Sand and dust blasted across the face of the young boy as he shielded his eyes from the violent storm.
The dunes were shifting in violent, random patterns, causing miniature tornadoes of debris which flew across the landscape and pushed into any and all that stood in their way. Yet just beyond the horizon, amid the arid confusion of the shifting desert, the boy could see the edge of the world.
"We're almost there, you guys." Zeni whispered with what little energy he had left in his voice as he stared down towards the Pokeballs clipped on his belt. "We're almost... There..."
The dark, damp room was suddenly filled with ragged breathing and the rapid pumping of a heartbeat. Zeni's eyes suddenly opened and he stared wide-eyed towards the opposite wall.
His entire surroundings were coloured a dark, rustic brown and the walls seemed to drip with moisture, causing loud echoes to engulf him. His feet were firmly planted on the ground, though moving his hands proved difficult as he felt the cold steel of rusted shackles brush against his skin.
"Uh..." he murmured, lifting his head and trying to absorb his surroundings. "What...?"
"So you finally decided to wake up." the angry voice of Falkner hissed from the boy's left.
Zeni peered over towards his former partner, who was also chained by the wrists against the wall.
"Oh, it's you." he groaned, still feeling groggy from his recent awakening. "What happened?"
"Never mind that!" Whitney snapped from Zeni's right. "What happened to Zak? Why isn't he here with us?"
Zeni peered over towards the Goldenrod Gym leader and noticed that, she too, was chained to the wall in the exact same fashion he and Falkner were.
"Zak..." Zeni mumbled, trying to recall his memory with more than a little difficulty.
"I knew this was a bad idea..." Falkner sighed.
"I never realised Zak was in such trouble..." Whitney mumbled, sadness spreading across her face. "And I gave him such a hard time... Back in Ilex..."
"Of course he's in trouble!" Falkner growled, his anger rising more and more. "He makes us sneak into a Team Rocket base without any backup? The kid is crazy!"
"We've got to rescue him." Zeni suddenly spoke up, his eyes shifting onto the metal door in the corner of the room near Whitney.
There was an odd silence for a moment as the two Gym leaders pondered this idea.
"And just who's going to rescue US?" Falkner asked with a sneer in his voice.
Zeni refused to answer this, instead he simply stared intently at the iron door which possessed a window with four, short vertical bars obscuring their view of the outside.
"But it's strange," Whitney began hesitantly. "I don't think those people were Team Rocket members..."
She looked back over towards Zeni before continuing.
"Zeni, you were with Zak, weren't you? What happened?"
Zeni simply stared down at the ground, his face emotionless, but his eyes beginning to mist.
'It's just like...' he thought to himself, sniffing slightly. 'Just like before... I can't let him down. I CAN'T...'
"Okay!" Zeni yelled suddenly, startling the other two trainers. He hurriedly turned his head towards Whitney. "Do we still have our Pokemon?"
Whitney simply shook her head.
"They're not THAT idiotic, y'know." Falkner added.
"That's no problem!" Zeni chuckled, his frown now turning into an enormous grin. "I still have my sunglasses."
"Your sunglasses?" Falkner repeated incredulously.
"Just watch." Zeni snickered, reaching for a stick on the floor with his feet.
One long yawn escaped from the mouth of one of the girls sat around the modest, wooden table. She quickly reached for the mug of coffee in front of her and took a long sip, hoping for a sudden caffeine boost.
"You tired?" another girl asked. She, too, shared a similar look of drowsiness.
The first girl nodded, flicking back her dark, raven-coloured hair.
"We've been up for hours planning this raid." she explained simply. "Though I have to admit it was a lot easier taking down Team Rocket than I had first thought."
"Heh," the second girl chuckled, sharpening the blades of the sai which lay in her lap. "yeah, they were pretty pathetic, I guess."
"Excuse me, ladies." one dark, low-pitched male voice spoke up.
Both women turned to face the newcomer. He was a tall young man in their age range of the mid-twenties and wore a shorter, dark red version of their uniforms. His hair was long and braided into a ponytail, coloured a dark, bloody red and his eyes were a mild, chocolate brown. On his back were two sheaths which housed two magnificent samurai swords which overlapped with each other into a menacing cross shape.
"Oh, it's you, Jeru." the first girl sighed, returning to her coffee.
"I was ordered to inform you both that your breaks have ended." Jeru said firmly with no sign of emotion in his voice. As he spoke his eyes simply stared towards the area of the two girls, neither one refusing to blink. "The mistress would like you to return to guard cell thirty-seven."
"Aww, man..." the second girl whined, sheathing her sai as she spoke. "We've got to guard a bunch of Team Rocket grunts?"
"Those are your orders." Jeru confirmed simply.
