Me: MY GOD WHY THE HELL IS THIS HAPPENING?-! GUUYS! STOP! EEEK! SHADOW YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO CHASE ME IF I DIDN'T GET THE CHAPTER UP!
Shadow: (I'm still getting you! That's what I was told to do!)
Me: IF I DIDN'T GET THE CHAPTER UP!
Blaze: (I'm getting you even if he doesn't!)
LF: Don't worry Gemma, we're coming!
Me: GOOD! YOU BETTER NOT TAKE AS LONG AS LAST TIME! *running* ON WITH THE CHAPTER!
Episode 50- Saving the few you can
"And this chapter I believe our authoress might finally be able to go back into her own author rooms! At long last the heroes will have a little more peace! Anyway, last chapter an unusual thing happened, all our heroes (minus three) turned into Eeveelutions! Now, though, it's all back to normal."
"I'm not sure if I'll leave just yet." Gem said as she and the others checked themselves over to make sure they didn't have tails or something. "There's too much to sort out down here."
"You've been down here for ages. Don't you at least think you better check on stuff up there?" Lucy said.
"I guess so… alright then, see you guys, I'll probably pay a lot more visits down here now. Time for the voice in the sky to return." Gem said, reaching into her pocket and grabbing the watch, pressing a few buttons, "Ah, now how does this work…"
"You're kidding, right?" Scarlet said, giving her a look. Gem raised her hands in the air for a second.
"I can't help it! I'm used to my simple but shit device! Nathen's stuff is much more advanced than mine!" The authoress said, before sighing, "I'll work on it, but right now I think I'm stuck here still."
"Great, you better not be doing this on purpose." Auberon said, giving her shifty eyes. Gem rolled her eyes.
"I want to get out of here as much as you want me to. Now come on, let's all get to sleep. We have to get moving again in the morning."
Then a yawning Nurse Joy walked out of the back room, and looked at the group, confused for a moment before looking directly at Scarlet.
"Scarlet Stone-Ketchum, correct?" She asked. Scarlet nodded.
"Yeah, that's me."
"Your Aunt, Emerald, she's on the phone for you. Please go to one of the public v-phones and I'll connect you." Joy said, before walking back out back.
"I wonder what Aunt Emerald wants…" Scarlet said, before looking to the others, "You guys go to bed, I'll be up soon."
"Alright, just come up soon." Auberon said, patting her shoulder as he walked past. He was still worried about her, the whole Eevee incident may have lifted their spirits a bit but she had still lost her uncle.
"I will, go to bed." Scarlet said, walking over to a video phone and turning it on.
Theme: Third Generation of Pokémon,
Comin' at you we're number one!
We're better than ever and we're never givin' up,
Gonna keep on fightin' 'til we reach the top!
Cos' we still gotta catch 'em all,
Never gonna let you fall!
Third generation of Pokémon,
Comin' at you we're number one!
"Hi Auntie Emerald!" Scarlet said with a big grin as she saw her favourite auntie. Emerald beamed back, eyes hidden behind her goggles.
"Hi Niece! How've you been?" Emerald said.
"As good as I can be thanks. You?" Scarlet replied. Emerald shrugged.
"I've been alright, cautious as hell, but fine. You have no idea how many people who just like the colours black and purple I've nearly beat up recently." Scarlet couldn't help but giggle at her aunt's antics. She was always the boisterous one.
"That sounds like you… and like Auberon. He'd be that paranoid in our situation. Then again, he's always that paranoid." The coordinator said, laughing.
"How is your little elfy crush anyway?" Emerald said, raising an eyebrow in typical Ketchum style. Scarlet's cheeks flared up.
"N-Never mind that, t-tell me w-why you called." She said, embarrassed, not wanting to linger on te subject. She had to admit her feelings had been stirred a lot more recently, she swore a lot of these occasions and incidents were things caused by Gem.
"Well, I went to your house to look for clues-…" She saw the look her niece gave her, and raised her hands, "I know it could've been a big mistake, but nothing happened, honest! It was empty of life! Except for a few Poké Balls…" Emerald added the last bit, as she grabbed one. It had a note attached to it, "This one included."
"What does that note say?" Scarlet asked, curious now. Emerald held it up to the screen.
Whoever finds this, give it to Scarlet; it was supposed to be a gift to her on her journey… but I get the feeling I won't get chance to give it to her personally, and I trust my gut. – Ash Ketchum
"G-Grandpa, left that… for me…?" The girl said, looking at the note and Poké Ball with wide eyes.
