Pokemon Adventures: Hunt of the Plates

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon Adventures/Special.

I'm so rushed... :/

Began writing on December 6th, 2011. Currently drafting Chapter 17 of Arc 2. Uh oh...


Chapter 11. Vs. Rotom: Claws of Destruction

- Pastoria Great Marsh -

"Weezing, use Thunderbolt! All Koffings, follow!"

"Gyarados, into the swamp!" Silver shouted against Petrel's gleeful command, afterwards holding his breath patiently as Crobat and Honchkrow hastily blew away the toxic gas emitted by the Rocket Executive's horde of Koffings. Before the Electric-type attack could strike Gyarados swiftly dove into the murky water, quickly vanishing out of sight.

"Running now, are we? Koffings, follow in!" Petrel ordered with a smirk. At once twenty Koffings heeded his command, throwing themselves into the large pool of muddy water; the sight oddly reminded Silver of a wastecar dumping industrial waste into a lake.

"Now, boy, you listen to my words," said Petrel with a smug expression, continuing their one-sided conversation. "No doubt you're a strong Trainer, being Giovanni's son and all, but you seriously underestimate the power of Team Rocket if you think you can just kick away an invitation like this."

"What power?" Retorted Silver, suppressing an urge to snort. "Nine years ago your HQ fell to three eleven-year-olds. One of them beat your renowned Boss - my father - not once but twice. Three times your organization rose, and three times it fell. What sort of power can you boast?"

"Ha! That's a good cheek," laughed Petrel, sounding unabashed to hear the shameful history of Team Rocket. Then, with a gleam of his eyes, he lightly snapped his finger and spoke: "Selfdestruct."

The pool between them exploded, sending a fountain of swampwater shooting fifty feet high as all the Koffing inside made a last-ditch attempt to take out Gyarados. Silver instictively covered his face as the upset water showered him, almost cursing as he fells several steps back from the impact.

"That's your Red Gyarados, out." Spoke Petrel smugly with a flick of his hand. "You're right; we used to be like that, back when we were nothing without Giovanni holding us together. But things have changed, kid. We serve a greater power now, power that will soon sweep chaos all over the world! Team Rocket shall be the harbinger of that chaos! And you, Silver, shall put the new, chaotic world under your foot as the Prince of the Great Darkness!"

As much as the words were outrageous, Silver's ears pricked at the word 'greater power'. Maybe here was the clue leading to the enemy's true purpose!

"Fine, carry on; I'm interested," he stated, feigning curiousiy. Looking at Petrel's surprised expression he added with a dark smile: "After, of course, we finish this battle. Gyarados, use Waterfall!"

"What?" Petrel exclaimed in shock as a patch of swamp behind him erupted, the crimson shape of Silver's Gyarados blasting out in a torrent of raging water. With the force of a battering ram the Waterfall attack slammed into Petrel's Weezing (who hadn't joined its Koffing minions in the Selfdestruct attack), knocking the Poison Gas Pokemon straight into its master and down the little mound he's been standing on.

"Feraligatr, suppress him!" Silver pressed on, seeing the gangly man hit the marsh with a disgraceful splash. At once the Big Jaw Pokemon dived forward from his side, pinning Petrel firmly onto the swamp floor with his long arms and bulk. As Silver walked over to them Petrel managed to elbow Feraligatr in the side, and was rewarded by having his face rammed into the muddy water.

"You wonder how Gyarados escaped the Selfdestruct?" Asked Silver as he crouched in front of the mud-faced man with venom in his eyes. "Maybe you should've done more research before seeking to dig an artifact out of this place. All across Pastoria these marshes are interconnected, and under these mounds of earth it's all mud. Nothing a decent water Pokemon can't sift through."

"I see," replied Petrel, somehow still managing a grin. "That's very good, hiding your tactics hidden until they're actually deployed. Cunning. I'll make a Dark Prince outta you yet."

"Keep dreaming," replied Silver flatly. "If you're so keen on me following my father's footsteps, why don't I start with torturing you for information? Tell me, who's in charge of Team Rocket?"

