Chapter no.16 The Aftermath

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Nobunaga stepped into the Pokémon Center, the gentle hum of machinery and the soft murmur of trainers filling the air. His sandals clacked lightly against the tiled floor as he approached the front counter. The intern behind it looked like he was on his last legs. Dark circles framed his eyes, and his slumped posture practically screamed I need a nap. He gave Nobunaga a weary glance but straightened up as best as he could when the young samurai approached.

"Excuse me," Nobunaga began. "Could you direct me to the communication room?"

The intern blinked, as though it took a moment for the words to register, then lifted an arm and pointed limply toward a door at the far end of the center. "Over there."

"Thank you." Nobunaga gave him a curt nod, but before turning away, he placed the Pokéballs containing his team on the counter. "Could you check on my Pokémon while I'm there? They've had a rough few days."

"Yeah, I'll take care of it. Give me a few minutes."

Nobunaga paused for a moment, watching as the intern started loading the Pokéballs into the healing machine. His movements were sluggish, but his hands were steady, a testament to his experience. Nobunaga couldn't help but wonder what kind of journey had brought someone like this to a job like this. Shaking the thought from his mind, he turned and made his way toward the communication room.

The screen flickered to life, and Nobunaga quickly dialed the number Gary had given him. After a few rings, the call connected, but it wasn't Gary who answered. Instead, the face of a teenage girl popped onto the screen, her blonde hair perfectly styled and her lips glossed to a shine. She wore an expression that was equal parts boredom and curiosity.

"Yo, what's up?"

Nobunaga blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… is Gary there?"

The girl leaned back, adjusting her camera to show more of her surroundings. Behind her, another girl with dark hair sat cross-legged on a plush seat, fiddling with a nail file. The soft sounds of a Pokémon battle echoed in the background, but neither girl seemed particularly interested.

"Gary's, like, in the middle of a Gym Battle with Brock right now," the blonde replied. "What's the 411?"

Nobunaga hesitated. He wasn't used to this kind of informal chatter. "Just… tell him I need to talk to him when he's done."

Before the girl could respond, the dark-haired one suddenly leaned into view, her smile mischievous. "Ooooh, Amanda, who's this? Your boyfriend?"

Nobunaga's face flushed immediately, his usual composure cracking. "Wh-what?! No!" he stammered, his hands instinctively going to adjust his armor as though it might somehow make him look more respectable.

Amanda shoved her friend playfully, rolling her eyes. "Jessica, seriously, cut it out." She turned back to Nobunaga, smirking. "Don't mind her. She's always like this."

"C'mon, Amanda, I'm just saying, he's cute for a cosplayer." She gave Nobunaga another once-over. "What's with the samurai getup anyway? You going to a convention or something?"

"It's not a…!" Nobunaga started, but then caught himself. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, can you just tell Gary I need to talk to him?"

"Alright, alright. Chill, dude, I'll pass it on. But seriously, what's the deal? You battle him or something?"

"Yes," Nobunaga said shortly, still trying to regain his composure. "I completed the challenge he gave me. I battled the trainers from Pallet Town."

"Oh snap, for real? Even that kid with the Pikachu?"

Nobunaga frowned. "Yes, his name is Austin."

Jessica tilted her head, confused. "Austin? I thought the Pikachu kid was Ash."

"Whatever. Gary calls him 'Ashy-boy,' so who even knows."

Nobunaga frowned but didn't press further. "Just let him know I kept my end of the deal."

Amanda held up her hands. "Alright, alright, I'll let him know. But hey, you gotta work on that vibe, dude. You're never gonna snag a honey sounding so uptight."

Nobunaga gave her a deadpan look. "…Thanks for the advice."

Amanda giggled, clearly enjoying herself. "No prob, samurai dude. Hold tight—Gary's wrapping up. I'll get him for ya."

"Gary! That samurai kid's on the line! The one from the forest!"

A moment later, Gary's face appeared on the screen, his cocky smirk in full force. He looked slightly disheveled, likely from his battle, but his confidence was as unshaken as ever. "Nobunaga, right? What's up, man?"

"I finished the challenge you gave me. I battled all the trainers from Pallet Town, including the one with the Pikachu."

"The Pikachu kid? You mean Ash?"

"No," Nobunaga replied firmly. "His name is Austin."

Gary frowned slightly. "Whatever. So, you want your payout, huh?"

"Yes," Nobunaga replied. "25,000 Pokédollars."

"Wait, what?!"

Nobunaga crossed his arms. "You promised 5,000 for battling the Pallet Town trainers, 10,000 if I beat them, and an extra 20,000 for defeating the one with the Pikachu."

Gary groaned, rubbing his temples. "I was joking when I said that last part, man! You seriously expect me to—"

"Are you saying you won't honor your word?"

