Mars was in the fifth car in the convoy. She was half asleep. Nothing was happening... The sooner they made the top of the mountain the better... If only to save her from boredom. Having played just about every game possible to pass the time, the galactic commander was growing tired of 'I spy'...

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with 'T'..." Said a bored Saturn.

"Let me guess... Tree!" Jupiter said over the radio.

"You got it..."

"I spy with my little eye... Abomasnow!" Yelled Jupiter.

"I thought we had already explained the rules to you Jupiter!" Moaned Saturn. "You need to say 'I spy something beginning with' then a letter!"

"No there's a freaking big Abomasnow up ahead!" She screamed.

The driver of Mars's car only just had time to hit the breaks. Unfortunately Saturn's car continued straight into the Pokemon's legs. It looked down unamused... Now they were in for it... The Pokemon lifted up it's huge fist ready to pound Saturn into a pulp. It didn't get the chance from out of the trees came a hyperbeam which knocked the Pokemon clean off of it's feet, it fell down K.O.

They were about to drive away full speed ahead when the figure of a man fell out from some trees. He was in quite a state and out of breath. Mars guessed that he had stopped the Abomasnow. He jumped up and ran over to them out of breath.

"Have... Have..." He tried to speak but couldn't from being exhausted.

"Calm down..." Instructed Saturn. "Thank you for saving us."

"There are a lot more of them... You need to keep a look out..." Said the man. "Do you have any anti-venom?"

"Yes, are you poisoned?" Asked Saturn.

"No but my two sons are and they're both very sick..."

"Mars get some anti-venom..." Said Saturn.

Without questioning his logic or reasoning Mars dashed over to the car carrying the medical supplies and gave an anti-poison to Saturn who handed it to the man. Who looked very relieved.

"Thank you..." He said.

"It's nothing, now go and help your sons." Said the commander.

The man nodded then dashed off into the forest. Saturn was left staring at the dents in his car caused by the now unconscious Abomasnow... He'd had a lucky escape... Jupiter ran over to Saturn so Mars decided to follow.

"Why exactly did you do that? All three of them will be dead in a three days anyhow!" Said Jupiter.

"Exactly it's not as if they'll interfere and I'd sleep a little easier at night knowing that I helped the man who saved me..." He explained. "His world's going to end either way, I gave him three days of happiness."

"Humph. Sounds like you're going soft!" Declared Jupiter.

Mars didn't know what to think. Granted Cyrus's orders were clear : get to the spear pillar no matter what and no stopping unnecessarily... But then that guy had just saved them and it wasn't as if he was going to cause any trouble. Mars decided to remain silent after all it looked like her team mates were about to fight... There was a sudden bleeping coming from Saturn's radio, he ran over and picked it up.

"Why have you stopped?" Asked Cyrus.

"Sorry sir, Abomasnow. It's gone now." Explained an already nervous Saturn.

"Good. Well I'm afraid there's a road block ahead on the icy ridge about twenty miles from where you are..." Saturn glanced around him and saw the ridge in the distance.

"Officer Jenny? We should easily be able to go around her." Saturn said.

"No! It would add too much time on..." There was a pause. "Besides I want you to go straight through them and destroy all resistance!"

"What kind of resistance are we going to encounter sir?" Asked Saturn.

"It would seem that Cynthia has dragged along the gym leaders and the league. Plus those three brats and a few other hangers on." Said Cyrus.

"What? We'll get massacred!" Yelled Saturn. "Cyrus we only just defeated the champion and the brats alone we can't take on an army of some of the most powerful trainers in all of Sinnoh!"

"Relax. I have a plan... All you need to do is keep them busy for a while."Cyrus sounded remarkably calm. "Now get on your way... One last thing it would seem that the Pyramid King Brandon is in Sinnoh, now Hunter J has assured me that he is currently a rather large decorative statue along with his Pokemon but please be on the look out!"

"We will sir..." Said Saturn.

"Excellent now get going!"