"That would be me," replied Petrel, his grin getting wider. "Of course, if you want that position I'll gladly take a step down - "

"I'm doing the interrogation, not you," Silver cut him off. "Fine, then. Who do you serve? Who's ordered you to seek out the Plates?"

Petrel seemed to contemplate the question, looking thoughtful as he stared into Silver's glare. Certain that he was trying to come up with a good lie, Silver was about to ask more forcefully when he saw the man's eyes suddenly grow round as he looked below.

"Hey! Wait a minute, I didn't say anything!" The Rocket General exclaimed, struggling to free himself from Feraligatr's grip again with his eyes fixed in the murky water beneath. Silver's own eyes widened to see the a small patch of water directly below Petrel was churning pitch-black.

"Feraligatr, look out!" Silver cried, a sudden sensation of dread shooting through his veins. The Big Jaw Pokemon immediately drew back, but before he could drag their prisoner back as well a black mass of something abruptly burst out of the water, throwing itself over Petrel like liquid rubber. The next instant it wrapped itself around the Rocket General's limbs, quickly dragging the terrified man down into the water. Taken aback by the sudden attack Feraligatr had no choise but to let go.

"You ain't gonna leave me alive after this, are ya?" Was the last words Silver heard from Petrel before his body vanished beneath the blackness and into the water.

As soon as his form went out of sight, the blackness of the depth vanished as if it had never been.


- Hearthome City, Amity Square -

"...!"

Platina's eyes narrowed as Jupiter halted her assault, her violet eyes trembling with surprise for a single instant. She wasn't sure what made the ruthless Galactic Commander hesitate, but she wasn't about to miss that chance.

"Chandelure, Overheat!" Platina cried hurriedly. The Luring Pokemon gave out an affirming coo, the blue-flamed candlelight on her arms glowing white-hot with sheer heat.

"Sableye, Foul Play!" Jupiter countered, a moment too late. Platina shielded her eyes just in time for an explosion of light and heat to burst out of Chandelure, igniting a ten-feet radius around her and causing a blast that almost singed even Platina. The Sableye, needless to say, dropped to the ground utterly scorched.

"Nicely timed, Platina!" The praise came from Fantina, who had just knocked down the last grunt with her Mismagius; the Hearthome Gym Leader had arrived minutes ago, having been contacted by Cynthia.

'It was nothing; a mistake on the enemy's part," replied Platina modestly, signalling Empoleon and Rapidash to surround Jupiter from behind. Looking straight at the vile woman's eyes she spoke: "Now what, Jupiter? Will you explain what your true purpose is?"

"... A minute earlier I might've dropped a hint or two out of whim," said Jupiter, sounding uncharacteristically careful as she eyed her surroundings warily. "... but no. It turns out that the one I serve is more secretive than I thought. I don't want to be erased for treason just yet."

"Wha - " Platina gasped at the unexpected words, but was stopped by a strange beeping noise that came from the stormy sky.

"Ah, there comes my escape," said Jupiter with a thin smile, suddenly jumping up before Platina or her Pokemon could react. It was only after the Galactic Commander's feet landed on something purple in the air that the young Dex Holder saw the Starmie, camoflauged against the cloudy sky.

"Stop that Starmie! Mismagius, use Shadow Ball!" Exclaimed Fantina, followed by a quick burst of shadow energy from the Magical Pokemon.

"Pachirisu, Thunder Wave? Chandelure, use Hex!" Platina joined, leading a second barrage of attack from her own Pokemon. To her amazement, however, the Starmie zipped impossibly fast - considering the fact that Jupiter was crouched on top - between their attacks, bearing its cargo into the sky.

"We can't let her go! Empoleon, use Hydro Cannon!" Platina shouted, feeling a sudden burst of impulse to try out the unfinished Ultimate Move. Letting out an unearthly screech Empoleon reared back, unleashing a fierce jet of hyperpressured water that tore through the sky toward a round-eyed Jupiter.

"Get us outta here!" Platina heard the woman hiss, and willed the Hydro Cannon to strike before the call was heeded. Unfortunately, it turned out that her will was a foot short; just before the Ultimate Move hit home Jupiter and her carrier vanished, leaving the attack to soar ahead and pulverize a big part of the wall of the Square into powder.

