Cain and his companions found some rooms within the League headquarters to stay in temporarily.
The sudden uprising of Team Magma and Team Aqua had come at a very opportune moment.
And with old Matsuda having to remain in the Kanto region for some time, there wasn't even anyone in Hoenn immediately available to take his place as one of the Elite Four.
It wasn't that there weren't trainers strong enough for the role, but some simply didn't want to be confined to that position. For example, Norman from Petalburg City.
The departure of old Matsuda, after all, did bring consequences.
Once inside his room, Cain opened an alternate space in the wall and summoned his Pokémon there.
The upcoming mission carried a high risk of combat, and he needed all his Pokémon to be in their best possible condition.
Although Cain always kept his Pokémon active and motivated, this time was different.
A large-scale battle could break out, so it was necessary to review some basic team tactics.
As for the safety of the operation, Cain didn't have many doubts.
The presence of Kommo-o was his last trump card.
After a while of training, he exited the alternate space with a communicator in hand.
He hesitated a bit but ended up dialing Professor Cozmo's number.
No one answered.
Even though he had already been prepared for that, he couldn't help but feel a weight in his chest.
The fact that Team Magma and Team Aqua were acting with such determination meant they had reliable information.
And the only thing capable of mobilizing them was data about Groudon and Kyogre.
This expedition to Meteor Falls would be no easier than that journey through Celebi's space.
Cain then sent several messages to Rose and the others, ordering that until they heard from him, Team Heaven was to remain in complete silence and not expose themselves.
The League, in addition to fighting Team Magma and Team Aqua, would also be keeping an eye on the second-tier groups.
If any of them showed themselves, they wouldn't even know what hit them.
Did they really think the League didn't exist?
...
The next morning, early, Cain and the other three gathered punctually at the League airport.
Drake, the Dragon-type Elite Four member, was traveling with them.
Cain understood well the reason for his presence.
Partly, it was to act as their guard—but also because Glacia and Sidney might not command enough authority.
Although they were also members of Hoenn's Elite Four, their reputations weren't as solid.
In practice, they had spent more time assisting Juan with the League's internal affairs, and not many had actually seen their true power in battle.
Drake, on the other hand, was an Elite Four member who had earned his position through combat.
The group boarded an emergency transport plane, which quickly ascended into the skies.
Inside the League building, Juan watched them depart.
"For too long without lifting a finger, some have started to believe I'm finished."
His presence turned sharp as a blade.
He pulled out a special communicator and gave a single order: "Gather everyone—it's time to act!"
...
The special aircraft carried Cain and the others to Rustboro City before sunset.
That was Steven's territory.
With the help of the Stone family, they traveled from there to the vicinity of Meteor Falls.
Before nightfall, they arrived at the League's camp in front of the waterfall.
There, alongside Drake, they met with Glacia and Sidney, as well as several other powerful League trainers.
Among them was Norman, the Gym Leader of Petalburg City—someone Cain had long wanted to meet.
After brief greetings, Drake immediately assumed command.
"Glacia, Sidney, what's the current situation?" he asked from the main seat. Cain and his group sat farther back, as listeners.
Sidney, a Dark-type specialist, and Glacia, an Ice-type specialist, were the most prominent figures of the generation before Cain.
Their strength was unquestionable, though they lacked experience.
In any case, they far surpassed the newly promoted Lance.
"Team Magma and Team Aqua attacked the League's temporary camp by the waterfall. Afterwards, both groups entered the cave one after the other. The trainers who were training inside were expelled, except for a few who had gone too deep and might still be inside. Most have already been evacuated," reported Sidney.
Before Drake's arrival, he had been the one in command.
"For now, we don't know if both groups have made contact or even what their real objectives inside the cave are," added Glacia.
Drake listened to their reports with a serious expression and nodded.
"We must find out soon what they're after. Even if it seems unlikely, we can't rule out the possibility that Maxie and Archie intend to cooperate."
"If Team Magma and Team Aqua join forces, the situation changes completely."
Upon hearing that, everyone present grew serious.
Separately, both were large forces—but not unmanageable ones.
Together, however, they would pose a real threat to the League.
Many wondered why the League hadn't eliminated them earlier and instead always reacted in moments like these.
What they didn't see was how complicated the situation truly was.
Although Team Magma and Team Aqua were rivals, their leaders weren't fools—they understood that if one fell, the other would be next.
Attacking only one would provoke the reaction of the other.
And the League had no guarantee of defeating both at once without paying a huge price.
That was why things had reached this point—organizations growing far more than they should have.
However, now that they were acting together, it also presented the League with an opportunity to finally solve both problems at once.
"We need to send someone in to investigate first," said Drake, scanning the room for a suitable candidate.
If he could, he would have gone himself.
But that wasn't possible—he was too well known, and Juan had brought him precisely to hold the outer defense.
His gaze fell on Norman.
He had strength comparable to Glacia and Sidney, but drew less attention—making him a good infiltrator.
Just then, Cain spoke up: "Mr. Drake, allow me to go."
Everyone turned their eyes toward him.
Drake frowned.
Before he could speak, Cain explained: "I've been to Meteor Falls before and know the terrain and its peculiarities well. I've also had contact with both Team Magma and Team Aqua—I understand their methods. Moreover, I possess psychic powers that allow me to better protect myself."
"Telekinesis is very useful when exploring unknown areas."
As he spoke, Cain demonstrated his psychic ability with a gesture, moving an object with his mind.
(End of chapter)