Gary froze, his eyes darting to the side. Nobunaga could faintly hear the sound of Brock's voice and the giggling of Amanda and her friends in the background. Gary clenched his jaw, clearly weighing his options. His reputation was on the line.

"Fine," Gary said through gritted teeth, forcing a tight smile. "I'll pay up. Give me your account number."

Nobunaga nodded, reciting the details. As soon as the transaction was complete, Gary let out a loud sigh and waved dismissively at the screen. "There. Happy now?"

"Yes. Thank you," Nobunaga replied simply. He didn't wait for Gary to say more before cutting the call.

As the screen went dark, Nobunaga leaned back in the chair, exhaling deeply. His hands were shaking slightly, the adrenaline of the interaction still coursing through him. He couldn't believe Gary had actually paid up. But as the relief began to settle, a new thought struck him like a lightning bolt: I don't have Austin's contact information.

Nobunaga groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Of course. Why would I think of that beforehand?"

He considered calling Gary back but immediately dismissed the idea. There was no way he could risk exposing his scam, not with Gary already fuming over the payout.

That left only one option.

"I'll just have to track him down myself," Nobunaga muttered, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Guess I'm a traveling trainer now."

Honestly, there were easier ways for Nobunaga to get the money to Austin, but deep down, he didn't care about easy. He wanted to do this. He wanted to travel, to grow stronger, to step out of the shadow of the life he'd lived before. He wanted to stand on equal footing with Austin—not as someone repaying a debt, but as someone worthy of respect. More than anything, he wanted to fight Austin again—not out of anger, but to test himself, to see how far he'd come.

Whether Austin realized it yet or not, he had a new rival.

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Hidden within the dense forest south of Viridian City, the Southern Warehouses stood as decaying sentinels of another era. Vines choked the rusted walls, windows sat shattered in jagged frames, and the heavy scent of moss and rot blanketed the area. To any wandering trainer or Pokémon, it was just another derelict structure in a forgotten corner of the world.

But beneath this façade lay something far more sinister.

Jessie, James, and Meowth trudged through the overgrowth, the weight of their failure pressing on their shoulders like boulders. The forest buzzed with life—the chirping of Pidgey, the rustling of Rattata in the bushes—but none of it calmed their nerves. They exchanged glances, their anxiety unspoken but shared. Reaching the warehouse, Jessie brushed aside overgrown vines to reveal a faded metal warning sign bolted to the wall. It read: DANGER: STRUCTURE UNSTABLE.

"You sure this is the right place? I thought it was the one with the 'No Trespassing' sign."

"Shut it, James," Jessie snapped. "You think Team Rocket just advertises our hideouts with a giant neon R?"

Before James could retort, Jessie pressed her ID card against the rusted sign. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the ground beneath them groaned as a section of the forest floor slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing a hidden staircase spiraling into the earth. A rush of cold, damp air greeted them.

Meowth groaned, his claws digging into James's pant leg. "Every time we come here, it feels like I'm descendin' into my own grave."

"Well, at least we'll all be buried together," James quipped with a nervous laugh as the three descended into the shadowy stairwell. The entrance sealed shut behind them, plunging the area back into silence, erasing any trace of their presence.

The underground chamber was massive, its walls lined with steel and concrete that hummed faintly with the sound of hidden machinery. The room was illuminated by the cold, blue light of enormous monitors that loomed over rows of desks where Team Rocket grunts stood at attention. At the front of the room stood a cadre of captains, their uniforms sharp and polished, though their postures betrayed unease.

Jessie, James, and Meowth slinked to the back of the room, trying to stay inconspicuous, but the tension in the air was palpable. Everyone was waiting.

The glow of the massive screen revealed a shadowed figure seated in a high-backed chair, his face obscured in shadows. By his side lounged a Persian, its sleek coat catching the light from the screen's glow. The Pokémon's blood-red gem glimmered like a warning, and its piercing gaze swept the room with an air of detached superiority.

The smaller monitors lining the walls flickered next, displaying the faces of Team Rocket's most prominent executives: Archer, Arianna, Proton, and Sird. Each carried themselves with a distinct air of authority—Archer with his icy calm, Arianna with her fiery intensity, Proton with his sharp, almost mocking smirk, and Petrel with his eerie detachment.

Giovanni's deep voice rumbled through the room like distant thunder. "Report. What is the status of the Eevee operation?"

The captains exchanged uneasy glances before one of them stepped forward. Sird's voice wavered as she spoke. "Sir… we haven't secured the Eevee yet."

The room fell into an icy silence, broken only by the sound of Giovanni's Persian letting out a low, unimpressed growl.

Archer's sharp teal eyes narrowed. "Then why are you wasting our time? If you can't do the job, you're not fit to wear that uniform."

