Chapter 257: Champion Cynthia, Please Help Me Save Lady from Team Rocket!
"Platinum—"
Mr. Berlitz looked at his daughter, expression thoroughly conflicted. He'd never imagined a day would come when he needed his own daughter to save him.
"Don't worry — Platinum will win. Her talent is unlike anything I've seen in my lifetime," Rowan said instead, sounding almost relieved. A battle? Perfect, a battle! Looking over how young Mammon's group all appeared, Rowan felt genuinely confident in Platinum's chances.
Honestly, he considered Platinum's raw talent as a trainer the finest he'd ever personally witnessed — far more terrifying than even Cynthia had been at her own debut. Rowan had long been certain: the future of Sinnoh belonged to Platinum. Once she came fully into her own, she was destined to surpass Cynthia herself.
And these three from Team Rocket? Sure, Rowan figured they were probably strong trainers in their own right. But strong enough to match Platinum? A "talent freak" on her level came along maybe once every few decades!
He'd heard other regional professors make similar claims before, honestly — Professor Oak smugly bragging about a batch of prodigious new trainers coming out of his hometown this year. Professor Birch of Hoenn boasting about some terrifying newcomer monster. Even Professor Elm up in Johto claiming this year's crop picking up starters at his lab were all frighteningly gifted.
Rowan could only scoff privately and hold his tongue. Honestly, it was almost funny. Once those professors actually met Platinum, they'd realize just how laughable their own bragging had been. Platinum had become Elite Four-caliber in under half a year — she'd be a lock for Champion tier by year's end. A one-year Champion!! That was the kind of "monster" Rowan wanted to shout from the rooftops about. He had every reason to believe Platinum could probably already beat Sinnoh's own current Elite Four as things stood.
And these three from Team Rocket, who looked barely seventeen or eighteen — a match for Platinum? Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How many genuine prodigies could the world possibly hold? If talent freaks like that were really this common, why had it taken their own region decades, maybe a full century, to produce even one Platinum?
"Made your decision? Who's it going to be?"
Mammon simply ignored Rowan's whole internal monologue. Win? Platinum beating the three of them? "Monsters" — Mammon had seen plenty of those in his time.
Platinum, meanwhile, genuinely hesitated, eyes flicking between the three of them, understanding fully how much this choice mattered.
First off, obviously not Mammon himself — everyone knew that as a rule, whoever led an organization had to be its strongest member. Even if not the absolute strongest, their power had to be genuinely exceptional, or how else would they command respect? So Mammon was off the table for safety's sake, leaving only two real options.
Platinum considered a moment, then settled her gaze on Caitlin.
"I choose... this young lady!"
Platinum looked at Caitlin and made her decision.
Kagura carried a fearless, wild sort of presence that read immediately as no pushover, while Caitlin's air was refined and reserved — also, apparently, some kind of noblewoman. Platinum figured Caitlin was probably... the weakest of the three?
"Ha~ Caitlin, looks like she's pegged you for the soft touch," Kagura teased.
Caitlin kept her faint, composed smile in place and stepped forward gracefully.
"Then, per our agreement — Miss Platinum, should you defeat Caitlin, we'll leave, no going back on our word."
"And if I lose?" Platinum didn't expect to lose, but she still needed to hear the terms in full.
"If you lose, we still won't trouble your father or any of the other innocent members of the Berlitz family — but you'll join Team Rocket, and serve us," Mammon said, grinning wide.
That's right — it's you, specifically, that I've got my eye on, yo.
"What?!" Platinum's pretty face shifted at once, and both Mr. Berlitz and Rowan's expressions changed dramatically too.
"No! Platinum, don't agree to this!" Mr. Berlitz refused the terms without a second's hesitation — Platinum was the future glory of their entire family. They genuinely believed she might well become Sinnoh's Champion someday, standing at the very peak of the region. And now they wanted her to join Team Rocket instead? Wouldn't that ruin her whole life?
"Would you mind staying quiet, Mr. Berlitz? I'm having a conversation with Miss Platinum here — this is genuinely quite rude of you." Mammon turned toward him, tone still light and smiling, though anyone could hear the displeasure and danger threaded underneath.
Shiny Gengar's eyes flared blue, and psychic force sealed Mr. Berlitz's mouth shut instantly — no matter how he struggled, it made no difference.
"Father!" Platinum's thoughts scattered into chaos, only growing more tense at the sight.
"Relax — I'm just keeping Mr. Berlitz quiet for a moment. Miss Platinum, please make your decision quickly. Otherwise, I really can't promise what I might do next," Mammon said, smile still radiant as ever, keeping the pressure firmly on her. Without Mr. Berlitz interfering, Mammon was confident Platinum would agree.
Kagura clicked her tongue, thinking Mammon looked exactly like some soap-opera villain blackmailing an innocent girl into ruin using her family as leverage — the kind that never survived past episode three.
What do I do, what do I do?? Platinum agonized. Should she really agree to this? But what if she actually lost?
She didn't want to become part of an evil organization — her whole dream had always been to become Sinnoh's Champion. But—
"Mmph!! Mmph!!" Mr. Berlitz kept struggling, desperately trying to get Platinum to refuse.
Platinum looked at her father — silenced by Shiny Gengar's psychic hold, utterly helpless, in visible distress. Father...
