The Year of Rocket's Revenge
Session: December, Part 3 (12.19.05/04.05.07)
Just when I thought we had hit the jackpot, Brock, Maria, and I had come to a startling realization! Maybe... maybe this was a false lead. Someone knew what we were up to, and they were trying to stop us.
But I know that I'm just being paranoid. What reason would anyone want to sabotage my research? Maybe I should have listened to Maria. Maybe... maybe there really is no clear cut answer to this.
And yet, I continue on... because Brock's one of the 'legendary ones' himself, and he's determined to find out why he is. I feel that with him by my side, maybe... just maybe... we will find what we are looking for.
Sunday, December 16th, Olivine City Library, Main Branch
A troop of Team Rocket grunts were assuming their final positions as their squad leader peered down on Erika, Brock, and Maria from atop a nearby bookcase. The two gym leaders and her assistant had no idea the trouble that they were about to become enveloped in.
"Why would information on such a volatile topic be sandwiched within the pages of one single book? And only in one copy?"
Erika pondered that thought as Brock and Maria flipped through their copies, trying to see if any of the other passages in Erika's copy were in theirs.
"Come on, come on..." Brock mumbled.
"No, that's not it..." Maria said as she flipped to a new page.
While they did that, Erika left the table to retrieve something from her mounds of research in the floor's makeshift bedroom. Once she disappeared from sight, the Grunts decided to move in.
"Alpha Team, go, go, GO!"
Pokéballs were thrown in the air, and Brock and Maria jumped up in surprise as Murkrow, Granbull, Delibird, Porygon2, and Hitmontop all appeared before them.
"It's an ambush!" Brock shouted.
"Very observant," noted the Grunt Leader as he jumped down from his hiding place.
Maria quickly ran to hide behind Brock as four other Grunts appeared on either side of them. Brock started to reach for a Pokéball on his belt, but he lost his concentration when Murkrow cawed loudly at him.
"If you value your life... or the life of the girl using you as a shield... I wouldn't dare try that again."
Maria frightfully peered around Brock to get a brief look at the Grunt Leader before quickly ducking back into 'hiding.'
"Go get the other one," the Leader signaled to one of the Grunts.
A Grunt nodded before he and his Granbull walked towards the bedroom. They made their way to the door, and, after a moment of hesitation, opened the door and rushed in. The Rocket Grunts and Brock and Maria watched and waited for the inevitable... to see Erika be dragged out.
"So, why are you here?" Brock asked.
"You're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong! For that, our boss requires an audience of you and that other gym leader. She's been a quite a thorn in our side."
"Just how much does Team Rocket know?"
"Not everything. To be fair, you all probably know about as much as we do."
"Which isn't very much..."
"Which IS more than enough! Enough that we have to step in and stop you."
"Let Erika go! I know just as much as she does... you only need one of us! And Maria here is just here as a matter of circumstance! She doesn't really understand any of this!"
"How dumb do you think I am? Even the apprentice knows too much for her own good! And you see... we just can't allow that."
The Grunt Leader then turned his attention towards the bedroom door, which hadn't opened since he sent that Grunt in there to get Erika.
"It's taking too long," he said as he motioned to two more of the Grunts. "You two... go see what's up."
The two Grunts and their Pokémon, Delibird and Porygon2, left the group and walked carefully over towards the door. The Grunt Leader and the remaining Grunt kept an eye on Brock and Maria, with help from Hitmontop and Murkrow.
Delibird and Porygon2 stepped into the room after the Grunts opened the door. One Grunt followed them in while the other stood in the doorway to observe. The two Pokémon did a quick search of the room, which was completely empty save for one bag full of clean clothing.
"What's going on?" the Grunt who was Delibird's trainer asked.
He then reached for a locker-shaped closet and opened it. But just as he did, the unconscious body of the first Grunt fell out, and he was taken down by the KO'ed Grunt.
"Get this lug off me!"
The other Grunt ran into the room to help, but got a shock when he became wrapped up in vines that originated from behind the door. As he tried to break free, more vines appeared from the other side of the room to ensnare Porygon2. Sensing imminent danger, Delibird went to try and free his trainer from under the unconscious Grunt. But then, out of the blue, Vileplume appeared with a smile.
"Vileplume? Vile vile! Vile... PLUUUUUUUUUME!"
Vileplume released her defensive maneuver, a horrid stench that had the power to overwhelm one's senses and knock them out. And here she was again, going to work to protect her trainer. It didn't take long for the two Grunts and their Pokémon to faint from the smell.
