-Team Rocket's up to something big, however their plans still remain unclear. Meanwhile, Nightslice has the chance to look into his past, but is he ready to face it? Eight in a series.

 

Pokemon and all related trademarks belong to Nintendo. The story, its original contents and ideas, and any original characters belong to the author and cannot be used or reprinted without the author's permission.

 

 

Saffron City: In Search of Answers

By Gregory Stephen nightdragon0@hotmail.com

 

  The corridor seemed empty. Kris made a final check, just to make sure. Having ditched her disguise, she couldn’t afford to take any chances. 

  “Follow me.” She gestured.

  There were no other paths or doors beside the one straight ahead that went off to the left. A closed door to the side was marked ‘Broom Closet’. Only the elevator door remained open behind them.

  “Gee, this corridor leads to only one place.” Jade muttered.

  Voices could be heard from around the bend. The group pressed themselves against the wall and listened. They did sound rather familiar. Kris chanced a peek.

  “So, we do things my way this time.” A woman in a black Rocket uniform said.

  “What? It was listening to you that got us busted!” Her partner, a man with green hair, replied.

  Firestorm took a peek too.

  “Well, well. Another pair of my old friends, Butch and Cassidy.” Kris grinned, “This’ll be interesting. Let’s give them a surprise.”

  Kris indicated for the group to be quite. Butch and Cassidy were approaching.

  All seemed well until Jade’s cell phone started ringing.

  “What was that? Who’s there?” The agents were alerted.

  “Dammit!” Jade muttered fumbling for his phone.   

  “Idiot!” Nightslice growled.

  Well, plan A’s busted. Time for plan B.

  “Hello guys! Remember me?” Kris stepped out and faced them.

  “Kris! What are you doing here?” Cassidy yelled.

  “Oh, I’d thought I’ll pay you guys a little visit. For old time’s sake.”

  “Well then, no hard feelings, but we’ve got orders.” Butch grinned.

  “Yes, you should prepare for trouble.” Cassidy began the infamous Team Rocket motto.

  “And you should make it double.” Butch continued.

  “To infect the world with devastation,”

  “To blight the—Ugh! OW!”

  Firestorm and Nightslice jumped round the corner and flung their gas masks with their mouths. One hit Butch in his face the other in the part that no guy wants to get hit in. (You know what I’m talking about.) He stumbled and hit his head into a wall, knocking him unconscious. 

  “Hey! No one interrupts our motto like that!” Cassidy yelled angrily. “Grrr! Men are so useless!” she muttered, looking down at Butch.

  “At least we agree on something.” Kris laughed. “The guy sounds so much like a lawn mower. In more ways than one.” 

  “WWOOOOHOOOOOOOO! We messed up their motto too!” Firestorm and Nightslice were giving each other high fives. 

  “OOHHHH! That’s it!” Cassidy was really annoyed now. “Prepare for battle Kris.”

  “Why fight her, when you can battle a nice handsome guy like me?” Jade stepped into view. “Kris, you guys go. I’ll take care of her.” He whispered.

  “Have fun you two.” Kris gave him a thumbs-up and raced past them.

  “Humph. GO Raticate!” Cassidy tossed a Pokeball.

  “Dracia! I choose you!” Jade unleashed his Dragonair.   

  “Don’t think any fancy Pokemon will save you! Raticate, Super fang!”

  “Oh, worry about yourself. Dracia, Thunder!”

  “RRRRaaattttttt!”

  BBBZZZZZZTTTTTTTT! 

 

 

 

 

  The door ahead was unguarded. Kris stepped forward and pushed it open.

  The office was excessively large, easily the size of a standard Pokemon battle ground. It wasn’t as lavishly decorated as his other offices, obviously Giovanni didn’t spend too much time here, but nevertheless bookshelves and furniture were all around. Up ahead, at a large desk, a man was seated with his back turned to them.

  “So, you’ve come.” Giovanni said in his calm voice, turning his chair around. He was dressed in his business suit, as usual. “Congratulations on making it this far.”    

  “Cut the formality Giovanni. I’m here for answers. What’s the meaning of disrupting some Pokemon burial ground? And playing around with black magic at the same time?”

  “I’m sure Aaron already blurted it out why I sent them there.” Giovanni calmly folded his arms, “But when you refer to the magic, I’m afraid I have no idea as to what you mean. Maybe my employees are doing something on their own.”   

  “And your guys are searching all over the place for something.”

  “Hmmm. That’s classified. Seriously, you’re lucky you got me this far. I’m sure you know me better than that. I wouldn’t just cough up all my master plans, especially to you my dear.”

  “Haha! I expected as much.” Kris started laughing.

  “Interesting, you seem very confident.”

  Kris looked straight at the Team Rocket leader. She doubted that anyone outside the organization knew the true identity of the Rocket’s boss. Giovanni had many so resources that even Kris couldn’t produce any evidence to turn him in. To the world, he was a rich and respected businessman.    

  “I once thought I was finished with you. But look at it this way; I may be a ninja warrior and you the leader of the entire Team Rocket organization, but I’m also a Pokemon trainer and you, the leader of the Viridian City gym.”      

  “And your point being?”

  “As a trainer, I challenge you for the Earth Badge! If you have honor, you’ll accept.”

  “Hmmm. Very nice plan, and you want to know my plans if you win.”

  Kris nodded.

  “But if not?”

  “I’m sure we both know that.” Kris said grimly.

  “Kris, what the hell are you thinking?” Nightslice whispered.

  “Just trust me.” She replied.

  “Very well,” Giovanni stood up, “I back down from no battle. I accept your challenge.” He reached into his coat and pulled out an Earth Badge. “We shall duel, four on four.”

