DWA: Hey everyone, how are you all doin'? If good, great, if not, cheer up because there is a chapter coming your way! Not much else to say. Now, all OC's go to their original creator, while my OC's and the plot go to me and Pokémon goes to Nintendo.

Replies:

Dustchu: Thanks again man, and yes the battle chapters should make thing less tedious.

GSlayer: I don't even know how to reply to these anymore.

Dragoliched: Mhmm! Oh umm, not really sure he plays favorites.

The Great T: *OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS*

"Speech"

'Thought'

-Telepathy-

[Translated Pokespeech]

Chapter 21: Calm Days, Dark Plans

-(ooo)- Time: 9:34am, Location: Route 15, POV: 1st Person, Stanley

The clouds hung overhead, only rarely letting light shine through as we travelled toward Vermillion. We left about an hour ago, and were nearing Route 14.

"So, do you think it will rain?" Blizz said looking up at the clouds.

"Don't you think we should be asking you that question Blizz?" I asked.

-It would make more sense.- Taisetsu agreed.

"Hey, I'm not a Castform!" She said.

"Not saying you were, it'd just make more sense. After all, Pokémon are more attuned to weather then humanity." I said. Blizz sighed and shook her head.

"If it does rain we need shelter." Corin said.

"We have tents, I'm sure you do too." I said. Corin nodded.

"Yes, I have a tent for myself." He said. I looked to Rina, who'd been oddly quiet most of the trip.

"Yo, Rina, you alright?" I asked. She kept walking without a reply, a distant look in her eyes. I shook her shoulder lightly. "Rina." I said and she seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, are you alright?" I asked again. She nodded.

"Yeah of course." She said.

"Okay . . . you've been really quiet." I said. She sighed.

"My mind is elsewhere." She said looking away.

"Where is it then?" I asked. "Unless it's private."

"Well, I have the odd feeling someone or something is following us." She said looking over her shoulder. There was a silence as we stopped walking.

"So, I'm not the only one." Corin said. "I feel the same."

"Yeah, it's a nagging feeling, so I saw no need to bring it up." Blizz said.

-I feel it too, ever since Fuchsia.- Taisetsu said.

"Yeah, last night I swear, I saw something out of the corner of my eye when we were in the cafeteria, a sort of shimmering." I said.

"Shimmering? Could something be following us, yet unseen by bending or refracting light?" Corin asked.

"Well, I have Latios, and Latias is the only other Pokémon I know that could do that." I said, and grabbed Latios' ball from my PLD. "Latios, is Latias nearby?" I asked the Latios colored Poke Ball.

-While my abilities to connect with Latias aren't as good as her true brother's was, I can say that she isn't nearby.- Latios said

"Well it isn't Latias. Thanks Latios." I said as I put his ball away.

-Of course Stanley.-

I looked behind us for a bit, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but there was nothing.

"Hmm, I guess we keep moving on." I said.

-If something attacks us, we'll fight it off.- Taisetsu said smiling at me. I nodded, smiling back.

"Then let's keep going. If it rains I'd rather be close to a town or city so we don't have to get soaked by the weather." Blizz said. Rina sighed and started walking again, Blizz following.

"She seems troubled by this more than we are." Corin said.

"Yeah, you should talk to her." I said.

"Why me? She knows you much better." He said.

"I know but, I think you can get through to her better." I said smiling. "The problem is that I know Rina, when ya get a chance man." I said patting his shoulder before jogging to catch up, Taisetsu next to me. Corin soon caught up to me as well. Soon enough we saw the sign saying we were on Route 14.

"One down, three to go." I said smiling.

"Why don't we just fly?" Blizz asked.

"Because I feel like walking is a better experience, we get to see Kanto, and see more as we walk." I said smiling.

"Actually we see more if we fly." Blizz said.

"Well, we get to take it in, and it's just more enjoyable." I said. Blizz sighed.

"Whatever." She said shaking her head. I gave a chuckle.

"It'll be fine." I said.

"Sure sure, whatever." Blizz said.

"So, are we staying at Vermillion when we get there?" Corin asked.

"If it's late yeah." I said.

