Silver breathed heavily. This was it. The moment he had to face the consequences of his actions, he glanced sadly at the Typhlosion that stood, slumped next to him, his partner, his friend. Typhlosion knew just as well as he did why they were here. Silver moved forward and pushed open the door of the Pokémon Lab, stepping inside, remembering. Remembering the wins and the losses, the realisation that the creatures in the balls at his belt were his friends, helping to destroy the Rockets, whom he despised so much. All leading up to the final battle alongside Gold, fighting against the Dragon Trainers who he had tried so hard to contend with. That was the moment he knew he must come back, he had to atone for what he had done, in his stupidity and teenage angst. He stepped into the blinding white light of the Lab. His eyes adjusted to the light just in time to see tens of razor sharp leaves flying towards him. Typhlosion, seeing the danger leaped in front of his master and flares up the flame on his back, disintegrating the leaves before the could hit him. Typhlosion spun around to angrily face their attacker. A Meganium was standing before them, crouched in a battle pose, behind that livid Pokémon stood a man in his early thirties, wearing glasses and a white coat. Professor Elm.
"You!" Elm spat, "Come back to steal more Pokémon have you?"
"No!" Silver exclaimed, "Please, I need to talk to you."
The Professor looked him up and down suspiciously, not knowing whether to trust the young boy or not.
"Please," repeated Silver, "I know what I did was wrong, but I'm different now. The past year has taught me so much about myself, I've returned to make things right."
Elm held up a Pokéball and a red jet of light flew from it and hit the Meganium, drawing it into the ball, a sign of trust.
"Ok, but try anything funny and I'll come after you and make sure you pay for your crimes."
Fair enough thought Silver, "last year, I started out on a journey, a journey slightly different than the one you sent Gold on, but a journey nonetheless. Over this last year, I have won many battles, and lost many. With each one, win or loss, they helped me understand what it means to be a trainer. As we became stronger, I found I was more reliant on my Pokémon, as they were on me. We have grown together, and together we have come to a decision." Silver took a deep breath, "I have come to return the Pokémon I stole, I have come to return Typhlosion."
The Professor sat in silence with a look of deep thought. He looked up and onto Silver's eyes. He then began to laugh, soon he was holding his side with the pain of the most hysterical laugh he had ever produced. Silver looked on uncomfortably, a bit annoyed that Elm was taking such pleasure in the saddest moment of his life.
Finally, Elm took a deep breath and looked Silver in the eye once more.
"Do you honestly think that I can take that Pokémon back after that story you just told me? I am convinced that Typhlosion here was meant for you. I'll tell you what, you can keep him as long as you promise to take as good care of him as you have been up to now."
"I promise."
"Good," Elm nodded, "You know, if you had come here a year ago, the same person you are now, and not the one that knocked me out and stole my Pokémon, I would have happily given you Cyndaquil. Just a thought for the road..." He finished mysteriously.
Silver started down Route 29, heading away from New Bark Town, thinking about what he would do next. He had heard rumours that the Karate Master was training deep in Mt. Mortar, maybe he should find him, he might be a good battle. The sound of running feet interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see none other than Gold running towards him, Feraligatr in tow. As they drew closer, both trainers slowed a little, Silver nodded toward his long time rival and kept walking. As soon as he was out of sight Silver turned back.
Looks like Gold's going to see the Professor. Silver thought, This could be interesting.
"Go Gengar!" he said as he pulled the Pokéball from his belt. The shadow Pokémon materialised in front of him. "Hide us." Was all he needed to say for Gengar to understand, it threw a veil of shadows around it's master and itself. Silver closely followed Gold as he ran back to the Lab.
As they arrived, he and Gengar approached the window on the side of the lab. Gold and Elm were talking, he couldn't hear what they were saying, just see their lips moving.
"Gengar, Mindreader." He put his hand on the ghost Pokémon's head, and the words of Elm entered his mind.
