Pokémon: I’m Really Not a Team Rocket Spy

After witnessing the intense battle, Maki and his companions left the arena. However, both Charmander and Cyndaquil appeared mesmerized by the power displayed by the Pokémon on the field, to the point they were lost in thought as they walked away.

"Hey Maki, do you have any secrets for passing the test? Teach me, will you?" Nathan asked with the enthusiasm of a student inspired by a teacher's motivational speech, shouting, "I'm going to work hard!"

Seeing Nathan's rare burst of motivation, Maki hesitated to extinguish it immediately.

"Cyndaquil and Charmander can learn similar moves early on, right? Does Cyndaquil know Smokescreen?" Maki inquired.

"Yeah, it does!" Nathan nodded.

"Great. Just have it use Smokescreen repeatedly to obscure the opponent's vision. Once they can't see, hide in the corner and spam Ember. Sooner or later, you'll wear them down."

Maki shared his previous experience matter-of-factly.

"Wow... that's so dirty! But I like it!" Nathan's eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers and let out a mischievous laugh, already imagining his opponents growing so frustrated they'd want to switch to hand-to-hand combat out of sheer anger. The thought was delightful.

"Alright! Cyndaquil and I are heading to practice now. By this afternoon, we'll pass the test in one go!"

With that declaration, Nathan dashed off with Cyndaquil, leaving Maki wondering if he had just corrupted his friend.

No way, Maki reassured himself. I'm an upright person. I always beat my opponents fair and square. No cheap tricks here!

Taking his time, Maki wandered back to the Pokémon Center with Charmander. Along the way, they stopped at a small restaurant, where he treated Charmander to a delicious meal.

While Pokéblocks were nutritious, eating the same thing repeatedly could get boring. Maki decided to spice up their menu a bit.

"Once we reach Johto, we can try Slowpoke tails. I've heard they're delicious, but only a few places serve them," Maki remarked, licking his lips as he glanced at Charmander, who was happily munching away.

"Char!" Tails?!

Charmander froze, spinning around to grab its tail and holding it protectively against its chest. It wasn't about to let its tail become dinner!

"Not your tail, silly!" Maki sighed, rolling his eyes.

Slowpoke tails could regenerate quickly, and thanks to Slowpoke's dulled pain receptors, they felt little to no discomfort when losing their tails. For these reasons, the League permitted the consumption of Slowpoke tails under strict regulations.

Other Pokémon, like Farfetch'd with their leeks, were a different story. Known for their exceptional taste, Farfetch'd had been hunted nearly to extinction, forcing the League to impose strict conservation measures.

That's why Maki considered Farfetch'd one of the most dependable Pokémon. Even stranded on a deserted island, seeing a Farfetch'd with its leek would calm anyone down.

Hearing Maki's explanation, Charmander sighed in relief but still felt a little annoyed.

Why does Slowpoke get all the attention? Am I not just as good?

Charmander glanced at its tail, momentarily tempted, but ultimately couldn't bring itself to take a bite. That would hurt, right?

Seeing Charmander's reaction, Maki chuckled and reassured it, explaining yet again why its tail was off-limits.

Their conversation was cut short when Officer Jenny stepped in front of them.

"Sorry, the road ahead is temporarily closed. No one is allowed to pass!" she announced, directing a group of people who were cordoning off the street.

"What's going on? Isn't the Pokémon Center up ahead?" Maki asked, confused.

Jenny glanced at him, assessing his harmless demeanor, and replied, "The Pokémon Center was just attacked. Several Pokémon were stolen."

"What?! Who would dare steal from a Pokémon Center?"

Even Team Rocket wouldn't be foolish enough to raid a Pokémon Center. Security was tight, and beyond that, the Centers were backed by two formidable forces: the Pokémon League and the Nurse Joy family.

Far more than just nurses, each Nurse Joy held significant authority over their respective Pokémon Centers. Across Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and even Sinnoh, the Joy family maintained a near-monopoly on the breeding and training of Chansey. Even Team Rocket struggled to acquire a Chansey without clashing with the Joy family.

Equally influential was the Officer Jenny family, whose members held key positions as police officers and League investigators worldwide. Angering either family was akin to inviting trouble—and making the coroner's job harder.

And this wasn't just any town—it was Viridian City, one of Team Rocket's strongholds. Anyone bold enough to cause trouble here would soon find themselves in serious danger.

Team Rocket had a simple philosophy: mess with them, and they'd bury you—literally.

"Do you know who's behind the attack?" Maki asked.

"Not yet," Jenny admitted. "But the culprit used a robot, and their Pokémon—a Meowth—took advantage of a vulnerable moment during a transfer between the arena and the Pokémon Center. It was definitely premeditated."

She scowled in frustration. During testing sessions, examiners' Pokémon often needed treatment, creating a brief window of reduced security. The thieves exploited this to steal a batch of Pokémon meant for healing.

Most of the stolen Pokémon were common species, but the act was still a blatant provocation against the League, the Joy family, and the Jenny family—a reckless move with dire consequences.

Maki, however, couldn't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu as Jenny described the incident.

Wait... A Meowth? A robot? Why does this sound so familiar?

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