Amoonguss inhaled deeply, exhaling a massive cloud of glittering golden powder. The Stun Spore drifted through the air, coating the massive frames of the Nidoking and Nidoqueen.
Soon, golden arcs of electricity began to crackle across their purple hides.
"Haha! Got you!" Chakra sneered, his face twisting into a triumphant grimace. "Even if you hold your breath, those spores seep through your skin and directly into your bloodstream. Paralyzed like this, your combat power will plummet!"
Taking advantage of the opening, Shiinotic raised its slender arms. A howling gale began to swirl around it, carrying a lethal swarm of razor-sharp leaves. The Leaf Storm tore through the valley, slicing through ancient trees as if they were made of paper.
"Game over. You lose!" Chakra cackled.
"Hmph. Just a bit of paralysis?" Feng Che muttered from the shadows. He retrieved two specialized Poké Puffs from his storage. With a flick of his psychic power, the treats were guided perfectly into the mouths of the King and Queen.
"Nidoking, Nidoqueen—those are high-grade Lum Puffs. They'll clear the status immediately. Once you can move, use Flamethrower together!"
The royal pair felt the aromatic, berry-infused treats dissolve instantly on their tongues. Within a second, the numbing electricity vanished.
The duo roared in unison, exhaling twin pillars of fire that merged into a gargantuan, snarling fire dragon. The dragon crashed head-on into the Leaf Storm. The leaves were instantly ignited, turning the green gale into a terrifying firestorm.
The redirected inferno rained down on Amoonguss and Shiinotic, turning the two mushrooms into screaming pillars of fire. They thrashed wildly in the dirt, but the flames only grew hotter until both collapsed, unconscious and charred.
"Curse you! Go, Forretress!"
Enraged, Chakra recalled his fallen mushrooms and threw a new ball. A Forretress appeared—a large, spherical, cocoon-like Pokémon encased in a multi-layered steel shell with pink, dish-like structures on its poles.
"Forretress, use Rapid Spin, then end them with Self-Destruct!"
As the steel shell began to spin with a high-pitched whine, Chakra released a Drifblim. The balloon Pokémon's ribbon-like arms wrapped around Chakra's waist.
Mewtwo: He's planning to flee, Mewtwo warned.
"I figured," Feng Che replied. "He wants Forretress to blow everything to hell while he makes his getaway. Honestly, that suits me—I'd rather not deal with a suicidal fanatic right now."
"Mewtwo, use Psychic to shield the Nidoking and Nidoqueen from the blast."
A violet barrier manifested around the royal pair. A split second later, the Forretress detonated. The resulting explosion was massive, leaving a smoking crater where the Pokémon had stood. When the dust cleared, the Nidoking and Nidoqueen stood within the psychic dome, completely unscathed.
"Tch... they really are monsters," Chakra muttered, eyeing the pair with a mix of greed and fear. He recalled the fainted Forretress, abandoned his unconscious squad members, and signaled Drifblim.
The balloon exhaled a burst of hot air and jetted away into the morning sky at extreme speed, carrying Chakra back toward the safety of the Johto region.
A New Home
"Nidoking, Nidoqueen... this valley has been compromised," Feng Che said, stepping out from the shadows. "Human poachers will continue to haunt this place now that they know you're here."
"Why not settle at the Viridian Gym? I have a vast backyard with a secluded valley that no one will dare disturb."
Feng Che reached into his storage and pulled out several glowing, purple Toxic Orbs. "Consider these a contribution to the growth of your next generation."
Feeling the human's genuine goodwill and seeing the precious resources, the Alpha King let out a resonant roar of approval. Slowly, the remaining Nidoqueen, Nidorino, and Nidorina emerged from the caves. They conversed in a series of deep growls and huffs.
Eventually, the King and Queen nodded solemnly to Feng Che.
Mewtwo: They've reached a consensus. The entire clan will follow you to Viridian, Mewtwo reported.
Feng Che skipped the long negotiations. He used his psychic power to hurl a series of Poké Balls, safely collecting the entire clan. As for the Nidoran eggs, Mewtwo utilized Ally Switch to transport them directly into the climate-controlled incubators of the Viridian Nursery.
The Uninvited Guest
Back at Team Rocket's Johto headquarters, Chakra stormed into his office, his face still soot-stained and his mood foul.
"If I ever find out who actually owns those Nidoking, I'll make them regret ever being born!" he snarled, slamming the door.
He stopped short. Someone was already sitting in his office.
"Oh my, if it isn't the 'Great' Commander Chakra. You look like you've been through a meat grinder. Did someone chase you home?"
Sird sat on the sofa, her Mismagius hovering nearby. she looked at Chakra's disheveled state with a smirk of pure mockery.
"Hmph. I was merely conducting... explosion experiments," Chakra lied haughtily. "Care to volunteer your Pokémon to test the yield?"
"No thanks, my team is too valuable to waste on your toys," Sird replied, her expression suddenly turning sharp and serious. "I'm here because I've intercepted a piece of intelligence you might find... interesting."
Sird has a lead on the "masked man" or perhaps a new legendary sighting. Should Feng Che's Mewtwo continue to monitor this Rocket meeting from afar, or should the scene shift back to Viridian as Feng Che begins the grand opening of his new facility?