"Who are you?" the Shadow Triad member asks.
My heart skips a beat the moment he asks that question. My eyes glance at the two Bisharp at his sides, both with their eyes locked on me and their hand-blades looking ready to slice me up if I do make wrong move.
And that's without considering the Banette holding Annette in a headlock behind me.
"I'm no one," I gulp. "Just a trainer in search of Pokémon to catch."
The Shadow Triad member quirks an eyebrow at me, before giving a quick glance past me.
"Do not lie," he then admonishes, his voice still eerily calm.
Crap.
Let's try something else. "We're - Annette and I - we're looking for a friend of ours. We lost sight of him when he wandered in this ruin."
The would-be ninja tilts his head. "Go on."
"Uhm…" I glance at the two Bisharps again. "Can we do this without-?"
One of the Bisharps stomps a hoof in front of my face. The coughs caused by the dirt it lifts up cut off what I was going to say.
"I take it that's a no?"
The Shadow just folds his arms while the offending Bisharp retracts its hoof.
"Well, we followed the trail of footprints he left and we ended up here. That's pretty much all before we ran into the four of you."
Please tell me this will convince him to let us go. Annette can't take all three of these Pokémon and I won't be able to find Nate as their prisoner!
"What does this friend look like?"
Uh-oh. What do I tell him now?
"He's…" okay, stay generic. Whatever the reason he wants to know, it can't be good. "A boy a few years younger than me."
I opt not to say more, hoping against hope that it will be sufficient to him.
It's a stupid hope. "And?"
I gulp down again. "He has unkempt brown hair?"
Whatever patience he was having with me, apparently runs out there and then, as he unfolds his arms and openly asks, "With a short-sleeved outfit and white pupils?"
My voice dies in my throat as I purse my lips. How screwed are we?
"How very interesting," the Shadow continues, apparently taking my silence as confirmation. "Because my associates caught an intruder matching that description not long ago. A boy that was swearing he'd, quote on quote, 'kick Team Plasma's butts back to wherever they came from'."
Goddammit, Nate!
"And - if your clenched fists are anything to go by - I assume he wasn't supposed to say that out loud?"
…you son of a bitch.
The Shadow glances at the Bisharps. "Phantom, Specter, take him." As one, the two Pokémon silently approach me and they each grab one of my arms in a steely grip and lift me up. Meanwhile, their trainer looks past me. "And you, Revenant, hold onto that Maractus. We're taking them both with the other prisoner."
God-fucking-dammit!
Right after giving that order, the Shadow makes a quick leap upward and essentially disappears out of thin air. But even with their trainer nowhere to be seen, the two Bisharps hold me tight as they push me into walking forward. I try to break out of their grips, but to no result, save making the two Steel-types frown at me. With no other option, I end up following their lead. The multiple sets of footprints on the sandy floor don't escape me as we proceed.
"Ra! Ra, ra, ra!" I hear Annette protest behind me, but every time I try to look behind, the Bisharps either tighten their grips or shove me forth. One at one point not so subtly caresses my arm with its wrist-blade.
The following walk takes us across what must be the longest corridor Annette and I have seen yet. Nothing but decaying walls and sand to step on. And the two living chess-pieces don't look like much for conversation.
But I try anyway.
"So, any chance you might be willing to tell me what the hell you're doing here?"
The Bisharps ignore me. If the Shadow is still nearby, he does the same.
"Can I at least turn around to check on Annette? Come on, it's not that much to ask!"
One of the Bisharps tightens his grip so much I have to let out a hiss of pain.
"Pricks," I mutter.
If the two hear that, they don't show it.
Eventually, though, the corridor does lead to a room. A room that might just be the worst place to be, if the amount of thugs with black jackets and P-shaped logos is anything to go by.
I count at least fifteen Plasma grunts, all scattered around the border of this circular room we are in. Their uniforms are just like those in the games, up to the scarves and hats that cover their heads so much it's hard to tell them apart. The one distinguishing feature are the haircuts and colors, more diverse than the standard ones of the games' models.
Some of the grunts acknowledge me when I enter. But most of them are instead focusing on-
"You know something, kid?"
A woman's voice draws my attention away from the grunts and to the center of the room. My body tenses when I see Mister Jaw flipped over again with a new scratch on his chin and Ruffles struggling while an overgrown purple skunk - a Skuntank, if the hair is anything to go by - holds him down. And close to them, Nate is being held by two other Plasma grunts, with a third pacing back and forth in front of him.
