Chapter 2
Iron
May entered the gym.
The caves were dark, but a kindly hiker had given her Flash, HM05.
Unfortunately, she was unable to use it outside of battle; the badge from the Dewford gym was required.
After running in the dark for a while battling trainers and having her Abra evolve, she found the Leader of the gym.
"I'm Brawly, Dewford's gym leader! I've been churned by the rough waves of this place and been toughened up by the pitch black caves! So you wanted to challenge me? Let's see what you're made of!"
Brawly sent out a Machop and May sent out her Taillow.
It took out the Machop without trouble.
Next was a Meditite.
It got off a Focus Punch and took out her Taillow.
But a barrage of Bite attacks from her Poochyena made sure the Pokemon didn't get of another attack.
The third was a Makuhita.
Kadabra took it out with one confusion move.
"Woah! You totally swamped me! Take this Knuckle Badge!"
He handed the item to May.
"The Knuckle Badge makes strong Pokemon obey you without question. It also works as the second half of Flash. Take this too!"
He handed May a CD.
"That contains the TM Bulk Up!"
Now able to light the way in the dark cave, she descended.
She caught an Aron along the way as a nice bonus for taking this delivery task.
Eventually she found Steven.
"Excuse me! Are you Steven?"
"Yes, that is who I am. I travel around looking for rare stones."
"I have a letter for you."
"Oh?"
May handed him the letter.
"I need to thank you... let me give you this TM. It contains my favorite move, Steel Wing."
He handed May a CD.
"Your Pokemon seem quite capable. If you keep training you could even become champion of the Pokemon League. That's what I think" Steven said. "Let's register one another in each other's PokeNavs.
The two traded Ids and Steven ran off.
Business here concluded, May returned to Briney.
The two set out for Slateport.
"Ahoy! We've arrived at Slateport!"
May went around looking for the place she was supposed to deliver the package to and soon found it.
However, the Captain, Stern, was not in.
After some exploring (and the discovery that Team Aqua was infesting the museum, but were, for now, non-hostile,) she found the man, who thanked her for her delivery.
"Now we can start the expedition! "
Then two aqua grunts burst into the room.
"Hah! We'll take those parts!"
"W-what? Who are you people?" asked Stern.
May put herself between the man and the two grunts.
"We're Team Aqua!" one said. "Our boss wants those parts! So shut yer yap and hand em' over!"
One of the grunts then challenged May to a battle.
However, Lombre's Bullet Seed took out the grunt's Carvahna easily.
"Oh man, what a disaster! The boss is going to be furious!"
His buddy shoved past him.
"Hmph, sniveling wimp! Let me take care of this!"
The second grunt sent out a Zubat.
Aron used Rock Tomb to dispose of the bat Pokemon with ease.
The next Pokemon was handled by Lombre, the Carvahna easily falling to Bullet Seed.
The grunt turned to his partner.
"Now what? If we don't get those parts we're in for it!"
Then another man in a similar yet different uniform walked up the stairs.
"I came to see what was taking you so long, and here I find you've been beaten by a kid!"
The man turned to May.
"We are Team Aqua and we love the sea! I am Team Aqua's Leader, Archie! What makes you interfere with us?... No! You can't be with Team Magma? No you aren't dressed for the part... Pokemon. People. All life depends on the Sea. So, Team Aqua is dedicated to the expansion of the Sea. Don't you agree? What we are doing is a magnificent undertaking! Ah, fine... you're still too young to understand our noble objective. But I warn you, don't even consider interfering with our plans again. The consequences will cost you dearly!"
With that the criminals took off.
"You are...?" asked Stern.
"I"m May."
"Okay. That was a tense situation! Thank you for saving us! There's no time to lose! We have to set out on our undersea expedition soon! Thanks again, but I really have to go!"
Stern ran off too.
With that finished, May headed north and ran into Birch.
"Oh May, fancy seeing you here!"
"Hello, Professor!"
"Where might Brendan be?"
"He isn't traveling with me."
"I see. That's fine. Oh, I heard your PokeNav had the Match Call system installed. I should register you in mine as well. That way I can rate your Pokedex any time."
The two traded information.
"May... keep an eye out for Brendan."
"Will do!"
