Chapter 28

The gang continues on their way up Route 113 en route to Fortree City. As they were walking, Hiccup comments, "We sure have been walking for a long time. Are we any closer to Fortree?"

Fishlegs, who had been following the map this whole time, replies, "According to the map it should only be a few more miles from here but it's really hard to say."

Astrid then asks, "Well, we've been walking all day. Is there like a town or any kind of building ahead where we could take a rest stop."

Fishlegs scans the map and exclaims, "Yes, actually. The Hoenn weather institute should be just ahead!"

Hiccup's eyes widen. "The weather institute? Hey, that's where Scott works. Maybe we could just stop there for a bit."

Snotlout comments, "Great, because I was hoping that I'd get to research weather today. That just sounds like so much fun."

However, the sky suddenly develops dark clouds and it starts raining. Fishlegs holds up his and and comments, "Huh. I didn't know it was gonna rain today." However, in a flash it gets much colder and the rain turns into snow. "…or snow."

Astrid shivers a bit. "I thought this was the middle of summertime, how can there be snow?" In another flash, however, the snow and the clouds disappear and it becomes very sunny again.

Hiccup asks, "Ok, what is going on with the weather today?" Suddenly, a small Pokémon that looked like a small white cloud floats down in front of them.

Fishlegs comments, "Oh, a Castform. That explains what's been going on with the weather."

"Castform, huh?" Hiccup comments as he reads the Pokédex.

"Castform, the weather Pokémon. Castform has the ability to change the weather to either sunny, rain or snow. The weather also determines what sort of form Castform takes on."

Castform, however, grabs Hiccup with the little clouds under it and pulls him in one direction. Hiccup asks, "Hey, what is this thing doing?"

Fishlegs replies, "I think it wants you to follow it. It looks like it needs to be somewhere quick."

Hiccup nods and says to Castform, "Ok, we'll go." He and the rest of the gang follow Castform down the path until they come across a large bulding with various weather instruments on the rooftop.

Astrid comments, "That must be the weather institute."

Castform then floats up to one of the upper floors and that's when they saw something that made their eyes widen. "Team Magma and Team Aqua?" Hiccup asks as he spots the grunts wearing red and blue uniforms. Hiccup looks to Castform and says, "That's what you were worried about."

"Cast!"

Hiccup nods. "Well, we've dealt with these clowns before." Hiccup was about to barge in when Astrid puts an arm in front of him.

"Hold on." Astrid says. "Look inside. There's a lot of grunts guarding the lobby and main entrance. Besides, if Grimmel and Drago are up there then our Pokémon might be too weak to battle them."

Hiccup nods. "You're right. Even if we did try to take these guys down, it might take too long before Grimmel, Drago or whoever's up there does what they came here to do. Luckily, I know another way in." He pulls out a Pokéball and sends out a yellow cat holding a spoon.

"Kadabra!"

Hiccup commands, "Kadabra, I need you to teleport us to inside that building at the top floor, my bet is that that's where the main guys are located."

Kadabra nods and has the rest huddle around him as he teleports the gang to the top floor of the building, on the staircase just below.

Once there, they could hear a familiar voice coming from inside the room. "Whatever it is you need, you will never find."

Hiccup pokes his head and spots a short, blonde haired woman tied up to a chair with Scott tied next to her. "Mala!" Hiccup thinks to himself as he quickly recognizes her.

Then, a long, brown haired woman wearing Team Aqua clothes walks up to Mala and says, "Oh, you just shut it. Tabitha just so happens to be the best hacker in the region, he'll have what we need in no time."

A chubby, black haired man wearing Team Magma clothes who was typing away at one of the main computers replies, "Shelly is right. I should be done any minute now."

Hiccup growls. "I cannot let this continue any longer."

"Hiccup!" Astrid nearly yells as Hiccup steps onto the floor and yells,

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing?"

The Team Aqua woman looks to Hiccup and smirks. "Well, well. So, this is the kid that Drago told me about. Strange, you on the outside you look about as formidable as a Magikarp."

Hiccup asks, "Just who are you and what are you doing here."

The woman flicks her hair back and says, "I am Shelly, Drago's right hand woman. That on the computer is Tabitha, Grimmel's best subordinate."

Tabitha looks away from the computer and says, "And pretty soon, we're going to have all the information we need."

Hiccup growls. "Not if I have anything to say about it. Kadabra, go!"

"Kadabra!" Kadabra steps in front of Hiccup, looking ready to battle.

Shelly smirks some more and says, "Well, I guess we'll just have to find out how strong you really are. Crawdaunt, take him down!" She throws a Pokéball and sends out the big, red lobster.

Hiccup commands, "Kadabra, use Confusion!"

"Kaaaaaa!" Kadabra holds out its spoon and it glows purple as it attempts to lift Crawdaunt off the ground, however that seemed to not work at all.

Shelly laughs at that. "Silly boy. Crawdaunt is a Dark Type, and Dark types outdo Psychic types every time. Crawdaunt, use Night Slash!"

"Crawwwdaunt!" Crawdaunt moves so quickly that Kadabra didn't have any time to react before it gets slashed.

Hiccup comments, "Hang in there, Kadabra. Try confusing it with a Teleport!"

"Ka! Da! Bra!" Kadabra teleports into various areas around the room, but does not go anywhere near Mala or Scott.

While the battle was going on, Fishelgs and Snotlout snuck into the room and made their way to Mala and Scott. However, Shelly notices this and says, "Hey, don't you think you're getting to our hostages that easily!"

Snotlout comments. "Oh, Rattatas."

