As Ash opened his eyes, he awoke the the still unfamiliar site of the barren desert of Orre. Getting off a sleeping bag Brock was fortunate enough to find in the wreckage, he joined his group of friends around a campfire.

"You slept in late." Sawyer said with a smile, as he handed Ash a bowl of Brock's traditional stew Ash grew accustomed to eating on his journeys through other Regions with his friend.

"Well, staying up for two days and nights in a row will do that to a guy." Ash replied, bags still hanging under his eyes.

Retrieving the serving of food from Sawyer's hands, Brock and Looker began to kill the fire they cooked the group's meal on. Due to the barren state of the Region, finding dry kindling was fairly easy. While Ash may have still been struggling to fully awake, a conversation Alain started with the rest of the group caught his attention instantly.

"So you know that Wes guy we told you about when we got back? He told us that our stuff was taken to one of their desert labs." Alain spoke up, catching the attention of the group.

"So the guy never specified where we might find this lab?" Anabel asked, which caused Alain to shake his head.

"No, but he did tell us we needed a key card from a Cipher Admin to unlock the main doors to the lab itself. Apparently it's under high security." Ash replied, finally finding his spark to wake fully.

"Then we need to work on finding an Admin then." Looker said, dusting off his pants upon standing up. "Do we have any leads?"

"Unfortunately, no. All I heard about is that some Cipher goons report to a man by the name of Ein." Alain said in reply.

"Hmm, I remember back in the Phenec, there were a lot of Cipher grunts patrolling around the area when Ash and I were trying to hide. That many people should surely have a man supervising them." Looker said, putting his hand to his chin to ponder.

"Sounds like that's our best lead then. To believe we're going this far out of our way just to retrieve our stolen items. Imagine how tough it's gonna be just to find Team Rocket and the head of Cipher." Brock commented, putting a lid on what was left of his stew pot as he offered. "Let me go and try and carry my weight.

"Let me come too!" Sawyer said, jumping to his feet and also offering his services. "I can't help but feel like I've been useless so far on this trip. I've just been sitting back and letting others go before me. Not today."

"Then by all means, you should go if you feel that way." Anabel replied, just before pointing out. "But let me go as well. Ash and Alain put in a lot of work last night, and Looker deserves a little more of a break himself."

"Very well then." Looker said begrudgingly, sitting down once more under the Pyramid's shade.

After fetching some water and the map from Alain, the three once more set out to Phenec City. Upon arriving at the city however, it seemed the streets were more empty that what the group saw yesterday.

"What's going on here?" Anabel whispered, observing what little foot traffic was happening in the streets, the lack of people also puzzling Brock and Sawyer.

It didn't take long for the trio to realize what was occuring, where they saw a TV monitor in the main square was airing a special event happening inside the Phenec Stadium.

*And It looks like there's gonna be another decisive victory for the outstanding Miror B!* The TV monitor buzzed as the static sound of a stadium cheering could be heard. As they cheered, Anabel looked to the stadium, signalling the others to join her.

Rushing to the Colosseum entrance, the trio watched from the overlook a Battle coming to its climax.

"Yo, Ludicolo, use Shadow Blitz, yo!" A man in a dark blue disco suit said, doing a little spin as he commanded his Pokémon to attack.

Upon its Trainer's command, the Ludicolo screamed in pain, a large purple aura flaring up as its eyes glowed with rage. Without so much as a warning beyond that, Ludicolo charged the opposing Scyther, blitzing it before it could react and dealing a ton of damage to the Bug-type, to the point the Mantis Pokémon was struck down and could barely move.

"Scyther cannot continue, Ludicolo wins. Therefore, the victory goes to Miror B!" The electronic shoutcaster screamed over the Stadium's PA system.

As the crowd cheered, the man did a funky dance, his red and white bushy afro shaking as he moved. With a swish of his yellow scarf, the man did a pose.

"Alright, Ludicolo, you know the drill yo! Do ya thang!" Miror B said with a unique cadence that couldn't be matched, where, upon its Trainer's command, Ludicolo fired off a Leech Seed attack on the already incapacitated Scyther.

And it wasn't long after that the attack was cast that the vines wrapped tightly around the Scyther's neck and crushed the Bug-type's throat, crushing the life from its body as well as draining what little it had left, killing it.

"You worthless Pokémon!" The Scyther's Trainer yelled, tossing away his now unneeded Pokéball and turning his back on the Pokémon as it lay dead on the ground. "I lost my chance to be in Cipher because of you!"

