Slaves and Soldiers
Chapter 4: The Crazy Caped Man
Not long after Typhlosion and I finished our little conversation, an official-looking Team Rocket member came in and locked the door behind him. Unlike the poor excuse for a bad guy who brought me in earlier, this guy was significantly more menacing.
He wore a white long-sleeved V-neck shirt with black cuffs on the wrists, similar to Ariana. On the left upper chest of his shirt was none other than a Team Rocket logo. It was the exact same logo on Ariana's uniform, so it was a safe assumption that he was the same rank as her; an Executive. His pants were nothing special; just your average white khakis supported with a black belt. But his hair… it was… blue. I can't seem to understand it. Why does every evil Team member have to dye their hair a bizarre color? Red, blue, purple… Next thing I know, it'll be stripes and stars!
…Anyway.
"So, Ariana actually managed to capture you, huh?" he knelt down at me. "Never thought she was capable of that…"
"So who's this douche?" I asked Typhlosion while keeping my eyes on the blue-haired human, using a string of Raikous to communicate with him, so the human couldn't understand.
"That's Archer." Ty explained to me using strings of Typhlosion. "He's an Executive of Team Rocket. He's essentially Giovanni's second in command, and took care of Team Rocket while Giovanni was away. Now, of course, Giovanni's back…"
"But what does he want with me?"
"He's going to do the same thing to you that he did to me when I was a Cyndaquil; put on a tracking device so they know where you are at all times during a mission so you can't escape. It... also injects... painful drugs in your system if you try to defy the Team. Do yourself a favor and don't try to run for it. I tried that. It'll only make things worse for you."
When Ty explained that to me, I recalled my night with the Garchomps and I NEVER wanted to go through that again. But...
Archer pulled a small, metal anklet with a Team Rocket logo on it from his back pocket and appeared to be calibrating it. Finally, he pushed a small button on the inside of the anklet and it snapped open. He seemed to be hesitating to put it on me and I knew exactly why.
"Go ahead." I said to him using English. "I won't put up a fight."
He eyed me suspiciously and didn't seem to want to trust me. Though to be honest, I understood where he was coming from. Most captives would try to make a desperate escape at this point, but I knew it was no use since security at Team Rocket HQ was seriously tight.
Still hesitating a bit, he slowly maneuvered his left arm around my front right leg and his right arm between my front legs. He secured the device into place on my ankle and quickly snapped it shut.
Now I'm trapped into this.
"Wow." he stated plainly. "I was expecting I'd have to wrestle you down to the ground and get my uniform messed up. You saved me some hassle and yourself some pain."
He stood back up and unlocked the door using a keycard.
"Come. You and Typhlosion will follow me."
I didn't want to go. My freedom was taken away from me by one careless mistake, and the tracking device just sealed the deal. I had to kiss goodbye my chances of ever seeing my family again.
Typhlosion didn't disobey Archer. He stepped ahead of me and behind the man. He turned to me with forgiving eyes.
"Come on Raikou, it'll be all right." he comforted me in the Pokémon language. I sighed to myself and reluctantly, I followed.
It was a quiet walk. Except for me, Archer, and Ty, no one was in the wide, white-walled, floor tiled halls. Not even Archer's footsteps made any sound, and the complete lack of sound was deafening itself. I was left to my thoughts once more as we followed Archer through the halls, twisting and turning, copying his every step.
"As Typhlosion said, I can't deny the reality of what's happening. He's been here for years and has seemed to accept being here… but… I can't. There has to be some other way out. Some way Ty hasn't tried yet. I-I can't really be here for rest of my life! …Can I?"
My mind was a raging sea of emotions. One wave was a tide of anger; that I was stupid enough to get caught in the first place. A whirlpool of confusion; being unfamiliar with my surroundings left me with no clue as to what to do. Tears of the sky as my sorrow and regret; that wherever I try to look for a place to escape, there was none. And now I wished I could rewind time to prevent this from happening at all. But time is Celebi's and Dialga's power, not mine. Finally, not a typhoon, not a whirlpool, not even a wave, but… one small ripple of fear haunted me. That Team Rocket had total control over me… that I must do whatever I'm ordered was… a horrifying thought.