Something about this third one is different, though. She doesn't have the hat everyone else wears and her scarf is lowered. Also, her uniform has her left thigh exposed. That plus the pair of ponytails she keeps her purple hair in has something familiar.
"You remind me of someone else I met long ago," she says sardonically, coming to a stop right in front of Nate. The boy is trying to hold up a brave face, but that isn't enough to hide how he's shaking in his boots. "Insufferable little brat that always stuck her nose where it didn't belong."
My body tenses when I see her grab Nate by the face and pull him closer to hers. "But that's the problem with you kids nowadays, isn't it?" she hisses maliciously. "No respect for adults."
It almost doesn't feel real when I see her punch him in the abdomen.
Nate doubles over at getting the air knocked out of him, the two grunts holding him the only thing that keeps him upright. But that is apparently not enough for this bitch, as she pulls him by the hair - and not gently as Nate's cries of pain prove - and prepares to punch him again.
"Let him go, you coward!" I shout out.
Immediately, the room's attention shifts away from Nate to me. The hag is no exception.
"Hmmm, and what's this?" she says as she takes long confident strides toward me.
As she does so, the Shadow Triad member from earlier appears out of thin air on my side. "Another intruder. This one was looking for the boy," is all he says before seemingly disappearing again.
When she is only a few centimeters from me, she stops and brings her hands to her flanks, all while giving me a derogatory smirk. I opt to just glare at her.
A couple of other things catch my eye again as that happens. She's somewhat older than me, probably in her late twenties or early thirties. Her eyes are a shade of purple matching her hair.
Why does that second detail also feel familiar?
"Let him go, you two," the purple-haired woman says, her smirk ever present.
The two Bisharps hesitate for a moment, before letting go of my arms. I don't break my glare from this woman, but I take the chance to massage where the two Pokémon grabbed me.
"Well, then," the woman chuckles. "Come on. Take your shot."
I narrow my eyes at that invitation as I look down to her hands. What game is she playing? No, it doesn't matter. I've gotta get myself and Nate out of this situation. Taking her down is our only chance.
I shoot my hands upward as I rush forward, hoping to grab her by the neck.
It never connects.
With a speed I was not expecting, the woman raises her exposed legs and kicks me in the side of the face. The impact is enough to send me to the floor once more.
While I try to reorient myself on the floor, I finally get another glance at Annette. The Banette still has her trapped, one arm now covering her mouth. But I can see the panicked way she's looking at me.
With one shove of her foot, the Plasma witch flips me over on my back. "How disappointing," she says, clicking her tongue. "You've got the bravado of a fighter, but not the skills."
"At least I'm not the coward who beats an unharmed tee- oof."
A stomp on my chest cuts off what I was about to say. The bitch narrows her eyes as she issues a warning. "I'd pick your next words carefully. You've got twenty-three more ribs I can crack."
Bitch.
"You won't get away with this!" Nate intervenes. "Just wait until Miss Hikari gets here and-!"
For fuck's sake, boy, now is not the time to-!
"Hikari?!"
My attention returns to the purple-haired woman. Her eyes have widened, but that is now giving away to a frown as she turns around back to Nate. "The Dawn Hikari? That little brat is here?"
...how does she know Dawn?
Wait a moment. She has purple hair and eyes. She's old enough to have been around eight years ago. She has an exposed thigh.
And there's a Skuntank. And that stuff about a girl she knew…
No, it can't be her.
"Pray tell, kid," Jupiter hisses hatefully as she gets dangerously close to Nate once more. "Where exactly is she now?"
Okay, fuck this shit. Regardless of whether I can take her or not, I have to-
"Hrrrg," I hiss as something steps on my arm. As I look, it turns out to be the hoof of one of the Bisharps.
"Bastard," I mutter. The Bisharp remains impassive.
"Wanna know something funny?" Jupiter continues and I turn back to see her looking at me now. "Last I'd heard, she was looking after a Faller. A Faller who just happened to be acquainted with Team Plasma's plans."
Wh-what? How does she-?
"Now," she turns back to Nate. "Which of you is that?"
Nate turns to me, giving me a pleading look. Shit, what do I do now?
"Well?" Jupiter asks as she pulls Nate by an ear. "Did a Glameow catch your tongue?"
"That's me!" I shout out. "I'm the one you're after!"
Jupiter turns to me, a devious smirk plastered on her face. "Oh? How very nice. This will save me the trouble of getting back to you."
What?!
"Now," she pulls Nate's ear more, making him cry out in pain this time, "where is she?"
…
"BLIIIIIIIIIIM!"