As the Stadium halls began to fill with people exiting the building, Anabel, Sawyer and Brock watched as the lifeless body of Scyther was carried away by a Machoke, grasping its leg and dragging off the body as if it was a pile of garbage.

"How horrible. How can someone do that to a Pokémon?" Sawyer questioned with a pained voice.

"So this is was what Looker meant as to what he and Ash saw." Brock said in shock, no words to add in his state of horror.

"Guys, look. That afro dude is still there." Anabel pointed out.

What the psychic woman said was true, where she, Brock and Sawyer saw Miror B still idling in the battlefield, doing odd poses and dance moves, only for two men in black suits approached the man.

"Sir, I'm afriad to tell you that shipment you had those morons in Pyrite ship out to the field lab was intercepted last night." The first man spoke up, his eyes obscured by his black glasses.

"What? Aww, man, ya fools are breaking up my mojo here. Can't you see I'm getting in groove here?!" The afro man replied nonchalantly, as if such a task was trivial. "Ya no, last night was my last time as overseer of that whack ass town anyways. Boss put me to be the major muscle in this City now. Let that Rocket cat handle the biz there now."

"Sorry sir, but Ein said he simply doesn't care, as you were still the overseer last night, and he wants someone to find the shipment of supplies. He said scouts spotted the thieves heading to the Outskirt Stand out East." The second man added, still as stone faced as the first.

"Ah, I don't got time for that, gotta practice my grooves to keep in the mood, ya dig?" Miror B replied, still unimpressed by the two's message.

"I'm just the messenger, sir. It ain't my ass if those Snagem rebels get away with stealing our supplies." The first one reminded with a defensiveness in his voice.

"Aww, you really gonna do this to me? Fine, I'll send out some peons to check it out." Miror B said, still as detached from the conversation as before.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen, sir. Sir Nascour and Ein themselves have said quite assertively that you are to go to the site yourself." The second man spoke up, not amused by B's antics.

As this conversation continued, the first man turned his head to Anabel and the others, his obscured, yet deadly gaze seemingly fixing onto the three like a tracking lazer. As her turned his head, the three, noticing that they stood out, ducked behind the barrier they were behind, panic coursing through their minds.

"Did he see us?" Sawyer asked, his heavy breathing not helping much in the situation.

"I don't know!" Brock replied, the same fear clinging to himself.

"Hold on..." Anabel said, peering over the barrier just bearly to catch the end of the conversation.

"Alright, fine." Miror B said reluctantly, upset by the fact he had to cut his dancing routine short. "But I can't go yet. Got some business to tend to back at my office."

As Miror B left, the two men in black suits were left alone. As the second one turned to leave, he looked back at his partner, still fixed on the position the trio was.

"What's wrong?" The second man asked.

"It's nothing." The first man replied stoically, not giving a trace as to whether or not he did or didn't spot the evesdroppers.

After a moment or two passed, Anabel and the two guys with her stayed in their spots.

"Are they gone?" Sawyer asked, almost afraid of an answer.

"Yeah, they are." Anabel replied, getting sighs of relief from her two partners.

"Thanks goodness." Brock breathed as he regained composure.

"Did you two hear that? There's a place that that Miror B guy's heading to. Maybe we can ambush him there, get his key card." Anabel suggested, conjuring a plan in her mind.

"Why not just follow him around back to his base? I mean do we even know if he'd have a card on him if we let him come to us?" Sawyer asked, unsure of the idea.

"I don't want to risk a confrontation where we could be facing his goons alongside him. We don't know this guy's strength, and I prefer keeping the odds in our favor. Besides, If he doesn't have a key card when we ambush him, we'll simply hold him hostage. Then those Cipher dicks will know we're serious." Anabel replied, pitching her plan to her friends.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'm game." Brock said, but added with a seriousness. "But we have to work fast."

"Alright then." Sawyer said, caving into the two votes in favor of Anabel's idea.

Upon reaching an agreement, the three made haste to the Cyber bikes, now fully removed of their tracking devices courtesy of Looker's ingenuity and perception, where Anabel, Brock and Sawyer then made tracks East, further into the harsh terrain of the Albaridge Desert.

After driving for twenty minutes at max speed, the group came across and old diner and gas station, fashioned to look like an old steam locomotive.

