Chapter Eleven: Whirlwind "Shut the power," Uiru declared. "Shut the power," the President ordered. "Shut the power?" the plant boss asked. "Okay, if you say so. Shut the power." "Shut the power!" the workers enthousiastically responded. "Power's shut," they added. "Power's shut," the plant boss reported. "Power's shut," the President informed Uiru. "Power's shut," Uiru said to the others. Power's shut, the ghosts said to themselves. Uiru hung up the phone. "Well, that was a rediculous scene. Let's get into position." "This is as good a time as any to storm Saffron!" the leader bellowed. "Our main target will be the power plant in Saffron City! Once the power is restored, we'll take on Silph Co and the Pokémon Center!" The main assault force headed down Route 6 towards Saffron. They were almost there when they encountered Fire Strike. "In the name of the Pokémon League, the PLM officially places you all under arrest," Uiru declared grandly. The two groups stared at each other in silence for about two seconds, then everyone present threw a Poké Ball. But this battle was not to be. From literally nowhere, dozens of Gastly and Haunter appeared and charged the soldiers. Some just ran at the sight of all the ghosts. Others tried to fight back, but it would prove to be useless. "Quick, while they're distracted," Uiru called to the others. There were a ton of trainers being terrorized by the Ghost Pokémon. When a half dozen Haunters lined up together and used Night Shade at the same time, Uiru knew the Sunder Force would never reach Saffron. They'd be lucky to make it back to Lavender. In the span of about four minutes, Lavender's main attack group were taken out, and while they were away, the city came under attack. Fire Strike quickly reached their first target. "What'll we do about the reserve troops in the Rock Tunnel?" Leah asked. "I've already thought of that." Uiru shouted so the rest could hear. "Leah and Jessica, come with me. The rest of you, take the Pokémon Center." "Where are we going?" Jessica asked. "To Rock Tunnel." "Just the three of us?" "You'll see. Come on!" The few soldiers left in the city attacked as Uiru, Leah and Jessica scampered off. "Golduck, go!" Pittman and Nick called their Water fighters at the same time. It was a good thing because a Rhyhorn charged the party. "Water Gun!" "Bubblebeam!" The twin water attack shut down Rhyhorn. "Magneton, go!" Allison shouted. "Thunder Wave attack!" Allison Paralyzed Pokémon and trainers alike with the electrical pulse of energy. "To the Center, quick!" Uiru, Leah and Jessica soon reached the entrance to Rock Tunnel. "So, what are we going to do?" Leah asked. "There's like two hundred soldiers in there. Not even we could beat that many." "Actually, I'd like to see how far we got," Uiru stated. "But that's not my plan. Sandslash, I choose you!" The four and a half foot tall slashing monster of a Pokémon appeared. "Rock Slide the top of the entrance!" Sandslash summoned it's energy, causing the ground around it to buckle and crumble. Chunks of solid stone floated up from the ground, then flew straight into the wall above the opening. Boulders fell in front of the opening. "I get it," Leah declared. "You're going to trap them inside." "Yeah," Uiru replied. "Isn't that a bit cheap?" Jessica asked. "They can get out the back way," Uiru stated. "If not, too bad for them." "Yeah. They ARE the enemy," Leah added. "Cubone, go! Bonemerang that door! Seal it tight!" "Sandslash, Rock Throw! Plug that hole!" Cubone and Sandslash quickly piled enough rocks in front of the opening to ensure that none of Lavender's surprise attack forces would be able to make it. A voice came from behind them. "Oh... You're back already?" It was Jeremy. Uiru and the others spun around. "How'd you get back here so fast?" Leah asked. "We just got in," Stephen declared. "Sunder has a job for us. If you'll excuse us..." Stephen made it a point to uncover the basketball-sized rock he held in his hands. "What's that?" Jessica asked. "The Fighting Power Stone," Jeremy announced. "Atop Rock Tunnel is a Fighting Pokémon bonanza. And we're on our way to create our biggest Pokémon