"I understand! I agree to your terms!"
Platinum drew a deep breath, resolve settling back over her face. Whatever it took, she had to save her father — even at the cost of her own future.
Mr. Berlitz's eyes went red at that. Platinum!!
"What a genuinely touching display of family love. Well then, I'll leave it to you — go ahead and welcome our new ally, Caitlin." Mammon applauded, looking thoroughly moved — if you could ignore the grin plastered across his face, that is.
What does that mean — that he's already certain I'll lose? What a thoroughly vile man! Platinum glared at Mammon with pure resentment. This person was genuinely awful.
"I won't lose! Absolutely not!"
For the first time in her life, an overwhelming hunger for victory surged through Platinum's chest, unlike anything she'd felt before. She would win. Absolutely, she would win. She would wipe that smile clean off this man's face.
"Good day~ My name is Caitlin. A pleasure," Caitlin said, as elegant as ever, lifting the hem of her skirt with both hands and offering Platinum a flawless, textbook noblewoman's curtsy.
"Platinum Berlitz. Likewise," Platinum returned the courtesy, having steadied herself. Cynthia had taught her once: no matter the circumstance, in the middle of a battle, staying calm was essential. Only a calm mind let a trainer hold onto focus and properly read the flow of the match.
"Then, my first Pokémon—"
Caitlin, with her serene, composed smile and refined bearing, sent out a Poké Ball with a touch of Psychic power.
"Tapu Fini."
"Qi~"
With a clear, ringing cry, the pink Tapu Fini floated gracefully down in front of Caitlin.
The legendary Tapu Fini?! Platinum recognized the Pokémon at once — one of the legendary Island Guardians from Alola, wasn't it? How was it in the hands of this girl? Being able to capture a legendary Tapu Fini in the first place spoke volumes — this girl before her had to be genuinely, formidably strong. The pressure weighing on Platinum only grew heavier. Psychic and Fairy typing, then...
"Froslass!" Platinum decisively sent out her own Froslass. It appeared before her — a Ghost-type, one that held a type advantage against Tapu Fini. This battle mattered too much to risk any unnecessary complications.
Tapu Fini let out a soft cry, and a ring of pink psychic light spread outward.
Ability: Misty Surge!
The field shifted into Psychic Terrain, boosting the power of Psychic-type moves used by grounded Pokémon and shielding them from opposing priority moves — an enormously beneficial terrain state for Psychic-type teams.
"A legendary Pokémon, and Psychic Terrain besides." Rowan's white eyebrows drew together. Clearly, this Caitlin girl specialized in Psychic-types.
The battle began — but the outcome, as it turned out, held no suspense whatsoever. Under Mr. Berlitz's mounting despair and Rowan's stunned disbelief, Caitlin steamrolled Platinum without the slightest resistance. Tapu Fini's raw power was simply overwhelming, amplified further by Psychic Terrain — Platinum did manage a few genuinely sharp counterattacks along the way, but none of it mattered in the end.
Once her final Pokémon, Empoleon, fell to Tapu Fini as well, the Berlitz family's treasured daughter felt her head spin, her body collapsing weakly to the ground, staring hollow-eyed at her defeated starter.
She'd lost — decisively, without a shred of doubt, swept entirely by a single Tapu Fini.
Was I really this weak?
"How can this be—" Rowan stared at Caitlin in utter disbelief. How was she this strong?!
"You've lost, Miss Platinum. So, per our agreement — starting today, you're a member of Team Rocket."
Mammon walked slowly toward Platinum, looking down at the girl slumped on the ground, extending a badge in his hand.
Platinum lifted her head numbly, staring at the R-shaped badge in front of her.
"Mmph mmph!!" Seeing this, Mr. Berlitz's eyes went wide with fury, thrashing desperately to stop it — but Shiny Gengar's hold stayed perfectly steady.
"What's wrong? Having second thoughts?" Mammon raised an eyebrow, seeing Platinum hesitate to take the badge.
"Will you really let my father and Professor Rowan go?" The noble young lady's voice came out fractured, her composure and convictions all but shattered by Caitlin's overwhelming victory.
"Of course. Keeping my word is one of the few virtues I actually have. Though — that's contingent on you keeping yours too," Mammon said, nodding as if that were self-evident.
Platinum bit her lip, glanced once at her father, and — trembling — reached out and took the Team Rocket badge.
"Welcome aboard, our new ally. Don't worry — you'll never regret this decision," Mammon said, satisfied smile settling over his face.
An hour later, in front of Professor Rowan's lab, a powerful Garchomp descended from the sky.
"Professor Rowan? Mr. Berlitz?"
Seeing Mr. Berlitz's hollow eyes and ashen face, and Rowan sighing heavily beside him, Cynthia's brow furrowed, a bad feeling settling over her at once.
"Where's Lady?"
"Champion Cynthia! Please, I beg you — help me save Platinum!"
Mr. Berlitz snapped back to himself, rushing toward Cynthia, pleading desperately.
"What happened to Lady?" Something clenched hard in Cynthia's chest.
"Platinum, she— to save us, she agreed to that vile man's demand," Mr. Berlitz's voice broke into a sob. "She joined Team Rocket."
Cynthia froze in place, stunned all over again.
(End of Chapter)
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