Hello everyone,
Missed a post yesterday with Courage. It's getting ridiculous how much I miss nowadays. I'll try and get better! But anyway, we're back with Conquer. Let's jump right in.
Reminder of pokemon and names:
Hashirama aka Hashi - Hariyama.
Minato - Hypno.
Madara - Arcanine.
Shika - Absol.
Asuma - Ursaring.
Tobirama aka Tobi - Gyarados.
Sakura - Drakloak.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A major benefit to my ongoing mission of infiltrating Team Rocket, was that I had absolutely no calls I had to make as an Ace Trainer anymore. Unless it benefitted the cause of my mission, I was free to do as I pleased.
So most of my days, I trained. I trained my team as hard as I had ever trained them.
Asuma, Tobi, and Sakura pushed themselves the hardest to catch up with the rest of the team. Asuma focused on learning all of the coverage moves he could. I have stated it before and I will state it again. Normal types can learn an absolutely astounding amount of coverage moves.
Tobirama focused on his speed. He was my counter to the bigger pokemon of the world, and the dragons. He already had the moveset to handle those pokemon. So we focused on his actual typing. Water and flying. Hydro pump was learned, and perfected. Surf, scald. Even iron head and iron tail. He was swiftly becoming a hard hitting monster.
Asuma's biggest weakness was his speed. He was strong, of that there was no doubt. So I switched gears on him. I had hardly no ground and rock type coverage on my team, and those types had great options at long range. That's what led me to teaching him one of the most dangerous moves I had ever encountered, earthquake. That was the hardest move for him to perfect. That along with stone edge and earth power guaranteed that he didn't have to close the distance with his enemies to do massive amounts of damage. In fact, I was building him to be more of a bodyguard for myself, while the rest of the team wreaked havoc on whoever we were fighting.
My training started to gear itself towards an open battlefield against multiple opponents. Now that my focus was Team Rocket and not gym battles, I realized that I would need everyone capable of fighting at the highest level possible both individually and together. I needed a team that could take on an army. And that was how I was training them.
Even though those Asuma and Tobi made massive leaps in ability, Sakura was the one who progressed the most. It was actually beyond what I could believe, and I already thought pokemon developed ridiculously fast. Flamethrower, Shadow ball, Dragon Dance, Hydro Pump, and the one that I found to be the most useful: Thunderbolt. Each day, she seemed to find a new way to improve.
Even during her own training, she would look to my big three with a challenging look on her face. Hashirama, especially.
Hashi mega evolved, until it became as natural as throwing a punch. He spent more time in his mega form, than his base. In this form, it became trivial to learn new moves. He learned shadow claw, blaze kick, and high jump kick. He incorporated all of things while moving with extreme speed, fighting against Madara.
Madara didn't learn any new moves, per say. Instead, I had him focus on one thing, replacing his normal fire moves with the type of fire that sacred fire produced. Sacred fire fang, sacred flame charge, sacred flamethrower. And then he fought with Hashi and Minato.
Minato's coverage was there, as was his psychic abilities. But I needed him to be able to keep up with Hashi and Madara with his teleports. It proved to be ...extremely difficult for him. The process was slow going, although there was definitely progress.
Madara, Hashi, and Minato fought everyday. They did not spar and they were not nice to each other. It was a brawl, plain and simple. Hashi won every single time, and although he did not take it easy on them, he did pull his punches. Any type of hit at full strength from him could cause extreme damage.
I intentionally started to ruin my relationship with Professor Oak, and Daisy. Everytime I would snap at them, they would look at me knowingly, as if they could see right through me. They never challenged me on my attitude, and they never fought with me. They just looked at me with pity in their eyes.
And then at night, I would visit the speakeasy in Viridian. Every night, Sarah would collect me before anything interesting could happen.
This continued for a month, until one day, it didn't.
"One could say you are developing a drinking problem."
I turned to see Gerald, a frequent at the bar, and the man who pissed off that pink haired girl one of the previous times I had visited the speakeasy.
