Betrayal
by LordKadabra

Note: I don't own any of the characters.  All are owned by Nintendo, Gamefreak, etc., etc.

Ch 1: Beginnings
*	*	*
	Misty and Ash were sitting in a small cafe, waiting for Tracey. They sat quietly, watching the 
hustle of Mandarin Island's largest city.  Suddenly, a loud rumbling shook the square.  The tables of the 
cafe were thrown in all directions as patrons cowered from the shaking.  The ground started cracking, and 
a herd of Sandslash dug up from the earth.  Almost immediately after them, twenty men and women 
dressed in Team Rocket suits, nearly identical except for the image of a Kadabra on the left arm.  They 
collapsed to their knees, and another figure leaped agilely from the hole.  He was dressed in a long trench 
coat, gloves, and a dark hat pulled over his head.  All that was visible was his glowing blue eyes.  He 
hissed, and looked directly at Misty.  
	"Hello, Misty.  My master has spoken much about you.  Quite complimentary things, in fact."  
Ash's eyes flashed angrily, and the figure started.  "To business," he hissed.  "I am here in place of my 
master, Lord Birch.  We are to capture the city, and place it under his control."  By now, Officer Jenny 
had arrived, along with a contigent of police.
	"Freeze, miscreant!" she shouted.  "You're wanted for wanton destruction, assaulting public 
citizens and-"  Jenny broke off as the figure spoke.
	"As a precautionary measure, we have blockaded the Pokemon Center, and it will remain blocked 
until the city is given to our master.  There are over a hundred Rocket trainers, and they are on a cycle.  
There will always be a rotation of fresh Pokemon guarding the entrance.  So surrender or suffer, fair 
people!"  The figure leapt back into the hole, followed by the soldiers.  With a rumble, the Sandslash dove 
into the hole, causing it to collapse.  Officer Jenny frowned, and looked to the crowd.
	"People, please be calm!  That was invariably a joker of some sort, so there is no need for panic!"  
The crowd had begun to panic, and would not respond to her calming shouts.
***
	"Our top story tonight, Mandarin Island has been taken captive by the crimminal organization 
Team Rocket.  As an ultimatum, they have blocked all access to the Pokemon Center.  Citizens are in 
panic as all entrances to the island are being guarded.  Motives for such an attack are unknown, as the 
only clue is the mysterious Lord Birch who claims to be the leader of Team Rocket."  Giovanni shut off 
the TV, and glared angrily at Jesse, James and Meowth.
	"Here I am, the most powerful crime lord in the world, cast out and left with only my four most 
loyal servants, THREE OF WHICH WHO ARE BLOODY IDIOTS!"  The three cringed at the shouts, but 
Giovanni's loyal Persian nuzzled his hand.  He nearly spat in anger, but reverted to his habit of stroking 
the Persian for relaxation.  "It seems there is only one alternative.  I've made enough money off of Team 
Rocket to last a lifetime, and maybe it's time I hung up my hat.  We'll find someone with whom I can join 
forces against that insufferable Lord Birch, and get my revenge!"  Jesse stepped forward nervously.
	"Uh, sir, I know of just a person."  Giovanni glanced up.
	"Who?"
	"His name is Ash..."
*	*	*
	Despite all efforts to the contrary, Team Rocket's sphere of influence took over the globe.  The 
Pokemon League was dissolved, with the Gym Leaders and Elite Four bent to the will of Lord Birch as 
enforcers.  Those who did not comply...were destroyed.  Pokemon trainers, except those whose skills were 
employed by Team Rocket, were banned, and all Pokemon confiscated.  Two Gym Leaders survived the 
purge, and fled the power of Lord Birch.  Accompaning them were five others, and they tried to build a 
rebellion against the organization.  Now, two of these members were on a reconnaisance mission in 
Viridian City.
***
	Sharon smiled at her husband, Jeremy Cedar, and leaned over the table to him.
	"Did you hear anything?"
	"No," he responded, "The police started getting suspicious, and you know those Pokemon they 
have..."  Sharon nodded silently.  
	"I got a dead end.  A literal dead end.  The man with the information-disappeared.  We can only 
guess at what happened to him."  She suddenly started when a man grabbed her shoulder.  A man in a 
trench coat stood behind the table, and a red-haired woman with a large hat pulled over her eyes stood 
next to him.