"Why can't we watch over the hottie in the royal chambers?" the first girl suggested, more to herself than anyone else.
Reluctantly the two women got to their feet and began the long trek through the vast, brown stone corridors.
Jeru watched them as they went, though he said nothing until footsteps began to approach from his right, prompting him to turn.
"Mistress Yuki." he greeted her, again lacking any form of emotion in his voice, though he did bow to her. "Your mother wishes to see you in the royal chambers right away."
The young girl, around the age of fifteen, bowed to Jeru, though she refused to smile.
"Thank you, Jeru." she replied, bowing to the older man before turning and heading down through the opposite corridor.
The hallways themselves were coloured a dark, terra-cotta brown and showed obvious signs of age. Yuki sighed as she made her way towards the royal chambers. She had grown used to this place over the course of the past few months, yet the ancient carvings which dominated the walls still unnerved her ever so slightly.
Yuki was an undeniably pretty young woman, bearing straight, golden blonde hair which was tied at the base of her neck and flowed down past her shoulders to the small of her back. Her eyes were a bright, crystalline blue and her face was not too rounded, yet not too sharp. She stood at just over five feet tall and wore a similar uniform to that of the other women who were positioned throughout the ancient complex.
The robe she wore was similar to that of a traditional martial arts uniform, though it was a lot less thick and flowed with more artistic flair than it's distant cousin. It was coloured entirely white, save for a single blue stripe which edged around the lower tip of her sleeves, pants and skirt. On her back was fastened a brown leather strap which held a long, wooden staff with the blade of a small axe protruding from the end, resembling a customised halberd.
Eventually, after walking for several minutes, Yuki arrived at the large, iron double doors which signaled the entrance to the royal chambers. Ignoring the two guards stationed on either side, she knocked loudly on the doors before pushing them open and entering the huge room.
The royal chambers were not particularly tall, but they were wide and inviting, with red and yellow silk running down across the walls and a large, double bed situated in the central altar. The silk decorations ran down across the bed and became the sheets themselves, providing what would most certainly be a luxurious night's stay.
Yuki surveyed the large, empty space before heading to her right and towards the secondary chamber, which she knew was her room. Just as she was about to enter, however, she heard a voice call out to her from far behind.
"Yuki, my beloved daughter!" came the voice of the woman, who spread out her arms and invited the girl to approach.
Yuki turned and made her way towards her mother.
Yuki's mother, Velcia, was still attractive despite her age. She had long, flowing purple hair which was currently held in two buns on either side of her head, and she wore a large amount of dark purple eye-shadow. Her face was absolutely flawless, though Yuki knew that this was in part thanks to her strict makeup regime. Her mother refused to leave her chambers before painting her face a stunning, pearly white and this was yet another reason that made it feel like she was far above any other human.
Velcia wore a thin, light purple gown which displayed her slim midriff and matching gloves which made her hands and fingers look long and slender, like those of an angel. A more bulky and concealed version of this same material covered her chest and below her hips, and on her shoulders she wore a large, gold and red cape with silk tassels which fell along her arms.
Yuki knew that her mother had always had a fondness for jewelery, and sure enough a long, thin silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant attached hung down around her neck, whilst on her forehead she wore a thin but beautifully carved silver tiara, a brilliant, oval topaz sparkling in it's centre.
Yuki approached her mother, who pulled her into a warm embrace. There was a long pause of silence for a moment before the two of them withdrew from this greeting and Velcia spoke up again.
"Have you seen him, yet?" she asked, a schoolgirl's excitement escaping from her normally regal voice.
Yuki rolled her eyes before answering.
"No, mother." she replied. "Not yet."
"Then come, come!" Velcia insisted, putting her hand behind Yuki's back and guiding her gently into the nearby chamber. "I am so very excited for you, my dear. So very, very excited."
Yuki said nothing as her mother continued to fantasise.
"For almost seventeen years we have been planning for this moment..." she continued as she pushed open the door and allowed her daughter to step inside with her into the small, twenty foot by twenty foot room. "Seventeen years of waiting for this day to finally arrive!"
Yuki surveyed her surroundings. Despite her high position of second-in-command to her mother, she had never been allowed to enter this chamber ever since they had relocated to the Ruins of Alph. It was styled in much the same way as her own personal chambers, though the floor was covered in silk as well in addition to the walls and the small, single bed. Pastel coloured pillows were scattered throughout the area and on the bed lay a young boy, looking not much older than seventeen years...
Zak slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the gold and red ceiling, his mind finally returning to consciousness.
"Ugh..." he groaned, squinting at the lights and colours which surrounded him. "...Where am I...?"
Zeni eventually managed to pick up the stick between his feet, curling his body and shifting his weight into his hands in order to lift his feet and grab the twig between his teeth.