"Yes, he did. He always seemed to be able to tell when something bad was going to happen, so he did things like this, just incise it was serious." Emerald said, "And of course… this time he had good reason to. TUA are obviously not a force to mess with."
"You got that right…" Scarlet said.
"I'm going to send you the Poké Ball. You'll like what's in it." Emerald said, smiling. Scarlet raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"The breed she is, it's somewhat… a family heirloom." Emerald laughed, placing the Poké Ball in the transporter by her side, and pressing the button to send it to Scarlet. It appeared a minute later in the transporter on the ten-year-old's end, and she grabbed it.
"Wait… so this is…!" Scarlet said as she opened it, Emerald grinning.
"Pi!"
~X~X~X~
"How far do we have to travel today?" Auberon asked as the group all grabbed their bags and slung them over their shoulders. Scarlet had a new full Poké Ball on her belt now, though no one seemed to have noticed it.
"The half way Centre. That should be far enough for today." Gem said, looking at the watch again, still trying to figure it out. Or was she really just pretending? Who knows.
"That's quite a way…" Lucy said. Gem shrugged.
"We need to get to Veilstone asap, I want to get this movie underway. Even if I haven't finished it yet. Or am anywhere near doing so…" The authoress said, before sweatdropping at herself, "Ah well, I can update this at the same time as the movie when I get to that."
"Anyway… we better get moving right now if we want to get there on time. No more getting lost." Indigo said, referring to the day of the separation in the forest.
"That was not getting lost, that was TR blasting us into the forest." Auberon pointed out in a smartass voice. Scarlet gave him a smack around the head. Auberon just laughed at her, got her in a playful headlock and then stole her hat before running off.
"Hey! Aube!" She exclaimed before running after him. The others sweatdropped.
"We should so be used to that by now." Hotaru said, "And we haven't known them as long as the rest of you."
"Come on, let's follow them before its them who get us lost." Jaspa sighed, starting to walk ahead with Indigo right on his heels. Nevee dragged off TJ, the boy happily following her, playing along with her dragging him. Gem started to walk off too, Lucy and Hotaru following her closely.
"No more questions today, girls, please." Gem said, as if knowing what they were thinking, "I was on the brink of depression when it all happened, right on the brink of becoming a fully fledged 'emo' by cutting, I don't want to bring myself to that again… or get angry."
"Alright… we're just worried now, is all… that and… Existence has its own branch in TUA… if they find out who you are… then…" Lucy said.
"I won't let them." Gem said simply, "I will not allow myself to be discovered. Existence ever got a read on my aura, the only one who will recognise my face is Brett who never leaves Monoko, and I will not even look like myself when I go into TUA's base anyway."
"If you're sure…" Hotaru said.
"I am. Now come, we need to get going after them." Gem assured, walking a bit faster. The two ex-TUA members gave each other a look before sighing and following.
~X~X~X~
"Gotcha!" Scarlet laughed as she jumped on Auberon from behind and tackled him to the ground. Auberon let out a grunt from her weight, but otherwise just laughed. She grabbed her hat from his hands and put it back on, before sitting on his back and not budging.
"Hey! Get off!" Auberon said, trying to get her off his back. Scarlet just giggled.
Then something knocked Scarlet off Auberon's back, a green and white blur hitting the unsuspecting girl and throwing her to the ground, the blur itself stopping after hitting her, stumbling back, dizzy from the sudden collision, right into Auberon's arms as he pushed himself up.
He looked at the creature for a moment. It was a little Ralts, covered in injuries, its face staring right up at him despite the lack of visible eyes. He stared at it too, confused, holding it.
"What the…?-!" Indigo exclaimed as she and Jaspa reached them. Another blur, this one brown and cream, jumped out of the bushes and this time landed in Indigo's arms. She jumped, but looked at it, seeing a tiny Eevee, also covered in wounds. The Eevee looked up at Indigo, blue eyes scared, but seeming to somewhat trust the girl she was being held by, "Um… hey little one."
"Ve…" The Eevee said, burying her little face against Indigo's chest, as if hiding from something. Ralts had by now grabbed Auberon around the neck and hidden there, making the elfy boy confused. Scarlet was looking at them in shock, whilst Jaspa was looking at Indigo and the Eevee with a similar expression.
"Hey, why've you all stopped here?" Gem said as she walked up to them, Nevee and TJ just ahead of her, before spotting the two Pokémon. "Huh?" Lucy and Hotaru came up behind them too then.
