Chapter V Training and Bonding/Fall of the Chaotix "So, ya think you can beat me? At racin'?!" "Well, it's worth a try," Cassidy shrugged, striding to the invisible starting line. "But Jess and James are the fastest!" "YOU asked for it!" Sonic said, pointing at her. Jessie laughed in a sinister tone. "That's right, Cassidy, and all we have to do is to shoot weapons! You have to race with that little blue twerp!" "Yo, watch it........" Sonic growled. Sally groaned, wondering when they would stop fighting, or Jessie, James, and her would never get to target practice. "I'll give ya a head start!" "How many seconds?" "I'll start when you're almost there!" The race was from one end of the village to the other, length-wise, and then into a sparse part of the Great Forest. The ground was even enough, and Cassidy had Butch silent on the sidelines, so she was somewhat confident. However, when she stared at her oppenent, who was faster, lighter, and more spirited than her, her confidence dwindled. "Okay, Fashion 'Bot! Let 'er rip!" Cassidy detested both ends of the address, and sped off with extra energy and zeal, passing ten huts in a second, way above the rest of the Freedom Fighter's normal speed. Sonic stared at her with an open mouth. "Wha--no way-?" "Sonic, you'd better get going! You wouldn't want a robot to beat you, right?" Tails taunted, then walking into one of the huts. "Not in THIS universe!" Sonic yelled, finally revving up on the starting line and racing off, leaving a trail of flame. "Catch me if you can!" "Man, she's fast! But not fast enough........" The blue hedgehog grabbed a Power Ring from his backpack, which glowed with supernatural energy, and his speed increased. He finally spied Cassidy, who was reaching the finish line. She could feel the hedgehog streaking behind her, that telltale booming sound, almost like a warning of his approach. She tried to run faster, and then, as a last-minute trick, jumped to cover more ground, and they hit the line at the same second. Rotor was at the line, showing them his stopwatch. "Good job, guys!" "Who won?" Cassidy asked, losing a gear and several screws from the exertion. Rotor examined his watch, and then compared the time with the other one, concluding, "It was a tie!" Sonic's eyes bulged out, while Cassidy fell on the ground, a sweatdrop as large as a Diglett dotting her head. Back at Knothole, Jessie was testing out the firearms of the planet Mobius on a few empty PokéBalls that some Trainers left behind. "Ha, these are like the cannons back on Indigo!" "But stronger!" James shouted with enthusiasm as he blew apart the Ball with the laser he held. "But it's not something to beat up your---friend with," Sally warned. "Awwwww......" Jessie moaned, staring at the device longingly. "Oh, well, mallets work best!" "Oh, noooooo......" James groaned. Inside Tails' hut, Meowth, Arbok, and Weezing were training, taking an immediate tolerance to Tails, because of his good attitude. "Don't give Meowth too much experience! 'Dere's no way I'm 'gonna evolve!" "Evolve? But that's a zillion-year-process, isn't it?" Tails asked, grabbing a chili-dog. "By the way, want some?" "Smells like sometin' 'da twoyp would cook." "Twerp?" "Yeah, 'tree Pokémon Trainers---Meowth, 'dat Misty...gets on my noyves!" "Then they must be what people consider "good" guys, then, right?" "Meowth, 'dat's right." "But you aren't so bad. I mean, for Overlanders," Tails complimented. It was obvious that he wanted the Rockets and the Freedom Fighters to bond. "Eh?" He bore a serious look in his bright blue eyes. "Humans. Robotnik's a human. Since then, we've considered most humans bad." "Well, we're bad, but not as bad as 'dat Robotnik!" Tails smiled, and gave Meowth the chili dog. The latter finally decided to eat it, and since he was unused to the spice, jumped up eight feet off the floor. "HOTTTTTT!!" "Okay, lets get to battling. Umm, Meowth, come here and battle-- -" "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraticattttteeeee!" "Oh, no! 