Chapter 36: The Return
"Well thankfully nothing was broken, but don't be too surprised if you limp for a couple days. Also, swelling is probably going to occur as well." The nurse informs Tom.
"Thank you, Rose, I swear that aloe works miracles." Tom gives her a goofy grin.
"You're welcome Tom," she matches his grin with a cheerful smile. "Now I hope I don't have to see you like this again." She says with a joking sternness.
"Let's go you big baby," Tia smirks.
"Take care," Nurse Rose gives him an alluring smile as they walk off.
The trio step outside and immediately Anna calls him out, "Okay, so what was that about?" She glances suspiciously.
"I have no idea what you're talking about?" Tom instantly jumps on the defense.
"I knew it," Anna calls him out.
"Wait, what's going on here?" Tia asks in total confusion.
"Fine, I might have met her before," he says nervously.
"Might have?" Anna pries further.
"Okay fine, before I started dating Sabrina there way have been a few girls before her and Rose might have been one of them. It was harmless and only lasted a couple weeks." He explains trying not to blush.
"Tom, you sly devil." Anna pokes fun.
"Oh my god, I have more important things to deal with than Tom stupid love life. I got my fill of that in Kanto. Can we please just head to the gym?" Tia gripes.
"Not until we get a Slowpoke's Tail." Tom stands firmly. "You'll like it."
"It's just empty calories and sugar from what this guide book says." She points at a book she'd picked up in the center.
"Come on, one won't kill you," he tries to butter her up to little success. Tia pouts and walks off to the gym while Tom tries to further convince her. "Just let me do this one thing and you can choose what we do in Goldenrod City." He continues begging like a little child.
They stop in front of the door. "Seriously?" She sighs, "Fine if it'll get you to shut up!" She stomps off.
"Wait that worked?" Tom looks over at the door that sported a large closed sign on it. "That makes more sense." He catches up to her as they make their way to the Slowpoke Well.
Tia walks up to a man with a stall of Slowpoke Tails. "Three Slowpoke Tails please."
"That'll be a million from each of you." He says with a sinister smile.
"A million? That's insane! Tom why would you pay that?" Tia complains.
"Now wait a second, what are you trying to pull here?" He looks at him with an equally menacing look.
"Listen kid, times are tough. Take it or leave it." He barks back.
He sets Cleffa on the table, "You're going to tell me what kind of game you're playing or Cleffa here's going to have to use Self Destruct." Tom threatens.
"You're bluffing," the salesman suddenly feels a lot less cocky.
"Try me," Tom smirks with an evil glint in his eyes.
"My boss made me do it I swear. He's down in the well! Just please don't hurt me!" He begs for his life.
"That's more like it." He walks past, "By the way, Cleffa's don't learn Self Destruct, idiot." He rolls his eyes and Tia sticks out her tongue. They make their way down the well and spot a familiar face at the bottom.
"You better let me through if you know what's good for you." The voice growls.
"Listen kid go home, this is a place for grown-ups." Another voice taunts.
Tia and Anna get a glimpse of the kid and realize it's Silver and beside him was a man in a black uniform and an obscured, red symbol on his chest.
"Silver, what are you doing here?" Tia runs up to see what the situation is.
He looks back, "Go away, I don't have time to waste with you." He says brutally and starts glaring back at the man. "Let me in or I swear you'll pay for this; you and your whole team." He snarls.
Tom looks at the man and stares in complete shock, "What are you doing here?" Tom snaps at the man with a booming, angry voice. Tia and Anna both jump; even Silver seems a little unnerved by Tom violent reaction. "Why are there Team Rocket grunts in Johto?" He yells giving off a deadly aura.
The grunt panics, "Please don't hurt me!" He cries. "It's my boss's order I'm just some nobody." He pleads.
Silver's eyes widen, "Giovanni ordered this?" They're all taken by surprise by this.
The grunt shakes his head violently. "No, the boss is on the run right now. My boss: Proton. He gave us the orders. He's one of Team Rocket's Executives." He explains.
Tom glares at him, "You're telling me there are others in charge besides the Three Beasts." A group Tom knows personally and also knows doesn't exist anymore, but none of them ever mentioned executives.
"After the Three Beasts were beaten they took over behind the scenes." The frighten grunt goes on to explain with a quivering voice.