I had no choice now. I have to deal with it. Stand up to it. Endure it. They can do whatever; put me on dangerous missions, keep me in horrible conditions, force me to obey or anything else, but they can NEVER… never… take away my burning desire to be free and escape. Not just me, but Typhlosion and anyone else in here.
I must not have been paying attention to where I was walking because just as I finished my thoughts, I hit my head into something HARD.
"Yeowch!" I stumbled back and landed on my rear end. I looked up and noticed I had bumped into a metal table on its side.
I rubbed my head softly. "Least it isn't bleeding…" I mumbled to myself.
It was only right then did I take notice of my surroundings. The room I was in was small and square, not much larger than a public restroom. The walls were a very boring and dull gray. Just looking at it made you sleepy. What kept me up was a lamp on the table I had bonked my head on. Not the lamp that you put shades on, but the thin, long kind you would often use for reading at night. On the table, under the lamp was a packet of paper.
I heard Typhlosion beginning to snicker. But instead of barking at him, I asked, "What are those papers in the middle for?"
His metal claw extended onto the packet of paper and he began to elaborate. "These are assignment sheets. They list every Pokémon who takes on missions for Team Rocket by type, sub-type, then alphabetically. Next to your name is the mission you're to take on. Successful accomplishments get you more attention around here and more privileges."
"What kind of 'privileges' are you talking about?"
"Access to better foods at meal-times, more chances to socialize with other Pokémon here, and less harsh punishments whenever you screw up. They're little things that go a long way."
"…What if you refuse to do something?" I asked. "Like what they ask you to do something that violates your code of ethics?"
"I've gotten a few assignments like that before. One mission called me to assassinate someone, a private investigator, who was close to exposing a black market scam Team Rocket was pulling."
"…You mean Looker? I… read up in the newspaper a few weeks ago that he was killed with a shotgun at his house… Did you really…"
"They asked me to take that mission. I can steal stuff, kidnap other Pokémon from their trainers, even kill… but I refused to kill someone like Looker who was just trying to do what was good for Johto. An Infernape here, he goes by Victor, took that one instead. He and I are the only Pokémon experienced with firearms. Fortunately, I got off easy since I hadn't previously declined assignments. But if you're stubborn and keep refusing… well, I don't really know what happens. I've seen some Pokémon get taken away… but I don't know what Team Rocket does with them."
"…" I remained silent. I already knew that I would have to conform under Team Rocket's command. Fortunately, Ty seemed to realize that I already had the message.
"Let's just go ahead and see what we have to do today, all right?" he suggested.
His right claw clenched the packet of paper, and he flipped through it until he reached 'F' for 'Fire Types', I presumed.
Ty muttered to himself. "T, T, Typhlosion, Typhlosion- ah, there it is."
He began to read aloud. "Assignment K-#4652. Partner: Raikou. Retrieve the Enigma Stone, a stone rumored to be linked to the Eon Pokémon, Latios and Latias, from the Pewter Museum of Science. Use stealth and avoid attracting any attention. Directions to the Pewter Museum have already been wirelessly distributed into your internal GPS."
Typhlosion reached his hand to his metallic looking backpack and hit a small blue button on the side. Almost immediately, his metal chest (the left half) opened up and a small electronic screen (I would say it looked like a PC tablet) attached to a small metal wire, about the size of a box of markers, slowly maneuvered its way out and conveniently in front of Ty's face. I staggered back sharply, a little bit freaked out.
"Don't worry." he assured. "This gives me a big edge over other Pokémon here."
He moved his left organic paw over the apparently touch-operated screen as his right claw supported it. I watched him push an on-screen button and lines suddenly generated themselves from nowhere; over routes stretching from Johto to Kanto.
"All right, Raikou. The routes we're taking are set up and stored in my internal memory." He pushed the same button that brought the touch-screen out and the machine automatically maneuvered itself back into his chest and closed.
