Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

"Phew!"

Watching Luo Yuan successfully capture Gyarados, Misty finally let out a sigh of relief. The tension that had been mounting since Gyarados appeared gradually faded.

"Looks like I still haven't gotten over my fear..." Misty admitted quietly. She'd tried to conquer her fear of Gyarados before, hoping to break free from the shadows of her childhood trauma.

But today, just like every other time, her attempts had fallen short.

She clenched her fists with renewed determination. If she kept traveling with Luo Yuan now that he had his own Gyarados, maybe she'd finally overcome her fears.

The thought made her smile.

"By the way, Luo Yuan, about that rock that smacked Gyarados..."

Misty's curiosity flared as she remembered the massive boulder that had suddenly diverted Gyarados's attack mid-air. From what she knew, Charmeleon shouldn't have that kind of move.

And then there was that strange way Luo Yuan had made the Ultra Ball float back to him...

"That was my psychic ability—just a basic form of telekinesis," he explained with a shrug. To demonstrate, he raised his hand, and a nearby stone floated upward, suspended in a blue glow before gently landing in his palm. With a small flex of his fingers, the rock split cleanly in two.

"Whoa, that's amazing..." Misty gaped, awestruck. She was no stranger to psychic abilities; Saffron City Gym was well known across Kanto for its psychic Pokémon and its gym leader's rumored talents. But for Luo Yuan to possess such power... it was impressive.

The strength of his telekinesis was a rare gift, one she'd only heard was rivaled by Saffron's powerful Gym Leader, Sabrina. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Honestly, it's nothing," Luo Yuan replied modestly. "My psychic skills are still pretty rudimentary."

He wasn't just being humble. The truth was, he'd only had his psychic ability for a short time, and he could only manage basic object control. He was still leagues away from achieving high-level feats like teleportation, mind control, or, as some had claimed, transforming others into toys.

"...Nothing, huh?" Misty glanced back at the heavy boulder he'd just cracked in half, speechless.

Luo Yuan chuckled, steering the conversation away from the topic. After all, the psychic ability he'd received as a prize was better left unexplained.

With Gyarados's injuries tended to and Charmeleon rewarded with a pat on the back, he and Misty set out once more.

---

Pewter City was built on the rocky terrain bordering Mt. Moon, a city of miners and metalsmiths. The dark gray architecture and rugged atmosphere gave Pewter a sturdy, rough-hewn feel. People on the streets were mostly climbers or miners accompanied by Rock-type Pokémon, adding to the city's solid, stony impression.

But as they walked, Luo Yuan noticed signs of a city in decline: lines of closed shops, and a heaviness on people's faces.

The reason was clear. Recently, the Kanto League had increased restrictions on mining and refining industries, trying to address the growing impact of pollution and environmental destruction on wild Pokémon.

Pewter City, being the heart of Kanto's mining economy, was hit especially hard. Reports of once-thriving mining companies going under had become all too common.

"Still... it's none of our business," Luo Yuan said, stepping inside Pewter's Pokémon Center with Misty.

While Nurse Joy tended to Gyarados's wounds, Luo Yuan took the opportunity to gather intel on any recent developments in Pewter City.

"Anything big happening around here lately?" he asked casually.

Joy thought for a moment, tapping her chin. "Well... there has been one major issue recently..."

"Oh?"

Luo Yuan's interest was piqued—he hadn't expected anything noteworthy to come up from a casual inquiry.

Nurse Joy leaned forward, lowering her voice. "It started three days ago. The Zubat in Mt. Moon have gone wild, attacking both passing trainers and other Pokémon. Some environmental groups think it's because of years of over-mining, and they've set up blockades to stop any miners from entering Mt. Moon. There's been a lot of tension, and there were even reports of scuffles breaking out."

"Really? And the League isn't stepping in?" Misty looked genuinely surprised.

Usually, in cases like this, the League would have sent an Officer Jenny or a gym leader to mediate between the miners and the environmentalists.

"The city's officers are already stretched thin investigating the Zubat outbreak," Nurse Joy replied, her face creased with worry. "Gym Leader Brock has tried to mediate a few times, but he hasn't had much success."

The conflict had already led to several confrontations, Joy explained, and the number of injured Pokémon brought to her center was rising. It was only a matter of time before tensions escalated.

Luo Yuan took in her words with a slight nod. He wasn't exactly surprised; on one side, you had environmentalists trying to protect the mountain ecosystem, and on the other, miners defending their livelihoods. With both sides deadlocked, finding a middle ground seemed almost impossible.

Just then, the machine emitted a soft chime, signaling Gyarados's treatment was complete.

After Nurse Joy handed him Gyarados's Poké Ball, she looked back up at him, concerned. "If possible, I'd recommend avoiding Mt. Moon until things settle down."

"Thanks for the warning. I appreciate it." Luo Yuan took the Poké Ball with a warm smile.

He genuinely appreciated Nurse Joy's advice, but whether he would actually follow it was another matter. There was still a lot more information to uncover before he could decide on his next steps.

And, of course, all of this would have to wait until they addressed a more pressing issue...

"So, Misty," Luo Yuan asked, grinning, "any ideas for lunch?"