"Rapidash, why won't this guy take the bait? Weren't we told he was insanely greedy? Did Matori get her head caught in a door? Grey is nothing like the report said…"
Archer stared at the Team Rocket elites strewn about like toppled pins—every one of them frozen into an ice pop—and his eyelid twitched. He felt sick.
They'd come loaded to recruit Grey. Everything was ready.
They even had the deeds for high-rise apartments in Viridian City, Saffron City, and more—just waiting for Grey to nod so they could register them under his name.
And the result?
Grey refused. Wouldn't even take the cash.
Now they had no idea what to do.
"Gym Leader Grey, if you're neither killing us nor joining Team Rocket, what—do you want to be our BOSS instead?"
Archer's breath steamed in the cold air as he snarked at Grey.
"I told you your sincerity's lacking. Why ask me about everything? Try thinking for yourselves, would you? Put some effort in. Is this really how the mighty Team Rocket invites people? That's so disappointing—what a useless bunch!"
Grey luxuriated in some premium trash talk, deliberately cribbing Paul's classic lines to needle Team Rocket.
He had to admit—it felt great.
"Hmm…"
Archer racked his brains and still couldn't guess what Grey wanted.
He wasn't a mind reader, how was he supposed to know?
Money, houses, fame.
He'd offered all three, and Grey still said no…
It couldn't be a Pokémon… right?
Wait—
Archer's pupils shrank. He lifted his gaze to the gathering thunderheads.
No way?!
"You want to capture Zapdos too!"
He said it like a certainty.
If Grey already had an Articuno by his side, that meant he was eyeing other legends as well.
And in Kanto, among legendaries you could actually track, Zapdos was the easiest to hunt.
"Mhm~"
A faint smile touched Grey's lips.
That tiniest change in expression—Archer caught it.
So that's it!
No wonder Grey didn't want the rest!
Money's just external fluff; strength is different.
With strength comes status.
And if you want real strength, you need Pokémon.
Legends—the very word screams power.
But this was a Team Rocket operation…
Higher priority than the Alola landing itself—one only the executive brass even knew about.
Were they really going to hand Zapdos over just to snag Grey?
Archer paced, weighing gains and losses.
If they could bring Grey in, Team Rocket would gain a Gym Leader who was often "off duty" and even had official standing.
Reaching Elite level would only be a matter of time.
And there was a bonus: an Articuno they might even borrow on occasion…
"Gym Leader Grey, I think we can still negotiate."
Archer chose his words with care. "Please don't rush this. The clearance level is too high—even I can't decide Zapdos's disposition. So… may I ask the Boss for approval?"
"Ask for approval? Heh. Guess you don't rate me at all."
Grey spread his hands. Beside him, Articuno froze another Rocket elite into a statue.
"You—!"
Archer winced like he'd been stabbed. Those were his men—hard to cultivate!
And Articuno was one-shotting them.
"I tamed an Articuno, and you're telling me I have to ask upper management before I can go for Zapdos after joining Team Rocket? Then what's the point of me joining?"
"..."
The field fell silent. Only the whistling cold wind crawled down everyone's spine.
It did… kind of make sense.
He already had Articuno. If he joined and still couldn't catch what he wanted—that was insulting.
"Alas. Team Rocket really has no sincerity."
Grey shook his head and sighed.
His phone screen lit up. He glanced at it, the corner of his mouth lifting. "So—please become my bounty."
"Kiii—!" (I've listened to you yap long enough. Finally get to solve you with my fists!)
Annihilape slammed its fists together. A cold black glow bloomed between them, making the freezing air feel even sharper.
Ghost-type energy burst from its arms and poured into its knuckles until the world around them went black as pitch.
Obviously, during the earlier standoff, Annihilape had already had its bro Breloom stack the buffs.
Right now, Rage Fist was fully juiced.
A full 350 base power.
Even a certain comeback-loving Pokémon would have to eat this one clean!
"Damn it—this Grey's been playing us!"
Archer ground his teeth. Grey's wide-eyed curiosity had been an act—for suckers!
They'd finally let their love of talent move them, and Grey just toyed with their feelings?
"Grey, you—!"
"Houndoom! Crobat! Go!"
The two Poké Balls at Archer's side were already hot. The moment his order came, his partners unleashed their strongest.
"Awooo!"
Houndoom tipped back its head and howled; its black pelt flushed with molten glow.
Flames surged around it and flash-vaporized the snow within ten meters. White mist tangled with firelight, and the permafrost turned into a bubbling lava pool!
At the same time, Crobat's four wings crossed into an X. Venom condensed between them, gleaming an eerie violet.
Fwish!
With a ripping shriek, a door-sized cross of poison sheared loose, slicing the air as it scythed toward Grey!
"Inferno! Cross Poison!"
"Articuno—cover Annihilape."
Grey might have been teasing Archer moments ago, but attacks from Elite-tier Pokémon were no joke. He didn't dare slack off.
Right now Annihilape was winding up Rage Fist; only Articuno could run cover.
"Kyrii!" (You're such a handful!)
Articuno snorted, proud and prickly. Its wings beat—and a savage cold roared outward.
Hurricane and dancing snow braided together, feeding one another, power climbing high.
A fan of murderous wind and ice blasted forth. The world turned to hard winter in an instant; everything froze solid.
Blizzard!
Cross Poison struck the Blizzard first; they were even for a heartbeat, but the battlefield had already become Articuno's snowbound realm. Ten seconds later, the toxic X was ground to glittering shards.
"Grey—go to hell!"
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