A cold gust of wind suddenly erupts near me. I turn in its direction just in time to find Annette freed and her Banette captor fighting with a Drifblim.
And as if that wasn't enough, I hear the sound of a Poké Ball opening and, before long, I see a Lucario jumping the Bisharp holding me in place.
What's going on?
"Tog, Pip, E, Roh, go!"
Turning to where that command came from, I find another entrance through which a Togekiss rushes in, quickly followed by an Empoleon, a Glaceon and a Rotom. And after that, standing right in the doorway, there's Dawn.
[Dawn]
When I first heard her voice, I could not believe it. Jupiter, free and standing here in Unova at this very moment. Last time I saw her, she had been captured by Looker and the rest of the International Police while she tried to escape Stark Mountain with Mars. How is this possible?
"No respect for adults."
Seeing her punch Nate in the gut breaks that train of thought. And it also reminds me of…that day.
"Barry!" I shout out as I rush to his side. "Barry, are you alright?!"
"To?"
"I-I'm fine, don't worry."
As I see Jupiter is about to punch Nate again, I ready Pip's Poké Ball and prepare to rush in.
"Let him go, you coward!"
Oh no…
Off to the side, I see him. Eugenio is being held by two Pokémon I don't recognize. And behind him, a Banette is doing the same to Annette.
Damn it! I can still understand Nate, but why did he think following was a good idea?!
Alright, new plan.
"Can you fight?" I ask the Sigilyph. It lifts some sand and uses it to form a 'yes'. "Good."
I turn to Drif and give her Rio's Poké Ball. "You two sneak behind this group. You free Annette, Rio will free Eugenio."
If those two Pokémon are Steel-types like they seem to be, he can take them.
Without saying anything, Drif wraps Rio's Poké Ball in her arm and sinks into the ground.
"Now," I turn to Tog, "the rest of us will-"
A smack-like sound draws my attention back to the room filled with Team Plasma members. The Pokémon have let go of Eugenio, but he's now lying on the floor at Jupiter's feet.
She flips him on his back with a kick.
"How disappointing. You've got the bravado of a fighter, but not the skills."
"At least I'm not the coward who beats an unharmed tee-"
Jupiter cuts him off with a stomp on his chest.
"I'd pick your next words carefully. You've got twenty-three more ribs I can crack."
…
"You want this loser?" Jupiter asks, arms stretched out as she steps away from Barry. "He's all yours."
"You won't get away with this! Just wait until Miss Hikari gets here and-!"
That apparently flips a switch for Jupiter, as her voice lowers to a dangerous note. "Hikari?! The Dawn Hikari? That little brat is here? Pray tell, kid, where exactly is she now?"
Behind her, Eugenio tries to raise back up. The hoof of one of the two Pokémon stepping on his arm keeps him from doing it.
I let down a gulp before I address my Togekiss again. "The rest of us will barge in when Drif and Rio attack and take out Team Plasma's Pokémon."
"To," Tog replies, brow furrowed.
I let out a sigh. "I know. But you know as well as I do what Jupiter is capable of."
Tog gives an hesitant nod to that response. I then turn to the Sigilyph. "And you, take advantage of the distraction to free Nate, alright?"
Yes
"Wanna know something funny?" Jupiter continues, now standing next to Nate but with her head turned to Eugenio. "Last I'd heard, she was looking after a Faller. A Faller who just happened to be acquainted with Team Plasma's plans."
… how?
"Now," she turns to Nate. "Which of you is that?"
Don't answer her, guys, she's just toying with you.
"Well?" Jupiter asks as she pulls Nate by an ear. "Did a Glameow catch your tongue?"
"That's me! I'm the one you're after!"
Dammit.
Fortunately, it's not all bad news. Right as Eugenio says that, a Poké Ball emerges from the ground, not too far from where he is.
"Oh? How very nice. This will save me the trouble of getting back to you."
The tip of Drif's head appears next to the Banette.
"Now," Nate lets out a cry of pain, "where is she?"
I nod to her.
Without missing a beat, Drif emerges from the ground and lets out a loud "Blim" as she unleashes an Ominous Wind against the Banette, freeing Annette in the process.
That is soon followed by Rio's Poké Ball bursting open, the Lucario attacking the Pokémon holding Eugenio hostage, kicking it in the face.
"Tog, Pip, E, Roh, go!" I shout out as I call out my three remaining Pokémon. Tog rushes in first, and Pip, E and Roh follow her right after materializing.