"Oh my goodness..." Fantina gasped in amazement as she walked over to the destroyed wall to examine it. "So this is the secret move you've been learning in Celestic? Such power!"

"But it wasn't enough," sighed Platina as she let her hands fall to her side, sharing a mournful look with Empoleon. "If only we had trained a bit harder back there..."

"Look on the bright side, dearie; they didn't get the Spooky Plate, did they?" Fantina spoke assuringly as she looked around at the destroyed Amity Square.

"No, but we're no closer to finding out what they're after," said Platina as she looked up into the gray sky. "I'm afraid, Fantina. Something tells me we may face a terror we've never beheld before..."


- Acuity Lakefront -

"Rotom, use Thunderbolt!" Yelled Charon as he staggered backwards, almost stepping over a grunt that Scizor had struck down a moment ago. Neither Green nor Cryogonal so much as blinked as the Electric move struck the Crystalizing Pokemon in full power, only to dissipate harmlessly against its cold and crystaline body.

"Resistence is useless," spoke Green coldly, wordlessly directing Scizor and Charizard to clear out the remaining Team Galactic grunts in the area. "Cryogonal, use Ice Beam."

His newest member complied at once, not only knocking out the mad scientist's Rotom but also continuing on to freeze Charon's legs and pinning him onto the snow-covered earth.

"It's over," Greed stated firmly as he walked over to stand in front of the corrupt man, wondering how a person this vile ever got to be a scientist. "You don't have the Icicle Plate, nor are you in a place to look for one - if it's even here, which I doubt."

"So it seems," agreed Charon with a click of his tongue, looking disgruntled rather than afraid. "Such a shame It appears that the ancient lore is deceiving in its instructions."

"Or perhaps the Plates aren't ours to discover," returned Green. "You'll never find out. What I'm curious about is, though, is what you were planning to do with them once you got them."

"Don't you know?" Charon sneered, looking up at the young man in a mocking way.

"Do I?" Green asked back unimpressed, not about to fall for the bastard's taunts. At a click of his finger his faithful Scizor was beside the Raiser at once, holding one pair of jagged pincers against Charon's throat. "If you value your head, you'd know the answer. Choose wisely."

"... You would know," began Charon slowly after taking an apprehensive look at Scizor's face; apparantly he realized that Green wasn't joking. "That Cyrus, formerly Boss of Team Galactic, wished to control the deities of time and space, Dialga and Palkia, with the help of the Red Chain?"

"I do," replied Green curtly, remembering the Dex Holders' encounter with the said Titans less than a month ago; having seen those two before hearing the story from Diamond, Green often wondered how Team Galactic had even briefly managed to enslave them.

"Well, that quest was a failure; we never heard of Cyrus ever since," Charon was speaking very patiently, as if he was explaining to a five-year-old. "Nevertheless, we know from the effort that to control a being of such power we need an equally sanguine artifact alleged to them. Have I said enough?"

He had.

"You plan to take control of Arceus," Green breathed, the atrocity of the situation hitting him full-blast.

"If the information I was given is correct, that's what will happen," confirmed Charon, grinning again. (#1)

"Of all the outrageous - " Green was about to snap when he abruptly stopped, hearing an odd vibration cut through his ear; up in this cold, the air was crisp enough for him to detect even small vibrations in the atmosphere. Quickly scanning around him, Green's eyes widened in alarm to see that among the falling snowflakes small, metalic objects were forming all around them, controlled by what was obviously psychic energy.

"It's Psyshock!" Green exclaimed, whipping a Poke Ball out of his belt. "Alakazam, use Reflect!"

The materialized Psi Pokemon hastily threw up the barrier around them just as the floating orbs all shot themselves toward Green. As one they slammed into the Reflect like bullets against windows, managing to fracture it but failed to shatter it.

"Now who would've done that?" Muttered Green as he whirled around toward Charon. As expected, he wasn't alone. Though his legs were still bound in ice, Green's eyes narrowed as he spotted the Beeheyem perched on the top of the mad scientist's shoulders, its three-fingered hands holding Charon's head between them.

