Chapter 36

Things Will Never Be The Same

Gold sent out his Butterfree and Beedrill to help his Typhlosion. He knew of course that they were at a type disadvantage against Blaine's Fire-types, but what could he do? His other 3 Pokémon were not strong enough to win in such a battle. He had to take a chance.

"Poison that Charizard!" Gold called to his Bug Pokémon.

Butterfree sent poison powder towards Charizard, while Beedrill tried stinging the Fire-type. Not wanting to be poisoned, Charizard tried escaping their attacks, causing a bizarre scene where the battle consisted of the mighty Charizard being chased by two bugs.

"Now, Typhlosion, attack him!" Gold yelled.

"Not so fast," Blaine said, sending out his Ninetales.

Ninetales protected Blaine from Typhlosion's attacks, giving Charizard enough time to escape the poison attacks and blast both bugs with fire, knocking both out simultaneously.

"Miltank, help him!" Whitney called, from Magmar's clutches.

Miltank began rolling towards Ninetales. As it usually went with its attacks, it started out by only slightly hurting Ninetales, but by continuing to roll around and slam into the Fire-type, it was eventually able to knock out Ninetales. However, as it did, Gold's Typhlosion was being weakened greatly by continuous Slash attacks by Charizard.

"This is it!" Blaine shouted, as Charizard slashed Typhlosion one more time, knocking it out. However, as it did, Miltank came rolling into Charizard from behind, and with all the momentum it had stored up by now, it hit Charizard with full force and knocked it out.

"I think that means we win," Gold taunted Blaine, calling back his fainted Pokémon.

"Ha, it took four Pokémon of yours to take out two of mine," Blaine replied. "But now it's over for you. The Pokémon that killed your mother will now kill you!"

He reached for the Master Balls that contained the giant Pokémon, but as he did, Miltank rolled right into him and knocked him over.

"Stupid thing!" he yelled, from the ground. "It shall be the first to die."

He sent out the four giant Pokémon. Whitney looked up in terror at the gigantic Charmeleon, Rhydon, Aggron and Quilava that stood behind the fallen-down Blaine.

"Keep rolling, Miltank!" Gold called.

Miltank rolled towards Magmar, knocking it over, and causing it to lose grip of Whitney, who ran over towards Gold.

"Send out Skarmory!" Gold yelled.

Whitney did so, at the same time recalling Miltank. The two quickly hopped on the steel bird.

"Quick! Get them before they fly away!" Blaine screamed.

Gold then thought of a strategy- a cruel strategy.

"Fly towards Blaine," Gold told Skarmory.

"What are you doing, Gold? No, don't do it!" Whitney screamed in panic.

It was too late. Skarmory flew right towards Blaine, and the giant Pokémon charged toward it.

"Now, up, up and away!" Gold yelled.

The small Skarmory, at least in comparison to the big Pokémon, found a path to the skies, while just missing being batted down by the Rhydon. In the process of trying to get Skarmory, however, the giant Pokémon ran right over Blaine, killing him.

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Lorelei, Lance, Giselle and Joe all arrived at Indigo Plateau, just outside the Pokémon League headquarters.

"We have to do whatever it takes to defeat the other two Elites," Lorelei told Giselle and Joe. "Even if it means… killing them."

"Oh, I wouldn't mind that," Giselle replied with a smile. "Those Elites are useless."

Knowing Giselle was referring to all the Elites, Lance became furious at her, again, but knowing the situation, he held his tongue.

"There may be some things you see that surprise you," Lorelei continued. "Don't be shocked by them."

"Like what?" Giselle asked. "You two winning a fight without my help?"

Joe covered his face with his hand, while Lance looked ready to kill Giselle.

"Let's go," Lorelei said, leading the others inside the building.

The four trainers charged inside, looking for Karen and Bruno. They searched up and down through the building, staying together the whole time, but after five minutes of searching, they were still unable to find them.

"Where could they have gone?" Lance asked.

"Maybe you two are just delusional," Giselle suggested.