Gold,you are my last hope, take it to the Ilex Forest shrine. For many years I have been trying to open it, I have finally discovered its secret.
Elm was holding something out, when Gengar's Mindreader honed in on the image of the object in the outstretched hand, the picture went fuzzy, then blacked out completely. Silver looked down, puzzled. Gengar's normally grinning face was contorted with concentration. Something was stopping Gengar's Mindreader attack. Whatever was in the Professor's palm must have incredible psychic power to block that attack. By the time Silver looked back through the window, Gold has already bagged the mysterious object and begun to leave. He had Gengar keep them hidden until Gold had run past. There was no need to follow, he knew where to go.
"Alakazam," The psychic Pokémon exploded from the ball. "Ilex Forest."
It raised its spoons and teleported.
Silver was lying against a tree, staring at the shrine to the protector of the Ilex Forest. What was taking that guy so long? He had been here for hours and there was still no sign of Gold. His eyes drooped down and he began to sleep.
A loud laugh woke him from his slumber. He jolted awake, silently chiding himself for falling asleep. He glanced around a tree to see Gold, striding along with that girlfriend of his, Crystal or something. Both of them walked directly up to the shrine. Silver moved around through the trees to get a better view. Gold reached into his bag and pulled out a Pokéball. Wait, that wasn't a Pokéball, it was gold and silver instead of red and white. Was this some new kind of Pokéball? Gold held the strange ball in front of him for a moment the placed it on the shrine. It started to shake, it was going to open! With a mass of gold and silver light, the ball exploded open. The light dazzled their eyes for a few seconds. When the light had finally vanished from his retinas, his eyes fell on the creature that had been inside the ball. It was floating about a meter above the shrine, its shining blue eyes searching around the environment, its body was small, only as large as Silver's arm, and looked like it was made of leaves. Spending so much time around psychic and ghost type Pokémon, Silver had the ability to sense when a psychic move is being used, and this Pokémon was definitely using one. The overwhelming power being generated from the tiny body froze the three trainers to the spot. It opened its mouth.
"Celebi." It called.
Celebi's eyes found the two trainers at the shrine. It stared at them fir a good minute, as if scrutinising them. It then visibly shook its head and started to float away, float towards Silver!
"Wait! Come back!" Crystal called after it, but it wouldn't listen. Silver was rooted to the ground with fear, no matter how much he willed his legs to move, they remained firmly planted to the soil. Celebi was now right in front of him, staring at him with the same look that it gave the others. After even less time, it nodded. It started flying circles around Silver, stars flying from behind it. With a flash of light, the forest disappeared.
He was in a house, a house he recognised. It was the house he had lived in before he had run away. He could hear voices in the next room. It had been four years since he had stepped foot in this house, why had Celebi brought him here now? He opened the door a crack and looked through, he saw his father, he held his breath. His father had not changed a bit in the last four years. But with whom was he arguing with? Silver rotated and his eyes fell on a young boy with red hair...
"Gahh," he had to stifle the cry that exploded from his mouth.
The red-headed youth that his father was talking to was him. He was looking in on the argument he had with his father before he ran away four years ago. Somehow, Celebi had transported him back in time. The yelling inside the room had gotten louder, Silver paused before putting his ear to the crack.
"You told me... you were the number one in the world! Are you gonna quit?" He heard himself ask, "what are you going to do now?"
"One must acknowledge one's defeat before he can move on... I will go solo...for now...So that one day I will form a stronger organisation!" His father tried to reason with him.
"What aspect of you was number one? Gathering so many only to be defeated by a mere child!" The young Silver was shouting.
"Putting together the potential of many is how you produce a huge power. That's what an organisation is. That's the strength of an organisation! I failed to make the best use of my subordinates potential! But you shall witness one day the revival of me and my Team Rocket!"
"I don't understand you! You don't make any sense!"
His father paused, "one day, you will understand." he said quietly before he left through a second door at the back of the room.
The young boy fell to his knees and shouted at the closed door.