Saturn got back into his car and ordered them to drive off, he decided not to tell the grunts about what was waiting for them because it would only make them nervous after all, he had explained quietly to his fellow commanders. As they started to drive again Mars couldn't help but think that it was a shame to destroy such courage as the man had shown.

...

Brandon dashed back up the mountain, he had gotten some antidote now the main problem was getting to Reggie and Paul before it was too late. He had hated having to leave them alone but doing so was the only way to get them medicine and he didn't trust team Rocket enough to send them on their own... Even if he got the feeling that they were no murderers, it didn't mean that they wouldn't make a break for it, if given the chance... He got back to the camp, he couldn't see Reggie, Paul or team Rocket. Where had they gone? He looked around and discovered that they had dragged Reggie and Paul into a tent and were now standing guard.

"I hope you found some anti-venom, they're really not well..." Said Jessie actually sounding worried.

"I did, you are free to go but keep your guard up there are odd people in the woods."Said Brandon.

"Odd people?" Asked the three team Rocket members at the same time.

"I think we'll stay with you!" Said Jessie.

"Yeah... That way the big bad Pyramid King can help us if any odd people come along..."Said Miaouss.

Not willing to waste any more time Brandon went into the tent. Both Reggie and Paul were very pale and shivering. The pyramid king gave his two sons both some antidote and prayed it would work. After a few moments both of them looked better if only a bit... Brandon sat down and decided to wait until his sons woke up and he was sure they'd be ok... After maybe an hour or two Paul started to wake up. His eyes opened slowly.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"In a tent." Replied Brandon.

"Yes, where in a tent?" Paul sounded slightly annoyed.

"On mount Coronet."

"What happened?" Asked the boy.

"After you got sick, I ran to get some medicine you passed out while I was away but I got the antidote..." He explained. "Paul do not wonder too far away from the camp, there are some suspicious characters about..."

"I'll keep an eye out, what time is it?"

"Two in the morning."

"That early? What are you doing up!"

"Looking after you!"

"Well. Goodnight Brandon."

"It's..."

Brandon stopped as his son should of said the word 'father' and looked back at him, he decided not to tell him to do so, Paul still hated him and Brandon had a feeling he wasn't ever going to forgive him... So it was with a heavy heart that Brandon went to bed. He hated the feeling of his entire family hating him... He hadn't felt this bad before though... It was as if he'd hoped just a little bit that he and his sons might just get on with each other and fix the ever growing gap... But now that seemed doomed to failure, and he couldn't really blame Paul...

The next morning when he awoke to his surprise both his sons were already awake and were busy cooking breakfast. He smiled and joined them. Team Rocket were in a corner and saluted him like you would a general.

"What did you say to those guys?" Asked an amused Reggie.

"Just the truth about some odd people in the mountains." He answered. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." They both replied.

They set off again this time with team rocket following them... At around eleven in the morning, they were unfortunate enough to encounter the group of Abomasnow and get chased yet again for the next few hours... Brandon wondered what they had done to annoy the Pokemon so much... Eventually they arrived in a clearing near an ice ridge and decided to set up camp.

"So what did these odd people want?" Asked Paul.

"I don't know they actually gave me the antidote but there was just something about them that made my skin crawl..."

"We'll just have to be careful then..." Said Reggie.

"All you gotta do is say 'I'm the Pyramid king' and they'll run for cover!" Said Miaouss imitating Brandon's voice.

"I don't think that works around here... The last time I showed up to try and stop a bad guy... I ended up a larger than life sized statue!" Brandon's sons looked puzzled. "It's a long story..."

"Come on tell us!" Said Reggie, Paul looked unenthusiastic.

"OK. Ok! You haven't changed since you were 8!" He said having some fond flashbacks. "Well, it was just after our battle..."

Before he could start his story there was a huge bang and a flash of an explosion coming from the ice ridge causing everyone at the camp to jump to their feet.

"What was that?" Asked team Rocket.

"Trouble..." Replied Brandon.