yet!" "No way!" Uiru shouted. "Sandslash, Rock Slide!" "Pidgeot, go!" Jeremy responded. "Sand Attack! Blind all of them!" Pidgeot's Sand Attack was faster then Rock Slide. The stones flew harmlessly out of the way. When the sand cleared, Jeremy and Stephen were well on their way up the small mountain. "Leah, go back and tell the others," Uiru ordered, "to get up here as fast as they can. Sandslash, come!" "Starmie, come out!" Jessica added. Leah headed back into town as Uiru and Jessica chased after the Fighting Power Stone. Pittman somehow managed to get into a two-on-one battle with the enemy. "Graveler, go!" he shouted. He threw out his newly reclaimed Graveler. "Weepinbell, go!" "Jynx, attack!" "Graveler, Rock Throw!" Graveler rolled itself up into a ball and slammed into Weepinbell! Jynx attacked with an Ice Punch but missed, and Graveler Tackled it. Weepinbell recovered and grabbed it with it's Vine Whip! "Graveler! Break away!" Pittman shouted. But the vines held fast. Jynx prepared a Blizzard attack! Graveler started to glow! "What's going on?" Pittman asked. "Oh, we forgot to tell you," Nick stated. "Graveler might evolve because we traded it from Sunder." Graveler evolved into Golem! The five foot half ton Pokémon stuck out a lot more then Geodude and Graveler did. It stomped over to Jynx and smashed it with it's Rock Rush punch! Then it literally rolled over Weepinbell, blasting it unconscious. The two trainers recalled their Pokémon and ran. "That's quite a Pokémon!" Pittman declared. "Are we done yet?" Eric asked. "I think so," Nick stated. "Most of the troops are being pounded by the ghosts. Uiru, Jessica and Leah are dealing with the Rock Tunnel forces, and almost everyone in town's been beaten. I think we're done." "Not yet," Leah shouted as she ran up to them. "Huff... Jeremy and Stephen have a Power Stone and they're about to make a giant Fighting Pokémon! Uiru and Jessica are chasing them... puff..." "Where are they?" Geoff asked. "They're up the mountain, above Rock Tunnel," Leah replied. "Whew... Well, are you coming?" Jeremy was right. Uiru and Jessica passed dozens of Machops and Mankeys on their way up the mountain. "They've got to have a base up here if they're going to create a giant Pokémon," Uiru stated. "So where is it?" "This mountain isn't exceptionally large, but the forest is really thick," Jessica answered. "It could be anywhere, as long as it's small." Uiru stopped. "This is why Flying types are handy every now and then. Butterfree, come out!" Butterfree came out. "Fly up and tell us if you see anything interesting," Uiru told it. Butterfree hovered up and saw a small clearing ahead of them. There seemed to be something going on. Flying low, it led Sandslash and Starmie to the scene. "Hey, is that Uiru's Butterfree?" Allison pointed. "I thought I saw it for a second." "It's as good a direction as any to go," Thomas stated. They headed up that way. Butterfree led them to the clearing. A dozen unconscious Fighting Pokémon had been put under by two Hypno, and Jeremy and Stephen were stealing them! "Butterfree go!" Uiru declared. "Nature's Pin, now!" Butterfree flew straight at one Hypno and seemed to dissolve into energy. The ball of butterfly-shaped power smacked into the Hypno and went right through it! Butterfree reformed on the other side, and kicked Hypno for good measure. Uiru's new Bug type attack was just the thing to use on Psychics. The Hypno was heavily damaged and the other one was next. "Hypnosis!" Stephen shouted. "Put it under!" No such luck. Butterfree was strong against Psychic power. It slammed Hypno with Nature's Pin. "It hammered right through our Psychics!" Stephen stammered. "I have to get me one of those." "All right, Butterfree! Whirlwind them right out of here!" Uiru ordered. Butterfree wound up and sent the two theives flying far into the forest. "You know," Jessica said to him, "there's something really familiar about you just Whirlwinding the bad guys away." Uiru shrugged. "We gotta release the Fighting Pokémon," he declared. "Hope they don't get mad at us." From behind a tree, a figure cloaked in shadow watched them release the Fighting types.