"Thanks! Well, see you later!"
Birch ran off.
May continued forward, entering a battle that caused her Torchic to evolve.
She continued again, this time coming upon a house that seemed abandoned.
However, there was someone inside, the Trick Master.
She took his first challenge and won a Rare Candy.
After leaving and heading north again, she ran into Brendan.
"Oh hey May! This is where you were. How's it going? Have you been raising your Pokemon? I'll check for you!"
Brendan sent out a Lombre and May sent out her Taillow.
After the one hit KO Tallow got from Wing Attack, Brendan sent out a Slugma.
May retaliated with her Combusken.
Double Kick ended that.
Finally was a Marshstomp, which May took out with her Lombre.
"May you've trained without me noticing. Good enough! Here, take this!"
He handed May an itemfinder.
"That's an Itemfinder. Use it to root around for items that aren't visible. If it senses something, it emits a sound. Anyways, I'm off to find new Pokemon."
Brendan ran off and May continued north, eventually arriving in the next city, Mauville.
She healed her team at the Center, stocked up on supplies at the Mart, and headed for the Gym.
In front of it was Wally.
He was pleading with a nearby man.
He then noticed May.
"Oh hi May! I've gotten a lot stronger since we first met. I want you and my Uncle to understand that. Will you have a battle with me?"
"Alright!" May replied.
"Thank you. Here I come!"
He sent out Ralts and May sent out her Poochyena.
One bite attack did it in.
Wally sighed and looked to his Uncle.
"...I'll go back to Verdanturf..."
He looked back to May.
"Being a trainer is tough, isn't it? It's not enough just to have Pokemon and make them battle. That isn't what being a real trainer is about."
"Wally, there's no need to be so down on yourself," said his Uncle. "What's keeping you from getting stronger and stronger? Come on, let's go home. Everyone else is waiting for you."
With that the two headed off west.
May entered the gym.
After a few battles, during which her Poochyena evolved, and some switches, she made it to the Gym Leader.
"I've given up on my plans to convert the city, I have. And so, I put my time into making door traps in my Gym. Oh? Now, what are you doing here? What's that? You say you've gotten past all my rigged doors? Wahahahah! Now, that is amusing! Then, I, Wattson, the Leader of Mauville Gym, shall electrify you!"
He sent out a Voltorb and May sent out her Kadabra.
Two confusion attacks put it down.
Next was an Electrike.
May's Pokemon got a lucky hit in and took it out in one Confusion attack.
Third was a Magneton, which Combuskin put down with a few Double Kick attacks, although the bird Pokemon was paralyzed in the process.
Finally was a Manectric, which Kadabra sent packing through a combination of confusing his foe and disabling the devastating Shock Wave attack.
"Wahah! I lost! You ended up giving me a thrill. Here, take this badge!"
Wattson handed May the Dynamo Badge.
"That badge serves as the second part to Rock Smash. You should take this too."
He handed her a CD.
"That's the TM for Shock Wave."
After some searching she got her hands on Rock Smash HM, taught it to her Mightyena, and headed west.
When she arrived at Verdanturf town, she decided to pop in and visit Wally and his family.
After a few amusing conversations, May left Wally with his declaration to get stronger and challenge her again in her mind.
She headed north into a cave.
In return for reuniting a couple, she received Strength, HM 04.
After discovering this cave looped back to where she rescued Peeko and stopped the crook from Aqua, she backtracked to Mauville and headed north.
After a hike through a superheated cave, May walked east again.
Along the way, her Taillow evolved into Swellow.
Eventually she came to a route covered in ash.
She wasn't very happy about this, but forged on.
After a few battles and a stop at the Pokemon Center in the next town, May went south.
She eventually found her way to Meteor Falls.
Bryan woke with a start.
Someone was in his home.
And it wasn't just a normal trainer, no.
This presence was wicked in intention.
He rose from his spot on the ground of the cave and floated over the water, exiting the small portion of the caverns he was in.
He wasn't going to tolerate thugs in his home.
X
"Heheeh! With this meteorite, that thing in Mount Chimeny will..."
"Will what?"
"Eh?"
The Magma Grunt turned and his eyes widened with fear.
"W-WHat..."
