The New Recruit
To say Professor Sycamore was exhausted would be an understatement. The day had started relatively calmly; he repaired his latest project (with Meyer's assistance), he tested said-project in front of Ash and his friends, and they confirmed the Mega Stone he'd obtained was a Garchompite. Things took a turn for the worse from there. Team Rocket broke into the lab with a giant robot again, taking Garchomp and the Mega Evolution devices.
Thanks to one of Clemont's inventions, they were able to track the thieves down. Using their modified Garchompite collar and a mind control ray, Team Rocket wanted to force Garchomp to evolve, again.
Alerted by Garchomp's agonised cries, Sycamore rushed onto the scene, throwing himself between his friend and the fiendish machine. How could anyone treat a Pokémon that way? Poor Garchomp had suffered so much already, from being abandoned on the streets to being abused for her strength. Yet, after all of that, she'd managed to trust humans again. To form a bond with the professor.
Sycamore refused to move even when the mind control ray increased. Before he could faint from the power of the ray, Meyer— Blaziken Mask and Mega Blaziken swooped in to save them.
But it was too late. Team Rocket ordered Garchomp to Mega Evolve. Sycamore was forced to do the same.
"From now on, you'll answer to us," the male grunt declared. "You're a member of Team Rocket, through and through!"
Sycamore quelled his doubts and clenched his fist around the Key Stone Blaziken Mask had lent him. The bond he and Garchomp shared was unbeatable. It had to be!
Despite his pleas, Garchomp prowled towards him. He still had faith in her. No matter what happened, this wasn't Garchomp's fault.
Ash shouted behind him. Garchomp opened her jaws, roared and rested her head against Sycamore's hand. There was a flash of light from the Key Stone and Sycamore caught her in a hug.
Together with Blaziken and Pikachu, they sent the Rocket Bot blasting off. Hopefully that would be the last they saw of Team Rocket. He couldn't afford to keep getting the lab's roof fixed.
The professor sighed at the broken glass roof. "I'll ask Meyer to look into it tomorrow."
"Are you sure you want to leave it like that overnight?" Sophie said. "What if the Pokémon try to get out?"
"The cover we put up there will have to do for now. I'd feel bad dragging Meyer out at this time— he's been really busy today." The work of a masked vigilante must be tiring.
Sycamore stretched and scrubbed at his eyes. "Well. I'm going to check on the Pokémon before calling it a day. Come on, Garchomp. Please can you lock up here, Sophie?"
"No problem, Professor."
"Thanks…" On his way through the gate, he was hit by a wave of dizziness. Garchomp rushed to keep him upright.
Sophie gasped, "Are you okay?"
Sycamore rubbed his temples. "I— I think so. Just a little woozy…"
"Did you hurt yourself when you were battling Team Rocket?"
Garchomp growled, nodding.
"I'm fine, really. It's probably just the aftereffects of their horrible machine. If anything, you should be more concerned for Garchomp."
With Garchomp's support, he went out to the garden, bid goodnight to her and the other Pokémon, and staggered up to bed. He had some Lum Berry Soup, but he still felt like the world's most unfortunate Psyduck. He'd call a doctor if he wasn't any better tomorrow morning. Closing his eyes, he tried to ignore the pounding headache and the words echoing through his consciousness:
"From now on, you'll answer to us. You're a member of Team Rocket, through and through!"
"Team Rocket…" The professor mumbled before he drifted off.
The next morning, Sophie was surprised to find the lab was empty when she arrived for work. Professor Sycamore would usually be up and about like a busy Combee. Strange… He wasn't out in the garden and none of the resident Pokémon had seen him. Garchomp was missing too. (Coincidence?) In her unease, Sophie checked the professor's living quarters above the lab, wondering if he was resting after what happened yesterday. Still, no sign of him, and his coffee machine was stone cold.
This wasn't right. Professor Sycamore would never abandon the lab without warning, especially when the Pokémon could escape or be abducted.
What if he and Garchomp had been captured by Team Rocket… again?
Sophie heard someone entering the lab and she rushed downstairs. "Professor? Is that you?"
"Nope, just your friendly neighbourhood mechanic!" Meyer strode through the hall, toolkit in hand. "Clemont told me some crooks did a number on your roof."
"Oh," Sophie sighed. "Hello, Meyer."
Meyer's megawatt grin faded. "Something wrong?"
"The professor and Garchomp are missing."
"You think they're in trouble again?"
Sophie nodded. Both Professor Sycamore and Garchomp seemed to be magnets for trouble.
"Let's not jump to conclusions yet," Meyer reasoned. "Are the lab's security cameras active?"
"They were damaged during Team Rocket's attack," Sophie said. "Besides, there aren't any signs of a break-in or a struggle as far as I can see."
"Maybe the professor went out and took Garchomp with him? I'll fix the cameras and look for the professor around the city."
