PBZ: Vol. V Ch. 107

    Riviére, Hanako, and Alexander parked on the hilltop that overlooked Olivine City. The seaside city bathed in the warm sunny weather as the sea glistened. Wingull and Pelipper flew high above the port city as they flew in the cloudless blue sky. Riviére and Hanako stepped out of the Poké Caps ATV and looked down at the bustling port city.

    “It’s so warm here, I wish we could stay here for the winter,” remarked Hanako as she enjoyed the unusual warm weather.

    “I think that would be unwise,” said Alexander as he turned off the engine to the ATV. “The Tojoh Tournament starts on May 1st. That gives you seven months to train your Pokémon to a high enough level to compete against the other seasoned trainers, and potentially the Elite Four and Champion if you win the tournament. You have four gyms left of Johto to defeat in order you to guarantee yourself a spot in the tournament. You have yet to defeat Chuck for the Storm badge, Jasmine for the Mineral Badge, Pryce for the Glacier Badge, and Clair for the Rising Badge. If you can defeat Chuck and Jasmine before the end of the year, then I believe that you two will win your final badge before spring arrives. You should have ample time to train for the tournament and defeat Team Rocket.”

    “Speaking of Team Rocket…,” Riviére spoke up. “We don’t even know when Team Rocket is supposed to launch their plan.”

    “I’ve been thinking about that. When Tatsu battled Alexander, I got a strong feeling that he was measuring not only himself, but Alexander as well. My hypothesis is that Tatsu must’ve battled against a Mewtwo recently, most likely the one that escaped and attacked Viridian City a year and a half ago. Team Rocket would be pursuing that Mewtwo, as it is a successful experiment of cloning. It’s too valuable to simply let it roam free in the wild. Natsu killed what I assumed was their only living clone, so that set them back a lot.”

    “So if Team Rocket has the Mewtwo that escaped, then why haven’t they started their objective?” asked Riviére.

    “The Mewtwo is extremely powerful and had to control,” Hanako explained. “They would want to control the Mewtwo, not unleash it on the public. It would be a nightmare for them to reign it back in. No, they would want it to be firmly under their control before they start their operation. They might just start all over and try to clone a whole new one.”

    “That’s a possibility. You did say there were two Mewtwo, correct?”

    Hanako nodded. “Yes. Though, they looked very different from the one that we saw on Chrono Island and in Viridian City…,” she crossed her arms and scrunched her brows as she tried to remember the vision. “If I knew any better, I’d say that the Mewtwo that I saw were Mega Evolutions.”

    “Mega Evolution?” asked Alexander. “Are you sure?”

    “I mean, it’s possible. They looked very different from the Mewtwo that we saw at Viridian City and Chrono Island. It could simply be the way they were modified from the original design. I have no way to accurately measure the strength of the Mewtwo we met versus the ones that I saw in the vision. Though, the more I think about it, Mega Evolution is very possible. Professor Yew did mention that he was creating artificial gijinka and Key Stones for Team Rocket. The process of creating Key and Mega Stones are very similar. Mewtwo is an extremely powerful Pokémon on its own. With a power boost from Mega Evolution, then it’s even more deadly. I don’t know if any of the legendary Pokémon will be able to defeat them on their own.”

    Riviére crossed her arms and looked down in thought. She racked her brains for a solution to prevent it without causing a mass panic. Riviére looked at Alexander for a brief moment before she turned to Hanako. “What happened if Giovanni was…taken out?”

    “Taken out…?”

    Alexander narrowed his eyes at Riviére. He knew exactly where she was going with this. “Killing Giovanni won’t solve anything. He has a chain of command that are very likely to support his main agenda of taking over Tojoh. While Giovanni’s plot is known to us and thus, predictable, a new head of Team Rocket may have end goals we cannot predict. Killing Giovanni would present more problems than solutions, as Team Rocket would react violently to their leader being killed. He’d likely become a martyr as a result. Not to mention the affects it would have on Tatsu and his family. Giovanni is his father, and despite how Tatsu may feel about him, family is family. You would also put him at risk. The one to take over as head of Team Rocket will likely see Tatsu as a threat and attempt to get rid of Tatsu.”