The trainers then felt the ground begin to shake.

"It's a trap," Lance groaned.

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Janine continued to trudge through the forest, with the badly injured Falkner still on her back. She finally stopped to rest for a moment.

"Please, just tell me this," Falkner begged. "Where are we going?"

"You really want to know?" Janine asked, taking out some ointment to treat Falkner's wounds again. "We're going to Goldenrod City."

Falkner looked aghast. "Goldenrod City?!" he shouted. "Why are we sneaking to- owwwwww!"

"That's what you deserve for trying to give us away," Janine said in a low voice, as she put the stinging ointment on him. "Now, listen- the boy I'm after escaped in the direction of Goldenrod City, so my best guess is that he's there. I'm not sure, though."

Falkner sighed. He was being to feel a little stronger, but he still was in bad shape. "Why?" he asked Janine. "Why was it necessary for you to take me out of that place? I could have healed, then you could have come back to get me later."

Janine continued treating his wounds. "If there's one thing I've learned," she replied, "it's that I never again want to lose sight of the ones I love."

This put a happy look on Falkner's face, as Janine put away her treating supplies. "You do know what I'm going to do, right?" she asked him.

"I assume you're going to kill someone," he replied.

"That's right," she said. "There's no other way to avenge my father and aunt's deaths."

Falkner paused, thinking about what Janine had just said. "I wonder…" he suggested, "if there's another way…"

Janine shot Falkner an angry look at his suggestion. "Come on," she told him, picking him up again.

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Sabrina sat at the dining room table with Will and Liza, looking quite annoyed. Liza kept on suggesting that the three of them should help the Johto trainers they worked with before, but Sabrina would have none of it.

"Come on, Sabrina," Liza pleaded. "You know those trainers need our help… there's those large Pokémon out there, with the potential to cause lots of trouble."

Sabrina sighed. "Liza, there's a difference between being a psychic and a superhero," she explained. "When the situation has required it, I have helped those in trouble. But if I were to always be trying to rescue anyone in need, I'd never have a life of my own."

"But Sabrina-" Liza said.

"The answer is no," Sabrina cut her off.

Liza pouted. She, like Sabrina and Will, could sense that there were giant Pokémon continuing to be used by Team Rocket for destructive purposes. However, neither Sabrina nor Will was too anxious to put themselves in harm's way, after all that had happened in Olivine City. Both of them were anxious to start making preparations for their wedding, while hoping that the strong trainers such as Giselle and Silver would find a way to defeat Team Rocket.

What if Team Rocket were to win? Liza asked telepathically. What if they were to take over Johto?

You worry too much, Sabrina replied. If that were a possibility, then I'd be able to feel it. I can sense that Giovanni no longer is as powerful, and because of that, his forces are disorganized and ineffective.

Just trust Sabrina, Will added. Whether you like it or not, she's right most of the time.

Liza hoped Sabrina was right, but she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she wasn't...

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Lorelei, Lance, Giselle and Joe rushed to the doors of the headquarters building in an attempt to exit, stumbling as they did. When they opened them, they saw what they had feared: extremely large Pokémon charging toward the building.

"It only figures they'd attack us," Lance commented.

The four trainers then sent out their Pokémon to fight against the four charging giants, which were a Blastoise, a Quagsire, a Charizard and an Octillery. Attacks such as Blizzard and Surf attacks coming from Lorelei's Jynx and Giselle's Starmie were semi-effective in slowing them down, but not enough to stop them.

"Freeze their feet!" Lorelei called to her Jynx.

As Jynx shot Ice Beams toward the feet of the giant Pokémon, Lance sensed another problem coming their way.

"It's hopeless for you," a voice said from behind Lance.

Lance turned around to see Karen, who shot a ball of dark energy his way, encapsulating him in it.

"Great," Giselle complained. "Now I'm going to have to do more work."

Lorelei turned around from directing her Pokémon. She shot ice beams from her hands toward Karen. Karen counterattacked with her own dark energy, causing ice crystals to fly all over the place.