"I think I've got it all figured out." I retorted.
Gerald snorted and took a drink out of whatever concoction the bartender normally made him. "There are other ways to deal with stress, you know?" He asked, as he sat down in the seat next to me.
"Tried fucking, and I tried fighting. Neither works as well." I retorted. That wasn't exactly true, though. Sarah had this really, really effective way of making me forget about the world.
You're on a mission idiot, focus on something other than her.
"Well to treat the stress, you must first identify the cause of the stress." Gerald said, as if he was a clinical psychiatrist. The only reason I was entertaining this conversation was because it was possible he was in leagues with Team Rocket. And I was hoping the conversation would allow me to complain about the league. "Have you identified the cause?" Gerald continued.
"Of course. The cause of my stress is the same as everyone else who decides to come here." I answered the man. I was trying to lead the conversation a particular way.
"Oh? Do tell." Gerald said as he took another drink. It was entirely possible the drink wasn't even alcoholic.
"To get away from the league, of course!" I exclaimed. "It was a mistake to ever take these fucking clothes and the rank that came with them." I growled. I took another drink of my whiskey and water after I said that.
"Quit then." Gerald said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I snorted at him this time. "There is no quitting the league." I responded quickly. "There is only obedience."
"Go to a different region, then." Gerald offered. I wondered if he was truly trying to help or not. I wondered why the fuck he was even talking to me. Was he some washed up trainer, looking to help the next guy? Did he think himself so wise?
"Trade one league for another? No thanks. I'd rather sit on a broken beer bottle. Every league is the same. The system is designed to keep trainers at the bottom. Any decent trainer can provide for himself and his family without ever challenging for his sixth badge. To really advance, you've got to sell your left kidney. And then they'll ask for your liver if you want to go even further. Until eventually, you sell your soul." The last part, I intentionally made myself look off in the distance. As if I was remembering something.
Gerald didn't respond to me then, but he did stare at me. I didn't meet his eyes. I continued to just stare off in the distance. I knew Gerald was thinking hard. Was he pondering on whether or not I was being truthful? Did he think I was just a fucked up trainer and he wanted to help me?
"There are some, who agree with you." Gerald said, interrupting my thought process.
I scoffed at him. "Of course there is. The path to the Plateau isn't lined with gold, it's lined with corpses from previous trainers and pokemon. But nobody has been able to do anything about it." I ranted. I had heard a quote like that in my previous life about Hollywood. I couldn't really remember the movie, however.
Gerald set his glass on the bar table calmly. "I want to introduce you to some of my friends." Gerald said. "I think they would be good for you."
No fucking way.
"And who are they?" I asked, a little suspiciously.
"No questions like that. If you want to make change, if you want to do something other than wallow in your own misery, then you'll follow me. If you don't follow me, then you'll never get this opportunity again and you can continue hating your life, and hating the league while being a puppet to it's whims."
Gerald stood up from the bar and waited a couple of seconds. I knew he was allowing me a little time to think. Then he turned and stalked off to a corner of the bar that I had never ventured to.
There was literally nothing in the direction he walked, but a few ornaments. No people, nothing. I just watched him go.
When he reached the wall, he didn't stop, he just kept walking.
He walked straight through it, as if it was a mirage. He disappeared behind the, now obvious, illusion.
I looked around the bar, to the other inhabitants with a frown. None of them were looking at where Gerald disappeared to. Nobody had noticed that he had just walked through a fucking wall.
My heart twisted in my chest.
Sarah always seemed to pop up in the bar randomly, without me noticing her. I had always attributed it to her dark adaption, or maybe one of her pokemon. But what if she was behind that illusion. Did Team Rocket lie behind that illusion?
I almost didn't follow Gerald, out of fear for what I may learn. And then I was off of my barstool and my feet led me that direction.
I didn't do it because of my mission to infiltrate Team Rocket. I did it, because my heart had to know if she stood on the opposite side of the illusion. And if she was… well I wasn't sure how I would react.