"Well this is quite an interesting place." Sawyer said, in shock of the look of the diner, as well as its location.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's just go in and try to blend in. With that massive afro that dude has, we'll see him from a mile away. All we need to do is make sure he doesn't get away once we ambush him." Brock told his friends, making his way to the door.

Stepping inside the restaurant was an odd treat for the group, namely for the diner's unique aesthetic was easily the most charming place they've seen so far. The bronze and black interior gave off a steampunk vibe, and the metallic bar counter was the first thing seen as the trio stepped inside, with Anabel stepping up to the counter while Sawyer and Brock went to sit in a booth.

As Sawyer walked by, a short old man getting out of his booth stepped out, accidentally tripping on Sawyer's leg.

"Sir, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Sawyer asked, his helpful nature showing clearly as he reached for the man to help him up.

After taking the younger man's hand, the old man stood up, straightened his ovally glasses and dusted himself off.

"It's quite alright, young man. I'm afraid my vision hasn't been the best in recent years." The elderly gentleman replied in a calm tone, squinting up at the pair of men standing. "Not everyday you get such kind young folk around these parts nowadays.

"Tell me about it. Everyone here seems like jerks." Sawyer, began to say, not realizing his words could potentially blow the group's cover.

Just as Brock was about to say something to prevent Sawyer from speaking further, the old man just chuckled and smiled. "Yeh! You say it like it is my young friend. What's your name?" The man asked him.

"Sawyer, it's a pleasure to meet you sir. What might your name be?" Sawyer said, much to the displeasure of Brock and Anabel, who was just approaching with the group's food.

"Oh please, call me Verich." The man said back with a smile. "If you and your friends ever find yourself in Gateon Port, call me up. We can have a nice cup of tea together."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Verich. Hope you have a good day!" Sawyer said with a returned smile, waving to the old man as he left the building.

After sitting down in a booth, Sawyer was about to dive into the food, only to look at the discontent in his friends' faces.

"Do you realize what you did?" Anabel said sternly. "Who knows who that guy is. Remember what Looker said? The people aren't friendly to outsiders."

"The guy seemed alright to me. Besides, how would he know we're outsiders." Sawyer replied.

"Your talk about everyone being here like jerks was that Magikarp out of the Water-type of talk we didn't want happening." Brock said with a pang of anger.

"Well when you put it like that... Sorry, I won't let it happen again." Sawyer said, apologizing for his actions.

"It's alright." Anabel assured, before saying. "Now let's get to work."

As the stakeout continued, time seemed to pass by quickly fairly quickly. After finishing their food hours ago, Anabel finally noticed from the diner window an approaching vehicle. It was a large transport craft with Miror B at the helm. After putting the brakes on his hovercraft, B hopped off the skiff, looking around the diner area as he walked.

"Aw, man, how exactly am I to find that scientist's junk anywho?" The man questioned, dancing a jig as he walked along, only to notice the Cipher class Cyber Bikes the group was using.

"Aww man, seriously? I come all the way out here, and the brass just send out a couple flunkies to do the work for me? This is so not groovy." B said, yet refusing to break from his dance routine.

As he did this, the trio emerged from the diner with haste, surrounding the man before he even noticed them.

"Who are you fools?" Miror B asked the trio.

"That's none of your business. Hand over the keycard to the Cipher field lab, and nobody has to get hurt." Anabel said, readying a Pokéball.

"Aww, not this ain't cool! I gotta deal with those lame cats, telling me to get some dumb medicine, now I got some fools trying to jump me? This ain't groovy at all." Miror B replied, only to continue his dancing routine like nothing was happening.

"Quite a strange fellow, isn't he?" Brock asked his friends, only for B the speak up once more.

"Aww, no see, that ain't right. When someone messes with me groove, I get funky on their asses. My disco ain't strange, it's the most hip-hop-happening thing in the world! I'mma bout to teach you a lesson!" B said, his demeanor suddenly changing as he threw a Pokéball into the air, where his Ludicolo emerged and took a battle-ready stance before his Trainer.

"Everyone be careful! We haven't see the full abilities of this Pokemon yet!" Brock said, reaching for a Pokéball of his own, only for Sawyer to stop him.

"No, let me. Ludicolo is half Grass-type, and one that can use Leech Seed as well. I'm the best person to face him." Sawyer said with a confident and strong stare at the opponent, where he drew his Pokéball and prepared for Battle.

