Intro:
Welcome, dear readers, to A Step to Redemption. This story takes us through a brief episode in the lives of a family of former Team Magma operatives. Now living in the quiet Celestic Town, this family wears the guise of a simple, poor family and keeps their secret from the populace as well as the newest members of the family, Tyler and his chimchar.
Their routine trials to make ends meet soon become disrupted, however, when Team Galactic makes their presence known and starts stirring up trouble. Will the family let their town be destroyed? Will they run again? Or will they expose themselves in order to save their new home and family?
These answers and the sins of their past will be answered in the miniseries: A Step to Redemption.
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Chapter 1: Secret Lives
A sharp stream of fire struck metal as a man held it steady with large tongs. His eyes, though covered by dark goggles kept track of every inch of the metal as it began glowing. Carefully and surely, he rotated it and allowed every side to evenly absorb the fire that came from his black dog. Soon, the metal began to dip and loose its shape. "Alright, Houndoom, that's enough." With that, the dog immediately ceased the blaze and calmly sat.
"Good boy. Arcanine, hammer." The man held out his left hand as a large orange dog with tiger stripes dropped the tool out of her mouth. The man placed the red hot metal into an appropriate mold and began striking it repeatedly. Sparks flew everywhere.
The sparks struck his thick black gloves. They landed on the red suit that covered his slightly tanned skin. They jumped onto his red hood, which protected his short brown hair and the top of the large scar that dipped down his back. Some sparks fell onto his red pants and black boots. However, none of the sparks hit his flesh.
With a final strike, he finished. "Torkoal, bring me the water barrel. Charizard, this's the last one! Head back to Celestic Town and tell…" he gave a disgruntled sigh. "… Madeline to call Mrs. Jansh that her order is cooling and she can pick it up by tomorrow morning!" His fire dragon nodded from outside the stone structure that served as a metallurgy shop, spread his wings, and gave flight down the mountain.
The man dipped the metal into a barrel that lay strapped to the black shell of his orange turtle. "It's been over three years and it still kills me to call her that."
"Koal," his turtle muttered while Arcanine stared out a window.
"Hound. Doom, hound." the black dog barked.
"Yeah, yeah. Karma's a witch with a capital 'B' and at least I have this shack up here where no one can hear me rant!" He pulled out the tool and set it aside to dry. Grabbing another piece of metal and selecting the appropriate mold, he held it in front of Houndoom's mouth.
"Another order, boy."
The black dog shot another stream of fire. The man stood back as the fumes of the smelting shot out the hole in the roof thanks to the wind tunnel between it and the open window.
***
With his majestic wings spread, Charizard flew further and further down the foggy cliffside and towards the small town below. The town's quiet neighborhoods and small business section became more and more distinct as the fire dragon descended. With each passing moment, the main street and all the important buildings that called it home grew and grew. Even the large, ancient crater in the middle of the city stood out perfectly in the pokemon's eyes.
These splendid sights disappeared from Charizard's vision when he closed in on one of the neighborhoods. Within another second, it landed gracefully on the small lawn of an old, one floor house and growled a pleasant hello to those in its presence. The slow-witted camerupt simply nodded before going back to sleep. The rapidash neighed and resumed eating her straw. The other two present gave him a more cheerful greeting.
"Charizard!" a little boy shouted with glee as he and his chimchar ran up to the dragon. His messy brown hair fell back as both he and the small fire monkey hugged the large lizard's legs.
The orange dragon rubbed them both on their heads as a woman stepped out of the house. "Hey, Charizard!" she yelled out as she brushed her long red hair behind her back. "Is Vincent done with an order?"
"Char!" he nodded and walked closer to her as the boy and chimchar rode on top of his large feet. She handed him a small notebook to flip through and it only took a few moments to find the entry his trainer sent him to confirm.
"Mrs. Jansh, huh? That's great!" She put the notebook back into the pocket of her yellow coat. Staring down cheerfully at the boy and his chimchar, she said, "Tyler, take Chimchar and go clean your room."
"But, mommy! Me and Chimchar want to play with daddy's charizard!"
"Chim!" the fire monkey replied.
"No, 'buts,' Tyler Ploss! I told you I wanted it cleaned by lunchtime and its already 2:00. If everything isn't off that floor in ten minutes, no after-dinner snack for either of you."
Tyler and Chimchar cringed and hurried into the house.
Once she saw the door close, her cheerful expression became solemn and grave. "Give…" she gave a disgruntled sigh and pulled out a piece of paper. "…Vincent this note."
"Rizar?"
She looked away. "It's easier to force myself to in front of Tyler." Turning back towards the dragon, she said, "The money from that order of pipes is running low. We're going to have to start cutting back again."