When I reached the wall, I did not hesitate to continue moving forward, and just like Gerald, I was not stopped by the wall. It flickered around me, as I continued moving.
And then I was looking down the barrel of a gun.
An unassuming twenty year old held a pistol, five feet in front of me. He wore black pants and a black shirt. Although there was a red R stitched into the front of the shirt. A Team Rocket Grunt, I assumed.
*Click*
"Click*
The sounds of safeties being clicked off of guns was a very distinctive thing to hear. There were two more Grunts on either side of me.
I stood as still as possible. "Have I walked to my own death, Gerald?" I couldn't help but ask the man standing behind the Grunt in front of me.
As weird as it may sound, I wasn't focused on the fact that I may die soon. I was focused on the fact that I would never know if Sarah had been playing me this entire time. I didn't act, because I knew that if I killed these four men, I may never get my answer about her. I would lose my opportunity for my mission, and I would lose the chance to confront her about it.
"That would depend on you, Brawly." Gerald repeated. "Now that you know who my friends are."
"Team Rocket." I said. It didn't take much acting to channel the anger I had for Team Rocket. Gerald knew it would be my natural reaction, so I had to play along. I had to be skeptical to be accepted. "This is who you meant. A terrorist organization!" I hissed.
"Told you boss." The grunt in front of me said. "He's still their puppet."
"I'm nobody's puppet, boy!" I used the term 'boy' as an insult.
"Watch your fucking mouth." The grunt to my right said as the barrel of his gun touched my temple.
"Enough!" Gerald commanded. The grunts around me obeyed and stiffened immediately. "The League has manipulated you into believing we're terrorists. Allow me to prove them wrong."
"You raped and killed one of my friends." I snarled at the man.
"I can prove that it was the League who framed us about that."
That actually threw me off for a second. Mainly because I could believe that they would do that. Mainly because we found no real evidence of Team Rocket being the ones who did that to Jess. A part of me knew it was actually possible.
No, they're just manipulating you.
"I also know you were sent to infiltrate us."
That was what floored me. Because now, my acting didn't matter. How was I supposed to react to that? My heart thumped in my ears, and my body went stiff.
Or, Gerald could be bluffing… trying to get me to give myself away. Apparently that was exactly what was happening. And my face must have given itself away.
"So it's true ...then."
Don't let them pull the trigger. I commanded the one pokemon who was always connected with me.
I met Gerald in his eyes. Adrenaline really started to race through me. There was only one thing to do now, and that was fight.
"But it doesn't matter." Gerald continued.
Wait what?
"Not after what I have to show you. Follow me." Gerald said as he turned and walked down the hallway we were in.
The Grunt in front of me stepped to the side to allow me to pass but kept his pistol aimed at my head. I didn't move immediately so the grunt to my left put his pistol on my spine.
"Move." He commanded.
I started moving forward, on autopilot. I should have been asking questions, but I couldn't form them in my mind. I was still trying to process the absolute mindfuck that was going on. As soon as I had walked in Team Rocket's hands, I had given myself away. But now they apparently had a plan beyond that.
I was in too deep over my head.
The hallway was plain. With the walls made of steel. Very hard steel.
"Everyone you know, has wronged you Brawly. Especially the league. We have terabytes full of proof on the Leagues travesties. But tonight, I will only show you one ten minute video. Then you will understand." Gerald said as we continued to walk down the hall.
Gerald made a left turn randomly, and a part of the wall slid up, into the ceiling. We walked into a room, with a single tv hung on the furthest wall. In the middle of the room, was a table that looked like where a board of governors would meet to plan the direction of a massive company.
My eyes weren't on that though, they were on what was on the screen.
It was Jess, with tears running down her face. There was a massive play button in the middle of the screen. It was the video of what happened to her. This was something I did not want to see.
Gerald picked up a remote from the table, and without warning pushed play.
"I am sorry this had to be you sweetie. It's for the greater good, you understand?"