  “Agreed.”

  Giovanni pushed a button on his desk, causing the floor to open and new flooring to rise. It was painted like the floor of a Pokemon stadium. Everyone else had to step back.

  “That’s a handy gadget.” Kris muttered. She readied a Pokeball. “Ivysaur, go!”    

  “And I shall use Cloyster.” Giovanni opened a Pokeball. After which, he sat back down on his chair.

  Both Pokemon appeared in flashes of light.

  “Cloyster, use your Spike Cannon.”

  “Ivysaur, look out.”

  Ivysaur ran along the wall, just barely avoiding the spikes as they stuck themselves in the furniture.

  “OK, use you Razor Leaf!”

  “Saur!” Ivysaur launched his spinning leaves. Cloyster simply clamed its shell shut.

  “No good. Try Sleep Powder!”

  The plant Pokemon fired off the blue powder, but with little effect on Cloyster.

  “Cloyster, use an Ice Beam.”

  Cloyster opened its shell and fired, the beam catching Ivysaur in the face and slamming him into a wall.

  “Saur…” he stood up for a while, but collapsed after that.

  “Ivysaur return.”

  “He’s good.” Nightslice remarked.

  “The guy didn’t get to where he was by being a pushover.” Firestorm growled.

  “Go Jolteon!”

  The electric Pokemon materialized.

  “Clamp it now.” Giovanni ordered.

  Jolteon struggled as Cloyster caught his head in its shell.

  “Jolteon! Hold your ground! Use Thunder!”

  BBBZZZZTTTTTTTT!

  Cloyster released Jolteon and fell to the ground, dazed.   

  “Very well,” Giovanni recalled the defeated Pokemon, “Let’s see how your electricity stands against this.”

  “OORRRRRRRRR!” a giant Onix appeared.

  Jolteon reacted instinctively by firing off an electric burst. To no effect on Onix, unfortunately.

  “It won’t work.” Kris muttered.

  Onix whacked Jolteon aside with its tail.

  “Return!” Kris recalled her Pokemon, “Let’s see. Now it’s Onix Vs Onix!”

  Kris let out her own Onix.

  “When did she take him back?” Nightslice asked.

  “Just before we met up,” Firestorm said, “she went down to the Pokemon Center and had Prof. Oak switch her Wartortle for him.”

  “Tackle attack.” Giovanni ordered.

  “Onix, use Body Slam!” Kris yelled.

  Both rock serpents clashed head long and begun banging each other’s heads.

 

 

 

 

  “Hey! Untie me this instant you jerk!” Cassidy was yelling as Jade shoved her, together with Butch, into the elevator.

  “Oh, and you can have this back too.”   

  Dracia tossed the unconscious Raticate into the Rocket agents, having tied both up.

  “See you around, cutie!” Jade waved as the elevator doors closed. “Nice work Dracia!”

  Jade gave his Dragonair in high five. At least, a tail to hand high five.

  “Now let’s…”

  Dracia suddenly wrapped her tail around his hand and pointed to the ceiling with her head.

  “What is it?” Jade looked up, “Are you pointing to that gas pipe? Wait a minute! It’s ruptured!” 

  BOOM!

  Dracia plowed into him, knocking Jade clear of the explosion.

  “Ugh!” Jade moaned, getting up. “We must’ve broken it in the fight just now. And you were using Fire blast too!”

  Boom! Boom! More explosions could be heard from the floor above.

  Dracia used a Barrier, creating an invisible wall, to shield them from another blast.

  “We’re in trouble! This whole place could be on its way to going up like the fourth of July!” Jade pulled out his laptop and brought up the map. “I’ve got to find a way out of here! Cover me, OK?”

  “Dra!”  

 

 

 

 

  “Wrap attack.”

  Giovanni’s Onix bound Kris’ with its longer body.

  “While your Onix is busy with that, mine still had some free parts!” Kris grinned.

  Her Onix brought its head down on its opponent’s. It continued until Giovanni’s Onix released its grip and hit the floor, unconscious.

  “Humph.” Giovanni recalled his Onix.

  He released his next Pokemon, a Golem. Kris switched her Pokemon too, bringing out her Gyarados.

  “Golem, Rock throw.”

  “Gyarados, Water Gun!”

  Golem was hit, but so was Gyarados by the flying chunks of rock. What ensued next was a furious melee battle of punches, tail whacks and bites.

  “Go for it! Right jab!”

  “Get his eyes! Yeah! That’s it!”

  Firestorm and Nightslice were cheering for their comrade.

  “Dragon Rage!” Kris ordered.

  At the rate they’re going, it’ll be a one on one battle for the finale. Kris thought as the two Pokemon clashed again.

  “RRRRROOORRRRRRRRRRR!”

  “GGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRR!”

 

 

 

 

  “Shoot! My batteries ran out!” Jade wailed as his screen went blank. “I knew I shouldn’t have been playing Quake III: Battle Arena earlier on! Where’d I put my spares?”

  He threw off the black uniform and begun digging his pockets. Dracia tugged on his hand, urging him to hurry.

  “I know! YES! Found it!” Jade triumphantly whipped it out. Unfortunately, the small battery slipped through his fingers and rolled away. “NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Where’d it go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

  He got down on his hands and knees and begun frantically searching the ground for it. Dracia leaned close to him and growled out a few comments.

  “Hey, who are you calling butter fingers? You don’t even have ‘em!” 

  I’m glad I’m not a jerk like him, the Dragonair thought. She’d figured it would be best to keep that comment to herself.    

 

 

 

 

  Firestorm grabbed a table and used to block Nidoking’s Horn drill. The dinosaur furiously broke the table impaled on his horn and turned to face Firestorm.

