Pokemon: Skybound

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After traversing a long and narrow tunnel, the three of them finally arrived at a breathtaking frozen waterfall.

As Kai looked up at the towering sheet of ice, he finally understood why Lorelei had named this place "Frozen Waterfall Cave."

Apart from a few slender streams less than a foot wide still trickling down, the enormous waterfall was completely frozen, forming a solid, thick ice wall that glittered in the faint light.

Before they could marvel at the natural wonder, their attention was drawn to the sound of voices echoing deeper within the cave.

Exchanging a glance, the trio moved quietly toward the source of the noise.

Rounding a massive icicle, they spotted several Team Rocket grunts gathered near the edge of a lake filled with floating ice.

The grunts appeared busy with something near a large metal net filled with unconscious Pokémon lying motionless inside.

"Team Rocket!" Lorelei hissed, her voice a mixture of anger and disbelief.

The group observed the scene closely. The grunts were hurriedly pulling out Poké Balls and capturing the fainted Pokémon. Lorelei's anger boiled over.

"No wonder we've encountered so few wild Pokémon on the way here," she muttered, her fists clenched. "They've been poaching them!"

In the Pokémon world, there's an unspoken rule: Pokémon must be captured responsibly, in a way that preserves the ecological balance.

Capturing every Pokémon in a habitat, as Team Rocket was doing, violated that principle and it was happening in Lorelei's hometown, right under her nose. Her fury was palpable.

Kai quickly assessed the situation. There were only a handful of grunts present. He exchanged a plan with Lorelei and Sabrina before they both sent out their Pokémon, charging toward the grunts.

The sound of their approach startled the Team Rocket members.

"Hey! It's that meddlesome Lorelei!" one of them shouted in panic.

Lorelei's brow twitched at the insult. "Meddlesome?" she muttered, her tone low and dangerous. Without hesitation, she surged forward, leaping into the air and landing a sharp elbow strike on the nearest grunt.

The impact was brutal. The grunt crumpled to the ground, teeth flying, as blood sprayed across the icy terrain.

Kai winced. He hadn't expected Lorelei, usually calm and composed, to have such a ferocious side. Note to self: never get on her bad side.

The remaining Team Rocket grunts scrambled to respond, sending out their Pokémon Koffing and Ekans.

But they stood no chance. Lorelei and Kai's Pokémon swiftly overpowered them. Within moments, the grunts' Pokémon were incapacitated, and the remaining grunts attempted to flee.

Sabrina, however, raised her hand, her psychic powers immobilizing them in place.

With the immediate danger neutralized, Kai moved to the metal net to free the captured Pokémon. Meanwhile, Lorelei approached one of the subdued grunts, pressing her boot down firmly on his chest.

"Talk," she commanded coldly. "What is Team Rocket doing here on the Sevii Islands? Where's your base?"

The grunt glared up at her, sneering despite his predicament. "Hah! You think I'd betray Team Rocket? Keep dreaming, lady!"

Lorelei's temper flared. She delivered a swift kick, her boot colliding with his ribs, eliciting a grunt of pain. Even so, the Rocket member remained defiant.

While Lorelei's frustration mounted, Kai had finished untying the net and releasing the captured Pokémon.

Freed from their confinement, the wild Pokémon quickly scattered, fleeing the cave-like startled Rattata.

Kai sighed and turned back to the scene. Lorelei looked ready to explode, but the grunt wasn't budging. Kai walked over with a thoughtful expression.

"Ms. Lorelei, this isn't going to work," he said calmly. "These grunts know you won't do anything too extreme, so they're not afraid of you."

Lorelei narrowed her eyes. "Then what do you suggest?"

Kai rubbed his chin, a mischievous smile forming. "Oh, I don't know… Maybe strip them down and leave them here to freeze, or dunk them in the lake until they're too cold to move or cut their limbs & throw them in salt water, but Of course, I'd never do that. I'm far too kind for such methods."

Lorelei: ...

Team Rocket: ...

Ignoring their horrified stares, Kai turned to Sabrina. "Actually, Sabrina, why don't you use the same technique you used on Ash back in the Saffron Gym?"

Sabrina nodded, raising her hand. In an instant, all but one of the grunts were transformed into ragdolls, their bodies shrinking and collapsing like empty sacks.

"What the—?! Psychic powers?!" The remaining grunt paled in terror, staring at Sabrina. "You're the Saffron Gym Leader!"

"Correct," Kai said with a grin. "So, here's the deal: unless you want to spend the rest of your life as a ragdoll like your friends, you'll tell us everything. Now."

The grunt hesitated, visibly sweating. His loyalty to Team Rocket warred with his fear of becoming a puppet. But the prospect of being abandoned in the freezing cave, powerless and forgotten, proved too much.

"Fine! I'll talk!" he shouted.

Kai clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. "Good choice. See, Ms. Lorelei? I'm helping. You're welcome."

Lorelei stared at him, speechless, as Kai's smug grin grew wider.

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