Hiccup yells from the other side of the room, "Hey! You're battling me, remember? Kadabra, use Flash." He shields his eyes as Kadabra makes a big flash of light that nearly blinds Shelly and Crawdaunt which bought Fishlegs and Snotlout enough time to get to Mala and Scott.

Fishlegs tries to undo their knots but found them to be very tight, so Snotlout sends out his lava snail of a Slugma to burn off the ropes and free them. Once freed, Mala and Scott jump up and Mala says, "This ends now!"

"You're dam right it does." Tabitha says as he presses one last key on the keyboard before pulling out some sort of flash drive and running to Shelly. "Now we have everything we need. We'll see you later!"

Mala shakes her head. "Not so fast! Castform, use Hail!"

"Caaaast!" Castform's body transforms so it looks like a cone of ice with it's face inside and little balls of ice on the side of it. The weather then suddenly changes and it starts to hail.

Mala comments, "Try escaping now."

Tabitha laughs. "Did you actually think that would stop Team Magma or Team Aqua?"

"No." Hiccup replies. "But this will. Kadabra, use confusion!"

"Kaaaaa!" Kadabra's spoon glows purple again and it causes both Tabitha and Shelly to glow purple as Kadabra strips the flash drive away and tosses it out the open window into the hail, leaving it open and making the chunks of ice get into it's circuts and rendering it useless.

Tabitha growls. "Blast! And after half an hour of work!"

Hiccup has Kadabra hold those two up as he walks over to say, "Now, let's hear your reason as to why I shouldn't throw you two out that window too."

Tabitha growls some more. "Now I've got no other option. Camerupt, use Flamethrower!"

Suddenly, from behind one of the other computers comes a red camel with two volcanic humps that breathes a stream of fire that disrupts Kadabra and makes it drop Shelly and Tabitha.

Hiccup growls at that. "Fine, you escaped the Confusion, but there's no way I'm letting you leave without a fight."

Both Tabitha and Shelly smirk at that as Shelly says, "Oh, did you really think we didn't have a backup plan?" She pulls up some kind of wristwatch communication system and says, "We're ready to leave!"

"Copy that, Shelly." Said the deep voice that Hiccup instantly recognized.

"Drago?" Hiccup asks.

Grimmel then says through the speaker, "Ah, Hiccup. So good to hear from you again. Well, I'm sure you want us to leave so, your wish is our command." Suddenly, a few helicopters appear out of the sky.

Shelly motions to her Crawdaunt who tosses another flash drive out of its paw and into her arms. She and Tabitha quickly jump out of the window and onto some hanging rope ladders while retrieving Camerupt and Crawdaunt before flying away.

Hiccup slams his foot down. "Dammit, we could've taken them down!"

Astrid pats Hiccup on the back. "Don't worry, we'll get them next time. Are you guys alright?"

Mala replies, "Yes, I think we'll be fine. Thank you for helping us."

Scott then says to Hiccup, "Seems like this is the fourth time at least that you two have helped me. Thank you so much." before going to that same computer and typing on it.

Mala nods. "Ah, these are the kids that you told me about, Scott. Then you must be Hiccup."

Hiccup nods. "Yeah, that's me. I'm glad to help. By any chance, do you know what those guys took from your system?"

Mala explains, "That's what Scott is trying to figure out now. I can't say for sure what they took but from the sounds of it it must have been something valuble."

Scott then exclaims, "Oh no. They took the Grou-Kyo research that we were working on!"

Mala gasps at that. "Oh, that cannot be good."

Hiccup asks. "Sorry, the Grou-Kyo research?"

Mala explains, "Well, we've been doing research on the weather patterns lately and we've noticed a significant increase in both harsh sun and rain. We belive that the legendary Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre might have something to do with it, so we've been keeping research on them to see if we can find a link."

Scott adds, "We were getting close to figuring out a way we can stop the legendaries if they were to fully awaken, but it looks like those bastards took it."

Hiccup nods. "I see. Well, is there a way we can get that research back? Is there like a backup file?"

Mala sighs. "I'm afraid there simply wasn't enough time to create one. *sigh* Well, I suppose I could have Steven come back and give us the research he took again."

Hiccup's eyes widen. "Wait, Steven? He's helping you too? Oh, that's what he was doing in Granite Cave."

Mala nods. "Yes, the Champion Steven has been working with us for a few months now getting us as much research as he can. I will get into contact with him as soon as I can. You all can stay if you'd like."

Snotlout then says, "Well, as fun as it would be to wait for someone to show up and give us more boring research…" He then walks down the stairs.

Hiccup sighs. "Despite my friend's attitude, he is right. We do need to get going."

Mala nods. "Well, I do wish you all luck on your journey, and hopefully if you see Team Magma or Team Aqua again, you'll be able to teach them a lesson on thievery."

Hiccup nods. "We will. Trust us."

With that, Hiccup and the gang head across the bridge right next to the weather institute and continue on their way to Fortree City.

However, back at the weather institute, about half an hour after the gang had already left, Scott finds something and says, "Oh wait, here's a piece of information they left."

He pulls it up and it shows an image of Groudon and Kyogre clashing with each other, but at the top there was a green, snake like Pokémon. Mala's eyes widen, "Why, that's the painting that was stolen from the Slateport museum."

Scott then says, "Yes, but I just spotted something. Have a look." He zooms the image up and, in front of the green Pokémon, was a small boy with auburn hair standing in front of it and holding out his hand. Scott says, "Doesn't that look just like…"

"Hiccup." Mala says in near disbelief. She then tells the other researchers, "Find out as much about that painting as you can." The researchers nod and quickly get to work.