Pokemon: Resurgence Chapter 88

Hi all, 

Here’s the third chapter for the week.

Chapter 88

The dingy underground bar reeked of stale beer and smoke. Lucas nursed his whisky, eyes fixed on the politician across the room. Gregory Winters—former Kanto parliamentary secretary to Shido—lounged at a corner table with a scantily-clad woman perched on his lap. His pudgy fingers traced lazy circles on her thigh while he laughed too loudly at something she said.

Two burly men flanked his table, their eyes constantly scanning the room. Both wore suits that barely concealed the outline of pokeballs at their waists. Their muscular frames suggested they weren't just for show.

Lucas adjusted his grimy jacket, maintaining his "Rickard" persona. He slouched on his barstool, affecting the wary posture of someone who'd lived too long on society's edge.

Winters was the third bounty he'd tracked since entering this settlement near the Cerulean City entrance. The first two had proven disappointingly ignorant after he sent them to Sabrina for interrogation. Even Proton, despite his executive position in Team Rocket, had yielded little useful intelligence. Sabrina had confirmed he'd been stationed to watch for someone specific, but couldn't extract who had given the orders. It was likely he had been trained to resist mind reading, considering some psychic-type Pokemon were also capable of it. 

Sabrina did confirm, however, what he had already suspected. Proton was a psychopath. She had caught glimpses of his twisted memories when she scanned his surface thoughts.

"Another," Lucas said, sliding his empty glass toward the bartender.

The bartender refilled his whisky and Lucas tossed the money onto the counter. He'd been nursing drinks for nearly two hours, waiting for the man to leave, and find a way to separate Winters from his bodyguards. So far, the politician seemed content to remain in the crowded bar.

The door swung open. A woman stepped through, and conversations faltered as heads turned to follow her entrance. She wore a tight black dress that hugged every curve, her blonde hair cascading over one shoulder. Heavy makeup couldn't obscure her natural beauty.

Lucas frowned, studying her movements. Something about her walk tugged at his memory. He couldn't place her face, but her body language triggered a sense of familiarity.

Across the room, Winters straightened, unceremoniously pushing the girl off his lap. She stumbled, catching herself against the wall while shooting him a venomous glare. Winters ignored her, smoothing his thinning hair as his eyes locked onto the newcomer.

The blonde-haired woman scanned the bar, before stopping on Winters. A calculated smile curved her lips as she approached the politician's table. Despite his balding head, sagging jowls, and protruding belly, Winters preened under her attention.

She leaned down, whispering something in his ear. Winters' eyes widened momentarily before his face split into a lascivious grin. He snapped his fingers at his bodyguards and stood, offering his arm to the woman.

"Gentlemen," he announced to no one in particular, "business calls."

The quartet moved toward the exit, the blonde-haired woman's hand resting lightly on Winters' arm. Lucas waited until they disappeared through the door before downing his drink and following.

Outside, New Cerulean—as the locals had dubbed this underground settlement—bustled with activity despite the late hour. The makeshift city had sprung up around its central attraction: an underground aquarium arena where water-type Pokemon battled both above and below the surface. Reinforced glass walls allowed spectators to view the entire spectacle from the stands.

Like the arena he found earlier, it had illegal betting, and questionable practises concerning the Pokemon’s care. Only on a much larger scale. Even if he wanted to rescue the Pokemon, he doubted it would be that easy. It wasn’t a makeshift arena designed for Team Rocket’s amusement, but an organised business with heavy security. Besides, tackling his bounty targets was more important right now.

Lucas kept a careful distance, tracking the group through the crowded street. They turned down a side passage where foot traffic thinned considerably. Perfect for an ambush—but apparently, Lucas wasn't the only one with that idea.

Two women burst from a connecting alleyway, releasing a Golduck and Poliwrath in simultaneous flashes of light. The bodyguards reached for their pokéballs, but the Pokemon were too quick. They slammed into the bodyguards, knocking them unconscious. 

Simultaneously, the blonde-haired woman produced a knife from nowhere, pressing it against Winters' throat.