"…"
Typhlosion looked at me, puzzled at my facial expression.
"…Yeah. What is it?"
"…You know," I stated. "…that was actually kind of awesome."
"Really?" he asked, genuinely surprised. "No one ever used 'awesome' to describe that before. 'Weird' and 'freaky' I've heard hundreds of times… but 'awesome'… is definitely a first."
"It really is! I mean, it's not every day you get to meet a freakin' cyborg! If I had an internal GPS, I'd get lost a lot less often! It's, it's really kind of cool! How tricked out are you?"
Typhlosion was blushing and was as red as a tomato. He held his metal claw over his neck and scratched it nervously. "Stop it, Raikou. You're embarrassing me…"
"Oh. Heh heh. Sorry…" I chuckled awkwardly.
"Hakuna Matata. It actually feels kind of good to be proud of both halves of me. Hey Raikou, could you turn around?"
"Is this a trick?"
"No. There should be a shelf behind you with some battery packs on it." True to his word, the packs were indeed on a shelf behind me.
"Toss me one of those. In case something happens to my main battery, I want a backup to be safe."
I did as he asked and he put the battery into his pack.
"Backup battery?" I wondered.
"There's been a time when on an assignment, the battery installed in the bottom of that pack got punctured. It rarely happens, due to the fact that the battery is installed in a very sturdy and enclosed chamber but it can still happen. Fortunately, I could swap it out and my cyborg parts were as good as new. So, that's just to be safe."
I nodded, acknowledging his information.
"…You ready?" he asked me.
"Better now than never." I sighed.
"Much better."
Back at the beasts' cave, Suicune was up after a much needed rest. She felt a lot better too than yesterday in her unhealthy panic-stricken condition and was actually quite glad Entei nagged at her to get some rest. Looking at her beautiful reflection in the cave's pool; she was feeling refreshed and ready to begin the hunt for Raikou… again.
Except for one small problem.
"Suicune? Where are you?"
Her eyes widened. She recognized that voice immediately. It was the voice of the man who was absolutely OBSSESSED with her, and had been tracking (stalking) Suicune for over a decade, Eusine. She knew him all too well. Eusine would anything, and I mean ANYTHING, to capture Suicune. She was previously caught, by Ethan along with the other members of her trio, but he had released them. It was both good and bad. Good because they were free to roam Johto… and bad because she was now fair game for Eusine. At first, Suicune found his obsession slightly amusing. Now, she wanted to rip the man's head off. Unfortunately, Ho-Oh had given them strict rules when she had them guard Johto. Said rules included, "Unless your life is in danger, you are forbidden to kill any humans." And that included Eusine.
Suicune didn't really want to disobey Ho-Oh's orders. But another part of her just wanted to screw the rules over, rip out Eusine's carotid artery and call it a day.
"Suicune? Where are you at? I wish to marvel at your beauty!"
She groaned. The wolf was NOT in the mood to deal with the moron. It wasn't a convenient time either; she and Entei still needed to find Raikou. Suicune considered her options.
If he came into the cave, Suicune could easily sneak out and lose him.
Or…
If he came into the cave, Suicune could murder him, bury the body somewhere, and pray that no one ever found out.
"Suicune? I know you're here somewhere!"
She was leaning very closely towards the latter…
She heard Eusine's footsteps approaching the cave and she realized that sneaking out wasn't an option (unfortunately, neither was killing him). That left only one choice.
HIDE. AND FAST.
Thinking quickly, she dove into the only place she could hide in this cave… the cave's pool. As the pool's tides died down from the wolf's sudden rush into them, Eusine found his way into the small cavern. From the blurry image the water provided, Suicune couldn't see Eusine at all, only hear him. Aside from his usual attire, on his belt were two Pokéballs. One a regular ball; but the other… was a Master.
"Suicune?"
Suicune could only hope Eusine didn't stay in here for too long. She may have mastery over water, but that didn't mean she had gills. She could hold her breath for several minutes underwater and she hoped Eusine would leave within that time.