"You are trespassing in my home! I will not tolerate thugs desecrating my place of living."
Then May arrived on the scene.
"Bryan! Who are these guys?"
"Team Magma I guess. At least their outfits aren't as outrageous as Team Aqua's."
"Grow a pair, man!" Said the other grunt to his terrified partner. "It's just another Pokemon! We'll just do what we normally do to anyone or thing that gets in our way!"
"Oh, I'm not just any other Pokemon. I'm a Mewtwo. Created to be the most lethal fighting machine on the planet. May, you take the coward. I'll take the ignorant one."
"Right!"
"Hold it right there, Team Magma!"
"Hehe! Even Team Aqua joins us!" Said the bolder grunt with a smirk.
"This just got complicated. No matter, one foe or a hundred I won't be defeated easily."
"We've got the meteorite, so off to Mt. Chimney we go!"
The Magma grunts pushed past May and ran off.
Archie approached May.
"Didn't I see you before? At Slateport's Museum?"
"Yes you did." May replied warily.
"Who are you, human."
"Oh that's right you're that one Pokemon that showed up five years ago and saved the Mayor of Lillycove. Mewtwo wasn't it? This doesn't concern you."
"On the contrary, anything that goes on in Hoenn concerns me."
"I see." Archie frowned and turned back to May.
"You're one odd kid. Team Magma is a dangerous group of fanatics. They engage in destruction, claiming to expand the land mass. They are Rivals to us, the Sea-Loving Team Aqua!"
"So level with me here. Just for a minute. You want to make more sea, and they want to make more land. Either way will make Pokemon or humans suffer. And you think you're in the right. In other words you two are Environmental Extremists."
"We're more than that. We're doing this for the good of mankind! With more sea, there is more water! As I'm sure you know the human body is 92 percent water."
"Of course I know that. My brain could put most supercomputers to shame. But that water would require desalinization before you could drink it. I've decided."
"Decided what?" Archie asked warily.
"For now I deem your group the lesser of two evils until proven otherwise. I'll overlook your shenanigans for now and focus on Team Magma. This is until I can grasp the situation further, at which point my decision may change."
"I see. It is nice to know you are as intelligent as you claim. Now, we must give chase to Team Magma!"
Archie and the grunts ran off after the Magma grunts.
"So you're siding with them?" May exclaimed in disbelief.
"They are the lesser of two evils right now. I'm not a human anymore; I'm a Pokemon. Therefore, my interests lie with Pokemon, not humans. He made a valid argument. I also said that if I see evidence otherwise, I'll stop them."
"Okay, if you say so."
"For now, you should head to Mt. Chimney and stop Magma from whatever they're doing up there. I'll meet you there."
Bryan vanished.
After a long walk back to where she came from, May got to the gondola to the top of the mountain.
After arriving up top she met Bryan again.
"Magma and Aqua are already going at it. They're using Poochyena. I'll be at a slight disadvantage here, but not too bad because of my dual typing. I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well."
The two ran up and saw Maxie taking on three Magma Grunts at one time.
"You two! I knew you'd show up! See what lunacy Team Magma is doing? They're going to inject the power of the meteorite into the volcano to make it erupt!"
"May, stop that! I'll be there after I help this guy."
"Right!"
Bryan took a stance and focused his strength into his his body and used the move Bulk Up, increasing his muscle mass.
Then he delivered a Brick Break to the leftmost Poochyena, knocking it out.
He then proceeded to take out the one on the right with a triple kick.
His muscles slowly returned to normal size and definition.
Archie took care of the third Pokemon.
"Thank you for your aid."
"Do not forget... I am watching you. Come. I must disarm that machine before it activates."
May ran up to Maxie.
"The power contained in the Meteorite... By amplifying its power with this machine, Mt. Chimney's volcanic activity will instantly intensify... Its energy will grow deep inside the crater and... heheheh..."
"Hey you! Step away from the Meteorite!"
"Hm? Who are you? I'd heard Archie bemoaning a child who's been meddling with Team Aqua's affairs. It must be you he meant. Humph! So you're thinking of interfering with us, Team Magma?"
"Yes! I"m May and I won't let you make the Volcano erupt!"