	"Sharon Cedar, I presume?  We've been looking for you."
***
	"Michael Stone, one of the most influential members of Stone Town," Lord Birch hissed, "I 
assume you know why you're here."  Brock nodded.  "Good.  Then I can dispense with explainations and 
commence with killing you.  Drow-Two, come on."  A shadowy figure stepped into the antechamber.  He 
wore a black robe, and radiated menace.  "Meet Drow-Two, the most powerful Pokemon in the universe.  
It is a genetic cross between Mewtwo and Drowzee.  Besides hypnosis and psychic attacks, it has the 
ability to control minds.  Drow-Two, Mind Knot!"  The Pokemon's blue eyes glowed angrily, and Michael 
felt a twisting, pulling sensation in his mind.  He bent over in agony, feeling his mind being rent apart.  
As he fell from consciousness to death, he heard a voice echoing in his mind.
	"Twisting, bending, killing, the fulfillment of my being, let me kill, twist and destroy.  Give me 
absolute fulfillment, Master."
***
	"My name is Jimmy, and I have a proposition for you," the man began, reclining in his leather 
chair.  "My employer wishes to form an-alliance with your organization."  Sharon frowned, and moved 
forward.
	"Why do you want to join us?" she asked dubiously.
	"Our employer has certain...differences with Lord Birch which gives him reason to want revenge.  
Among our assets are over two hundred well-trained Pokemon and three trainers."  Jeremy's mouth 
dropped open, and he leaned over to Sharon.
	"We could use that!  You know that we're having trouble finding Pokemon Centers that will heal 
our Pokemon."  Sharon held a finger to his lips.
	"Wait, we don't know what their true motives are."  She turned to Jimmy, and his companion, 
Jessica.  "Please, do you have any verification of your motives?"  Jessica smiled.
	"Our employer was the former...head of Team Rocket, and the sudden overturning of his 
authority made him see the error of his ways.  He wishes to join with you and defeat this new man, and 
perhaps use his ill-gotten wealth to benfit the world after these...terrible events."  Jeremy turned again to 
Sharon.
	"You know what they say: The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
	"But can we trust them?" Sharon asked.
	"We can't trust them completely, but as long as we keep an eye out, we can trust them."  They 
turned again to Jimmy and Jessica.  "Deal!" Jeremy said, reaching out his hand.
	"Thanks, twerps!" Jessica responded.
	"Jesse?"
	"Oops."
	***
	Ash Ketchum sat with Misty Storm on the plane, he dressed in a black T-shirt, black jeans, a 
long black coat, sunglasses and his hair slicked back, she with her red hair let down and dressed in a light 
blue skirt and white blouse.  She turned to him.
	"We've joined up with Jesse and James?  I really think we should've waited to find out more about 
them.  Ash, they're the most incompetant Pokemon trainers in the world!"
	"But they're not going to try to steal Pikachu, are they?" Ash joked.
	"You never can tell with those two, Ash," she said mock seriously.  Ash smiled at her.
	"You know, if you had told me that in five years, I'd be flying regularly across the country to 
avoid a terrorist organization, I'd have called you a liar."  Misty sighed.
	"Yeah, I don't know how long I can hold out.  Every night, I go to bed wondering if I'll awake in 
my room, or in the Arena facing down a Raichu.  Sometimes, I'd...just like to give it up and join Team 
Rocket."  Ash grabbed her arm violently.
	"No! Misty.  When you feel like you can't go on, just think that what you're doing is right, and 
that Team Rocket is wrong.  And always remember that if you need help, you can come to me."  She 
smiled faintly at him.
	"Thanks, Ash," she murmured.  "I needed that."  The plane started to shake violently.
	"Hello, passengers, we are experiencing slight turbulence, so please remain seated.  Otherwose, 
we expect to land in about half an hour, so enjoy the rest of the ride."
***
	Sabrina Keller sat in a black Lincoln, her eyes obscured by a large hat, and a long red dress 
fitting her body perfectly.  A twelve-year-old child sat next to her, appearing perfectly normal, unless you 
looked closely, at which point you would realize the child was a Kadabra.  Sabrina looked up suddenly to 
see Ash and Misty striding purposefully towards her car.  She psychically threw the doors open, and they 
stepped in.
	"Hello Ash, Misty," she said in a business-like manner, "How did the mission go?"
