“—and there are no outstanding items from the last meeting that need to be addressed,” stated the secretary.
Madam Bossue smiled, enjoying the way some of the younger men, both those not in the know, and those who knew, smiled with her.
The only other woman in the room sat rigidly in front of the computer, having just finished her role as secretary of TR Holdings. Matori was such a good worker that the Madam had to snap her up right out of Team Rocket Academy.
Now as her right hand woman they formed a formidable team that brokered deals in backrooms and handled the expanding interests of TR with alacrity.
“I suppose we should address the Donphan in the room,” the Madam began. “Blaine has perished. Too proud to ask for help. Sadly, none of ours cashed in on his bounty before that happened. Missed opportunities and all that.”
She gave a small shake of the head as various people shifted.
Good, that would have them acting more cautiously in future.
If she could cut ties with a man like Blaine, they stood no chance of being held in ‘special regard’. Honestly, most of this meeting was for them to give a public accounting. Those who succeeded would be able to raise their heads high as she offered praise, promotions and dividends in the form of either money, pokemon, items, or other pleasures~.
Blaine really should have known better than to give her the secret to such a youthful body. Sadly for as smart as he was he didn’t understand that it was always more profitable to drag out certain promises while achieving in other areas.
Like certain illness treatments that were widespread. There was such a lucrative market in holding off the cure or treatment that the Madam had created a hidden market of pointedly not selling on her research. She made sure not to offer the deal to any of the more righteous companies and kept the more pragmatic sorts.
The former, of course found themselves facing espionage and controlled damage.
She’d even gone so far as to target them with selective purges of their memory banks in the recent Porygon plague.
Yes, there truly was no business like a shadow business.
No taxes either.
Licking her lips slowly she indicated the first department head to stand and give his report.
He did so awkwardly before clearing his throat. “Operation Ocean Depot was successful with the new base set up for the holding of goods, transport, and also linking up with forgotten assets!”
The man sat and the Madam smirked as confused looks were shot his way.
He remained tight-lipped, however, and this drew a pleased nod from her.
They’d secured land in the Orange Archipelago, or close enough to it. The Sevii islands were adjacent after all.
Yuji, had been able to be brought back into the fold and local funds were being diverted into creating a chain network that would feed back into TR’s coffers.
They’d need to have some accountant wizardry performed to hide the trail of money and resources. This would be a much more public venture than their usual exploits.
“Keep me posted on any shifts with our assets in the region. Keep them pliant.”
“Will do Madam,” replied department head Harry.
“Was the infrastructure developed on both sites or just the one?” she asked, making sure to keep it vague.
“Both ma’am Five—” she slashed her hand across her body, cutting off his report. While it made things tougher to manage, keeping the various departments in the dark about each other it did increase security.
Harry bowed his head, realising he’d made a grave mistake. “My apologies Ma’am I misspoke.”
“See that it doesn’t happen again,” she stated as she turned her head, pointedly dismissing him and casting her attention to the next man.
Al shot to his feet like he was stung. “We have located the ruins, Madam Bossue!” he bellowed.
Rather than give him a pleased smile like he was no doubt expecting, she sighed and directed a disappointed look at him. “Al, I know you’re a… man brimming with vigour, but keep it controlled. You don’t need to be so eager to shout. Control, hmmm?”
“Yes ma’am!” Al replied with a chastised bow of his head. “However, the ruins have been discovered. Locking them down will be possible but I must report a… minor issue.”
“How minor?” she demanded, her expression locked into a smile as her eyes turned decidedly harsh.
Al swallowed. “There are signs that the ruins have seen relatively constant traffic. There are wilted flowers, food and other item offerings upon numerous plinths leading up to the ruins, and the general state of the ruins is far too clean for something no one resides in.”
Madam Bossue considered the location of the Sinjoh ruins.
With it being so far north of Johto there could only be two groups responsible for the upkeep of such sites. The Blackthorn Clan, or the Crusher tribe.
