Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

In the early morning, before the streets became crowded, Aoki took Slowpoke to the bus station in Ecruteak City and bought a ticket for the earliest trip to Mahogany Town.

Mahogany Town was remote, nestled deep in the mountains, and shuttle buses between Ecruteak and Kaji were infrequent. Fortunately, Aoki had asked the hotel staff about the earliest departure the night before, saving himself from a long wait.

After purchasing his ticket using his League ID card, Aoki boarded the bus once the announcement played. As expected, the number of passengers was sparse—likely due to the early hour or simply because few people had any reason to travel to Mahogany Town.

Mahogany Town, sometimes referred to as Mahogany Town, was a small, relatively unknown settlement in the northern Johto region. However, Aoki was all too familiar with it.

The reason? A major Team Rocket base was hidden there—second only to the organization's main headquarters. It was the largest stronghold of Team Rocket in Johto.

Aoki had spent three long years in that very base in his previous life, right after leaving the Trial Island. Only when he had proven himself capable of handling difficult missions on his own had he finally gained some independence from the Mahogany Town base.

As the bus rolled through the rugged terrain, Aoki gazed out the window at the familiar yet distant scenery. Three hours passed, and the vehicle entered the outskirts of Mahogany Town.

"I once swore I'd never return here," Aoki murmured to himself. "And yet, here I am again."

The memories of his time at the Mahogany Town Rocket base were ones he least wanted to revisit. Trial Island was brutal, but the struggles he endured at the base afterward were arguably worse.

Team Rocket's hierarchy was strict, and Aoki had entered as a low-ranking grunt. His lackluster Trial Island performance and seemingly mediocre talent left him isolated. With no backing, he was often the target of ridicule, discrimination, and harsh treatment from his superiors.

The existing grunt cliques had already formed by the time he arrived, leaving him an outcast. Without connections, he was constantly given the worst tasks and bullied by those above him. His past self had lacked cunning, social skills, and resilience, making those years unbearably difficult.

But that was then.

Now, Aoki was no longer that helpless recruit. He had the strength of a near-Elite trainer, and trivial matters like lowly Team Rocket grunts no longer concerned him.

More importantly, he now operated under the direct orders of Shadow, the deputy leader of Team Rocket's elite Shadow Division. His status alone ensured that few in the Kaji base would dare challenge him.

By the time the bus arrived at the Mahogany Town station, the temperature had noticeably dropped. Stepping off, Aoki felt the cold air bite at his skin. The streets were significantly quieter than those of Ecruteak City. People moved quickly, avoiding unnecessary interactions, their expressions indifferent and cautious.

Aoki shook his head. Team Rocket's grip on this city was evident.

His primary mission, assigned by Shadow, required him to travel north to Lake of Rage, where a secret Team Rocket research facility was hidden. There, he needed to locate a specific contact, exchange a coded phrase, and retrieve an undisclosed item.

However, Aoki wasn't in a rush. He had another task to complete first—hunting down the Pokémon from his Hunter Guild mission: a Swinub and an Onix, both commonly found in the nearby ice-covered mountains.

Pulling a cap lower over his face, Aoki kept his head down and made his way to Mahogany Town's Pokémon Center.

Although Team Rocket had a stronghold here, the League's influence wasn't absent. The presence of Pryce, the city's Gym Leader, was proof of that.

Pryce was a veteran Ice-type master with enough strength to challenge a Champion. His temper and rigid sense of justice had kept him from becoming one of the Elite Four, but the League had stationed him in Mahogany Town for a reason—to keep an eye on Team Rocket's activities.

Even with Aoki's ties to Team Rocket, he knew better than to be reckless. The League still held ultimate authority in Johto.

Upon entering the Pokémon Center, Aoki used his League ID card to gain access. He headed toward the free video phone section, pulled out a communication device, and dialed a number.

A moment later, the screen lit up, revealing a playful young woman with pink twin tails—Whitney from Goldenrod City.

"Aoki! What have you been doing? I left you a message days ago, and you still haven't responded!" she pouted, feigning anger.

Aoki sighed internally. "..."

Whitney giggled. "Alright, alright, I won't tease you. Listen, the Miltank at home are running low on those Pokeblocks you made. If you have time, could you make more?"

Aoki had expected this. He had underestimated just how much the Miltank could consume. Even so, he had anticipated the request and prepared some in advance.

"I don't have time to make more right now. I've only got a small batch left, so I'll send them over," Aoki replied.

"That's fine! Thanks, Aoki! I'll have Li Bo send the payment soon." Whitney grinned, unfazed.

"Mm."

Their conversation was brief—mostly one-sided, as usual. Whitney did most of the talking while Aoki merely responded when necessary. Eventually, they ended the call.

For some reason, Aoki felt a sense of relief once the screen went dark.

Using the Pokémon Center's item transfer system, he sent the pre-packed Pokeblocks to the address Whitney had left.

As he stepped outside, his device pinged with a message: "Item received. Payment transferred."

The short, business-like tone made it obvious that Li Bo had handled it, not Whitney.

Now that his errand was done, it was time to focus on his real mission.