    “I agree with Alexander,” said Hanako in a low tone. “I don’t like the idea of assassination…”

    “All right, all right. I was just thinking of some ideas,” said Riviére as she got back into the backseat of the ATV. Hanako took the passenger seat up front and Alexander drove them toward Olivine City. Riviére reached into her purse for her cellphone and looked at it as she mulled over her idea. She knew Alexander was right, but she felt like she needed another opinion. Riviére started to write a text to a number not in her contacts.

    “I need to talk asap. I’m in Olivine City.”

    She sent the text message and set the phone beside her lap. Riviére only partly listened to Alexander’s plans for travel to Cianwood City for their fifth Gym Battle against Chuck. A few minutes into their conversation, Riviére received a text. She opened her phone and read the text message.

    “Meet me at Olivine City Lighthouse 4am. Tell no one.”

    Riviére deleted the message and placed her cell phone back into her bag, careful not to let Alexander see her.

    Alexander and the girls booked their trip on the S.S. Aqua for the morning after tomorrow to Cianwood City. After booking the trip, they went out to lunch at a local seafood restaurant and had ice cream. Afterward, they relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the much-appreciated warm weather. With winter fast approaching, they dreaded the coming winter months. As night began to fall, they returned to their hotels that Alexander booked in town. As four o’clock came near, Riviére sneaked out of her and Hanako’s bedroom and went to the nearby lighthouse.

    Riviére waited at the top of the lighthouse. She stood beside the railing, looking out into the dark ocean and the starry sky. As she waited, she heard footsteps walk towards her. She turned around and waited cautiously for the person to approach them. After a few minutes of silence, a man walked into the moonlight. He was tall with a light build. The man had a shaven head and clean shaven face, with dark, brooding eyes. He wore a black trench coat, white dress shirt, and a red tie.

    “Daiki?” asked Riviére as she and the man looked at each other in silence.

    The man nodded as he approached. “Yes, though I while I’m here, call me Grimm.”

    “Um, sure.”

    Daiki reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. “So, you sent me a text. What do you need?” he asked before he lit the cigarette.

    “I need some information, and possibly order a job…,” said Riviére as she rubbed her elbow.

    “A job, huh. That’s surprising,” he said as he walked toward the railing and leaned against it. “Neither will be cheap, you understand.”

    “Of course I do.”

    “Good. Wouldn’t want you to think that information is free. The standard cost between members is either money or valuable information. Which are you providing?”

    “Information, if acceptable.”

    “Hm. Perhaps. What information are you after?”

    “Information about Team Rocket and their involvement between the regions.”

    Daiki raised a brow. “Team Rocket, eh?” Daiki took a drag from his cigarette. “What information are you going to exchange?”

    “Information on Team Rocket.”

    Daiki’s brow raised higher. “An exchange of information about Team Rocket, huh? I see. Well, you first. What information are you providing?”

    “Team Rocket are planning to unleash two Mew clones dubbed Mewtwo to attack Kanto and Johto to spark a war between the regions. I know that Team Rocket are funded by both Kanto and Johto to create these clones to attack each other, without the knowledge of the other brother doing the same thing. Remember that attack a year and a half ago in Viridian City? That was one of their Mewtwo clones that escaped. I believe that Team Rocket has reacquired that Mewtwo and their plans are back in motion. What I don’t know is when Team Rocket plans to launch this attack against the regions. We’re speculating that the attack may happen sometime in spring or early summer.”

    Daiki didn’t respond. He merely listened to Riviére with keen interest. After he mulled over her words, he spoke. “Interesting. If your information is true, then that fills a lot of holes in our current investigation that Hoenn and Sinnoh hired us for. What’s your source?”

    “When Hanako, Tatsu, and I went to Chrono Island to break Alexander out, we were apprehended. While we were being interrogated, the one Mewtwo clone that they had there broke out and started to wreak havoc. In the panic, we were able to break out and we managed to kill the clone. During that time, we discovered Team Rocket’s intention to release these powerful clones to attack populated cities. The only reason why they haven’t right now, we believe, is because they didn’t have a living clone. Now that we believe they do, they’re trying to get the clone under their control.”

