Chapter 52
With the last remaining threat of Team Plasma now in prison, the group decided to camp out ant spend a final night together.
CYCLING ROAD
Miracle and Sakinah, had gotten up early yet again and did their morning training routine, before returning to a campsite that was buzzing with movement.
"Hey you guys, I didn't expect you up so early." Saki said. Her body soaked with perspiration.
Mike stood up and gave the two girls a plate of food, "We wanted a last little hoorah. Odila and I need to be going back to our jobs."
"Your leaving already?" Miracle sulked playfully. Mike stuck his tongue out at her, and was then smacked with Odila's crutch. "OW!"
"Play nice, they are the next generation of great trainers. They will surpass us someday, and that day may be sooner then later." She told her boyfriend.
"Im just messing with them, but if I am to be quite honest with the four of you." His tone of voice went from playful to praising. "As the children, or relatives, of some of our greatest gym leaders of the last fifty years, I must say that I am impressed. I have met many others who have squandered the opportunity that you have been given, and then I have met others who demand respect that they do not deserve. Running a gym is generally a family business as you all know, and a majority of our gyms here are run by fourth and fifth generations. I was told by my predecessor, your father," He says pointing to Miracle, "that he felt this upcoming group of trainers will be the toast and talk of the town, and after our little excursions I agree with him more then ever."
Odila sat down next to him and decided to continue, "Erin, Saki, Kobi, the three of you hold great potential and from what I can see, you are not to be deterred. And Miracle, with everything on your plate I am surprised that you haven't killed yourself... But I think there is no way you should not dominate the league this year. You are beyond anything any of the gym leaders have even faced this year, and I do not see that changing anytime soon."
The three young adults were all smiling and sucking up the praise dumped upon them, feeling like they just hit the lottery.
"Just be weary," Mike added, "The stronger you get, the stronger the opponents get. And that starts with the Rockets."
The air went cold, and Miracle tensed up. She had a little trepidation and fear, as she looked into the future. The next hour or so was somber but heart warming as Mike and Odila finally said their good-byes and took off hand in hand.
"I hope to have something like that someday," Erin said.
"Hey, just give it time. I believe we can have that." Kobi smiled to her. Erin gave a little squeak and nuzzled into his shoulder.
"Ah to be young and in love," Miracle laughed.
"I thought it was cute," Saki told her in mock anger.
"It is only cute when you are the one squealing...and screaming, and moaning." Miracle laughed. Saki turned bright red and hid her face in her hands in embarrassment. She was about to comment when the center of camp was turned into a giant crater and everyone was thrown into the distance.
After a few moments, Kobi turned over uncovering Erin, whom he had protected at the last second. He stood up and hobbled over to the crater's edge. When he got there he saw Miracle was standing over on the other side. They nodded to each other and both decided to descend into the giant hole.
"What could have caused this?" Miracle asked, her voice a little louder so Kobi could hear.
"It couldn't have been an attack, so I am thinking an object or Pokemon." Kobi was about to continue when something grabbed him at his throat and roared.
"Kobi!" Miracle yelled. She grabbed a pokeball and tossed it, " Go Charizard," The fire dragon roared, then used his wings to clear all the dirt and dust.
"AEROOOOOOO!"
Miracles eyes lit up, there in front of her was a giant prehistoric Pokemon... She knew they were more ancient Pokemon around then there used to be, but she never thought she would see one, especially an Aerodactyl.
"Charizard get Kobi back now," she yelled. The black dragon's claws became metallic and he swiped at and hit the rock dinos wing hard and, allowing Kobi to drop back to the ground safely. Miracle then released Beedrill and told him to protect Kobi. "Charizard keep using metal claw."
And he did, but after a few swipes Aerodactyl finally struck back, using iron tail. "Grab it Charizard." The two mighty dragons were at a stalemate. But Aerodactyl reached under Charizard and bit him with thunder fang. "Beedrill stop him." The bug type swooped in and he to somehow used thunder fang, and dealt enough damage to the rock flyer to knock him back.
"Shiftry," "Tangrowth," "SOLARBEAM." Kobi and Miracle looked up to see that the girls had recovered and were using their Pokemon to subdue Aerodactyl. "Charizard, Beedrill, get us out of here." The two trainers were picked up and thrown from the crater as the two attacks met in the middle and yet another explosion ensued.
