backpack."
Noticing how fast his pack had lightened, Grey reached in and fished out little Riolu.
"Miou miou~" (Hic—tasty~ It's fine! Let me eat more so I have strength to heal~)
Little Riolu wriggled free, patted its tummy. The little bulge it had a moment ago was gone—no sign it had just snacked through half a sack of Berries.
"Miou~" (Riolu, watch me—this might come in handy later~)
"Riolu?" (What move?)
Hearing its name, Riolu kept passing out Berries but tilted its head to look over.
"Miou~" (Now… behold a miracle~)
Little Riolu wiped its mouth, set both hands to its chest.
A pulse of air rippled; its body shifted toward a pink-violet hue. Power swelled—vast, yet free of any killing edge. Riolu stared, slack-jawed.
That rosy light wrapped little Riolu and then fanned out in waves, each crest higher than the last.
The glow washed over the clearing. Before some of the frightened Pokémon even registered it, warmth flooded their bodies.
This power…
So warm…
Machop closed its eyes. It could feel wounds knitting fast.
Bludgeon bruises, the painful shocks it took gripping the bars—all of it washed away beneath little Riolu's Heal Pulse!
Not just Machop—dozens of captured Pokémon bathed in the radiance.
Inside and out, any hurt at all—healed clean.
Even if a Pokémon Center in Saffron took them in, keeping them from lasting damage would take at least a month.
Now? In a few minutes of Heal Pulse, the injuries were gone.
"Miracle" wasn't an exaggeration.
"Arf! Arf!" "Bwu—" "Kaaa—"
Restored to their senses, the Pokémon chorused their thanks to Grey and little Riolu, then scattered to the wilds.
Only Machop remained, standing and facing Grey.
"Waan." (I want to get stronger.)
It asked him, earnest.
"Oh? I'm human. Aren't you afraid I'll hurt you?"
Grey smiled, just a little. A Poké Ball gleamed in his hand.
He was thinking of catching it.
"Waan-ho!" (I'm not afraid. If you wanted to hurt me, you wouldn't have saved me.)
Sincere, it stepped closer on its own.
From that Aura it felt earlier, it had already judged Grey a good man.
The kind of trainer who was kind to Pokémon.
Not like the ones in black—who looked like bad guys.
"Then… be my partner."
Grey tossed the Poké Ball. It tapped Machop and pulled it inside.
Thunk—
The Ball hit the ground and rolled a few times.
Three stars flashed—and the Ball stilled.
Gotcha!
Grey picked it up and clipped it to his belt, eyes sharpening.
"Since you're here… you weren't planning to leave without saying hi, were you?"
He'd sensed a stranger's Aura—familiar yet not—approach and flee. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Petrel trying to sneak off.
Or rather…
The little lackey beside "Petrel."
Classic disguise tactics.
Exactly Petrel's style.
"Tch. Lorelei's not here this time. You think you can arrest me alone?"
The real Petrel spat on the ground, one hand in his pocket, the other tucked behind his back as he furiously pinged his comrades.
[Petrel: Grey's here. Get over here, now!]
[Proton: In Celadon. Busy.]
[Ariana: I'm in Lavender. I'll head over.]
[Archer: Zapdos plan on hold. I'll handle it, Petrel.]
"Heh. If I caught you once, I can catch you twice."
Grey narrowed his eyes and thumbed out a message like a storm.
[Grey: Sabrina, I found Team Rocket. Get over here—I'll show you how to bag them.]
[Sabrina: OK.]
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