The Raiser had not, however, anticipated the Galactic Commander's reaction. Rather than relief, Charon's face was distorted by shock and pain as he writhed under the Beeheyem's grip, and it was only after looking at the Cerebral Pokemon's glow-blue eyes that Green knew it was using Psychic to torture the old man.

"Gaaah! What are you doing, you traitorous - " Charon shrieked as he struggled t ofree himself in vain.

"I? Traitorous?"

The voice, heavily mutilated and unidentifiable, buzzed through Green's brain with such shock that for a moment he almost forgot that it wasn't the Beeheyem speaking; obviously, someone was taking through the Pokemon's bizzare Psychic abilities. But the voice, the voice sounded somewhat familiar, as if he'd heard it from a dream. Or a dream of a dream...

"Be grateful that you haven'y given away any vital information, Charon." Spoke the mysterious voice through the Beeheyem. "My Master is very whimsical, and he has decided that you talk too much. The search has been withdrawn from Sinnoh. Await further orders from where you're taken."

"I... fine," gritted Charon, apparantly displeased about being rough-handled. "Get me outta here, then. You might still need me with both legs."

"How I doubt that," mocked the voice, but the Beeheyem's eyes began to glow blue anyway.

"Not a chance. Scizor, Bullet Punch!" Green shouted, regaining his senses in time. Quick as a torpedo Scizoe shot forward, offering a barrage of lightning-fast punches that sent both the Beeheyem and Charon swaying. (#2) To Green's surprise, however, the Cerebral Pokemon refused to let go of the mad scientist before Teleport was activated, and the two of them vanished together in a flash of light.

"Curses," muttered Green under his breath, his mind disturbed with hundreds of thoughts as he stared at Charom's empty ice cuffs. Looking over to Scizor, Charizard and Cryogonal he spoke quietly: "There's nothing we can do anymore. Let's return to Celestic... after stopping by Snowpoint. Candice will have to be informed, in the least." (#3)


- Hall of Origin, Chamber of Knowledge (Uxie's dwelling) -

"So this is how it ends," murmured Dialga quietly as he watched the one called Green turn his back on Acuity Lakefront. Then the vision faded as Uxie closed her eyes, letting out a small sigh of relief to see her home kept safe.

"They did it, didn't they?" Whispered Azelf in awe as she rose up to sit on top of Dialga's crown, a habit he particularly despised. "They succeeded, all of them. They stopped those foul humans from finding the Plates."

"But they failed to retrieve the Plates themselves," put in Palkia grimly.

"Well their objective wasn't to find the Plates themselves!" Mesprit hotly defended the Dex Holders. Dialga could agree, but that was hardly the point.

"Nevertheless, they couldn't have found it if they had tried," growled the Temporal Pokemon. "Our own search has been fruitless as well: the Plates weren't there. The ancient lore has failed us."

"Words of wisdom are often meant to lead astray, Lord," Pointed out Uxie softly, looking even quieter than usual, almost timid.

"Yet eventually, they reward those that are faithful," Dialga finished for the Knowledge Pokemon, standing to his full height. "The only thing we can do is to keep trying. I shall lead the search myself from now."

"Don't worry; I'll go with him and make sure he doesn't screw up." He heard Palkia tell their half-sisters from behind as he exited Uxie's chamber, and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Too often he found females beyond his comprehension.


- The Corridors, Demension Bridges -

"So, what do you think of those humans now?" Palkia asked, her voice sounding as casual as it was possible between her and Dialga as they glided down the large gap between dimensions back to the material world. "Better than 'insolent gnats', by any case?" (#4)

"You know I didn't mean that," grumbled Dialga, resisting the urge to bite her. "They're a peculiar bunch, willingly fighting danger after danger just because it's the right thing to do. So unlike most humans. I'd go as far as to call them noble."

"It's good destiny offered them in times like this," agreed Palkia, causing Dialga to blink in surprise. "They're actually making me fond of my decision; we did well to stop Giratina from killing them when he insisted on it."

"Well, you must be so proud of yourselves..."

Dialga's eyes rounded as the ragged grumble of Giratina drifted to them from far away. But this time something was wrong; the Renegade Pokemon's tone was cracked and broken, as if his mental throat had been crushed. Even worse was the horror and despair apparant in his voice; Giratina never admitted fear of anything. What made him change his mind?