'Dough 'dis one is weak, I'll nevah be tough enough 'ta beat it!" "Part of being a Freedom Fighter is determination! Don't give up so easily!" Tails encouraged, opening a door to reveal Cassidy's mechanical Raticate. "Well, heah goes!" "Now, robots battle without orders, so you won't know what will happen until it happens! Okay?" "Ehhhhhh...okay!" Tails let Raticate out, who made a terrible creaking sound, and its somewhat enhanced snarl was too much for Weezing's hidden ears. "Okay......Fury Swipes!" Meowth brought down his claws on Raticate's steel face, only to hurt himself. "Meeeeeeeeeooooouuuuuuuchhhhh!!!" "RRRRRRrrrrrrattticattte!" The once-fuzzy Rat tackled its opponent, burying its fangs in Meowth's flesh, the pain intensified by the metal teeth. Think, Meowth! I can't lose to a rat! It's like losing to a mouse! I 'gotta fight back! What's steel weak against--hey! Same as rock! Meowth lifted a pail of water from a table, and tossed it on Raticate. "Waduh attack!" "Rrrrrrrr--------" "Huh?" The Raticate slowly regained its strength, and didn't seem to rust. Tails searched for a comment, and found one. "Ingenuity helps, but this one's rust-proof!" Raticate, angered by the earlier assault, delievered a Jump Kick, sending Meowth into the door. "Okay! 'Dat's it! Ya made me mad!" Meowth thought about Tails' remark. "Ingenuity helps". "My claws won't woyk, so I'll have ta settle for-----" Raticate advanced, but was waiting for the next attack. "MMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWTTTTTTTTTHHHHHH!!!!" Screech..... "Rattttttttttiiiiiiicatttttttteeeeeeeeeeee........" "Hey, I did it?!" "Good job........Meowth....." Tails complimented, dazed from the loud Screech. "Okay, now, Arbok versus Drowzee!" Arbok was just about to charge, when someone screamed. "'Alllllppppppppp!" Mondo had tossed his empty PokéBall onto Antoine, who was actually caught. "Mondo, what are you trying to do?" Asked Jessie, bewildered at the feat. "Trying to see if he was a Poke'mon! But since he can talk...... guess not......" "'AAAaalllppppp! I can't zee anything!!!!!" Sally made the Rocket release Antoine, who then fainted. The serene, tranquil, and clean Floating Island was now littered with scrap metal and a few dead bodies. The Chaotix: Mighty, Charmy, Vector, Espio, Heavy, Bomb, and Knuckles had met the invading robots, but their style of fighting was different than any other they had ever seen. "RHYDON, LEER." The gray Drill Pokémon glared at Vector, red eyes shining. "Yo! Tha' ain't my tune, so don't'cha play it, or ya'll be playin' th' blues!" "Give it a rest, Vector!" Ordered a violet chameleon with a harsh eye. "We've got to figure out how to beat this thing!" "FURY ATTACK." Rhydon rushed at Vector first, attacking with its fists. He made contact several times, and the crocodile couldn't stand it for long. "Dude, tha' killed!" Espio changed his color from violet to green, seeming to disappear in front of Rhydon. Knuckles and Mighty had confronted the robotic Golem. "GOLEM, ROCK THROW." "Who are these---guys?" Wondered Mighty, wincing as he was hit with a rock. "And what do they want?" "Don't you mean "what" are they?" Knuckles corrected, slamming his fist into the machine, who barely flinched at the attack. "Hey, lets double the Spin Dash!" "Good thinking, Mighty. Wonder why I didn't think of it?" The echidna and armadillo curled up, zipping foward, and succeeded in denting it slightly. "This isn't working, Knux! What do we do?" They stared over at Charmy, Heavy, and Bomb, and their antagonist, a mechanical Machamp, pounding its chest in victory. Then they saw Vector and Espio out, with Rhydon roaring monotonously in triumph. "Great, all that's left is us!" Knuckles groaned, staring with angry blue eyes at their opponent. "Contact Sonic, will you?" "The Freedom Fighters? Got it!" Mighty affirmed as he rolled off to a secluded locale, dodging the other Pokémon or throwing a punch at them. "Floating Island to Knothole. Condition: RED! Repeat: RED!" "Huh? Who is this?" Asked Butch, who Bunnie was teaching about the communications line. "This is Mighty the Armadillo! Condition: RED!" Butch acknowledged, but the acknowledgement led into a pointless, irrelevant, time-consuming conversation. "OK! Condition read." "No, OUR condition's