Once they were out, Vileplume stopped emitting her stench. Erika then emerged from the other side of the bed, with a handkerchief held over her nose and mouth. She waited for a few seconds to make sure the smell was completely gone, and then she lowered the handkerchief from her face.
"Sorry..." she apologized under her breath.
Tangela came out from behind the door and released her grip on Porygon2 and his trainer, and the duo dropped to the floor. Erika then recalled Tangela to her Pokéball and pulled another Pokéball from her yukata.
"Weepinbell, I need you!"
She threw it up in the air, and Weepinbell emerged from it on the way down. With Weepinbell and Vileplume at her side, she was prepared to take on anyone else who might be waiting outside the room.
The Grunt Leader was keeping one eye on Brock and Maria and the other on the door. Now with three of his lackeys having gone in but not come out, he was beginning to realize the obvious. His fear was confirmed when Erika stepped out with her two Pokémon. At that same moment, Erika recognized how dire the situation was, with Brock and Maria unable to mount an offensive against their captors.
"You've surprised me," the Grunt Leader said to Erika. "Taking out three of my best men all by yourself. Apparently, we underestimated you."
"You're outnumbered, three to two!" Erika responded as she glanced over at Brock and Maria. "I suggest you surrender quietly. Um... pretty please?"
He smiled. "Quaint."
Out of the blue, a Magmar and a Magcargo appeared and used Flamethrower to box Erika and her Pokémon in between the doorway and a nearby table. Before she knew it, a new Grunt had gotten behind her and tied up her arms with some rope he had on hand.
"Stick to making perfumes and looking like a goddess," the Leader said to Erika. "You're not exactly the type to make intimidating demands."
A second agent came up and took Erika's Pokéballs away from her. He then proceeded to call back Vileplume and Weepinbell, who had no choice but to obey the order. Once Erika had been secured, she was led over to Brock and Maria, who were being tied up at that moment by two other agents that had just appeared.
"Thank you, Bravo Team. When we get back, I'll put in a good word for you to the boss. Maybe you'll become the new Alpha Team."
"But... what about me?" asked the lone Alpha member still standing. "I'm still here."
"And that means diddly squat to me. Now, go find Charlie Team and help them keep an eye on the perimeter. If you're lucky, maybe they'll give you something to do."
The Alpha Team Grunt didn't seem happy about being pulled out of his place, but he complied and immediately headed for the stairs. The Grunt Leader then turned his attention back to his captives, who now had their arms bound as they stood before him.
"I suppose that since we know too much," suggested Brock, "that you're gonna get us out of the way. Permanently."
Maria gasped at this and began to cry as her life began to flash before her eyes.
"No... please..."
"Don't worry, Maria," Erika said calmingly. "We're going to be just fine."
"For the time being, yes," stated the Grunt Leader. "For how long depends on how the boss man feels."
He then looked at Bravo Team and cocked his head towards the stairs.
"Get 'em outta here. And be quick about it! With all of those other gym leaders in town, there's a swarm of police about!"
The Grunts nodded, then they each grabbed a captive by the arm and pulled them towards the exit. The Leader then turned to the last remaining Grunt and his Magmar.
"You know what to do. Don't leave a trace."
He then followed the others out, leaving the last Grunt and his Magmar to start burning all of the books that Erika and the others had been looking at.
"What are we gonna do?" Erika whispered to Brock.
"I'll think of something," Brock whispered back.
As they approached the stairs, they noticed a large cloud of smoke rising up towards them. In seconds, the second floor quickly filled up with smoke, blinding everyone almost instantly.
"What the..."
"USE SLUDGE, WEEZING!" somebody yelled from the stairwell.
"Weezing weeze!"
Weezing fired Sludge at one of the Grunts, getting him right in the eyes.
"Aaahhh! I can't see!"
"GLIGAR!" shouted a second man. "SAND ATTACK!"
Shortly thereafter, another Grunt was complaining of losing his sight.
"Yaaah! It burns!"
"Does somebody have a hold of the hostages?" the Grunt Leader yelled.
Somebody did... but it wasn't one of the Team Rocket operatives. Maria felt a hand grab her... a different one than the one that had just been holding her, and she was about to let out a scream. But then she felt a second hand cover her mouth... and someone whisper into her ear.
"We're here to save you."
Maria was then pulled away from Brock and Erika... or what she thought was them, seeing as the smoke made it hard to see anything but their figures.
"SOMEBODY ANSWER ME!" yelled the Leader again.