"Cuties!" Nevee giggled immediately, grabbing TJ's hand. TJ couldn't help but blush.
"But what're they doing here? Ralts aren't native to this area, are they? And Eevee don't generally just run around, they're normally in a family." Hotaru said. Gem seemed to have a thought, but she didn't say it if she did.
"They're pretty badly hurt." Jaspa observed, tenderly scooping the scared Eevee from Indigo's arms, looking the wounds over. Indigo hovered close though, knowing how Jaspa could be with Pokémon, but Jaspa gave her an assuring glance he wouldn't hurt it more.
"Oh good! You stopped them!" A male voice said. A minute later someone walked out of the trees, he had black hair in a short ponytail, with two silver streaks, and red eyes. He was dressed in black, with a chain holding a silver skull around his neck.
"And you are?" Auberon said, standing up, still holding the scared Ralts.
"Their trainer," The man said as he gestured to the two Pokémon, "We were training when some wild Pokémon attacked, they fought for a while but being so young they got scared and ran off." Hotaru swore she could see Gem's fist twitch to clench when hearing this, but she dismissed it.
"Oh, I see." Indigo said, though not sure whether to really trust this man or not. He looked in his twenties, and didn't seem the type to train such Pokémon. At his age, surely if he wanted them for their evolved forms they'd be evolved by now, right?
"May I?" He said, gesturing to Indigo and Jaspa to hand the Eevee back. The Eevee tried to hide more into Indigo and Jaspa, but the man scooped her up and told her to climb to his shoulder, which she obediently did, looking down as she did so. He then turned to Auberon, who reluctantly handed over the Ralts, also not getting a good vibe off of the man. "Thank you, who knows where they could've got to if you hadn't've stopped them. Sorry to be a bother." The man said with a polite bow, before running off into the trees.
"…That was strange, even by this story's standards." Hotaru said.
"That would be strange no matter the weirdness of the story." Lucy said.
"I don't see how that was strange, sure he didn't look like the guy to train them, but appearances are deceiving. Look at me, do I look like someone who could put up with someone crazy, if you didn't know me, thus not knowing I can be just as crazy when I want to be?" TJ said, gesturing to himself with the hand holding Nevee's.
"When you've been under the eye of Gem for a while, you can tell when appearances matter." Auberon said, standing up.
"That and your powers of observation, Aube. They apply to humans as well as Pokémon strategies sometimes." Scarlet pointed out as she stood up. Auberon shrugged.
"I still don't like this. What do you think Big Mouth?" The elf boy asked the authoress. Gem was silent for a moment, before shrugging dismissively.
"It's not any of our business." She said simply before turning to walk ahead on the path again.
But someone grabbed her arm, making her sigh and look over her shoulder.
"What?"
"What's with you? Normally every time something like this happened you'd be straight on it!" Scarlet said. Gem sighed.
"Fine, you can get involved if you like, but this isn't my territory today, sorry."
"Not good enough." Scarlet persisted, crossing her arms. Gem barely stopped herself snapping, but at the same time a tiny smile cracked on her face at how persistent she was even though she supposedly hated her authoress.
"Fine, I'll come too…" Gem said, expanding the smile a little. "But I swear, the first sign of big trouble, and we're out of there."
"Hey, Authoress?" Indigo said.
"Yes?"
"If he's a bad guy… and he's hurting those Pokémon… are we allowed to keep them?" She asked, grabbing Jaspa's hand. Gem saw this and the blush that came from both of them and her smile grew.
"Of course. I saw both those Pokémon took a certain shine to two of you' she looked at Indigo then Auberon after saying this 'so you both have permission to catch them if needs be."
"Thanks Authoress." Auberon said.
"Come on, let's just go." Gem said as she started to walk away.
Nevee giggled and started to follow, pulling TJ with her, making him laugh too. Auberon and Scarlet smiled at each other before following, and Indigo and Jaspa didn't let the other's hand go as they followed too.
All the couples are slowly working out… at least they can be happy… Gem thought, still keeping her smile. Lucy and Hotaru exchanged suspicious looks before following too.
~X~X~X~
"You stupid little pests!" The man said as he kicked the Ralts into a tree and threw the Eevee hard against the floor. Both cried out. "All you have to do is damn well train! We could easily just use one of your stupid little siblings you know! The only reason you're alive is for your final evolutions!"