"I don't want to understand you! I will never become someone like you. A coward when you're alone and acting like a tyrant when you're in front of other cowards! I will become strong! I will become a stronger man all by myself! All by myself!"
Then without warning, he leapt to his feet and ran toward the only other door the room had, the one Silver was standing behind! The younger version of himself yanked the door open before he could react. They were face to face. A look of extreme surprise spread over the boys face. It froze. Not with surprise or even fear, it just froze. Silver waved his hand in front of his face. The younger didn't move.
"Celebi." he heard from behind him.
He understood immediately. Celebi had frozen time. He turned toward the mysterious Pokémon.
"Why?" he asked.
Celebi just stared at him knowingly until there was another bright flash of light.
He was in a cave, the sound of splashing water was deafening. Looking around he recognised the area as Tohjo Falls. He now knew where he was, the only question was when. He looked around for Celebi, there was no sign of it. He stared at the waterfall in front of him, not knowing what to do. While staring into the ripples of the falling water, he noticed that one section, close to the bottom was darker than the rest. There was a cave behind the waterfall! As he moved closer, he could see a clearly defined path around the waterfall. He followed it, sticking close to the wet, rocky wall. Once behind the falls, he took a step into the cave. It was amazing how much sound that one step into the cave took out. Walking further in, the walls around him cut out more and more sound until an eerie silence enveloped the tunnel. The darkness pushed in around him from all sides, until he saw a faint light at the end and indistinguishable words floated down from an end chamber. Silver slowed, as to not make as much noise. When he got to the end, there was a brightly lit chamber and a man kneeling with his back to him. He couldn't tell what he was kneeling in front of, but he guessed it was a radio, because it was saying "...This is the Radio Tower. This is the Radio Tower. We are pleased to declare Team Rocket's revival. ...Giovanni? ...Can you hear us? We have finally made it!..."
Well this answered when, it was a year ago, when Gold had defeated a reformed Team Rocket at the Goldenrod Radio Tower. But this new revelation posed a new question: Who was this man? Silver was about to ask just this when the man began to talk.
"My old associates need me... We will not repeat the failure of three years ago! Team Rocket will be born again, and I will rule the world!"
"Dad?" Silver almost yelled.
Giovanni paused for a second, before turning around, "Silver?" he asked, "what are you doing here? How did you find me?"
"That's not important. What is important is that you don't go to help the Rockets."
"Silver, it has been three years and you still don't understand. I must, if these subordinates have this much potential without me, then imagine what they could do with my fearless leadership."
"Shut up." Spat Silver.
Giovanni looked taken aback, "how dare you-"
"I dare because I already know what is going to happen, you will not help them and Gold, a mere child, will topple your 'mighty organisation'."
"What makes you say that I will not help them? Do you think I am scared of this Gold?"
"No, because I won't let you."
"I'd like to see that. Persian!" a large catlike Pokémon bounded from a cushion in the corner of the chamber.
"Sneasel!" Silver threw the Pokéball and the small black creature flew from it.
Sneasel's claws drew from its paws as it readied itself for battle. Persian and Sneasel circled each other, when, "Sneasel! Doubleteam!"
The weasel Pokémon ran at such a blinding speed that it appeared that there were at least eight of him. Persian sat in the middle unblinkingly. Suddenly, The large cat lashed out with a slash attack, Sneasel fell to the ground, blood dripping from his left elbow.
"Your Sneasel's speed is incredible, it has been a long time since Persian missed."
"No more talk! Sneasel, Metalclaw!"
Sneasel went on the attack, performing the manoeuvre they had spent so long perfecting, feigning left, then right, then striking the gut at full power. Persian slumped, hurt badly. Silver looked up smiling, but Giovanni was smiling also.
"Persian." he almost whispered, "Faintattack."
"No! Sneasel!" Silver called. But it was too late, the attack hit Sneasel square in the head. The weasel dropped, dead weight.
"Return Sneasel." Silver had to think, he wasn't going to win this with brute strength or speed, he needed to be smart. It hit him.