The Crusher tribe had just begun being integrated into the fold of the League, and while the League was paying lots of attention to the landmarks such as the Giant’s graveyard, there were other, smaller sites that could soon be revealed.
“Expedite your project. I need a complete review within the next week. There is every risk that the League might discover the location. Recent events will tie them up somewhat, but we are on the clock.”
“Ma’am!” barked Al as she slammed a hand into his chest.
She gave him an exasperated, if fond look.
“Ken?” she purred, already knowing the results. She’d been part of the taskforce and made sure to get personally involved in this… take over.
“The pokemon Professor’s lab has been infiltrated top to bottom!” declared Ken smugly as he cast a gloating look at the rest of the men in the room. “We also have established several businesses and security efforts within several cities. We’ve got locals working for us not even realising they’re doing foreigners' bidding!”
“Excellent,” the Madam purred. She kept the secret that she’d ensnared one of the Rangers who ran a town by himself. It really had been too easy to approach Cameron and have him hypnotised once she’d had her fun.
It had even revealed something highly profitable.
“What of the egg? Have we located it yet?” she asked.
And here was where Ken’s confident visage cracked. “Ah, no. not as yet.”
“Find it, my sources indicate that it is a highly sought-after egg!” she declared. Her expression morphed into a more genial one. “Do that, and you will be rewarded handsomely.”
Ken nodded eagerly and sat. Bossue turned her head to the next, and continued to listen to reports that she already knew the results of.
It could have been left at that, but a more personal touch always worked best when in business. It kept people in line while making them feel valued.
The final piece of business was something that would be part of the public facing aspect of their business so she had no issues announcing it. “We will also be targeting a takeover of some small business in the coming days. Certain CEO’s have sadly perished and their businesses are in. We will have that handled in a few weeks if not by the end of the month,” she declared proudly.
That drew a round of applause by the men with Mariko adding her own polite clap to the room as Bossue smirked. Her success was practically guaranteed.
With that done, the Madam made a show of humming aloud. Around the table, men leaned forward eagerly and she allowed her lips to twitch in amusement.
So eager.
“Ken, and…” she made a show of looking around. “Matori,” she announced.
Ken looked like all his dreams had come true at once while others slumped in dejection. Madam Bossue smiled to herself and pointed to a seat in the corner. “Go sit over there Ken,” she ordered. The rest of you can leave.”
One of the department heads coughed. “What should we do with that weirdo Bill? Blaine took him to run tests. Did we get him back?”
“No, he is most likely lost to us, but if his brain breaking like it did wasn’t just a trick, then the League won’t get anything from him so we will be fine there. If not, shut down the Cerulean base and move its contents!” she ordered, annoyed that her plan regarding the transfer system had been stymied by a man’s failing nerve.
She’d just have to work out her frustrations on this in other ways.
Ken ran to the corner chair, not realising what was about to happen.
“Ken, you’re not to move from that chair, alright? Otherwise, you will be evicted,” Madam Bossue declared.
Ken’s head bounced up and down while Matori smirked, the clever woman already catching on to what was about to happen.
Confirming her suspicions, Bossue nodded to her, and her secretary drew out a long package from her pouch as she strapped a belt on her waist.
Ken suddenly looked much more uncertain, only to turn green with envy when neither woman approached him, instead having their own fun with him forced to watch.
When she was done with her game, Bossue waved a hand at him. “You can leave. Make sure you find that egg. Only then will I reward you.”
Ken left flushed and wild-eyed only to linger at the door, for as vexing as it had been to sit in the corner and do nothing, being in the room was far better than being outside.
Madam flicked her fingers, and the door hissed shut, leaving Ken on the other side, no doubt staring at the door impotently. He’d be frustrated but also doubly motivated now.
Madam Bossue smirked at the ceiling.
It truly was good to be her own boss again. It came with so many perks.
“Get back to work,” she faux growled at Matori, who chuffed a laugh before rising to the task before her.