"Now you listen. Long ago, living things used the land to live and grow. That is why land is all important! It is the cradle of all! That is why Team Magma is dedicated to the expansion of the land mass. It is for further advancement of humankind and Pokémon! And for that, we need the power of what sleeps within this mountain..."
"What do you mean, 'power that sleeps within this mountain' ?" Inquired a newly arrived Bryan.
"Oh! There was no need for you to learn that much. But, no matter! I'll teach you the consequences of meddling in our grand design!"
He engaged in battle with May.
First was a Mightyena which May's Combusken put down with Double Kick.
Next on the roster was a Camerupt.
Aron was sent out for that.
After the camel took out Aron and Combusken, Kadabra ended the fight.
Kadabra also took out the Zubat.
"What? I, Maxie, was caught off guard!" He recomposed himself. "But enough about that. I will retreat this time. But don't think this is the last you've seen of Team Magma. Even without the meteorite, if we obtain that orb..."
Maxie ran off with his thugs and May reached for the meteorite.
"STOP! If you remove it without deactivating the system the device will activate and make the Volcano erupt! Let me handle this..."
Archie approached May.
"May! Thank you! With your help we thwarted Team Magma's destructive plan! But you... Whose side are you on? Ah it doesn't matter. We will remain vigilant and keep up our pursuit of Team Magma. We shall meet again!"
With that Archie took off.
"Got it. Here, return this to that scientist in the Meteor Falls. I have to ask Rayquaza some questions."
He handed the meteorite to May and vanished.
"Hey, up and at em, Rayquaza. Shit's going down and I have some questions."
"Geez kid, learn to knock." Rayquaza complained before uncoiling somewhat to face Bryan.
"There aren't any doors. Recently this organization called Team Magma tried to make a volcano, Mt. Chimney, erupt using a meteorite. Said they wanted to 'awaken the power within the volcano.'. When he was stopped, he mentioned an orb. Maybe I should elaborate-!"
"I know about those two groups of morons, kid. The orb he means is probably the Red Orb, meant to summon Groudon. The other, the Blue Orb, is meant to summon Kyogre. Those two are asleep now, and have been for thousands of years, kid. If one shows back up, no worries.
Humans can handle it. I can't be bothered to get off my ass to deal with every little problem humans have, and you shouldn't either. And besides, Groudon's fat ass is too lazy to do shit even if he wakes up. Worst is a drought for a while. Humans'll get over that. Now get the fuck out of here before I make you."
"Geez, sooory.." Bryan took his leave.
As he flew back to Meteor Falls, Mew appeared beside him.
"Talking with Rayquaza? That's new."
"He's an ass and he's lazy. He's mostly useless. He did tell me some things I need to know."
"Oh? Like what?"
"About Groudon and Kyogre."
"Really? Why would you want to know about them?"
"I think Team Magma's going to try and wake up Groudon."
"Oh my. That is a problem."
"Mew, I'm going back to Johto for a while. I'll be back in a few days I hope."
"Okay then. Bye!"
The day she turned 18 was the day she put Rocket Incorporated back on the business map.
Soul, in three short years, had turned ruins of a company back to its former glory.
Now there were several branches to the business, all legitimate.
There was Rocket Medical, providing the latest in medicine and medical tech for humans and Pokemon alike, Rocket Arms, selling high-tech armor and weaponry to military forces world wide, Rocket Entertainment, the home for the most state-of-the-art in home entertainment, from Televisions to surround sound systems.
The cherry on top?
She was getting married in a few months.
Yes life was-
"Hello, Soul."
"That's Chairwoman Giovanni to you."
A little known fact was that Giovanni was the family name, not her father's first name.
His first name was probably embarrassing; only he knew it.
"I want to ask a favor."
"I'm sorry, we're a business, not the Mafia, Mewtwo."
"Close. I'm Bryan, the second Mewtwo. I know you have the blueprints for the armor that was made for me. It's where you got the basis for your body armor line."
"...I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't be that way with me. I want you to rebuild that armor and upgrade it to enhance and fine tune my powers instead of suppress them."
"How will you pay for this?"
"I won't. You owe me."
"I owe you nothing."
"Alright. Do it or I'll kill him."
"Good luck trying."