"Go! Magneton!" being a steel type, Persian's normal type attacks wont be very effective.
"I'll start this one!" Giovanni yelled, "Persian, Furyswipes!"
"Magneton! Metalsound!"
The three sections of the Magneton started banging together, making a sound that was almost unbearable to the human ear. But to the ears of a Persian, it was death. The cat fell to the floor, trying to cover it's ears.
"Magneton! Finish it with Shockwave!"
The magnet Pokémon emitted a wave of electricity, there was no way to dodge it. The feline shook as over 500 Watts of electricity surged through it's body. There was no Faintattack now, the cat was fried.
"Grr, Persian return," Giovanni was shaking in anger, "There'll be no stopping my Rhyperior!"
A massive rhino-like Pokémon appeared before the smaller Magneton.
"Rhyperior, Rockblast!"
Rhyperior raised its hands, revealing holes in its palms, and fired massive rocks at the opposing Pokémon.
"Dodge them!"
Magneton began to cartwheel around the chamber, barely avoiding the rocks flying at it.
"Good, now use Gyroball!" Silver yelled.
Magneton started to spin, faster and faster, until it was a spinning ball of steel. It catapulted itself straight at Rhyperior.
"Counter with Horndrill!"
The rhino's horn began to spin. As Magneton made contact with the spinning drill, the horn chipped! The magnetised Pokémon stopped spinning. Rhyperior roared with pain and anger. Faster than lightning, Rhyperior raised a hand and slammed Magneton to the ground.
"Use Earthquake!"
A large foot was lifted and came crashing down to the ground with an earth-shattering rumble. Magneton was helpless to the sheer power of the attack and fainted.
Silver raised Magneton's Pokéball and shot that familiar red jet of light at his fallen friend.
"Ok," he declared, "time to bring out the big guns. Go Gengar!"
Silver wasn't going to give him a chance to breathe.
"Nightshade! Teleport! Shadowball!"
Gengar let loose the three techniques in quick succession, shooting a red beam, teleporting and unleashing a devastating attack at close range while Rhyperior was worried with the first. After taking a Shadowball to the face, the rhino lost consciousness and fell to the ground. Giovanni withdrew it.
"Son, you've done well," Giovanni said, "but you're not on the right side. Join me and we could take hold of the world!"
Silver looked his father in the eye, "Do you remember what I said before I left four years ago?"
"To be truthful, no."
"I said 'I will never become someone like you'," Silver announced, "and I hold true to that."
Giovanni shook his head sadly, "have it your way. Kangaskhan!"
A large armoured Pokémon appeared in a flash of red light. Why? Kangaskhan was a normal-type Pokémon. Its attacks wouldn't even effect Gengar, unless...
"Kangaskhan, Foresight!"
The kangaroo Pokémon's eyes glowed red, two beams of blinding light shot out and hit Gengar directly in between the eyes. Damn! Now physical attacks can hit.
"Kangaskhan, use Cometpunch!"
It's fists moved too fast for the eyes to see. Four hits. Gut, left eye, right eye, forehead. Gengar stumbled back, well as much as one could stumble through the air.
"Sludgebomb Gengar!"
The ghost Pokémon spat a large glob of bubbling poison straight at Kangaskhan's face. Fast as a speeding bullet, Kangaskhan turned its head, causing the sludge to hit the back of its armoured skull and slide down the plates on its back.
"Finish it with a Bodyslam!"
Before Gengar could react, the oversized kangaroo was right above him. It slammed the poor Pokémon right into the ground. Knock-out. Silver didn't say anything as he withdrew Gengar and let loose his prized Alakazam. He just stared at his father with contempt.
"Psychic."
Alakazam raised its spoons and started to glow a cool blue. The massive Kangaskhan rose into the air, arms and legs flailing. Alakazam pointed its spoons at the cavern wall. The big Pokémon slammed into the stone wall with a roar.
"Finish it with Thunder!"
