A/N Hey everyone I'm back! So now we start really getting into the plot of this story... kind of. There's still a few gyms to go through until the big finale, but we're getting there. Thanks to OhMyGevalt, Rainbow-unicorns01, and TruBlu Ozzie for following! It really helps out a lot, and thanks to all you guys! Enjoy!

Espeon's POV

Everything is calm and peaceful, until Absol, who is next to me, tackles me off the path. As we tumble on the grass I instinctively send out a psychic push, but it doesn't affect the dark-type.

I get up on my feet and watch as Kat, Raichu, and the others fall through the ground which I was standing on seconds ago. I, Absol, and Spearow (who landed from the air) peer down the pit on my trainer and friends. Thankfully they don't seem too injured if a bit disoriented.

"Hey, can you try to find help? Celadon shouldn't be too far away." Kat calls up. I nod at Spearow, who takes off.

After a few seconds Absol turns to the forest, horn lit with a Night Slash. He intercepts a burst of flame headed straight for me. This isn't good. Another stream of fire emerges from the forest and I blast it back with a psychic pulse.

"Espeon? What's going on?" Kat calls out. I don't have time to respond as multiple Flamethrowers come towards me. Instead of blocking them all, I jump right and only deflect the attack that would hit me. I can now see the growlithes who attacked us. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Absol dealing with more growlithes on the other side. Thankfully, they don't seem that strong, but I do see the people behind them with red 'R's on their chest.

"Espeon, can you hear me? What's going on?" Kat's thoughts reach me. One growlithe braver than the others charges at me, and I shove him back with Psychic. Trying to concentrate on the others, I shortly respond, "Rocket ambush, Spearow not back yet."

A gust of wind blows behind me and I see some flickering embers that were blown away by Spearow. "Celadon's nowhere in sight, but I heard the fighting and flew back." Alright, now we can actually start taking these dogs out.

With Spearow's help, Absol quickly and ruthlessly cuts through the growlithes, jumping over flamethrowers and slashing with his horn blazing. Spearow and I make sure that no attacks or pokémon get near him as he knocks them out one by one.

Finally, all of the growlithes are finally knocked out, lying on the ground in pain. The Rockets return their pokémon angrily, and Absol stares them down, unnerving them.

I tell Kat, "That's the last of them. Absol's keeping them contained. Spearow said that Celadon is nowhere in sight; there won't be any help from them. Looks like we have to find a way to get you-"

A lightning bolt flies out of the trees and shocks me. I scream in pain, cutting off what I was saying. When it ends, I lie on the ground, unable to move. I can see that Spearow took the attack much worse than I did. The poor bird is unconscious with his wings smoking. I can't see Absol, and I can only hope that he's okay.

A Rocket with a more stylized 'R' on his chest emerges with an electivire at his side. He smiles sadistically at us. "My, my, what an impressive group of pokémon. Not many can defeat that many grunts in such a short amount of time. But, all things must come to an end. You're coming with me, and the boss wants your trainer for some reason."

He steps back, startled, as a Thunderbolt flies over me straight towards the Rocket, until his electivire intercepts it. Raichu? A Night Slash flies over as well, hitting the electivire and knocking it backwards. I manage to get up shakily and turn my head, seeing Kat glowing with energy and she looked pissed.

The electivire charges in close, but Kat glows white and easily moves out of the way. Unfortunately for her, the electivire is lightning-fast and hits her with a Brick Break, sending her rolling across the field. Electivire starts charging at her, glowing yellow with electricity.

No! I may not be able to move, but I could still use Psychic. I lock onto Electivire and shove, forcing him to trip and stumble right past her. Exhausted, I collapse again, unable to really think or move. I close my eyes and let the darkness take over.

Kat's POV

Ugh, what hit in the world hit me? I shake my head to try to clear it. Then I remember. Oh crap, the electivire. Ignoring my burning muscles, I shakily get up, and see the electivire charging me covered in electricity when suddenly a pink outline appears around him and he's shoved off to the side and stumbles next to me. I see Espeon collapse from exhaustion and her injuries a little ways away. Spearow is out as well while Absol is standing, but on his last legs.

I quickly return my three injured pokémon to safety, and turned to the electivire which had gotten up. He charges at me again, and I fly upwards, land behind him, and Night Slash his legs. He cries out in pain and falls on one knee. I look angrily at the leader, who still looks confident.

He pulls out a pokéball and returns electivire. "Pathetic. I expected you to be able to beat a little girl." He pulls out another. "I don't know why the boss is so interested in you. Sure, you can use some flashy moves, but that won't work against me. Bastiodon!"

A huge bulky quadruped appears with a thick shield-like face. "Earthquake!" As the ground starts to move I just fly up on my airy wings. Smirking, I ask, "Is that all you got?"

The Rocket doesn't respond to my jab, but just calls out "Rock Blast!" Large rocks fly towards me, and I try to dodge them. I manage to weave around the first two, but the third comes straight for me and I don't have enough time to move.

I close my eyes and brace myself, but there is no impact. The rock is hovering in front of me with a pink glow. Wait, of course, Espeon. I launch the rock back at the surprised tank-pokémon, who shrugs it off with no sign of discomfort.

"Again!" This time four rocks fly towards me. I try to catch them all, but one breaks through and glances my arm, jarring me and breaking my concentration. Gah! Okay, I still have limits. Can't just catch every rock.