It was so much easier to keep people motivated like this; there was no need to even pay for pizza parties.
____________________
Lorelei hummed as she walked through Fuchsia city, noting how the city had turned itself around from the recent raid to create a festival like air with lanterns, stalls, masks, and several platforms with drummers and performers scattered through the streets.
At her side a fellow ice type specialist walked, taking it all in.
Glacia nodded at the displays and smiling crowds. “It’s good to see that the recent incidents haven’t dampened people’s spirits.”
“It helps that we’re not hosting this at the Plateau like we originally planned,” replied Lorelei honestly.
“Ah, that would change things around, wouldn’t it? What are they expecting it to cost to repair the damages?” Glacia asked.
“It’s in the hundreds of millions by this point but I don’t believe it has reached a billion yet.”
“Small mercies,” Glacia replied easily.
Lorelei nodded, watching the other woman out the side of her eye. She’d been rather abrupt with her statement just now. Was she that callous or was it something else?
“Kind of crazy how much damage has occurred to cities in the last year,” mumbled the final member of their group, Luana of Kumquat Island.
Lorelei nodded. “How do are the recovery efforts going for the Orange Archipelago?" she asked politely.
“Racing along. With all the support, both material and otherwise I think if anything we’re going to be building things back up better than ever!”
Luana chuckled lightly. “I feel like a bit of a fraud, our islands were all storm damage compared to your own issues.”
“It’s not like you can compare them,” replied Glacia casually. “One of you had a major weather event spurred on by the meeting of several powerful pokemon. It wasn’t targeted in the least but still an expression of power, while Indigo had a madman lashing out at it. It’s a good thing he was—” Glacia gave Lorelei a knowing look. "—slain in the attempt to capture him.”
Luana took a pointed step back as Lorleei turned, squaring her shoulders to the other woman.
“I’m not sure what you’re implying. If Lance said it was that way, then I believe him.”
Glacia inspected Lorlei before smirking. “Hmm, well you’re either a naive girl, or you’re a consummate politician, which, considering you’ve got a Dragontamer for a champion, is more likely as he has yet to kick you out.”
Lorelei decided to snort a little and ignore the other woman’s antics. She was just needling her for a reaction. Still, even for an ice type, it had been cold.
Luana shifted closer, less nervous now that the potential for a fight between representatives was over and done with.
“How does Drake respond to you being on the team with him?” she asked, to move things along.
“Hmph! He keeps himself well-controlled. I try to get a reaction out of him but most of the time he just ignores me. It’s rather vexing I must admit!”
“Ah, that’s… something." Luana helplessly replied, eyes darting around before pointing towards an open field that had been set up for pokemon battles. “Oh, look a pokemon battle! Isn’t that Gio? Last years winner of the Indigo cup?”
“With so many young trainers milling about it was guaranteed they’d find each other,” remarked Lorelei dryly. “I’m just glad that Bruno is assigned to Johto right now. With how Marshal was talking during the introduction, he was here for one thing and one thing, a rematch with Bruno.”
“Two men—” Glacia started to say only for Luana to start glowing red.
“I think we get the point!” she squealed. “Let’s go see how our young representatives go? Gio is facing off someone from… Kalos by the looks of it?”
“How can you tell?” Lorlei asked only to curse herself. “Right, psychic, of course.”
Luana grinned proudly. “That’s right!”
“Hmmm that will be useful. Think you can check if any of the other representatives are psychic from Trinity?”
“I doubt Marshal is, which only leaves Bertha, a ground specialist, and Drasna,” Lorelei said only to glance around. “Speaking of her, has anyone seen her?”
“Not since she was introduced to Lance. They’ve been sitting on the welcoming stage talking dragons since the welcome finished. I doubt they’ve moved,” replied Glacia.
The trio of women claimed a spot along the edge of the pokemon battles and observed as a Nidoking threw itself against a bunny like pokemon with long fluffy ears.