"Wow." Whitney stammered, impressed. "You're very flexible, y'know that, Zeni?"
Zeni simply winked at the girl before replying as he began to pick the lock on the shackles that bound his wrists.
"'Ou shoul' see me when I'm sleepi'." he responded with some difficulty. Whitney simply groaned.
After a few minutes of furious lock-picking Zeni eventually heard a loud, satisfying click as his right hand was freed from it's metal confines. Immediately he removed the stick from his mouth and began to unpick the second shackle.
"Impressive." Falkner admitted, watching the young thief go about his work.
"I try." Zeni chuckled, always happy to receive praise.
It took the boy only a few minutes to successfully unpick the locks of the other two prisoner's shackles and soon the three of them were walking around freely within the confines of their small cell.
Zeni peered through the crack at the side of the door, making careful notes in his mind on what the hinges were made of and how much pressure would be required to break the lock.
"Looks like it's bolted from the other side, too." Zeni explained. "I can pick the lock pretty easy but that'll be more difficult..."
"Great." Falkner sighed, flicking his hair back. "Was this part of your plan, too?"
"You can stay here if you'd like." Zeni laughed quietly. "I'm sure it'll feel a lot cozier with just me and the lady."
Falkner scowled at this, but said nothing.
"I think we'll have to make some noise." Zeni said after a long silence.
"You have a plan?" Whitney questioned, intrigued by the boy's ingenuity.
"Something like that." Zeni admitted, then motioned to the two of them to come closer. "Now listen up..."
"Isn't he handsome, Yuki?" the voice of Velcia rang in Zak's ears. "You're just as I imagined you'd be!"
Zak groggily began to push himself up from the bed, his head continuing to pound relentlessly.
Yuki remained silent in response to her mother's words and simply watched the boy with mild interest.
Zak looked over towards the two women and continued to squint at them, not entirely sure what was going on. The last thing he could remember was fighting with Knite and then...
"!!" Zak gasped, then leapt off the other side of the bed and turned to face the two women, his hand reaching for his sword. Or at least, where his sword used to be.
Zak stared down towards his belt. His Pokeballs had been removed as well. The boy clenched his fists in preparation for a fight, certain that several hundred guards would come pouring out from numerous hidden entrances.
"Where am I!?" he demanded. "Where's Knite? And Zeni, and Scizor-?"
Velcia raised a hand calmly and smiled warmly at the boy.
"My son..." she whispered gently. "I'm so sorry it had to be like this."
Zak's eyes widened and he loosened his stance.
"What..." he began. "What are you talking about?"
"Zak..." the woman continued, opening her arms and inviting him closer.
"Who are you!?" Zak yelled. He was confused and angry, and lashing out seemed like the only thing he knew he could do. "Where am I? Answer me!"
"Zak, of course you don't recognise me." Velcia spoke soothingly. "I haven't seen you since you were just a baby."
There was a heavy silence which hung in the air for a moment.
"...I'm your mother, Zak."
"What!?" Zak growled, gritting his teeth, growing angrier and angrier by the second. "My mother is-"
"He told you I'd died, did he?" Velcia presumed.
Zak fell silent again.
"I can't say I blame him for that." Velcia admitted with a faint sigh. "I probably would have done the same thing in his position. Geol was always too cautious for his own good."
Zak's heavy, confused breathing filled the room as the three of them all stared each other down, not sure what to do.
"Yuki, this is your brother, Zak." Velcia finally spoke up once more, smiling at the two of them.
"I have a sister?" Zak breathed, then shook his head, glaring back at the older woman with defiance in his eyes. "No! I already have a sister! And I already have a mother! And my father wouldn't-"
"You have a step-mother." Velcia corrected the boy. "And a step-sister. And your father would; you know that. Just think: all that you've been through these past months, all the secrets you have learned about him. He doesn't love you. If he loved you, he wouldn't have taken you away from me!"
Zak's heart began to beat faster and faster, and he felt a pang of sorrow well up in his stomach. His eyes began to twitch and he held back what he knew was an impending flood of tears.
Velcia simply opened her arms up again and began to approach him.
"Come, my child." she whispered softly, a hint of warm seduction in her voice. "You've been through so much. I'm here for you now. We're together at last."
Yuki watched idly as her mother wrapped her arms around the boy who had just started to weep, though he tried his best to hide it.
"My son..." Velcia purred. "At last your destiny will be fulfilled..."
Suddenly Velcia felt a powerful thrust push her away and slam her onto the silk bed behind them. Zak's right hand was outstretched and he was breathing heavily, his eyes a bloodshot red. Immediately Yuki drew her halberd and swung it behind her, ready to strike.