Arianna scoffed, her scarlet hair gleaming under the light. "Pathetic. Do you think we'll tolerate failure? If you're not up to the task, we'll find someone else who is."

The captains wilted under their gazes, retreating without another word. Sird clicked her tongue.

Before the tension in the room could escalate further, Proton's voice broke through, lighthearted but cutting. "Why don't we open it up to the floor? Surely someone here has something worth our time."

The green haired executive gestured toward the rows of assembled grunts. "Anyone?"

The room was silent. No one dared to move.

Until Jessie stepped forward.

"We have a lead on the Eevee!" she blurted out, her voice cracking slightly as all eyes turned to her. James and Meowth flinched, visibly sweating, but Jessie stood her ground.

"Oh? Then step forward."

The grunts parted like water, forming a path for the trio to approach the center of the room. Jessie, James, and Meowth exchanged nervous glances before walking forward. The weight of hundreds of eyes on them made every step feel heavier. Once they reached the front, Giovanni's voice rumbled again. "What have you found?"

Jessie swallowed hard. "We—uh—encountered a boy in Viridian Forest. He claimed to have battled an Eevee that could evolve and devolve between forms."

The room erupted into murmurs. Even the executives seemed momentarily taken aback, their expressions shifting from disinterest to intrigue. Giovanni's fingers drummed against the arm of his chair, the sound amplified in the silent room. "And this boy? Where is he now?"

James stepped in, his voice shaky. "He… uh… had a scarf and cap covering most of his face. We didn't get a good look."

"He had a Rattata," Jessie added quickly, hoping it was enough to redeem their report. "A rookie trainer's Pokémon."

Archer's eyes narrowed further. "And you didn't interrogate him?"

"We hoid an Eevee's cry while we was talkin' to him," Meowth said, rubbin' the back of his neck nervously. "Figured it was da Eevee, so we went chasin' afta it instead."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Finally, Giovanni spoke. "A Rattata is common among rookie trainers. If he is participating in the Pokémon League, his next destination would likely be Pewter City."

The executives nodded in agreement.

"Here are your orders. A squad will remain in Viridian Forest to continue the search. Additional operatives will be dispatched to Pewter City to monitor any trainers with an Eevee. And we will secure the route through Mount Moon. The boy will have to pass through there, and when he does, I expect results."

"Yes, Boss," the room replied in unison, the grunts and captains saluting crisply.

"As for you three… you've proven yourselves resourceful, if not entirely competent. You deserve a reward."

The trio perked up, their eyes widening with hope. For a brief, shining moment, they imagined praise, promotions, or even a rare Pokémon to call their own.

Giovanni's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Which of my executives will take them under their wing?"

The screens flickered, but none of the executives spoke. Archer looked bored. Arianna's lip curled in disdain. Proton smirked, but it was clear he had no intention of volunteering. Petrel didn't even glance at the camera, his attention seemingly elsewhere.

Finally, Giovanni broke the silence. "Sabrina."

The screen switched to Sabrina, the youngest of the executives. She was seated calmly, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her small, purple eyes barely flicked to the trio before she sighed dramatically. The nail file floating in front of her, held aloft by psychic energy, didn't stop moving.

"Great," Sabrina said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Now I have to babysit three losers."

Jessie, James, and Meowth paled in unison as the screen went dark, leaving them to contemplate the dubious nature of their "reward."

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[ Author Note:

I have a few words to say, so let's begin.

1- Nobunaga's character was more well-received than I thought, so I expanded on him, making him more morally grey in his actions, and now he has a reason to start his own journey—to repay Austin for his "kindness." What do you think of this development?

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2- Gary's red car and cheerleaders are elements that I found most confusing, considering they just disappear in the anime. I tried to add an explanation for their presence. Also, regarding the girls' dialogue, I just googled '90s slang and started writing. I liked how it turned out. What did you think about it?

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3- Giovanni John Gotti: This is going to be Giovanni's full name, referencing the real-life mobster John Gotti. He was an American mobster who became the boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Known as "The Teflon Don" because charges against him failed to stick on several occasions, Gotti was eventually convicted of multiple crimes including murder, racketeering, and obstruction of justice.

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4- Many of you might have not read the Pokémon Adventures manga, so let me clarify that Sabrina being a part of Team Rocket isn't a fan-made concept. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Sabrina, Koga, and Lt. Surge are members of Team Rocket. Will Koga and Lt. Surge be part of Team Rocket in this fanfic? You'll have to find out. But what do you guys think of this development, especially the part where I hint at the upcoming confrontation between Team Rocket and Austin at Mt. Moon?

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Thank you for your continued support and engagement with my work. Have a blessed day, and I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments!