Chapter 11: Chase
005 woke. He stretched and rubbed his throat, which thanks to plenty of water, rest, and medicine was now almost totally healed. He pushed himself off of the ground and into a standing position. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his ape-like limbs before inhaling deeply. Breathing didn't hurt.
He smiled and sat back down, looking around at the rest of his team. They had been at this mountain-top for the past four days, and only Joan and Blast left for food. Other than that, they had just been relaxing and talking. 005 turned and looked at the sleeping Arcanine who had been protecting the Charmeleon for the past four days. The huge dog was sleeping on his side and taking deep breaths as he slept. He was much older than 005.
005 had talked to the Arcanine extensively for the past few days. According to Blast, he had a family once, a mate and several Growlithe pups. Then, Team Rocket had raided his home and captured him, taking him away from his family, and he hadn't seen them since.
Since he was taken, he had worked for Team Rocket, where he was treated cruelly and forced to fight until he was near death. He still thought of his family and children, though, and wanted to return to them more than anything.
Suddenly Blast stirred. He awoke and stood before yawning and stretching.
"Good morning, 005." The Arcanine said, smiling. The sound of the great dog's woof woke Ember. The lion stood and walked over to 005 and Blast with his tail swishing and his yellow eyes bright.
Thankfully, 'Phoenix' had only appeared once, and only for a few hours. 005 was still unsure what to do with the lazy, arrogant, alternate persona. He seemed to only be willing to help as long as it was beneficial to him. If he ever took over Ember in a dangerous situation and Phoenix didn't want to help…the Charmeleon didn't want to even consider that.
"Um…good morning." The lion's mouth twitched in a brief smile. Dew walked over as well, followed by Kadabra, then the clanking footsteps of Steel. The six Pokémon stood in a circle.
"What's next?" Blast asked. 005 sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"I honestly don't know. I guess we should alert the authorities to the Team Rocket bases through Joan's device…but I doubt anyone will be there…they're too smart for that. Other than that…I don't know."
"Well, Team Rocket has dozens of other bases, right? So our work has barely begun!" Dew said. 005 frowned and crossed his arms.
"Well…um…we don't know where any are, right?" Ember said timidly. Steel nodded and shrugged.
"Exactly. I have no idea where to start looking." The Charmeleon sighed. Blast looked up suddenly, a smile on his canine face.
"I think…I might be able to find a few of them!" Blast said. 005 gave him a hopeful look.
"Really? How?" The Charmeleon asked, his tail flicking in excitement.
"When I was with Team Rocket…I went to three different bases. One was the Ice Path base…the one you said you went to already. The other base was, of course, the base in Lavaridge. But the third…" Blast trailed off.
"Do you know where it is?" Joan suddenly joined the conversation, looking eager. The Arcanine frowned.
"We only went there once…last year…but I remember lots of cars. It was definitely a big city…and I also remember that we went into a department store…I think it's in Goldenrod." Blast finally said.
"Well then! Let's go kick their sorry asses!" Kadabra growled, taking an eager step forward.
"We can't just storm in like we always do!" Dew said, frowning at Kadabra.
"Do we have to storm in at all? Phoenix might…yeah. He says that one strong attack from me and he takes over. Wonderful." Ember sighed.
"We've already come this far. We cannot step aside and let Team Rocket do whatever they please!" 005 growled.
"We can't just march in again!" Dew growled back.
"Those asses have to pay!" Kadabra added helpfully.
"If we make then pay, I…I'll lose control!" Ember fired back with rarely seen ferocity. Then there was a shouting match. Everyone's cries and arguments got louder and louder until Blast barked loudly.
"STOP!" The other five looked at Blast and instantly got quiet at the dog's stern expression. "This won't help anything!" The Arcanine growled.
"He's right. Screaming won't help anyone! There are two things I know. One, we do have to trash the place, two, we can't do it like we have before. We do need a better plan." 005 sighed and sat onto the ground. "I just don't know what our plan should be…"
"We always think of something." Joan smiled, "…but…I think we should go back to Kanto now. We've been here for over a week, my Pokégear is out of battery…not to mention the fact that I've been wearing the same clothes for four days! We need to go back." 005 nodded.
"Very well. Tonight we—" Suddenly the Charmeleon was interrupted by a distant whirring. He looked to the mouth of the cave and dropped to all fours.
"What the hell…?" He muttered, walking toward the exit on his knuckles and back legs. He walked cautiously onto the ledge outside the cave, the rest of the group right behind him.
In the air just outside a large black helicopter hovered.
"You have been causing lots of trouble for us! We are here to capture you!" A voice boomed from the chopper. Then from the bottom of the helicopter a large black gun dropped. The gun aimed itself at 005 and fired a purple and white Master Ball towards the Charmeleon.
A red beam fired from the ball, attempting to absorb 005 inside of it. Instead, the Charmeleon glowed white and the ball dropped to the ground, harmless. Five more balls fired, attempting to capture Blast, Dew, Steel, Ember, and Kadabra, but those balls also fell harmless to the ground.
Joan instantly scooped up the powerful Pokéballs and placed them in her backpack.
"You have already been captured? Well then." Two more guns appeared out the side of the helicopters, these ones were much smaller. "I guess we'll just kill you."
Bullets shot from the gun towards the group, but Kadabra's eyes glowed blue and stopped the bullets in their wake. Joan, thinking fast, whipped out Ember's Pokéball and withdrew the lion before climbing onto Dew's back.
"I can't hold them for much longer!" Kadabra growled as more and more bullets became suspended in midair by his psychic field.
Steel grabbed Blast, and in a swift move launched into the air. Dew and Joan followed. Kadabra gave 005 a fierce look, his eyes glowing blue and sweat beading on his forehead.
"As soon as I take you in my field, the bullets already stopped will drop to the ground, but I can't stop any new bullets fired . Be ready." The psychic spoke telepathically. Kadabra's wings buzzed and shot into the air, and the stopped bullets fell to the ground even as 005 began to float, surrounded by blue energy.
Bullets whizzed past them as Kadabra shot away, the Charmeleon in tow.
005 always enjoyed flying with Kadabra, it was his only glimpse of how it would feel to evolve.
Something he could never do.
However, it wasn't as enjoyable when they were being chased by a helicopter firing bullets at them.
Kadabra dodged and swerved around, trying to be a harder target. The chopper was right behind them, but Kadabra was slightly faster, at least fast enough to be getting further and further away.
"You got it, wingy!" 005 shouted.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" The psychic screamed mentally, his wings beats getting even faster. The whirling of the helicopter began to fade, and 005 could see that it was getting farther and farther away.
"Yes! We'll be out of range soon!" The Charmeleon shouted gleefully, ducking beneath a bullet as it flew over his head.
Kadabra opened his mouth to respond, but then his eyes widened in pain.
His wings stopped buzzing, and he began to spiral towards the treetops. 005 fell out of the psychic field, and he also began free fall towards the earth.
Frantically, the Charmeleon grabbed Kadabra by his scythe, ignoring the nasty cut the sharp blade gave his hand.
"Kadabra wake up!" 005 yowled, struggling to hang on. The trees got close and closer.
"Wake up!" 005 managed to yell again before the ground caught up with him and the Charmeleon crashed through the trees. His world went black.
005 woke up a few hours later, covered in scratches and bruises. He sat up and rubbed his head, then winced and ripped it away.
Kadabra! He though in a panic, looking around for the psychic bug. He finally spotted him lying at the base of a tree, sprawled out face-down. The Charmeleon dashed over to him with worry. His hand shaking slightly, 005 pressed his finger's against the side of Kadabra's throat. He felt a pulse. He sighed with relief. The Charmeleon stepped back and surveyed the psychic bug, who was also covered in lumps, scratches, and bruises. He looked harder over Kadabra's body, trying to figure out the reason for his crash. Finally he saw it; a large hole in Kadabra's upper right wing.
He's been shot! 005 realized in horror. The Charmeleon looked around desperately for help, but saw no one. The rest of the team was too far ahead…they have no idea where we are!
005 covered his mouth and sat down on the ground.
If I don't do something soon…he could die…think! Think! What do I do? He stood again and began to pace. He looked again at the Kadabra. The bullet hole on his wing was a gaping hole, and oddly, blood gushed from it. Not only that, but the psychic had a huge gash on his head that was also bleeding, along with dozens of smaller scrapes and bruises, several of which were nasty gashes that also bled.
I need to get him out of here! 005 realized. Walking over to Kadabra, he slung his arm under the psychic's and lifted him up. The Charmeleon chose a random direction and stumbled forward with Kadabra in tow.
The walk was painstakingly slow and seemed to last forever, each step an eternity. Then, in the distance, the tress thinned. The dirt faded into sand and dust, and the few trees still in the area were dead. A wind kicked up, blowing sand into 005's eyes. The Charmeleon squinted in pain and tried to stumble forward. His breath was raspy again, and his cuts stung as dust flew into them. He walked forward, determined, but growing more weary with each and every step. Finally 005 collapsed, wheezing as sand entered his nostrils and his lungs.
Kadabra fell into the sand beside him, face-down. 005 barely had enough consciousness to shove the psychic onto his back so Kadabra's mouth faced up. Then he allowed the darkness gathering at the edges of his vision to consume him.
Joan leaned down to Dew's ear in worry and shouted above the wind,
"What about Kadabra and 005? Are they okay?" The Dewott shrugged and screamed back,
"We can't risk going back! They're strong, they'll make it!" Joan nodded, but she felt intense dread building in the pit of her stomach.
005 awoke in a hospital bed. Lights blinded him for a second, but they faded and he found a face staring down at him, and a tube pumping liquid into his veins.
"Amazing…" The voice said, "He has a Monferno mask…and the other has wings and a Scyther blade!" 005's vision became more focused, and he saw that the face was a woman in a bright red wig and a nurse's hat. He sat up sharply.
"Woah there little guy! Don't get all crazy! Your friend is just there, see?" The woman pointed to 005's right. Indeed, Kadabra was lying there, connected to a bunch of machines. He looked horrible, but he was alive. Alive for now.
"Now, you just relax, okay sweetie? We have some very nice scientists coming to look at you." The woman said in a perky voice. 005 could instantly tell this woman was one of those people that thought Pokémon were just pets just beasts that weren't even the slightest bit intelligent. However, if he spoke in human tongue to rebuke her, she might tell the scientists to get here sooner, so instead he made a low growl and nodded.
"Good! Now just relax. Your friend will be all better tomorrow! And the day after that, the nice men will come and help you! Rest up, sweetie." She patted his knee and exited the room through a glass door. Next to the glass door was a huge window, and to 005's dismay several Pokémon and trainers stared in awe at the Charmeleon.
"Goddamn, the humans know about us!" He whispered under his breath. He saw one human pull out one of the same device Joan had and hold it up to the window. There was a bright flash that emanated from the device, and then the human put the device away.
"Ugh…stupid humans and their stupid tech." 005 muttered he leaned back in the comfy bed and looked over at Kadabra, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully. The Charmeleon yawned, suddenly exhausted. Might as well sleep. He thought. Tomorrow we escape this human-ridden place…before we're taken away for even more experiments.
005 awoke again, this time to find Kadabra sticking his yellow nose in 005's face. The psychic slapped him none-too-gently across the face twice.
"Wake-up, moron." He hissed. 005 jerked fully awake, sitting up in the bed and looking around. The hospital was dark, except for the steady flat-line coming from Kadabra' monitor.
"Hurry up! They know I'm out of bed. Rip off that IV and let's get outta here!" said the psychic as he yanked 005 to a standing position on his bed. 005 ripped the tube out of his arm and a long oxygen tube out of his nose. His own monitor flat-lined.
"Dammit come on! Damn bastard." Kadabra dashed to the door.
"What about you, idiot! Are you alright?" 005 growled as he ran up to the Kadabra. The psychic shut his eyes, and the door swung open. Dim lightbulbs shone light into the outer hallway. Kadabra stepped into the hall and turned right. He dashed down, ignoring 005's question. The Charmeleon sighed and dropped to all fours, dashing after the psychic. He followed Kadabra around the halls, and they had just come to the escalator that led to the lobby of the Pokémon center when Nurse Joy appeared, her bright red wig askew.
"Oh, sweeties! Why are you awake? You go back to bed now! Don't make nursey angry!" Said the nurse in a sickly sweet voice. Kadabra grunted in anger, his eyes glowing blue. A blue aura surrounded the nurse and pinned her arms to her sides.
"Oh sweetie! You've made us angry! Just stay out of our way, ickle-nurseykins!" 005 chortled. The nurse's jaw dropped in shock as Kadabra and 005 laughed their way around her and down the stairs.
And they bumped right into a fat security guard, who had finally got off of his lazy ass to find out what all the loud flat-lining had been about.
This has to be the worst Arceus-damned Pokémon Center in all of the world! 005 thought in anger as the guard sent out a Mightyena and a Manectric and ordered them forward.
"ARCEUS DAMMIT WITHDRAW THEM! YOU DAMN MORONIC IDIOT LET US LEAVE! STUPID, LAZY ASS, MOTHER F—"
"Just step aside." 005 interrupted the psychic's angry outburst. The security guard looked stunned and withdrew his Pokémon with robot-like movements. The Charmeleon smirked and walked around him towards the exit doors. They were locked. An orb of blue and orange energy appeared in front of 005's mouth and launched at the doors, blasting them open.
005 ran into the town, then looked around in shock. The town was a giant building. It was pitch black, so it was hard to tell, but when 005 looked up his suspicions were confirmed. There were no stars and no moon, but they weren't inside the Pokémon Center anymore. The only light came from the Charmeleon's flaming tail.
"Right. That takes care of that. Now, where the hell do we go next?" The psychic growled, looking around in the pitch blackness with equal shock.
Oh. Map. 005 thought, wheeling about and marching back into the Pokémon Center.
The map told them that they were in Mauville City, and that in order to leave Hoenn they needed to go north. After they left the Pokémon Center for the second time, they cautiously made their way out of the strange, covered city and into the fresh air, ahead of them was a large stretch of sand that seemed to glow blue in the pale light from the moon.
"Are you okay?" The Charmeleon asked again. The psychic fixed him with a glare.
"I'm fine. I won't be flying anytime soon, but I'm fine."
"Why did your wing bleed?" 005 said.
"My wings aren't like normal Scyther wings, alright? They're made out of skin." Said Kadabra as he yanked his arm out of 005's grip and trudged through the sand.
"Does it have to be so Arceus damned cold at night?" He grumbled. 005 didn't mind, his body was naturally heated due to his bonding with the fire element. He wasn't thinking much about the chill, though.
"Wait…if you can't fly…are we stuck in Hoenn?" The Charmeleon asked. Kadabra smirked.
"Actually…I have a plan. Remember when we hijacked that boat?"
A/N:
Not much to say. Sorry for lack of frequent updates! And I know the past few chapters haven't been the best…sorry. Also thanks for all the OC's so far! They're pretty awesome! I can't set a specific time when they'll appear…they'll be sporadic in appearance and I might not get to them all.
Thanks for faving/following/reviewing/reading!