  “Hyper beam.”

  “Flamethrower!” 

  The two beams clashed, generating a big explosion that threw both combatants to opposite sides of the room. Giovanni actually had to get off his chair and dive away to avoid being hit.

  “Grrr! Get up Nidoking! Don’t lose to these fools!” 

  “Let’s see who’s the real fool around here!” Kris shouted back.

  “Attack again!”

  Nidoking began firing off multiple Hyper beams.

  “Missed me!” The Charizard rolled out of the way, “Missed again!” then ducked, “Lamer!” somersaulted, “Nanananananah!” back flipped and finally shielded himself with a couch.

  “Oh, just send me the bill.” He taunted, pulling down his eyelid and sticking out his tongue.

  Infuriated, Nidoking charged and Mega punched Firestorm in the face.

  “Grrrrrr! That HURT you B@#&*$%!”

  He retaliated with a punch. Unfortunately, all that accomplished was giving his claw a terrible ache.

  “He may have tough armor,” Kris reminded Firestorm, “but there’s still one place you can hit hard!”

  Nidoking opened its mouth to fire a hyper beam.

  “And that’s down into his mouth! Now!” 

  Firestorm’s flamethrower was quicker. It forced a back blast, the dinosaur taking the force of its own attack as well as the sting of the flames.

  “It isn’t defeated yet.” Giovanni growled. 

  “But definitely low on HPs.” Nightslice whispered.

  Grabbing Firestorm’s leg, Nidoking threw the Charizard to the floor and tried to Body slam him. Firestorm rolled away and snatched up Nidoking’s tail, gathering up momentum by swinging it around in circles then flinging it into the wall.

  “WHAT?!”

  Nidoking’s head was stuck in the concrete wall!

  “Here, let me help you.” Firestorm grinned evilly. He fired off a Hyper beam at the dinosaur’s behind and immediately followed up by using Skull bash. The force of the blow punched Nidoking right through the wall, revealing the passage behind it.

  “Help you out the other side.” The Charizard let out a small fire breath in triumph.  

  BOOM! An explosion burst through one of the walls.

  Giovanni took the opportunity shift a book on a nearby shelf, revealing a secret passage.

  “Hey!” Kris yelled after him, “Get back here!”

  “You may have won this battle,” Giovanni growled, tossing the Earth Badge on the floor, “but don’t think that I’ve been defeated! You haven’t seen the last of me!”

  He pulled a book out of its shelf, revealing a secret passage, then ran through it, recalling his Nidoking at the same time. However, a small box slipped out of his coat as he did. Giovanni didn’t notice it as the secret door closed behind him.

  “Come back!” Kris ran and tried to operate the triggering mechanism. Unfortunately, it seemed to have been automatically locked.

  “Kris!” Jade and Dracia appeared in the main door, “We’ve got to get out of here! This place is gonna blow!”

  “We’ll get him another time Kris.” Firestorm snatched up the Earth Badge and pulled Kris’ arm.

  “Yeah, let’s go.” Kris took a second to grab the box Giovanni had dropped, then followed her companions out.             

 

 

 

 

  “Thank goodness Jade found that emergency exit.” Nightslice gasped.

  “Yeah, who’d though they’d mark it ‘broom closet’.” Jade replied. Dracia curled up on his shoulder. 

  Exhausted, the five had gathered on a nearby rooftop and were watching the fire department getting to work.

  “So much for this base.” Firestorm was rubbing the bruise on his chin.

  “It did turn out pretty well,” Kris folded her arms, “unfortunately, Giovanni got away.”

  “We’ll get him another time.” Firestorm assured.

  “Anyway, what was that box you took Kris?” Nightslice asked.

  “This? I just thought it seemed important.”

  “Let’s take a look.”

  Kris opened the small box. Inside was a large pair of goggles. The name ‘Silph Scope’ was engraved on them.  

  “Silph Scope?” Kris picked them up and examined them. “Looks like an ordinary pair of goggles to me.”

  “Haven’t I heard of the name Silph before?” Firestorm wondered.

  “Silph is the name of a company that specializes in Pokemon related equipment.” Jade informed them, “Their headquarters is in Saffron City.”

  “Wasn’t that the big city we passed on the way here?” Nightslice asked.

  “Well, we were in a hurry to get here.” Kris said, fingering the newly acquired Earth Badge in her palm. “But I guess we should check it out.”     

 

 

 

 

  “Hey guys!” Jade came running down the street, waving a brochure in his hand. 

  Kris, Firestorm and Nightslice were seated at a bus stop. 

  “What did ya find?” Nightslice asked.

  “Well, the security’s pretty tight, but the visitor’s lounge has some nice mints and…”

  He then noticed the angry stares the others were giving him.

  “Hey! Relax, all right? Here.” Jade showed them the brochure.

  “Super potions, now at half price.” Firestorm read.

  “No! Above that!”

  “This one?” Kris read the article. “The Silph Scope is supposed to be some sort of a ghost detector or spirit seeker. Designed for the study of ghost Pokemon. But it says ‘soon to be released’.”

  “Well, we have one right here.” Firestorm fiddled with the box, “This must be one of the prototypes.”

  “But why would Team Rocket want to look for ghost Pokemon?” Nightslice wondered.

  “Beats the hell outta me.” Jade sighed.        

  “Unfortunately, it also leaves at a dead end.” Kris remarked.

  “Perhaps I may be of some assistance.” A voice said.

  Everyone looked up to see a green-haired woman dressed in red and purple approaching them.

  “Who are you?” Jade asked.  

  “She’s Sabrina, the leader of the gym here.” Kris said.