"Shit, Beedrill," Miracle whispered. When the dust settled again, Charizard and Beedrill were both nearly out. But luckily for them Aerodactyl was.
Mira returned her two Pokemon, and walked over to Saki. "Mira what was that all about?"
"I don't know, the initial blast knocked you and Erin out. But Kobi and I awoke and decided to investigate. Then Kobi was attacked." She said, "Did anyone pick up where he came from?"
"No, its like it came straight from above us." Erin said. "Are you three magnets for trouble?"
They chose not to answer, "Kobi can your aura trace anything this late?" Saki asked.
"No, but I could at least check if he came from a certain direction." He said. He closed his eyes, and everything around him went into shades of black and white. He focused on the unconscious Pokemon, and locked onto his aura. He played the action in reverse, and as the vision froze he picked up where Aerodactyl fell. He reopened his eyes and pointed east. "He fell from over there, and I do not think it happened on accident."
"We need to check it out, but what do we do about the big guy here?" Erin said.
Miracle walked back to the crater and held out one of her hands. "I am gonna try something."
"What?" Saki asked her.
"Well if I am a bug Pokemon /human hybrid I should know attacks like Erin does...So why not try spider web, or string shot." Then low and behold she shot a very strong thread out of her hand and made it so it couldn't move, "Well that worked, Saki baby leave Shiftry to guard him."
With that all taken care of, the four teens again took off, this time looking for where the mysterious ancient Pokemon came from.
After nearly an hour of hiking, they stumbled upon the gate of a Pokemon preserve.
"Wow, I am greatly relieved that we came across this and not some evil doer's plot," Kobi sighed. The other three agreed.
A tall nerdy man with red hair and glasses walked up to them, panic clearly written on his face. "I am sorry kids, the prehistoric Pokemon preserve is closed for the foreseeable future."
"Oh, I didn't even know this place existed," Erin said, "Sir, I am the gym leader of Celadon City, why was I never informed that a place like this was so close to my city?"
" Then that makes you Miss Erin. Mam, we are a government funded institute. And at this point this is a temporary place that we are testing out. If it became permanent then we would have informed you."
"That is a crock of bull shit, if someone knew about this place then we could have brought the Aerodactyl that attacked us, instead of leaving it incapacitated at our campsite.?" Miracle yelled.
The people around them all flipped out, the man they had been talking to nearly snapped. "You attacked the Aerodactyl, are you four idiots that creature is protected by the government. I shoud have you arrested."
"Sir," Saki spoke, "It may do you well not to get on my nerves. I am a psychic and I am reading your mind at this moment. So do you really want to come at us, because I can start listing the bad deeds you have done."
"Not to mention that dinosaur attacked us, and we had to subdue it by ant means necessary." Kobi said as he showed them his neck, "Now do you want to start over again."
The man was in disbelief, but did restart it all, "This place works in conjunction with many resurrection labs across the world, and with the change of climate and landscape we do not know where the best places are for these Pokemon from the past. And recently we resurrected an Aerodactyl that has some serious anger issues. He has reeked havoc on the preserve and has killed several Pokemon we have brought back to life, and we have been unable to pull in the reins."
"Lucky for you he has been beaten down, and lays nearly comatose in a crater in the middle of our campsite." Miracle told him.
"You must take me to him, we need to put him in the pokeball that has been designated for him. Because if he does get loose there is no beating him a second time."
The teens took a few moments to talk about it, before agreeing to let him and one of the assistants to accompany them.
When they reached the target site, they were shocked. The flying Pokemon had freed itself from his bonds, and was chasing after the speedy, and tired Shiftry.
"Crap, this is not good," the assistant said, "What do we do sir?"
"Prey that he does not want to eat us," the man said.
"Screw that, I may not have a healthy Charizard or Beedrill but I am not goin down that easily." Miracle grabbed two pokeballs and released Bellossom and Hitmonlee. "Okay you two, that monster needs to go down fast. Bellossom start things off with sunny day." The little grass type lit the sky up and took in the sunlight. "Good, now Hitmonlee we need to get Shiftry out of this. Use bounce and jump on Aerodactyl's back."