red!" "I know. Youh condition is red and read!" "Are you some kind of joker? This isn't funny! Our condition is RED!" "Yeah, I know your condition's read! I read it a few minutes ago!" "How could you make it red---oh, to Hell with the damn thing! Just get over here! Over and----" There was no more said, since he was knocked unconscious by a Gyarados. "That's a confusing ahmadillo!" Butch observed, Bunnie sighing in frustration. "Well, WE know that theih condition's red and WE'VE read it! Thehe, that's it!" "Did I hear condition red?" Sally asked, and then Bunnie fainted. Chapter VI Getting Through His Skull Within an hour of hearing the distress call, Jessie, James, Meowth, Sonic, and Tails were on their way to the island. When they landed, Knuckles immediately confronted Sonic. "Who are those guys?" "Prepare for---" "NOT NOW!" Meowth screeched, Slashing them both. Jessie and James disproved, and were about to thrash him. "You little-----" "Dudes, chill out for a sec'!" Knuckles scratched his head, realizing how strange it looked when people fought aimlessly. "So, Knux, how about some info?" "Take a look around, hedgehog!" The red echidna answered, annoyed. Sonic obeyed, and then nodded. "Lets juice and jam!" Sonic yelled, tearing off in search of the source of the destruction, Knuckles following airborne. "Hey, wait for us!" Wailed Jessie, she and her partners streaking towards Sonic. "Watch out for that---Kingler!" "What's a Kingler?" "THAT'S a Kingler!" Yelled Jessie at the top of her lungs. "MAN! Even Rotor wouldn't wanna eat that!" "KOO-----KIEE!!!!!" It roared, bringing down a humongous claw on the ground. Knuckles lunged at it, aiming for the eye. However, it closed its eyes, bringing the eyelid down on his gloved fist. "OW! Unghh....." He strained, trying to force his fist out of the crushing eyelid. Sonic grabbed his hand, and wrenched the red echidna out, who couldn't do much with the mangled fist. "Are you alright?" Asked James. Knuckles groaned, and Sonic signalled them to fight. "I think it's time we've pulled out the big guns!" "Right! Fire!" Jessie and James fired the lasers at Kingler, who tried its best to Harden to repel the attacks. "Jessie, did you notice how familiar that Kingler looks?" Suddenly, its Trainer appeared, red flash in his eye. "Could it be---" "The Boss?" "AFFIRMATIVE. ALL UNITS, APPREHEND!" "Wait, Sir! Remember us?" "Your un-favorite members?" However, he had no recollection, and the roboticized Dan'in attacked. Their uniforms were now a dark gray, and their eyes could clearly be seen: all visors with the color red. "REPEAT: APPREHEND." "Apprehend this!" Sonic exclaimed, spinning into a ball and into the mecha-Rockets. "Sonic, go easy on them---they're family.." "Family?!" "Go easy on them? They're monsters!" The hot-headed echidna retorted, whacking one in the face. "Yeah, but if you don't, you'll be sorry....." "Meeeowthhh..." "Why, one of them's going to pull a big object on me or something if I call them human crap?" Knuckles asked, somewhat teasingly. "YOU-----" Jessie took a break from her firing to bring down her mallet. "OW! Why'd you----?" "We've got to make the Boss remember somehow, or else they'll never stop attacking!" "Hey! Good strategy! Lets see if my Ring'll wake 'im up!" "It's not just a hypnosis spell!" Knuckles complained, bringing two Dan'in's heads together, knocking them out. "How can you talk normally and fight?" James asked, losing concentration and accidentally zapping Meowth. "Easy!" Sonic boasted as he held up a Power Ring at the Team Rocket Leader. "ALL UNITS---FALL BACK---ATTACK--(bzzzzzt) (bzzzzztttt)---DESTROY." "Way to go, Blue Blur!" Knuckles groaned sarcastically. "You set the old timer's systems backwards instead of fowards!!" "Now what are we going to do?" Whined James, who was out of ammunition. "Hey, guys!" Cried a younger Rocket. "Huh? Mondo?" "Man, why did he have to show up?" "I have more Rings! Here's some more Rings, weird blue thing!" "The name's Sonic, kid......!" "Hey, you're shorter than me!" "So? I'm 15!" "So am I! (sigh) Well, I 'gotta go!" Mondo declared, fading over the edge of the island. "Mondo, wait! Rgg, why