    “Hm. I’ll take your word on this information and rely it to the appropriate sources. What information on Team Rocket do you seek?”

    “A few things; Firstly, I need to know if Team Rocket has provided any information confirming this plan to either Kanto and Johto. Secondly, I’d like to know what Hoenn and Sinnoh plan to do with this information.”

    “Hm. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have much information to give on that front,” Daiki said before he took a drag from his cigarette. “While we are aware that both the Kanto and Johto regions do have connections with Team Rocket, the extent of their relationship is unclear and mostly based on speculation. What we do know is that both Kanto and Johto have been funding Team Rocket for espionage against each other and some other expenses that aren’t quite known. If what you say is true, then we now know what the region leaders have been spending their money on. As for your second question, both Hoenn and Sinnoh are taking defensive measures and preparing for another war to break out soon. They’re currently bolstering their navy and air force in case the fighting spills out of their regions. As you’re aware, Hoenn and Sinnoh stayed out of most of the Tojoh Civil War. Only after the number of heirs to the Tojoh Throne dwindled to barely a handful did either region join the fray.”

    “I guess that’s something, at least.” Riviére leaned her backside against the railing.

    “You also mentioned a job. I assume it’s Team Rocket related?”

    “Yeah. I was hoping that you could help me narrow down Team Rocket’s target date for us. It’ll be easier to stop Team Rocket. I was going to request something else, but Alexander said that it would be a bad idea.”

    Daiki exhaled a steam of smoke before he tapped the ashes against the railing. “I assume you were hoping to set up a hit on the leader of Team Rocket?”

    “I was thinking about that earlier, but Alexander said it was a bad idea. He said that Team Rocket would become unpredictable, and Tatsu would be in danger.”

    “Yes, your friend probably would be. He is the son of Giovanni, after all. If Giovanni was assassinated, then there certainly would be infighting as a new head was established. Tatsu’s mother is an Executive, but she has equal standing with a man named Archer. He has more influence over the eight-thousand to twelve-thousand soldiers. He or Executive Proton would likely be calling the shots if Giovanni was murdered. If you want to effectively cripple Team Rocket, you must execute a hit on the entire administration. Giovanni, Ariana, Proton, Petrel, Tatsu, and down the chain of command. The organization doesn’t have enough assassins to carry out such a task simultaneously without civilian casualties. It would be a difficult task even if you had the money to pay. I doubt Blank would sign off on this request.”

    “That’s what Alexander said. So, will you help me?”

    “I think with the information that you provided, Blank may sign off on your request. I’ll get back to you in a few days and let you know of his decision.”

    “That’s a relief,” she said with a sigh.

    A vibration in Daiki’s pocket broke the silence. He reached into his pocket and looked at his cell phone. “Someone has tripped the sensor I placed at the entrance. It seems that Alexander has entered the lighthouse.”

    “You should go then,” said Riviére. “He’ll get mad if he finds out.”

    Daiki nodded. “Very well. I’ll keep in touch.”

    Daiki reached into his pocket and pulled out a Dusk Ball. With a firm toss, the ball snapped open and a Skarmory materialized. Daiki jumped over the railing and landed on the Skarmory’s back. Riviére watched him fly off into the starry sky and disappear in the cover of darkness. A few minutes later, Alexander opened the glass door.

    “Riviére, what are you doing here?” he asked her.

    She noticed that he had a tone of concern in his voice. “I wanted to get some fresh air. Did I worry you?” she asked as she turned around.

    “A little, yes,” Alexander admitted. “Hanako woke me up after she realized you were gone. We didn’t know what happened to you.”

    “Sorry…,” said Riviére as she rubbed the back of her head. “I should have left a note or something. I didn’t think Hanako would wake up before I got back.”

    Alexander sighed. “It’s fine. Let’s get back to the hotel. We got to get up and ready soon before the ship leaves tomorrow.”

    “All right,” said Riviére as she walked with Alexander inside the lighthouse.