The Misdreavus Menace

Chapter Twenty-Eight — Take the Snake

Cassidy did not like the way things were developing. There were sounds of Pokémon battles coming from all over town. She had lost contact with Meowth. Were the police Pokémon that much better trained than Team Rocket's?

Suddenly two Rocket members burst into the police station past the guards she had posted out the front.

"What's going on?" demanded Cassidy.

"They've got our Pokémon!" replied the first Rocket between huffs. "We can't fight!"

"I don't understand."

"We've got to get out of town while we can," said the other, "and while a few of us still have Pokémon left."

"All right," Cassidy decided quickly, "let's go. But your explanation better be good."

Before she could order the evacuation, one of the guards called out, "We're under attack!"

"You've led them here," complained another Rocket member.

"Cool it," said Cassidy. "They would've come for us anyway. Everybody, we have to fight outside. If they corner us in here we're done for."

Outside, the two guards released all their Pokémon to try and hold off a team of a dozen Growlithe. One by one, the Rocket Pokémon were being shot by a strange-looking rifle, and one by one they were being captured by the police in Poké balls.

Cassidy entered the fray. Seeing a Growlithe scorch a Raticate, she released her Arbok.

"Arbok, poison sting that Growlithe!" Arbok sprang into action, spitting venom at the dog. The Growlithe howled in pain, then shot back with a flamethrower.

A sudden flash caught Cassidy's attention. She turned to see a Poké ball jiggling on the ground in the spot where the Raticate had been. Her eyes opened wide, a fear she could not control seeping into her heart. She did not understand what was going on, but she could see no way out other than to keep fighting.

"Arbok, take down that Growlithe!" Arbok took stock of the situation, aimed, and used its huge, lithe body as a spring, leaping into the air and striking its tired and weakened opponent with enormous force. The poor dog flew back towards its master, knocking him down as well.

Another Growlithe responded with a take down of its own. Arbok was knocked back, but far from out.

Cassidy was distracted by another flash. Another Rocket Pokémon was captured. How were they doing it? She looked around and saw a policeman aim at a Koffing with a rifle, then pull out a Poké ball.

"Arbok, forget the Growlithe! Attack that man," she ordered, pointing.

Arbok deftly dodged a flamethrower, slid away and aimed itself towards the police officer.

"Look out!" yelled the man's colleague.

Too late. Arbok bit the man's leg. He went down, dropping his weapon. In seconds the poison would take effect and he would be out of action.

However, Rocket numbers were thinning. Some police were able to round up now defenceless Rockets and cart them off. Others were running away, sneaking out of town.

Without wasting any time, several Growlithe pelted Arbok with bursts of flame from all sides. Another policeman picked up the rifle, aimed at Arbok and pulled the trigger. Another threw a Poké ball. Cassidy looked on in horror as her prized possession, once nearly useless when owned by Jessie, disappeared into a burst of crimson.

This story was originally written before Jessie released her Arbok. In my version of events, the police, many years ago and using Ash's Pikachu as bait, capture Jessie, James and Giovanni, but Cassidy manages to save Arbok and she, Butch and Meowth escape.