----
By the time they left the Dragon's Sanctuary, the sky was already bathed in twilight.
After such an intense battle, the group's mood was, unsurprisingly, one of relief.
As they descended from the mountains, Kai and the others glanced up. Under the orange-red clouds, a dozen or so Pidgey flew lazily across the sky in a loose V-formation, drifting over the peaks with calm ease.
Everything felt peaceful and tranquil, as though nothing had happened at all.
In the distance, Blackthorn City had begun to glow with evening lighthouse lights, car headlights, streetlamps, and colourful neon signs flickered to life, painting the city in dazzling contrast to the still, quiet forests around it.
Surrounded by mountains, Blackthorn truly lived up to its reputation. At this time of day, it always offered a breathtaking view full of quiet meaning and scenic depth.
No one would ever guess that deep in one of these valleys, a fierce battle had just shaken the earth.
After escorting the Team Rocket grunts for some time, Kai and the others finally met up with Officer Jenny and her unit just outside Blackthorn City.
To catch so many Rocket members in one go was no small feat. Officer Jenny praised them highly, though she couldn't hide her disappointment that the Iron-Masked Marauder had escaped.
"We were this close to catching him! What a shame to let a top Rocket executive slip through our fingers… But still, you took down so many grunts in one operation that's a major blow to their organization. You've done us a huge favour!"
"He won't stay at large for long," Lance said coldly. "To wield something as dangerous as a Dark Ball, and to dare invade the Dragon's Sanctuary… The Elder has already issued a decree. All remaining Dragon Tamers in our clan will begin the hunt. We won't stop until he's captured."
That Lance could speak so openly of the Sanctuary and the Great Elder in front of law enforcement said a lot about the tight-knit relationship between the Dragon Tamers and the Blackthorn police. Kai even began to suspect, after centuries of heritage, that the entire city might be under the quiet influence of the clan.
After a brief chat, Lance left Cab to handle the handover, and he, Clair, Kai, and Sabrina continued toward the city.
Before leaving, Kai turned for one last look at the Rocket's grunts.
Officer Jenny's team was already cuffing them, and their fate was clear years, maybe decades, behind bars.
As Jenny had said, this was yet another crushing blow to Team Rocket's strength.
Still, as he looked at these people, many of them his age, Kai couldn't help but feel a touch of pity. They had chosen the wrong path, chasing one man's delusional dream, and had ended up sacrificing the best years of their lives in prison.
Hopefully, in time, they'd come to their senses.
The rest of the walk was quiet.
By the time they returned to Blackthorn Gym, the sun had completely set.
Everyone was exhausted after the long day of battle and travel. Clair decided to postpone the Gym challenge until tomorrow.
Thanks to Lance and Clair's warm hospitality, Kai and Sabrina didn't bother looking for a hotel. They were invited to stay directly at the Gym.
Though called a "Gym," the place was really a massive estate. It had everything: guest rooms, a full dining hall, and private baths, all luxuriously furnished and impeccably maintained.
For two outsiders not born into the Dragon Tamer bloodline, being invited to stay here was a clear sign they'd earned the clan's trust and respect.
If this were an RPG, Kai thought to himself, his reputation with the Dragon Tamer faction had at least reached "Friendly."
After a short rest, the two were invited to dinner.
A five-meter-long banquet table, tall glasses, white porcelain, elegant curtains, dragon-themed décor, and marble floors all gleamed under warm lighting, making the entire dining room shine with opulence.
Even the cutlery was fine silver, intricately crafted. The sheer extravagance made Kai realize just how wealthy and established the Dragon Tamers really were.
Across the table, Lance and Clair had changed out of their usual outfits into more casual attire.
Setting Lance aside, Kai noted that Clair was actually quite attractive if not for her odd hairstyle and notably muscular build, she might've looked much more traditionally graceful.
"To victory!" Lance raised his glass.
"Cheers!"
Dinner was lively, mostly a conversation between Lance and Kai. Clair occasionally chimed in, while Sabrina, as usual, ate quietly and elegantly, without saying a word.
The wine, though clearly expensive, just tasted bitter and sharp to Kai.
As for the food, while he could tell it was exquisitely prepared, he couldn't quite say what made it better than regular meals. Still, the overall experience was incredibly satisfying.
—
After dinner, Clair arranged separate rooms for Kai and Sabrina.
Of course… she clearly didn't realize they were a couple and assumed they were just travel partners.
Kai didn't bother correcting her. Under Sabrina's teasing gaze, he could only smile bitterly and retreat to his room.
Inside, he adjusted his mindset and did what any tired traveller would do: bathed away the day's dust and fatigue.
Humming a tune from his old life on Earth, he enjoyed a long soak. But just as he lay down in bed, Gengar popped up beside him, wearing a mischievous, almost sleazy grin.
"What's with you?" Kai looked at it suspiciously. "You look weird. Don't tell me you found money or something."
"Money? That's just paper doesn't mean anything to me," Gengar rolled its eyes, then grinned wickedly. "I've got something better. Take a look at this!"
With a little dramatic flair, Gengar pulled something out of the shadows of its body a pitch-black Poké Ball.
Kai's eyes widened.
"A Dark Ball!?" he exclaimed. "How did you get your hands on that!?"
"Heh, everyone saw me destroy the ones the Marauder used… but I secretly held on to the unused one!" Gengar said smugly.
"Damn, you sly ghost…" Kai couldn't help but laugh. "You really pulled it off perfect deception beneath the sky. Even I was fooled! I honestly thought you destroyed them all!"
He took the Dark Ball and studied it.
At first glance, it didn't look much different from a standard Poké Ball. The main difference was the jet-black casing, covered in faint grey streaks.
Kai turned it over in his hand a few times but didn't feel any excitement.
Honestly, with a Master Ball already in his possession, he had no interest in using something like this.
As a proper, honourable Trainer, he had no intention of stealing Pokémon from others. And Pokémon captured by Dark Balls became twisted and corrupted in both body and spirit.
"Forget it," he sighed. "Since I've got it, I'll just keep it as a collector's item. Hopefully, I'll never have to actually use it…"
----
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