"Houndour, Flamethrower!"
The scorching flames roared through the air, sending the opposing Nidorino flying before it collapsed, unable to continue battling.
"Come back, Nidorino, you did great!" On the other side, a traveling trainer quickly recalled his Pokémon, his face full of concern, before hurrying off toward the Pokémon Center.
Sato patted Houndour, who had run back seeking praise, and casually transferred a small amount of Dark Energy into it.
Houndour let out a pleased hum, its small tail wagging wildly.
Because of this, Sato quickly gained Houndour's trust and affection. Additionally, Houndour was highly intelligent, often, just a single glance from Sato was enough for it to react correctly.
Their bond was strengthening rapidly, and Sato was extremely satisfied with Houndour's performance.
Spinarak, perched on Sato's shoulder, turned its head away in disdain. Before Houndour joined, it had been the only female in the team and had enjoyed exclusive favoritism.
But Houndour's outstanding performance made it feel an immediate sense of crisis, stronger, smarter, better at seeking attention. Just look at that tail wagging like it was about to snap off!
Moreover, Houndour didn't hold any goodwill toward Spinarak, who had nearly poisoned its entire pack. The two female Pokémon were the only ones in the team who couldn't stand each other.
Sato noticed but had no way to fix it. He was skilled at training, battling, and Pokémon development, but when it came to handling relationships between his Pokémon, he was utterly clueless.
Fortunately, his authority within the team was strong enough that the two merely ignored each other rather than causing actual conflicts.
As trainers captured more Pokémon, conflicts between them became common. Learning how to manage their relationships was an essential skill for any Pokémon trainer.
"Maybe I should ask Nurse Joy..." Sato thought to himself. Just as he was considering it, he felt a light tug on his pants from Houndour.
Before Sato could finish his sentence, he sensed a commotion ahead.
Following Houndour's lead, he quickly ducked to the side!
As Sato quietly hid with Spinarak and Houndour behind the bushes, two disheveled figures stumbled past, running frantically.
Seconds later, two more figures appeared. Unlike the first pair, these two moved with ease, each accompanied by an Arbok and a Weezing.
They wore white uniforms, each with a large red "R" emblazoned on the chest.
Sato muttered internally. After more than a month, he was once again seeing the heavily suppressed Team Rocket in action.
After the two members passed, Sato recalled Spinarak and sent out Gengar before quietly following them.
With Gengar's invisibility, he had no fear of losing them or being discovered. Instead, he circled around the two Team Rocket members to check on the people who had been fleeing.
Up ahead, two middle-aged men in white lab coats supported each other as they ran. Their clothes were tattered and covered in dirt.
One of them wore cracked, crooked glasses that barely hung onto his nose. Both looked utterly exhausted.
"Escaped researchers from a secret facility?" Sato thought. Team Rocket's research division was quite formidable, but not all of their scientists had willingly joined.
Every year, reports surfaced across different regions about missing researchers who had mysteriously disappeared, kidnapped and forced to conduct inhumane research under threat of death.
The two Team Rocket members behind them were clearly assigned to capture the researchers. However, they seemed to be taking their time, playing cat and mouse with their targets.
Sato remained hidden, making no move as he quietly trailed both groups.
It didn't take long before the Team Rocket members grew impatient. One of them commanded Arbok to strike, swiftly capturing the researchers.
The two exhausted researchers, completely drained of energy, had no strength left to resist. Against Arbok's crushing force, they were easily subdued and restrained.
"Let's go. We've let them run around long enough, it's time to wrap this up. Things are too sensitive right now," said the darker-skinned Team Rocket grunt, securing their captives with handcuffs.
"Come on, we finally got a chance to stretch our legs. Why not have a little fun before heading back? You haven't left the base in three or four months, right?" The younger Team Rocket grunt pouted in annoyance but didn't argue further.
The darker-skinned grunt released his second Pokémon. Tauros stood motionless, completely unbothered as its trainer loaded two full-grown men onto its back.
"We may not be the strongest, but we'll take this time to train ourselves. Team Rocket is merely lying low for now."
"I get it" the younger grunt responded obediently, urging his Weezing to follow quickly. He seemed eager to listen and learn.
Sato remained hidden, watching closely. Houndour lay quietly beside him, understanding the situation and not making a sound.
As the Team Rocket grunts departed, Sato waved his hand, and Gengar disappeared into the shadows, silently tracking them.
Several minutes later, Sato finally stood up and began following Gengar's subtle signals to stay on their trail.
He caught up with the grunts soon enough, but during the pursuit, they repeatedly scanned their surroundings, staying highly vigilant.
Over the next half-hour, both parties ventured deeper into the forest. Eventually, at an inconspicuous grassy patch, the Team Rocket grunts came to a stop.
A weathered, darkened stone sat firmly embedded in the ground. The grunts glanced around cautiously before one of them lightly tapped a specific spot on the rock.
Without a sound, an entrance to an underground base smoothly emerged from the grassy terrain. The Team Rocket members led their captive researchers inside, disappearing into the hidden facility.
Sato, still concealed behind the bushes, sighed internally.
'Do all Team Rocket's outdoor bases have the same setup?'
There wasn't a hint of originality!
After waiting in place for over ten minutes, Gengar reappeared, pointing towards a lower section of the grassland.
"Larvitar, dig a tunnel here. Keep the noise down. Gengar, help guide the excavation."
For Larvitar, digging was effortless. It manipulated its Ground-type energy to soften the surrounding soil before carefully removing chunks one by one.
Meanwhile, Gengar provided precise directions on which areas needed clearing, making the excavation process quick and efficient.
Soon, they hit a layer of reinforced metal plating, most likely part of the ventilation system.
Using a controlled flame, Sato carefully melted open a small entrance. Then, he instructed Larvitar to restore the surface layer before recalling both Houndour and Larvitar.
Only Gengar remained by his side as he silently infiltrated the hidden base.