"He won't suspect me. Don't bother calling, every form of communication in this office is down now. It stays down until you say yes and build the armor or no and I kill him."
"You're just as much of a monster as the first Mewtwo."
"Please. I have a good reason to kill him. My home is in danger. Rayquaza's a lazy asshole who won't get up off his ass to do his damn job!"
"...Alright. I'll do it. What's the time frame?"
"Three days."
"...I'll see what I can do. Let me make a few phone calls."
May arrived at Lavaridge town.
She healed her team up and headed to the gym.
After several battles and a maze-like set of teleportation panels, May found the gym leader.
"Welcome to-!" The girl cleared her throat and changed her demeanor.
"I mean, Puny Trainer how good to see you've made it here! I have been entrusted with the... no, wait... I'm the Gym Leader here, Flannery. Uh...Dare not underestimate me, though I have been leader for a short time! With skill inheritied from my grandfather I will, uh... demonstrate the hot moves we have honed on this land."
Flannery sent out a Numel and May sent out Combusken.
The bird Pokemon won out with a few Double Kick attacks.
This pattern repeated for the next foe, a Slugma.
Combusken damaged the third Pokemon, a Camerupt, but Overheat took out May's Pokemon.
Kadabra finished the job and dealt with the next Pokemon on Flannery's team, a Torkoal.
"Oh... I guess I was trying too hard... I... I've only recently become a Gym Leader. I tried too hard to be someone I'm not. I have to do things my natural way. If I don't, my Pokémon will be confused. Thanks for teaching me that. For that, you deserve this."
Flannery handed May the Heat Badge.
"Even stronger Pokemon from before will obey you with the Heat Badge. It also works as the second half of Strength. Take this too, a token of my appreciation."
She handed May a CD.
"This is the TM for Overheat, a powerful fire type move."
After May left the gym, she was approached by Brendan.
"Hey, that's a decent collection of badges. You may as well have these."
He handed May a pair of Go-Goggles.
"Keep those with you if you plan on going out into the desert near route 111. There are Pokemon that are specifically desert dwellers. As for me? I think I'm going to challenge Norman now. See you around!"
Brendan ran off.
May hiked back to Slateport and had Mr. Briney return her to Petalburg; she was going to challenge her father as well.
"So you just need us to alter the systems that drained your power and turn them into amplifiers?"
"Yeah. The look was fine, but I was thinking maybe a matte finish instead... now I'm just nitpicking though."
"That's nothing. We'll have your armor done in a few days. Why not head over to Kanto in the mean time? Your counterpart is over that way."
"I might do that..."
After several "themed" battles, May arrived at the Gym leader's room.
Right now, he wasn't dad, she reminded herself, he was Norman, the Petalburg Gym Leader.
Her enemy.
"Hm.. so you did get four gym badges." He noted. "Fine. As I promised, we will have a Pokemon Battle. Know that I will do everything in my power as a Gym Leader to win."
Norman sent out a Spinda and may sent out her Combusken.
One Double Kick ended that fight.
It took a few double kicks and being on the receiving end of some damage itself, but Combusken beat the next contender, a Vigoroth.
The third Pokemon, a lilloone was beaten by Kadabra.
The final Pokemon, a Slaking, was beaten by a combination of revives, attacks and super potions. The fight however was ended by Combusken.
"I...I can't believe it... I...I lost to May...? But! Rules are rules! Take this Balance Badge!"
Norman handed his daughter her fifth badge.
"That serves as the second half of the move Surf. This is my gift to you,"
He handed her a CD.
"That contains TM Facade."
He sighed.
"As a gym leader I can't express how unhappy I am... but as a father it makes me happy and sad; it's odd."
Then Wally's father burst in and, after a short conversation with Norman, dragged may back to Wally's house.
After speech of thanks, he gave May HM03, Surf, which she taught to her Lombre.
After surfing the path she had taken by boat, she arrived at an expanse of water she couldn't cross previously and did just that.
She then ran into Steven.
He went on making small talk before running off again.
Eventually she came upon a Weather station, wherein lied Team Aqua, who went after her on sight.
She beat all the trainers within before coming face to face with an Admin, Shelly, who taunted May before attacking.
