Chapter 53: Vigilante Redemption

Shane ran through the grassy plain, with Bulbasaurtwo paced beside him, while Heracross flew on his gossamer wings inches above his head.

"My first gym battle ever is only in the next town!" Shane yelled. "I can't possibly wait another second for it! I've been waiting for it since I can remember!"

"I know what you mean!" Bulbasaurtwo said. "My whole life I've been training for this! This is our first step towards ultimate championship!"

As Shane's sandals left the soft grass and entered the concrete of the sidewalk he saw Pewter City. They contained modest, white homes with black roofs that settled on the grassy plain as their lawn. He and Bulbasaurtwo ran down the street, dodging women and children at a breakneck pace. Heracross just kept flying two inches above Shane's head.

"How far until we see the gym?" Heracross asked.

"I'm not sure!" Shane replied. "But it can't be that far ahead at the pace we're going!"

As Shane ran, dodging people, he saw that Pewter City was nestled in between a rocky cliff on to the west and north edges. Being boxed in like this meant it was only a matter of time before he found the gym here. The thought of how easy it would be to find it made him run faster.

The thoughts were going through his mind about what the gym battle would be like, when he stopped dead in his tracks. He stopped to turn and stare.

Bulbasaurtwo and Heracross had slow down as it were unprepared for the abrupt stop. Heracross folded his wings under his back and both walked back to him.

"Why did you stop?" Heracross asked.

"Yeah!" Bulbasaurtwo said. "We gotta get to the Pewter City Gym!"

Then they turned to see what he was staring at.

A building labeled "Pewter Museum of Science" was surrounded by ordinary citizens who were held at bay group of eight people in black uniforms with a red R on their shirt. Except one with purple hair and beard was wearing a uniform with yellow stripes. All they did to hold the people back was their awfully intimidating glare. From inside you could her strange but obviously horrible screams.

Suddenly Shane wasn't with his beloved Grass-type Pokemon clone anymore or his newly befriended Bug and Fighting-type but he was holding a gun pointed at a three-year-old's head. And he was only eight.

"Don't hurt me!" the boy with black hair said.

"Don't hurt my baby I beg you!" his young mother with brown hair said.

Suddenly they were gone and all he saw was blood on his hands. He looked around to see he was in the middle of a battlefield with Pokemon of the Rockets fighting to the death with Pokemon of the police and scientists. The carnage of dead humans was enough to make him vomit.

Now Executive Miller, Miles, and Petrel, the three Executives who led the break-in here all looked down at him and smiled.

"We couldn't have broken in here so easily if it weren't for you and your little roof cutting technique," Miles said. "Thank you Shane."

"Thank you Shane," the other two replied.

Suddenly he was back beside his Bulbasaurtwo and Heracross. Heracross was looking at him with concern as Bulbasaurtwo was staring up at him as if he knew just what had happened. His green eyes stared into his red eyes.

"That must have been awful," Bulbasaurtwo said.

"You don't know how much until you've been there," Shane replied.

"Teleport?"

Shane nodded.

He kneed to the ground and put his hand on Bulbasaurtwo's mint green bulb.

"Heracross take my hand," Shane said.

Heracross held out his arm and Shane wrapped his fingers around Heracross's claws.

"Teleport," Shane ordered.

The three of them disappeared from the street and reappeared behind the line behind the Rockets.

"Huh?" the one Shane was directly behind. "What was that…?"

The man with purple hair and unique uniform turned around to have a shocked expression. Shane just smiled.

"Hello Petrel."

Shane punched Petrel in the jaw to the shock of everyone. He stumbled down the steps to the entrance of the museum, blood coming from his lip. Petrel looked up to him, bleeding and a with a chipped tooth to scowl at him.

"You," he said. "So Miller and Miles really didn't kill you."

The townspeople were all speechless with gaping mouths. The Team Rocket Executive that had been at the break-in at the Cinnabar Institute pointed a finger at him.

"I don't know how you escaped the clutches of two prime members of Team Rocket but I know you won't stop us," Petrel said. "Get 'em."

The Rockets all took a Pokeball from their waist, enlarged it and through it into the air.

From the Pokeballs came out four Raticate, two Zubat, an Ekans and a Koffing.

"Heracross are you ready to fight?" Shane asked.

Heracross stood in front of a Zubat.

"Hera!" he cried.

"Go Raticate use Hyper Fang!" the Rockets yelled.

"Quick Attack!"