The psi Pokémon hit his spoons together and a bright lightning bolt fired from them. It flew right into the fearful face of its downed opponent. Kangaskhan's eyes closed slowly as it lost consciousness.
Giovanni breathed in sharply with surprise, "well, no one has ever beaten my Kangaskhan since that Red kid,"
"I'm sick and tired of hearing about your defeat at the hands of a kid!" Silver yelled, "but you will be beaten by another. Your own son!"
"Hmph, we'll see about that. Nidoqueen!"
A light blue dinosaur like Pokémon appeared in front of the small psychic type.
"Earthquake!"
Nidoqueen's foot hit the ground with such force that rubble started to fall from the roof. Alakazam lost it's footing fell to the ground, it looked up just in time to see a chunk of rock from the roof falling straight at its head. Silver flinched and withdrew his unconscious friend into its Pokéball.
If I use a flying type, that Earthquake won't affect it.
Silver nodded, "Crobat! I choose you!"
"Nidoqueen! Megapunch!"
"Agility Crobat! Use your speed!"
That Nidoqueen was fast... for a Nidoqueen. But no Pokémon could come close to Crobat's speed. Silver could see the bat Pokémon easily evading the armour plated fists.
"Great job! Now Double Team."
Within a second, ten Crobat had the poison point Pokémon surrounded. Silver didn't even have to say it, Crobat knew what to do next. Steelwing. At the same time, all wings in the room began to glow a bright silver. Before Nidoqueen had a chance to pick out the real Crobat, twenty Steelwings flew straight at her head. All she could do was close her eyes as the actual Crobat struck directly between them. With a roar, the Pokémon began to rampage, slamming its feet onto the ground, causing numerous Earthquakes to happen at once. The entire cavern shook with the power of this one creature. As Silver expected, Crobat wasn't phased by the shaking earth.
"Wingattack then Poisonfang to finish it off!" Silver yelled from the ground.
Crobat powered up its Wingattack, its wings glowing white this time. Flying in close, it swooped down before shooting upwards and hitting the quaking dinosaur on the chin, knocking its head upwards. Quick as a flash, Crobat was back and sinking its teeth into the soft exposed flesh of her neck. Slowly, Nidoqueen calmed down, before sinking to the floor in exhaustion and pain.
"NO! NIDOQUEEN!" Giovanni yelled, obviously distraught. "You're going to pay for that one kid. Honchkrow, I choose you!"
So... crow versus bat. This one is going to be interesting.
The two flying type Pokémon eyed each other off. Without warning, both disappeared! Wait no, they didn't disappear. They were just moving so fast that the eye could barely see them. They were just a purple and black blur zooming around the chamber. Neither trainer moved nor ordered their Pokémon to attack, all their energy was concentrated on following their Pokémon's movements. Finally both began to slow down, panting heavily. They were almost evenly matched. Almost. Crobat was still tired from its battle against Nidoqueen. It was slowing down faster than Honchkrow. With a final Whirlwind attack, Honchkrow blasted Crobat into the wall, causing it to lose consciousness.
Silver smiled, "you did great buddy," he withdrew his old friend, "you weakened him up for Typhlosion!"
The fire type Pokémon materialised before the huge crow and began growling.
"Its already tired Typhlosion! Finish it off with Flamethrower!"
A stream of fire shot from Typhlosion's mouth and flew directly into the Honchkrow at the other end of the room. Honchkrow had no energy left to move, Giovanni didn't recall it. He stood and watched as the fire died, leaving an eerie darkness and a downed Honchkrow in its wake. It was then that he raised a Pokéball and withdrew his Pokémon.
"Useless thing," he spat.
"You shouldn't say that about your Pokémon."
"Why not? It lost didn't it? I thought I raised you better than that son," he jeered, "I only raise winners, like Nidoking!"
The giant drill Pokémon towered over the comparatively tiny Typhlosion.
"Start and end this with an Earthquake!" Giovanni yelled.