Charizard gave a slow nod as he took the note and flew off. "God, I wish I could work up there with you." She wrapped her arms around herself and took a quick, deep breath. "It's the only place where we can call each other what we should."
She turned around and walked back in with her head hung low. Closing the door, she found her two macargos curled up next to the fire place and tucked within their rock shells. Next to them, her own torkoal rested peacefully, leaving a spot for her husband's torkoal vacant. "At least some loves don't have to disguise themselves," she simpered as she walked into their small kitchen and looked through the day's mail.
With a groan, she flipped through bill after bill with only random coupon flyers and a bright yellow leaflet to break the cycle. "Huh?" Her eyes caught a bit of the leaflet. "Come, reach your full potential and make a mark in…" Before reading anymore, she tossed it away and picked up the phone to call their customer.
***
"Your total's $47.52, Zack." A balding man with blond hair finished ringing up the price.
"Here you go and thanks." A teen with messy black hair handed over the money and grabbed the four bags of groceries.
"You're welcome. Tell your sister and brother-in-law I said 'Hi.'"
"Will do, Mr. Gev."
"Bye, Zack!" a blonde-haired stock-girl yelled.
"See you later, Beth!" The boy walked out of the small grocery store and grabbed a pokeball off of his belt. "Come on out, Honchkrow." Out of the red and white ball came a three feet tall black rooster whose crown looked like a wizard's hat.
"Krow!" the roster yelled as he expanded his wings.
He placed one bag over the bird's neck. "Time to head home."
"Time?" a deep voice shouted from behind him. "Time is but an illusion that shall soon be wiped away!"
Trainer and pokemon stared at each other bewilderingly. Slowly, he turned around. "What are you-?"
"I am speaking the truth!" Before him, a man with green hair in a white and black jumpsuit held a brown book in his face. "Time is but an illusion, my boy."
"Um… I'm not your boy." He backed away slowly. "Who are you anyway?"
The man lowered the book to reveal a yellow 'G' etched into the torso of his suite. "I am Seth Grands, High Grunt of Team Galactic!"
He and his Honchkrow cringed. "Team…" he whispered to himself. His black roster flapped up in between Seth and his trainer.
"Remove this heretical bird, boy! Remove him, I say!" The man's shouting attracted the attention of five other people in white and black jumpsuits. They threw out several pokeballs to call out various small pokemon.
"Honchkrow!" his trainer barked. The black bird calmed himself down and stood beside his trainer. "Look, I'm sorry for my pokemon's behavior. I don't want any trouble, just would like to get home."
"Not yet!" Seth yelled, regaining his composure. "We need something valuable from you!"
"I don't have anything you want." A crowd began to gather around the scene of pokemon.
"Ah, but you do. You all do!" He pointed to the circle of people that surrounded them. "You all waste your valuable lives and energy doing nothing! Tell me, when was the last time you and your honchkrow accomplished something great? When was the last time you grabbed the victory of a league championship? When was the last time you saved a continent? When was the last time you looked your reflection in its eyes and said 'This life is exactly how I want it'?"
"Gotta give you that last one," he mumbled.
"You see?" Seth shouted. "All of you! If you wish to make a difference, make an immortal mark on this world, I can teach you how! All of Team Galactic can help you fulfill your destiny and make the world a better place!"
Those final words made the boy's blood boil and two pokeballs shot open. A charizard and a black imp stood beside the teen and his honchkrow. "SHUT UP!" he roared. "…or my weavile'll cut you open and Charizard'll burn your remains!"
Seth paused as he stared curiously, observing the boy. "Do I know you?" he whispered to himself. A cough from one of his followers brought him back to reality. "Are you threatening me?" he asked without skipping a beat. Gasps and mummers came from the crowd. "Resorting to physical violence when I only wish to help you? My boy, you need the guiding force of-!"
"Weavile, night slash!"
The imp's claws glowed black. He dashed in and swung, but a brown rabbit jumped in the way and took the blow. "Buneary!" it yelled as it collapsed.
"Zack stop this!" Mr. Gevr yelled as he pushed through the crowd.
Weavile halted and waited as his trainer glared into Seth's eyes.
"Zack, I said stop this! I won't have fighting in front of my store."
"Weavile, return," he sighed in defeat. A red beam came out of the ball and struck the black imp. Converting him into a cluster of red energy, it sucked him into the ball. "You too, Charizard." The orange dragon's pokeball mimicked Weavile's.
"Now the boy shows cowardice after hurting an innocent buneary!"
"And you!" Mr. Gevr pointed at Seth. "We don't want any of Team Galactic's poison in Celestic Town! This is a peaceful place where people are free to stay and enjoy or leave in search of more! You are not needed so get off of my property!"
