Chương 60: Implications
Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Salazzle gathered in the luxurious kitchen of the PokeRanch mansion.
After dealing with the aftermath of Cerulean City and the arrest of most Team Rocket members, the organization disbanded without a trace.
Dune and the girls quickly returned to Hoenn, where they were residing, at their home in the PokeRanch.
The atmosphere was comfortable despite the muffled sounds of Helena's loud moans echoing from the upper floors. The noise of her and Dune's intense lovemaking served as the background soundtrack for lunch today.
Lopunny sat cross-legged on the counter, her eyes glued to Helena's PokeNav, watching a compilation of high-level Pokémon battles with her usual lazy smirk.
"Man, that Excadrill is really tearing through this Sandstorm team… damn, that fucker is an idiot to bring a climate team against an Excadrill," she muttered, engrossed in the battle.
Gardevoir, standing by the stove, was preparing lunch for everyone. She moved gracefully, even with her massive breasts slightly bouncing with every step, clad in her cow-print bikini.
The smell of a hearty, home-cooked meal filled the air—seared Bouffalant steaks, roasted vegetables, and fresh salad. She worked precisely, each movement deliberate as she whipped up the dishes.
Salazzle lay curled up on the floor, her leash still attached to her collar. She was dozing off peacefully, her breaths slow, and she seemed utterly indifferent to the activity around her.
Her thin, sleek body covered in black and blue scales shimmered faintly in the kitchen light, but she was clearly exhausted from her previous "walk" with Lopunny.
As Gardevoir finished preparing the meal, she placed the plates on the table.
The food was beautifully presented, each dish served with care, but there was an unmistakable extra portion for herself—a large plate of steak and an oversized salad bowl sat in front of Gardevoir's chair.
She sighed softly as she wiped her hands and finally settled down, ready to join the others for lunch.
"Food's ready," Gardevoir announced with a small, satisfied smile. "I hope it meets everyone's standards."
Lopunny glanced up from Helena's PokeNav, immediately noticing the larger portion set aside for Gardevoir.
She smirked mischievously, her playful nature kicking in. "Hey, Gardi, you sure that's enough food for just one person?" she teased. "That's like… two plates. You turning into a Miltank or something?"
Gardevoir's eyebrow twitched at the comment, though she maintained her composure. "I merely require additional nutrients for my duties," she replied calmly, taking her seat.
"Master Dune's stamina is demanding, as you well know, and I must keep my strength up to serve both him and Lady Helena."
Lopunny snorted, not letting the comment go. "Yeah, right! Admit it, you're starting to pack on a bit. If you keep eating like that, we'll need to roll you out of here. A Miltank in the making, for real." She winked, clearly enjoying herself.
Gardevoir shot her a cool look, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "How amusing, coming from someone who spends half the day sitting on her massive posterior watching battle compilations." She took a deliberate bite of her salad, chewing slowly as if to emphasize her point.
Lopunny's ears twitched as she grinned. "Hey, at least my ass is muscle, unlike that fat sack you're growing up front," she quipped, giving Gardevoir's chest a pointed look.
"Pretty soon you're gonna need a [Psychic]-powered bra just to walk straight."
Gardevoir's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't take the bait, instead focusing on her food. "Jealousy is unbecoming, Lopunny," she said with an air of superiority, her tone still measured and formal.
Their banter was interrupted by Salazzle stirring from her nap, her blue-sky eyes blinking open slowly.
She yawned widely, exposing her sharp fangs, and stretched lazily, the leash attached to her collar clinking faintly as it dragged along the floor.
"Lunch already?" she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. She crawled up to Gardevoir, slow and lethargic, before curling up at Gardevoir's feet.
She didn't seem all that interested in eating, but the scent of the steaks was clearly pulling her out of her slumber.
Gardevoir cast a glance down at Salazzle, her expression softening slightly. "You should eat, Salazzle. You need to keep your strength up as well."
"Mmm, maybe later," Salazzle mumbled, nuzzling into Gardevoir's leg as she lay her head down. She was content with just resting for now.
As they settled into their meal, Gardevoir took a sip of water before addressing the real topic at hand. "By the way, I successfully 'retrieved' all the high-ranking female members of Team Rocket after our little… excursion in Cerulean Cave," she said, her voice cool and calculated. "They've all been transported to the PokeRanch and are being 'processed' as we speak. Master Dune will decide their fates shortly."
Lopunny raised an eyebrow, pausing her video to give Gardevoir an impressed look. "You got all of 'em? Damn, you work fast."
Gardevoir nodded, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips. "Of course. It was hardly a challenge, especially after their defeat. They were practically begging to be "Relocated," as you may know."
Lopunny leaned back, crossing her arms behind her ears. "And what's he gonna do with 'em?"
"That is not for me to decide," Gardevoir replied, her voice as calm as ever. "Though I imagine he'll want to enjoy their 'services' in other ways first."
Lopunny chuckled, her grin widening. "Well, at least they'll learn their place whatever happens." She glanced back at Gardevoir's plate and added, "You might wanna slow down there, Miltank. Don't want to outgrow your maid uniform, do ya?"
Gardevoir rolled her eyes, but her expression showed a hint of amusement. "Perhaps you should focus on your training instead of my diet, Lopunny. You wouldn't want to fall behind… again."