  “How’d you know that?” Jade asked.

  “I really don’t know. I think she sent the thought into my head.”

  “That is correct.” Sabrina bowed in greeting, “Kris, Jade, I have foreseen your arrival.” 

  “So, you’re the famous psychic mistress.” Kris returned the bow, “We’re please to meet you. But what was that about being able to help us?”

  “Only you can answer that.” Sabrina replied, “But I do see that a great disaster is approaching and only through your actions may it be averted.”    

  She looked over at Kris’ Pokemon.

  “Firestorm, Nightslice, you haven’t introduced yourselves.”

  “Kris, can we trust her?” Jade whispered.

  “We can.” Everyone glared towards Nightslice as he spoke, “I can feel it.” 

  “I feel the same way.” Kris nodded.

  “Your suspicions are expected. Caution is a wise course of action. But please hear me out, I only wish to help.”

  “Excuse me,” Firestorm cut in, “but can we take this to a place with a little more privacy?”

  “Certainly.” Sabrina indicated for them to follow, “Come to my gym. We can speak there.”

 

 

 

 

  “And that’s my story.” Sabrina finished.

  “I see.” Kris replied.

  The group were seated at a table in one of Saffron gym’s many rooms. On the other side, Firestorm was engaged in a conversation with Sabrina’s Kadabra. Nightslice, however, seemed to be staring dreamily around. 

  “But do you have any further insights on the ‘disaster’?” Jade asked.

  “I’m afraid I cannot see that far. I am human, after all.” Sabrina turned to Kris’ Pokemon, “But they have great powers. Ones that could conjure darkness or bring great light.”

  “I know. It’ll be a big responsibility.” Kris put her hands on the table, “But how do you plan to assist us Sabrina?”

  “For one thing, the power I sense from the Scyther is distinctively stronger than his companion.” 

  “Better not tell him that.” Jade muttered.

  “And I am aware that he has amnesia. Perhaps if I help him regain his memories, it will give us some insight on this whole big picture.”

  “If you can do that, I think it’s worth a shot.” Kris decided.

  “Just leave it to…”

  One of the gym’s junior trainers, the man wearing the facemask, came rushing in.

  “Forgive my intrusion mighty Sabrina, but there are four strange people at the door claiming to be police officers.”

  “Your enemies seek you out.” Sabrina stood up. And whispered to the man, “For the last time, please don’t call me that anymore!”

  “Yes, mighty…”

  “Team Rocket all right.” Kris cut in, “Come on guys, we have to go.”

  “No, too risky. They have reinforcements outside.” Sabrina warned, “But I have a plan.”

 

 

 

 

  “No, as you can see, everything in my gym is in working order.” Sabrina walked alongside the two ‘officers’.

  “How about any outsiders? Or Pokemon?”

  “Nothing happens here without my knowledge.” Sabrina showed them a room with several psychics in training. They were practicing bending spoons, reading cards and predicting numbers. The men carefully watched the group for a while.  “And from your earlier inspections, my gym is dedicated solely to psychic Pokemon, as you saw for yourselves.”

  Sabrina led them to the main door. The four men seemed rather unsatisfied, as if they hadn’t gotten the desired results. Sabrina noticed it and deliberately looked annoyed.

  “Yes? Is there anything else I can do for you?” She demanded in a cold voice.

  “Erm, no nothing.”     

  “Then please leave immediately. I have important matters to attend to. Or I will lodge a harassment complain to your headquarters.”

  One of the ‘officers’ grunted something under his breath. One of the others pulled him away and gestured that they should leave. Sabrina waited till they were all well out of sight, then shut and bolted the door.

  “I hate it when people do that.” She sighed with relief.

  Sabrina returned to the room with her trainees.   

  “All right, the coast is clear.”

  Kris and Jade, at a table in the far corner, threw off the white coats, spectacles and facemasks that they’d used to disguise themselves as Sabrina’s psychic trainees. There were visible sighs of relief from the real trainees. Many were whispering to each other in low voice, a practice so as not to disturb the concentration of others.

  “Hey, I kinda liked these automatic bending spoons.” Jade smiled, waving the one he had in his hand.   

  “The spectacles and see through cards were a great idea too. As was having us memorize the numbers.” Kris added in.

  Since they had to look convincing enough to fool the fraud officers, Sabrina had come up with a few tricks to make it look like they were real psychics. The first was using spoons that automatically bent when a specific area was touched. The spectacles were custom made so that anyone wearing them could see through the plastic cards the trainees normally used in their practices. And of course, memorizing the numbers the trainees were supposed to predict was pretty much a foolproof plan.   

  “You can all thank my Haunter later.” Sabrina grinned, “I owe many of those cheap ticks to it. But to tell the truth, you would easily fool anyone short of a real trained psychic.”

  “No kidding.” Jade muttered, “Thankfully, everything worked out as you predicted.”

  “True. I expected them to search every corner of my gym, inspect all our Pokeballs and all my trainees.”

  “Did they mention what they were searching for?” Kris asked.

  “They claimed it to be classified information. Pity, reading their minds was so easy. They were part of Team Rocket, searching for all of you after you destroyed one of their bases. They expected you to be in some of the cities around Celadon but…”

  “Now they’re off track.” Kris finished, “Excellent. I doubt they’ll waste anymore time on us. Giovanni will just have to eat his losses can carry on. Luckily, their data on me is highly inaccurate. Still, Firestorm and I did mess it up before we bailed out.”    

  “Speaking of that, how bout our Pokemon?” Jade asked.

  “Oh yes, this way.”

  Sabrina led the pair to the office and pulled a bunch of dolls off her toy display shelf.

