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The hostile Pokémon from the other boat retreated, and Gunner thought it best if he and his companion did the same. The storm was growing fiercer, and their boat had already taken on some water from earlier waves crashing over the side.[break][break]

"Bedivere, to me!" he shouted over the screaming wind. The Bombirdier obeyed, diving toward the boat so Gunner could return him to his Pokéball. A second Pokéball recalled the Wailord as she BOUNCED out of the sea.[break][break]

The sailor behind the wheel needed no urging to turn the boat the way they'd come. Kyogre bellowed, the sound more ominous than thunder.[break][break]

"Tom, can you give us a hand?" Gunner asked his Claydoll, who levitated at his side.[break][break]

The Pokémon uttered a strange noise in affirmation, then used its psychic powers to propel the boat away from the engaged leviathan and toward safety.[break][break]

As they sped away, Gunner glanced over his shoulder. The other boat was merely a speck against the dark ocean. He hadn't gotten a good glimpse of whoever had been steering it, but he committed its appearance and the three attacking Pokémon, at least, to memory.

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Gunner swore again, more frantically this time as the ORIGIN PULSE smashed into their ship. The boat nearly capsized, but the enormous waves pushed it back up right. It didn't stop them from getting soaked to the bone, though.[break][break]

"We need to get out of here before that thing tears us apart!" the sailor yelled over the growing rumble of Kyogre's tempest.[break][break]

Before Gunner could respond, a Dhelmise appeared out of a thrown Pokéball and SLAMMED into his Wailord. Viviane bellowed and dove into the depths of the sea to avoid the ghostly anchor. Seconds later, Gunner's Bombirdier swooped in to attack the Dhelmise with DARK PULSE.[break][break]

A sudden shockwave ripped through the ocean as Kyogre BODY SLAMMED into the submerged Wailord. While the two titans duked it out beneath the surface, their attacks whipped the seas into a frenzy.[break][break]

Gunner opened another Pokéball. In the event things went south, his Claydoll could teleport them out. In the meantime, it set up a PROTECT around the boat.

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Between Kay and Wander, they were able to subdue the Hypno quickly. The Psychic-type slouched, unconscious, against the refrigerator, bruised and scratched but not too hurt.[break][break]

"Can the Lilycove Rangers take care of this Pokémon?" Gunner asked Genevieve.[break][break]

After hearing her answer, he turned away from her and took out his phone to use its flashlight. The beam illuminated a dilapidated interior, dusty and worn from lack of use. In the layer of dust on the floor, he noticed several sets of footprints, including some smaller ones.[break][break]

Like a child's.[break][break]

Gunner set his jaw. "I'm going to explore the house. Feel free to join me once the Hypno is under control," he said. Then he stepped into the living room, his Kecleon at his side. A set of stairs led up to the second floor, and another led into what he presumed was the basement.[break][break]

He took the stairs leading down.

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"Shit!" Gunner swore as the thick, inky smoke filled the space between both boats, blocking everything from sight. "Careful," he said to the sailor driving their boat. The vessel slowed down considerably.[break][break]

Just in time for a HYDRO PUMP to push it off course. Gunner automatically grabbed at the control dashboard to steady himself. Then he picked up the mic of the marine-grade PA system built into the boat and pressed the ON button.[break][break]

"This is the HBIC. Stand down now," he said into the mic, which amplified his voice across the waters. "These are dangerous waters and the Legendary beast here is volatile."[break][break]

As if on queue, Kyogre roared and shifted, displacing water in much the same way Gunner's Wailord had. The seas churned with furious violence. A howling gust of wind blew through the area, the herald of a sudden storm. It dispersed the smokescreen just as Kyogre's great mouth opened wide.[break][break]

An ORIGIN PULSE fired, catching both boats in its trajectory.

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As soon as their boat neared, Gunner saw the Clobbopus and Skrelp with the net between them. A net, really? For Kyogre? he thought, incredulous. But then they turned their attention to him and attacked.[break][break]

"Not friendly, then," Gunner surmised aloud as his companion attempted to swerve the slow-moving SLUDGE BOMB. Selecting two Pokéballs from his belt, he released his own Pokémon.[break][break]

Both ships rocked as his Wailord displaced tons of water. The enormous whale released a WATER SPOUT to collide with the arcing poison. Above, his Bombirdier cried out a warning before diving at the Clobbopus using DRILL RUN.[break][break]

The Kyogre opened its eye and rumbled.

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Unfortunately for Team Rocket, they were not the only ones interested in the rogue Legendary. Another boat sped toward the floating monstrosity, this one part of the fleet used by the Hoenn Bureau of Intelligence and Counterterrorism.[break][break]

Gunner stood in the cockpit, next to a seasoned sailor who was actually driving the vessel. He peered through tactical binoculars at the Kyogre.[break][break]

Movement in the periphery of his vision caught his attention. A short distance away from the colossal Pokémon, another boat bobbed upon the waves.[break][break]

"Is that one of ours?" Gunner asked, pointing.[break][break]

The sailor squinted. "Can't say for sure, sir, but it's not a ship I recognize right away."[break][break]

"Get us closer. I'm going to hail them."[break][break]

"Aye, sir." Their boat's engine roared louder as the vessel picked up speed.

