Sorry for the wait my faithful readers 83 Well, here's chapter ten! hope you all enjoy.

"Morty! Morty," Lyra shouted as she looked over to where she had stood. Morty lay on the ground a few feet away oh his chest. His eyes were closed and his body was still. Lyra got to her knees and shouted, "Morty! Say something! Are you okay!"

Lyra attempted to run to her friend when she heard the all too familiar click of Tara's firearm. Lyra froze and turned around, looking up at Tara. "There's no reason to move, dear. He's dead. Plain and simple."

"How do you know! You could have missed!"

"Really? Is that why he's just lying there? He's trying to 'trick' me or something?"

"Why would you do that! Why did you shoot him!"

"No my dear. I wasn't aiming for him.. I was aiming for you. He just happened to get in the way at the last second. How does it feel to be responsible for his untimely demise?"

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Well, if you weren't here he'd probably be alive right now, wouldn't he?"

Tara's words hit Lyra like a freight train. 'She's right. He kept telling me he didn't want me to get hurt. If I just would have listened to him.. He'd still be.. No! He's not dead! He can't be.' Lyra's mind raced as she looked down, tears running from her eyes.

Tara laughed then said, "Any last words?"

Lyra closed her eyes, waiting for the end. "Shadow Ball now!" Lyra's eyes shot open and she looked at Tara as a Shadow Ball hit the ground near her feet. Tara flew backward, the firearm spinning from her hand.

She then turned her head and her eyes widened. Morty was rising slowly to his feet as Gengar appeared in front of him. Lyra ran up to him and exclaimed, "Morty! Are you-"

"I'm fine. We have to shut down that machine and release Ho-oh," Morty said turning his head toward her. "I'll hold her off with Gengar while you take care of that machine."

Lyra nodded and grabbed a Pokeball from her bag. "This should do the trick. Meganium go," Lyra said as she tossed the Pokeball into the air. Meganium materialized out of its Pokeball in front of Lyra, ready to fight. Just before Lyra made a run for the machine, she then saw a glimpse of a red stain on Morty's shirt. "Morty! You're hurt," Lyra said as she grabbed a hold of his arm.

"What," Morty asked looking at Lyra with a confused expression.

"You're bleeding! You've been shot," Lyra exclaimed as she pointed to his left shoulder.

Morty looked down and saw the whole left side of his shirt around the shoulder was dyed crimson. He gently touched the wounded area and pulled his hand back, examining the blood on his hand in shock. 'How… how come I didn't notice? I couldn't feel it at all.'

"It won't be long now," Tara said laughing as she got to her feet.

"What are you talking about," Lyra asked as she and Morty faced Tara.

"Your friend. His time is almost up. You see the first subject, before he died, lost the ability to feel pain. I'd say your in the last stages of the serum. You two might as well give it up now."

Morty laughed and said, "You honestly think we're going to give up? We won't. We're going to free Ho-oh!"

"Such bold words for someone teeter-tottering on the edge of death. Why don't you go curl up and die in a corner like the pathetic excuse for a gym leader you are? You act like so tough when you really aren't. You sold out a Pokemon of tremendous power for a worthless human life. That is pathetic. You should have done away with the girl. She's only making you suffer more. Just think, you'd be injury free right now. With that wound, you're sure to bleed to death faster than the serum can kill you."

Morty's lowered his head, his hair covering his eyes. "Morty," Lyra said tentatively placing a hand on his arm. 'I didn't mean for this to happen. He's probably angry at me. I just get in the way,' Lyra thought as she looked down, tears falling from her eyes.

"Worthless huh," Morty said, his hands tightening into fists, "let me tell you something." Morty lifted his head and yelled, "Don't you ever say that Lyra's life is worthless! There is no way I'd ever trade her life for a Pokemon! You don't understand! Humans are supposed to protect what's important to them!"

"Are you really saying that that girl's life to you is more important than Ho-oh?"

"Yes, she's a dear friend of mine. I'd be more than happy to protect her with my life."

Lyra's eyes widened and she looked up at Morty in total shock and disbelief. 'Did he just say what I thought he said? He said I was a dear friend. Does that mean he likes me? No you idiot! He just said you were a friends is all.'