  “Nine, that’s all, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  The Psychic mistress placed the nine dolls on the floor and snapped her fingers. Instantly, the dolls turned back into their real life forms of Gyarados, Jolteon, Ivysaur, Onix, Magmar, Electabuzz, Dracia, Firestorm and Nightslice.

  Who ended up in a large, messy, tangled heap on top of one another.

  “Oh dear!” Sabrina gasped. 

  (The humans sweatdrop.)

  “Please WARN us before you do that again!” Firestorm groaned from the bottom of the pile.

  “Yeah, that was rather disturbing!” Nightslice moaned. “You just HAD to turn us into dolls, did you?”

  The other Pokemon growled out in agreement.

  “Would you rather have had me turn you into potted plants instead?”

  “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

  All the Pokemon suddenly had very white faces and begun waving whatever limbs they had to indicate ‘no’.

 

 

 

 

  Firestorm and Nightslice had found a new way to amuse themselves. By linking up the two laptops of their human partners and playing a computerized version of the Pokemon card game. 

  The humans, meanwhile, were continuing the discussion they left off at before they were rudely interrupted. It was already late at night and all the other junior trainers had left. 

  “Well, if you’re looking for rocks, then I suppose Mount Moon may be a logical place to investigate.” Sabrina was saying. “Plus, the recent sightings there don’t seem Clefairy related to me.” 

  “But exactly what do we want to do with alien sightings?” Jade asked.

  “Nothing really.” Kris replied, “But I just have a hunch. But first…” she looked over to her Pokemon. 

  On the other side of the room, Firestorm had just lost another game.

  “With the power plus card, that makes it 50 damage. Too bad, storm!”

  “Noooooo!” the Charizard wailed, pounding his head on the table, “I can’t even beat you on the computer?!”

  Nightslice used the tips of his claws to push the ‘escape’ key and shut down the program.

  “What can I say? I’m just good.” He smirked.

  “Nightslice! We need you over here!” Kris called. “Jeez, and I wondered how our laptops manage to run out of batteries so quickly!”   

  And it’s especially easy to win a card game when you’re opponent’s sitting beside a mirror. He thought, snickering at the sight of the full-length mirror behind Firestorm. 

 

 

 

 

  “Erm, you guys serious?”

  Nightslice could tell from the looks on the other’s faces.

  “OK, stupid question. But really, you sure this will work out?”

  “It’s your choice.” Kris told him, “I’ve never forced you to do anything, but this may be the one chance you’ve got to get all your memories back.”

  The Scyther stared at the floor for a while.

  “Could I have some time to think about it?” he finally asked.

  “Certainly.” Sabrina answered first. “You might want to go outside and get some fresh midnight air. There are hardly any people out after dark in this city.”  

  Kris nodded. “We’ll be waiting.”

  “OK, later guys!”

  Everyone watched as the Scyther pushed open the door and left.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seem any Pokemon with such human-like personalities.” Sabrina commented, “If you don’t mind me saying…”

  “Don’t worry.” Kris replied. “It’s been slightly more than a year now that he’s been with me. He’s always been more than a partner. Firestorm and him are like my brothers. I’ve always treated them as such. As one would treat a human. Things just seem to happen so fast. They’re the only family I have now, and we’re helped each other through a lot. Especially since I can get very distracted thinking about the past.”

  I wonder, if I’d never met Firestorm 2 years ago, where would I be today?  She asked silently. Kris really didn’t want an answer to that question.        

  “Whatever happened in the past cannot be changed,” Jade took Kris’ hand, “but we can always make the future what we want to be.” He grinned.

  “Gee, I hate it when you people get all mushy and sentimental and all that. Anyhow, some things can never be said, only felt right?” Firestorm walked between them, putting on his most cheerful tone. Which was actually more like a bellow. “Hey Kris! We’re in a Pokemon gym right? How bout getting a badge while we’re here?”

  “Personality will be personality, I guess.” Jade remarked.

  “Not a bad idea.” Kris snapped up, throwing her pervious emotions out the window. Time to get back to the present. “Sabrina?”

  “Let’s go.” The gym leader agreed, holding up a Pokeball.  

 

 

 

 

  The streets were was empty as Sabrina had predicted. Although it would’ve felt cold to a human, he hardly felt the chill of the night air, nor felt even the least intimidated by the dark streets.

  Nightslice walked along in silence until he came to a row of shops. Several street lamps were nearby, casting his shadow in various directions. Across the road from them was a construction site, lined by a tall wire fence. 

  The Scyther noticed his reflection in one of the shop windows and stopped.    

  Why me? He asked silently, What I wouldn’t give just to be a normal Scyther. You know, run round the forests a bit. Not have to worry about saving the world. Heck, I don’t even know what wild Scyther do!

  The world of humans was the only world he’d ever known. Weather it was being with Kris and Firestorm for the past year, or the bits and pieces of memories that had come back, they all pointed to the same thing.

  I was breed and raised in captivity. I have to face it, I’m domesticated, almost civilized. Leave me out in the wild and I probably wouldn’t survive. Sure, I have natural instincts. I can hunt. I can fight. I have every Scyther’s sense of pride, his warrior instincts. But…oh I just can’t explain it!    

  No point pondering on what could’ve been instead of what is, he decided. Nightslice turned to head back, but was still too wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the figure on the building above him.

  That was, until it leapt off and lunged towards him. Nightslice barely had time to block the kick by lifting up and crossing his claws. The loud ‘clang’ of his opponent’s foot against his claws rang in his ears, like someone had just kicked a sheet of metal.

  “SCCYYYAARGGGHHH!”

  The force of the blow sent him flying across the street and into the fence, taking a good portion down with him. Even with his head still spinning, he got up and let loose a fierce roar.

