Day: 0, Time: 1638, Location: West TR Research Facility, Main Entrance

A full scale retreat was called for all the Chimera's and their Pokémon outside the main lobby, hearing the distinct wail of sirens approaching. Tim hanged back a little, guiding everyone back in as Carter took point for the retreat.

"Tim, where is Ryna?!" Guile questioned, stopping beside Tim, the last trainer to leave aside from Tim himself. Tim glanced towards the younger boy, shaking his head slowly before pushing him towards the entrance.

"I'll explain later!" Tim shouted angrily, seething with pain as he let Ryna down again. He looked up, the wails much closer as the cars and bikes approached. Though he wished not to hurt them, he had to at least slow them down.

"Sorry," he whispered, throwing a punch into the ground. The resulting quake threw rock and asphalt into the air, throwing a hail of shrapnel towards the cars and bikes. The eruption caused a waist high wall of ground to shoot out and stay put, thus making an effective stall wall. Satisfied, he skipped backwards a bit before turning around fully, running back towards the entrance of the facility. Guile joined him, running parallel.

"You're a Fighting type Chimera too, I guess," Guile remarked, using Tim's 'mess' as validation for it. Tim only shook his head.

"I don't know what I am, I just know I have to save Ryna…" he answered bitterly, clutching his fist tightly. Deciding it best not to pursue the topic, the younger Chimera thought it best not to speak anymore…

Day: 0, Time: 1633, Location: West TR Research Facility, Duelling Arena - Water

Alken inputted his access code for the entrance, glad that is still worked in the facility. He glanced back at Sam, who was still massaging her wrists from being locked up into the table for so long. Alken gave the Gym Leader a quick explanation of the current events in and around the facility, as well as locations of their Pokémon and who were handling their rescues.

"Flare and Charles are in here, you should go to them, I'll get the others, and Abetos should have Spark free by now," Alken spoke quickly, stepping away from the door as the locking mechanism was disengaged. "The power is out aside from auxiliary power, so…" he cut himself short, prying his fingers in between the sliding doors, trying to force it open. With a little help from Sam, they pried it open. Alken nodded slowly, handing a piece of paper to Sam. "My code, as you saw, it'll still work even in auxiliary power, use it to get to the arena." Samantha nodded, glancing down at the stairs that winded around.

"Thank you," she spoke gratefully, before running down the stairs to help her Pokémon. Alken watched silently as the Gym Leader guided herself down the stairs. "Do I seek redemption…?" he wondered, wondering why he was doing this. Breaking that thought, he quickly ran to the next destination, to free the other of those trapped…

Day: 0, Time: 1628, Location: West TR Research Facility, Fire Containment Room

The trio heard the metal crack as finally the ability of contraction and expansion took its toll on the reactor. Ice fell forward onto his knees, before collapsing onto all fours, exhausted from his spree of Ice Beam in conjunction with his encounter against Grix only so long ago. Abetos glanced back quickly, seeing his companion collapse.

"Are you alright?" he asked hurriedly, taking a look at the reactor before back to Ice. Sarpal was by his side now, massaging his back lightly, trying to sooth him. The Houndoom stared for a moment, before turning to the generator, where the door slowly creaked open. All three heads gazed at the door of the reactor as it opened, revealing the figure of Spark from its core. He blinked a few times, trying to figure out what just happened, glancing at the three saviours. The Growlithe recognized one of them.

"S-Sarpal…?" he questioned, though recognizing her, not believing it. His gaze went back and fourth between the remaining two in the room.

"I'll explain on the way," Abetos informed Spark, leaping out the door of the room. He scanned up and down the corridor for any guards or sentries that may obstruct them. "We have a rendezvous point to make, and some more allies waiting." Spark nodded, watching Sarpal help Ice to his feet, using her as support now.

"I got rear," the Growlithe volunteered, knowing this progress will be a bit slow with those injured in the group. Abetos made no complaint, dashing ahead to make sure the way was clear.