Seth stared at the middle-aged man as the others in white and black jumpsuits awaited their orders. "Man cannot own property. The world and everything in it belongs to everyone in it." Sirens became audible in the distance. "However," he said with a sigh, "we have shown these good people some of Team Galactic…" He stared forward with daggers. "…and what a person without such traits is like." With that, the six Galactics turned and calmly walked away.
Following their departure, the crowd dispersed. Murmuring and pointing fingers as they left.
"Glad you got rid of those jerks.
"Ugh… Zack, what did you do?" Mr. Gerv pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What? Nothing! Honest, I didn't start a thing!"
"Oh, sure. You needed to call out your charizard and weavile to deal with third rate pokemon. Obviously, it was because your honchkrow couldn't take care of all of them himself."
"Do you know what he was talking about?" he shot back. "He was trying to recruit people for a crime syndicate!"
From behind Mr. Gerv, Beth picked up the bags of groceries on the ground and handed them to the teen. "Here you go… and I think you did the right thing."
"Beth Gerv, go back inside. Zack, go home. Your sister and her husband aren't going to like what you did."
His blood froze. "Y… you called them?"
The old store clerk nodded. "Better get home and face the punishment A.S.A.P. By the way, the Misses and I would like our lawn mowed this weekend. If you need $10 come over Saturday by 11:30."
He heaved a sigh. "Alright, I'll be there." Honchkrow lifted off and he Grabbed onto the bird's talons. "This is not going to be good at all, buddy."
***
Standing out on her front lawn, wearing her yellow jacket, a woman with long red hair stood with her arms crossed, her foot tapping, and a harsh look in her eyes. Beside her, her loyal ninetales sat with an equally fierce expression.
"Mommy?" The timid voice came from behind her in the front doorway. "Why are you and ninetales so mad?"
"It's nothing you did, sweetie," she replied without turning around. "It's what your uncle Zack did. Daddy and I need to talk to him in private at daddy's work shop."
"Does this mean I get to have-!"
"No, it does not mean you get to have cookies for dinner. Ninetales will be in charge and we won't be gone long enough to miss supper."
"Phooey." Tyler and Chimchar both grumbled just before they heard a flapping noise in the distance.
His mother glanced up and saw her brother and his honchkrow slowly approaching. Her fierce glare kept its intensity as he came closer. Became more vicious as the bird descended. And turned into a look of death when he landed with a timorous posture and expression.
"H… hey, Madeline…" He held out the bags. "I got the groceries."
"Ninetales, Tyler, Chimchar, please take the groceries from uncle Zack and Honchkrow and put them away." Obediently, the three took the four sacks of groceries and stepped inside.
"Madeline, I can exp-!"
"Call out your charizard, we're going up."
"But I can-!"
"Call out your charizard. We. Are. Going. Up." With a shiver, her brother called out his fire dragon. "Climb on." She jumped on the pokemon's back.
"I'm coming." He recalled Honchkrow and followed his sister. "Alright, girl, take us to…" he gave a disgruntled sigh. "…Vincent's workshop."
"Char!" she grunted and took flight.
***
"Arizard!"
Inside a two-room stone hut, the shed's owner immediately ceased forging his newest tool and held his hammer and metal tongs tightly. He cut the water barrel off of his torkoal's back and ordered his pokemon into specific positions. Each one followed his orders while he pressed his back against the wall that stood right next to the door.
"Give the 'ok,' Charizard. Please, please, give the 'ok.'" Tense moments passed. Soon, his flying pokemon let out two ember attacks followed by a flamethrower and a firespin.
All present gave sighs of relief as they relaxed their stances.
"Knock. Knock," came a sharp female voice.
"That doesn't sound like a social visit. Arcanine, Houndoom, go make sure everything's clear. Torkoal, stand guard outside." His black dog faded away while his tiger-striped canine sped out the door. "Come on in!"
As the two dogs patrolled the mountainside on land, sniffing around for anything out of place, the two fire dragons flew about the sky and the man's turtle stood outside the door as a sentry.
"We've got a situation," a woman with red hair and a yellow jacket said as she walked in followed by her brother.
"You didn't need to bring Tyler up here, how bad could it be?"
"Hang on, we'll wait until we get the all-clear."
"Uh oh."
They waited in silence. The youngest present fidgeted incessantly while his older sister stood with angry poise and his brother-in-law leaned back against his work table. The howls and blasts of fire that came from dozens of yards away made him sweat.
"So, what's the problem, Flannery?" her husband asked.
"Craig started a fight outside Mr. Gerv's store."
Her husband's jaw dropped. "Please tell me you're joking."
