บท 273: EPISODE 53: The Return!*

I cleared my throat and drew my mouth into a straight line and biting my lips. An uneasy spirit lingered inside of me after seeing the secretary after a long time. I had forgotten her image for more than a year and now it slaps me back harshly. My perspiration sharpened up the notch and though she sees me, I bet she does not realize me.

I witnessed her death, and there is no possible way for a human to be revived, or could there be one? Here comes a call for another rogue action, to purposely seek for the answers I crave for. Team Aqua archives, I must search to know more about Matori. This must be the work of the brainwashing serum but never did the professor say anything that has the power to revive a person. I remembered her last words to me, "Blast Off." that even until this point I have no idea what it means.

"Hey... um, never mind. I'm willing to fight." I told Jenny while watching Matori scolding the Aqua Admin as she fought against Jenny's sister.

"You know the other woman?" asked, Jenny as she watched with me.

"Yes. She is a member of our organization and since it is related to Team Rocket, I'll be willing to do whatever it takes to bring back our fallen members." I uttered with sincerity, remembering Charlotte.

"This must be because of those brainwashing serums. Who was the first one involved with it?"

"Well, the detective interviewed Professor Violet who acted like a retarded person in front of him. Her behaviors had changed drastically and according to her, she bought a sample of those serums from the organization-"

"Team Magma and Team Aqua were not the producers of these serums but rather a company from Galar. Just like the food chain, they're merely the consumers in which they used the serums to destroy the- what do you call it? I'm no biologist but that somehow triggers a certain type of enzyme in the brain. That enzyme might have to do with deleting the memory of the user as if he or she was born again." I interfered with her words.

And so, I agreed to help Jenny to quell this fighting and end everything for good. In a nutshell, this is how the land and sea would look like if they were humans. Me and Jenny stood between them. I faced both Matori and Shelly while Jenny faced her sister.

"Courtney this is enough! Remember what mother used to tell you? Don't let that illness of yours take over your sanity." Jenny scolded.

"Mother is dead. There are no rules! Our family is finished and you will be too!" she chortled to her sister.

"Enough! I am a member of Team Rocket, surrender now or prepare to fight!" I scolded both the admin and the secretary.

"A Team Rocket grunt?!"

"That is Elite Operative to you, madame. I'm the one who blew up your submarine." I clarified with a bit of sarcasm.

"What are you doing here?! Interrupting our match. Okay, I will admit. You are quite the elite for blowing our secret submarine and... to me, Archie, and all of Team Aqua, your existence is annoying" Matori also added, "The world Archie dreams of would be a utopia for Pokémon. I can't let you get in the way of someone who's pushing on toward a perfect world! Prepare yourself! This will finally be the time that I leave that cute face of yours swollen and crying!"

The words of the secretary shook me hard as if a stone was thrown towards me. Those serums are not just for wiping out a user's memory but also for deteriorating one's personality. True, she is cold but not that cold.

"I met you before. You used to work with Team Rocket!"

"Team Rocket is an enemy, a clapped out, distracted regime whose failings undoubtedly presage with the need for a different dream." Shelly teased.

"You and Team Magma are acting like toddlers whose purpose is to expand the world. Team Rocket is aiming for the galaxies(Deoxys) for the better good of our technology and also, to earn money by selling them." I countered back.

Suddenly, a phone call interrupted and it was coming from one of the secretary's buttons. This raises my curiosity if- Matori is much different aside from her personality and attitude. You can't revive a dead person but with the right technology, you can...

"Ahaha! Admin Shelly, head back to headquarters immediately, we're off to a cavern!" Archie's voice intervened.

"Sure, Archie. I'll be back in a sec." said, Shelly with an endearing tone as the speaker hidden one of the secretary's buttons in her uniform turned off.

"You're lucky, our boss is calling us back. Until then, little miss elite, we'll meet again and I will challenge you! Haha, come on Matori." she guffawed and threw a smoke grenade towards us. I coughed because of it entering the nostrils. I had to cover my eyes as well. Once the grenade settled, they were gone, out from my sight.

"Tee-hee big sister! You're lucky I overheard Shelly. Analyzing... analyzing... analysis complete! A cavern! They must be heading towards success, better report this to Leader Maxie sir. Oh, and of course, I must not forget his coffee." Courtney crowed as she took the white plastic bag and ran off to the woodlands.

"Wait! Don't leave yet!" Jenny begged but Courtney was too far off, making it impossible for her to hear the words of her big sister.

The fight ended up with the three of them returning to their respective organizations. Seeing her sister run off, Jenny knelt on the floor as she sobbed heavily. Her voice started to hiccup as she mourned for her sister.

"I never should've mocked her," she whispered.

"And you shouldn't have lied to me. The conflict is over as so as our truce, I'm heading to headquarters to do something." I patted her shoulder and left the place.