"After all this walking, I hope we get there late." Rina said. "By then my feet will kill me." She said laughing.

"Says the girl who spars with her Lucario." I said.

"Your point?" Blizz asked.

"Thought her feet would be tougher." I said shrugging.

"Idiot." Blizz said.

"Well sorry for my assumption." I said, acting offended."

"Oh shut it!" Rina said laughing. "Let's just keep going hmm? Sound good?" She asked.

"Yeah." I said nodding and smiling as we continued on the route.

-(ooo)- Location: Kanto ES HQ, POV: 3rd person

Emily and Snow sat at a table with a screen, on but blank, until David's face appeared on it.

"Hello Emily, and Snow. How are things?" David asked.

"Well, we're doing fine, getting recruits and trying to push Team Rocket out, it's the perfect cover up. Kanto is fully behind us. Then again, Kanto is pretty strict, it was nearly guaranteed." Emily said. David nodded.

"Okay, and the Legendary Artifacts?" He asked.

"That has been rather unsuccessful. Snow." She said looking to the girl.

"Ah, mm, well, the Legendary Birds knew I would be coming somehow. Moltres nearly killed me, Zapdos had Electric Types guarding the access route to the tunnel, and Atricuno somehow teleported me." Snow said.

"They knew? How do you think they knew?" David asked.

"Well, most Legendary Pokémon can use Telepathy to communicate with humans, my first thought was a telepathic link, but, across oceans, even most Psychic types would have a hard time maintaining it." Snow said.

"Yes, very true, most Psychic Type Pokémon couldn't hold a link that far for an extended amount of time. Any other guesses?" David asked.

"My only other guess, which is ridiculous, is that they have some kind of gateway or teleporter, that warps them to a secret area, and they can exchange information." Snow said.

"You make it seem like their commanders and strategists in armies." David said.

"That's why it's ridiculous. Even if Legendary Pokémon are smarter, I doubt this thought completely." Snow said.

"It is farfetched." Emily said.

"But not out…" David added.

"Sir?" Snow inquired.

"The Registeel you and Danny went after said it was above any other Registeel in existence. Yes it was far stronger, but even then, assimilating human language is impressive for an ancient steel golem. If it was smarter, who's to say Pokémon that have lived for Eons, such as Rayquaza or Reshiram, can't plan, strategize, and communicate? The temple makers were smart to place the temples in areas where the Legendary felt at home, and would gain power. Maybe there is more to the temples than we know." David said.

"You may be right David, the Registeel Temple interior had steel behind the stone, allowing Registeel to make traps." Emily said.

"Hmm . . . we need to find Mew's Temple." David said.

"What!? David finding Mew is one in a billion, the temples are hidden and never discovered, the chance of finding Mew's temple is one in a trillion!" Emily said.

"Maybe, but we have to look. If we find it, we will get that artifact." David said.

"Y-yes sir." Emily said shaking her head in disapproval.

"And Snow." David said looking to her.

"Yes sir?" Snow asked.

"I want you to go after Stanley and his group, remind them we are always watching and want them gone. Bring a small force with you." He said.

Snow nodded. "Yes sir." She said.

"You are both dismissed." David said as the screen went blank. Emily stood with a sigh and walked out.

"A chance at them again, good." Snow whispered to herself. "They won't win against us."

-(ooo)- Location, Team Rocket HQ, POV: 3rd person.

"You're bold coming here." Giovanni said as he and Mike walked down the halls, grunts and others eyeing Mike suspiciously.

"Can't get anywhere without being a bit bold. Have you done what I asked?" Mike asked.

"Yes yes, we have lessened our activities, and have been harassing ES." Giovanni said. "Is that all you came for?" He asked.

"No, there's a group of friends I have travelling Kanto, they haven't had any confrontations with ES for a while, I think their due." He said.

"And what do you want me to do?" He asked.

"Let them know Team Rocket is fighting too. They can hold their own, but I want them to have some backup." Mike said.

"Really? That's all, I thought you'd want my fortune." Giovanni said sarcastically.

"They're on route fourteen." Mike said.