"Make a sound," she hissed, "and I'll open your neck."

The women dragged Winters into the alleyway. Passersby quickened their pace, gazes averted. In New Cerulean, survival meant minding your own business.

Lucas hurried after them, recognising the Waterflower sisters. Unlike Daisy, who wore makeup, Violet and Lily hadn’t bothered to conceal their faces. What business did the Cerulean Gym leaders have down here?

He rounded the corner to find Winters on his knees, surrounded by the three sisters. Their Pokemon turned at his approach, tensing for battle.

"Keep walking," Violet called without looking back. "This is none of your business."

"That's awfully cold," Lucas replied. "Last time we met, you were hanging all over me."

Lily whirled around, eyes narrowing as she studied his features. "Who are you?"

"Lucas. Currently in disguise, obviously."

"Your voice sounds familiar, but we can't be certain.” Daisy said, crossing her arms. "What was the name of the Pokemon we gave Misty to look after her when she stayed with the Ketchums?"

"Cobalt."

Lily gestured to their Pokemon. "Let him through."

The water-types parted, and Lucas approached the girls. "What are you doing here?" 

Violet mirrored his tone. "We would like to ask the same thing."

"Tracking down sewer rats like this fellow." Lucas nodded toward Winters. "They have a nice bounty on their heads."

"Desperate for money?" Daisy asked, one eyebrow raised.

"No." Lucas shrugged. "More of a favour to the Prime Minister."

Winters' head snapped up. "Shichiro? I know who you are. You're Lucas Walker."

Lily smirked. "Bit slow on the uptake, isn't he?" 

"Why are you after him?" Lucas asked.

Violet's expression hardened. "This bastard operates the underground arena. And do you know where they're getting most of their water-type Pokemon from?"

"From Cerulean." Understanding dawned. "They're stealing trainers' Pokemon?"

"That's right," Daisy confirmed. "We've been investigating for weeks. The trail led us here. We're going to make him spill everything about his operation."

Winters trembled, his earlier bravado evaporating under their collective glares.

"Before you do," Lucas said, "mind if I search him?"

Daisy nodded. "Go ahead.”

Lucas crouched, and patted down Winters' pockets. The man's expensive suit concealed little—a wallet stuffed with pokedollars, a gold pocket watch, and a mobile phone.

Lucas examined the phone. The screen flashed to life, but the phone was locked.

"What's your passcode?" Lucas asked.

Winters pressed his lips together, defiance flickering across his features. "Go to hell."

Daisy knelt beside the politician, bringing her face level with his. Without warning, she pressed the knife to his cheek and dragged it downward in a slow, deliberate motion. A thin line of blood welled up.

"Talk," she whispered, "or I'll carve up your face and make you even uglier."

A sharp ammonia smell filled the alley as a dark stain spread across the front of Winters' trousers. His eyes widened in terror.

"Eight-four-seven-two!" he blurted. "Please, don't—"

Lucas punched in the numbers. The phone unlocked, revealing a standard interface. He navigated to the messages, finding dozens of text exchanges—but the content appeared as random strings of letters and numbers.

"Encrypted," Lucas muttered, glancing up at Winters. "What's the key?"

The politician pressed his lips together again, shaking his head slightly.

"Have it your way," Daisy sighed, grabbing a fistful of his thinning hair and yanking his head back. She placed the knife against his exposed throat. "I wonder how much blood you can lose before passing out."

"Wait!" Winters' eyes bulged. "It's a substitution cipher.”

Winters gave him the key and Lucas worked through the messages. As the text began to make sense, a chill ran down his spine.

"This is worse than we thought," he said, scrolling through conversation after conversation. "Much worse."

The messages revealed a network of conspiracy stretching across multiple organisations. Team Rocket and the separatists had formed an alliance, coordinating resources toward a common goal—destabilising Shichiro's government. The texts outlined plans for terrorist attacks against key infrastructure, and the kidnapping of the Prime Minister himself.