Thinking fast Silver called, "Quick Typhlosion! Jump onto his back!"
Not wanting to get caught in the quake's shockwave, Typhlosion leapt through the air, landing amongst the spikes on Nidoking's back. The purple Pokémon's sturdy body was built for withstanding quakes. Typhlosion was not affected by the powerful attack. Nidoking's stubby arms flailed about as it tried to reach the volcano Pokémon on its back.
"Good! Now use Flamewheel!" Typhlosion grabbed onto a spike with its paws and flared up the fire already burning on its back. Silver watched as both Typhlosion and Nidoking were enveloped by a shining ball of fire which then preceded to roll around the room at blinding speed. Suddenly, Nidoking was expelled and thrown into the wall. The ball of fire turned and headed straight for the drill Pokémon.
"Catch it." Said Giovanni simply.
Nidoking just turned around in time to reach out his hands and block the wheel of fire burning towards it. Finally the flame went out, leaving a panting Typhlosion in the powerful arms of Nidoking.
Giovanni beamed at this as he said, "Horndrill."
"No! Typhlosion, get out of there!" he raised his squirming Pokémon's Pokéball and tried to withdraw it, however Nidoking had turned his back on him, hiding Typhlosion from sight. Silver heard Nidoking drill whizzing around and the image of it piercing his best friend came to his mind. He looked up, his father was laughing. A flash of rage burst from his heart.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" He yelled as he ran forward and with a running leap, landed on Nidoking's back. Over the massive beast's shoulder, his eyes locked with Typhlosion's. There seemed to widen in terror at his master being in the battle with him. Suddenly he began to glow red, within seconds Nidoking dropped him with a grunt of pain, as if he had been burnt by the glowing Pokémon. Typhlosion's eyes were locked onto Silver's. Run. They told him. Silver pushed himself off the big brute and ran as far as the walls would let him. Typhlosion walked up to Nidoking, who flinched from the heat Typhlosion was exuding. Typhlosion exploded. A torrent of fire and rock tore from its mouth and back, all landing on the Nidoking. When the smoke finally cleared, Silver saw three shapes. One was Nidoking, obviously down and out. The next was Typhlosion, standing proud in its victory. The third was Giovanni, staring in disbelief at the scene before him.
"What the hell was that?" Silver asked as he pulled out his Pokédex.
ERUPTION. It explained. The strongest FIRE type attack. TYPHLOSION is capable of exciting the molecules in it's body to produce intense heat equivalent to that of an erupting volcano.
"What in the world are you?" Giovanni cut through Silver's thoughts.
"I don't know how to answer that father, but I can tell you what I'm not. I'm not you." Silver turned to leave, "come Typhlosion."
As he was leaving he heard his father talking to himself.
"How this is possible...? The past three years have been a waste... How can my own son manage to destroy my dream once again? The precious dream of Team Rocket has become more than an illusion..."
Silver didn't wait to hear any more. He walked through the tunnel and emerged behind the waterfall in the dimly lit cavern of Tohjo Falls. There he found Celebi waiting for him.
"Thank you Celebi. I needed that."
Celebi nodded, The world needed that Silver.
Before Silver had a chance to react to Celebi's voice in his head, there was a final flash of light, leaving him back where he began, in the Ilex Forest. Glancing around he noticed Celebi hadn't come with them. He wasn't surprised, he wouldn't even be surprised if he never saw Celebi again.
Looking up, he noticed that Gold and Crystal were still running towards him.
So no time has passed, Thought Silver.
"Where did Celebi go?" Asked Crystal once they arrived, "We saw it go up to you, then it disappeared and you Typhlosion was here."
She scrutinised Typhlosion as if he would suddenly turn into Celebi.
"I have no clue what your talking about," then added sarcastically, "sorry to interrupt you little love session, I didn't realise sneaking around in the woods was so romantic."
As he and Typhlosion turned to leave the forest, he heard Crystal talking to Gold behind him.
"I swear, that boy will never change."
Silver just silently smiled to himself.