Eusine began his hunt. He began to look around the cavern, though there was much to look at in the sparse cave; he analyzed the cave and checked under and behind rocks. It had been about 8 minutes since he came in and he was just about to leave.
Suicune's lungs couldn't take it anymore.
"AIR! AIR! AIR!" they screamed. She swam back up to the water and she popped out of the water, gasping and panting loud enough to wake the dead… as well as attract Eusine's attention. He turned around and saw his lifelong love- I mean the creature whom he had been searching for over a decade, the Aurora Pokémon Suicune.
"Oh crap." were the first words Eusine had ever heard her speak.
Eusine was speechless. Again. He couldn't bring himself to say anything in front of her.
"Suicune! Finally! Now we can be together forever!"
Scratch that. Eusine couldn't have said anything in front of her that was more disturbing. Eusine took out a Pokéball from his belt and Suicune quickly realized it was a Master Ball.
Yeah, it was time to RUN.
With the speed of a cheetah, she leapt out of the water, dashed under Eusine's legs and ran for the cave exit.
"Suicune! Come back!" the stalker yelled as he tried to run after the Aurora Pokémon. "I won't hurt you!"
Not surprisingly, it was hard for the caped man to keep up with Suicune. Though, he had prepared for something like this. Eusine threw off his cape and accelerated faster. He had practiced running, apparently.
Suicune looked behind her as she ran down a small down-hill grassy path. She had expected that she had lost her stalker. To her surprise, she could still see Eusine. Not close enough to send a Pokémon after her, but close enough to toss the Master Ball.
With all of his might, Eusine threw the Master Ball towards her. He prayed that it would get her. Since he tossed the ball down-hill, Suicune was smart enough to realize that if she stopped, the Ball would sail over her.
Her hypothesis turned out to be right. The ball indeed sailed over her head and continued to go down. She smirked. She was very proud of herself; being able to outwit Eusine and avoid his Master Ball, which he probably had to pay a fortune for.
Unfortunately, there was one small kink in her plan.
"Wait… if it didn't get me, then who will it hit at the bottom of this hill?"
She gasped as she resumed running down-hill in an area the Master Ball couldn't hit her.
"Please don't be Entei. Please don't be Entei. Please don't be Entei." she hoped. Entei was still out looking for Raikou, and Suicune had no idea where Entei was. He could be miles away… or at the bottom of the hill.
Oh, how cruel fate can be.
The wolf managed to reach the bottom fast enough. To her utter horror, Entei was at the bottom, still walking around slowly, looking for the thunder tiger. And the ball was heading STRAIGHT FOR HIM.
"Entei!" the canine hollered.
Entei turned around and saw Suicune, blissfully unaware of the projectile heading for him.
"Oh, hey Suicune! Glad to see you're feeling…"
"Get out of the way!"
"Of what?"
Just as Entei uttered his last word, the ball tapped him on the head. He turned around to see a Master Ball open, zapping a ray of red energy at him.
"Wha-?"
The energy enveloped him and turned his form from matter into energy. The ball closed, shook three times as the beast of Fire tried to break out (but to no avail), and then the ball finally *clicked*, indicating a successful capture.
Suicune was going to go and grab the ball, but had no time since Eusine was coming down quickly to retrieve his Master Ball, forcing her to hide instead.
Eusine finally reached the bottom and noticed his Master Ball on the ground. He picked it up slowly. It didn't break, so it had to have caught…
"Yes!" he shouted for joy to the heavens. "Yes! I did it! I finally have caught the legendary beast of water, SUICUNE!"
The actual Suicune was hiding behind a tree, out of Eusine's field of vision.
"Oh man. Now what do I do?" she asked herself, as the white-caped man was skipping happily all the way back to Johto.
This was not her day.
Pokémon © Nintendo/Game Freak
Looks like Ty and Raikou are teaming together for their first assignment. Entei and Suicune continue their search for Raikou, but they get caught up with the Suicune-obsessed Eusine...