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Knowing the kind of task set ahead of him that day, Gunner opted out of partaking in doughnuts. If he survived this encounter, he would bring some home to celebrate.[break][break]

But that required surviving first.[break][break]

He peered through a pair of tactical binoculars brought for the occasion. The side was wide, and the sooner they spotted Kyogre on the horizon, the more time they had to act.[break][break]

"So what's the plan when it gets here, Navidson?" Gunner asked, keeping his gaze focused on the ocean.[break][break]

At his side, Enid, his black-furred Raichu, sat back on her haunches. His other Pokémon swam in the water below them or flew above alongside Navy's.

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As Gunner and Thomas stepped out of the shipping container, Mordred cloaked them in the illusion of fog. It spread out across the pier, masking their movements as they approached the truck.[break][break]

"Damn, where'd this fog come from?" one of the pirates wondered.[break][break]

Another one hauled a crate with a slumbering Eevee inside. "Hurry. I don't wanna be here if some wild Pokémon's appeared to come eat us."[break][break]

"C'mon, don't be such a coward. It's just a little fog."[break][break]

The criminals never saw what hit them.

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Gunner's warning came too late; one of the Nihilego managed to wrap its tentacles around Riley's arm. But before Gunner could wrench the other man away, the second Nihilego advanced toward him, prepared to poison him in the same manner.[break][break]

His Raichu intervened, shocking the approaching Pokémon with SHADOW BOLT. The jellyfish reeled back, only to regain its composure and retaliate with VENOSHOCK. Enid cried out, a mix of frustration and pain in her voice.[break][break]

"Enid!" Gunner yelled. "Hit them both if you can!"[break][break]

She obeyed, releasing a DISCHARGE at both Nihilego. Between her and Rilely's Umbreon, the jellyfish seemed to decide the humans here weren't worth the effort. They retreated into the darkness of the ship.[break][break]

Only then did Gunner realize Riley was missing. "Riley? Hey, Riley! Where are you?"[break][break]

He started back the way they came at a brisk pace.

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"Garm?" Gunner tried to remember if he knew an agent by that name. The hazy face of a black-haired youth swam into his mind's eye. "Oh, he's fine. Fully recovered from his imprisonment and back to doing intel gathering, just like us."[break][break]

New movement on the monitors drew Gunner's attention as a truck drove up to the pier. This time, the microphones on the hidden cameras picked up the sound of its engine rumbling. Car doors slammed as unknown individuals stepped out of the car.[break][break]

The people from the boat approached them.[break][break]

"Got the shipment for tonight?"[break][break]

"Yeah man, a whole cruise liner full of 'em. Mostly untrained shit but that's perfect for buyers."[break][break]

"All right, I'll get the truck open."[break][break]

"Here we go," Gunner said, putting down his empty cup of coffee. At his side, Mordred shifted on his haunches, anticipating a fight. "Ready?"

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Gunner blinked, taken aback by the sudden attention to his food. "Uh, yeah. It's from a restaurant a couple of blocks away. I sometimes stop by when I'm working this late."[break][break]

A long pause as he considered Seiya's drunken state and what a good neighbor would do. And, despite Gunner's strong desire to eat his food in peace and go to sleep, he started speaking again.[break][break]

"Have you, uh, eaten yet? Want to come inside?"[break][break]

He'd ordered enough food for two men, if only because he'd intended to save some of it as leftovers for the next day.

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"Riley Maddox. Noted." Gunner set a mental reminder to check the civilian database later, more to satisfy his own curiosity than anything else.[break][break]

He continued making his way through the ship. In a large room, his flashlight's beam fell upon a gruesome sight: several skeletons scattered across the floor or slumped against a table. Gunner approached them slowly.[break][break]

Each one had jaws lined with serrated teeth.[break][break]

"Megalopolans," he murmured, frowning.[break][break]

Suddenly, his danger sense went off, causing all the small hairs on his body to stand on end. Whirling around, Gunner caught sight of two Nihilego as one reached its tentacles toward his companion.[break][break]

"Riley! Look out!"[break][break]



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Mila's fingers brushed against Gunner's and wrapped around his wrist, and his traitorous heart skipped a beat at the contact. Swallowing hard, he looked her in the eye as she professed care for him that he knew she possessed, deep down, despite her constant, contradictory actions.[break][break]

Heaving a great sigh, Gunner reached out with his other arm and pulled Mila against his side in an awkward embrace.[break][break]

"I want a lot of things, Mila," he said, sounding exhausted. "I want us to have fun. On our good days, we have tons of fun. On our bad days…"[break][break]

He shook his head and shrugged, his body moving against hers.[break][break]

"On our bad days, I don't know what to do with you."

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