does that kid have to leave when we need him the most?!" Jessie growled. "Shuddap and lets get movin'!" Meowth screeched. "Hey, I got everything under control!" Sonic assured, holding up the three Rings. "We'll hold them off!" Jessie snarled, jumping in front of their teammates, just as Dan'in was about to fire off their last and most deadly blast. "ALL (bzzt) units.....halt!" They obeyed, and then suddenly remembered. "Hey, what happened?" "Where's my Slowpoke?" "I dunno...." "Rggghhh.....what------was------that?" The Leader inquired, grasping his head. "Oh, Sir! Are you alright?" Knuckles growled, surveying the mess. "He'd BETTER be after he trashed my island! Of course, I could change that!" "Yo, Knux, chill out! He was under Robuttnik's control!" "Yeah, Knux! It's over!" Mighty said, appearing out of nowhere. "Where were you?!" "That big fish Gyarados or whatever took me out!" "It's-----not over, yet......" the Leader warned. "HUH?!" "I sent---our Pokémon after your Chaos Emeralds." Chapter VII Race for the Emeralds Butch and Cassidy sat on a log, watching Mondo test his Ditto on Antoine, the second prank for the day. "Ditto, go!" "What eez 'zat?" "That's my Ditto!" Meanwhile, Sally was conversing with Butch and Cassidy about the wonders of Pocket Monsters, and was unable to get most of her answers. "How many are there?" she asked. "I don't know---I'm not a Pokémon Master!" Cassidy shouted. "How would I know?" "Mohe than a hundred, definitely," answered Butch. "Yeah, maybe two-hundred-something....." "Ditto, Transform into that--uhh, thing!" Mondo commanded. The Freedom Fighter was obviously offended, and folded his arms. "Ditto! 'Ello! I'm Antione! I am 'zee beegest geek een zee whole wide....." Antoine grew red as everyone present laughed. But it was anything but light and happy on the Floating Island. Team Rocket, the Freedom Fighters, and the Chaotix were trying to stop the Rocket Pokémon from taking the Chaos Emeralds. They succeeded, but there was one Rapidash that refused to go down, and Sonic was the only one fast enough to race it. "WHHHHHHHHRRRNNNN....." "Okay, chrome-dome! Show me what ya got!" The mechanical horse made no affirmation, but neighed again, and its metallic hooves resounded on the hard dirt. Sonic saw that his opponent was getting the better of him, and mounted it cooly. "No one said we couldn't play dirty!" "WWWHHHRRRRRRNNNNN........" (FLAMETHROWER.) "Yeoooooowwchhhhh! HOT!" "WHRRRNNNNN......" Sonic leaped off the horse, and continued to run beside it, trying to best it in speed, not just for his own ego this time, but for the Floating Island. "Now that's more like it! Keep runnin', I'll catch ya!" "WHRRRNNNNNN......" The Rapidash thundered along the ground, glaring at Sonic, and blowing fire. But now that he expected it, dodged it with ease. "Close shave!" Its fiery tail barely missed Sonic, who slammed his spikes into it, and fell over. "There, finally lost--aw, man!" There were several other Rapidash, who were diving down the Chaos Chamber, that sparkled with their fiery light. Sonic spun into the ground, burrowing through the dirt and rock, finally emerging into the chamber. "Hey, what'd they put in your oil today? If you suck that energy, you'll die along with us!" The Rapidash surrounded the Chaos Emeralds, activating the machines strapped to their backs. "WHRRRNNNNNNN........" "Cat got your tongue?" "WHHHRRRNNNNN......" The Rapidash found nothing humorous in it, and attempted to bury it's horn into Sonic. The latter dodged, keeping in his spinning position. "Aw, you're no fun! Go a little faster!" The mechanical horses' eyes glowed, and they blew Flamethrowers in unison. One caught Sonic in the tail, and he streaked towards the wall, landing his rear on the soothing surface. "Yow........" The Rapidash, thinking that the threat was over, surrounded the Chaos Emeralds again. Sonic dashed foward, spinning into them, but again they repelled him with their fiery breath. "WHHHHHHRRR......" The machines activated, drawing energy from the green gems. Sonic staggered up, and then realized that he had the solution in his backpack. The blue Freedom Fighter