Rose signing on.

As usual, I don’t own Pokemon, blah blah blah, Wizards of the Coast does, blah blah blah, but I don’t, blah blah blah, so don’t sue me cause all I have is a couple of bottle caps (sorry James, you’ll have to fight me for them) and some Pokemon cards (my ever expanding collection). But I do own Professor Rose Thorn, her Pokemon nicknames, and anything else I think of as I go along with this exciting adventure. I hope you like it as much as I have been while writing it! And now! On to the story and the adventure! Mhahahahaha!

"Uck! What a disgusting overrun forest!" Came a voice ahead of me.

Yes it was apparent that the forest was full of life. But at the same time it was not. Besides the sounds of leaves crunching and twigs snapping from being stepped on, it was dead quiet.

Not a sound in the forest, which is strange for any forest. But I failed to notice the silence; I was accustomed to it.

But it was different twenty years ago. This same forest was probably full of the sounds of Pokemon. It was safe then.

I swallowed a sigh before it could escape, but I do sigh inwardly.

"Professor!" A call came, interrupting my thoughts. "Professor Thorn over here!" It was one of my assistants, my newest one, Ashley Ketchum. I give a small shutter at the name.

As soon as I see her I jog towards her. She had an excited look on her face.

“Professor Thorn, look!” She points to a clearing just beyond a few trees. What I see next took my breath away. In the middle of the clearing was a single red rose. And what excites me more was a trail of even more flowers, leading to the end of the clearing and into the far side of the forest.

I absentmindedly put my hand into my pocket and fingered my gold fairylike necklace. It's true! It IS true!

Can I trust Ashley? Yes, she has been with me long enough for me to trust her. I turn to Ashley and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Ashley, go to the jeep and bring the emergency kit. And Ashley?" She looked at me with big brown eyes as she suddenly stopped.

"Bring my bag."

She nodded, knowingly, and then disappeared into the forest.

I close my eyes and then this time I do sigh.

I knew what I had to do. Even though I was sent to destroy the only wild Pokemon left on the planet, I knew I could not do that. I had to capture it in order to save Pokemon kind. Or at least... what's left.

I shake my head, anger arising within myself. I could be put to death for this. If anyone besides my most trusted assistants found out I even kept Pokemon, not only would I be put to death, so would my Pokemon.

But I don't know how I'm supposed to do it without facing her. She would never put up with the thought of having one of her most loyal subjects keeping pocket monsters.

I close my eyes tightly. She will surely destroy me. If not her, he will...

"Professor?" I look up at Ashley and give a weak smile. She holds up the kit and my favorite red bag in one hand and makes a peace sign with her other hand. "No sweat!" I grab the items from her and put my bag on my back.

"Tell the other assistants where I went ok?

"Sure Professor." I smile then turn and run along the path of flowers. They continued into the forest, several different flowers in every color imaginable. After several minutes the forest grew thicker and the path of flowers ended.

I don't understand... how could it just disappear? As I thought this several more flowers grew up from the ground and then went into full bloom. I smile. It had just passed minutes ago. But I knew I would never find it by following a trail that is just now appearing. I had to look for it myself.

But how am I going to find it without a trail leading to it?

I was thinking hard for several minutes when I noticed the smell of flowers. From the trail of flowers, obviously.

No, wait! Am I sure it’s the flowers? What if it was the Pokemon that made the flowers?

I smile. So I do have a path, just not a visual one.

When I came to the new end of the flowers I started to follow the fragrance.

It was a beautiful aroma. Even more wonderful than the very hard-to-find perfume made by Erika herself, which I was lucky enough to know someone that actually has a small bottle.

After several minutes the smell disappeared. And with no flowers to follow I’m at a dead end.

“Oh...”

No! I can’t believe it! It’s gone, and my only chance is gone with it...

I drop to the ground and tears start to fall. Why am I like this? Why do I care about Pokemon so much that I want to put my life on the line for them?

All I know is I love them too much to see them go extinct...

*Glow*

What...? What is that...?

I look up and see a glow disappear behind a tree.

Was that... the Pokemon?

I get up from the ground and carefully step to the tree. As I look behind it a breath catches in my chest. There it is. There on the ground was a glow so bright that I couldn't’ even see the Pokemon. But I knew what it was.

“Celebi...” And its head pops up at my voice and it spots me. But strangely enough, it doesn’t move.

“Celebi, I need to battle and capture you, it isn‘t safe for Pokemon any more.” I get into my battle position, but Celebi doesn’t move. It just keeps looking at me.

“Put that Pokeball down on the ground Professor!”

I turn around and see Ashley.

“Ashley? What are you doing here?”

“I‘m here to stop you from capturing Celebi by destroying it.”

I finally understand now. Celebi wasn’t looking at me; she was looking past me at Ashley, the larger threat. “So that’s why your mother put you on my team of scientist, to spy on me.”

A smirk appears on her face. “Mother was suspicious of your loyalty to Team Rocket. And it appears she was right.”

“But you can’t stop me, even if you’re on my team, you’re still a Grunt.”

“True, that is the law. But Mother has made this case special. When she found out you true colors, through me, she announced on live TV that anyone that sees you must shoot on sight.” She then raises a gun level to my head. “There is also a reward of 3,000 Gold Rocket Chips to anyone that brings in the body. And I intend on getting that money.”

“Please don’t Ashley…”

She smirks once more. “Too late Rose.” And I hear the blast of the gun as the bullet races toward my head.

Then… nothing…

So? Whacha think? Is it good? Tell me honestly. I hope you like it, ‘cause I do! Please send any comments on any of the parts. I want to improve on my writing skills and I can’t do it without your advice. Just place your comments and/or flames (winces at the last word) in the appropriate places and everything will be peachy keen! And thanks for your part in this adventure! Hope to see you for the next part!

Rose signing off.