[ Austin's POV ]

The night sky over the city was a canvas of deep navy, speckled with stars, as I sat on the balcony, sipping my hot coffee. My long hair, once unkempt, now styled and kept neatly courtesy of Yellow and Green, was a stark contrast to my former self. I wore a black leather jacket over a white shirt, with a pair of dark jeans and boots.

As I sat, my gaze fixed on the laptop screen next to me, displaying an image of Giovanni, the feared leader of Team Rocket, standing alongside his three-year-old son, Silver. Giovanni, dressed in his signature black suit, stood tall and imposing, his dark hair neatly styled and his expression stoic. Silver, with his wild mop of red hair, looked up at his father with wide, curious eyes.

I couldn't help but sigh as I remembered Lyndis' recordings.

The Orre Region.

Team Cypher.

Doctor Ein.

Black Aura.

If I hadn't made that connection, then I would be legally brain dead, but never in my wildest imaginations did I think that the villain team of Pokémon Colosseum and Gale of Darkness were connected to Team Rocket.

From what little information I could gather on the internet and Team rocket's archives, Team Cypher was the reason for the great war that Surge was a part of, with the war ending when an unknown Legendary Pokémon, Victini, which I presumed was from Pokémon Black and White, nuked the entire Orre region. Not gonna lie, that scared me when I read it.

I continued skimming through files when I stumbled upon something labeled "Missingno."

With a gulp, I clicked on the folder and found several research papers and descriptions of this mysterious Pokémon. The papers described Missingno as a bizarre creature with a symbiotic relationship with reality itself, defying explanation and seemingly impossible to study due to its enigmatic nature.

As I delved deeper into the files, I found a video that piqued my curiosity. It showed an Aerodactyl skeleton being injected with some kind of bloody goop. The moment the substance made contact, the Aerodactyl's skeleton began to stir, the bones shifting and rattling as if coming to life. The video was abruptly cut off by the screams of the scientists.

My heart raced as I tried to comprehend what I had just seen.

Missingno's existence and its connection to this horrifying experiment left me with even more questions, but one thing was certain: Team Rocket's sinister schemes went far beyond what I had initially imagined.

As I continued to comb through the Missingno research papers, I discovered a chilling detail: the mysterious bloody goop used to reanimate the Aerodactyl skeleton was a sample taken from something called "Project Eve." My curiosity was piqued, and I decided to delve into this enigmatic project.

While searching for Project Eve's files, my heart sank with each document I found. Instead of research papers, I discovered a series of morbid entries – scientists who had committed suicide while studying Project Eve, and resignation letters from those who could no longer bear the burden of their involvement. The atmosphere grew heavy as I ventured further into this digital abyss.

Buried within the files, I stumbled upon a documentary from Miyamoto, Jessie's mother. My pulse quickened, and without hesitation, I clicked on the video. As it began to play, I had no idea that what I was about to witness would fill me with an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety.

The video opened with shaky, grainy footage of a moonlit forest. The air was thick with a palpable tension, and the unsettling silence was broken only by the distant howl of nocturnal creatures. As the camera panned, I caught glimpses of scientists hidden among the trees, their faces gaunt and haunted, as if they were concealing a terrible secret.

The camera focused on Miyamoto as she addressed it. Her face was pale and her eyes wide with terror. In a hysterical voice, she exclaimed, " We have found Mew, We have found the God of Birth and I have something to tell you; God has children!" The raw emotion in her voice sent shivers down my spine.

...

Green was in the apartment when she suddenly heard the sounds of smashing coming from the balcony. Concerned, she rushed outside to see what was going on. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Austin hunched over, violently throwing up into a trash can. The laptop lay shattered on the ground, broken beyond repair.

"Austin!" she called out, her voice filled with worry. She hurried over to him and placed a gentle hand on his back, trying to provide some comfort. His body shook with each retch, and Green couldn't help but feel a mixture of concern and fear.

"What happened? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Austin, still reeling from the horrifying images he had seen in the video, struggled to speak. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with a deep, unsettling terror.