All of a sudden, a strange person appeared out of nowhere, got behind the Rocket Grunt Leader, and held up a knife to his throat.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't gut you where you stand," the knife handler said.
"Because I know you. You won't kill someone who does what you want them to. I may be of Team Rocket, and you may be of the Pokémon Trainers' Association. But most importantly..."
"Yes?"
"Brothers may fight... but they never betray each other's trust."
The PTA operative smiled, yet he continued to hold the knife up to his brother's neck.
"We could never agree which evil organization to join... could we, Jude?"
"I was thinking the same thing... Joel. What are you doing here, bro?"
"We know that you know that they know."
"Ah," Rocket Operative Jude nodded. "So you guys want them dead too."
"The simplest answer doesn't always mean killing those who know something they shouldn't," scolded PTA Operative Joel.
"You and the silly ideals of your organization. So if you're not trying to kill them... what are you going to do with them?"
"Nothing... nothing yet, anyway."
"So the old 'I do something for you, like save your life, and now I want you to do something for me.'"
"Basically. Only... not exactly."
"Uh huh... you want her to find the last one, don't you?"
"I've already said so much... I might have no choice but to kill you."
"I know how much I would have to push you to get you to kill me without objection. I'm the older one, after all."
"Like that gives you any moral right..."
"Let's not talk about that! Besides, what are you gonna do to me and my team? Kill us? I'm sure those two gym leaders you're rescuing will find THAT justifiable."
"I have no intention of killing you or your team. Why should you have the privilege of a quick and powerful death when you could rot in jail for the rest of your life?"
The smoke that had come from the stairwell was starting to clear a little bit... enough just to be able to tell who was still there. Jude saw three other young men and a lone woman, all dressed in black. But there was no 'R' on their shirts, signifying that none of them were part of his squad.
"Your men are all tied up, so don't even think about being rescued."
"You've always been one to account for loose ends," Jude said to his brother.
"Thanks for the compliment," thanked Joel.
Then, out of the blue, Joel was hit in the back of the head with a very thick book, causing the PTA operative to drop the knife and lose his concentration. Jude took the opportunity to knee his brother in the chest and then elbow him in the back, dropping Joel to the floor. The other PTA agents quickly moved towards them, but Jude glanced at his man, who turned to his Magmar.
"Flamethrower!"
Magmar used Flamethrower to light the carpet in front of them, preventing the PTA agents from getting to them from that direction.
TR Operative Jude and his agent then ran the opposite way, in an attempt to find another way out of the library. As they did, the fire alarm started to go off, apparently set off by the flames leaping up to the smoke detectors on the ceiling.
"Koff koff koff!"
Brock, Erika, and Maria, all with their arms now free of their bonds, and a few PTA agents accompanied them as they exited the library. Once they got a few feet away from the building, Maria wrapped her arms around Erika's waist, still shivering in fear over what had just happened.
"We're okay now," Erika shushed Maria. "Everything's going to be okay."
Brock, though, was more concerned about the fight inside, and he reached for a Pok?all from his belt and started to head for the door. But two of the agents who had come out with them went to stop him.
"You're agents of the Pokémon Trainers' Association, aren't you? Don't tell me your after Erika's research as well!"
"You should be grateful that we saved your lives!" one of the agents said to Brock. "And you're here asking why?"
"Whatever's going on in there has something to do with what Erika's researching. And something tells me that you know just as much as Team Rocket does about it."
"This is no longer her concern! Or yours! I suggest you step back before we decide to use force!"
Brock growled in anger, but decided it best not to push the agents. He walked back to Erika and Maria, who had watched the scene unfold from where they had been standing.
"Brock!" Erika shouted. "Could you kindly please explain what's going on between you and them? They just saved us from Team Rocket! They're the good guys!"
Brock took another look back at the PTA agents, with the one whom he had just talked with glaring back at him, and then sighed a reply to Erika's question.
"Yeah... they're the good guys..."
Twenty minutes later, fire squadrons of human and Pokémon alike were on the scene putting out the blaze, which had mostly been contained on the second floor. Meanwhile, the local police force was assisting the PTA as the rounded up Team Rocket members were whisked into paddy wagons to be taken down to the station. PTA Operative Joel, having been safely pulled out after he had been knocked out, was wrapping things up with the last of his men as Officer Jenny approached him from behind.
"Thank you for your hard work, everyone," he complimented his team. "Let's pack it up and head on home."
"Not so fast!" interjected Jenny. "As much as we appreciate help in rounding up a notorious organization like Team Rocket, I won't have vigilantes trying to burn down city property in the process!"
