[attr="class","blackwell"]for once, blackwell is conflicted, and it shows in the way he doesn't immediately respond. he pauses, thinks for moments, then allows anger to take over as it always has. he spits mist and venom.

"i don't fucking know! stop playing games, silph. how long until you actually do something?"

[attr="class","noodles"]FERNANDO SILPH

RESURRECTION

AN OFFER TO OLD ROCKET—THE TRUE ROCKET

“THINGS HAVE CHANGED.” And in more ways than one. Another player enters the fray which means Silas has competition. Who proves a better resource than the former Team Rocket Boss?

Fernando juts his thumb at a pile of bones. They’re still wet with blood but remain void of flesh. It’s picked clean with a thoroughness that undermines their wasteful behavior during the war. He’ll dispose of the remains later.

“Megalopolans. Aliens from another world. Carnivorous people who prefer live food. What they offer me for live Rockets is technology we can’t even begin to comprehend.”

As long as Silas pulls his form from Fernando’s MISTY TERRAIN so too will his body conform to his commands. He doesn’t bend him, not at first, but a sudden thrust of his hand sends the mist several meters back. It creates space that Silas cannot cross before Fernando dismisses his existence.

“So what can you offer me? Why should I choose you over them?”

Fernando aim an underhanded toss at him. The Pokeball he lobs should pass right through him but by the time it reaches him it’ll fit right into his hands. His skin remains pink but his body becomes solid. Tangible.

Nights like these are ones Fernando cannot miss. No one proves important enough to interrupt.

“It’s not what you’re used to but you’ll find it an improvement from what you had. They’re a recently discovered Pokemon. Faster, can swap between bipedal and quadruped, and make up for their lack of X-ray vision with a special punching technique.”

Fernando summons his own. A mirror match. A chance to prove himself.

The Megalopolans offer knowledge. Silas offers muscle. Which one is more valuable? Fernando doesn’t know. But his business acumen points toward only one way to find out: have them compete. The harder they fight to prove themselves the more value they provide.

SILAS BLACKWELL

[attr="class","blackwell"]to bend and conform to laws beyond his control is demeaning. he tenses as he's forced back with the rest of the mist. it swivels and clouds around him, slowly fading to reveal narrowed eyes.

"i can offer you victory."

to his surprise, he's able to catch the pokeball, and he grips it with so much vigor that it almost cracks under the pressure. it pops open, releasing a pokemon that's met with a look of confusion.

"what the fuck is this?"

but it doesn't matter. if this is his only path to revenge, then he'll make do. he'll overcome. he'll crush.

a whistle escapes out of instinct, but the order comes after, strict and absolute.

"attack."

the zeraora bounds forward, leaps when close and throws a POWER-UP PUNCH.

[attr="class","noodles"]FERNANDO SILPH

RESURRECTION

AN OFFER TO OLD ROCKET—THE TRUE ROCKET

“LOFTY CLAIMS FROM SOMEONE WHO FAILED.”

Fernando refuses to flinch when the whistle pervades his ears. How long had it been since that sound struck fear in Hoenn? His age starts to show as Fernando immediately retaliates.

“Battle routine set!”

His own Zeraora prepares as the other approaches. A mirror match between two Pokemon that have yet to battle leaves the results open ended.

“Execute!”

A POWER-UP PUNCH comes out and the lightning like speed makes it impossible to block. It almost looks like Fernando’s Zeraora is about to parry the attack but it suddenly crouches, front paws on the ground to FAKE OUT the sudden twist into an upwards kick.

“Why did you go for Verdanturf instead of playing it safe with Dewford?”

SILAS BLACKWELL

[attr="class","blackwell"]blackwell practically SNARLS when their attack is countered. he expects more. he demands more.

"ATTACK."

zeraora maintains its close distance, quickly recovers from the FAKE OUT, and lands back with a SNARL that pierces through the air. it wastes little time to leap again for another POWER-UP PUNCH.

"wanted to increase my hold over the region. dewford gives me nothing."

[attr="class","noodles"]FERNANDO SILPH

RESURRECTION

AN OFFER TO OLD ROCKET—THE TRUE ROCKET

THE ABRUPT SNAP OF THUNDER STARTLES THE ZERORA. SNARL buys them a window of opportunity. In it, they find a well placed POWER-UP PUNCH. Momentum builds from a quick fist to the chest but Fernando’s Zeraora SNARLS in return, shrieking in surprised pain.

“Dewford gives you a bigger foothold in the south. Gives you a chance to fallback. An escape route. Instead, you bite off more than you could chew.”

SILAS BLACKWELL

[attr="class","blackwell"]"AGAIN."

the muscles in zeraora's arms start to bulge. it throws two more POWER-UP PUNCHES, one a straight left, the other a right cross.

"verdanturf was mine to claim. i almost had it."

[attr="class","noodles"]FERNANDO SILPH

RESURRECTION

AN OFFER TO OLD ROCKET—THE TRUE ROCKET

“BACK OFF.”

The command is given to his Zeraora but the advice applies to both. It leaps backwards with a sudden spurt of AGILITY, allowing the first punch to graze it and the second to miss altogether. With fleeting distance, his Zeraora takes the opportunity to charge up an AURA SPHERE.

“Almost doesn’t cut it. Not for victory.”

SILAS BLACKWELL

[attr="class","blackwell"]"you were there to stop me."

the earlier SNARL makes the AURA SPHERE bearable. it impacts, curling yellow and black fur, but it does little to stop the two POWER-UP PUNCHES from being thrown, both stronger than the last as zeraora closes the distance once more.

"you won't be this time."

[attr="class","noodles"]FERNANDO SILPH

RESURRECTION

AN OFFER TO OLD ROCKET—THE TRUE ROCKET

“THERE ARE MORE POWERFUL PEOPLE THAN I.”

Several names come to mind, all trainers that have usurped him in power levels since Silas’ fall. Fernando spares him the details—he doubts Silas would care.

The Zeraora end up scrapping longer than Fernando had intended. Eventually, his powers fade, and with it, Blackwell’s physical body.

When he exits, he’s thankful for the exchange. A dialogue with his greatest adversary helps clear his mind. He knows what must be done.

Coercing the great Blackwell to play babysitter and unknowingly train his Pokemon is just the cherry to top the cake.

SILAS BLACKWELL