"Giovanni is directly involved," Lucas said, showing the sisters a particularly damning exchange. "He's providing the separatists with manpower. I wonder what he gets in return for helping Pryce."

Violet leaned over his shoulder. "When are these attacks supposed to happen?"

"That's the problem. These texts are weeks old and don't specify the exact timing." Lucas turned back to Winters. "When is the operation scheduled to begin?"

Winters shrugged. "I don't know. Pryce compartmentalises everything. No one person knows the full picture."

"What about the church?" Lucas asked, referencing another message thread. "It says remnants are aiding your cause."

"They never left Kanto entirely," Winters admitted. "The leadership retreated, but many followers remained underground. They're following Azelf's orders."

Lucas exchanged alarmed glances with the sisters. "Azelf is involved?"

"Not directly. It’s only providing the manpower, like Giovanni. But it did provide us with an illuminating piece of information.” Winters smirked. "Arceus has withdrawn from worldly affairs and the legendary Pokemon are acting independently. We are no longer afraid of the Decree."

Lucas froze. The implications were staggering. The Arceus Decree had prevented open warfare between the regions for several decades. If word spread that the God Pokemon had abandoned direct intervention, he could see some dangerous times ahead.

He read through several more messages and came across another troubling matter. The message detailed the progress in building several teleportation towers in the underground tunnels. 

“Tell me about the towers,” Lucas demanded. 

Winters shrugged. "Pryce provided us with the blueprints to build them. Three are operational, and two more are almost complete. We've already moved teams into position to make sure the operation goes smoothly."

Lucas paced the alleyway, his thoughts in turmoil. The pieces clicked into place with sickening clarity. Proton's position near the Saffron City exit hadn't been random—the executive had stationed himself perfectly to strike at a moment's notice. His team could mobilise within minutes of receiving the signal.

The raid on Proton's arena had undoubtedly alerted the other teams. He'd blundered straight into their web without understanding the full scope of the conspiracy. Would they accelerate their plans? Call off the operation entirely? Or worse—launch immediately, fearing their window of opportunity was closing? 

"What are we going to do?" Violet asked. "This is really serious."

Lucas turned to Winters. "Is there anything else you know?"

The politician shook his head. "I've told you everything."

Lucas sighed, then struck Winters with a precise blow to the temple. The man slumped unconscious.

"I need to speak with Shichiro," Lucas said. "Bring those bodyguards into the alley, and I'll send them away."

"How?" Daisy asked.

"Don't ask."

The sisters exchanged glances before instructing their Pokemon to retrieve the unconscious men from the street. Once all three were arranged in the alley, Lucas pulled out his phone and dialled Shichiro's private number.

"What is it?" 

"We have a problem," Lucas said, summarising what he'd discovered. "The situation in the tunnels is far worse than we anticipated. There's an organised conspiracy between Team Rocket, the separatists, and church remnants. They're planning attacks on infrastructure and possibly your kidnapping."

Silence stretched for several seconds. "How reliable is this intelligence?"

"I have the texts directly from Gregory Winters' phone. They've built teleportation towers in the tunnels to move their forces.”

"I'm sending the army in," Shichiro decided. "If they have access to the technology, we need to act immediately."

"Wait," Lucas cautioned. "The tunnels are their territory. Do you really want to send them in so unprepared? Besides, if you move too aggressively, we don't know how they'll react. Let me find a way to take out the towers first."

A long pause. "You have two days, Lucas. After that, I'm deploying troops regardless. The bounty targets are no longer the top priority. Take out those towers."

"Understood. I'm sending Winters and his bodyguards to you now."

Lucas ended the call and summoned Dante. The Gardevoir materialised silently beside him, red eyes scanning the unconscious men before placing a hand on each. In an instant, all four vanished.

"How did the Gardevoir teleport without a tower?" Lily asked. "Whatever it is, where can I get my hands on it?"

"Can't say," Lucas replied. "I can’t let the technology spread. I had to tell Shichiro because of this mission, but that's it. Look at our current situation. The separatists are building teleport towers, which is bad enough, but imagine if they had access to this technology.”