grabbed the small device, and flung it at the crystalline wall, which suddenly gave way into a portal. He then whistled toward the Rapidash, who zealously followed him into it, and then it vanished in a flash of light. Chapter VIII Secret on the Cosmic Interstate/Untimely Frame The series of roads known to Mobius as the Cosmic Interstate led from one reality to the next, bending rules of time or space. The Rapidash were still thundering after Sonic, their metallic hooves easily audible on the road. At least he had gotten the Rapidash away from the Chaos Emeralds. But now they were chasing him. On and on it went, down this highway and that highway, back and forth, and sideways and frontways, neverending, and infintely a reality. "'Gotta lose these losers some how! But how?" He turned on another junction, attaining his maximum speed, but the Rapidash still gaining. The hedgehog scanned for any sign of salvation, but found none. Then he reached the "Neutral Zone". There was nothing there, but he didn't know if the Rapidash would trail him. Being the bold one as usual, he did, but then there was no road below, and he plunged into a white abyss. A strange piece of metal suddenly crashed into his head, and to his horror the Rapidash were still after him. He grabbed the device and fired, and it struck one. That one fell onto the ground, its body reverting back into flesh. Sonic was astounded, the machine having no indication of a Deroboticizer. He fired it again and again, until it's batteries were drained, and all of the Rapidash were flesh and blood once again. "Whoa....past cool....." "Whnnnnn...whiiiii!" "Is it...the Deroboticizer?" He examined the machine, and saw a PokéBall on it, and concluded it was not. "Better juice this thing back to Mobius!" Sonic searched for a hole, and found it. He tore through it, and to his relief, brought him back to Mobius. The Rapidash streaked out behind him, heading towards the Great Forest, peaceable and free. Sonic smiled in satisfaction, and, gripping the device, followed them. "Sal! Sal!" "Sonic! The Floating Island's been saved. Everyone is back, here." "Alright, Sal! And I got somethin' even cooler!" Sonic gave the device to her, but they weren't able to make use of it because it had no power. Nack emerged into the night. He knew that the device Sonic retrieved was valuable, therefore, if Team Rocket did not know better, they would have stolen it. He sneaked into Princess Sally's room, where Sonic had deposited it in great excitement, grabbing the device, and then sneaked out. "Sonic!" "What's up, Sal?" "It's not here! Someone stole it!" "Bet I know who!" "But why would they want to steal something of no value?" "It LOOKS valuable enough!" "Well, in any case, bring them here." Chapter IX Advantages of Trust Jessie, James, Mondo, Butch, and Cassidy did not admit to the theft, but were banished anyway, though Sally was reluctant. She had sent Jessie, James, and Mondo to Indigo Island, and Butch and Cassidy to Robotropolis. It was actually, a show of leniency, because, as as monarch, Sally could do much more than that. She felt nothing for them, which was understandable, but yet, she wanted the Freedom and Fighters and them to trust each other, which Sonic couldn't comprehend. "I can't believe that they would do that." "Sal, I told ya! They're rotten!" "I know, I know. But---there's something I don't understand about it." "What's not to understand?" "They said that they only steal Poke'mon. Then why did they steal that device?" "I don't know! Uh, maybe for variety?" The squirrel stared out the crudely built window, feeling the wind on her fur. "Seriously, Sonic, what would they want with a piece of metal?" Sonic was speechless, and Sally answered for him, "Nothing! There must be someone else behind this!" Suddenly, Giovanni, accompanied by Dan'in, burst into the room, making quite a lot of noise. "You're right." The Freedom Fighters were suddenly wary. "It's the other Rocket?" Giovanni appeared, holding Nack, who was unconscious. "It's this thing he stole, right?" He asked, tossing the device into Sally's arms. "My members wouldn't find any worth in it, and