	"Well, you could see it either way.  We failed to find out any more about Lord Birch, but we 
gained some allies," Misty responded.
	"Allies?"
	"The...former leader of Team Rocket agreed to join us, along with his four most loyal servants," 
Ash added.
	"And those would be...?"
	"Guess," Misty snapped.
	"Jesse-"
	"Exactly!" Ash congragulated.  Sabrina looked at him.  
	"And what makes you think that's good news?"  
	"They've got more Pokemon than all of us put together."
	"Then consider them welcome!"
***
	Richie Candles stared at the computer screen, where two windows were holding his attention.  A 
noise behind him barely made him turn around.  A hand on the back of his neck made him start.
	"Oh, it's you," he said confidently.  "Don't think I don't know your secret.  I got an anonymous 
tip, and I'm on to you."  The only other person in the room smiled.
	"But how will the others know if you're not around to tell them?  Drow-Two, knock him out!"  
Another figure emerged from the shadows.  "Drow..."  Richie grabbed his temples, then collapsed.  Drow-
Two rose his hand, lifting the unconcious man into the air.
***
	Tracey and Gary arrived in the computer room.
	"Richie, you've been at that computer for over three hours, and it's time for-what?"  Tracey 
stopped, staring at the empty room.  The computer was smashed, and no sign of life hung in the room.  
Gary ran over to a flash of color on the floor, and picked up a small disk, unharmed by the attack.  
Silently, the two hurried into the next room to check what the disk held.  Three items popped up on the 
computer.  The first was an encyclopedia article.
	LORD BIRCH-A LEGENDARY KNIGHT OF THE 1400S, HE WAS A DEFENDER OF EVIL, 
AND HAILED AS THE FOUNDER OF TEAM ROCKET.  HIS SYMBOL WAS THAT OF AN "R" 
STANDING BEHIND A KADABRA.  HE ALLEGEDLY WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO ATTEMPT 
THE CROSS-BREEDING OF POKEMON.  STORIES SPEAK OF HIS GOAL TO CREATE A CROSS 
BETWEEN HIS PET KADABRA AND THE HYPNOSIS POKEMON DROWZEE.  HE WAS KNOWN 
AS THE ROMAN EMPEROR BECAUSE OF HIS TENDENCIES TO HOLD GLADIATOR GAMES 
BETWEEN HUMANS AND POKEMON.  
	Gary looked at Tracey.
	"So we've got some sort of copycat man," he said, "But what are these other entries?"  Tracey 
accessed the second file, an E-mail.
TO: RICHIE5325
FROM: HINTER
SUBJECT: HELP
MESSAGE: I HEAR YOU NEED HELP FINDING LORD BIRCH.  I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT: THAT 
NAME DIDN'T COME OUT OF NOWHERE; THE NAME BIRCH HAS CONNECTIONS TO HIS 
IDENTITY.  THINK ABOUT IT! AND KEEP QUIET; DROW-TWO WILL HAVE MY HEAD IF HE 
KNOWS I'M DOING THIS.  GOOD LUCK!
	"What does this mean?" Gary asked angrily.
	"It means someone gave Richie a hint to Lord Birch's identity, and Lord Birch found out," Tracey 
said, worried.  "We've better check out the last file."  A video appeared on the screen, two glowing eyes 
seen from under a deep cowl.
	"HELLO, MY FRIENDS.  AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVE KIDNAPPED ONE OF YOUR 
NUMBER.  YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES: YOU CAN SURRENDER COMPLETELY TO MY 
MASTER, AND PLEAD FOR LENIENT TREATMENT, OR YOU CAN WAIT FOR US TO TAKE 
THE INFORMATION FROM HIM, AND YOU WILL ALL DIE BY MY HANDS."  The transmission 
cut off, and Gary frowned.
	"What is this?  How did Drow-Two find the base?  No one knows about this place except the 
members of Contra-Rock...Oh God!  Tracey, do you know what this means?  It means one of us is a 
ruthless traitor, and we have no idea who it could be!"  Tracey stared suspiciously at Gary, and Gary 
returned suit.  Meanwhile, Ash and Misty returned to the headquarters with Sabrina, unaware of the 
tension and anger they were returning to.
Continued...
	Who IS Lord Birch?  And what is his relationship to Drow-Two?  Find this out and more in 
Chapter 2: Pitfalls!