171. Conspiracy Emerges

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"Darn it, what is this woman doing?" Misty was a little annoyed watching the scene, wanting to rush up and push the woman away, but she couldn't deny that the woman was very attractive.

"I'm so envious!" Brock exclaimed, unable to hide his jealousy as he watched from the side.

"The plan didn't work, so now you're trying to use charm? Don't treat me like a kid. A trainer who travels abroad isn't as easy to fool as you think."

Ash smiled lightly, his shoulders sinking slightly as he dodged the attention of the gentleman's female companion.

"Ah!" The woman gasped, startled. She had been holding onto Ash's shoulder, but nearly lost her balance when he moved away.

Seeing this, the gentleman quickly supported his companion, glaring at Ash with a displeased expression. "Young man, how can you be so rude to a lady? That's not very gentlemanly!"

"I'm a Trainer, not a gentleman. Sorry, but I have no interest in trading with you. Are you finished?" Ash replied calmly, not caring what the man thought and wanting no further interaction.

"I'm done!" Misty quickly stood up, relieved that Ash was ignoring the pair.

"Then let's go!" Ash called to the group. Misty nodded and followed, but when she noticed Brock still lost in thought, she grabbed his ear and dragged him along.

The gentleman was clearly irritated as he watched Ash leave, but there wasn't much he could do. Even though he wanted to save face, he knew he couldn't take on Ash.

As for his female companion, she looked frustrated, not expecting her charm to be ineffective.

"Those two don't seem to care much about their Pokémon. They act like they can just trade them away without a second thought," Misty muttered unhappily as she walked beside Ash.

"Why get upset over people like that? From the look of him, it's obvious he trades Pokémon often. For him, it's normal," Ash replied casually. He didn't mind the idea of trading Pokémon, but it had to be based on the Pokémon's own wishes. Some Pokémon don't enjoy battling, and forcing them into it won't spark their fighting spirit.

In those cases, it's better to find a more suitable trainer. Of course, that's different from random trades like the gentleman was suggesting. Ash didn't like the man's attitude towards battling.

"That makes sense."

Boom!!!

Just as Misty agreed, a loud noise echoed through the room. The doors around them slammed shut, sealing the party scene.

The waitstaff, who had been quietly serving, suddenly ripped off their uniforms, revealing outfits with a red "R" emblazoned on them. Each of them wore jetpacks with vacuum-like hoses extending from their backs. The Trainers in the room looked around in confusion.

"What's going on?!"

"Since you've asked the question sincerely..."

"And I shall answer with great mercy."

Two figures leapt onto the table. Ash, Misty, and Brock looked over, only to see Jessie and James, though James appeared a little more disheveled than usual.

"Not these guys again!" Misty's face tensed. These two never seemed to leave them alone.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Who are these guys?" Some Trainers began to panic as Team Rocket revealed themselves. Jessie, having finished her dramatic introduction, puffed up with pride and proclaimed, "We are Team Rocket, destined to dominate the world! Hand over all your Poké Balls!"

"Hand them over! Hand them over!" echoed the other Team Rocket members as they stepped forward, trying to force the Trainers to surrender their Pokémon. Though many Trainers were scared at the mention of Team Rocket, they were reluctant to part with their Pokémon.

"If you don't cooperate, don't blame us!" Jessie sneered, pressing a button on her jetpack. Immediately, the two hoses extending from her backpack activated, creating a powerful suction that began pulling Poké Balls from the nearby Trainers. The rest of Team Rocket followed suit, attempting to snatch even more Poké Balls.

"And you three, hand over your Poké Balls!" one member demanded, now targeting Ash, Misty, and Brock.

"Are you kidding? No way!" Misty shouted, clutching her bag tightly, making sure her Poké Balls were safe from being sucked away.

"Then don't blame us!" A few Team Rocket members rushed at them aggressively.

"Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!" Ash called out as Pikachu leapt off his shoulder, sending out a powerful electric attack that surged through the Team Rocket members trying to snatch their Pokémon.

"Ahhh!!!" The Team Rocket members screamed in pain as Pikachu's Thunder Shock hit them hard.

"Let's join the fight too!" Brock yelled.

"Starmie, Rapid Spin!" Misty commanded as she sent out her Pokémon.

"Geodude, use Mega Punch!" Brock added, releasing Geodude into the fray.

With Ash, Misty, and Brock working together, their Pokémon quickly overwhelmed the Team Rocket grunts. Several jetpacks were destroyed, and the stolen Poké Balls scattered across the floor. The Trainers, relieved, hurriedly scrambled to reclaim their Pokémon.

Seeing their fellow Trainers fighting back, those who hadn't yet been robbed finally mustered their courage.

"Everyone, instead of just sitting here, let's fight back like they are! Let's go together!" one Trainer shouted.

"Yeah! Let's beat them!" another chimed in.

Realizing they had the numbers advantage, the Trainers released their Pokémon, preparing to fight Team Rocket head-on. Though Team Rocket unleashed their own Pokémon, they were vastly outnumbered. It became clear they had underestimated the resistance they would face.

The battle raged throughout the ship, the sounds of explosions and attacks echoing through the hall. But amidst the chaos, no one noticed the brewing storm outside. Suddenly, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, and a massive wave crashed into the ship, causing it to shake violently.