"Ariana, cough… we're under attack by an unknown enemy! Requesting backup! Some of our men have already gone missing!"
"Ariana! There's a red moon in the mist! Unknown Pokémon—team members disappearing—requesting backup! I—AHH!!"
"Ariana, everything seems fine on our end. We've identified the border between the tropical rainforest and the frozen forest—wait, an unknown Pokémon spotted—uh… my body… it won't move… d-d—"
"Prioritize protecting the interference devices." Ariana replied coldly to the three squads reporting in at the same time. Then, she leaned back into her seat, her expression grave.
From her vantage point in the hovercraft above the forest, Sunset Forest looked like nothing more than an ordinary forest.
Three distinct environments? That was impossible.
"…Are my eyes playing tricks on me?"
She clenched her fists. Three squads being attacked at the same time? It was coordinated. Someone was leading these wild Pokémon.
But who would go out of their way to protect Celebi?
The Dawn Squad? A researcher? No, impossible. Why would a researcher willingly hand us the interference device if they wanted to protect Celebi?
The Galar League? No, equally unlikely. They had no surveillance in this region.
Was this an elaborate trap? A way to lure in the remnants of Team Rocket and wipe them out? But was their remaining strength really worth such an effort?
"…Or did someone betray us?" Ariana's fingers dug into the armrest.
What about Alpha Squad? They were supposed to be Team Rocket's elite forces—they shouldn't have failed.
She switched communications, calling Alpha Squad's leader—
No response.
Ariana's expression darkened. Alpha Squad was gone. Completely wiped out.
"…Archer. Proton. Petrel. Where are they?"
She switched channels again—
All three refused to answer.
"This is not how the plan was supposed to go…"
Her frustration finally boiled over as she activated a direct link to the Rocket Airship's pilot.
"This is Ariana—what's the status of the interference devices?"
A panicked voice came through.
"Ariana! I was about to contact you—the interference devices are being destroyed at an alarming rate! What should we do?!"
Ariana gritted her teeth.
"Abort the mission. Send the recall signal to all units. The plan has failed."
"B-but, Ariana—what about Archer, Proton, and Petrel? Especially Proton—he didn't bring a flight pack—"
"I gave you an order!" she snarled, slamming a fist into the console. "Do you want Team Rocket to die here?!"
"…Understood, ma'am. The recall signal has been sent. What about you? Shall I prepare for your return?"
Ariana hesitated.
30 seconds passed.
Then—BOOM!
A tremendous impact rocked her hovercraft. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Corviknight…!!"
She clenched her jaw as the armored bird Pokémon slammed against her vehicle again, tearing into the metal plating with its talons.
"Damn it! If you think you're getting rid of me that easily—"
She slammed her fist down on the emergency eject button, launching herself from the craft.
The flight pack on her back kicked in, allowing her to stabilize midair.
"Fine. You wanna fight me? Let's take this to the ground!"
Ariana descended rapidly, angling toward a nearby meadow bathed in golden sunlight.
Gracidea Prairie.
The scent of blooming Gracidea Flowers filled the air, but Ariana barely noticed.
Her eyes locked onto two Lilligant, standing protectively in front of a group of weaker Pokémon.
At their feet lay a fallen Rocket grunt, unconscious and covered in deep slash wounds.
His Pokémon were also completely incapacitated—and the marks on their bodies made it clear what had happened.
"…What?" Ariana's face twisted in disgust.
"You lost to wild Pokémon? You idiots—how the hell did you screw this up?! There wasn't even a human commanding them!"
She ran a hand through her hair, trying to suppress her growing rage.
"…Fine. I'll handle this myself."
She flicked her wrist, sending three Poké Balls flying.
From them emerged Vileplume, its massive, toxic-red petals swaying ominously as it released a cloud of noxious pollen. Honchkrow, letting out a deep, raspy caw as its piercing red eyes locked onto the enemy. Arbok, flicking its forked tongue, the menacing pattern on its hood distorting as it coiled, ready to strike.
The two Lilligant trembled, already weakened from an earlier battle.
But despite their exhaustion, they stood firm—because they were protecting something important.
Not just the Pokémon behind them—but the flowers themselves.
These were the Gracidea flowers they had planted with Summer.
They would not let them be destroyed.
Ariana snapped her fingers.
"Let's make this quick."
But before her Pokémon could move—
SHRAAACK!
A massive tangle of tree roots exploded from the ground, wrapping tightly around all three Pokémon.
"…What?!"
Ariana turned sharply—
Her gaze met a single, burning-red eye.
A Trevenant loomed before her, its twisted wooden body crackling as it tightened its grip on her Pokémon.
Its eerie whispers filled the air.
"Those who destroy the forest… must be judged."
Ariana's blood ran cold.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
"Arbok—use Acid! Vileplume—Toxic!"
But before they could even react—
Trevenant's eye flashed, and a strange green light engulfed Arbok and Honchkrow.
The moment they were hit—
Ariana's stomach dropped.
"…No. No!"
FOREST'S CURSE.
Their bodies glowed faintly—as the move forcefully added the Grass-typing to both of them.
Trevenant tilted its head.
Now they were weak to Flying-type moves.
A shadow passed overhead.
"KRAAA!"
Ariana barely had time to look up before Corviknight descended like a steel missile, its wings slicing through the air.
"BRAVE BIRD."
BOOM.
The impact erased all three of Ariana's Pokémon in one hit.
Honchkrow, Arbok, and Vileplume—completely annihilated.
Ariana's face was frozen in shock.
"…Impossible. One Corviknight can't command an entire flock of birds… Let alone one with a Skarmory—its natural enemy—among them…"
She collapsed onto her knees, gripping the dirt beneath her.
Her breath came in short gasps.
"…This isn't real. This can't be happening."
But as her defeated Pokémon lay motionless, and the interference devices were systematically destroyed, one fact became unmistakably clear.
Team Rocket had lost.
And today—
Sunset Forest had won.
(To Be Continued…)