She started with a Carvahna.
May sent out an odd choice, Combusken.
However the the choice turned out to be the right one, as a single Double Kick took out the fish.
The second and last Pokemon was a Mightyena, who met the same fate.
After the battle, Combusken evolved into Blaziken and learned Blaze Kick.
"It's bad enough to have Team Magma blunder about, but now you too! What makes you want to sniff around in our business anyway?"
Before may could respond a male grunt ran up to them.
"We have a situation here! A Team Magma Squad just passed in front of the Weather Institiute! They appear to be headed for Mt. Pyre!"
"What? We can't waste any more time here! We need to go to Mt. Pyre too!" Replied Shelly.
With that the Team cleared the building.
"Thanks! Thanks to you, we're safe!" Said a meteorologist. "It might be an odd way of thanking you, but take this Pokemon! It changes shape based on weather conditions!"
The Pokemon vanished no sooner than it had touched May's hands, sent to the PC system.
After leaving and walking a ways right, she met up with Brendan once more.
"May! Is this where you've been looking for Pokemon?"
"Actually I just finished dealing with some thugs who were holding up the Weather Institute back there."
"Really? Awesome! Let me see how good you got. I'll test you!"
Brendan sent out a Lombre, and May sent out her Swellow, who took it out in one hit from Wing Attack.
Next on the roster was a Slugma.
May sent out her Lombre in response.
One Surf attack was what ended that match up.
Next was a Marshstomp, which Lombre also battled.
However, Lombre fell and Mighteyena had to deal the finishing blow, a Bite attack.
"I'd say you're good enough to search for Pokemon anywhere." Brendan said. "Here, I'll give you this, try it out!"
He handed Laura a CD; HM02, Fly.
After discovering something was blocking her path to the gym, May headed East, and ran into Steven again.
"It's been a while," he said. "There's something blocking the way to the gym you can't see, right?"
"Yeah. Do you know what it is?"
"If I were to use this device on that obstacle... Better yet, let me show you."
He put the goggles to his eyes and a thin laser shot out, passing over an area of distorted light that slowly turned into a Pokemon...
Which attacked May.
After a short battle that ended in the capture of the creature, Steven handed her the device.
"I want you to take this Devon Scope. Let's meet again somewhere."
With that Steven took off.
May knocked out the Pokemon in front of the gym, healed her team, and proceeded into the building.
After several trips to the Pokemon Center and several puzzles that involved moveable walls, she found herself confronted with the gym leader.
"I am Winona, the gym leader of Fortree City. I have become one with Bird Pokemon and soared the skies. However grueling the battle, we have triumphed with grace. Witness the elegant choreography of bird Pokemon and I!"
Her first Pokemon was a Swablu.
May sent out her Aron.
It handled the first foe well, but in the end it came down to the powerhouse that was Blaziken to do most of the work, winning every match up after that.
"Never before have I seen a Trainer command Pokemon with more grace than I... In recognition of your prowess, I present to you this Gym Badge."
Winona handed May the Feather Badge.
"With this badge, extremely strong Pokemon will obey you. Also, it serves as the second half of fly. Take this as well, a gift from me."
She handed May a TM.
"That is Aerial Ace."
With that May left, healed her team, and headed east again.
Mewtwo leaped to another building. Since his brutal punishments to criminals had started, crime in Viridian was down by quite a bit.
He was about to head off to Pewter when he sensed a familiar attack speeding toward him, which he blocked with a Shadow Ball.
"Good to see your reflexes aren't any worse for the ware," Said Bryan.
"You...why are you here?"
"I dropped into Johto to have something special put together for me."
"Oh? And what exactly might that be?"
"New armor."
"You want to restrain your powers...why?"
"I don't. The suit's being modified to enhance my strength. In short, shit's going down in Hoenn and the Legendary who's supposed to stop it is a lazy, obnoxious asshole. So I'm preparing."
"I see. I have nothing to discuss with you then. Leave me be, child."
Bryan sighed and returned to Johto.
There were two days left until his suit was functional.
And that wasn't after they installed the software he needed.
END CHAPTER 2
As you can see I portray the Legendaries a bit differently than a lot of people might see them.
Remember to review if nothing else.