All four Raticate jumped on Bulbasaurtwo at once. Two of them dug their teeth into him but they didn't get anywhere near piecing his skin and the those using Quick Attack immediately stopped as soon they hit his body. Bulbasaurtwo rammed his side into him and two of the Raticate flew into the air. He grew his Vine Whip from his body slapped the other two Raticate even farther into the air.

"Zubat use Leech Life!"

The Zubat flew at Heracross with its fangs showing.

"Heracross use Horn Attack!"

He drew the wings from his exoskeleton and flew at Zubat. His horn struck the Pokemon directly in the face. It flew backwards and plopped to the ground.

"Ekans use Poison Sting!" another Rocket ordered.

To his side and Ekans shot small sharp barbs from its mouth.

"Fury Cutter!" Shane yelled.

Heracross swiped with his claws and broke each barb into a dozen pieces. Then as he kept swiping the blast of Poison Sting Heracross slowly stepped closer to Ekans until he was an inch away from it. He slashed into Ekans body with Fury Cutter and Ekans went down after having several gashes in its body.

"Wing Attack!"

Zubat flew forward at him.

"Dodge and then Horn Attack!" Shane cried.

"Heracross!" he cried.

Heracross craned its neck to the right to avoid Zubat's wing then swung around to strike it with its horn. Zubat hit the stone of the stairs.

"Great job Heracross!" Shane complimented.

"Thank you," Heracross replied.

"Behind you!" Shane said.

Without thinking, on pure instinct, Heracross swung around and hit the oncoming enemy behind him with his elbow.

"Koffing!" he cried in pain.

The blow Heracross had given him had made a deep crack in the Poison-type Pokemon's body and sent him crashing into the Pewter City Museum's roof. He made a crater where he landed.

Heracross looked at Shane sheepishly.

"I'm sorry," Heracross said. "You should have given the command."

"Are you kidding?" Shane asked. "That was a great Brick Break! How long have you known that move because it was awfully powerful?!"

"Just now have I used it," Heracross said.

"You have no reason to ever doubt yourself again," Shane said.

Heracross suddenly heard a very unfamiliar noise and saw human vehicles flashing red and blue lights coming towards them.

"The police!" Shane said. "Bulbasaurtwo I want you to wrap these losers up!"

"Bulbasaur!" he replied.

He used Vine Whip and grabbed four Rockets in one vine and wrapped each group onto a column of the museum. Shane got out of his bag some rope, gave it to Bulbasaurtwo, and using his Vine Whip quickly tied the criminals to a column.

"Yeah we won!" Heracross said.

"No not yet," Shane said. "They're inside and they're obtaining something they've been trying to get for ten years."

They ran inside to see that the Team Rocket was holding people at bay and had totally secured the area. Exhibits of fossils in their glass casings had been smashed and the sight of terrified people was everywhere. Shane ran towards the end of the room as fast as he could.

A researcher was lying on the ground, slumped up against the wall. This floor looked like it had been ransacked with glass casings broken and the fossils inside missing.

In front of him was a Team Rocket Executive with teal hair and a fancy black hat to match his uniform. He was smiling with a sickening grin. He was patting the disc in his pocket.

"Thank you for the information on regenerating fossilized Pokemon doctor," he said. "These Pokemon will make such a lovely addition to the black market. Did you know that not even 1 out of 100,000 people have a Pokemon that went extinct long ago. Yes indeed Team Rocket will have a lovely addition to its commerce. Pleasure doing business with you."

Suddenly a kid with wild blond hair with his hand on a Bulbasaur with weird markings and holding a Heracross by the arm appeared behind the Executive.

"Hello Proton," Shane said.

He took the disc out of the Executive's pocket. Just as he reacted Shane uppercut him and he stumbled back a little, holding his face in his pain. Shane slipped the disc into his own pocket.

While Proton stumbled back Shane helped the researcher up.

"Get out of here," Shane said. "It's about to get pretty ugly in here."

He nodded and ran down the hall.

Just as he did Proton looked back at him and glared.

"It's not possible," he said. "How could Miles and Miller have failed to get you?"

"You're personally about to find out how," Bulbasaurtwo replied.

Proton smiled.

"No matter," he said, wiping the blood from his lip.

Shane heard the clatter of footsteps behind him. He looked back to see the Rockets from downstairs made it to the second floor.

"But I'm going to have fun delivering a traitor like you, a stolen super clone, and the fossil regeneration information to Giovanni personally," Proton said. "Boys you know what to do."