Tom lets the grunt go as he runs off in terror and climbs the later out of the well. "We're going in there, but first I need to make a call." Tom hops on his X-Transceiver.
Sabrina's face appears on screen, "Hello dear, what's the surprise call about?" Sabrina addresses him sweetly not really registering Tom's grim expression at first.
"Sabrina, what do you know about a man named Proton?" He asks seriously.
Sabrina frowns, "He was a grunt pretty much right beneath Surge, Koga, and me. He were thinking of making a power play for more authority in Rocket, but that fell apart when you and Tia dismantled the organization." She explains feeling uncomfortable for digging up that part of her life. "Why are you asking Tom?" She asks suspiciously.
Tom takes a deep sigh, "As I feared: Team Rocket's still strong in Johto. They've invaded the Slowpoke Well."
Sabrina's face turned to pure horror. "No, how?" She cannot believe it. "Tom, please be careful. Proton was strong, way stronger than any grunt." She cautions.
"Don't worry about me. I love you." He says solemnly.
"I love you too, call me once everything is safe and taken care of." Sabrina hangs up.
"Tom we have to get in there now," Tia pushes the matter.
Tom nods and reaches into his bag. "Yeah, but please stay out of my way. I don't want you to have to see me." He grabs his Mysterious Trainer X mask and puts it on. "I'm going in first and taking down Proton." He clarifies with his distorted voice.
"No, I'm taking down Proton!" Silver shouts. Tom shots him a malicious stare with his single sharp eye. Silver stands his ground, but Tom could sense his fear.
"No, you'll help clear out the grunts." Tom orders and walks in.
The four enter the cave with their Pokémon ready to fight. Tia calls out her Cyndaquil, Tom his Elekid, Anna with Blissey, and Silver sporting a Spinarak. Tom leads the pack with his Elekid punching through everything in its way. Tia broke off from the crowd with Silver, flanking more grunts with their Pokémon. Anna herself found herself making quick work of the grunts with well-placed Egg Bombs and Double-Edge. She very quickly is surrounded though.
"Give up girly and we might go easy on you." One of the grunts speaks up trying to sound threatening me.
Anna looks around nervously, "Please, just leave me alone. I don't want you getting hurt by my guardian." She can feel Regigigas's Pokeball begin to shake.
"You don't seem to get the position you're in. You see, you're at our mercy." He laughs.
Anna shakes her head, "I'm sorry," Instantly Regigigas bursts out and stares down all the grunts. Taking a moment to size up their Pokémon. "They're not worth it." Anna informs her massive Pokemon.
The grunts stare mortified at the colossal Pokémon. Most of the sensible ones ran for their lives, but a few brave fools stuck around only to be reward with their Pokémon getting knocked around by Regigigas's powerful punches.
On the other end of the cave Tia and Silver continue to fight off Rocket grunts. "I don't need your help." Silver growls as Spinarak lays into a bunch more grunts.
"Likewise, but we might as well fight together." Tia submits. "You might not be team player, but I don't like seeing people get hurt. Plus, I have a bit of a grudge with Team Rocket." Tia says with determination in her eyes.
"So do I. Trust me, you have no idea." Silver says just as determined.
"A few of their members almost killed me. What about you?" Tia scowls. Silver looks back surprised by her brutally honest response. "I didn't think so."
He smirks, "So if I want to beat Team Rocket you're the one I'd have to beat first to prove myself." He says.
"What are you trying to prove?" Tia asks confused.
"That I'm the best, and I will be the one to destroy Rocket once and for all." He shouts as Spinarak continues to down Pokémon left and right.
"Why do you hate Rocket so much? I mean I understand, but why the personal vendetta?" Tia is really curiously now.
"Team Rocket took my father from me." Silver spits and tries not to let his anger get the better of him. "All that was left was me and my dying mother. Those bastards will pay!" Silver's voice echoes throughout the well and charges forward.
"Silver…" Tia somberly watches him run off and chases after him. "Listen, I might not have had to deal with that, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't fight together." She implores.
The two stop and spot a man fleeing and trying to avoid attention. "You there, stop!" Silver calls him out.
The man smirks, "So you found me huh? Well, prepare to lose kids. Go Zubat!" The man calls out a Pokémon and immediately attacks. "Wing Attack!" He shouts.
Silver instinctively has Spinarak dodge, but he underestimates Zubat's maneuverability and takes a serious hit on the fly back. Unfortunately, Spinarak was already weak from the previous fights.
