Q: Once a Pokémon is captured, can it change trainers before being released by its owner?A: Yes.
When a human captures a Pokémon, the Poké Ball imprints a mark on the Pokémon, establishing a binding between the Pokémon and the Ball. This is why the Pokémon can be recalled freely into its Poké Ball.
However, if this mark is erased, the Pokémon can be unbound from its original Poké Ball and captured with a new one.
This explains why organizations like Team Rocket can abduct a trainer's Pokémon and then reuse it for their own purposes.
As a former Pokémon Inspector, Nozomi was well aware of these methods during his time at the Inspector Academy.
There were even specialized devices developed just for this purpose.
Now, he was contemplating whether he should capture this Slowking. After all, Slowking was considered a rather valuable Pokémon.
But after thinking it over, he abandoned the idea—too much trouble!Slowking might be rare, but using a Pokémon he hadn't raised himself would feel awkward and could easily falter in battle. Sham had been the perfect example: a Pokémon raised personally would never ignore commands or cover its ears during battle!
Moreover, compared to Slowking, Nozomi actually preferred the goofy, endearing Slowpoke.
He made a quick call to Officer Jenny to handle the aftermath and, at the same time, claimed the substantial bounty at the Viridian Police Station for defeating a Team Rocket executive with Slowking as evidence.
Under the cover of night, Nozomi swiftly departed Viridian City.
…
Team Rocket Secret Base – Viridian Gym
"Sam was defeated? And even lost a Pokémon?" Giovanni's calm expression shifted as he heard the news from Matori, astonished.
"Failed," Matori nodded. "He only managed to escape thanks to Teleport."
"Seems Nozomi's strength surpasses my expectations."
Giovanni had initially assumed that sending a mid-level Team Rocket officer with a few subordinates against a kid with only a Metagross to back him up would be more than sufficient. Now, he realized he had underestimated him.
"Boss Giovanni, should we continue probing?" Matori asked.
"No, it's unnecessary," Giovanni replied, fingers tapping the table, shaking his head slowly.
"Why?" Matori asked, confused. After all, he was just one person, and Team Rocket dominated both the Kanto and Johto Leagues. Even the current Elite Four member, Lance, would not intimidate them.
"No need," Giovanni said, patting the head of the cat-like boss Pokémon. "The real danger lies in enemies lurking in the shadows. Since he's stepped into the open and revealed his strength, there's nothing to fear."
As long as there were no backstabbing tricks, Team Rocket had no reason to fear a direct confrontation with him.
"Understood!"
"By the way, those three idiots—have they been bailed out?" Giovanni thought of Jessie, James, and Meowth, who had been captured earlier.
"They've been released," Matori said, "but it cost a lot due to the damage they caused at the Pokémon Center." She winced slightly at the thought of the expense.
As the secretary in charge of managing Team Rocket's finances, spending so much on bailing out the three was practically wasteful in her eyes.
"Tell them this is the last time! Deduct the bail money from their salaries," Giovanni ordered.
A firm reminder was necessary to prevent them from getting arrogant.
"Yes!"
…
Unaware that Jessie, James, and Meowth had already been bailed out as he left Viridian City, Nozomi continued through the night in Viridian Forest.
If the forest was vibrant and full of life during the day, at night it became eerily silent.
Bug-type and Flying-type Pokémon, active in daylight, had fallen asleep. Nocturnal Pokémon like Raticate and Ekans had awakened.
Even a few Ghost-type Pokémon roamed the darkness.
"Viridian Forest at night is really dangerous," Nozomi murmured, directing his Bulbasaur to finish off an Ekans that lunged from the roadside grass, aiming to attack him.
That was his seventh Pokémon taken down tonight.
"No wonder Officer Jenny warned me to be careful earlier."
Walking at night is dangerous in any world.
Just then, a chilling, eerie laugh reached his ears.
He turned and saw a Gastly floating behind him, its wide mouth letting out a sharp, menacing laugh—a truly terrifying sight.
"Huh? A Ghost?"
Nozomi's first reaction wasn't fear—it was curiosity.
"A Ghost-type Pokémon? Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!"
Though frightened, Bulbasaur reacted immediately to Nozomi's command.
"Bulba!"
Summoning its courage, Bulbasaur yelled at the Gastly and launched a rapid flurry of Razor Leafs from its back.
Swish, swish, swish!
The Razor Leafs passed through Gastly's body, causing ripples in the air—but had no effect whatsoever.
"Bwa ha ha!" Gastly laughed menacingly and advanced toward Bulbasaur.
Poor Bulbasaur had never seen anything like this. Terrified, it leapt into Nozomi's arms, burying its head in his jacket, trembling violently.
"…"
Nozomi rubbed his chest where Bulbasaur had collided, wincing in pain. He realized he didn't need Gastly to defeat him—Bulbasaur was about to do it all on its own!
As Gastly drew closer and the air grew colder, Nozomi finally spoke:
"Stop pretending. I've already recognized you, Gastly!"