I rub my bruised arm and stare at the bastiodon with determination. Two more rocks fly at me, and I easily dodge them and fire a Thunderbolt. Bastiodon grunts, but doesn't show any sign of injury. I guess I just have to keep dodging for now. How am I going to get out of this one…

Julia's POV

Well, I feel useless right about now. I'm stuck in a hole and I can't stop shivering with Lucario holding me close. Jake and the other pokémon are too concerned with what's going on above us to notice me. I know that I don't have anything to be afraid of (at least, for now) but I can't stop remembering.

The darkness. The cold. Alone.

Lucario gently shakes me, and I snap back to the present. Suddenly, the ground starts to shake, and loose dirt floats off of the walls. What…?

Suddenly, the dirt on the walls start falling on us, if not for Lucario who blasted the dirt before it could reach us. With the uneven surface, Pikachu nimbly hops up along the walls to the surface, while Lucario picks me up gently and starts climbing the walls as well.

Jake returns Wooper and Scyther, whose wing was injured during the fall. Not long after I'm at the surface and out of the ground Lucario leaps down and gets Jake as well.

Kat's POV

When will he just give up? Rocks continue to whiz by me as I dodge and deflect the numerous projectiles. The behemoth doesn't seem to be giving up, while his trainer is just watching, amused. I stare at him defiantly when there is a pause. If you're not going to give up, neither am I.

I look back only to see Bastiodon being launched across the path by a very angry Lucario, literally glowing blue with energy. I sigh in relief. My friends got out okay.

The Rocket stares with annoyance. "How did you get out?" he says to himself. "No matter. Infernape, Vespiquen, take care of these fools.

As a monkey with a blazing flame on his head and a giant bee (not a beedrill) appear, I mentally check who can fight. Lucario clearly can, Raichu is itching for a fight, and I don't know about Wooper. Scyther, Espeon, Absol, and Spearow are too hurt, and Teddiursa and Vulpix are still too young to fight.

I return Vulpix to her pokéball before she could get hurt, and land behind our pokémon next to Jake and Julia. Dodging all those rocks tired me out more than I thought it did.

The Rocket takes the first move. "Infernape, Fire Blast. Vespiquen, Attack Order." A five-pronged burst of fire and a swarm of mini-bees come towards us.

"Thunderbolt!"

Julia makes no command, but Lucario sends out an Aura Sphere to intercept anyways. The attacks lock in a stalemate before exploding, creating a large smoke cloud.

The explosion brings Julia back to the battle, and she tells Lucario, "Dark Pulse!" Lucario's eyes glow blue before sending out a blast of darkness, eliciting a grunt from Infernape and a cry of pain from Vespiquen. Why wasn't Infernape hurt that much?

"Close Combat, Heal Order!" Oh, that's why. Must be a fighting type. As Infernape charges at Lucario and begins brutally attacking him, Lucario stays calm, dodging punch after punch. Vespiquen isn't going to do anything, so… "Raichu, Quick Attack!"

Raichu blurs, crashing into Infernape, giving Lucario an opening. The jackal fights back with a vengeance, putting Infernape on the defensive.

Now to deal with Vespiquen. "Raichu, Thunderbolt!"

The bolt of lightning hits the bee and her surrounding drones, but she shakes it off like it's nothing. Both Raichu and I are shocked. "What…?"

The rocket laughs. "While you were worrying about Infernape, I just had Vespiquen use Defend Order over and over again. You won't be able to scratch her."

Meanwhile Lucario punches Infernape away, but the fire monkey is grinning. Looking at Lucario, I see why. The aura pokémon drops to one knee, fur smoldering, and panting. This isn't looking good. I'm still pretty tired and there's no way Raichu could take on both Vespiquen and Infernape.

A blast of water hits Infernape, but it doesn't seem to hurt him at all despite the typing. I see Wooper flinch from his attack doing nothing and Infernape grins.

"So will you give up? Your pathetic pokémon can't do anything."

"N- not happening. I'm not backing down." Although, I don't know what we can do. Most of our pokémon are exhausted or injured and his look perfectly fine.

"Fine. Fire Blast!"

A stream of fire comes towards Raichu and I, and I try to block it when I feel a splitting pain in my head. I fall over, only able to watch as the five-pronged blast of fire shoots towards Raichu and me.

WHOOSH

A strong gust of wind blows over us and disperses the attack to embers. To my surprise Luke drops down in front of me, and I can almost feel his anger coming off of him.

"Enough! I won't let you do any more harm. Typhlosion!"

A pokémon very similar to but larger than quilava forms, his back roaring with flames. Both Infernape and Vespiquen seem to take a step back at the sheer power.

The rocket's eyes narrow. "I was not expecting you. Poliwrath, help out!" A muscular blue biped with a swirl on his chest appears. However, Luke and Typhlosion do not seem phased in the slightest.

In fact, Luke just smirks (and I get the feeling that Typhlosion was as well). "Do you really think that's going to help? Typhlosion, let our spirits shine bright!"

Then both of them start to glow in a bright light, forcing me to look away. When it stops and I see them, my jaw drops. The Rocket and his pokémon look extremely nervous at the G-man and his partner, and I don't blame them. They are in serious trouble now.

A/N So... there's a really important plot point here, see if you can find it. (hint, look at chapter 25, heh heh). Anyways, until next time! See ya!