"Watch out!" Joe called to Giselle, who nearly avoided a blast of fire from the large Charizard.

"Don't worry about me," Giselle replied. "I've got this figured out."

"This is no time for your bragging!" Joe screamed.

Giselle simply ran over to her Starmie and her Raichu and whispered something to them. She then had her Cubone dig a hole in the ground.

"Come on, let's get underground with Cubone!" Giselle told Joe.

"I'll never figure you out," Joe sighed.

The gigantic Pokémon charged full-force toward the building, but just as they were about to crash into it, they found themselves stopped dead in their tracks, unable to move at all.

"What's going on?" Bruno shouted, as he was watching from the side of the building. "Keep going, Pokémon!"

The Pokémon just stood there, struggling to move, but unable to do so. Bruno did not realize that it was the Psychic powers of Giselle's Starmie that were holding them back. Starmie was running out of power, however, unable to hold the attack for very long.

"Three… two… one…" Giselle counted.

An enormous lightning bolt came flying at all the giant Pokémon. Each of them felt the full impact of the electric shock, then they collapsed away from the building, one by one. The electricity also caused Karen to lose her grip on Lance, setting him free from the ball of dark energy. All of the Elite Four were knocked over themselves from the large amount of electricity.

"Good job, Raichu!" Giselle called, crawling out of the hole, with Joe following her.

"Very ironic," a voice said, from behind Giselle.

Giselle looked behind her to see Lt. Surge standing there, calling back all four giant Pokémon.

"How strange that these things ended up getting defeated by my choice of attack, electricity," Lt. Surge commented. "But what do you expect, when the boss gives me four Pokémon weak against such attacks?"

He then walked right past Giselle and the fallen Elite Four, entering the Elite Four headquarters building.

"Stop him!" Lance shouted at Giselle angrily.

"Oh, you didn't tell me that was part of our job," Giselle replied.

Lance then stood up, but found Bruno there to meet him, tackling him to the ground.

"This is going to end badly," Lorelei said to Karen, "one way or another."

She then shot ice beams out of her hands toward Karen, who continued to counterattack with her own dark energy. While Lance fought Bruno and Lorelei battled Karen, Giselle ran with Joe inside the headquarters building after Lt. Surge.

"What?!" Giselle and Joe could hear Lt. Surge scream from a nearby room. "That can't be!"

The two of them followed his voice to a room where Surge was talking on a videophone to a police officer. Surge looked to be in complete shock.

"Did he kill her?" Surge shouted. "Tell me!"

"All we know is that there was a massive battle, and she was killed in the process," the officer replied. "We're sorry to inform-"

Surge shut off the videophone angrily. He then fell to his knees in anguish.

"What's the matter?" Giselle asked Surge. "Did your girlfriend break up with you or something?"

An awkward moment of silence followed. Surge then looked up at Giselle, with tears coming out of his fury-filled eyes.

"She was killed," he cried. "She was killed! By the man I vowed to help!"

He pounded his fist into the ground in frustration.

"I've spent the last two years or so working for him, and in a fit of rage, he killed the only person I cared for!" he screamed, slamming the ground over and over again.

"I'm sorry," Joe said.

"Yeah, you're sorry… well, I'm the most sorry of all! I should have never trusted him!" Surge yelled.

"Um, are we supposed to arrest you or something? Because I'd hate for Lance to find something else to criticize me about…" Giselle commented.

"You can kill me for all I care!" Surge shouted at her.

Meanwhile, as Lorelei continued to fight Karen, Lance breathed fire on Bruno, burning him badly, and causing him to stop battling him. He then ran over to attempt to help Lorelei.

"You're not going to be much help to her," Karen snickered. "Fire melts ice, you know."

"I know," Lance replied. "But perhaps you underestimate the power of our combined attacks!"

He then shot his fire towards Karen's dark energy, canceling it out. At that moment Lorelei blasted her ice toward Karen and froze her in a giant block of ice.

"Sad that it has to end this way," Lorelei told Karen.