Where Nidoking was power and unbridled force, this other pokemon was all speed and style.
Lorelei raised a pokedex she’d been granted.
“Scanning… pokemon identified. Lopunny! The evolved form of Buneary, this normal type pokemon has strong legs and powerful ears that allow it a wide array of normal type moves! Lopunny’s fur is shed twice a year and contributes to a wide array of Kalos fashion brands!”
“... that was supposed to be the scientific version. It gave me notes on fashion? Hmmm we really don’t know as much as we’d like on these pokemon,” remarked Lorelei as she checked her pokedex closely.
“That or the Trinity nations didn’t provide all the data they could have,” Glacia said scathingly.
“It might have just been that they don’t document their pokemon the same way as us?” Luana suggested.
“Possibly, but it certainly makes Oak’s decision to gift every representative a pokedex a much wiser investment than previously thought,” Lorelei replied before smiling. “It also feels rather… refreshing in a way. I don’t know what that pokemon is and am seeing it in action for the first time. That hasn’t happened for many years now.”
“Hmmm, I suppose,” Glacia said evenly.
Luana shared a bemused look with Lorelei as the Lopunny leapt forward and landed a devastating Dynamic Punch.
With the fight concluded both trainers approached and shook hands to the cheers of the crowd. Gio walked away with a thoughtful expression while the other trainer pumped his fist in the air.
Lorelei looked around, hoping to see an ice type on at least one of the battlefields but to no avail. It seemed she was going to have to wait until they reached Sinnoh to seek out her specialty.
Sinnoh was where the best ice type pokemon were according to her research.
Glacia was obviously going to following along, while Luana. “What will you be doing in the upcoming tour of the Trinity nations?” Lorelei asked.
“Hmmm the Orange Archelpigo are only supplying a few trainers to the exchange, but I think I will float around between them, checking in on them for the first few months. Then I’ll settle down and look into adding a Bronzong to my team I think.”
“How many trainers did your region supply?” Lorelei asked of Glacia, despite knowing the answer.
“Twenty,” replied the other ice type.
“Hmmmm I suppose I will need to be more mindful with the thirty that I have to consider. Although with trainers like Gio I suspect that won’t be an issue. It’s a shame we couldn’t convince Celia to come as well for Hoenn.”
Glacia shot Lorelei a flat look. “She might be an apprentice to Juan now, but she would still have counted towards Indigo’s tally of trainers.”
“Hmm, just a shame. We could have had two victors heading to the Trinity nations.”
“She wasn’t going to leave Juan who has taken over running the water gym at Sootopolis,” stated Glacia.
“It’s just an idle thought, nothing to take so seriously,” teased Lorelei, knowing precisely what she was doing to the older woman.
Glacia huffed and strode away, leaving it up to Lorelei if she wanted to follow or be left behind.
Deciding that she wasn’t going to see what she wanted to here, she followed after checking that Luana was done with watching the crowd.
They strode through the stalls, finding all manner of items being sold only to come across a large tent with glowing neon signs and even a dancing Gyarados and Milotic.
“Come one come all! For the magikarp games! Come purchase the right to race, jump or bash your way to eternal glory!” crowed a man’s voice.
Walking closer and peering through the crowd Lorelei found herself looking at a large tank of magikarp with tags on them.
In front of the tank a trio were dancing back and forth.
“Pick a number! If your number is the greatest you can win that pokemon! Think you have an eye for skill? Determination? Grit? These are things that will be tested today!”
“Ain’t no way to measure it but with your heart!” declared a small Meowth as he danced back and forth with a gleeful look.
“Pick your winner! I have one hundred pokebucks per choice! One hundred magikarp to pick from!” announced the woman.
Some quick math had Lorelei nodding in appreciation. If they ran this stall even a few times they’d make a decent profit from their show.
A few people were sneering at the idea of winning themselves a Magikarp, while others were eying the Gyarados that was looming over proceedings. As part of the advertisement, that was a pretty handy trick.
