"Stinky brat! Don't let us catch you, or you're gonna regret it!"
Meowth spat the words like venom, still convinced Alex had only won because of a cheap ambush. Jessie and James clearly felt the same — especially Jessie. She'd actually been about to give the handsome kid special treatment… and then he'd knocked her out cold. All that goodwill, wasted!
"Alex, are you okay?!"
Misty and Nurse Joy came running out of the Pokémon Center, faces tight with worry. They scanned him head to toe, and only when they saw he wasn't even breathing hard did their shoulders relax.
"I'm fine," Alex said with an easy grin, nodding toward the three blackened, twitching figures sprawled on the pavement. "They're the ones with the problem."
The once-dramatic Team Rocket trio now looked like burnt toast — hair fried, clothes smoking, limbs tangled in the most undignified positions. A far cry from their flashy entrance.
"You got us this time," Jessie groaned weakly as Officer Jenny slapped cuffs on all three. "But next time… you won't be so lucky."
Officer Jenny stepped out of her patrol car in her crisp dark-blue uniform, the jacket hugging her curves perfectly. Her long, pale legs caught the streetlights as she moved with calm authority. After a quick assessment, she turned to Alex, her stern expression softening into a warm smile.
"Alex, thank you. Really. You took down Team Rocket and helped us finally catch them."
She extended her hand. Alex took it — soft, slender, and surprisingly strong.
"It was nothing," he replied.
Officer Jenny's bright eyes lingered on him a moment longer. "Those two have active bounties. Catching them means you'll get the League reward. It'll take a few days to process, but it's yours."
Alex's grin widened. Free money from the Rocket trio? Suddenly they looked a lot more like walking jackpots than criminals.
The trio shot him one last death glare as they were loaded into the car.
*Stinky brat… we'll make you spit that bounty back out someday!*
[Mission complete: Defeat the Team Rocket Trio in an unconventional way, protect the Pokémon Center, and leave a lasting impression on them!]
[Mission Reward: One-star Good Citizen Title (Higher star ratings unlock escalating surprise rewards)]
Alex watched the patrol car pull away, already wondering what the next mission from these clowns would bring.
Nurse Joy smiled gently. "The repair crew will be here in the morning. For now, let's get you two back inside and rested."
Once they were back in the Center, Misty couldn't hold back. "Alex, that was insane! How did you train those fighting skills? You took out those Spearow bare-handed and then dropped Jessie and James like it was nothing!"
"I just practice every day," Alex shrugged.
"With who?"
"A friend back home. She's my sparring partner."
Misty's eyes sparkled with determination. "Teach me sometime! I want to train like that too."
Nurse Joy quietly listened, a soft blush on her cheeks. *If I trained with him… I could do it right here at the Center.*
After a little more light chatting, Misty headed to her room. Nurse Joy went to check on the recovering Pokémon.
Alex slipped outside to the video phone booth.
Ding!
Delia picked up almost instantly. The screen lit up with her fresh-from-the-shower glow — wrapped in a thin white bathrobe, hair still damp and dripping, droplets sliding down her collarbone.
"Alex~"
The second she saw him her whole face brightened, then she gave a cute little huff, voice turning playfully pouty. "It took you forever to call! Were you out there charming some pretty girl already?"
Alex laughed and told her everything — the Spearow flock, Ho-Oh's feather, Misty joining him, and the full Team Rocket beatdown.
Delia's eyes went wide with worry. "Are you really okay? Turn around — let me see!"
"I'm fine, I promise."
"Good," she sighed in relief, then smirked. "Of course you are. Who could possibly beat *you*?"
Alex's grin turned wicked. "Well… I can think of one person who beats me every single time."