The four Team Rocket soldiers behind Shane through their Pokemon out. He and his Pokemon turned to see they had sent out a Drowzee, a Koffing, a Voltorb and a Beedrill.

"Drowzee use Psybeam!"

"Drowzee!" it cried.

His body began glowing with an aura of purple, he put his hands together to form a big ball of multicolored light and from it unleashed a straight beam of psychic energy.

"Vine Whip," Shane said.

"Saur."

From the right side of his flower bulb grew a slender green vine and as the Psybeam neared two feet of him he use the vine to deflect it away.

Bulbasaurtwo wrapped the vine around Drowzee and crashed through the floor into the first floor.

"Well that didn't last long," the owner of Drowzee said depressingly.

"Hit him into the hole," Shane said.

Bulbasaurtwo grabbed the Rocket and through him into the hole in the floor.

Heracross was trading blows with the Beedrill. They flew in the air with their gossamer wings flapping intensely fast as Beedrill used Twineedle and Heracross used Fury Cutter. Heracross had finally broken through Beedrill's stabs with his drill-like stingers and slashed him repeatedly in the chest.

"Bee!" he buzzed in pain.

"Hera!"

Heracross gave him one last hard slash and Beedrill was thrown back with a very deep gash.

"Alright Heracross!" Shane said.

"To tell you the truth this is one of my first real fight," Heracross said.

"Voltorb!"

From the ground Voltorb shot a Thunderbolt at Heracross.

He dodged it right in time.

"Now go use Horn Attack!" Shane yelled.

"Heracross!"

He sailed down and landed a huge blow on Voltorb with the end of his horn. Voltorb flew away and crashed into the opposite wall. Heracross descended in front of Shane.

"Bulbasaur!"

"Koffing!" he cried in pain.

He was Vine Whipped between the eyes and flew like a thrown ball into the floor. The trainers of the Pokemon were all running downstairs in retreat. Now only Proton remained.

Bulbasaurtwo and Heracross stood beside Shane as he confronted Proton.

"Give up," Proton said. "You don't stand a chance against an Executive."

"I recall Miller saying something very similar," Shane replied.

Proton enlarged two Pokeballs hanging from his waist.

"I'm going to have the pleasure of bringing the three of you to Giovanni," Proton said. "He'll be so elated to have two clones. I hear his Mewtwo is doing quite well."

Bulbasaurtwo was seething with anger over hearing his best friend in the hands of Giovanni. He was ready to slap this guy across the head with his Vine Whip. That's why they came here in the first place.

"How dare you abuse my friend like that," Bulbasaurtwo said.

"You were meant to serve us," Proton replied. "It's not abuse. It is practical purpose. Go Golbat and Weezing!"

Proton flung the Pokeballs into the air and from them came a blue bat with two wide wings with a purple underside. The other was obviously the evolved form of Koffing because it had two heads, one big one with a small one attached to its side with another purple ball conjoined behind them. The two Pokemon floated in the air with malicious eyes.

Bulbasaurtwo stood his ground firmly and gave them both a glare to make sure both of them knew he would not back down.

"Golbat go and use Wing Attack against Bulbasaurtwo!" Proton ordered. "Weezing use your Gyro Ball on him!"

Golbat descended upon Bulbasaurtwo with outstretched wings and Weezing's body spun around in circles before flying straight at him.

"Use Teleport!" Shane cried.

"Bulbasaur!" he cried.

He vanished before Golbat's left wing could hit him in the face. He reappeared in midair directly above spinning Weezing. As Bulbasaurtwo fell he held his head out and slammed into it into Weezing's largest head.

"Weezing!" it cried in pain as Bulbasaurtwo rammed into its largest head.

Weezing was slammed into the floor with Bulbasaurtwo on top of it.

"Golbat use Fly attack!" Proton yelled

He jumped off just to see Golbat flying towards him.

"Bat!" it cried.

"Vine Whip!" Shane said.

"Saur!"

He extended both vines from his bulb and formed an X-shape in front of Golbat. Golbat stopped in midair, flapping as hard as it could against the Vine Whip but it was a stalemate.

"Weezing."

Bulbasaurtwo could sense Weezing floating back up after being hit to the ground. He looked back to see as he floated back up Heracross had flown at him and struck him between the eyes with a Horn Attack. Weezing was flung back into the a glass casing with a fossil in it.

"Yeah Heracross!" Shane said. "You show him!"

"Golbat get out of there and attack with Air Slash now!" Proton ordered.

"Golbat!"