"Let's go, Sceptile!" Sawyer shouted, tossing a Pokéball up into the air, where the Forest Pokémon emerged midair, cratering the sandy ground as it landed.

"Ah, so you first punk? No problemo. Ludicolo, use Teeter Dance!" Miror B commanded, dancing as he issued the command, where the Carefree Pokemon began to do an unorthodox dance that caused Sceptile to get motion sickness.

And just like that, Sceptile was confused, stumbling around to mimic the erratic movements of the move user.

"What?!" Sawyer questioned as his Pokémon fall to a subsequent attack.

"Now, use Hydro Pump!" B commanded while keeping in his groove mood.

After the command being issued, Ludicolo made a wave of its hands, bringing them together to form a torrent of water within them. After a moment to charge up, Ludicolo fired off the move, the rampaging water harshly colliding with the Grass-type, knocking it to the ground.

"He's strong. There's no way my Sceptile would be so affected by a resisted move from a standard Pokémon." Sawyer said in concern as his Sceptile got back up, his confusion being cured.

"Ah, so he's back into action, huh? Well that won't last for long, Ludicolo, use Teeter Dance again!" Miror B said, oddly surprised by the results.

"I won't let you! Sceptile, counter with Dragon Claw quickly!" Sawyer shouted to his Pokémon.

Without even needing to get his bearings, Sceptile sprang into action, blitzing the Grass/Water-type before it could even react.

"Hmm, ya got spunk, kid, but we ain't done yet." Miror B said. "Keep your distance for now Ludicolo, and attack with another Hydro Pump."

As the Ludicolo prepared another move, Sawyer nodded to his Sceptile, who braced himself from the attack. As the attack collided with Sceptile, sending the Pokémon back a few feet while the excess water splashed upon the arid, cracking ground, Anabel began to question Sawyer's choice in countering the move.

"Hey, why did you have Sceptile take that attack head on?! At that range with Sceptile's speed, you could have easily dodged!" Anabel shouted, thinking the young Trainer was making even more bad decisions today.

"I have a plan here." Sawyer simply said, only to issue Sceptile another command to rush Ludicolo with Dragon Claw.

This time however, Ludicolo was prepared, sidestepping the Forest Pokémon to avoid the attack.

"At this range, we'll end it here. Ludicolo, use Hydro Pump one more time, yo!" B commanded, striking another pose.

As Ludicolo formed the vortex of water within its hands yet again, it fired off a blast of water point blank into Sceptile's face, seemingly knocking it out.

"Ya see, ya fools? This is what happens when you mess with the marvelous Miror B. You cats are just not groovey enough to match me, now Ludicolo, let's finish this off with a Shadow...Blitz?" Miror B began to say, only to look in confusion as Sceptile stood back up.

"What?! How's that for uncool? Why you still bothering to get up yo?!" B said in astonishment, breaking from his dancing at the site of Sceptile's body rising up.

"Now it's time to turn the time of battle back in our favor. Sceptile, use Grassy Terrain!" Sawyer yelled out.

Ripping a seed from off its back, Sceptile jammed it into the ground, where a fresh, fertile patch of grass covered the immediate area.

"What?! How can you use that move in an area so desolate? There's no way a move like that could be sustained!" B began questioning in a fluster, his entire chill character crumbling at the site of the desert turning into a lush prairie.

"I have to thank you for that one. After all, it was all that water from your Hydro Pumps. I made sure Sceptile took enough of those for the traces of water left from the attack to make contact with the ground. That left enough moisture in the ground to allow plants and grass to grow." Sawyer said in reply, smuggly explaining his plan, both to his opponent and his allies.

"Quite a move you had planed there." Brock said, impressed by the studious Trainer's intuition, now seeing he and Sceptile made a few sacrifices to allow their plan to come to fruition.

"Oh, I'm just getting started. With the ground now fertile, my Grass moves can now hit with more force. Sceptile, let him have a Frenzy Plant!" Sawyer shouted, where upon his Trainer's command, Sceptile rammed both its arms into the earth. After not even a brief moment, giant vines began digging up from under the ground, slamming into the opposing Ludicolo, knocking it out near instantly.

"What!? This is whack, I gotta get outta here! So not groovey!" B began to say, making his way back to his hovercraft, only for a creeping vine to grab him by the ankle, keeping him suspended in the air upside down.

"We're not gonna let you get away!" Brock said, stepping in between Miror B's hanging body and his hover skiff, ensuring that all escape routes were blocked. "Now, where's that keycard to this Cipher lab?"