Tara shook her head and said, "You truly are despicable. I will take great pleasure in watching you die."

"You have to kill me first," Morty said then yelled, "Gengar! Use Shadow Ball!" As Gengar used it's attack, Morty looked at Lyra. You have to take out that machine with Meganium. I'll handle her."

Lyra nodded and said, "Come on Meganium!"

Tara jumped out of the way of the Shadow Ball and pulled out a Pokeball. She then threw it and an Umbreon materialized out of it. "No more games. Time for this to end!"

'Great just what we needed.. a dark type,' Morty thought gritting his teeth. "Gengar! Be careful!"

"Gengar!"

Lyra ran up to the machine that controlled the cage an inspected it. "There's got to be a way to destroy this thing without damaging Ho-oh." Suddenly the sky darkened and lightning lit up the sky as droplets of rain began to fall. 'Come on… it has to storm right now,' Lyra groaned as she glanced up at the sky.

"Umbreon! Use your Quick Attack on that trainer," Tara commanded as she smiled sinisterly. Umbreon used it's Quick Attack and headed straight for Morty. Morty managed to jump out of the way and Tara commanded, "Keep using your attack until it hits, Umbreon!" Umbreon used its attack again and Morty rolled out of the way. 'Impressive, but he can't keep dodging much longer,' Tara thought to herself then yelled, "Umbreon! Hit him now!" Umbreon charged again and hit Morty in the stomach. The force of the impact drove him flying backward into a rock wall. Morty gasped as his back slammed against the rock and he slumped to the ground. "Okay Umbreon, time to put this pathetic guy out of his misery."

"Meganium! Razor Leaf!"

Before Umbreon could react, a powerful Razor Leaf hit it. Umbreon collapsed to the ground and Tara returned it to its Pokeball. "It seems your more troublesome than I thought," Tara said, "your Pokemon are quite something." Tara smiled and began to reach for another Pokeball in her pocket.

"Meganium, stop her with Vine Whip!" Meganium wrapped its vines around Tara, securing her arms at her side. Lyra smiled and said, "Good job Meganium! Hold on tight while we figure out how to break this machine."

"You'll never be able to break this machine! You need power to break that and you're useless in the rain! With these dark clouds you can't use Solar Beam. You're just as pathetic as that insignificant gym leader!"

"You like making assumptions don't you! Who said I was going to use Solar Beam," Lyra snapped placing her hands on her hips angrily. "Meganium! Show them what we're made of! Use Hyper Beam on that machine!"

Meganium nodded and then charged up a Hyper Beam. "Are you crazy! You can't use that! You'll blow up the machine! You might even hurt Ho-oh!"

"It's a chance I'll have to take."

"Oh really? Just like the chances you make others take for you? You're putting Pokemon and people in danger! Looks like I was right saying you were worthless."

Lyra balled her hands into fists and said, "No, you're wrong! Meganium! Use Hyper Beam now!"

Meganium unleashed its Hyper Beam at the machine near the cage that held Ho-oh, exploding it. Lyra, Tara and Meganium were all thrown back from the blast, landing a few feet away. Tara sat up and growled. The cage that held Ho-oh had been destroyed and the Rainbow Pokemon was nowhere in sight. She looked around and saw Lyra lying a few feet from her. Tara looked down and saw that she had landed right next to her firearm. She smiled, picked it up and jumped to her feet, "Looks like I'll end this right now." Tara walked over to where Lyra was lying and looked down at her. She nudged her with her foot and smiled when she didn't respond. 'The shock wave from the explosion must have knocked her out. It would have been nice to kill her when she was awake, but oh well,' Tara thought smiling as she aimed the gun at Lyra's head. Before she could pull the trigger, she heard a loud screech from above. Tara blinked and looked up. Above her was Ho-oh, looking down at her as it hovered off the ground. "Ho-oh? It didn't fly away?" Tara smirked and then said, "I guess you want to work for the mighty Team Rocket after all!"