"What do I get out of this?" Giovanni asked.

"Allies Giovanni, like it or not, this is war." Mike said as he stopped walking, turning to Giovanni, and him turning to Mike.

"And the scale of this war?" He asked.

"Hoenn, where the Remnants are sure to give them hell, as well as the league. Here and Johto where you will give them hell." Mike said. "And I expect it to go to Unova." He said.

"So, that big…" Giovanni said looking down.

"It may have to come out Giovanni." Mike said.

"I'd prefer to keep my position as a Gym Leader. It's the one honorable thing in my life, and I battle fair." Giovanni said.

"I know, but we may not have a choice." Mike said.

"We'll cross that bridge whenever Karen decides to build it." Giovanni said.

"So, it's true." Mike said.

"The bitch is with them, Agatha would be ashamed." Giovanni said shaking his head. Mike sighed.

"Well we know that now." He said.

"I think we always knew." Giovanni said.

"Anyways, back to my request-"

"Yes, they'll get some back up, only on the routes." He said.

"Yeah, of course." Mike said. "Thanks."

"Yeah, whatever Mike. Now get out of here before you start something, I know your hand must want to grab that blade of yours." Giovanni said.

"A little, see ya round." Mike said before teleporting away.

"Tch . . . this is gonna be a long war." Giovanni said as he continued to walk down the hall.

-(ooo)- Time: 11:02am, Location: Route 14, POV: 1st Person Stanley

We had been walking for a long time, it certainly looked like it would rain, and we were just waiting for it to happen.

"Oh just ran already!" Blizz shouted.

"I'd rather it not Rain Blizz." Corin said.

-To be fair I can feel it, not a big storm, but a storm nonetheless.- Taisetsu said.

"Still, be optimistic." Rina said.

"Besides, arguing if it will rain isn't really worth it." I said, then I stopped, something, was off.

" . . . Do you feel that?" I asked looking to them.

" . . . Yeah . . . I don't like it." Rina said looking around. We all started to worry, something was here, and it was hostile. Then I noticed a shimmer in the corner of my eye. I knelt down and grabbed some dirt, and threw it at the shimmer, the dirt hitting something. Then the cloak went down.

It was Snow.

"Hello again." She said, standing there. I formed my bow and Rina threw Blizz her Staff, Taisetsu formed her Rapier, and Corin pulled out his blades.

"What do you want!?" I asked.

"ES wants you gone, what else?" She asked. "And you're outnumbered." She said as ES members with guns came from the bushes.

A drop, then another, soon, it had started raining.

'Of course now…' I thought as I took a step back.

"Too bad so sad you have to die here." Snow said. Ready, aim, fi-"

"Air Cutter!" A shout interrupted Snow as he group was assaulted by blades of air. I looked up to see Golbats flying around and looked behind me.

"Oh come on…" I said. Team Rocket. One started to run at us, and Corin jumped forward, about to stab him.

"WAITWAIT WE'RE HERE TO HELP!" He shouted and Corin stopped.

" . . . What?" Corin growled.

"On direct orders of our boss, we are to assist Stanley Zenex, and his group in fending off ES forces." He said.

"Wait what?" I asked.

"I follow orders, I don't make them kid. Team Rocket efforts have shifted to pushing ES forces of Kanto and Johto soil." He said.

"Why should we trust you?" Corin growled.

"You can't, but we will help." He said running past, the man's men following.

"I'm not really comfortable with this." I said.

"Also, the boss had a message for you, he said "I was recruited, just like you into this war, by the same man. Welcome to the big leagues." Any idea what it means?" He asked.

' . . . Mike recruited Team Rocket . . .'

"Mike . . . wow . . ." I muttered and shook my head. "No time to think about it now." I said looking to Snow and her forces.

"We have more pressing matters." I said, ready to fight her.

DWA: Oh just because Battles are one chapter now does NOT mean you get a break from my cliffhangers oh no. You will all still suffer from them. Sorry I didn't write at all last week, wasn't feeling it, college is piling it on. Summer break is soon for me, I'll try to keep working as to finish this Arc. Anyways, review, follow, and favorite!