Lance's interrogation had its effect. At the very least, the people in the Pokémon Center became especially proactive during the rescue operations.
Under the combined scouting of Cacturne and Gengar, nearly every place where hostages and Pokémon were being held was discovered.
Wayne and the others simply had to follow the drifting path of Cacturne's Spore to pinpoint exact locations.
That night, the stationed League army finally arrived, but only half the expected number made it.
"Haah… A lot of cities are in bad shape. Since things here are temporarily stable, Command cut our reinforcements by half."
Lance looked at the brightly lit, constantly bustling Pokémon Center and said this to Sato with a helpless expression.
"Violet City's main issue is a lack of Elite Four level power. Everything else can recover quickly," Sato said clearly. Holding this place would ultimately depend on him and Lance.
"Any news about Team Rocket Admins, Lance?" Sato asked again.
"Nothing, tch. After the battle at noon, they all vanished. And none of our people have reported back either."
At that, Lance's expression darkened noticeably.
"You think, because of Gengar's special ability, Team Rocket may have abandoned Violet City and shifted their focus to other cities?"
It sounded like praise for Gengar, but both Sato and Lance were fully aware, this was a very real possibility.
"The enemy hides in the dark while we stand in the light. We're far too passive like this. Lance, I have an idea…"
---◓---
Late at night, the constant activity in the Pokémon Center began to slow down. Many people, utterly exhausted, leaned against whatever spot they could find.
Sato and Lance walked through the main hall as Elite Four. As long as they were present, they didn't have to say or do anything, people felt safe just seeing them.
Halfway through the hall, a League Investigator hurried over and whispered a few words to them.
Sato and Lance exchanged a look, then quickly left the building.
After they left, those inside the hall ignored their physical fatigue and injuries, eager to know if another battle was about to begin.
"Hey… did you hear? Elite Four Sato was ordered to support another location. He's leaving immediately!"
"WHAT! FOR REAL? Then what happens to us in Violet City?"
"Yeah, I heard the reason Team Rocket was driven back was more thanks to Sato than even Flying Master Lance[1]!"
"Oh… I don't care. All I know is that I was saved because Elite Four Sato's Cacturne found me."
"EXACTLY! It's because he was so competent and strong that he's being reassigned..."
"Elite Four Sato is so handsome~ And I didn't even get to talk to him…"
"…"
While the crowd continued murmuring, no fewer than ten people discreetly slid their hands into their pockets or found excuses to leave the hall.
Inside the monitoring room, Lance, Sato, and Officer Jenny -the commanding officer from the reinforcement unit- silently watched the disturbance playing out on the monitors.
Those who had left the hall or behaved suspiciously were firmly marked by the Noctowl standing beside Officer Jenny.
"Officer Jenny, we're leaving the rest to you. Heh… time to reel in the big Magikarp!"
Lance grinned slightly, clearly a little excited.
"Mhm. Don't worry. The ones who got my third cousin killed… none of them are getting away!"
Clearly, the death of Violet City's Officer Jenny was viewed by the Jenny Family as an outright provocation.
Seeing this, Lance and Sato said no more. At the very least, they knew that group of people wouldn't be getting off easy.
---◓---
In the forest west of Violet City, Sato lay prone on Honchkrow's back, cloaked in black, streaking through the air like a shadow, utterly silent.
Just as everyone had been discussing, Sato had received orders to support another city, so he was traveling through the night.
He had already left Violet City by about five kilometers when a fierce gust of wind suddenly arose from nowhere, striking straight at Honchkrow!
"Aerial Ace, dodge it!"
"Kroooow!"
Honchkrow flipped backward in an Aerial Ace maneuver, skillfully dodging the Hurricane, but its speed slowed as a result.
"Who's there?!"
"Who? Since you asked so sincerely, I'll graciously tell you~"
Along with a voice that was both smug and flirtatious, Miyamoto, Ariana, and Kaiser appeared… along with the deeply hidden "female boss".
All four high-ranking Team Rocket Admins listed in the intel as responsible for the Violet City assault had now arrived, surrounding Sato completely!
"Little boy, remember me? We met in Sinnoh, didn't we~?"
Miyamoto greeted Sato with a beaming smile. If not for the three snarling Pokémon beside her, she might've looked even more beautiful.
"Mmm… don't remember. I'm face-blind," Sato said seriously, shaking his head.
Q(`⌒ Q)?!
"WHAT!? I'm this beautiful and you still don't remember? Ninetales, Pidgeot, KILL HIM!"
Enraged, Miyamoto launched the battle. The female boss, who had intended to extract some intel, sighed helplessly and sent out two Elite Four level Pokémon without hesitation.
Ariana and Kaiser each sent out three Pokémon, joining in the attack against Sato.
"YOU PUNK! Didn't you split the battlefield last time? HMPH! Let's see you split this one now with so many Pokémon!" Miyamoto shouted angrily, then smirked smugly.
Sato was alone on the field. Even if Gengar could divide the battlefield into four, there was no way he could defeat four opponents of the same tier all at once.
Surrounded by enemies… he smiled.
"No need to split the field. You're still going to lose this time too. Gengar!"
"…Gen~"
Gengar appeared silently with glowing golden eyes, and a hidden space began to reveal itself.
Soon, Lance and the previously "rescued" Elite Four level Trainers stationed in Violet City began to emerge.
Elite Four Richie!
Elite Four Abe!
…Thump!
All four Team Rocket members felt their hearts jolt!
They had walked straight into a trap.
If Sato and Lance hadn't intentionally leaked false information…
If the rescue was not timed for that exact night, made to seem urgent…
If the four Rocket members hadn't been recently defeated and left with anger still simmering…
They never would have fallen for such a simple ploy to lure them out!
But it was too late now.
"MOVE!"
Lance shouted excitedly, charging straight at the most mysterious female boss -Madame Boss- of Team Rocket without hesitation.
Richie and Abe, knowing they were standard Elite Four level Trainers, moved to take on Ariana and Kaiser respectively.
Sato, naturally, went head-to-head with one of the "Twin Empresses" of Team Rocket, Miyamoto!
"Tyranitar, Houndoom."
Two red flashes, and Sato sent out the two Pokémon with type advantage to face Miyamoto's Alolan Ninetales and Pidgeot.
The battle erupted instantly. In fact, because they had initially surrounded Sato, Team Rocket's formation was scattered.
Under deliberate pressure from Sato's team of four, the Rocket members were pushed further apart. As for trying to escape together like last time…
Forget it. Not happening.
[1] never gets old. bro!