Ho-oh let out another screech and flapped its wings, creating a powerful gust that blew Tara backwards into the rubble of the broken cage and machine parts, knocking her out instantly. The gust created from Ho-oh's wings made Lyra stir and she opened her eyes. She looked up and saw Ho-oh above, looking down at her. Lyra jumped up in shock and said, "The Ho-oh! It's all right." Ho-oh gazed at Lyra and then took off into the sky. As it broke through the clouds, the sky began to clear slightly and a rainbow formed off in the distance. 'That was truly amazing just now,' Lyra thought as she watched Ho-oh disappear over the horizon. Lyra let out a sigh and then looked around. "Where's-" She then spotted Morty slumped against the rock wall. She felt her heart leap into her throat and she ran to his side. She knelt down next to him and said, "Morty! Are you okay? Can you hear me? Morty!" She shook his shoulder gently and got no response. "Oh Arceus, you can't be dead! Come on! Wake up," Lyra said as she shook him harder, trying to wake him. "Please, will you wake up! You can't just leave like this! Your sister needs you," Lyra exclaimed, tears starting to fall from her eyes. He then let out a light cough, followed by a groan. "Morty! Are you okay? Can you speak?"

"I'm okay," Morty said in a hoarse whisper. "I just got the wind knocked out of me that's all." He attempted to move and then gasped, recoiling in pain.

"Morty?"

"Looks like I can feel pain again," Morty said as he held his shoulder, gritting his teeth. He looked at her and then his eyes grew wide. "What happened! Are you okay?"

Lyra looked at him confused and said, "I'm okay. Why do you ask?"

"You're bleeding," Morty exclaimed as he pointed to a gash on her forehead.

Lyra felt the gash and examined her hand for blood. "It's nothing. It's not even bleeding anymore. Besides, you should be worrying about yourself right now. Here, lean forward."

Morty looked at her with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Why?"

"Just do it," Lyra said, and then helped him lean forward. She examined the back of his shoulder and found that it was bloodstained as well. She leaned him back and said, "Well the good news is that there's an exit wound."

Morty let out a soft chuckle and said, "That's supposed to be good news?"

"Well, it's better that the bullet isn't floating around in there," Lyra said as she recalled her Pokemon.

"Guess so," Morty said softly as he looked out at the debris from the explosion. "Guess you got Ho-oh free huh?"

"Yeah. I managed to break the cage with a Hyper Beam."

"You never cease to amaze me," Morty said closing his eyes.

"Hey, stay awake," Lyra said as she shook his shoulder. "You can't fall asleep right now, okay?"

"Whatever you say Lyra," Morty said as he opened his eyes again and smiled at her.

Lyra looked at Morty fearfully. His shoulder was still bleeding and his body was trembling from the blood loss. His breathing was starting to become laboured and his complexion was ashen. Lyra sat back against the rock wall next to Morty. Gengar appeared in front of its trainer and looked at him worriedly. "It's okay Gengar. I'm just fine," Morty said forcing a smile as he gingerly stretched his arm out and pat the ghost Pokemon's head. He then coughed and leaned against Lyra, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Just a little tired," he said as his body trembled.

"Well just try to stay awake. So, how're the gym battles going?"

"They're okay. Some try to use normal attacks on ghost types but-"

"Hey! Wake up," Lyra said shaking him again.

Morty opened his eyes again and said, "I'm sorry. I'm just so tired."

Lyra wrapped her arm around Morty and held him close to her. She then felt his body go limp against hers as he lost consciousness. "Morty? Hey wake up!" Lyra shook him again and this time got no response.

"Gengar! Gengar," the ghost Pokemon cried as it tried shaking its trainer as well.

"Oh no, please no," Lyra said as she gently lay him onto the ground. She then placed her head on his chest while Gengar continued to shake him.

"Gengar!"

"It's okay Gengar. He's alive but he's just asleep right now," Lyra said, her voice unstable as she picked up her head.

"Gen, Gengar."

She looked down at him, tears welling up. 'Please, Meowth! You have to hurry with help! I don't think he's going to last much longer. Please don't give up Morty.'

