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Naoko: "Sorry, you don't have an invitation, so you can't go in."
Chris raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"The person who asked me if I wanted to enter was you, and the person who said I couldn't enter without an invitation is also you. So... what do you want from me?"
Chris spoke to Naoko again, but her answer remained unchanged: no invitation, no entry. However, Chris had no idea where to obtain the invitation.
Determined, he scoured Ecruteak City for clues. Despite searching the entire area, Chris couldn't find an invitation. The best item he came across was a Rare Candy, which was hardly helpful.
Faced with failure, Chris decided to temporarily abandon his attempt to enter the Ecruteak Dance Hall. With a sigh, he muttered, "If I don't know now, I'll figure it out later."
He pulled out his phone and scheduled a session with the school's communication evolution machine for Haunter, as evolving Haunter into Gengar required a trade. With nothing left to do in Ecruteak City, Chris set his sights on Mahogany Town, his next destination in the Johto Region.
Arriving at Route 42, Chris noted the presence of Mt. Mortar—a formidable mountain teeming with wild Pokémon and trainers. However, instead of undertaking the lengthy trek through the mountain, Chris opted to use Surf to traverse the nearby waterway directly to Mahogany Town.
In no time, he reached his destination. The in-game map transitioned to reveal a quaint town overshadowed by ominous dark clouds and pouring rain.
"Rain? That's new," Chris said, frowning slightly.
Rain curtained Mahogany Town, accompanied by distant rumbles of thunder. It was unusual since the game's cities rarely experienced rain. While wilderness areas sometimes had weather events, rain in a city was a first for Chris.
He quickly headed to the Pokémon Center to heal his team. Thankfully, the center operated as usual. Ready to challenge Mahogany Town's Gym Leader, Pryce, Chris made his way to the Gym, only to be informed that Pryce was currently at the Lake of Rage.
Chris wasted no time heading toward the lake. Upon reaching its entrance, a notification appeared:
[Yes/No to enter the story quest "Lake of Rage" (disappears after clearing)]
[Recommended level: 60]
"A dungeon? Figures," Chris muttered with raised eyebrows.
He wasn't surprised. According to the storyline, the Red Gyarados' appearance was intricately tied to Team Rocket. To capture it, Chris knew he'd have to confront them.
A Team Rocket character capable of turning the Lake of Rage into a dungeon... who could it be?
The first thing Chris thought of was Giovanni.
"The recommended level of this quest is 60. Is Giovanni really that weak?" Chris wondered, skeptical.
With a deep breath, Chris selected Enter.
In a flash of light and shadow, he found himself at the Lake of Rage. The dark, dim sky loomed overhead, pressing down on him like a mountain. Heavy rain poured relentlessly, as if the heavens themselves were weeping. Lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder boomed ominously, sending shivers down Chris's spine.
Without hesitation, Gardevoir emerged from her Poké Ball, creating a shimmering Barrier above Chris to shield him from the rain.
"Next time I head into a rainy scene like this, I've got to remember to bring a raincoat," Chris muttered, glancing at his nearly drenched coat.
"ROAR!!!"
A ferocious, guttural roar echoed across the Lake of Rage. The sound was deafening, its intensity shaking the very ground beneath Chris's feet. A blinding flash of light followed, illuminating the darkness for a brief moment.
BOOM!
The ground quaked, and when Chris turned, he saw that the land a hundred meters behind him had been reduced to scorched earth.
He turned his gaze toward the source of the devastation, his eyes widening at the sight of a massive crimson figure: the Red Gyarados! The fearsome creature towered above the lake, its scales shimmering in fiery shades of red. Above its head was its level, LV70.
"That was a Hyper Beam just now," Chris thought, realizing the sheer destructive power of the move. The scorched earth was a testament to its might.
"The big guy appeared already?" Chris muttered, narrowing his eyes at the Red Gyarados. "That's my main objective in the Johto Region!"
Suddenly, a sharp, shrill voice pierced through the pounding rain.
"Hurry up, get Gyarados under control! Leave the old man to me!"
Turning toward the source of the voice, Chris spotted a woman in a sleek silver coat bearing a bold R emblem on her chest. Surrounding her were other Trainers clad in black uniforms, all marked with the same R.
"Team Rocket..." Chris murmured, his expression darkening.
Across from Team Rocket stood an elderly man with snow-white hair, leaning on a cane. He wore a sharp blue suit, and despite his age, his stance was firm and resolute.
"That must be Pryce, the Mahogany Town Gym Leader," Chris guessed. "But which Pryce? The one from the anime or the special manga chapter?"
Chris's thoughts raced. He knew Pryce from the manga was no ordinary Trainer. With his Delibird, he could stand toe-to-toe with legendary Pokémon. If this Pryce was anything like that, he might even outmatch Giovanni unless Giovanni still controlled Mewtwo.
"Yes, ma'am!" the Team Rocket members called out in unison. They spread out around the lake, closing in on the Red Gyarados.
Unfortunately, the group heading toward Chris's direction spotted him immediately.
One Rocket grunt pointed in his direction. "Hey! Who's that?!"
"Looks like we've got an intruder!" another shouted.
Chris tightened his grip on Gardevoir's Poké Ball. "Well, this just got interesting."