"I can assure you, Officer, that they initiated the conflict by setting the building on fire from the inside. My men and I were trying to put the fire out..."
"How come I don't believe you?" she questioned. "Don't you think it's odd that you and your 'friends' act as if you're professionals? Something stinks here, and until I get to the bottom of this, none of you are leaving this crime scene without handcuffs!"
"I'm willing to answer any and all questions you may have! But I swear... bring any of my men into this, and I've got an army of lawyers ready to come down on this ragtag team of misfits you call a police force!"
"Are you threatening me?"
"If the shoe fits, ma'am..."
"Okay, THAT'S IT! Boys, take him away!"
Two officers walked over, handcuffed Joel, and guided him towards a nearby patrol car. Jenny then cursed under her breath before looking at the rest of the PTA operatives.
"And you all better get the heck out of here before I CHANGE MY MIND!"
With that, the rest of them ran to their vehicles and quickly exited the scene. With the riff-raff gone and the vans holding the Team Rocket agents preparing to depart as well, Jenny only had one bit of business to deal with before calling it a night.
And that was questioning Brock, Erika, and Maria, who were all sitting on the back step of an ambulance, with blankets draped over them. Jenny composed herself as she trotted towards them.
"Are you all alright?"
Seeing Jenny coming, Brock jumped up and ran over to her.
"I am now, thanks to you!" he said, grabbing her hand and going down on one knee in front of her.
"Uh..." Jenny stammered, stunned for a second before regaining her composure and having an anger relapse. "I'M NOT IN THE MOOD!"
She pulled Brock's hand off of hers and then threw him to the side. Brock fell to the ground, twitching as he looked up to the sky.
"Could you please explain what you were doing in the library after closing time?" she asked Erika.
"The head librarian, Mr. Washington, let me and my assistant take residence on the second floor for a few days. I'm here on official Pokémon League business."
Erika reached into her yukata and pulled out her certified research grants as proof. She handed them to Jenny, who quickly looked them over and then gave them back, satisfied with what she saw.
"What about him?" Jenny asked, pointing at the still-twitching Brock.
"Oh, Brock? We ran into him yesterday, and he offered to help me. He's a gym leader, just like me... I'm pretty sure verifying it won't be too much trouble."
"I know who he is. I'm just verifying that he was working under your direction."
Erika nodded. "Brock is very trustworthy, Officer Jenny. I assure, despite his... his..."
"Horrible flirtation techniques?"
"Yeah... those... I assure you, without him, who knows what might've happened to Maria and myself in there. We owe him our lives."
"What about those vigilantes that saved you from Team Rocket?"
"Not sure if I'd call them vigilantes... but they did save us."
"Uh huh," added Maria. "Team Rocket probably would've gotten away with kidnapping us if it weren't for those rescuers."
"So... you can confirm it was Team Rocket that started all this?"
"Without a doubt. They're horrible people."
Jenny smiled. "Thank you, Miss Erika. This'll help us close this case."
"Um, excuse me?" Erika wondered out loud as Jenny was about to walk away. "What's going to happen to him?"
She pointed to Joel, who was sitting in the back of a nearby squad car, waiting to be taken downtown.
"It's kind of suspicious that he and his 'team' happened to come across the library and know you were in trouble. He's got a lot of explaining to do."
"Could you please let him go? Like Maria said, if it wasn't for him and his team, we'd be in Team Rocket's clutches, and who knows what they would've done to us. So please?"
Jenny looked over at the car, and then began to think about it...
With the fire put out and a few other police officers checking the scene for any more evidence, the rest of the squadron, including Officer Jenny, left the library's parking lot. Brock, who had since gotten back up, Erika, Maria, and Joel watched them leave.
"Thank you," Erika said, bowing before Joel.
"No, I should be thanking you!" Joel said in return. "That Officer was determined to give me the 5th Degree!"
As Erika and Maria gushed over their savior, Brock, on the other hand, didn't seem all that happy.
"I'm curious..." Brock said to Joel. "How DID you know we were in there?"
"Brock," Erika cut in, putting a hand on Brock's arm. "Why are you questioning him? He helped saved our lives? I'd appreciate it if you stopped being so apprehensive towards him!"
Brock sighed. He just couldn't ignore a request from a beautiful woman.
"Sorry," he apologized to Joel. "I'm just..."
"Curious," finished Joel. "And I'm just doing my job."
Suddenly, one of the cars that had left earlier pulled into the parking lot. The driver beeped the horn, signifying that it was time to go.
"Maybe I'll see you all again someday..."