"Fair enough," Daisy conceded. "What's our next move?"

"We search Gregory's place. They might find additional information that we didn't know to ask for."

Violet nodded. "We'll help with that, but then we need to get back to the city. If attacks are imminent, we need to prepare."

"Let's hope we can stop them before that happens." 

Lucas stared at the spot where Dante had disappeared. The stakes had escalated beyond anything he'd anticipated when entering these tunnels. A shadow war was brewing beneath the surface of Kanto, and he'd stumbled right into the middle of it.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

They stopped at a four-storey building that looked marginally better maintained than its neighbours. Two Team Rocket grunts lounged by the entrance. Their eyes tracked the approaching group.

"Building's closed," the taller one announced.

Without warning, Lily's Golduck surged forward. The grunts barely managed to grab their pokeballs before psychic energy slammed them against the wall. They crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Subtle," Lucas commented.

"We don't have time for subtlety," Lily retorted, stepping over the fallen guards.

They climbed the dimly lit stairwell to the third floor. The door to apartment 3B proved sturdier than expected—reinforced steel with multiple locks.

"Stand back," Daisy said, her Poliwrath stepping forward. The water-type placed both hands on the door and pushed. Metal groaned and buckled. The locks snapped one by one until the door crashed inward.

Lucas entered first and summoned Meowth.

"Glad you remembered me," Meowth grumbled. "Where are we?"

"My latest target’s apartment.” He briefly explained the situation. “Search everything. We're looking for anything related to the conspiracy."

Meowth's whiskers twitched. "On it, boss."

The apartment was larger than its exterior suggested. Winters had knocked through walls, creating an office that occupied half the floor. File cabinets lined one wall, while a massive desk dominated the centre. Papers covered every surface—some neatly stacked, others scattered haphazardly.

Lucas started with the desk drawers while the sisters rifled through filing cabinets. 

"Found something," Violet called, pulling a rolled document from behind a cabinet.

She unrolled the document on the desk. It was a map of the underground tunnel —every passage, junction, and chamber rendered with detailed accuracy. Five locations stood out immediately, each encircled in red ink. 

The first tower stood south of Saffron City, positioned to strike at the region's commercial heart. Celadon's tower occupied a location near the city's western edge, while the third had been constructed outside Lavender Town's boundaries. Construction crews still worked on the remaining two towers—one near Cerulean City, the other approaching Vermillion's port district. The completed network would span all five major cities, though the three functional towers already provided sufficient coverage to launch devastating coordinated attacks throughout the five eastern cities.

"Boss!" Meowth's voice carried from the bedroom. "Hidden compartment in the wardrobe."

Lucas followed the voice, finding Meowth perched atop a false panel he'd pried loose. Inside lay more documents.

The first folder contained operational timelines. Lucas's blood chilled as he read. “The bastard was lying. He knew more than he let on. Should have tortured him some more.”

He returned to the main room. The sisters crowded around as he spread the documents across the desk. Target lists filled page after page: The Power Plant, Pokemon Centres, hospitals, police stations, and governmental buildings in each city.

"They're hitting the infrastructure," Violet breathed. "It will cause chaos."

"Exactly what they want," Lucas said. He flipped to another section. "Here's the kidnapping plan. They'll grab Shichiro during the confusion, when his security is stretched thin responding to the attacks."

Lily pointed to a page listing names. "Compromised security personnel. Look—some of Shichiro's personal detail are marked as 'assets.'"

Lucas frowned. “I need to warn him. They could turn on him at any moment.”

The sisters exchanged glances. 

"We're returning to Cerulean now," Violet said. "The city needs fortifying before the attacks begin."

"What about the towers?" Lily asked.

"Leave them to me," Lucas said. “I have a plan. Somewhat.”

“What kind of plan?”

“One that involves a big explosion.”

The sister shared concerned glances but didn’t ask what he meant. They headed for the door. 

Daisy paused at the threshold. "Be careful. Whatever you're planning, they'll be expecting interference now."