"No!" Velcia ordered, holding a hand up towards her daughter. "Do not hurt him!"
"You two are the only ones who have to worry about getting hurt." Zak growled, tears still flowing down his cheeks. "Now where are my friends!?"
"Zak, please," Velcia replied calmly, getting back to her feet. "calm down. Your friends don't care about you. Your father doesn't care about you! You need to listen to me, we don't have much time! Raikou is-"
Zak lowered his guard once more, wiping his eyes.
"...Raikou?" he repeated.
"You must calm down, my son." Velcia urged.
Zak let out a loud scream before leaping across the bed and towards the outside door.
"Don't call me that!!" he cried as he went.
With exceptional precision, Yuki immediately threw her halberd towards the boy's exit, lodging the weapon into the frame of the door mere inches from Zak's face.
"Good, Yuki." Velcia congratulated her daughter. "Your husband will have to learn that he is to obey his destiny, and his queen. GUARDS!!"
Zak hurriedly ducked underneath the weapon and dashed into the main royal chambers, only to be confronted by ten uniformed guards at the main exit, each carrying one large axe.
"Chain him in the other room." Velcia commanded. "My son will listen to me; whether he likes it or not."
"No, stay away!" Whitney screamed at the top of her voice. "Please!"
"Come on, louder!" Zeni whispered. "Your life is in danger!"
"I'm doing it fine!" Whitney hissed back before resuming her yells. "Get away from me!!"
"What the Hell!?" a gruff voice cried from outside the trio's prison cell.
Frantic footsteps could be heard echoing around the outer hallway as two guards approached the door and peered inside.
"How'd they get loose!?" one asked, puzzled.
"Who cares, just stop him!" the other snapped, slamming open the door and rushing inside.
"Now!" Zeni called as soon as the guards entered into the space.
From behind the iron door Falkner grabbed the neck of the first guard and slammed his head into the stone wall, forcing him into unconsciousness. Taking advantage of this surprise, Whitney sent an impressive roundhouse kick down onto the head of the second guard, who passed out upon hitting the brickwork floor.
"Nice." Zeni commented, admiring Whitney's leg as he did so.
"Let's go!" Falkner insisted hurriedly. "We've got to find our Pokemon and get out of here. Now!"
"You guys can do what you want," Zeni answered firmly. "but I'm going to find Zak."
"You're both right," Whitney exclaimed, the adrenaline now furiously pumping through her veins. "but where will we find them?"
"We'd better start walking, I guess." Zeni suggested in his traditional, happy-go-lucky way. "Stick close and walk quiet."
With these final words of instruction the two Gym leaders followed Zeni through the labyrinth of concrete corridors and hallways.
A chill breeze swept through the forest atop the hill which overlooked the Ruins of Alph and ruffled the hair of one young man who watched the buildings from afar. His eyes narrowed and he glared down towards the former site of the hidden Team Rocket hangar, now ravaged like the ruins it lay beneath.
"So..." a soft female voice asked from behind with more than a hint of worry present. "What now?"
Knite was silent in response to Tamara's words, his face simply expressionless as he continued to watch the landscape below him.
"You ruined it all..." he growled underneath his breath, his voice slowly becoming louder and louder as his rage grew. "You ruined everything."
"I..." Tamara whimpered somewhat. "I just wanted to help... I thought... I thought Zak was going to-"
"Zak was going to die!!" Knite screamed, spitting onto the ground in disgust. "I had him. He was about to die! This could have all been finished!"
There was an awkward silence as the wind rustled the leaves of the trees which surrounded them. The night sky was a perfect blanket of dark blue, offering sparse glimpses of scattered white stars here and there. Wild Hoothoots could be heard all around and the peaceful still of the night was well and truly present.
"That accursed Scizor..." Knite hissed.
"If only it hadn't deflected my Salamence's Hyper Beam..." Tamara added to herself, staring down at the grass beneath her feet with a sad look in her eyes.
"It hated Vangard..." Knite continued, puzzled as he analysed the creature's actions in his mind. "And yet it saved him."
As Knite contemplated Scizor's reasons for defending it's hated human master, he noticed out of the corner of his eye a small group of people approaching the wreckage of the Team Rocket hangar. Each one was dressed in black and yellow martial arts style uniforms and their leader looked very familiar, with light grey hair and a matching beard.
Knite watched the group with caution, taking a few steps back towards the shadows of the trees. Tamara looked up at the boy with confusion; she knew there was something going on, though she dared not ask him what it was.
"What an interesting turn of events." Knite chuckled to himself softly. "So it's begun at last."
He turned towards Tamara and began to walk into the deep, black forest.
"Come." he ordered. "Our part in this story has not ended just yet..."