Lopunny stuck her tongue out playfully, but before she could fire back another quip, the sound of Helena's moans upstairs grew even louder, reverberating through the walls of the mansion.
Salazzle snickered from her spot on the floor. "Sounds like she's enjoying herself."
Gardevoir sighed. "She always does." as the lower part of her bikini grew wet.
Lopunny, still lounging casually on the counter and biting into her well-done steak, turned her attention to Gardevoir with a curious, mischievous glint in her eye.
"So, Gardi, how did you manage to ship all of those Team Rocket chicks outta there so fast? I mean, even you have to admit, that's a pretty big job." She paused for effect, her eyes narrowing playfully.
"And I'm guessing it's not just about teleporting them. You've got to deal with all kinds of diplomatic headaches too, right? Not to mention Silph C.O. getting involved."
Gardevoir, finishing a lengthy bite of her salad, gracefully set down her fork and folded her hands in her lap.
Her expression remained calm, though the flicker of pride in her eyes was unmistakable. "It was a relatively simple operation," she began, her tone matter-of-fact, as if she were discussing the most mundane of tasks. "With Master Dune's influence through the SandSharks conglomerate and Lady Helena's backing by the Devon C.O., I utilized several of our discreet transport networks."
"Many Team Rocket women were knocked unconscious during the battle with Mewtwo, and others were illegally detained by Kanto's authorities, making it easier to move them without incident."
Lopunny raised an eyebrow, still chewing as she listened. "Yeah, but how'd you keep it quiet? We're not exactly dealing with some small-town crooks here."
"That could start a full-on international scandal, and Silph CO is— was basically the most powerful corporation in the world."
Gardevoir allowed herself a small, satisfied smile as she sipped water. "Ah, that's where the beauty of our network lies. SandSharks operates in the shadows, as it should. We control various subsidiaries and partner companies in logistics and transportation."
"By using falsified shipping manifests and the timing of the situation, with multiple of Silph C.O's partners under investigation, we can move people and goods without attracting unwanted attention. And in this case, the Team Rocket women were no different from any other 'special shipment.' per se'"
Lopunny leaned in, her curiosity piqued. 'Special shipment,' huh? Sounds pretty shady, Gardi. What kind of stuff have you and Master Dune into?"
Lopunny asked with her eyes slightly concerned.
"Nothing that goes beyond our already flawed morals, no human or Pokemon experimentation, I can assure you, but approving new technologies is hard, even more creating them under the watchful eyes of our competitors; for those reasons, We need to operate discreetly."
Lopunny was still weary of Gardevoir but gave her the benefit of the doubt; after all, Gardi was her best friend. "But what about Silph C.O.? They were working with Team Rocket in some kinda deal, right? Doesn't that mean they're probably looking for these girls?"
Gardevoir nodded slightly as if acknowledging the complexity of the situation. "Indeed. Silph C.O. is heavily involved in illicit activities—more than the public knows."
"Their partnership with Team Rocket was a facade, as they are one and the same, a business arrangement and a means of covering up their less… savory experiments."
"However, the female executives we captured are now under our control, meaning Silph C.O. has no reason to raise suspicion publicly. They're too concerned with protecting their own interests, now even more as they are at risk of being devoured by Devon C.O. Any move they make to recover their personnel would expose them."
Lopunny paused for a moment, considering the implications. "So you're saying Silph C.O. won't even try to get them back? Seems kinda risky, don't you think? I mean, we're talking about some powerful women. Their disappearance could cause a huge scandal."
Gardevoir smiled serenely, clearly enjoying the intellectual back-and-forth. "You're correct, Lopunny. However, there are more subtle ways to ensure their silence. Some of these women were deeply involved in illegal research—experiments that, if revealed, would bring Silph C.O. to its knees."
"By capturing them, we've acquired invaluable leverage over the corporation. Should they attempt to retrieve their operatives, they would risk exposing their own criminal activities even further than they are now."
Lopunny's ears twitched as she mulled over Gardevoir's explanation. "Okay, I get that. But what about the whole, y'know, diplomatic side? I'm sure Kanto's government isn't just sitting around while one of their biggest corporations loses top-level people. Wouldn't that cause some friction?"
Gardevoir gave a graceful shrug, her tone dismissive yet authoritative. "Diplomatic matters are easily dealt with when one holds enough influence. Devon C.O has deep connections in multiple regions, including Hoenn and Kanto. The government may notice the absence of a few executives, but without evidence, they can do nothing."
"As for the diplomatic concerns, Master Dune has already ensured that certain officials are… loyal to us."
Lopunny smirked, clearly impressed. "You've thought of everything, haven't you, Gardi?"
Gardevoir smiled again, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Of course. Master Dune would accept nothing less." She took another bite of her salad, her gaze remaining poised and calm despite the gravity of their discussion.
"But let's not forget," Gardevoir added after a pause, "the real reason these women were captured is far more personal. They serve no purpose in the world of diplomacy. They are merely Master Dune's new toys."
Lopunny gave a soft chuckle, leaning back and crossing her arms behind her ears again. "Yeah, I figured as much. Guess they're gonna get a whole new 'job description' soon enough."
Gardevoir's smile widened slightly, but she remained silent, letting the implications hang in the air as they continued their meal.
Salazzle, still resting lazily on the ground, yawned and shifted slightly, her leash jingling as she curled up tighter at Gardevoir's feet.
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