"I'll manage," Lucas assured her.

The sisters departed with their Pokemon. Lucas returned to the map, tracing the route  between the three tower locations. Stealth was a luxury he could no longer afford. 

The tower closest to Saffron City was his first target. Its proximity to the capital made it the obvious staging point for Shichiro's abduction. Dante could teleport him back to the settlement near Saffron's entrance. From there, it was a short distance to the first tower. But reaching the other two would consume time he didn't have.

An alternative presented itself. He could teleport directly to each city and access the tunnels from above. The approach carried risks but it would save critical hours.

Lucas stuffed the map into his jacket. He glanced around the office, noting Meowth's absence.

"Meowth, where are you?"

Scrambling sounds preceded the Pokemon's appearance. Meowth burst through the doorway, with an armful of stolen loot.

Lucas exhaled through his teeth. "We don't have time for this."

"There's always time for profit." Meowth clutched his pilfered treasures tighter.

The stolen goods clattered to the floor as Lucas grabbed Meowth by the scruff. The feline Pokemon yelped in protest, paws swiping at empty air. Lucas deposited him on his shoulder and strode toward the door, ignoring the indignant muttering about cruel trainers.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Lucas returned to the settlement near Saffron's entrance. He wasted no time taking the southern route toward the tower's location. Two hours of navigating the tunnels, brought him to an offshoot tunnel that branched from the main passage.

He stopped at the entrance, studying the defences. Multiple fortified gates stretched down the tunnel's length, each one manned by guards and patrolling Pokemon. The barriers blocked any clear line of sight to the tower beyond—Dante couldn't teleport to locations he couldn’t see or hadn’t been to before. Armed sentries paced the walkways above, their Pokemon maintaining a hyper vigilance.

The security’s alertness confirmed his suspicions. They'd discovered what happened to Proton and had increased their security. Sending Meowth ahead would achieve anything either—the feline's stealth abilities couldn't bypass this many watchful eyes.

Lucas retreated until he found a concealed alcove and summoned Nero and Max. He had a plan but he didn’t know if it was feasible.

"I need a tunnel," he explained, pointing downward. "It has to bypass their security and give me access to the tower. First, we need to tear up the concrete.”

Max and Nero went to work on breaking up the concrete, tearing into it with ease. After several minutes of evacuating, they reached the soil beneath. 

Lucas summoned Dante and gestured toward the growing tunnel.

"Follow Nero. Find somewhere secure on the other side where you can teleport me to."

The Gardevoir nodded and descended into the darkness after the Krookodile. Lucas watched them disappear before pulling a secret base kit from his inventory. He pressed it against the alcove wall, watching as the entrance appeared.

Inside the base, Lucas immediately set up his alchemical equipment. The cauldron settled onto its stand while he arranged ingredients across the workbench. He'd allow himself six hours to create enough explosive potions needed for the assault.

He could have his Pokemon attack the tower directly, but it would be suicide. The security was too much for them to handle, and he didn’t have confidence in destroying the tower before they were overwhelmed. Stealth promised better results—he’d infiltrate the building, plant his explosives, and disappear before anyone detected him. Denonating them remotely would obliterate the tower while he was already a safe distance away from the aftermath. 

The explosive potion represented months of experimentation. He'd derived the concept from his Voltaic Amplifier Potion, incorporating the lightning properties he gained from Raijin. Regular practice had refined his control over the electrical energy, allowing him to weave it into existing aura skills. The fusion created entirely new effects and enhanced their power. He was already working on incorporating the lightning into his Aura Projection skill, to give his duplicate some offensive capabilities.

Lucas erected multiple aura barriers around his workspace. Previous attempts had taught him that single barriers couldn't contain the potion's volatility. He'd destroyed his cauldron in the first attempt, forcing him to find someone to make another one. Several more explosions later, he was already on his sixth cauldron.

His alchemy profession had reached level nine through constant experimentation. The advancement hadn't granted new skills, but his understanding had deepened considerably. The upcoming potion shop in Rota would showcase several new creations he'd developed.

