"Screech!" (Human, you are the first human in history who has dared speak so arrogantly to me! You dare challenge me, and you even call me the challenger. You had better possess strength far beyond that of an ordinary Trainer!)
Moltres had only arrived at the Indigo Plateau yesterday.
It had not seen Grey's battles.
Because of that, when facing a Trainer like Grey, who truly had the capital to be proud, Moltres thought the other party had come to amuse it.
That was right. Moltres was so angry it laughed.
As it spoke, the flames on the Sacred Flame platform transformed into a divine bird, descending onto the field.
Its entire body was orange-yellow, while flames burned across its wings, tail, and the crest on its head. It looked somewhat similar to Rapidash.
[Pokémon: Moltres]
[Type: Fire, Flying]
[Level: 70]
[Ability: Flame Body]
[Moves: Leer, the rest omitted.]
A level 70 Moltres!
Champion-level strength!
And honestly, this Moltres was more than one level stronger than the Zapdos and Articuno he had encountered back then.
"Screech?!" (Hm? Now that I'm closer, I just realized your aura is quite mixed... Let me sniff... Articuno, Zapdos? No wonder you're challenging me. Hmm... You also smell like the Swords of Justice from the neighboring region... What the hell is with this dense Fire and Ice-type energy?!)
Moltres's originally composed expression became as if it had seen a ghost.
No, buddy, you already caught first-level Legendary Pokémon, and now you're coming to catch me, too?
I'm just a little second-level Legendary bird. Was there really any need for someone as mighty as you to go to all this trouble just to catch me?
Moltres realized that there was nothing wrong with what Grey had said.
Judging by both sides' identities, although it was the one being challenged, the challenger really was Moltres itself.
"Screech!" (Human! Since you have come, then... then let me witness your power! Show me your... your attitude!)
Moltres originally wanted to say "full power."
But when it thought about Reshiram and Kyurem, those two sigh-inducing walls of despair, it knew that if Grey sent them out, it would absolutely be beaten until it lost every tooth in its beak.
So Moltres felt that Grey only needed to show the attitude he ought to have.
High emotional intelligence: show the attitude you ought to have.
Low emotional intelligence: Bro, go easy on me.
Once they had fought enough, it would go into the Ball.
"Breloom, go!"
For this battle, Grey chose a disadvantaged type matchup and directly sent out Breloom.
"What the heck? Why did Gym Leader Grey send out Breloom? It doesn't have a type advantage at all, right?"
"I don't get it. Breloom is here, but doesn't Gym Leader Grey have Reshiram and Kyurem? Why not use them to fight Moltres?"
"To the guy who just said he should use Reshiram and Kyurem, I just want to say, why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Maybe Gym Leader Grey has his own plan!"
The audience outside the field was surprised by Grey's choice.
Even Annihilape, Gallade, Blaziken, or even Lucario would have made more sense than Breloom!
But the fact remained.
Grey had sent out Breloom.
"Screech!" (Human, are you looking down on me? Although you have caught so many Legendary Pokémon, you should be able to sense that my strength is very different from those second-level Legendary Pokémon you have encountered, right?)
Moltres was different from those wild Legendary birds. It was a Legendary Pokémon that had reached an agreement with the League.
In other words, it had been trained by the League.
That was why it possessed Champion-level strength. It was far stronger than those wild, Gym-level scruffy birds.
"If I don't use Breloom, then fighting you, and even catching you, has no meaning."
Grey cared more about ceremony than most people.
That slightly moved Moltres's expression.
"Screech." (Could it be that this Breloom is your first Pokémon? If so, using it would make sense...)
"No. It's just that I used it when I caught Articuno and Zapdos. If I don't use it to catch you too, I feel like something would be weird."
Grey rubbed his chin and answered honestly.
Moltres: "..."
"Screech!!!" (Rapidash damn it, you little brat, give me back my emotions! I thought you were doing this because it was your first Pokémon, but instead...)
Moltres was still angrily cursing.
It did not notice Breloom slipping right in front of it.
Then...
Spore!
Moltres, which inexplicably inhaled the spores, became drowsy. Almost in the next instant, it collapsed to the ground.
"Zzz..."
Moltres fell asleep.
"Breloom, nice work."
Grey immediately praised it, then shifted into his battle face in one second. "Now's your chance. Use Stone Edge!"
"Breloom!"
Breloom stomped hard on the ground. Countless sharp stone blades rose from the earth, suddenly stabbing upward from beneath Moltres!