You wanted to ignore the Magikarp, but when you were reminded of what you could get with a bit of hard work…
“I pick sixty-seven!”
“Six seven!” chanted the Meowth, and for some reason, Lorelei shuddered while the Unovans in the crowd giggled like the children they were.
Other choices quickly flew in with options flying off the wall and handed to the buyer. When buying slowed up, the Meowth drew out a small hourglass that he set down. “Time is running you people! You only have a limited amount before the buy-in closes!
If you want to purchase a second Magikarp to double your odds! Now is the time!”
That caused another buying frenzy, and Lorelei had to give it to the vendors, they knew their craft.
When it came time to shut down the buying a gong rang out and the vendors made a show of being contrite while shutting off the board.
They then drew out a long board on which they placed ten magikarp. “Jump!” they ordered with the highest jumper proceeding to the next round.
People groaned or cheered as the ‘heats’ played out until there were only ten victors for the jumping challenge.
Eventually, number twenty-five emerged the victor and the tokens were collected, only for a new challenge to be announced, now with better odds seeing as one of the Magikarp were taken out of the running.
Glacia hummed. “I do believe these to be Indigo representatives, no? Rather colour sort. I do find it rather strange they're working like this. Shouldn’t they be scouting their opposition or making connections?”
“They’re not,” Luana cut in before Lorelei could speak up in defence of this strange trio.” They're showing some initiative and getting their funds guaranteed for when they depart,” Luana suggested. They were at Shamouti, you know?”
Lorelei and Glacia stared at Luana at that reminder. They’d both been a bit dismissive of Luana, but her reminding them of the rather extreme event made them recall that Luana herself had taken part in the battle itself and not just the reconstruction efforts.
“How involved were they?” Glacia asked, inspecting the trio more carefully now.
“Right in the thick of it. I think they were running from island to island supporting Brock, Sabrina and some of the other Gym Leaders against the Legendary pokemon before helping with mopping up the attacking trainers at the time.”
Luana smiled towards them. “I don’t think you have to worry about having bad representation with them as part of the delegation. They might not be the best battlers, but their hearts are in the right place, and they’ll do us proud.”
Meowth’s ears twitched and he turned slightly to glance at Luana only to cough and turn back. Ah, he’d heard her, but was pretending he hadn’t.
Lorelei was suddenly glad they’d been added, even if they were an odd group to include.
She eyed the blue-haired man. He looked an awful lot like a missing socialite’s son… hmmm, probably best not to mention it. He looked happy.
Best leave him where he was. She could send a photo of him to his parents after they departed.
____________________
Sabrina awoke slowly, and lay in her bed. As much as she’d wanted to sleep in Brock’s bed when she went to sleep this time, she knew that this time around she was going to be down for at least a day.
Best to not have Brock interrupt her when he returned, only to find she’d claimed the entire bed.
Opening her personal computer and the multiple screens she had connected to it, she began to update herself on the situation of Indigo.
The aftermath of Blaine’s assaults upon various infrastructure and companies was still rippling out but reconstruction works had already begun with multiple charity drives occurring with famous people getting in front of cameras and pledging their support.
She deleted various spam emails from Karen meant to taunt her or that had lurid images while using Karen’s new email to sign her up to various pokenet sites that would send her frequent marketing updates of their products.
With that done she turned to more serious items.
Kaede, most notably, had written up a proposal for herself and Sabrina had to admit that her arguments were extremely valid.
A crossover live-action of Samurai Furret with her detective show would make for a compelling tale. If they hurried production…
Consulting her calendar while reading a few emails and responding to them Sabrina considered what would need to be moved.
Nothing with the wedding planning of course, and she had some locked in slots of the gym, but there were some free spaces in the evenings…
Brock would understand if she didn’t come over a few nights in a row. Just to keep him in the loop she shot him a rundown on what she was planning and he responded with a thumbs up.
She exhaled a small laugh. She sends him a multi-paragraph detail and gets a thumbs up.
