Chapter 38: Ambush
~Third POV~
[Kanto Region, Celadon City – Game Corner]
After raiding the Game Corner, Azure proceeded to get his coins exchanged with an eager grin on his face. He grinned happily as he began spending the coins he earned through the Prize Corner and went for the next best options using his 50,000 Coins.
Azure wasted all of its Coins and bought the following Exchange Reward Items:
TM Hyper Beam 5500
TM Substitute 7700
TM Psychic 3500
TM Shadow Ball 4500
TM Hidden Power 6000
TM Giga Impact 15000
Smoke Ball 800
Charcoal 1000
Miracle Seed 1000
Mystic Water 1000
Silk Scarf 1000
Zoom Lens 1000
Wide Lens 1000
Metronome 1000
*THUD*
The Prize Corner Attendant shakily gave all the following items to Azure as he muttered in a heartbroken tone, seeing all the items going to him, "T-Thanks for your service valued-d customer… have a nice-e day…"
Azure took each of the items as he grinned. He used [Observe] on each of them to show that their value is the real deal.
[Item: TM Hyper Beam
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Hyper Beam].]
[Item: TM Substitute
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Substitute].]
[Item: TM Psychic
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Psychic].]
[Item: TM Shadow Ball
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Shadow Ball].]
[Item: TM Hidden Power
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Hidden Power].]
[Item: TM Giga Impact
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Giga Impact].]
[Item: Silk Scarf
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. It's a sumptuous scarf that boosts the power of the holder's Normal-type moves by 20%.]
[Item: Charcoal
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. It's a combustible fuel that boosts the power of the holder's Fire-type moves by 20%.]
[Item: Wide Lens
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. It's a magnifying lens that slightly boosts the accuracy of the holder's moves by 10%.]
[Item: Zoom Lens
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. When the holder acts after its target, its move will be more accurate than usual by 20%.]
[Item: Metronome
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. It boosts the power of a move that's used repeatedly by 20%. Once the chain is broken, the move's power returns to normal.]
[Item: Mystic Water
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. This teardrop-shaped gem boosts the power of the holder's Water-type moves by 20%.]
[Item: Miracle Seed
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. It's a seed imbued with life force that boosts the power of the holder's Grass-type moves by 20%.]
[Item: Smoke Ball
Rarity Item: A
Type: Held Item
Description: An item to be held by a Pokémon. It enables the holder to flee from any wild Pokémon encounter without fail.]
Putting them into his spatial bag, Azure smiled happily as he thought of his picks in a calm tone, 'It was probably a good idea to get these items. I doubt any of the Pokémon I get from Team Rocket would be calm or happy to be under a human.'
While Azure was interested in collecting a Pokémon from the Prize Corner, he reconsidered his idea when he remembered where these Pokémon originally came from. The Pokémon were 'donated' by Team Rocket, after all.
There wasn't any doubt that the Pokémon weren't happy and calm. It was much more likely they would attack their owner than listen to what he had to say, as he thought, 'Even with 3 Gym Badges, I could easily have them follow me with no issues. But I would rather a Pokémon willingly join me than force them to.'
Azure was satisfied with the items and took them as he left. The staff watching him saw him leave as they called security for Team Rocket.
/////
[Kanto Region, Celadon City – Game Corner's Security Room]
Getting the call in the surveillance room, the suited man, head of security, clipped his sixth Poke Ball onto his belt. He turned to two of his subordinates and barked out, "This operation cannot fail! If you screw this up, even if I let you off, the higher-ups won't get it?!!!"
The subordinates stood at attention, their faces grimly replied, "Understood!"
The security chief led them out through the game corner's back door, following where Azure Sky left as he thought happily, 'Heh! When I get my hands on him, I'll use those items to better use. Like, say, my hard work earning a perfect nature Abra. With him learning Psychic, I'll be an Admin shortly! Hahaha!!!'
While the Security Head thought of profit, his two grunts also thought the same, using the TM's to increase their Pokémon moves with powerful attacks. As they left, Blue came by, scaring the Prize Corner attendant on the screen, making lots of exchanges.
In one of those exchanges, he'd gotten plenty of Held Items. And a few Pokémon, including Porygon and Dratini, with an eager expression on his face.
/////
[Kanto Region, Celadon City – Quiet Alley]
Azure stood beside his Pikachu, idly playing with the Smoke Ball he recently acquired. They played in a suspicious alley devoid of unwanted attention. Then Pikachu's ears perked up, lightly tapping on Azure's chest.