Day: 0, Time: 1635, Location: West TR Research Facility, Duelling Arena - Water, Observation Chamber

Alken inputted his code into the system, glad that the access code still worked, even after his 'death' as well as after the power outage. Breathing softly, he pried his fingers into the door again, try to force it open, wishing that it was easier. However, considering he was getting into the more 'secure' areas of the facility without a hitch, he expected such difficulties to arise to compensate.

Taking small satisfaction from prying the door open a little, he continued to apply more force, trying to open it enough for those inside to escape. He gasped in surprise upon seeing the arm of a fallen guard, probably disabled by the people inside. The ex-Rocket was even more surprised at the sight of a dead body while prying the door open, bullet wounds in his body and one clean hole through his head.

"Is that Vyren…?" Alken wondered, sliding through the opening in the door he made. Despite his rather un-stealthily entrance, none of those inside seemed to notice. An Espeon was crying into an Umbreon, who was obviously trying to help her. The Totodile in the far corner of the room only watched. Alken wasn't sure if he should break up the situation or not, stepping into the room and glancing out the shatterproof window. Sam stood in the centre of the water arena, a Flareon by her side, a Charmander lying before them. The ex-Rocket wasn't sure how to take it the scenario, until he noticed the flame tail on the Charmander was extinguished. Piecing two and two together, he could only stare, unable to believe the brutality…

Day: 0, Time: 1639, Location: West TR Research Facility, Corridor BN

The rather large party of trainers, soldiers, and Pokémon raced down the hallway and back deeper into the facility. The fact that the main entrance was basically sealed off for the moment left them to think of something new as an escape plan.

"Any ideas?!" Des shouted to the front of the chain, himself in the centre somewhere, flanked by Klik. Carter, Ripper, and Void were in front while Tim, Ryu, Guile, and Lin were holding the rear.

"Yeah, get out of here!" Carter shouted back. The idea was sound, implementing it was something completely different. The leader turned the next corner, only to halt in his tracks, almost tripping over an obstacle in his path. With that, the whole chain was halted. Carter raised one of his SMGs towards the Houndoom, who growled in return, reeling back. The Houndoom had his party behind him, which some of the people on their team recognized.

"Spark, Sarpal, Ice!!!" Lin shouted, recognizing three of the four in the group, leaping up happily. The groups exchanged silent greetings, as though the day wasn't full of enough coincidences. There were brief and excited conversations that was abruptly cut off by both Guile and Ryu.

"What's wrong?" Tim quickly questioned, the pair seemed distracted for a moment. They exchanged glances.

"Alex is waiting on the roof for us," Ryu finally spoke, glancing towards Des, the one who seemed to know the layout. The hacker nodded, though he wasn't sure how to interpret that remark.

"Someone is waiting on the roof…I heard the message too…" Sarpal spoke, the blue haired female, glancing towards Ice, who was still tired from the usage of Ice Beams before. However, Carter stepped towards them, taking over the job as support for Sarpal. "Thank you…" she spoke gratefully. Carter only nodded, trusting the words of a friend from a friend.

"Des, take point, we're heading for the roof," Carter ordered, having directions now where better then wondering without cause later. He made sure his friend from before was comfortable over his shoulder, as comfortable as they can get.

"Wait!" the Houndoom known as Abetos shouted, once more halting the train of trainers and Pokémon. The Dark type glanced towards the Growlithe. "My trainer went to rescue the others…" Des understood what that meant, being the one to hack the information about Sam and her party capture in the facility in the first place. The male Flareon by his trainer's side look up at Des, knowing what that meant as well. The hacker knelt down to face eye-to-eye with the Flareon.

"I know you want to apologize to her…" Des whispered to his Fire type companion, getting something from his gear. Klik nodded, nuzzling Des' neck lightly. His trainer smiled, enjoying the touch of his companion before taking a headset with eye piece and placing it on the Flareon. "Just follow the directions, it'll take you to the roof after your done." Nodding, Klik glanced towards Abetos and Spark. With silent words, the trio bounded off to find their companions, back into the labyrinths of the facility.

"Flare…?" Tim asked, watching the trio of Pokémon round the corner and away. Des nodded, taking no more time in delaying their progress to the roof, resuming his role as leader.