Bang, bang, bang!
"Screech!!"
Moltres cried out in shock while still asleep. The pain caused by the quadruple-effective attack almost made it wake up, only for it to become dazed again immediately afterward.
"Hiss..."
"As expected of someone who uses Breloom. He understands the art of dirty fighting way too well."
"Did any of you hear something crack? Did Moltres's waist just almost snap?"
The audience members mourned for Moltres one after another.
After inhaling Spore, it was struck in a vital spot by Stone Edge. After that combo, almost no Fire and Flying-type Pokémon could withstand it.
Just thinking about it hurt.
"Go, Poké Ball!"
Grey took out the Poké Ball whose colors matched Moltres best.
In other words, the classic red-and-white Poké Ball.
The Poké Ball touched Moltres, drew it inside, and completed a perfect capture.
Hmm...
It was definitely not that Moltres chickened out.
In Moltres's own words, it had been deeply convinced by Grey's strategy, in a very physical sense.
"Congratulations to Gym Leader Grey for earning Moltres's recognition! And congratulations to him for successfully gathering all three of the Kanto Legendary Birds! Let's give Gym Leader Grey a round of applause!"
Clap, clap, clap!
Thunderous applause rang out.
Grey's operation had undoubtedly brought everyone a new perspective.
So disadvantaged type battles could be this simple?
They had learned something!
For a time, a new wave of enthusiasm for catching Breloom began to surge...
Of course, this was still only the beginning. Grey did not know it was happening.
After catching Moltres, Grey took it to the Pokémon Center for treatment.
"Screech!" (You little brat, you don't fight fair! Who battles like that? Who let you become a Trainer? You didn't even let a bird finish speaking before directly using Spore, and after I fell asleep, you still used Stone Edge on me! It's lucky I have a good temper. If it were any other Pokémon, just see who would be patient enough to talk to you so earnestly. If they didn't come to blows with you on the spot, that would already count as them being kind!)
Moltres talked a lot.
But it was obvious that it was very angry.
Moltres had thought this battle would be an exhilarating fight of three hundred rounds before it was finally caught by Grey.
And the result?
It seemed like it had not even lasted three turns.
It had been knocked down by Stone Edge.
After taking that combo, even Reshiram would have to eat the full set before leaving.
"It's a battle. I was also letting you know that the Trainer world has a dark side when it comes to battling. Don't look at my moves and think they're dirty. The moves used by those evil organizations are even dirtier!"
"Screech!" (You're full of it! You think I've never fought Team Rocket before? Tell me, which one of them would ambush someone while they were still talking, then still remember to hit me with Stone Edge after I fell asleep?)
Moltres was so angry at Grey's words that it laughed.
"That's unfair slander. The Team Rocket members you met were simply too honorable. If you don't believe me, I'll take you to meet a high-ranking Team Rocket executive whose face looks like a sneaky little rat. His methods are truly sinister and cunning!"
Grey also got worked up and immediately brought up Petrel.
"Screech!" (I don't believe you. If you have the guts, take me to see him right now!)
Moltres wanted to see exactly what kind of person could be called sinister and cunning by Grey.
"Fine! I'll broaden your horizons today!"
Grey and Moltres made a deal.
While he was at it, he also brought Annihilape, Gallade, Lucario, Blaziken, and Breloom along.
Kanto region, Indigo Plateau, Indigo Prison.
This was the prison near League headquarters.
It was overseen by Commissioner Jenny.
"The cells holding Team Rocket's Four Executives are right here. Gym Leader Grey, if there's nothing else, I'll be going first."
Commissioner Jenny nodded lightly at Grey, then quickly left.
"Mm. Bye, Commissioner."
"Hey, Grey, you brat, what are you doing in prison?"
Inside the cell, Petrel, dressed in a prison uniform, gnashed his teeth and glared at Grey viciously.
"Nothing much. Here, this is the high-ranking Team Rocket executive I was talking about. Look at that face. Doesn't he look sinister and cunning at first glance?"
Grey sent out Moltres.
"Screech!" (Don't mind if I do. You really weren't kidding! That face really does look like a petty villain's face!)
Moltres was also astonished.
Originally, it had scoffed at judging people by their faces.
But one look at Petrel's face told it that he was a bad guy, and even the worst kind of bad guy.
It had no choice but to believe it.
Petrel: "???"
"Grey, you Horsea-damn came over and started with personal attacks right away, huh?"