But they stopped briefly as he turned to face the shadows of the alley and said, "Took ya long enough, Mr. Security Chief. Or is it, Team Rocket?"
The suited man froze, heart pounding as he thought, 'He found us!'
He and his subordinates had tracked down Azure to this quiet alley, smugly thinking that their target had conveniently wandered into an isolated spot. But the moment they stepped in, they realized they'd walked into a trap.
The kid wasn't clueless, he was waiting for them as he roared, "Who are you!"
Seeing no point in hiding anymore, the suited man stepped forward with his subordinates, revealing an 'R' emblem on their chests. His tone was cold, but internally, he was panicking as he thought, 'What is this kid up to? He knows we're part of the mafia, but he remains arrogant…'
Azure noticed the subtle movement but didn't stop him. Instead, he smiled, holding his Poke Ball as he said calmly, "Oh, just a nobody. I'm simply a Pokémon Trainer using Team Rocket as my training tool. And the perfect folks to rob without anyone asking. It's not like you'll talk to the police about your stolen Pokémon."
The Team Rocket Trio was stunned hearing his words. They came to rob him, but instead, they were the ones getting robbed. This angered the man, "Grr!! Quick kill this son of a – Ack!"
*SMASH*
Before he could retaliate, all three of them were attacked on the waist by Dragonair's tail rather specifically aiming for their Poke Balls on their belts. When the Team Rocket members came too, their eyes widened in shock, seeing that their opening mechanisms for their Poke Balls were damaged.
Azure used his knowledge of Red vs Giovanni to aim for their Poke Balls. Recalling how damaging them would render them unable to open, leaving the Trainer defenseless, he applied this practice with Dragonair using Extreme Speed Agile Style.
Being knocked out easily, Azure frowned somewhat as he thought, seeing the scene with Dragonair gracefully coiling around him, 'Ya know, I kind of expected them to fight back or something. But considering they were underestimating a kid, I don't know what they have that could be valuable. Oh well, time to liberate some Pokémon.'
Azure proceeded to loot the Team Rocket Trio of their Poke Dollars after knocking them out again. But they didn't have anything valuable except for one TM that caught his interest.
[Item: TM Dragon Rage
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Dragon Rage].]
After he finished checking the TM with [Observe], he confiscated their Poke Balls. He released all the Pokémon they had in their possession one by one.
He'd noticed one had an Abra as he contemplated keeping it. But then shook his head, releasing it as it escaped using Teleport.
The Pokémon that were liberated were cautious, but with Dragonair's gentle aura explaining the situation, they all nodded, agreeing to leave. Taking the chance to flee to the wild away from Team Rocket, the other more vengeful Pokémon took the unconscious Rocket Grunts away in the wild to 'appreciate' the time they had together.
With his good deed done for the day, Azure smiled, holding the TM Dragon Rage into his Sub-Space as he asked, "So… any of you guys hungry for – "
*Tmp*
Before he could finish his words, footsteps were heard. He looked to see a floating puddle and his mind quickly recognized, 'Wait… floating?'
Azure grabbed a nearby stick and hesitated for just a moment before gently prodding the water. His heart raced, and the sound of his pulse was loud in his ears.
*Splash*
The water rippled, and then two black eyes stared back at him. He whispered, barely able to process it, "What?"
The water began to shift, swirling and forming into a distinct shape. A Pokémon.
Slowly, it emerged—a Vaporeon, its light blue skin shimmering, dark blue markings accentuating its sleek form.
Azure's mind raced as he thought, 'Vaporeon? Here?'
[Oh! You encountered a wild Eevee/Vaporeon/Jolteon/Flareon!]
Seeing the pop-up screen, Pikachu leapt into action. Instinctively, he unleashed a Thunder Shock, the electricity crackling through the air toward the water type. But something unexpected happened.
*Shiii*
A white glow engulfed Vaporeon, its body shifting, transforming before Azure's eyes. The light faded, and in its place stood a yellow, spiky Pokémon.
Azure gasped, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing, "Jolteon?!"
*Zzzz*
The fur—the way it absorbed Pikachu's attack like it was nothing—sent chills down his spine as he thought, realizing who this was in a stunned tone, 'No way... No freaking way. This was Vee. The special Eevee from Pokémon Adventures manga. The one who could evolve and devolve between the three Kanto Eeveelutions.'
Realizing that it was Vee, the same Eevee that Red catches, Azure accidentally stumbled upon meeting Vee first. But seeing a chance to add a new team member to his team, Azure's eyes narrowed under the shadow as he thought, 'I can't let this chance escape me. No way I'm losing this one!'