The Eevee pushed to her feet and tried to walk to him, but he kicked her and threw her into a rock. She yelped again, whimpering.
Please… Ralts's telepathic voice said to the man, as she too tried to stand. The man just threw her back with a beam of flames that came from one of his hands.
"Well well, I see there is plenty more than one evil team operating here in Sinnoh." An all too familiar female voice said. The man looked to her.
Ciaera walked out from the trees, not looking a day older than when Scarlet's mother had met her, though she was now almost twenty years older. Her hair was still long and black, her fringe still dark red. She was still dressed in red and black, and her lips were blood red.
"And you are?" The man asked.
"The name is Ciaera. Team Rocket's leader. And you would be?" Ciaera said. The man crossed his arms.
"I'm Colby, currently the lone Existence Soldier out here in Sinnoh. So, you're from the famous Team Rocket are you? We've heard a lot about you, don't see you much in Pokoh or Monoko. Just the odd appearance." The man, Colby, said. Both small Pokémon were whimpering and trying to get to their feet again.
"We haven't quite gotten around to it, yet. We've tried before but some idiots destroyed our attempts. The same can't be said for you, I haven't heard much of such a team called Existence before, I would be intrigued to learn of your methods. We both strive for world domination, yes?"
"Perhaps. I don't believe I am at such a position to tell you what I know though, miss. You are, technically, the enemy. We work alone." Colby said, raising an eyebrow.
"Not from what little I've heard. Team Universal Aura, ring any bells?" Ciaera said with a smirk, seeing the look on his face, "I have eyes and ears everywhere my boy."
"We still work alone, that is merely a cooperation of convenience for the two of us, we need what they have and they are interested in what we have. Plus, fighting over the same territory would not be good for either side."
"I suppose so, my boy… but we at Team Rocket have our ways." Ciaera smirked, clicking her fingers, making three Houndoom run into view. Colby tensed.
"Fight me with my own kind? What an insult, miss Ciaera." He said, before his legs tensed, "But you should know one thing, I was not only merged with Houndoom." He added, before jumping high and then slamming his feet to the ground, causing a powerful earthquake attack to take over the floor of the path and forest.
"Smart, I'll give you that. But this won't be the last you see of m-…"
A tiny cry rang out, as the Ralts decided this was enough and wanted to alert her saviour from earlier to what was going on. After she did so, both she and the Eevee soon found themselves unconscious from the damage caused by the earthquake attack on top of their other injuries.
And right on time, the group burst through the trees, all barely standing from the quaking ground.
"What the hell?-! I knew something was up!" Auberon exclaimed. Gem looked scared, the earthquake couldn't've come from any of the Pokémon present, and she knew this only confirmed her earlier fears, she began to shake and it wasn't from the earthquake.
"I'm getting away whilst I still can…" Ciaera mumbled to herself, before turning to run. Scarlet caught the woman's face for just a second as she ran off, and something in her head clicked, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where this woman's face brought up a memory.
"I should've known I couldn't get out of prying little trainer's eyes for too long, stupid little weaklings." Colby said as he looked to the group, charging a flame on his hand. Their eyes all widened.
"Oh shit." Someone said, but none of them registered who it was before they dodged the best they could, Jaspa seeming to take extra care and even making sure that Nevee was out of the way before even TJ could.
"What on earth?-!" Indigo exclaimed as she sat up.
"Go to those Pokémon!" Gem barked suddenly as she brought herself to her feet. Everyone looked at her in surprise, other than Lucy and Hotaru who had quickly understood the situation. "I'm staying to battle this guy, you guys go to a safe place and treat them!"
"What?-! No, we have to stay here and help!" Scarlet protested. Gem gave her a hard glare, which shut her up.
"I said GO! Those Pokémon need attention, and don't worry about the damn Poké Balls, I can assure you I will get them for you and modify them to fit your others!"
"But…" Auberon started.
"NO BUTS!" Gem barked louder than before, making them jump. They all quickly got up and grabbed onto the two Pokémon, Auberon taking Ralts and Indigo taking Eevee, before they ran off. Scarlet looked at Gem before following, but seeing the look she got she tore off after the others.
"Well well, you're a brave one aren't you?" Colby said as he grabbed a Poké Ball. Gem grabbed one of her own.
"I know your kind," Gem said simply, expanding her ball.
"Ah… one of us."
