"Move, move, move! We've got an escape in progress inside the facility—mobilize everyone now!"
"Shut down all internal systems! Activate every security camera—we need eyes on the escapee!"
"Reporting in! Detecting a high-heat signature in the southeastern quadrant—suspected escapees located!"
"Be advised—the target is the Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island! Proceed with extreme caution!"
"Scan all personnel. Find out if anyone else is missing besides Blaine!"
"..."
The chaos slowly gave way to order. Team Rocket's operatives, trained in strict paramilitary routines, began mobilizing with mechanical precision. Drills for containment breaches like this weren't just theory—they had been practiced for exactly this kind of scenario. On-duty personnel were already in motion. Those off-duty snapped awake, throwing on their uniforms and releasing their Pokémon, joining the massive sweep effort without hesitation.
Researchers jolted from their sleep, startled and panicked, only to be confronted by grim-faced Rocket members and their intimidating Pokémon partners. Interrogations began immediately.
"Report: The escapees include not only Blaine, but also renowned Pokémon professor Samuel Oak, and the test subject for the Mewtwo Project—logan. Awaiting further orders, Captain!"
"Hmph. If it was just Blaine, things might be difficult. But he's dragging two liabilities with him? That changes everything," the captain sneered. "Issue the command. The Mewtwo Project is nearly complete. We no longer need Blaine, Oak, or that boy. Kill them all—dead or alive. But be cautious… Blaine is no ordinary opponent. He's a Gym Leader."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldier snapped a sharp salute and sprinted off to relay the order from the facility's top commander.
"You really think we weren't prepared for this, Blaine? You've been under heavy surveillance from day one. That never changed."
The captain ripped off his white lab coat, revealing the stark black uniform underneath—emblazoned with a blood-red 'R'. He jammed a cap on his head, grabbed a Poké Ball, and stormed out of the room with deadly purpose.
"Damn it—they responded way too fast! Something's gone wrong!"
In one of the base's winding corridors, logan and Professor Oak were riding at full gallop atop a blazing Rapidash. Its flaming mane flickered like molten ribbons, yet surprisingly gave off no heat—only a soothing warmth. The Pokémon's speed was breathtaking, but logan felt stable in the saddle, even though he had never ridden before.
Beside them, Blaine clung tightly to a massive Arcanine, the great beast bounding powerfully across the lab's polished floors. Compared to the graceful Rapidash, Arcanine made for a bumpy, almost chaotic ride—but what it lacked in smoothness, it made up for in raw, thunderous momentum. One glance at the beast's hulking frame—well over two meters tall, built like a tank—and logan knew the official Pokédex entries were garbage. This wasn't a loyal companion. It was a living battering ram. If it body-checked a human at full speed, it could probably shatter every bone in their body.
Despite the unexpected complications, Blaine remained perfectly calm. A seasoned Gym Leader, he had the strength to defend an entire city if need be. His tone was steady, his words razor-sharp.
"…No need to panic. Few inside Team Rocket even know the full scope of the Mewtwo Project. And there aren't any Executive-class operatives stationed at this base. We've got a real shot at escaping."
"I noticed earlier—this facility is built underground, beneath a remote island. It's surrounded by ocean," Oak chimed in, holding tightly onto logan to keep him steady during the ride. Despite being a researcher, his calm and experience in this high-stakes situation hinted at a past filled with dangerous knowledge.
"And Blaine, your expertise is with Fire-type Pokémon. What happens once we hit open sea?"
Blaine gave a confident smirk. "Already thought of that. I made an excuse to leave the lab a few weeks ago and borrowed a high-level Lapras from Cerulean City's Water-type Gym Leader. It's waiting offshore to pick us up. I didn't summon her earlier—didn't want to raise suspicions—but she's been circling the island in stealth mode. Once we meet up with her, we'll have a serious advantage on the water. Out there, most trainers won't stand a chance."
Professor Oak nodded in approval. The plan was airtight.
He looked down at logan with firm, protective eyes. "Logan, hold tight to Rapidash. You're going to be okay. I promise you."
His voice wasn't just reassuring—it carried a weight, a burden. Oak blamed himself. The technology that allowed Pokémon DNA to be fused into a human body? That came from one of his old theories. A casual suggestion, never intended for actual use. And yet Team Rocket took it… and turned it into a twisted reality, using logan as their test subject. He had almost lost his life because of it. Oak wouldn't let that happen again.
"Watch out! Blockade ahead!"
Blaine shouted, pointing toward the corridor's next intersection. Two Rocket grunts had already taken position, flanked by their Pokémon. Upon seeing the escapees, one barked out a command:
"Psyduck! Poliwhirl! Water Gun, now!"
The goofy-looking duck opened its beak. The frog-like Pokémon raised an arm. And despite the attack's name, this wasn't a child's squirt gun—it was a full-force industrial pressure jet, more like a high-powered firehose than anything else.
"They've set up Water-types just for me," Blaine growled. "Ignore them—they're just buying time for the main force to catch up. Rapidash, charge! Arcanine, Flamethrower!"
In an instant, Arcanine's mouth flared open with blistering orange light. Its eyes blazed like a warrior's—unyielding, fierce. And then—whoosh!—a stream of infernal fire surged forward, painting the hallway in incandescent heat.
The temperature spiked so drastically that logan felt like the entire corridor had been turned into a furnace. Even without a thermometer, he could tell—it had to be over a thousand degrees. The very air shimmered and twisted with heat. Without Rapidash's protective aura, his skin might have blistered on the spot.
Type advantage? Not today.
In games, Water beats Fire. But this wasn't a game. This was real.
And in reality, power beats all.
If the fire hits first… if it's stronger… type matchups mean nothing.
The twin jets of Water Gun were vaporized mid-air, reduced to scalding steam that exploded into the corridor. Poliwhirl and Psyduck barely had time to scream before the flames engulfed them. Their trainers weren't spared either. Caught in the heat blast, their bodies were shielded slightly by their Pokémon—but even so, their skin erupted into grotesque blisters. Had the water softened the blow just a little? Maybe. But they were still on the brink of death.
Blaine and Oak didn't even slow down.
With a single leap, Rapidash and Arcanine cleared the downed enemies and their injured Pokémon, racing deeper into the facility.
logan turned back just before the next corner.
The two Rocket grunts were writhing in pain, barely conscious. He watched one shakily pull out a syringe and jab it into his own thigh—emergency treatment, probably. Something to stave off the burns. But from the looks of it, all four of them—men and Pokémon—were just one step from death's door.
If Blaine hadn't been in a rush, logan was sure he would've finished them off.
That moment etched itself into Ethan's mind.
This world was terrifyingly dangerous.
But at the same time…
The power of Pokémon…
Was utterly, hypnotically magnificent.
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