Day: 0, Time: 1643, Location: West TR Research Facility, Duelling Arena - Water

Klik slowly stepped into the arena, silently trotting across the bridge into the centre of the fighting area. Sam stood motionless, watching Flare nuzzle the fallen Charmander, trying to revive him. The male Flareon slowly approached, trying not to break the atmosphere. He assumed Charles was only unconscious, but the fact there was no more flame on the Charmander's tail proved otherwise for the Flareon.

"Oh….my…" The Flareon couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, even if he was only speaking it in his mind. Without even knowing it, he was already by Sam's side, brushing against her leg alerting her of his presence. She gasped, glancing down at Klik, ready to attack the Flareon for past deeds, but then saw the remorse in his eyes.

"It's just like Ryna said…they want forgiveness…" Samantha remembered, closing her eyes and returning her attention back to Flare, who didn't seem to realize another presence inside the chamber.

"Is he…?" Klik questioned, looking up at Sam. She returned the gaze, nodding, and finding it a bit strange of the headgear the male Flareon wore. However, Klik found no sense of that 'strangeness' from the female human as he slowly approached Flare.

He nuzzled the female Flareon on her neck, causing her to jolt in surprise as she gazed towards Klik, the last person she expected and wanted to see right now. The male sensed the anger, retreating a step.

"Flare…" Klik spoke softly, trying not to offend the female Flareon. Without even saying a word, the female returned to Charles, still trying to revive him, and to no avail. "Flare…" the male tried again, approaching Flare. She only continued to nudge and nuzzle the Charmander. "Flare, he's gone…" Klik spoke, breaking her.

"How would you know?!" she screamed out, angrily shouting towards the male. "How?! You don't know how it feels to be hurt! You, you have to live your life of destruction and chaos! You wouldn't know…you wouldn't know…" she spoke, softly, sobbing, unable to hold herself anymore. "You wouldn't know…you don't know what love is…you don't ask for it…you just take…" The female Flareon continued to sob, speaking one last sentence under her breath. "You tried to rape me…" Spoken so softly, those words drove into Klik like a sledgehammer. With those words, Klik raised a paw, slapping Flare sharply across the face, causing her to stare in disbelief as Sam could only watch, shocked.

"And how do I feel?!" Klik screamed back, his anger taking over his guilt. "I've been living through everyday of my life after that moment in shame! I wanted to apologize all that time…yet…I try to…and here you are… barking at me…" Klik gasped, falling onto his stomach, his gaze towards the ground. "Barking at me, as though I was someone without a consciousness, without compassion…" Flare was taken aback by Klik's sudden admissions, stepping back not in the pain she suffered from the slap, but from the pain of hurting someone who was already hurt.

"I am not so heartless…Flare…" Klik spoke softly, returning to his own four feet, picking himself up, however, still not facing Flare. "We can't stay here…if we do, we'll be captured…probably tortured, or worse…" Despite the restraint of guilt, he still forced his gaze up, staring at Flare. "Charles…I don't think…no…I know he wouldn't want you captured again, in bondage of these bastards…please…we have to go…not for me, or Sam, for him…the one who holds your heart…" Flare stared at the male Flareon, unable to believe those words of advice, in such sincerity, not from the one who tried to use her for his own purposes…

"I'll be waiting…" Klik spoke softly, with great sadness and guilt as he exited the chamber of death. Flare could only watch in shame for her own actions and words against the male, devastating not only the other Flareon, but herself as well. She looked up towards Sam, hoping for some words of reassurance. Instead of reassurance, Sam could only nod, waiting for Flare to finish.

"Mom!" Espe shouted out, rushing towards her mother at top speed. Flare looked back, and before she knew it, Espe was nuzzling her neck caringly. "Mom…" she whispered, looking down at her father. Flare sighed softly, nuzzling her daughter's neck in return, to try to calm her. It was clear the Espeon had shed some tears before as well, probably watching in some isolated room…

Umbre approached the group, brushing against Sam lightly, to get her attention. The Gym Leader knelt down, sensing the disturbance Umbre was going through, in his heart and in his mind. Samantha knelt down beside the Dark type, tickling his neck softly in an attempt to lighten to mood.

