Shattered glass sits around the small body of a child as she lays helplessly surrounded by an endless sea of darkness. How long has she been laying in this room? How much longer would she continue to lay there numb, and unresponsive towards the bitter cold air? Her freezing sapphire eyes dulled to the point of appearing lifeless as she decides to blankly stare into the void around her. That is until a matching pair of sapphire blue orbs appeared before her bearing a grim reminder of the hope she had lost even before the room had appeared. How exactly did she find this room? She couldn't remember, she didn't care to try and remember. The orbs gazed back at her allowing her heart to freeze into the lifeless form it so desperately wished to be. Why did it hurt to have this gaze reflected at her? Her chest burned more with each passing second, and the need to push their owner away darted forth. Tiny palms lifted and placed themselves onto the figure. She couldn't push him away. A warm, accepting aura surrounded her small frame. Who ever this person was she wanted him to stay close, to hug her and protect her from the deep dark void she had wandered into.
"It hurts doesn't it…" A deep, and somehow comforting voice spoke as a pair of strong arms pulled the child into a protective hold. He was almost as warm as the aura around her. Was he the person providing such a warm feeling to her? The dark void seemed to spin and shift until the room was full of light, and the shattered bits of glass had been placed with lush green plants. The figure embraced the 6-year-old allowing the numb feeling to be surrounded by a familiar warmth.
"I miss you…" The words forced their way out as a damp feeling rolled down the side of her face. She wanted to stay, she wanted to remain with this person where she was safe.
"There is no need to miss me… I'm always here. I'v always been here, and will remain here for as long as you need me." The male's voice kept a reassuring, and patient tone as he allowed her to cry it out. "But you can't stay here, it's time for you to go back". He leans down and places a kiss on her forhead. Almost as if on queue the light with in the room grew brighter to a blinding point, until it was nothing but pure white.
The sound of fighting echoes in the background nearly faded out by the sound of high winds and heavy snow fall which only seemed to grow more violent the more time passed by.
Hidden behind the violently falling snow sits a pair of cold blue eyes scan through the area with what limited range Archer had. Their luck had been poor considering the storm had decided to roll in in the middle of the task assigned to him. It was difficult enough to see through the thick tree line of this forest, and the violently falling snow only made it twice as hard. His eyes give one final squint as he fixates on a large unnatural lump in the snow, something that had not yet been buried, but was clearly getting to that point.
"There she is…" His temporary partner blurted out before Archer could say anything on the matter. In an unplanned rush Tabitha moved forward nearly tripping over the snow-covered ground on his way to help the young pair that sat ahead of them. Clearly, he lacked whatever control one needed to carefully navigate the thick snow as it covered the ground. Unlike his own partner the Team Rocket executive moved much more gracefully ensuring to move at a steady pace to avoid tripping over himself towards their target.
"Hey Kid, are you alive down there?" Tabitha yells to the young girl, and her Houndoom kneeling to check their condition. Archer pulls his attention to the houndoom as its tail gives one small flick in response to Tabitha's talking. It was the only response, but enough for the question to be answered.
Well at least they were alive, but not for long if they didn't hurry up with this.
"We're wasting time… Grab the kid, and I'll take care of her companion." Archer speaks up only to be filled with annoyance when Tabitha let out a sound of irritation.
"I don't remember you being in charge." Tabitha snaps tossing a glare in his direction. Great yet another pointless argument between them.
"We can stand here all-day bickering like children and let the kid die, or you can listen to me." His tone was sharp while he moves to pick up the large fire type. He did not have time for this, neither did he plan to fail this one simple task. Which meant that Tabitha was not given a chance to make up his mind.
In a panicked move Tabitha scoops up Madison pulling her small body close before scrambling to catch up with the executive. This time following behind to make his own path easier to navigate.
"Hey wait up!" His voice calls out feeling even more annoyed as Archer didn't even bother to look back, nor did he stop so that Tabitha could catch up.