"I... I found something," he managed to choke out between gasps for air. "Something... terrible."

Green's heart clenched as she looked at the broken laptop, realizing that whatever Austin had discovered must have been truly horrifying. She stayed by his side, rubbing his back in a futile attempt to console him.

....

[ Hours Later ]

Austin sat on the balcony, lost in his thoughts, while Green sat next to him. The night sky above them was a rich tapestry of stars, the cityscape below a mesmerizing blend of neon lights and inky shadows. The air was cool, carrying the scent of the city and the distant hum of its life. Green was dressed in a cozy brown cardigan, her brown hair styled in a simple, elegant ponytail. They sat in silence, the only sound the gentle sip of Austin's coffee as it mingled with the faint whispers of the night breeze.

Green reached out and took the cup from Austin's hand, drinking the remaining coffee in one go. He couldn't help but realize that her life as a thief must have reinforced her habit of quickly eating and drinking. The sound of the empty cup being placed back on the table echoed softly in the cool air.

Green turned to him, her green eyes reflecting the city lights below. "How are you doing?" she asked softly.

Austin gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I'm fine, just thinking," he replied.

Green nodded understandingly; she knew that he had his own demons to deal with, just like her. They both have seen and experienced things that no one should have to endure. They sat in silence, watching the city below, the distant sound of cars and people filling the air like a gentle symphony. Austin couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as he thought back to the days when he was a child living in Honolulu, where he and his brother would always play this game of counting specified colored cars.

"Ash, what are we going to do now?" Green asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Well, the agenda is still the destruction of Team Rocket. With Jessie and James on our side to get us weapons and information, we are one step closer to that goal." Austin's voice was steady, but the weight of the situation was clear in his eyes.

Green smiled at his determination but noticed the blank expression that suddenly crossed his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"I found your mother," Austin said quietly.

"What?! How?" Green's eyes widened with shock.

"Team Rocket had dug into a lot of people's pasts, that includes your father. Now you can go look for your mother," Austin explained, hoping the news would bring her some measure of happiness.

Green's body shook as she asked in a low tone, "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Of course not," Austin responded, taken aback by her reaction. "I was fulfilling my promise."

A silence enveloped the two, as heavy as the darkness that surrounded them. Green's gaze bore into Austin, imploring him for honesty. "Ash, tell me the truth."

Austin, with a heavy heart, answered, "It's too dangerous for you and everyone else to continue with this mission," concern etched on his face.

Green's eyes flashed with defiance as she questioned him, "So, what? Are you going to get rid of Yellow, Pikachu, and everyone else because it's too dangerous?" Her voice was laced with a mix of frustration and determination.

Austin hesitated, caught off guard by her response. Green continued, her voice resolute, "We're going to go through this together, Austin. We've come this far, and we're not backing down now."

"But what if you get hurt?" he asked, his voice strained with worry.

"You can also get hurt, Ash. Are you going to stop this pursuit?"

"No."

"Then, do you think Yellow, Pikachu, or any one of us would live with ourselves knowing that you are risking your life to go while we remain safe?"

"...."

"Thanks," Austin said, his expression softening.

"Oh, don't worry, after we get through this, you're going to pay me big time," Green added, her eyes narrowing as she grabbed Austin's collar and pushed him closer to her, bringing their faces just inches apart. Austin could feel Green's breath on his face as she continued with a mischievous smile, "You aren't going to get rid of me that easily. You already paid for my services, and I am a woman of my word." Austin smirked and asked in a jovial fashion, "Wasn't the money I gave you compensation for feeling you up?"

Green put on an innocent look and asked, "What would Yellow think if she heard that news?" Austin saw through Green's tricks and asked her what she wanted. Green replied that she wanted the legendary Pokémon detection machine that Dr. Lyndis had designed and Austin flat-out refused.

As Green was about to say something else, the door to the balcony burst open, and Yellow hurriedly shouted, "Austin, something is wrong with Charmeleon!" The urgency in her voice pierced the still night air. His stomach sank as he realized that their moment of reprieve was over.