Pokemon: Skybound

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After finishing lunch, they wasted no time and headed straight to their destination, ready to begin their search for Team Rocket.

Before arriving, Lorelei had already searched One Island on her own. Finding nothing, she shifted her focus to the nearby Two Islands.

However, as she didn't have a Flying-type Pokémon, they had to take her speedboat, setting off via the sea to accommodate her.

They rode the waves as the boat sped forward, but Kai wasn't paying attention to the scenery.

A question had been on his mind for a while, and as they drew closer to the next island, he couldn't help but ask.

"Miss Lorelei, since you're certain that Moltres is somewhere here, why not try to capture it yourself?"

While steering the boat, Lorelei glanced at him and replied matter-of-factly, "Because I'm an Ice-type Pokémon Master! Capturing a Fire-type Pokémon would contradict my speciality. Besides, Moltres is strong against my Ice Pokémon, so why would I willingly invite trouble?"

'So that's why!' Kai had thought she was acting as an unseen guardian, protecting the legend of her homeland to preserve it from harm.

Who would have guessed the reason was so straightforward?

It seemed that, like other specialized trainers, Lorelei's focus on mastering Ice types not only brought her fame and success but also limited her versatility in dealing with other Pokémon types.

The speedboat cut through the water, sending droplets splashing onto their faces. After more than ten minutes of travel, they finally arrived at Two Island.

Two Island, officially known as Friendship Island, earned its name because of the two parallel mountains standing side by side, like brothers leaning on one another.

After disembarking at the dock, Kai noticed that the island had a slightly larger population than One Island. It served as the commercial hub of the Sevii Islands.

On specific days, an open-air market would open, allowing locals to trade goods or sell unique island specialities to tourists.

Unfortunately, today wasn't a market day. The square was quiet, with only a few elderly women idly manning stalls, selling basic necessities.

As Kai scanned the area, his eyes landed on a newly opened game corner in the distance.

Sabrina immediately became cautious. "Is that game corner new? Could it be another one of Team Rocket's operations?"

Lorelei shook her head. "I had my suspicions too, but after investigating, I found it had no connection to Team Rocket. That said, it's been attracting biker gangs. If left unchecked, they'll cause problems sooner or later."

"Biker gangs?" Sabrina's eyes widened.

The thought surprised her. She hadn't expected biker gangs to exist on such a remote island.

"What are they even doing here? Riding their motorcycles back and forth on these tiny roads? Are they competing to see who crashes into the sea first?"

They shook off the thought and, finding no suspicious activity on the island, moved deeper inland.

Lorelei believed the most suspicious area on Two Island was Cape Brink. However, despite thoroughly searching the area, they found no trace of Team Rocket.

"It doesn't seem like they're on Two Island either. Let's move to the next location."

Although the search yielded no results, at least they confirmed the area's safety. The only downside was returning to the pier and boarding the speedboat again to head for Three Island.

Three Island, also known as Bond Bridge Island, consists of two connected islands, one large and one small, linked by a precarious-looking rope bridge.

Even here, no trace of Team Rocket could be found. However, the journey wasn't entirely fruitless.

The island had a lush orchard filled with ripe, wild berries. Kai released his Pokémon, letting them enjoy a well-earned feast.

By the time the sun began to set, everyone was exhausted. At Lorelei's invitation, they decided to rest at her home on Four Island.

Four Island, also called Icefall Island, is the coldest of the Sevii Islands due to cold ocean currents affecting its northeastern side. Lorelei's home was nestled by a small lake at the foot of a mountain.

Though her parents still lived on the island, they couldn't endure the cold and had moved to a warmer area.

Lorelei lived alone, yet her home was warm and cosy, and she immaculately kept showing her skill as a homemaker alongside her work as an Elite Four member.

"Please, make yourselves at home," Lorelei said, opening the door and stepping inside. Sabrina followed, but as Kai was about to enter, something caught his attention under the moonlight a dark cave on the other side of the lake.

"What's that place?"

Hearing him, Lorelei poked her head out, glancing toward the cave. She smiled. "Oh, that? It was originally just a small crevice. I had it widened into a proper cave. It leads directly into the island's interior. The cold air you feel now comes from inside it's a world of ice and snow in there."

A thought crossed Kai's mind. He couldn't recall if such a cave appeared in any of the games.

"So, Pokémon are living in there too?"

"Of course," Lorelei nodded. "I occasionally go in to train myself and my Pokémon."

"When was the last time you went inside?" Kai asked.

Lorelei thought for a moment. "About two weeks ago. Why? Is something wrong?"

Kai didn't answer directly. "We've searched everywhere else on the island and found no trace of Team Rocket. Have you considered that they might be hiding in the cave?"

Lorelei froze.

The idea hadn't crossed her mind. The cave was so close to her home, and strangers rarely ventured there. She had almost forgotten about it.

Sometimes, the safest place is the most dangerous. Could Team Rocket really be hiding there?

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