  “Not bad. At least you were able to block that.” It was Alugard, the cyborg Scyther. Someone Nightslice had designated as his archenemy. And not someone that he’d easily forget. 

  “Alugard!”

  There was only one thought in his mind: ATTACK!

 

 

 

 

  The rules had been set as a two on two match. Both challengers stood on opposite sides of Saffron Gym’s battle arena. 

  “Ready?” Sabrina asked. Her Kadabra was already out and prepared.  

  “OK. I’ll use Jolteon.” Kris let the electric Pokemon out. “Prepare to attack!”

  “Kadabra, teleport.”

  “Jolteon, pin missile behind you! Quick!”

  In the blink of an eye, Jolteon spun round and fired off the spark pins from its fur. Right at the spot that Kadabra materialized into.

  “Dabra!” Kadabra was hit, with the pins sticking all over its body.

  “Jolteon, Quick Attack!”

  Jolteon charged and lashed out with its claws, slamming the stunned psychic Pokemon to the ground. The blow was enough to knock it out.

  “I…did not foresee this…” Sabrina gasped, recalling her defeated Pokemon.

  “Wow, that was over fast!” Jade commented from the sideline.

  “Kadabra’s strength is in dodging attacks. It doesn’t have a high defense, so I figured a couple of swift, strong attacks should’ve been able to take it out before it can use recover.” Kris explained, “And it seems I was right.”

  “But how did you guess where to shoot?”

  “Jolteon doesn’t have a high defense either. Since he’s got sharp eyesight, the obvious place to attack would be from behind.” Kris smiled, “And it doesn’t take a psychic to figure that out.”

  “Hmmm. I should have expected it from a trainer of your reputation. However, my defeat will not come easy.” Sabrina put a couple of fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Haunter!”

 

 

 

 

  CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

  Their sword-like claws clashed over and over again. The furious melee had carried them into the center of the construction site.  

  “Seems you can do something if you’re back’s not facing the enemy.” Alugard muttered.

  “Watch me! Yargh!” Nightslice ducked under Alugard’s claw Slashes and Skull Bashed his chest with his head, shoving his opponent into a pile of bricks.

  Nightslice barely gave time for his opponent to stand before following up with a volley of kicks, finishing off with a slash across Alugard’s chest. Although the older Scyther stumbled back, the bionic parts of his body seemed to lessen the impact.  

  “Ugh, not bad. Sure you haven’t considered my offer?” Alugard asked.

  “Dream on!” Nightslice snarled, “I sooner go to hell first!”

  He blocked another claw attack from Alugard, locking both their claws together and staring each other eye-to-eye.

  “Besides, I have a lost debt of honor I must restore!” 

  Alugard used his foot to shove Nightslice away.

  “In that case, I’ll let you know that our plans can be carried out regardless if you are dead or alive.”

  Nightslice lunged with a claw. Alugard kicked his claw away and retaliated by smacking the side of the younger Scyther’s head with the flat side of his claw, knocking Nightslice to the ground. He made a leaping attack, snarling with wings and claws spread out wide. Nightslice rolled out of the way and tripped his opponent.

  “Shadow Images!” Utilizing his forbidden tech, Nightslice created several illusions of himself. Only these illusions contained a small bit of physical substance. Meaning that they could actually hit an opponent. Each one lunged and attacked in turn. Alugard deflected a few, but was hit the majority. Yet, he hardly seemed to be taking any damage at all.

  “I see you’re been able to unlock you’re forbidden techniques. Sadly, you haven’t realized your true powers yet.”  

  “I’m good enough to beat you as I am!” Nightslice yelled, opened his mouth to charge up a Hyper Beam. “Take—guarah!”            

  Unfortunately for him, Alugard stuffed a bag of cement into his open mouth. He’d forgotten that the bionic warrior had a human-shaped hand beneath his cybernetic right claw. The beam backfired, sending some of the awful-tasting cement down his mouth and even more into the air. All this caused Nightslice to choke and start coughing.     

  Even with his eyes tearing up, he noticed Alugard launching a wing attack and quickly countered by swinging his claws up, deflecting the blow upwards. Alugard wasn’t finished yet and swung his right, metallic claw, catching Nightslice at the side of his head. Nightslice ended up face down, hitting the ground hard. Snarling, he lifted his head and fired off his Pin Missiles from his mouth.

  Alugard simply rolled out of the way.

  I might have problems. Nightslice thought, He’s stronger and faster due to those cybernetic enhancements. Unless…

 

 

 

 

  “Whatcha starin’ at buddy?!” Firestorm growled.

  “Hehehhee!” Haunter stared back, giggling in a rather insane tone.

  “GGGGGRRRRRRRRRR….”

  Haunter continued staring, then abruptly pulled off a goofy face.

  Firestorm struggled to keep a straight face. 

  “Firestorm! You’re supposed to be attacking! Not goofing off!” Kris yelled. 

  “Oh, I knew I should’ve used something else.” Sabrina moaned.

  Both however, seemed intent on winning the staring competition they were engaged in.

  “Ha! You blinked!” Firestorm cried triumphantly.

  Indeed, Haunter had blinked and was now scratching its head in surprise. Firestorm’s victory was short lived.

  “Haun! Haun!” The ghost Pokemon stuck out its tongue and gave Firestorm a nice long lick, from the bottom of his chin up to his nose.

  “Huh? Hey—Urghh! Uck! Mrrmmpphh!”

  “Idiot.” Kris muttered.

  Haunter hovered around the paralyzed Charizard for a while as Firestorm struggled in vain to move his muscles. Finally, Haunter got in front of him and used a finger to push the middle of his forehead. Completely paralyzed, Firestorm fell over like a statue, landing on his back with his arms and legs helplessly waving in the air.      