"Yes," Erika nodded. "Thank you, once again."
Joel then ran towards the car and got in. It then sped off back towards the highway, leaving Brock, Erika, and Maria to walk back to the nearby Grand Olivine Apartment Complex.
The next morning, Olivine City International Airport
Erika and Maria were waiting for boarding to begin for the flight back home to Celadon City. They were standing behind Brock, who was talking to Misty via videophone from Cerulean City.
"I'm really sorry about not telling you about Ash and Brock," Misty apologized.
"I understand," Erika pardoned her. "Running a Pokémon gym by yourself is not an easy task."
"It wouldn't be so hard if DAISY WOULD ACTUALLY DO SOME WORK!"
"What do you think I'm doing?" Daisy yelled off-screen.
Misty shifted the phone's camera to her left, where Daisy was sitting at the receptionist desk filing her nails while phones rang off the hook.
"AND VIOLET AND LILY WOULD STOP TAKING FOUR-HOUR LUNCH BREAKS!"
Misty turned the camera to her other side, where her other two sisters were about to step out, each armed with five credit cards apiece.
"We're headin' to lunch!" Violet and Lily exclaimed.
"IT'S ONLY NINE THIRTY!" Misty yelled at them.
Before they had a chance to explain themselves, Violet and Lily bolted out the door. Misty sighed as she turned the camera back on her. On the other end, Brock, Erika, and Maria sweatdropped in disbelief.
"And I thought running the Pewter Gym was bad... sigh... but at least your sisters still look HOT!"
"Please, Brock," pleaded Erika. "Mind your manners."
"Oh... sorry."
"Say, while I have you..." Misty resumed, in a happier tone. "Would you like to come to our New Year's Party, Erika? We'd love to have you and the rest of the Celadon Gym crew down here!"
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline. I'm the official ball dropper for Celadon's New Year's bash the year."
"Congratulations! That's being televised, right? I'll make sure we have it on during the party."
Suddenly, a voice came on over the PA system in the airport.
"Attention! Indigo Airlines Flight 104, non-stop to Celadon City, is now boarding at Gate Three. All passengers, please..."
"We'd better go," Erika said. "Please promise to keep me informed if you find out anything else!"
"I will," Misty reassured her, with phones still ringing in the background. "Even if it kills... DAISY, WILL YOU ANSWER THE DAMN PHONES!"
"Okay, okay!" she was heard saying in the background. "Good morning, like, thanks for holding..."
"Man... it's going to be one of those days..."
As Erika and Maria left, Misty was about to hang up when...
"Hold on, Misty!"
"Hold on?" Misty wondered. "Don't you want to see Erika and Maria off at that gate? I know you want to..."
"Forget about Erika for a second!"
"Wow... forgetting about a pretty girl? This MUST be important!"
"Of course it is!" Brock exclaimed. "Listen, Erika told you that it was Team Rocket that attacked us. What she didn't tell you is whom exactly we were saved by."
"Who?"
"The Pokémon Trainers' Association."
Misty gasped. "WHAT?"
Brock nodded. "Yep. They said they saved us because they wanted to stop Team Rocket. But I believe they're up to something else."
"You mean... Erika's research on our powers?"
"Precisely! Even though they showed no signs of wanting to take us in for themselves, I have this suspicion that they've been watching us."
"Hmmm... I don't like this. Not one bit. Maybe we should try and get in contact with Cassie on this."
Arius and Cassie were trotting along a path as they passed a sign that said... Lavaridge Town, 3 miles. A feeling of relief swept over Cassie as she looked up at her boyfriend, who was just happy that she was happy.
"But how? We have no way to reach them! Besides, Cassie swore she wanted nothing to do with the PTA."
"I know. But I just wanted to know if she knows anything about this. I mean, what if this would be their assignment if they hadn't quit?"
"I'm sure if she knew anything about it, she would've told us. So relax!"
"I just hope you're right..."
"Look... the Gym Leader Retreat ends on Thursday. Once that's done, I'll be going home for Christmas. Then I'm coming over to your place for New Year's. I assume Ash is going to be there too?"
"Well, yeah! I just got off the phone with him, and he assured me he'll be here!"
"Good. We'll talk about it then. Right now, we just have to hope that neither Team Rocket or the PTA have another move left this year."
"Okay. Be careful 'til then."
"You too."
With that, Brock hung up the phone.
"Don't worry, Erika," he said under his breath. "I'll make sure you don't get involved any further in this."
He then got up and ran to see if he could catch Erika at the gate to wish her off.
To be continued next week in Part 4!