Tia steps forward, "Silver let me handle this." Tia decides to take the battle into her own hands.
"Like hell, I can still fight with Totodile!" He grabs his Pokeball.
"No, you're angry and not thinking straight. Plus, I don't think you could handle Proton on your own." Tia gently puts her hand on his that held Totodile's Pokeball.
He laughs, "Clever girl, how'd ya know it was me?" He says with a cheeky grin.
"Well if my entire plans went up in flames the first thing I'd do is sneak out. Plus, you're the only remotely competent trainer in this cave wearing a Team Rocket uniform." She says with a smug look on her face. She calls back her Cyndaquil and calls out her Mareep.
"I'm flattered ya think so highly of me," his biting sarcastically is not so subtle, "but you're gonna have to move before ya get hurt girl." He orders his Zubat to attack once more.
The Zubat hits Mareep in the side using one of its wings with great speed. "You're not too smart are you. I guess I gave you too much credit." She says pretending to be disappointed. "Mareep use Thundershock!"
Proton laughs, "I'm not smart? Zubat can dodge that attack with ease." He quickly eats those words when his Zubat seizes up midflight and gets hit with bolt of lightning. "What the hell?"
Tia laughs, "Mareep has Static for an ability. All you had to do was touch her and instant paralysis." Tia mocks him. "Okay Mareep end it!" With that Mareep unleashed one final blow knocking out Zubat.
"Dammit, go Koffing." His next Pokemon enters and spews out clouds of Smog all around. The toxic air fills the cave prompting Tia and Silver to cover their faces from the poison.
"He's trying to smoke us out and blind us. Mareep don't let it get to you. Thundershock!" She orders blindly. Unfortunately, Koffing can see you fine and begins its assault on Mareep. Mareep tries to brace itself, but was proving useless with all the smoke in the air. Mareep shout and begins to glow. Seconds later an even more powerful bolt of electricity hits Koffing. As the smoke clears Tia spots her Mareep standing on its hind legs, but it was no longer blue, but pink. She checks her Pokedex. "No way, Mareep evolved into Flaaffy in the middle of the battle!" She cheered.
"This can't be happening." Proton says in complete shock and both of his Pokémon were now out of commission. He quickly makes a run for it, but it cut off when someone grabs him by the collar.
That someone is a very pissed off Tom of course. "You're not going anywhere." He says behind his mask. "Tell me what's going on right now." He demands.
Proton laughs, "We're the executives ya know? I was the one who replaced that tramp who betrayed us." He says callously.
"That tramp is my girlfriend." Tom slams him against the wall. "Where are the other executives?" He demands.
Proton keeps his cool, "Like I'd tell ya anything. Do your worst, I ain't gonna squeal." He laughs maniacally. "Say hi to my trump card." A Pokeball falls out of his sleeve and opens up. An Abra appears and just as quickly vanishes with Proton.
"That son of a-!" Tom punches the wall.
"Tom calm down, we'll get him next time. What's important is that we stopped them for now." Tia interrupts him optimistically at least.
He takes off his mask exposing his hate filled expression. "I wanted to take him down. Not just stop his plan temporarily."
Tia turns away, "Please Tom, calm down." She speaks gently and timidly.
"I will not calm down!" His shouting makes her tremble more than all the Team Rocket grunts could.
Silver steps between them and stares down Tom as if he was protecting Tia. He says nothing as they lock in silent game of attrition. Tom finally lets out an exasperated breath and walks away.
"Thank you, Silver." Even though he didn't say it she knew he was standing up for her.
He starts walking off, "The next time we meet it'll be in battle. I won't lose either." He says as determined as ever.
Tia smiles, "I look forward to it, and don't worry I won't either." She declares.
Silver turns around with a very faint smiles before walking off. Tia watches her new rival walk off as Anna comes running up behind. "Tia we gotta get out of here."
Tia nods, "Right, I'm sure Jenny will want to hear about all this herself." Tia walks off with Anna towards the entrance of the well.
Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Please don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts on the chapter and the story as a whole. Team Rocket's back, big surprise. What's important is that I am able to flesh out Silver a bit more. Silver is no longer this two dimensional asshole from the games, but a much more deep character. Also, this is one of the few instances so far where Tom loses his cool. I hope he seems sufficiently frightening.