  Haunter turned to Sabrina, winked and gave a thumbs-up.

  “Oh well, a victory’s a victory, I guess. Good work Haunter.” The gym leader sighed, slightly embarrassed. 

  In its excitement, Haunter stuck out its tongue. Sabrina reacted quickly, catching its tongue in her hand before it could lick her.

  “Yes, I know you’re happy too, but no licking me. Remember?”

  Meanwhile, Jade got out his camera and snapped a photo of the paralyzed Firestorm on the floor.

  “Just a little keeper.” He grinned.

  “When you get a flamethrower in your face afterwards,” Kris told him, “don’t come crying to me for a burn heal, cause I won’t give it to you!”  

  “Hello? Medic please!” Firestorm moaned from his spot on the floor. Apparently, nobody was paying attention to him.

  “Huh?” Kris reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the small, electronic device.

  “What’s with that?” Jade asked, running over.

  “Seems like Nightslice is trying to activate his cybernetic armor,” Kris muttered, staring at the words on the screen. They were mostly a bunch of hard to read computer characters, but it was displaying an error message. “But he can’t because I haven’t entered the code.”

  “But what is he doing trying to use his armor?”

  “Because he’s in trouble!” Kris said aloud. She pushed a few buttons so the a map came up on the screen “You’ll have to excuse me.” She said to Sabrina, “Jade, let’s go! We can use this to find him!”

  “Right!”

  The pair grabbed their backpacks and sprinted out of the gym.

  “Wait up!” Sabrina and Haunter went after them, “We’re coming too!”

  Unfortunately, in all the excitement, they’d forgotten about one very important thing.

  “HEY! What about me?!” Firestorm roared, “Don’t leave yet! I’m still paralyzed here! At least give me a full heal or something!!!!!!! Hello?”

  Silence. 

  “Somebody? Anybody? Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  

 

 

 

 

  “Ugh!” Nightslice flew back into a wall, leaving the impression of his body on it.

  “You’re tiring.” Alugard commented.

  “Well, you’re the one to talk about it.” Nightslice panted, dragging himself up.

  Darn, I forgot that Kris need to enter the code first! Man, were are friends when you…

  “Nightslice!”

  A pair of surikens came flying through the air. Alugard leapt away, jumping up to the second story of the uncompleted building’s scaffolding. Kris appeared at the entrance, wielding her Ninja sword in an intimidating manner. Jade and Sabrina were right behind her.

  “Alugard.” Kris muttered.

  “Who’s he? The cybernetic Scyther?” Jade asked.

  “Yeah. Someone you’ll come to hate.” 

  Alugard was visibly annoyed, but remained silent.

  “He’s mine people!” Nightslice growled, “Just suit me up and I’m taking em’ down!”  

  “Ready?” Kris entered the code and activated the device, “Go for it!”

  “Cyber armor, energize!” 

  Once again, his body morphed. Skin becoming covered with a slivery metal armor. Claws and teeth sharpened to a degree not normally possible. His two pair of wings spread out in an ‘X’, like helicopter blades. Telescopic eyes that glowed with a deep red. With a click, he brought up the twin machine guns mounted on his waist.

  “Target acquired. Aiming….”

  Alugard was definitely surprised.

  “FIRE!”

  Nightslice let lose with a spray of bullets. Alugard took to the air. However, Nightslice hadn’t been aiming at him, but instead at a beam suspended by the hook of a crane. The beam broke loose, falling and taking Alugard out of the sky. He hit the floor with a loud crash, but still staggered up.

  “Give up?” Nightslice taunted.

  “Not yet, I think.”  

  Both lunged for each other at the same time.

  “Nightslice! He’s got something in his hand!” Kris warned.

  Too late. Alugard brought it up at the last second and jabbed into his opponent’s chest. It seemed to be a shock stick of some kind. Purple colored energy coursed through Nightslice’s body. 

  “Arrgghh! Ggrrrraaggh! Mmrrppphh!”   

  Nightslice landed on his feet, but didn’t move after that. The red lights in his eyes flickered, then went off.

  Alugard landed further away and stored the shock stick in a compartment on his back.

  “Nightslice! What are you doing?” Jade yelled, “you’ve got to move it or you’ll be destroyed.”  

  “Mrrggghhh!” Nightslice only gave off some muffled, panicked cries.   

  “From the way he looks, I don’t think he can.” Sabrina said, looking very worried.

  “What happened?” Kris wondered. “Darn, I should’ve realized that he’d probably have some way to counter Nightslice’s Cybernetic armor!” 

  “Well, I’ve had enough of this statue.” Alugard remarked calmly, referring to Nightslice.

  “Hey…grrgghh…who…ya…callin’…a…. statue…?!” Nightslice managed to sputter out.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I think the term ‘punching bag’ would be more appropriate.” Grinning, Alugard launched a fierce series of kicks and slashes, which took the helpless Nightslice to the ground.

  “We’ve got to help.” Kris yelled.

  “Yeah, you’re right.” Jade agreed. “Go Dracia! Fire Blast attack!”  

  The Dragonair appeared and launched the fire attack. Alugard saw it and dove away.

  “Haunter, time to get serious.” Sabrina implored her Pokemon. 

  “Haun! Haun!” Haunter nodded.

  “Psychic now!”

  “Argh!” Alugard was thrown back into a brick wall that collapsed on top of him. But it didn’t look like it would keep him down for long.

  “Onix go!” Kris let loose the rock serpent as Alugard broke free and flew up. Onix attacked with his tail, but only succeeded in smashing one of the smaller structures, as the Scyther was too swift.

