Watching the black smoke dissipate, Feng Che felt caught between laughter and pity.
"This Sea Monster... honestly, couldn't it have been a bit more thick-skinned? It actually got so angry that its spectral form collapsed."
"Once Froakie finishes evolving, I can't let these Sea Gems go to waste either."
Feng Che scanned the dense clusters of Sea Gems surrounding them. These were the crystallized essence of a thousand years of the Sea Monster's labor. Originally, the creature intended to use these gems to construct a physical avatar once it broke the seal.
Froakie, however, was deaf to the outside world. With every breath, it felt a massive surge of water energy pouring into its lungs, the cool essence flowing through its limbs and meridians.
It remembered the days when it feigned a limp; while others turned away, this human had chosen it without hesitation, tirelessly teaching it the art of battle. Its trainer had provided the best resources, crafted a unique bracer just for it, and even risked his life to come to this dangerous, isolated island for its sake.
Froakie felt itself growing stronger step by step under this meticulous guidance. It knew its current success was the fruit of both its own effort and its trainer's wisdom.
[Froakie: I must become stronger. When I am truly powerful, I will have nothing to fear.][Froakie: I want to be able to say with pride that I am my trainer's greatest joy.]
The water energy wrapped around Froakie in a dense, shimmering cocoon. Feng Che sat nearby, acting as a guardian. He kept his "Heart Sight" active, monitoring the Sea Monster's lingering thoughts to ensure the creature didn't launch a desperate sneak attack.
The Unova Region: Castle of the Caitlin Family.
A blonde girl in a flowing pink dress paced through the halls of the magnificent castle. This elegant beauty was none other than Caitlin, one of the Elite Four of the Unova region. At the moment, she was gracefully overseeing her maids as they packed her luggage.
Her butler, Darach, knew she had received a secret mission from the League: to investigate Team Plasma regarding the mysterious disappearance of Champion Alder.
"The Young Lady has truly grown. She's going on a League mission and doesn't even want me to accompany her," Darach mused, his eyes misting with a mix of pride and worry. "Young Lady, are you truly sure I shouldn't go with you?"
"Don't worry, Darach. It's just a simple infiltration," Caitlin replied, slightly exasperated. "With my psychic Pokémon and my own peak mental powers, failure is impossible."
She looked at her reflection. "That said, my long hair is too recognizable. And my psychic energy... I should temporarily seal it."
Caitlin gathered her hair, braiding it into several tight rows before tying it into high twin-tails. She traded her gown for a pair of ripped jeans and a skull-print shirt, transforming herself into a hip-hop-style street girl.
"Is my idiot brother, Tianshen, still not back? How long does he plan to stay with Team Rocket?" Caitlin puffed her cheeks in annoyance. That reckless brother of hers was a constant source of stress.
"Master Tianshen is using family resources to climb the ranks in Team Rocket. He's doing quite well," Darach explained. "He hasn't returned because he fears his association might tarnish your reputation as a League Elite. Besides, his presence there provides the family with invaluable intelligence—the Master has already approved of it. Master Tianshen has grown up, in his own way."
Caitlin sighed. "Unova is a powder keg. Champion Alder was ambushed by Team Plasma and his whereabouts are unknown. There is no one to lead us, and we members of the Elite Four don't exactly see eye-to-eye. If the Pokémon League hadn't issued a direct order, I wouldn't bother. Team Plasma's influence now rivals the League's, yet they remain strangely stagnant. I need to find out what they're planning."
"Rumor has it that the Black and White Dragons have fallen into the hands of N, the King of Team Plasma," Caitlin added, her brow furrowing.
"The Dragons follow those with great strength and pure hearts. N is said to be such a person," Darach adjusted his glasses. "But our sources say N has clashed with the current leader, Ghetsis, and has been missing for some time. The factional split within Team Plasma is severe."
"The Caitlin family's roots aren't strictly tied to Unova. If Team Plasma becomes too much of a threat, I'll just resign as an Elite and move to Sinnoh to live with Cynthia," Caitlin declared. "Darach, I'm off. Look after the castle."
With a flash of Teleport, she vanished.
Team Rocket Laboratory.
Dr. Fuji was reviewing Mewtwo's latest data. "Strange... Subject 13's vitals are stable, so why does it still look so emaciated and weak?"
He looked at the lethargic Mewtwo with deep frustration. "If I could only get my hands on Colress's research from Team Plasma regarding cloned gene stabilization, I might find the answer."
In the tank, Mewtwo cracked one eye open for a split second before closing it. No one noticed.
Feng Che's method is perfect, Mewtwo thought. By feigning illness and weakness, Giovanni will eventually lose confidence in me. When the security is lowered, I'll find my chance to escape. A better life is waiting for me.
Thanks to the psychic energy Sabrina had provided, Mewtwo no longer needed to consume the lab's resources immediately. Instead, it siphoned the high-grade psychic materials provided by the lab and hid them away in its own private sub-dimension, maintaining the illusion of a failing experiment.
The Poseidon Grotto.
After a full day and night, the cocoon of energy around Froakie began to crack. In this environment saturated with Water energy, the evolution had been remarkably smooth.
Froakie is finishing its evolution. Next, I head to Unova for Colress's data, Feng Che calculated. Giovanni likely wants to clone the Legendary Birds. With Mewtwo 'failing,' his expectations for it will drop. Once he deems it a 'failure,' the security will drop—and my Master Ball will have its rightful owner.
Feng Che's plan to seize Mewtwo was moving forward perfectly.
[Sea Monster: CURSE YOU! You stole my divinity and now you use my gems to evolve your pet!][Sea Monster: I can't do anything to him... it's so infuriating!]
The Sea Monster had watched its power drain into Feng Che, and its last few followers had been turned to ash. It had tried to summon wild Water-types to stop the evolution, but Feng Che's Ivysaur had crushed them all, turning them into fertilizer. The Sea Monster's form had now shrunk to a quarter of its original size.
Finally, the light faded. A sleek, tall figure stood where Froakie once was. Frogadier opened its eyes and let out a soft cry.
Compared to its previous form, Frogadier was more slender and athletic. Its skin was a deeper blue, with two long, powerful arms and two white spots on its snout. The distinctive foam muffler remained around its neck like a white scarf.
Pokémon: Frogadier Potential: Legendary (Deep Cyan) Level: 42 Ability: Protean Skills: Water Pulse, Smack Down, Bounce, Ice Beam, Toxic Spikes, Surf... Evaluation: A powerful Frogadier. Evolving in the Poseidon Grotto has granted it a "Special Ability" yet to be discovered by its trainer.
"Frogadier, you did well," Feng Che said, standing up. He looked back at the fuming, diminished Sea Monster and smiled. "Thanks for the hospitality. We're off to Unova."