"Hey Lyra!" Lyra's head snapped up as she saw Tiffany, Officer Jenny, Meowth and a few other police officers run up. Tiffany ran up to Lyra and her brother and knelt down in total shock. "What happened!"

"He's been shot and he lost a lot of blood," Lyra said, her voice quavering. "He just passed out. I can't wake him up. He's alive but I don't know how long he'll last."

Tiffany placed her index finger and middle finger to Morty's neck and said, "He's still alive, but his pulse is weak. We have to control this bleeding." She placed her bag on the ground and quickly unzipped it. She pulled out some scissors, bandages and tape and placed them on the ground. "I had a funny feeling I was going to need some stuff like this. I guess I was right," Tiffany said, trying to keep her voice calm. She picked up the scissors and cut through his shirt and then picked him up into a sitting position. "Lyra, hold him up."

"Okay," Lyra said as she held onto him, keeping him up.

Tiffany removed his shirt and said, "Just keep holding him, okay?"

"Okay." Tiffany grabbed some water from her bag and a handkerchief and began cleaning wiping off the blood around the wound. She then grabbed another one and dropped the blood soaked one onto the ground. Morty then groaned and started to wake up. "He's waking up.'

Morty opened his eyes and looked around groggily. "Glad to see you're awake, although you're such a mess."

"Tiff, is that you?"

"Who else would it be? How are you holding up," Tiffany asked as she cleaned the exit wound on the back of his shoulder.

"I'm good."

"Oh stop being so stoic in front of your girlfriend here and tell me how you're really feeling will you?

Lyra felt a blush creep across her face. 'He's not my boyfriend.. he's just my friend. A friend I really like… what are you saying!'

Morty let out a soft sigh and said, "I feel like crap. That better?"

"Much," Tiffany said as she grabbed a canteen from her bag. "Now drink this."

Morty accepted the canteen and looked at it curiously. "What is it?"

"It's a canteen."

"Very funny. I meant what's inside it."

"It's my tea.. And don't start complaining. It's actually the cure to the serum."

"The cure," Morty asked looking from the canteen to Tiffany.

"Yeah so drink it while I wrap this up will you," Tiffany said as she grabbed the bandages and opened them up.

"How'd you find the cure,' Lyra asked, "they said that the antidote didn't work."

"Well, they didn't research it well. Remember when Meowth had said the cure was near Lake of Rage? Well I figured it had to be some kind of rare plant only found there. So, when you guys left I read up on the plants there. I then figured out that, if boiled with certain herbs correctly, it actually can cure psychic Pokemon. It pays to be a Pokemon breeder sometimes."

"But it heals Pokemon? How do you know it'll work?"

"Well, the stuff they gave him was experimental from psychic Pokemon correct? Well, if that stuff worked on my brother, than this cure might work too. Besides, if it doesn't work it won't kill him if he drinks it anyway," Tiffany explained as she wrapped up the gun shot wounds. After she finished, Tiffany turned her head and yelled, "Hey you guys! Make yourselves useful and get that scoopy stretcher thing you guys transport people with!"

"I don't need it. I'll walk."

"Pffff yeah right! You'd walk two feet and pass out. Just sit tight and we'll get you to a hospital before you bleed to death."

"I'm not going to bleed to death."

"Hey Lyra, let me wrap that nasty cut on your head for you," Tiffany said as she took out another bandage.

"I'm fine. I don't need it."

"For crying out loud! You two are perfect for each other! So stubborn!" She then looked back as two officers ran up with a foldable stretcher. "Thank you," Tiffany said and then looked at Morty, "okay, come on." Tiffany stood up and then helped Morty to his feet. He took on step and then suddenly fell forward. Tiffany and Lyra managed to catch him and hold him up. "I told him he'd pass out… but does he listen? Nooooo, of course not,' Tiffany said shaking her head. She and Lyra lay him on the stretcher and the two officers transported him to the nearest helicopter. Tiffany jumped in after Morty and Lyra followed. She sat down next to Tiffany and sighed. "What's the matter, Lyra?"

"Do you think that tea'll work?"

Tiffany brushed back her brother's hair, holding back tears, "I hope so."