Nozomi departed Vermillion, taking along the Rocket operative he had knocked unconscious.
That helpless Team Rocket member was stuffed into a large black plastic bag, and under the pretense of disposing of trash, Nozomi carried him out of Vermillion Gym without attracting any attention.
"Phew — finally outside."
Once clear of the gym's vicinity, Nozomi made a circuitous path back to the burrow he had used to infiltrate the gym earlier. He fiddled with his voice recorder in hand, quite pleased with his gains this mission had yielded.
"Come back, Ivysaur."
He used telekinesis to shift dirt and seal the entrance of the tunnel — to prevent any Rocket agents from discovering his path — and then withdrew Ivysaur. After changing outfits and altering his appearance casually to resemble an ordinary passerby, he strode toward a hotel in Vermillion City.
At the Oak Lab in Pallet Town—
Ring ring ring ring
Professor Oak, who was feeding Ash's Krabby at that moment, was startled by the ringing of the phone on his desk. A puzzled expression flickered across his face.
"Who could call out of the blue like this? Gary certainly wouldn't… Could it be that Ash caught another Pokémon so soon?"
Oak murmured to himself, though he immediately doubted the possibility — after all, Ash had just teleported in a Pokémon not long ago. How could he have caught another so quickly?
He picked up the phone: "Hello? This is Oak's Lab. May I ask who's calling?"
"It's me, Nozomi, Professor Oak."
"Ah! Nozomi! Why are you calling all of a sudden?" Oak exclaimed. He was taken aback — he had never expected Nozomi to reach out like this. In his mind, Nozomi was the type of trainer who rarely needed his help.
Of all the trainers who'd departed from his lab this year, Nozomi was perhaps the most dependable. Not only did he not require care for his Pokémon, but he had also made quite a name for himself in the field — rumors of his exploits had even reached Oak, despite Oak's usual detachment from League affairs.
Nozomi had assisted law enforcement several times in exposing Rocket's schemes, and news of those deeds made Oak feel quietly proud of his former pupil.
"Here's the thing — there's something I want to tell you. Professor, are things safe over at the lab now?"
"Safe? Why the secretive tone? There's only me here in the lab. Go ahead." Oak sounded mildly baffled.
So Nozomi explained how he had noticed something amiss with Viridian Gym, infiltrated it, and acquired intelligence. He summarized the key details for Oak.
"Professor, I've now obtained evidence that Team Rocket is planning an attack on the S.S. Anne."
"Attack on the S.S. Anne? How confident are you in that?"
Oak was shocked. An outright assault on a cruise ship — that was audacious, even for Team Rocket. But knowing their style, it was plausible: either they stayed quiet, or they created a spectacle.
"And why tell me this?" Oak asked, uncertain of Nozomi's aim.
Nozomi clarified: "To resolve this crisis, I need the contact information of the Elite Four. I can't deal with this alone — Rocket has hundreds of agents, including high-ranking ones. I must ask an Elite to step in."
He admitted he lacked direct connections with the League because he feared Rocket spies within their ranks. That was why he reached out to Oak.
Oak understood. He hesitated, then said, "I do have Lance's contact, but he's not currently in Kanto. He might be unable to help in this case."
Nozomi's heart sank.
"That… is actually related to you," Oak continued. "Because you thwarted several Rocket plots in Kanto, their activity here has greatly diminished. Meanwhile in the Hoenn region, Team Aqua and Team Magma have been extremely active. Lance is temporarily assigned to handling those incidents, so he's out of Kanto."
Nozomi flushed inwardly. So, it wasn't mere coincidence — Lance's absence was partly his doing.
Oak continued, "Of the remaining Elite Four, I don't have strong personal ties with Lorelei or Bruno, so I don't have their contacts. However — Agatha." Oak's voice faltered when mentioning her.
He looked unusually conflicted. Nozomi recalled that in his former life's lore, Oak and Agatha had some past entanglement. They had been close in youth, but a disagreement had estranged them. But now was not the time for gossip.
Giovanni was already eyeing Nozomi, sending two senior members to deal with him. If he didn't take proactive steps, the Rocket Team would likely keep harassing him indefinitely. To sleep more peacefully in the future, Nozomi spoke sincerely:
"For the safety of the many passengers aboard the S.S. Anne, please — you must give me Agatha's contact."
Oak was moved. An assault on a cruise ship could endanger countless lives; in such matters, personal pride was trivial.
"All right — here is Agatha's number. Just dial this."
He scribbled a phone number on paper and showed it via video camera to Nozomi. Nozomi memorized it instantly, nodded, and said, "Thank you, Professor Oak."
"Don't mention it. It's serious — be careful." Oak cautioned.
They ended the call without further pleasantries. Nozomi dialed Agatha's number.
The call connected. It was a voice call first, with a gruff, chilling voice before he could speak:
"Professor Oak, after so many years… this is the first time you call me."
She clearly mistook him for Oak. Slightly embarrassed, Nozomi stammered: "Ahem, apologies — Agatha Elite, I am not Professor Oak."
There was silence on her end for a few seconds. The video call was activated.
In the video, Agatha sat on a sofa, leaning on a cane. She fixed her gaze on Nozomi, assessing him. A cold edge to her tone:
"Who are you? What is your relation to that old oak, Oak? How do you even know this number?"