"That's unfair slander. I'm just stating the facts."
"Grey, you piece of #@!"
"Oh? Insulting a Gym Leader. That's an additional offense. Lock him up for another ten years!"
"Damn it!"
Petrel lost it.
"Hahahaha! I never thought I'd see this day for you, Petrel!"
A hearty laugh rang out from another cell.
Grey turned his head and saw Proton.
"Well, if it isn't Proton. Long time no see. How have you been recently?"
"Not bad, I guess. Speaking of which, if I provide information to you, can it count as making amends for my crimes?"
After being imprisoned for so long, Proton felt it was about time he abandoned his old loyalties.
"Go into detail. I'll remember it for you."
Grey raised his thumb again.
That was more like it. Serve the League properly, turn over a new leaf once he got out, and that wouldn't be bad either!
"Under the Rocket base beneath Celadon Game Corner, in the manager's office where I used to stay, I remember there being a copy of some core data hidden there. If you don't believe me, you can put handcuffs on me and let me go look for it."
Proton recalled the data related to Mewtwo. He had been captured for so long back then that he forgot to destroy it.
"Oh, that? If it's that, there's no point in you going over there now."
"What do you mean? The League already found the core data?"
"Not exactly. Forget it, there's no harm in telling you. That data of yours was stolen by Colress of Team Plasma. He even developed Mewtwo Two. By the way, Mewtwo Two is in my hands now."
Grey shook a Master Ball, making his meaning obvious.
Proton: "..."
Fine. He had finally wanted to make amends for his crimes, only to be one step too late?
"No worries. If you remember anything else, you can make amends at any time."
Grey waved his hand, then looked toward Archer.
"My dear Governor-tier member, how have you been recently? Back then, I didn't hurt you at all, you know."
Grey folded his hands together, then rubbed them back and forth.
Archer: "..."
"Heh. Gym Leader Grey is still the same as before, always so erratic. If you're trying to make me redeem myself, forget it."
Grey shook his head. "Not really."
Archer was puzzled. "Then why are you calling me? I remember that there isn't much connection between us."
"Nothing much. It's just that your Governor-tier membership is about to expire. The next time you get a phone, how about renewing it for me?"
Grey chuckled.
Archer: "?"
"Muk you!" (Pokémon-safe version.)
"Sigh. If you don't want to renew, then don't renew. Why insult me? A pure and kind person like me kindly came to see all of you, and I still got cursed at. It truly breaks my heart!"
Grey clutched his chest, looked at them, and deliberately acted pained.
Team Rocket's Four Executives: "..."
"Rapidash damn it."
"Horsea damn it."
"Hippopotas damn it."
"Zebstrika damn it."
"All right, all right. I won't mess around with you anymore. I have some partners here who want to catch up with you."
Facing the four people's curses, Grey tossed out several other Poké Balls.
Familiar faces appeared.
Petrel's heart said something was wrong, and he covered his ears one step ahead of time.
Then...
"Annihilape!" (Team Rocket, you #@!)
"Gallade!" (Screw Team Rocket!)
"..."
Finally, amid a burst of commotion, Grey completed today's prison visit.
The partners behind him were glowing with satisfaction. The fatigue of the past few months had vanished amid one curse after another.
Comfortable!
That was the only thought these Pokémon had.
"All right, the cursing is done. Next, I have to check on the Pokémon at the Gym."
The early matches of the Indigo Conference were not particularly interesting.
Grey chose to return to Saffron City first, then come back to watch the tournament after the Top 16.
It was also a good chance to see the partners he had not seen in nearly a week.
When he called last time, he heard that things over there were almost finished too.
"You're going back?"
Sabrina teleported to Grey's side.
"What the heck? Weren't you at the venue? How did you hear me?"
"...Don't worry about it."
Sabrina's face turned red.
Grey: "?"
Why are you blushing like that?
"Forget it. Do you want to go back with me?"
"Yes."
Sabrina agreed readily.
Grey felt something was a bit strange and pointed toward the main venue. "Should we call Lillie too?"
"No. Just the two of us."
"Just the two of us?"
"Mm."
As if she had been made helpless by Grey's question, Sabrina grabbed Grey's hand and pressed it against her own cheek. "You were in Unova for so long... I want a little private space for us."
"All right. Then let's go."
Grey simply used his other hand to gently stroke Sabrina's hair. Then he had Reshiram head toward Saffron City.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 30 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.