She then blasted Bruno with her ice beams, freezing him as well. She then went inside to get security guards to arrest the two traitors, while Lance watched that they did not try to escape the ice.

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Gold and Whitney arrived back at Whitney's house, where Jasmine and Silver were waiting. Neither said a word upon entering the front door, but Silver only needed to see Gold's tear-filled face to figure out what had occurred.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, trying to stop himself from crying. "I wish- I wish I knew her."

He then began to cry as well, realizing that his mother had been killed. Jasmine tried to comfort him by putting her arm around him.

I never knew her, Silver thought. Only a few months ago did I find out that she was even my mother- and that Gold and I are half-brothers. And now, just like that, she's gone.

As he and Gold cried, and their girlfriends attempted to comfort them, they failed to notice a report on the news about the death of Blaine, as well as four large Pokémon that sunk into the Lake of Rage.

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Back at Indigo Plateau, security guards held onto the now-unfrozen Bruno and Karen, waiting for police to come and take them to jail. Meanwhile, Lorelei, Lance, Joe and Giselle sat at a table with a repentant Lt. Surge, who was both distraught and furious over the death of his girlfriend Officer Jenny of Olivine City (formerly of Saffron City).

"I'd do anything right now to stop that Giovanni," Surge said. "Trust me, I have no desire to work for him anymore, and you can see that from the fact that I handed over the Poké Balls of those giant Pokémon."

"We believe you," Lorelei replied. "Maybe you can tell us his plans, so then we can stop him."

Surge sighed. "You may not believe this, but the fact is, I don't know his other plans," he explained. "Giovanni is a very secretive man; he wouldn't even give away all his plans to his own executives. He'd only tell us what we need to know for our personal missions. I didn't know what the other executives were doing."

"Do you know how many of them there are?" Lance asked.

"Five, including myself," Surge answered. "Also there are Blaine, Clair, Keane and Charmaine."

"Well, there was a report just a little while ago saying that Blaine had been killed by some giant Pokémon," Joe commented.

"That leaves three, then," Surge responded. "Who knows where to find them, though."

"Could you contact Giovanni?" Lance asked.

"No, because then he'd know something was up," Surge replied. "He always gives us the orders, and we always report back to him. But considering he killed Jenny, there's no telling if he would kill me if I reported back to him- assuming he's still in Olivine City, which I'm not sure of."

The trainers began to ponder the situation, when Giselle pointed out something on the television.

"Hey, this is interesting," she said. "Clair."

"Clair?" Lance asked. "Turn it up."

The television showed Clair in Goldenrod City, speaking with a bunch of reporters.

"I hereby call on all Johto gym leaders to rebel against Team Rocket," Clair announced. "After the destruction of Violet City, it is clear Giovanni's goals do not include even those who turned to him. Bugsy, Morty, Chuck- call for all Rockets to be arrested, and fight against them at all costs. As well, in Blackthorn City, all Rockets there must be arrested immediately."

"I always knew my cousin had a good heart… just persuaded a little easily," Lance commented.

"Like yourself," Lorelei said with a smile, grabbing his hand.

"Well, that leaves two executives," Surge remarked. "We must stop them now, because they most likely have giant Pokémon as well."

"But the problem is guessing where they will strike… we don't have a clue," Lance responded.

The five trainers began to think about what to do next, although not coming to any clear consensus.

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Giovanni sat in a chair in his Viridian City hideout, watching televisions, while looking at computer data. He could see that Blaine was dead. He also saw that Clair had turned on him, and more reports were showing those other Johto gym leaders turning on Team Rocket as well. He also noticed that Lt. Surge's indicator on his computer was stopped at Indigo Plateau, but there were no reports of any destruction there. This led him to believe that Surge had been stopped somehow; maybe those Elite Four traitors never followed through for him. Nevertheless, he had two executives remaining, and one ace in the hole. He called both of them, telling them what to do next, then left his hideout, heading west of Viridian City. He had a plan that would blow the top off anyone who would hear of it.