"Giratina!" Palkia's shocked exclamation jolted Dialga out of his thoughts, and he looked ahead to see that their brother could be seen now, in Origin Forme. Dialga's jaws dropped to see what kind of state he was in: several of his wings lay slashed and useless, his body had been blasted through with several holes, and half of his golden helm had melted into his face.

"Damnit, get him outta here!" Dialga barked as he rushed over to the half-dead Giratina, butting him into the nearest exit visible. Pushed forward by his own momentum the Temporal Pokemon tumbled in after, falling out onto a disgraceful heap on top of Giratina into the Hearth of Truth.

"Dialga? What - my goodness, Giratina!" Rolling to his feet and shaking his head, Dialga's eyes rose to see Reshiram hurrying over to them across the near-empty chamber - courtsey of her humble tastes - with her blue eyes wide in shock.

"I was just wondering that!" Snaped Palkia as she followed them inside, immediately crouching down to check on the Renegade Pokemon. "Thank Arceus we made it back to the Hall. We need to find out who did this to him. I'll go fetch Cresselia while the two of you - "

"No."

Dialga blinked in surprise as Giratina's eyes suddenly snapped open, betraying more fear and terror than he'd ever seen his irascible brother express.

"Cresselia... can wait..." croaked the Renegade Pokemon, sounding as if his throat really had been ripped out. "Must... inform... hurry... my realm... deep inside... ambushed... time... short..."

"Slow down, one at a time!" Exclaimed Palkia as she locked eyes with the Netherlord. "Why must we hurry? Who ambushed you?"

"IT'S HIM!" Giratina screamed with such force that even Dialga leaped to his feet in shock. "HE'S BACK!"

Then, his eyes rolling back into his skull, the Renegade Pokemon dropped unconscious again.

Dialga felt his legs buckle under him, having understood Giratina's words perfectly. What in the world was destiny playing on them?

"The Lord of Destruction," whispered Reshiram, staring into her claws horrorstruck. "Our eternal enemy... he has risen again. Does this mean..."

"All this is his doing? I'd say so," growled Palkia, looking as if she wanted to punch the wall down in frustration. "So all these recent disasters... they've been happening for a reason. The Energy Storm was his doing as well... but what does it change?"

"Nothing!" Dialga snapped, infuriated by the sudden descent of despair among them. "This only proves that we must awaken Lord Arceus as quickly as possible, lest we witness the end of the universe. We must hasten our search for the Plates before HE decides to strike. This is our duty as Titans, upholders of the Highest Power!"


Longer than usual, wasn't it. Well it may be, 'cause it's one of the most important! XD

#1. Was given. Someone told Charon about this, the same info that we peeked into in Chapter 5.

#2. Doesn't mean Scizor hit Charon too, though I sorta wish he did XD

#3. Millions of apologies to Candice and Wake, who didn't get any appearances... drat. At first I was planning on Riley showing up in Iron Island in Chapter 7, but the idea slipped from my mind. :/

#4. Chapter 34 of Arc 1. Dialga said that to Gold...;;

Points to take notice of here:

1. Petrel, Jupiter and Charon all seem to know parts of the truth, but is it enough? And what some of them aren't even true?

2. Poor Petrel decided to get nosy like the Sages, and ended up... *gulp*

3. Jupiter was telling Starmie's master to get her out...

4. As you've noticed, that's the same Beeheyem that showed up in Chapter 25 of Arc 1. And the voice, the voice... we'll be coming back to that one in Chapter 12.

5. The True Enemy enters! He's been hiding in the Distortion World this whole time, screwing with the weather and criminals... who might be powerful and mad enough to do that? I see people starting to imagine Cyrus...

6. As such, Reshiram and Zekrom were innocent of charge... the deities punished the wrong Pokemon! XD

In Chapter 12 we start wonder... WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO WHITE IN THE TUNNELS? Somehow no one seemed to realize that she and Looker got buried under a cave-in... Until then, R&R!

Writing completed on December 7th, 2011. This is Yowl of Time, out.