Demand had exploded since revealing himself as Enigma at the summit. Shichiro managed production for existing products, but customers eagerly awaited the Effort Value Reset Potion's market release. Lucas planned to stock his shop with those alongside his newer innovations.

The Standard Effort Amplifier Pill would headline the store's opening. A recent breakthrough allowed him to produce it using conventional alchemical methods rather than using his unique abilities. The biggest barrier to his store opening was the fact that he was manufacturing everything himself going forward. It meant he didn’t need to split the profit with anyone, but he faced a challenge of finding enough alchemists to produce the stock.

Butch had spent months recruiting capable alchemists who could reproduce Lucas's creations but finding qualified personnel took time. They'd purchased a building to serve as a manufacturing facility, but renovations continued at a crawling pace.

Lucas measured each ingredient, adding each component according to his refined formula. The mixture bubbled ominously as he channelled lightning-infused aura into the brewing process but he managed to keep it stable.

The first batch was a success, filling eight vials with the volatile mixture. Lucas secured them carefully—one accidental impact would level half the base. 

He paused when he felt a feeling of satisfaction over Nero’s bond. He headed outside, just as Dante and Nero materialised in the tunnel.

"Find a good vantage point?" Lucas asked.

Dante nodded.

"You've been invaluable today. Maybe after this mess, you'll finally tell me about the people you're seeking vengeance on. My team has met your level requirements."

The Gardevoir nodded again, moving to lean against the wall while Lucas returned to his cauldron to make more batches of potions. He estimated each tower would require at least a dozen explosive potions to destroy it, but he would use a few more to ensure it didn’t fail.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Lucas materialised into a dingy storage room adjacent to the tower. It was cluttered with discarded equipment. He pressed his ear against the door, listening for footsteps in the corridor beyond.

Nothing. Dante had chosen the infiltration point well.

He cracked the door and peered into the hallway. Empty. 

Lucas slipped into the corridor. The tower's circular design created a central shaft with rooms radiating outward like spokes. 

He retrieved an explosive potion from his inventory, handling it carefully. One wrong move and they'd be scraping him off the walls. Although it needed an explosive force to trigger it, he still wasn’t confident that it was completely stable.

The first placement point lay behind a maintenance panel. Lucas pried it open and wedged the vial against the structural beam. He positioned the next one twenty feet down the corridor. The blast radius from each explosion would trigger its neighbour, creating a domino effect throughout the structure.

Voices echoed from the stairwell. Lucas froze, then ducked into an empty room. Two guards passed, their conversation drifting through the thin walls. 

Their footsteps faded. Lucas resumed his work, methodically placing vials at specific intervals. Ten minutes and thirteen vials later, he'd completed the circuit. Every major support had its own explosive nestled against it. One spark would bring the entire tower down.

"Dante," he whispered.

The Gardevoir materialised beside him. Dante gripped Lucas's shoulder and the world blurred. They reappeared half a kilometre from the tower, on an elevated walkway that circled the chamber, well beyond the blast radius. The tower itself was located in a depression to accommodate for the tower’s length. 

Lucas gave his final instructions to Dante. “Remember, to destroy the potion from a distance, to give yourself time to teleport out.”

Dante disappeared to carry out his mission.

He crouched down, counting down the seconds. For several heartbeats, nothing happened. Lucas frowned. Had something gone wrong?

Dante materilised beside him just as the ground shuddered. The explosion started as a muffled thump, followed immediately by a thunderous roar that shook dust from the tunnel ceiling. Lucas watched in stunned silence as the blast exceeded his expectations.

Orange light bloomed in the distance, expanding outward with terrifying speed. The shockwave hit him like a physical blow, knocking him backwards. Chunks of concrete rained down as secondary explosions rippled through the structure.

"Bloody hell," Lucas muttered, shielding his face from flying debris.

The tower didn't simply collapse—it detonated. The chain reaction he'd engineered proved far more devastating than anticipated. Each vial's explosion amplified the next, creating a cascade of destruction that tore through the tower's foundations and beyond.