they judge by looks." Sally nodded, and sighed. "Now we have to get Butch and Cassidy back before they're found by Robotnik!" "You do that, and I'll get the other four!" "We meet at the fountain!" "You got it!" Both took leave of each other, leaving Rotor and Bunnie to take care of Nack, who had a sour expression on his face. Jessie and James sat in an old abandoned house, looking through the window at the robotic Poke'mon, along with their Trainers. They seemed near death, if not in mind or body, then in spirit. But that was reserved only for their minds. From their mouths bubbled the usual talk. "Working together with them wasn't worth it!" "A total bust!" "But we didn't do it!" "Then how would we prove that we're innocent?!" Sonic kicked open the door, eyes almost smiling. "Ya don't have to!" "What?" The inquiry was in unison. Mondo suddenly appeared out of the floorboards to talk, startling Meowth. Sonic ignored the strange appearance, and was urgent and serious, for once. "C'mon, we 'gotta juice to Robotropolis!" Mondo and Meowth immediately stood up, but Jessie and James held fast. "Why? You don't trust us, so why should we help you?" Her eye flared distrust again, but Sonic managed to calm it down and persuade them. "'Cause we found the rat-uh, weasel, that did it!" "You did?" "Yeah, so lets do it to it!" The grime-ridden streets of Robotropolis was enough to even put the inhabitants in a low mood. Butch and Cassidy plodded along, conversing about their situation. "We were just starting to get along, too," Cassidy droned, bunching her fist and setting her head on her hand. She looked depressed, an emotion she rarely displayed. "What's wrong, Cass? Ouh motto means woh, not peace." "Not our original motto--oh, never mind." "Butch! Cassidy!" "Sally?" They addressed with surprise. "The culprit's been caught! Now, will you help us return your world to normal?" "We'd love to do that, but how?" "Nicole, bring up visual of Robotnik's control room!" "ACTIVATIING, SALLY." The computer whirred, and a hologram appeared above her keys. A large room with a chair, sets of computer screens, and all other sorts of contraptions were seen. "Now, zoom in on that machine, there!" "MAGNIFYING. FORMING DATA....COMPLETE. WILL DEACTIVATE WITH RAPID DEPLETION OF MASS. ONCE DEACTIVATED, ALL INHABITANTS ON THE ISLAND WILL RETURN TO ITS DESIGNATED POSITION, BUT WILL LEAVE THEIR CONDITIONS UNCHANGED." "In other words, we have to deroboticize all of them before we destroy it. But how?" "Sal! This thing's a derobiticizer! But it only works on Poke'mon!" "Then go and find as many Poke'mon or humans as you can! And for goodness' sake, work together for once!" "No way!" Sonic called, streaking away. Daylight was approaching, though the sky was riddled with so many toxic substances that no one could tell the difference between night and day. There, it was as if night was an eternity. "This place is creepy," James observed. "Don't be so weak!" "Both 'a youse be quiet! If one 'a 'dose trash cans find us....." "Hey, look!" "SPEAROW....." "FEAROOOWWWWW!!" "PID-GEY......" "PIDGEOONNN......" "PIDGEEEOTTOOO....." "Lets get these metal-heads back to normal!" Sonic aimed the strange device at the mechanical birds, and fired. But nothing happened, since they had either dodged or struck back with their own firepower. "I guess we have to work together after all!" "I can take care of 'em my--" Suddenly, the metallic birds surrounded Sonic, who spun into a whirlwind to knock them off. They came at him again, with all their force, screeching and cawing an angry song. Jessie and James watched, still stubborn with pride. They refused to try and help him, not out of hate but of bullheadedness, their will to stay apart. The myriad of birds came again and again, using Peck, Drill Peck, or any of their natural skills. Sonic was overwhelmed, being unused to their variety of attacks, and was falling. But he wouldn't buckle down and admit that he needed help. Hours passed. Nothing was accomplished, and time was flying away. "I've had enough!" Jessie barked. "Lickitung, go!" "Lickiiiii!" "Tackle Attack!" "Chhhhhhaaaaa-----bokkkkkaaa!" James followed