Merger

Red meets with Tetsuo privately to suggest that the bizarre cookie broadcast during the exeggcute merger was intentional. He reveals that Rei admitted she wants to know Sabrina's secrets and likely used the food-focused seed to hijack the connection. Tetsuo agrees with the deduction but points out they lack hard proof. To test Rei safely, Tetsuo decides he will make an excuse to abstain from the next experiment to protect his own secrets. As the days pass, Red finds his evolving partition continues to help him; it allows him to experience his grief and process memories of the storm without being overwhelmed. He shares his anxiety about Rei with Leaf, who casually suggests a devious, seemingly risk-free solution.

During the next group merger, the setup appears normal, with Tetsuo sitting in the circle. Red connects with his seed and discovers that his new partition perfectly matches the cognitive architecture of the exeggcute cluster, helping him maintain his independent, elevated identity while his partitioned mind remains immersed in the collective. Suddenly, the mental network is flooded with thoughts and impressions about Sabrina. Red recognizes Rei's distinct blend of obsession and desire among the threads, confirming she is forcing the connection. However, Leaf's trap is sprung: Daniel had merged instead of Tetsuo, offering no real bait. Using his unmerged partition, Red manages to project the mental noise at the unmerged Tetsuo to signal him. Tetsuo immediately withdraws the exeggcute, breaking the link.

When the group recovers, Tetsuo furiously accuses Rei of intentionally using a pokemon's psychic abilities against humans—a potential Renegade crime. Instead of arguing, Rei accepts her fate with chilling calm and places herself under house arrest until Sabrina returns. Days later, Sabrina arrives at Red's room. She praises his loyalty, cleverness, and restraint, revealing that Tetsuo informed her of everything. When Red anxiously asks about Rei's fate, Sabrina assures him they will likely resolve it without involving the Rangers, though she notes it is sad that Rei was so close to learning what she wanted.