Trouble in the World League
Inside the high-security prison of the Pokémon World League, the air was thick with tension. Duron and Dutai sat dejectedly behind bars until the heavy doors groaned open. A stout, wealthy-looking old man stepped in, his face a mask of simmering fury.
"Deputy Head Ora!" the guards stammered, saluting instantly.
"Duron, Dutai... get up. We're leaving," Ora said, his voice low and dangerous. He despised these short-sighted relatives of his, but blood was blood.
As they walked out, Duron began to wail, "Uncle, you have to help us! We were just minding our business by the lake when that brat attacked us and stole our Pokémon!"
Smack!
Ora's cane struck the floor—and then Duron's shoulder. "You idiots! I've seen the surveillance footage. Feng Che followed every rule. It was Dutai who provoked him! Do you have any idea the price I had to pay to get you out? I had to cede massive interests to Master Sky. If it weren't for me, you'd be rotting in there for a decade!"
Ora's face turned a bruised purple. "Keep your heads down. If I hear even a whisper of you causing more trouble, I'll let Sky throw away the key himself!"
Squad 6's Harvest
Unaware of the drama in the prison, Feng Che spent the rest of his evening by the lake. He managed to capture a Drednaw.
The Drednaw looked like a prehistoric snapping turtle with a jagged, rock-like horn on its head. Its shell was segmented with sharp protrusions, and its powerful jaws looked capable of snapping steel girders.
When the squad gathered that night to tally their results, the numbers were impressive:
Chuck: Gyarados, Poliwrath.
Norman: Crawdaunt, Starmie.
Clemont: Milotic (captured by pure luck!), and the extra Clawitzer from earlier.
Lucian: Bruxish.
Grimsley: Two Sharpedo.
With a total of 1,200 points, Squad 6 secured third place in the first assessment.
The Second Assessment: Training the Temporary
Master Sky appeared on the monitors to announce the next phase. "A true master can take any Pokémon and make it a warrior. Your next task: train the Pokémon you just captured. In three days, they will be tested in the arena. You may focus your collective efforts on one primary Pokémon per trainer to save time."
"Feng Che," Norman said, looking at the group. "None of us are true Water-type masters. How should we proceed?"
"I'll handle the diagnostics," Feng Che replied confidently. "As a Master Breeder, I'll check them for hidden injuries and potential bottlenecks before we design the training regimens."
The squad made their final selections for the upcoming test:
Feng Che: The unique Dual-Cannon Clawitzer.
Norman: Crawdaunt (familiarity with Hoenn species).
Clemont: Milotic (his only catch).
Chuck: Poliwrath.
Feng Che summoned his Venusaur, using Grassy Terrain to bathe the new captures in healing energy. He then began drafting specialized plans based on their unique abilities.
Shadows Over the League
In the Head's Office, Sky looked over the latest intelligence on Poacher's Island. King Kai was fortifying the cliffs, making the island a death trap.
"This second assessment is crucial," Sky whispered to Julie. "I need to see if they can build a bond with unfamiliar Pokémon. In the war against the Poachers, their mains might fall. They need to know how to fight with whatever is at hand."
Sky sighed, rubbing his temples. "Did Ora go to pick up those two idiots?"
"He did," Julie replied. "The whole prison heard him screaming at them."
"Good. The League is full of vipers like Ora and Mora. They only let me have this seat because I reached the Master-class while they were busy stabbing each other's backs. But as long as I'm here, I won't let this organization rot any further."
The three-day training period has begun. Should Feng Che focus on teaching the Dual-Cannon Clawitzer "Origin Pulse" (a move usually reserved for Kyogre) to maximize its Mega Launcher ability, or should he focus on a "Team Tactic" training session to ensure the squad's temporary Pokémon can coordinate perfectly?