his partner's example, using Victreebel. "Victreebel, eat them up!" The green venus flytrap seemed to mistake his meaning, and went for James' head, instead. "Bell........" "EEeeeee! Eat THEM, not me!" Victreebel obeyed, and delivered the attack to the mindless flock, as Lickitung Tackled them. The Spearow and Pidgey retreated, but their evolved forms continued to attack. But Sonic now had enough room to work, and spun into a ball, downing the larger ones. Now that they were incapacitated, he fired the laser at them, and the Birds reverted back to their original selves. It was a pleasant sight to see them fly away. Sonic looked up at the sky, into which the mechanical fowl were disappearing. His face suddenly became bright, and he turned to the Rocket trio. "Sorry 'bout us not trusting you. You're way past!" "I guess............you're okay, too." Jessie finally let her pride go, and shook Sonic's hand. James and Meowth did the same, and now turned to the horizon. It was only a matter of time before Robotnik released his weapon's power. They couldn't let it happen. Suddenly, Butch, Cassidy, and Giovanni approached, along with Sally. They seemed out of breath, though their lung capacity was much more than an organic animal. "We've been able to defeat most of the Pokémon, but there's still three more! And they're much stronger than the ones we've found....I think they have Trainers!" "Trainers, schmainers! They can't be THAT bad!" Sonic scoffed. "Well, we'll try and destroy Robotnik's machine. You defeat these three Poke'mon....but do it quickly! Once the island returns to Earth, they'll never get a second chance to be non-robots!" "Got ya, Sal! Lets find these---" "Blue Boy..I 'tink we found 'em....." "RRR........GRRRRROOOOOARRRRRRRRR!!!!!" "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU........" "GRRRRRRRRARRRRRRRRRRR!!!" "Charizard?!" "Onix?!" "Gyarados?!" Tails suddenly appeared, his eyes bulging out. "What are THEY?!" Sonic eyed the mechanical monsters: a gigantic lizard-like creature sporting wings, a towering snake with a horn atop its head and a once-stone body, and a blue fish, so terrible in appearance that it was called the Atrocious Pokémon. "We can barely fight these normally!" Jessie wailed. "How can we expect to beat them now?" "Especially 'dey're 'da twoyps' ones!" "Don't look at me!" Onix and Gyarados lunged together, their jaws wide open, exposing plates of metal. Sonic activated the Deroboticizer, only to find out that it was drained of energy. "Man! Where's Rotor when ya need him?!" Mecha-Onix roared triumphantly, and thundered its head onto the ground, shaking it so ferociously that all were thrown backwards. Gyarados charged foward, mouth showing every one of its cruel gray fangs. "Hey, fish-face!" "GRRRRRRARRRRRRRRR.....??" "Why don't you nail someone meaner than you!" "Knux!" Sonic sighed in relief, while Knuckles buried his fist into Onix' and Gyarados' throat. He tossed an object down to the hedgehog, and its deep green glow betrayed it's identity. "A Chaos Emerald!" Jessie exclaimed. "Normally I don't--give presents--but for the sake-----of---the world--I guess-----I have to! Use---it with that contraption there!" "Nice goin', Rad Red! Thanks!" The blue Freedom Fighter jammed the Chaos Emerald in the machine's battery pack, and aimed. This time, the robotic Charizard attacked, with its fiery breath. At the same time, Jessie and James attacked, laser beams baragging their enemies. In Robotnik's control room, lay the reason for all of that mess. Sally and the others lay in wait, nervously eyeing a timer on the cold wall. When that timer reached zero, Robotnik's machine would have activated, and the same thing which happened to Indigo would ensue. She looked at Cassidy. "Thirty more seconds.....and he hasn't signalled us." Finally, Gyarados fell, and was deroboticized. Two left. Only two, and ten times that left for time. The two organizations struggled against Charizard and Onix, but the fight seemed to be becoming one-sided, with the latter as the winner. Again and again they fired, again and again they threw water, again and again they