Golbat flew up higher, escaping the barrier Bulbasaurtwo had created with his Vine Whip, and ascended. It pulled its wings all the way back. then pulled forward with all its strength, and launched a blade of wind that was so long, from end to end it sliced into the walls of the museum. Bulbasaurtwo raised his Vine Whip and struck the Air Slash. The blade of air was torn apart.

"Now use Leech Seed!" Shane cried.

Bulbasaurtwo drew from the inside of his bulb a seed and pumped nutrients into it. Then he pushed it to the small opening at the top of his bulb and launched it at Golbat. The seed opened up on its body and out popped four palm leaves that immediately began draining Golbat's health.

"GOL!" it cried in pain.

"Bulbasaur!"

He slammed his vines into Golbat and brought it to the floor. Golbat appeared to try and get up but it was drained again by the Leech Seed and laid still on the ground.

"Weezing," it cried.

"Heracross! Heracross! Heracross! Heracross!" Heracross cried.

He kept using Fury Cutter on Weezing. At first Heracross felt like he had been slashing against an impenetrable barrier but the more he slashed into it, and Weezing just kept tumbling backwards, his attacks were beginning to leave slash marks.

"Keep it up Heracross!" Shane kept yelling, encouraging him and making him cut with more vigor.

"Weezing don't take that!" Proton yelled. "Use a Sludge!"

Heracross let Weezing have one more good slash over the eye before he opened his wings and flew upwards.

"Weezing! Weez!"

It shot from its mouth dozens of disgusting bullets of black gunk that Heracross flew as fast as he could to dodge. He saw as they hit the walls and ceiling that the Sludge immediately deteriorated the wood of the building. But Heracross had an opening as he flew right above Weezing.

"Now use Brick Break!" Shane cried.

"Heracross!" he soared down at Weezing with his arm raised above his head.

As Heracross was only inches away from Weezing's biggest head he hit Weezing with his forearm as hard as he could.

Crack!

Heracross could hear the small fracture of Weezing's thick hide and the Poison-type Pokemon hit the floor, bounced off the wall and rocketed through the ceiling. Heracross watched Weezing fly skyward.

Heracross flew over to see Bulbasaurtwo had knocked out Golbat. They followed Shane as he walked over to Proton. He looked scared as his pupils emanated terror and sweat poured from his forehead.

"So what was that about abusing Mewtwo for practical purpose?" Bulbasaurtwo asked.

Shane watched with satisfaction as Proton, Petrel, and their Team Rocket soldiers were thrown into the back of the police vehicle with their hands and legs bound with rope.

"You could for nothing double-crossing, thieving-!" Petrel screamed before the police officer shut the door.

It drove away.

Officer Jenny came up to Shane who had Bulbasaurtwo and Heracross standing beside him.

"Stupendous work," Jenny said. "I am glad you appeared when you did. It takes not only real strength to stand up to the Rockets in mid-heist but real courage. I applaud you for that."

"Thank-you ma'am," Shane replied. "But I really can't say I did it as much as my Pokemon were the real heroes. We're a family and they did most of the work. Have all the fossils been recovered?"

"Every single one," Jenny replied.

Shane pulled out the disc of fossil regeneration information.

"Here," he said. "This is what they really wanted. It's the same information they tried to steal about seven years ago that belonged to the Cinnabar Island Research Institute. It contains all the information one would want about resurrected Pokemon from fossilized DNA. Guard it closely."

She took the disc from him and placed it in a bag around her waist.

"Will do," Jenny said. "Gosh, if you hadn't come I'm sure the Rockets would have been gone before we could have done something. And even if we had gotten there in time we would have barely stopped them from getting fossils if we would have stopped them at all. I didn't know about this DNA info. I wish there was some kind of reward I could give you but oh my with our tight budget I don't think there is anything I could give you."

Shane smiled gratefully.

"That's okay," he said. "I don't-"

"Oh wait there is something I could give you!" Jenny said.

Jenny took out of her pocket a ticket and placed it Shane's hand. It was a simple ticket with the drawing of a ship on it.

"I know how strong trainers like you like to battle with other trainers and I here the SS Anne has some," Jenny said. "It's just outside Vermillion City."

Shane looked at Bulbasaurtwo and they both smiled.

"Yeah thanks Jenny," Shane said.

Shane put it his bag, which now had more room because the rope was no longer in it. They waved goodbye and the three of them walked down the street. Shane walked down the street, surprised that it was already past noon. Shane took no time to rest and ran down the street at full speed.