The fighting type took his moment to strike, then double jumped and landed on Aerodactyl. He then drove him straight into the ground. Saki praised her grass Pokemon, and returned him. She then sent out Solrock, while Kobi and Erin sent out Hitmonchan, and Sceptile, respectively.
"Okay you guys, with sunny day in play Bellossom's speed is incredible. And our fire moves are stronger, so I am going to use my Pokemon as diversions so you can all take them down." everyone agreed.
The Aerodactyl roared back to life, and threw Hitmonlee from his back.
"Solrock, grab Hitmonlee with psychic," Saki said. The sun shaped Pokemon engulfed the fighting type in a blue light and and set him gently on the ground. "Now use iron head." The top spike on his head turned metallic and he flew toward Aerodactyl. The large beast then used iron tail to swat him away.
"Hitmonchan hit him with bullett punch." "Hitmonlee divert attention by using blaze kick." Hitmonlee rushed up and swiped out at the head of his opponent with his flame coated leg. This allowed Hitmonchan to strike it hard and fast in is knees with his iron coated fists.
"Sceptile hit him with as many energy balls as you can." Erin yelled. "You to Bellossom, lets confuse him." The two grass types nodded their heads and let loose the biggest volley of attacks any one had seen.
Aerodactyl though fast, he countered with stone edge, allowing him to come out with minimal damage. And again he used iron tail to hit any Pokemon within reach. This sent the two hitmons and Solrock into many different directions.
"Shit, he is stronger then he was earlier." Kobi said, "Miracle what does that mean."
"the only thing I can think about is that his ability is pressure, and that it is sucking our strength with every attack (yes I changed it around, I wanted to make it applicable in this universe)." She said. "We need to overwhelm it somehow."
The scientist walked up, "If I may make an observation...Its knees are shaking badly from the shots it took from Hitmonchan and Sceptile. Maybe that is where you can start."
"I totally agree, Lets use Lee, Chan, and Sceptile in close. This will allow Solrock, and Bellossom to charge up big attacks to hit him hard." Saki said, her demeanor flickering to that of Miracle's.
"It should work, Hitmonlee keep it moving with blaze kick," Miracle yelled.
"Use your Dragon claw Sceptile," "Thunder punch, Hitmonchan." The ground troops weaved in and out from beneath the rock Pokemon. Each time striking at his exposed knees.
Aerodactyl lost complete track of everything going on, he spun around to chase Sceptile when his knees finally gave way and he dropped.
"Now Bellossom, use solarbeam." "Signalbeam Solrock." The green beam of heat sped into Aerodactyl, while the rainbow colored one circled around it and intensified its tag team partner. They struck him hard in the head, and knocked him back. The scientist threw the pokeball and caught him with little problem.
The sun was now beginning to set, and the site looked just like a war zone. "Thank you all for the help. We are going to try and get him acclimated to the times any way possible." The assistant said.
"He may need more then that. By the way I am Donnie, and this is Scottie," the scientist said, "Miracle, was it...This Pokemon just may need something more strict then we can give him. But I believe that you are a more then capable trainer for it. Let me and the others try and make him a bit more understanding of the world around him, and maybe one day I can let you have him to train, how would you like that?"
"I am honored sir, he would make a great addition to my team, we can exchange numbers. And I hope we can hook something up." She said.
After they said their goodbyes Erin turned to Kobi. "It is my turn to head out as well."
Kobi looked somber but knew it to be true, "I am going to miss you badly," he said pulling her tight.
She rested her head on his chest, "When she is done, will you come back to me?"
"As fast as I possibly could," with one last romantic moonlight kiss they departed.
"Kobi, we do not only do this for Miracle, but for her and the others. If we can put an end to Team Rocket then we are free from this, you know that."
"Yes, but that doesn't make leaving her any more less heartbreaking. You know that." He said as he turned away from the girls.
"Saki, let him be. Kobi has truly fallen for her, and if he loves her this time apart will only hurt him more. Now, we get into Fuchsia City tomorrow and we can have another day to ourselves before we go to the Safari Zone, and the Gym."
Saki just smiled, "I'd like that."
