In the dimly lit office of Team Rocket's headquarters, Petrel and Archer stood in silence before Giovanni, the leader of the Rockets. The oppressive atmosphere weighed on them, as Giovanni's piercing gaze remained fixed, his silence more terrifying than any words he could have spoken.
Sweat trickled down their faces as they waited for Giovanni to speak. Finally, Giovanni's cold, even voice broke the silence.
"I just want to know the result," Giovanni said. Despite the setback, he could overlook the loss of resources if they had successfully obtained the Master Ball's data.
Petrel and Archer, feeling a slight sense of relief, exchanged glances. They hadn't completed the mission, but they'd managed to retrieve something.
"Boss," Archer began, "although we couldn't get all the data, we did manage to obtain part of it."
"Half?" Giovanni's eyebrows furrowed, his disappointment clear. Half of the data was as good as none in his eyes.
"Yes," Archer continued, "our scientists were able to download some of the Master Ball's data from a research room on the ninth floor. But before the download could be completed, a failsafe destroyed the remaining information."
Giovanni's gaze shifted to Petrel, who had been responsible for the operation in Silph Co.'s president's office.
"Explain," Giovanni demanded.
Petrel, nervous under Giovanni's scrutiny, began to explain in a rush. "Everything was going as planned, but we ran into an unexpected problem. A kid... somehow managed to break into the Silver Building and reach the eleventh floor."
The mention of a "kid" made Giovanni's eyes narrow in suspicion. He turned his gaze back to Archer, whose earlier confidence wavered.
Archer cursed inwardly, knowing Petrel was pulling him down with him. He quickly added his side of the story. "This boy disrupted our plans, Boss. We didn't expect interference from someone like him."
Giovanni raised his hand, silencing Archer. "Enough. Are you telling me that a mere brat was enough to ruin everything?" Giovanni's voice was low, yet it made both men shiver.
Petrel struggled to defend himself but found no words. His mind flashed back to the battle with Ash's Pidgeotto. The moment that Pokémon had split into three and attacked from multiple directions had left him speechless.
"Boss, that kid isn't ordinary..." Petrel finally muttered through gritted teeth, hoping to shift some of the blame.
"Oh?" Giovanni's interest was piqued. Even Archer seemed curious now.
Petrel described the moment Pidgeotto split into three, launching simultaneous attacks that left no room for escape. "I've never seen a move like that before. It was... unique."
Giovanni leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. A move that could catch even one of his generals off-guard? That was something worth investigating.
"Interesting..." Giovanni mused. "Investigate this boy. I want to know everything about him."
"Yes, Boss!" Petrel quickly nodded, relieved that Giovanni's anger had shifted toward curiosity.
Giovanni's expression darkened again. "You say he's strong. Fine. But next time, if a child can disrupt our plans, it won't just be an investigation that follows."
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Meanwhile, in the Indigo Plateau, the Kanto Alliance's headquarters, the Elite Four gathered for an urgent meeting. The events at Silph Co. had drawn the attention of the highest authorities in the region.
Bruno, one of the Elite Four, couldn't hide his admiration. "It's incredible. A ten-year-old trainer stopped Team Rocket's plan. This boy, Ash, is extraordinary."
Lance, the Dragon Master, nodded in agreement. "Few trainers that young can handle such pressure. I didn't have that level of skill when I was his age."
Agatha, the oldest and most experienced of the Elite Four, remained focused. "Sabrina also played a key role, but it's a shame we couldn't capture any of Team Rocket's four generals."
"Given their skill, Sabrina did well to hold her ground," Lorelei chimed in, defending her fellow Gym Leader. "The Four Generals are nearly as strong as us. Expecting her to capture them alone was unrealistic."
Bruno, however, redirected the conversation back to Ash. "The question is, what do we do with this boy? We can't let talent like his slip through our fingers. I say we bring him into the Alliance. In a few years, he could be one of us."
But Lance wasn't convinced. He shook his head. "It's too early. He's strong, but he's inexperienced. He needs time to grow, to face more challenges. Bringing him into the Alliance now would be premature."
Bruno's fist slammed against the table. "So what? Are we supposed to just let Interpol take him? They've already shown interest in the kid. If we don't act now, we'll lose him!"
The room fell silent. Bruno wasn't wrong—Interpol was known for recruiting talented trainers outside the control of regional Alliances.
Agatha frowned, and Lorelei shifted uncomfortably. Losing such a promising young trainer to Interpol would be a serious blow.
Lance finally spoke, his voice steady. "Fine. Contact him. But I have a feeling he won't agree to join either of us. This boy... he's different."
Bruno stood up, determined. "Then I'll go talk to him myself. If anyone can convince him, it's me."
With that, Bruno stormed out of the room, leaving the other members of the Elite Four to consider the implications of Ash's rapid rise.
The next steps were clear—Ash Ketchum had caught the attention of not only Team Rocket but the most powerful trainers in Kanto. His journey had only just begun, but already, he stood on the precipice of something far greater than even he could imagine.
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