Violent gusts of icy winds rip through the battle field as 3 figures stand before one another. All gazes were locked in a seemingly endless stand off between rival trainers, and their tiring pokemon. Despite the obvious worn looks the creatures stood their ground patiently waiting for the next round of commands to end this sudden standoff.
The silence between all 3 trainers had gone on for several minutes at this point, allowing time to be buried with the rapidly falling snow. Even with the silence the tension between all involved had continued to grow with their refusal to backdown from this scuffle.
Lowla hardens her gaze and watches the two men make their move the moment she decides to shift her weight over to one side. How obnoxious. She couldn't stop herself from thinking this as her Lucario yet again moved wildly on its own refusing to take what ever command she gave. Now it didn't matter so long as it kept up its fight.
"Wouldn't he KILL to see the two of here with your temporary truce… I'm more surprised to see that a certain rocket hasn't murdered anyone yet." Her voice spoke in a cool icy tone practically freezing the air with every word that came out.
"What a shame that isn't the case though." She adds in watching as Giovanni and Maxie narrow their gaze at her refusing to allow her taunts to bother them.
Her head lifts itself, while her ears wait for any response from the enemy. It had been 2 years since her last encounter with them.
"You know… He would have been so ashamed with how long it took you to find me? His poor daughter stuck and left in the care of her mother. The one thing he never wanted me to get my hands on, and yet here we are with Madison in my care." Her words dripped with more poison every time her mouth was open. They spun and dug around hunting for any cracks in the hard wall of emotions her enemies seemed to be holding.
This had been just the push needed to cause the red headed team leader to finally tip. His eyes rolled at the accusation made, insisting that he had failed in the task requested of him several years ago. He takes one glance at Giovanni taking note of how little of a response he showed at the words being tossed at them.
He couldn't stay silent any longer. This woman shouldn't even be allowed to speak of the man with how much trouble she had personally caused in the past.
"Of course, had you not been fearfully avoiding us this could have been resolved much sooner, but like always you enjoy holding off the inevitable." He remembered how many times he sent people out to track her down, only to find a dead end every time they had gotten close. How unfortunate for Lowla that they finally managed to corner her. Today was the end of her games.
There was a loud snort from the woman the minute the comment was made.
"Fear is something I do not feel towards either of you. Nor do I feel that way towards Vexis. I'm not like that partner of yours…" She motions towards Giovanni who had opted to remain quiet minus one or two snide remarks in the beginning of this. Her hunt to get a rise out of him had failed so far and continued to fail even now.
His eyes carefully shift to the side taking note of something that could barely be seen unless someone was watching for it. With the sight of the returning group members he pulls his shoulders back and keeps the calm composure despite the harsh elements, and the yapping woman before him.
"You and I both know that comment is far from the truth. The fear you feel towards me runs deeper than you admit." He casts a sinister smirk as Archer and Tabitha run onto the scene. He had been waiting for this. Almost as if he had predicted exactly how this exchange would go.
He watches as Lowla squirms in her place torn between her own choice until finally choosing to take a step back. Her eyes glaze over and narrow towards the man who had been one step ahead the entire time. This whole time the man had simply been waiting for this exact moment. To see her back herself into an unfavorable corner like a caged animal.
"Zero Come back!" She calls out to the Lucario pulling the pokemon back in its ball despite it's clear fight to ignore the command when given Her gaze sent daggers towards the group taking in her daughter, and her companion houndoom as they remained in the arms of their heros.
This battle wasn't over. It was far from over.
She turns on her heels and vanishes with in the growing storm opting to flee for the time being.
Archer takes a step in the direction of Lowla only to have his Boss stop the action before it could be continued.
"Leave her… Knowing her she won't be back for a while… Lowla isn't the type to stick around in battles she can't win." Giovanni speaks before shifting his gaze to Maxie. "Of course, this whole situation could have been avoided had we been told sooner." There was little care when Maxie returned the comment with a huff.
"Let's just focus on those two for now." Maxie counters before beginning to lead the group out of the storm.