After its recent conquering of the Haiboko Region, Elite Four teams around the world fear that Team Gunpowder will work to capture other Regions across the globe. Originally from the pokéslave organization Team Rocket, Gunpowder’s members fled the Kanto Region in late 1996, foreseeing Rocket’s coming collapse in the area.

Moving west and becoming a mercenary group, Team Gunpowder still worked primarily for the Johto branch of Team Rocket until 1999. During this time they were able to accumulate large amounts of Rocket members into their ranks, almost entirely unnoticed by police. In the decades since, Gunpowder has moved throughout the Regions and massively increased their numbers. Their rapid annexation Haiboko, lasting mere weeks, is largely due to their use of high-grade ballistics weaponry in battle instead of pokémon, as well as a severe lack of any doctors able to practice on humans.

“We can’t keep basing our entire governmental and military system on whoever’s spent the most time wandering around in weeds,” says Red, the original defeater of Team Rocket a quarter century ago. “I became Regional Head of Kanto when I was ten because I went for a walk instead of standing around, staring off in one direction. That can’t happen any more.”

Red’s friend and rival, Blue, agrees. Blue became the Gym Leader in Viridian City after Giovanni, the original Leader and head of Team Rocket, fled. “Gunpowder’s coming for all the Regions, but they’ll almost certainly come for Kanto and Johto first. Team Rocket still exists here, hiding in the shadows, waiting for their chance to come back. With Gunpowder around, the Team that grew from them, they’ll step back out. If we don’t up our game soon, Gunpowder will take all of the Teams under their wing. Except Team Aqua, no one likes those guys.”

Novus would like to remind anyone who sees a Team Gunpowder member to stay away and immediately contact the authorities. Gunpowder’s members can be easily recognized by their hats with a giant “G” on the front.