"Do you still remember the Team Magma member we captured at Mount Chimney last time?" Steven didn't answer directly but instead posed the question to Aoki.
"Yeah." Aoki nodded.
The captured individual, whose name Aoki recalled was Butler, held a position in Team Magma nearly equivalent to that of an admin.
The only issue was that his mind seemed slightly unstable.
"Then you probably don't know this, but not long after Butler was arrested and imprisoned by the League, he was assassinated right inside his cell." Steven's tone suggested he was certain Aoki hadn't heard.
Aoki narrowed his eyes slightly before smiling. "I really didn't know, but I almost guessed it."
Before Steven could ask further, Aoki continued, "Team Magma clearly isn't ready to reveal themselves yet. If a high-ranking member who knows too much is captured, their leadership would never allow him to live. From the moment we handed Butler over, unless he was interrogated immediately, his assassination was inevitable."
Hearing Aoki's analysis, Steven, who had initially wanted to argue, fell silent.
He hadn't considered things as thoroughly as Aoki had. After they'd handed Butler over that day, Steven had assumed the matter was resolved.
Being younger and less experienced, his perspective wasn't as comprehensive as Aoki's.
After all, Aoki had lived through multiple lifetimes—his age likely rivaled that of Steven's father. And in the treacherous environment of Team Rocket, a single misstep could be fatal.
"But what does this have to do with me? That was a long time ago, wasn't it?" Aoki asked.
The League's higher-ups hadn't prioritized Butler, assuming that someone captured by two rookies couldn't hold significant rank within Team Magma. They hadn't rushed to interrogate him.
Team Magma, however, had taken him far more seriously—he was assassinated the very next day.
"True, that incident is distant now, but for someone to infiltrate the League's high-security prison undetected… even if they were powerful, it shouldn't have been possible without inside help," Steven said.
Before he could continue, Aoki cut in, "Meaning there are League insiders working with them. Without internal support, even an Elite Four-level Trainer wouldn't be able to slip in unnoticed—unless they stormed the place outright, which obviously didn't happen."
He paused. "And after all this time, if you're bringing it up now, there's only one explanation—those League traitors have been uncovered.
"We were just promoted to Senior Investigators, so this is probably our first exclusive mission from the League, right?
Track down a fleeing League traitor?"
Steven listened as Aoki dissected the situation, accurately predicting the mission's objective. He couldn't help but give an impressed thumbs-up. "As expected of Aoki!"
As the only peer Steven truly respected, his admiration for Aoki was genuine.
"So, the reason you dragged me out in such a hurry is because you've already found traces of these people? Or this specific target?" Aoki pressed.
"Right. After the conspiracy was exposed, the smaller players were quickly rounded up. But this one was stronger—she had prepared in advance and managed to escape. However, yesterday, someone spotted her."
"Where?" Aoki mused.
"The Hoenn Desert." Steven's answer came with a wry smile.
The reason for his frustration was simple—the Hoenn Desert was vast. Searching for a single person in that expanse was like finding a needle in a haystack.
That was why he'd rushed to pull Aoki along—they needed to catch her before she vanished completely.
"Smart choice of hiding spot," Aoki remarked, far less troubled than Steven.
He'd already planned to train in the Hoenn Desert anyway. If this target had fled there, it would take time to track her down, but the delay wouldn't hinder his own goals.
"Then there's one more thing, right? From your tone, it sounds like the second issue isn't minor either," Aoki noted.
"This one's more urgent. The other matter isn't as time-sensitive, but it still concerns us," Steven said, shifting uncomfortably on his Skarmory's back. He shot an envious glance at Aoki, lounging easily atop his Flygon.
Whether it was the Tropius or the Flygon, both were far more comfortable rides than Skarmory.
Why am I stuck on a Skarmory?
Steven made a mental note to commission a custom saddle or cushion for his Pokémon.
Shaking off the thought, he continued, "Well, the Sinnoh region is hosting a tournament, inviting young Trainers from every region to compete. The two of us have been selected to represent Hoenn."
"A Sinnoh tournament?" Aoki's eyebrows rose.
Why would Sinnoh suddenly organize a cross-regional event for rising Trainers? Was it to showcase their region's development, or was there another motive?
"Exactly. The Sinnoh Competition is framed as a way for regions to gauge their younger generation's strength. Rumor has it the League's overall strategy shifted recently—several unusual directives have been issued across all regions."
Aoki's eyes gleamed with understanding.
Team Rocket is pulling back, and the League is seizing the opportunity.
This tournament was likely a prelude to a major push—a display of the League's rising talent to intimidate underground factions and rival organizations.
But if the League had gotten wind of Team Rocket's movements so quickly, their intelligence network ran deep. Some informants must have infiltrated high ranks.
"When?"
"Earliest in a month, latest in two. The Sinnoh League is already preparing, and all regional branches are mobilizing," Steven said.
"Seems this mission is also the League's way of fast-tracking our growth. This fugitive won't be weak," Aoki observed.
"Reports say she's at the high Elite tier, but she's probably holding back. We'll need to be cautious."
With that, the two fell silent, soaring toward the Hoenn Desert on their Flying-types.
Aoki's notebook remained open in his hand, untouched.