A massive crack split the tunnel ceiling. Lucas watched in horror as tonnes of rock and earth cascaded downward, exposing the surface, where the stars in the night sky could be seen.

When the dust settled, a gaping crater marked where the tower once stood. The explosion had punched straight through to the surface, leaving a hole large enough to swallow a building. Debris continued to rain down, creating an impassable barrier of rubble.

“Did I do that?”

Lucas slumped against the wall, ears ringing. He'd wanted to destroy the tower, not create a geological event. The explosive potions had proven far more potent than he imagined. 

"Shichiro's going to have my head," Lucas muttered.

A cold weight settled in his stomach as he stared at the devastation. How many people had he buried under tonnes of rock? 

He forced down the bile rising in his throat. The tower itself had been lightly defended compared to the approach tunnels. Most personnel had stayed in the outer security zones. Small comfort to whoever had been inside when the ceiling came down. Or located in the tower itself.

Lucas reminded himself that the casualties would be much worse if Shichirom sent the army into the tunnels. This was cleaner. Brutal, yes, but cleaner.

Shouts echoed from deeper in the tunnels. Soon the security would arrive to investigate the situation.

“Let’s get out of here,” Lucas said, grabbing Dante’s shoulder. “Take us to Lavender Town next.”

The world reformed around Lucas and Dante on the outskirts of Lavender Town. Cool night air replaced the stifling underground atmosphere. The memorial tower's silhouette dominated the skyline, its upper floors barely visible against the starlit sky.

Lucas checked his watch. Half past two in the morning. The streets should be deserted—perfect for accessing the tunnel entrance without drawing attention. 

Distant shouts pierced the darkness.

"Something's wrong," Lucas murmured, straining to pinpoint the source.

They moved towards the town proper. The tunnel access point lay beneath an abandoned house on the eastern edge. Lucas quickened his pace, unease prickling at the back of his neck.

A flash lit up the horizon, followed immediately by a thunderous boom rolled across the town. Windows rattled in nearby buildings. Lucas instinctively shielded himself with a barrier. After getting over his shock, he broke out into a sprint, heading in the direction of the explosion. It seemed like he wasn’t the only one who was trigger happy tonight.

Smoke billowed into the night sky, thick and black. Orange light flickered at its base—fire spreading through Lavender Town's commercial district. More explosions followed, smaller but no less devastating. Each blast sent fresh plumes of smoke spiralling upward.

Lucas skidded to a halt. People stumbled from buildings in various states of undress, some clutching children, others supporting elderly relatives. The organised chaos of a populace under attack.

He frowned. "They've launched early.”

Would the same have happened to Saffron City if he had taken slightly longer to blow up the tower?

Another explosion rocked the town centre. The memorial tower swayed visibly, chunks of masonry cascading from its walls. Screams cut through the night as debris crashed into the street below.

Lavender Town burned before his eyes. He'd failed.

Out of all the targets, Lavender Town made the least sense. A legendary Pokemon lived nearby—everyone knew Zapdos had claimed the area around the Power Plant as its territory. What kind of suicidal lunatics would risk provoking it?

Team Rocket and the separatists weren't stupid. They knew the risks. Which meant they either had a way to deal with Zapdos, or they'd accepted potential annihilation as the price of their operation.

Unless—

Lucas's blood ran cold. What if they wanted to provoke Zapdos? A rampaging legendary Pokemon would multiply the chaos. The destruction would be catastrophic.

A deafening screech split the night. The sound reverberated through Lucas's chest, primal and furious. Lightning crackled across the sky in unnatural patterns.

Lucas tilted his head back, searching the smoke-filled darkness.

Zapdos burst through the cloud cover like divine retribution, each wingbeat sending arcs of lightning dancing across the sky. The legendary's eyes burned with rage as it surveyed the burning town below.

"This is going to get ugly," Lucas muttered.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas has to appease Zapdos and confront the attackers.

Thanks for reading.