"You know we don't joke about this, Dave."
Dave shot up. His face turned red and his fists became so tight the grip could break stone. "CRAIG, DID YOU GO CROBAT-SHIT STUPID! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!"
"I… I'm sorry, Dave. I… it's just that-."
"IT'S JUST THAT WHAT? YOU WANTED TO BE ARRESTED? YOU WANTED THE POLICE TO DO A CHECK? YOU WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW YOU'RE CRAIG MOORE? THAT YOUR SISTER AND I ARE FLANNERY AND DAVE SCERN? YOU WANTED THE HOENN GOVERNMENT TO SEND EVERY AGENT AND POKEMON HERE? WERE ANY OF THOSE JUST WHAT YOU WANTED?"
Craig began to tear up as his body shivered. "P… p… please, D… D… Dave…"
"DON'T 'PLEASE, DAVE' ME! DO YOU WANT US TO-!"
"Alright!" his wife yelled. "Dave, calm down!" Flannery locked eyes with her husband as his body un-tensed. "Believe me, I'm just as mad as you are. But we still don't know why he did it." She turned to her little brother. "So why did you do it? And it better be a good reason." Craig didn't move or speak. He just stared at Dave. "CRAIG!" she snapped, breaking him out of his stupor.
"Wha… What?"
"Tell us exactly what happened."
He took another look at Dave and gulped. "He was talking about getting people to join a crime syndicate."
All the tension in Dave's body disappeared. "A crime syndicate?"
"Yeah, Team Galactic."
Flannery raised an eyebrow. "I thought they did good for communities and cities."
Her brother shook his head. "The way he was talking. Making the world a better place… This way is wrong… Join us to improve your lives… I swear, it was like you could throw an Aqua or a Magma in his spot." He saw Dave's face turn pale. His sister pulled herself close to her husband. "It just reminded me so much that-."
"That's alright, Craig." Flannery's voice shook. "I'm sorry I overreacted." She nudged Dave.
"I'm sorry, too. Honestly."
Craig looked back and forth. "So what do we do?"
Dave looked down and huffed. "What did you do to them? You got into a fight. Who and how many got hurt?"
"None of the trainers. Just a buneary."
Another tense moment filled the room before Dave said, "Stay home for the next few days. We'll have to miss out on the money your jobs would have brought in but that's the price."
"What?" Craig shouted. "No way! I was willing to stand up to Russell and Wallace just three years ago! I am not backing down from some grunts!"
Flannery crossed her arms. "This isn't up for discussion and this isn't a matter of power. We need to stay hidden and out of people's minds. Understand?"
He sighed. "I understand."
She beamed a smile and ruffled his hair. "Good. Now, let's all go back down and get dinner ready. Even with ninetales there, I don't trust Tyler to be alone for so long with cookies."
"Alright," Dave laughed. "You guys head down, I'll tidy things up and meet you there. But…" He smirked. "… before I do." Craig rolled his eyes and stepped out.
His wife embarrassingly smiled. "Dave, no. You're all sweaty and filthy." Ignoring her protests he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. Without so much as a protest, she pulled him closer and returned the kiss.
"I love you, Mr. Dave Scern."
"I love you too, Mrs. Flannery Scern."
Their kiss resumed and held as they entered the second room of the stone shack, which lay empty except for a worn cot.
***
Miles east of Celestic Town, in a secret base under The Café Cabin, several members of Team Galactic gathered. Seth Grands stood not among the bulk of them, but at the west end of the base. In front of him, he put a sophisticated computer to work solely for the purpose of analyzing images of the teenager with messy black hair he dealt with earlier that day. "I know I've seen your face before, boy. Where?"
"Maybe it was just a random passing in the streets, High Grunt Grands," an underling suggested.
"No, Grunt Weltsa," he said to the young brunette. "I know I saw him somewhere important."
"You read lots of news all the time. Maybe he was in a paper for a bit interview. Something like: Local boy says 'this' about 'event.'"
After the computer cycled through the images again, Seth turned off the machine and pulled out a drawer. "No matter, we'll return to Celestic Town tomorrow and find out one way or another." He began clipping select pokeballs onto his belt.
"But, sir, Commander Mars expressly forbade the use of force on this mission. She said that it's very important Team Galactic has good relations with Celestic Town."
"Oh, we will, we will. Don't worry." He grabbed a yellow and black ultraball. "But, I need to be prepared for whatever that kid's connected to."
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Where did Seth Grands see Craig? What happened in the past that led a gym leader, her brother, and the man she loves to run to Sinnoh? And what is in that ultraball?
Stay tuned to A Step to Redemption to find out.
In the meantime, drop some comments and reviews.