  Dracia launched a Blizzard, however it too was a miss.

  “Boy, this is sure quiet.” Jade muttered.

  “You’ll be surprised at what people don’t hear.” Sabrina said.

  “At least they’ll keep him occupied for a while.” Kris yelled, “We have to check on Nightslice!”

  As the battle raged, the trio ran over to their fallen comrade. 

  “Just give me a second.” Jade hooked his laptop up to Nightslice’s CPU and called up the diagnostics. “Looks like that was some kind of electromagnetic shock Alugard gave him. A major one too. It messed up his system and overloaded his power supplies.”

  “Can we fix it?” Kris asked.

  “His system will need to reboot and recharge.”

  “That’ll take too long!” Kris looked over to the battle. Dracia, Haunter and Onix were trying their best, but it didn’t seem to be enough. “Even with 3-on-1, Alugard looks like he’s winning. We’ve got to get Nightslice back online, pronto!” 

  “Perhaps if we give him a power boost,” Jade muttered, “like with electric attacks! That’s it!” He snapped his fingers. 

  He unplugged his laptop and got out a Pokeball.

  “Electabuzz!”

  “Jolteon!” Kris let out her own electric Pokemon.

  “My Kadabra knows Thunder.” Sabrina offered, letting her psychic Pokemon out too.

  “OK, let’s do it!” Kris declared.

  “Thunder attack!” All three yelled.

  The three electric Pokemon focused their energy on Nightslice’s fallen form. His body surged with energy.

  “Did it work?” Kris asked over the bright glare on the electrical energy.

  The others had to turn away as well.

  Nightslice’s body moved. His eyes lit up again.

 

 

 

 

  Alugard dodged another of Dracia’s Fire Blasts. Onix charged, attempting a Body Slam. Alugard lashed out with his robotic claw, knocking Onix back into Haunter and Dracia, taking all three down. 

  “Ha, none of you will ever be a match for me!” He laughed. 

  That was, until he received a powerful blast in his back.

  “Ggrrrrraaggghh!”

  Alugard hit the dirt and pulled himself up to see Nightslice with his guns raised.  

  “That’s to show you that I don’t die easy!” Nightslice said. Behind him, the three trainers and their Pokemon had gathered.

  “This is between you and me.” Nightslice declared. Even his computerized voice seemed to be filled with malice. 

  “So be it.” Alugard growled. 

  In front of his opponent, Nightslice reverted from his Cybernetic form to his normal body.

  “Hey, what are you doing!” Kris yelled.

  “Sssscccyyyy!”

  “Scccyyyyyyy!”

  The pair lunged for each other.

  (The screen goes black and we see multiple slashes across it.) 

  “GGGrrrgghhh!” screaming in pain, Nightslice hit the floor. A newly acquired slash ran from the left of forehead, between his eyes and down to the right side of his jaws.

  “Nightslice!”

  Alugard landed seeming relatively unhurt.

  “It was foolish to have tried to challenge me without your armor.” He growled in satisfaction.

  Nightslice’s moans of pain slowly turned into a chuckle, then a laugh.

  “Hmmm…what’s so funny?” Alugard asked, confused. 

  “Hahahah…were you really that slow?” Nightslice laughed, “Did you not see that where you struck one, I got three?”  

  As if on cue, a long tear opened up on Alugard’s right metallic arm. His left wing also fell to pieces, cleanly severed.

  “GGGRRAAHHH!” Now it was Alugard’s turn to feel the pain. Electricity crackled from his damaged parts. “I won’t forget this! This war has only just begun!”

  Activating a jetpack attached to his back, Alugard took off. Even with only one functional wing, he was able to steer clear of the buildings. The exhausted group watched as he disappeared into the night.

  “Ouch, this is gonna leave a mark.” Nightslice muttered, rubbing the blood off his face, being careful not to cut himself with his own claws.

  “Wow, you did it!” Kris gasped, running over. “Without your armor!”

  “Yeah, we actually thought you’d lost it or something.” Jade added in. 

  “In truth, my eyes had been opened. You know, for a while there, I’d lost faith in my own abilities.” Nightslice said, closing his eyes, “You know, seeing how powerful he was. But then I realized that only I could overcome my own enemy. Not with any fancy weapons or powers, but with my mind. Only without my armor could I achieve the speed I needed to overcome his power and experience. They say to know yourself, but know your enemy better. And I did that,” he crossed his right claw horizontally across his chest, “honor has been restored.”

  “I’m sure even Fuchsia City’s Ninja dojo could use someone with your heart.” Sabrina smiled, “Congratulations.”         

  “I’d say you actually have what it takes to make a great human.” Jade said, “If fate had permitted it.”

  “Aw, stop it, you’re embarrassing me.” The Scyther grinned, blushing.

  “So,” Kris stepped up to him, “what’s it feel like to be an overloaded computer?”

  “Weird. Like you’re half-conscious and the docs trying to wake you up by using a battery charger. Yeah, and I think I’m ready for Sabrina to help me recover my memories now. I need to know, whatever they may be.”

  “Indeed. Now that the danger is past,” Sabrina pulled out a Marsh Badge and placed in Kris’ hand.

  “But…” Kris protested.

  “I believe you deserve it, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but strangely, I feel as if I’ve forgotten something.” Kris scratched her head.

  The three humans suddenly snapped up.

  “Firestorm!”

  “Yes, I was wondering why he wasn’t here.” Nightslice said, going back to his regular, cocky tone, “He missed me kicking the guy’s…HEY!”

  The trainers had recalled their other Pokemon and were already running off.       

  “Unappreciated,” he muttered before flying off after them.