failed. "Arbok, Underground!" "Chhhhhaaaaa!" Before it could even reach the surface, Charizard had bitten it. "This isn't getting us anywhere!" Groaned Knuckles. "Wait......maybe they have a weak spot? If we can't hit them head-on we can fight with brain." "Somethin' you don't have much of, Knux!" "You too, Sonic!" "Weak spots!" Tails repeated. "Jessie, James, Meowth, do they?" Jessie and James recalled. Ten seconds left. They remembered all of their encounters with the three Pokémon Trainers, and remembered their battles, and stock knowledge. "Onix feels most pain between its stones......." "And Charizard gets iced on its' tail!" "Then.....that's where we'll head!" Knuckles exclaimed, thrusting his fist between Onix's metallic portions, while Sonic spun through Charizard's tail. Doing that cost them two more seconds, and back in Robotnik's control room, Sally and the others were getting nervous. "Hurry........." She whispered, staring at the timer. "Ha, ha! Soon, the entire universe will be in my grasp!" Cried Robotnik. "MERGING SEQUENCE INITIATED........" "Alright! They're both down! Now lets end this party!" "LOCATING SECOND MASS........" "Sonic, just shut up and fire!" "CONFIRMING MASS LOCATION......" "What the--?! It's busted, again?!" "TELEPORTING MASS IN THREE......TWO......ONE......" Siemultaneously, Sonic and Sally fired. Onix and Charizard were returned to their normal states, and Robotnik's machine blew up. Suddenly, the whole of Inidgo Island faded, as quickly and rapidly as it came, and all there was left was dusty, barren ground. Chapter X Back to Normal, Or is It? Jessie snapped her eyes open. James and Meowth were sleeping again, but this time they didn't need a kick to rouse them, a whiny, squeaky cry did that. "PIKAAA! PIKKKAA!" "Huh? It's 'da Pikachu!" "Lets catch it!" James affirmed. The Pikachu revealed himself, eyes glowing, and licking its joints with a gray tongue. "PIKA...PIKA!" "Oh, no! It's robotic!" "But isn't that the twerp's Pikachu?" Jessie asked. "So how did it-----?" Her partner inquired. "It couldn't have been real, could it?" They stared at the robotic Pikachu, who was searching desperately for a Deroboticizer, while Jessie, James, and Meowth stared intently at him, laughing heartily. Cassidy woke, and yawned. She looked out the barred window, relieved that there were only buildings to be seen. But then, she spied a strange sight. "Butch, wake up!" "Huh......yeah?" She pointed at Jenny's coffee mug, which was pure iron. "Oh, noooooo........" Jenny walked into the room, and grabbed the mug, and Cassidy's face fell as she saw that Jenny's cap was made of steel. "OW! My hat's getting too heavy these days........" "Itwasn'trealitwasn'trealitwasn'treal......" Cassidy moaned. In Team Rocket Headquarters, Giovanni sat in his chair, answering calls, and fixing his angry gaze on his flowerpot, where there were now metallic roses. He then saw that his desk was harder than usual, and when he saw the gray, fainted. Far away on Mobius, Sonic watched the horizon, wondering what those strange humans were doing now, those who had helped to save Mobius, and not even their own planet. He wondered if they were really that bad, as he gazed at the setting celestial body in the sky. Sally approached him, smiling. "Sonic, now who's right, this time?" His face immediately fell. "Yeah, you were, this time, Sal! Way past!" As they were talking, about unanswered questions, such as where did the Deroboticizer come from, and disappear to, and how did Robotnik build such a thing in the first place, a large white comet streaked across the sky. "Sal!" "What, Sonic?" "Was it just me, or...was that an R?" THE END CQF? You know what it means! Uh, couple of notes here. Here we go! People, when sending me flames, make the reason VALID, put in the Subject box: FLAMES and say what fic, and make it longer than two sentences! You know who you are! Great! Finally made my first crossover! No sequels this time! Phew. Okay, look out for another one-shot and the tenth and eleventh part of ATRRG coming soon! And, after that, my second attempted crossover. 'Till then, Blue9Tiger aka: ChibiMamoru4 aka: a whole buncha other names!