"I was NEVER one of you!" Gem snarled, throwing her ball, revealing Blaziken. Normally, a lot of Existence experiments would only use their 'own' species as their main Pokémon, but she didn't have an Embolf, she couldn't bare it, but she could just about pull of pretending Blaziken was her main Pokémon, he had the wrists at the very least. She flared up her own flames just as Blaziken did, her ankles staying unlit, and snarled at Colby louder.
Colby sent out a Houndoom of his own, and smirked.
"You're not going to have an easy go of it." He said, looking at the other fire type.
"Do you forget he is also part fighting?" Gem said, a small smirk forming at the man's stupidity. "Blaziken, Double Kick, pronto!"
"Stay boy." Colby said calmly.
The Blaziken leapt into the air, both legs powered and ready to kick out with as much force as he could manage, heading quickly for the Dark Type, who was just sitting there. The legs bent, and just as he was about to deliver the powerful set of two kicks, some hidden signal was given and the Houndoom bit down on the first leg that came for him, electricity sparking from its fangs, making Blaziken let out a startled yelp as the electricity shot through him. But he still had his other leg.
The Houndoom yelped as he was thrown off and back, Blaziken landing on the floor, now limping a bit on the shocked leg. Gem flared up her flames more, growling.
"Use Bulk Up then use Sky Upper Cut!"
"Shadow Ball."
Blaziken ran at the other Pokémon with startling speed as his muscles tensed, powering him more. The other was charging a dark ball in his mouth, paws dug to the dirt to keep him still and tense, ready to attack. Blaziken brought his fists up just as the ball was fired, and as the super effective attacked knocked the Dark Type into the air Blaziken was blown back into the trees.
"Blaziken!"
"Up and use Flamethrower into those trees!" Colby said, without a second's thought. Gem gritted her teeth, she was too scared to stop it, too scared it would remind her of that fire she caused that didn't burn like is should've, didn't burn her like it should've. Blaziken was struggling up, and the Houndoom was clearly not doing so good either, the battle had been short but sharp so far, and the two were so experienced that even against someone of a similar skill their moves could end a battle easily.
But despite the two's conditions, Houndoom fired his attack, and Blaziken tried to stand to get out of the way, but he wasn't quick enough this time, he was slammed into the tree, even with little damage being done, and the flames burnt the trees behind him, starting up a fire. Blaziken recovered quickly, and stood. But by the time the two had looked back to the man after seeing the fire, he was gone and two Poké Balls were left behind.
Gem walked to them, grabbing them and holding them, looking at the red and white balls with wide eyes for a moment, knowing what they were, that wasn't why her eyes were wide. She was scared. She was genuinely scared. She felt her thirty year old mind fade to her younger one as the fear took over just like it would back then, and she dropped the balls, curling up into a ball and starting to sob.
"T-They're h-here… in-in S-Sinnoh… th-they're here…" She cried, the flames on her ankles joining her wrists, but her clothing not catching alight. She felt the flames from the fire wash over her, and she didn't care, she would wait for another saviour to fix it, she just wanted to dwell in her sorrows. Blaziken looked on from a short distance, knowing it was not his place to pry. But when he saw a surf coming he quickly jumped over it.
Gem felt the familiar burn of the water, and looked up, eyes still flowing with tears. In front of her she saw a familiar person and her Furret, and her eyes lit up a little.
"Hey there. Boy, do I have to do this every time yo-…" The other woman was cut off by the Authoress jumping at her and hugging her, sobbing hard and not letting go. She smiled weakly at this, and hugged her too, patting and rubbing her back to calm her, "Hey… come on… it's all going to be fine.."
~X~X~X~
Me: *pre-recorded* …I loved that chapter! Not only was it a way to get Auberon and Indigo their next Pokémon, and Scarlet too, but I got to use Existence too! Plus, the mystery person returns, but only for this chapter, she won't be coming in next chapter, she has to stay secret for a long time yet!
Me: *live*HOLY CRAP MAN THIS IS MAD! HELLLLP!
LF: We're doing our best Gemma!
Me; NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
Kim: *white hair with pink ends, and dressed in mostly black and white, with some dark blue* Don't worry, here's more help! Hey, so you're this Gem?
Me: I'M ONE OF HER, YES! NOW COME ON, HELP! NATHEN SENT YOU HERE FOR A REASON AND I SWEAR I MIGHT KILL SOMEONE IF I'M NOT OUT OF THIS SITUATION SOON!
Kim: Geez, I'm helping! *running*
Me: YOU BETTER BE! R&R READERS!