"You punks are REALLY messing with my groove now! Fine, take the damn card man. Boss ain't gonna like me failing in a fight anyways, nevermind giving you the card." B replied, reaching into his pocket and dropping the card into the grass beneath him.

"Looks like Grassy Terrain will give in soon. The Frenzy Plant will fade in the arid desert, so let's get out of here before it wears off." Sawyer said, grabbing the keycard and making way to the parked Cyber Bikes.

"Brock, check his skiff for trackers and let's bail." Anabel said, following Sawyer to the bikes.

"Right!" Brock said hesitantly, trying to recall the instructions Looker showed the group when he removed the trackers from the Cyber Bikes the previous night.

After clumsily fiddling around, finding and destroying the tracker a moment after, the three rode off back East toward the Battle Pyramid. As the Grassy Terrain faded, the Frenzy Plant suspending B shriveled up, dropping the disco dancer on his head.

"Good thing I got this sweet afro, or that might have been really not groovey." B said, dusting the sand and dirt out of his hair.

As he did this, a shadowy figure approached him.

"So they took the keycard, huh?" The man said.

"Oh, its you. You saw that, huh? What does it matter anyhow? I lost to them anyways. So what now, Boss? You gonna make an example of me or something?" Miror B said, waving off his Boss's comment, his pride all but shattered.

"On the contrary, I was hoping that would happen. The little group of outsiders is becoming more and more bold with every encounter. Perhaps our mutual friends and I can use that to our advantage." Nascour said, with a grin, emerging from the shade of the Diner.

"So why didn't you want to get involved anyways?" B asked the grey haired man.

"I was meeting with someone here moments before before I saw those three coming here. Wanted to play the cards right." Nascour replied plainly.

"You? Meeting someone here in this barren place? Who would ever even come all the way out here?" B said, completely unsure of what his superior meant.

"Yes... Who indeed...?" Nascour said without elaborating.

As the two looked further off into the East, Nascour turned around as a dark purple portal opened behind them.

"Come along, B. We have so much more work to do." The Cipher Executive said, beckoning his underling to join him as they walked through the hole, having big plans and needed all the pieces in place to pull it off.

Meanwhile, back at the Battle Pyramid

After leaving tracks behind the Diner, Anabel, Sawyer and Brock returned back to the Battle Pyramid, greeting their friends upon their return.

"How did it go?" Looker said, resting in the shade with the others as Ash's Glalie provided the trio frigid air to keep cool.

"Good enough. Sawyer might have almost blown out cover to some random old guy, but I think we should be fine." Anabel said, still showing some frustration over Sawyer's actions.

"But he did defeat a rather odd Cipher admin as well. Got us this key card to that lab too." Brock added, hoping that Anabel didn't make him seem a complete hindrance on the trip.

"Really? That's great! Now with that skiff you brought back too, we have something to load our stuff on when we get it back." Ash said, happily, finally glad they could get a move on.

"First off, we need to know where this lab is located in this desert. It doesn't seem to be listed anywhere on the map we took anyways." Alain began to say.

"And we'll need to find out why they took such basic items to a lab. It's strange." Looker added, pondering.

"Well, we did see these guys in suits talking to the admin we fought. They told him that the medical supplies Ash and Alain stole never made it to their destination. If they had to inform him of such a thing in Phenec, that must mean the medicine doesn't go through that City." Sawyer theorized, giving the others pause for thought.

"Then that must mean the lab might be in between Phenec and Pyrite!" Looker said, putting the pieces together.

"Makes sense. There is a lot of ground to cover though, and we made beelines straight for Pyrite and Phenec. Perhaps the lab is somewhere South of us." Ash said, beginning to think of an idea.

"Well, if that's our best lead, then let's check it out. With this new skiff you three brought back for us, this means we all can go this time." Looker said, leaving no room for reluctance and boarding the skiff. "The sooner we go, the better chances we'll have at getting an advantage over these punks."

"Right." Ash said, agreeing with his Officer friend, hopping aboard a Cyber Bike with Anabal, while Brock and Sawyer rode on the other.

After Alain took the drivers seat on the skiff with his familiarity with the kind of vehicle after his adventure last night, the group of six set off into the South, with hopes that they'll reach Cipher's lab and finally get deeper into their quest to stop the diabolical team and Giovanni once and for all.