"Thank you. I'll contact Ash and his friends in case he went after them."
"Tell the kids I said hi."
"Garchomp, come on out."
The Dragon Pokémon emerged from her ball and glanced around in confusion. "Gar?" She and the professor were no longer in the lab, but in a forest. The trees smelt damp with freshly fallen rain.
"It's vital that we catch up with Pikachu, Ash and the others," Sycamore explained. He held up the Garchompite collar those villains made her wear yesterday. Garchomp glared at the accessory, backing away a little. "We'll have more chance of finding them if you Mega Evolve." The professor added, "Please, Garchomp."
Garchomp grumbled, but she eventually bowed her head for him to attach the collar to her neck. (Why did the thing have to be so itchy?) She Mega Evolved at his command. However, it took her an extra minute to reach her altered form. She was still recovering from yesterday's ordeal, and she wasn't content with the professor right now. Something seemed off about him.
"We'll have to work on your timing," Sycamore hummed. (Definitely off.) "But for now, use Hyper Beam on this area." He gestured to the surrounding habitat.
"Garrooo?!" Garchomp's eyes widened and she tossed her head. There were wild Pokémon living here, just like those of them in the lab's garden. She could sense their fear of her very presence. To destroy their home would make her nothing more than a monster. What was Sycamore thinking?
He frowned at her reluctance. "It'll catch their attention. Use Hyper Beam, now. That's an order." He had never, ever spoken to her like that before, not even when she was a misbehaving Gibble. Maybe he was just worried about the children. They had to find them.
Grudgingly, Garchomp looked up to the sky (no bird Pokémon were in range, thankfully) and let out a Hyper Beam.
The professor wasn't her enemy. He never would be.
Having survived yesterday's triple strength blast-off, Team Rocket were trekking through the Laverre Nature Trail, some miles north of Lumiose City.
"Can we take a break?" James moaned. "My feet are beat."
"The twerps are headed for the next city, and so are we." Jessie batted a low branch out of her way. It hit James in the face.
Meowth mumbled, "We coulda been ridin' on Mega Garchomp right now if it weren't for you guys."
"Owie… I heard that," James cried indignantly. "You're the one who couldn't control the machine, Meowth!"
"Both of you shut up," Jessie barked. "If want someone to blame, it's the twerps and Sycamore."
"And dat Blaziken Mask Man," Meowth added.
James mused, "I'd like to know where he got his costume. It reminds me of my flaming Moltres days—"
A beam of dark pink energy shot above the trees.
"My Moltres powers," James gasped. "They've awakened!"
"Dat wasn't you," Meowth scoffed. "It looked like a Hyper Beam."
"From an extremely strong Pokémon," Jessie sang, suddenly cheerful. "Let's check it out!"
They followed the beam, running out from between the trees. Jessie squinted at a dark-haired man. "Is that… Professor Sycamore?"
James chimed, "And he's got Garchomp with him."
"Ripe for da pickin'!"
Professor Sycamore turned when they rushed towards him. Ceasing its Hyper Beams, Garchomp put itself in front of its soon-to-be-former master.
The professor began, "I thought I'd run into you three—"
"Enough with the chitchat," Jessie interrupted. "Hand over Garchomp."
Sycamore nodded. "Alright."
Garchomp and Team Rocket gaped at him.
"W-what?" Jessie spluttered. "Just like that?"
"He must be pullin' our leg," Meowth narrowed his eyes. "He'll send Garchomp over to us and it'll rip us to shreds."
"I'm deadly serious," Sycamore insisted. Garchomp had been staring at him in horror, but it snarled when Sycamore looked at it. There was something different about his eyes; they were hardened. Cold. Garchomp could tell, and so could Team Rocket.
Sycamore returned Garchomp before it could charge at him. "As you can see, you'll need me to keep Garchomp in check. You tried to control her twice against her will and you still didn't succeed."
Jessie made a face. "Why would we need you?"
"I'm a member of Team Rocket… or at least, I could be."
"What do you—? Oh," James slapped his head. He pulled Jessie and Meowth into a huddle, hissing, "It must be our mind control ray. He got in front of it yesterday and now thinks he's one of us."
"You can't be serious," Jessie whispered. "That piece of junk didn't work on Garchomp. Why would it work on a brainiac like Sycamore?"
Meowth muttered, "Who cares? That piece of junk I designed got us a new team member-"
"Potential team member," Jessie corrected.
"C'mon, Jess! With a pro like Sycamore on our side, there's no secret of the Pokémon world we can't uncover."
"He can start by helping us snag Pikachu," James suggested.
The trio turned back to Sycamore. Jessie announced, "We've decided that you can join us… if you can pass a test."
Sycamore raised an eyebrow. "And that would be…?"
"Capturing Pikachu."
A/N: More to come soon!