Kapitel 17: Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice [17]
"Cousin! Cousin!!"
Seeing Lance collapse, Claire's mind went blank.
"Roar!"
Dragonite's trainer's fall was the final straw, completely igniting its fury. Despite the intense pain in its neck, Dragonite turned madly, intending to unleash a devastating attack on Stephen.
"So impatient," Stephen remarked with a smug smile.
Almost instantly, as Dragonite turned, it felt a chilling sensation from behind. Twisting back, its vision was filled with the rapidly enlarging stinger of a Beedrill.
Thunk!
Following Lance's fall, the massive Dragonite collapsed as well.
"This is the power of science," Stephen declared, adjusting the mask on his nose as though it were a pair of glasses.
"Cousin! Cousin Lance! Wake up!"
Claire rushed to Lance's side, shaking him frantically while shouting.
"Stop yelling; it's just Yawn," Stephen said impatiently.
To think the future self-proclaimed Gym Leader of Blackthorn City, who bragged about strength rivaling the Elite Four, was such a crybaby in her youth.
"You... You..."
Claire, now sobbing uncontrollably, could barely form words.
Her tears stopped momentarily as she saw Stephen pull out a syringe.
"Wh-What are you doing now?!"
Seeing the syringe—nearly the size of a soda can—approaching her cousin, Claire panicked.
"People with unique powers are rare—let alone someone with the Veridian Force. I'm curious," Stephen said nonchalantly.
"Stop crying—it's just a little blood. No big deal."
A little?!
Claire was speechless.
That's 'a little' to you?!
"Don't act rashly, little birds," Stephen warned, noticing the hostile gazes of Lance's Flying Pokémon as they hovered protectively around their trainer.
"If you try to break your Pokéballs to attack, odds are, you'll harm your trainer instead."
At this, Lance's Pokémon immediately calmed, their rebellious glints extinguished.
Stephen glanced over at them—two Dragonair, a blue Gyarados, an Aerodactyl, and a Charizard.
"Oh wow, all dragons, huh? Though half of them aren't actually dragons."
"Dragonite is rare too. Might as well draw a bit," Stephen added, turning his attention to Dragonite after finishing with Lance. He also collected a fair amount of shed fur.
"What a haul, what a haul!"
Stephen stretched lazily after stowing his loot.
"Feels as refreshing as putting on brand-new underwear on New Year's morning."
Just then, his gaze fell on the fainted Dracozolt nearby, which belonged to Anders.
"Oh, right. Miss Claire, let your cousin adopt this one later. It's homeless now, after all. Your cousin should like it—it's a dragon, right? By the way, I'm Joker."
Stephen chuckled to himself as he walked off with Umbreon, Beedrill, and the unconscious Anders, disappearing into the forest.
"Joker," Claire murmured, repeating the name softly before clenching her teeth.
"Wait until you're locked up in the League prison!"
…
"Ugh..."
Lance forced his eyes open, greeted by the ceiling of his room in the Dragon Tamer Clan's estate. Though he rarely stayed there, he recognized it immediately.
"Waaa~"
Two concerned Dragonair came into view, followed closely by Dragonite, Gyarados, Charizard, and his other Pokémon, all wearing worried expressions.
Lance sprang up from the bed, wide-eyed.
"Where is he?!"
Though he didn't say who, his Pokémon all knew who he meant. Each hesitated, avoiding his gaze.
"Cousin... Joker... he's gone," Claire said nervously, entering the room with a Seadra in tow.
"Joker? That's his name?"
Lance clenched his bedsheet tightly.
"C-Cousin, he used underhanded tactics. You didn't lose..."
Claire stammered, trying to salvage his pride, unaware that her words only stung his self-esteem further.
Losing is losing—what excuses are there?!
As Lance fell silent, Claire realized her mistake and awkwardly changed the subject.
"F-Father said... not to publicize this..."
"What do you mean?"
Lance's expression darkened.
Not publicize it?
Meaning no report to the League?
No pursuit of that masked brat?
Unacceptable!
"F-Father said... if word got out that you... that a Team Rocket grunt put you to sleep... oh no, knocked you out... it would damage the Dragon Tamer's reputation..."
Claire tripped over her words, doing her best to avoid triggering terms like "loss" or "defeat."
"Are you kidding me?!"
If disappointment in himself had been Lance's only feeling before, now it extended to the entire Dragon Tamer Clan.
For such a petty reason, they would withhold information?
Ridiculous!
"Let's go!"
Lance wasted no time, recalling all his Pokémon except Dragonite, which he mounted.
"Cousin! You need to rest—"
Claire's plea was cut short as Lance took off through the window, vanishing into the clouds.
His destination: Indigo Plateau.
…
Days later.
["Breaking news: Last Friday, an incident of malicious combat occurred on Route 45 in Johto. Fugitive Anders was abducted by a Team Rocket operative. The League suspects secret dealings between Anders and Team Rocket, leading to Anders' eventual silencing.
This operative, self-identified as 'Joker,' has been listed as an A-rank fugitive by the League. Known for his cunning battle tactics, he engaged in combat with Elite Four member Lance and successfully escaped.
Here is a sketch of Joker, based on Lance's description. Please take note..."]
At a beachside cottage.
Staring at the TV, where his masked visage was displayed alongside the announcer's commentary, Stephen fell into a peculiar silence.
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
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Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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