I wanted to look away immediately, but I recognized the voice. It was the voice of a fellow Ace Trainer. The first Ace Trainer I had ever met, after my incident with the skarmory that had attacked me the night I gained Minato as a pokemon. The same man that had been with me the first night I encountered Team Rocket. The same man that had been with me when Colress revealed himself to the world.
It was the ginger headed Ace Trainer, Troy.
"Turn it off."
I turned away from the screen. I had seen enough. Nausea spread throughout my abdomen. It was swiftly replaced with anger. It was the kind of anger that makes you see red. The kind that you can't control. The kind that makes one lash out.
And I could feel it emanate through my team also.
I could hear Madara growling through the link.
Hashi demanded retribution.
Minato didn't even bother to calm us down.
"So you understand now. They gave you this mission with hopes that we would kill you." Gerald said turning off the tv and stopping the video.
I didn't answer, I couldn't. I was still trying to digest what was going on.
Troy? Of everyone that I expected it wasn't him. He had a pureness to him. A strength that told me he wouldn't do such a thing, even if threatened by the league.
I would have rather died than commit an act like that.
"Your friend Troy values his privacy. Did you know that him and his pokemon have claimed the top of a mountain in the Silver Range?" Gerald asked.
I didn't respond, but I did imagine myself traveling there.
"See, Team Rocket are the good guys, Brawly. And I am extending an olive branch to you. Here is your opportunity to get out of the League's clutches. But we need proof. Of both your strength, and your willingness to fight for what is right. We can both agree that killing a rapist, would make the world a better place, isn't that right?" Gerald asked.
I didn't even give a fuck about Team Rocket at that point. All I needed was the coordinates to Troy's location. The League, and Team Rocket didn't factor into my decision making at all.
In a sense, Gerald was right. We could both agree that one less Rapist was a good thing.
"Coordinates?" I asked.
It was cold.
It was very cold. But Madara's fur kept me warm on his back as we raced through the mountains.
We were cloaked in Ghost type energy, hiding us from Troy's monster of an alakazam. Although I was not afraid of Troy's pokemon. I wouldn't allow him to even release one. I looked to my left to see Hashi bounding alongside Madara. The look on his face was murderous and mirrored by my own.
We're here. Minato told me.
"Troy! Troy!" I yelled out as I came up to the front of a cave that he had claimed as his own.
I hopped off of Madara quickly and put a panicked look on my face.
Troy soon came into view with a suspicious look on his face. His alakazam was hovering behind him. Once Troy noticed me, his face softened.
"What's wrong Brawly?" Troy asked as he approached me.
"They'll kill me! I have to tell you something quick!" I said while motioning for him to come forward and lean in.
Troy jogged up to me with a concerned look on his face. I couldn't help but wonder how he could live with himself and still look at me like that with what he had done.
Troy leaned in so that I could whisper in his ear.
"I know what you did." I whispered, and began moving before he could react.
My bowie knife raced through the air. I saw it happen with excruciating detail. I saw how the knife parted the flesh of his neck, right where his carotid artery pulsed beneath the skin. I saw the blood spurt into the air. I felt how warm it was when it splashed on my face. I saw how his body absorbed the blow of falling on the cold hard stone of the cave.
I memorized how his eyes widened once he knew what had happened. I memorized the panicked look on his face as he came to the conclusion that he would die. I saw hope fill his eyes as he looked back towards his alakazam.
I saw the hope leave his eyes when he saw Hashi holding it's dead body in one hand.
And finally I memorized how his blue eyes looked at me, pleading with me to spare his life. Pleading with me to heal him and tell him it was a sick joke.
Maybe I was right earlier in the night when I told Gerald about how the league took so much away from trainers.
Maybe I was right when I said we sold our souls.
A/N: Boom!
Oh my oh my oh my what is going on here? This shit is getting dark homie. But I did label it as mature…
Troy is dead, and by Brawly's hands no doubt. How else was Brawly supposed to react? How else would anybody in his position react? What else will Team Rocket show him about the League?
Let's talk in the reviews!