As though sensing her mood, an icon detailing that he was typing began to bubble and he replied with his own schedule, apparently he was going to organise a fight against Erika where their pokemon would wear outrageous outfits.
He did however highlight a small festival of lanterns that he wanted to go to with her in a week’s time, earning him a small smile.
She sent back a thumbs up and turned away, feeling pleased with herself only for him to send back a kissing emoji.
Deciding to top that, she focused her energies, feeling out for Brock’s position within his gym.
Then she Teleported to his side.
He was standing at the top of the stairs, attempting to look intimidating. She turned his head causing his persona to break as he smiled.
She kissed him once and then gave the challenger about to face Brock a small smile. “I’ll see you in a few months' time,” she announced ominously as she turned back, giving Brock another kiss only to Vanish when he tried to deepen it.
Feeling extremely pleased with herself, Sabrina shut down her computers and began Teleporting through the various halls within her Gym, checking in on her trainees.
Her father, Saul, had done well holding things together while she’d been resting, but she made sure to correct any mistakes or misconceptions that had grown with the various trainers, helping them along their path to mastering psychic energies.
Then she inspected the Pichu breeding program and Ponyta.
The latter of which she had to spend a good deal of time on. Was one of the ponyta’s manes looking a tinge pinker today?
Sadly it seemed to be nothing more than a flickering flame but it was still noted down as a mild deviation from the norm and something she’d record. Only to find that Alakazam had beaten her to it.
Turning to the next project with Mega evolution investigations she found it to likewise be handled with the various notes and observations of old recordings, or new ones from Brock’s archive.
Shaking her head in fond exasperation she considered the next item on her list only for a happy cry to cause her to slow.
“Kirlia!” chanted her new companion pokemon.
Sabrina opened her arms and accepted the hug from the little pokemon who snuggled up. “I’m sorry,” she both said and projected to the little empath.
“Kirlia!” replied Kirlia, pushing back feelings of sadness, and shame. Then a convicted look appeared over Kirlia’s expression.
Sabrina considered the little pokemon. “You want to?”
Kirlia nodded again firmly. “Kir Kir!”
“Hmmm, I’m not sure I can get you a battle right now with how busy everyone is or a proper moment.”
Kirlia shook her head and grasped Sabrina’s hand, conveying how she didn’t want to be left behind when a tough fight broke out anymore, she wanted to stand by Sabrina’s side like the others.
Sabrina sighed. She tried to mount an argument back to the empath, conveying how the situation was out of their control and it brought Sabrina more joy seeing Kirlia grow slowly only for Kirlia to refute it and reply with the ache of her heart and the memory of Sabrina’s sleeping form.
Sabrina gave that little pokemon a small glare.
She did not drool in her sleep.
Kirlia replied with a smug vision of a pool forming on Sabrina’s pillow.
Sabrina huffed and considered her companion seriously before quirking her lips up. “Kaede has an idea of a charity crossover. How would you like to make it a three-way crossover with Magical Girl Bertha?”
That got her interest and soon her glee as Sabrina outlined her idea.
A few calls were made, and a plan took shape.
Sabrina hummed, glad that she’d been able to push things back almost a week. She cleared some time to spend with Kirlia both for training and simple enjoyment.
It was time, however, for her little pokemon to become the powerhouse she was always destined to be.
She had no doubt that as soon as she did that, she’d demand to learn how to mega evolve. Now she just needed to secure a stone, as she had no doubt that her bond with Kirlia would be more than strong enough to announce her evolution in a big way.
A message from Brock pinged on her transceiver, causing her to blink.
Ah, they had gotten rather distracted by Blaine’s base hadn’t they?
They’d left Bill in his Clefairy body.
Tch! They'd found him.
Shame.
____________________
A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!
It also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!
For those who guess correctly, Brock and co forgot about Bill/Clefairy.
Sabrina didn’t forget. She just doesn’t like Bill.