"I said I'll protect them…mom and sis…" Umbre whispered, closing his eyes. "That Flareon…back there…he said 'Protect her, for me…' to me…when I told him that…" Samantha nodded, wondering how Klik spoke the comment to the son of Flare. However, she didn't have much time to think about it, as Flare and Espe began to walk away, Sam nodding to the older of the 'eons, walking towards Charles' form and taking his flameless body, carrying them to wherever they need to be now.

Day: 0, Time: 1642, Location: West TR Research Facility, Rooftop

Alex stood at the centre of the roof, arms crossed, eyes closed, meditating partially while waiting for the others to arrive. Vyren, on the other hand paced back and fourth on the roof, glaring at his hands. Kystel and Karrion were perched on the only entrance onto the roof through the building, waiting, though concerned for Vyren.

"I was suppose to be dead…so why am I…?" he whispered, trying to figure it out, let alone his potential towards Flying attacks, much like Sam and her Fire element.

"Don't try to answer those yet," Alex shouted across the roof, slowly opening his eyes. "The answers will be explained in time, once we leave this hellhole…" Vyren sighed softly, nodding, but growing impatient as well. He also felt naked, without his rifle..

Day: 0, Time: 1642, Location: West TR Research Facility, Stairway D

"Hey, Ryu, how do you think we can get out of here?" Guile asked, racing up the stairs beside Ryu. The other Chimera shrugged, unsure how it'll work.

"Teleporting seems to be the best way, or any army of Flying types to transport us out," Ryu answered, unable to come up with any other ways of getting off this hell of a Team Rocket facility.

"Flying seems out of it, leaving teleportation…" Guile responded, looking back to make sure the trio of Carter, Ice, and Sarpal were still behind. "But where is there to teleport to? I don't think all of the Psychics combined in our party would have enough power to get back to the Johto, let alone take so many people at once…"

"Have faith, we'll find a way out…." Ryu answered, their train of trainers and Pokémon reaching the final stretch of the stairs.

Day: 0, Time: 1646, Location: West TR Research Facility, Rooftop

The collection of those waiting grew impatient and anxious, trying to get away from the location as soon as possible becoming the priority. However, Alex keeping them on the roof and stationary proved to be agitating for some of them, especially towards Tim, who was growing angry at not being able to just hit the next location to try to find Ryna.

What broke the tension was the arrival of the final group of their growing party: Abetos and the rescue crew. What shocked Samantha though was one of those waiting for their arrival.

"Vyren!" she screamed, leaping against the sniper and hugging him tightly, believing he was dead all this time. She didn't want an explanation as Vyren stood their, surprised and shocked at the reaction, before slowly wrapping his arms around the Gym Leader, blinking.

"Ahem…" Alex muttered, coughing and getting everyone's attention. Samantha blushed, pulling away from Vyren slowly. Without anymore waiting, he huddled everyone close together, asking for Guile and Ryu to take position around them.

"We're trying a mass teleport…?" Ryu questioned, dubious about accomplishing such a daunting task. Alex only nodded slowly, taking point at the head of the circle. "Shouldn't we get more…"

"…Psychics?" Alex concluded, shaking his head. "We'll be alright, just make sure you guys know not to break the circle, I'll get us out." Guile and Ryu exchanged gazes, really unsure at this undertaking, but having faith in the superiorly more powerful Psychic in their midst.

"After you…" Guile spoke, nodding to Alex, who in turn nodded back. Energy started to flicker around the group, collecting, circling, surrounding. Guile and Ryu closed their eyes, concentrating on collecting more energy to encompass their party with, trying not to break or disrupt the flow.

"This energy…it's enormous…" Sarpal gasped, feeling the resonation of the dome with her own psychic potential. Ice clutched her hand tighter, to comfort her nervousness as the energy continued to collect. The female Lapras Chimera concentrated on Alex, feeling his energy dominant over the other pair combined.

The next instant, it was as though they never existed…