Not a moment later, all of the Plasma members pull out their Poké Balls and call out their own Pokémon. I recognize most as Purrloins, Patrats, Liepards and Watchogs. A couple of them also pull out those brown reptiles Nate called Sandiles and another one calls out some kind of sentient trash bag.
But all in all, I know how to handle them.
"Tog, evasive maneuvers. Hit the Purrloins and Liepards from above. Roh, pass through the Patrats and Watchogs and zap them." The Normal moves will not affect Roh and Tog can protect him from the Dark-types this way.
"E, take out the Sandiles. Pip, protect the others from that other Pokémon." If Koffings and Grimers taught me anything, it's that if they look toxic they know Poison moves.
[Eugenio]
As soon as she gives those instructions, Dawn's four Pokémon move out. They proceed to dodge their opponents' attacks - or in Pip's case, parry - while dishing out their own. Jets of water burst out of Pip's beak, blue beams come out of Tog's and E's mouths and Roh discharges electricity at everything that comes near him.
"Ra!"
And while this mess goes on, I turn to see Annette hoping to me, arms stretched in my direction. I offer her my good arm as she comes within reach, though I then need to swallow up my wince at her grip.
"Don't worry, it's alright. I'm here."
"Mara!"
"Yeah, it was a close one."
As I reassure her though, I also glance at Dawn's other two Pokémon. Rio is trading blows with the Bisharps, but it seems being one-on-two is nullifying his type advantage. Meanwhile, Drif and the Banette are circling each other, neither the balloon nor the doll making a move yet.
I then also turn to where Jupiter is. Amidst the chaos, she and the two grunts holding Nate are now watching Dawn. Their backs are turned to me, but if Dawn's glare is anything to go by, I bet those three are not happy.
And in the meantime, the Skuntank is still holding Ruffles.
"Annette," I tell the Maractus, who then lets me go, "we've gotta move."
"Ra!"
"Good, good."
I glance at the Shadow's Pokémon. As covered in armor as the Bisharps are, they are practically untouchable without Fighting moves. The Banette, though…
"Here's what we're going to do," I tell Annette. "You're gonna use Absorb on the Banette and help Drif fight it off. If it turns to you and tries to use ranged attacks, it'll be an easy target for Drif. If it tries to rush you, you know what to punch it with."
At that, the angles of Annette's mouth drop as she turns to glance at the two Ghost Pokémon. A small shiver runs through her body.
"You can do this, Annie," I encourage her. "I believe in you!"
Annette glances back at me. Then back at the two ghosts. Then back at me again, this time with the angles of her mouth raised more.
"Ra!"
"Good," I reply with a nod. "When you two are done, help Rio with the Bisharps."
Annette glances at the three Steel-types fighting amongst themselves. "Ra," she says before turning back to me. "Mara ra?"
I turn in the Skuntank's direction. "I'm gonna do some stupid shit I never thought I'd actually do."
"Ra?!"
"Don't worry," I reassure her. "Just do your part and I'll do mine."
"Ra! Mara ra ractus," she says before turning away and hoping toward the Banette. If she just told me to be careful, I'm gonna disappoint her so much.
In the time I gave instructions to Annette, the two Plasma grunts handed Nate over to Jupiter and pulled out two Golbats. The two venomous bats fly toward Dawn, but the Sigilyph shows up at that moment to protect her.
All the while, though, the emo skunk is also distracted by what's happening. Giving me all the time I need to flip Mister Jaw back on his legs and then approach it.
"Hey, ugly!"
The Skuntank turns to me. Just in time for me to kick it in the face and topple it.
"Ruff," the now freed Rufflet wheezes out as he spreads his wings.
"Skun," the skunk hisses as it gets back to its feet, ignoring the bleeding nose I gave it. It then opens its mouth as...embers start dancing around…
Oh that's right. It did know Flamethrower in the games.
"Run!" I tell Ruffles.
"Enough!"
The thunder of Jupiter's voice ends what fights are still going on and draws the attention to her. And to the fact she has Nate in a headlock, arm wrapped around his neck. And that the boy is having difficulties breathing with that headlock.
"Anyone who isn't the Shadow Triad, you can leave now. We have what we came for."
"Are you sure, Commander?" one the grunts asks her.
"Did I stutter?" she hisses threateningly.
With that said, all the grunts recall their Pokémon and then run away in different directions, disappearing into various corridors. The only one exception is the Skuntank that rushes to her side.
It isn't long, however, before two of the Ninja-like men appear next to Jupiter. As does the third after I hear him recall his mons.
While that happens, though, Dawn and all the other Pokémon on our side approach me, not one of us looking away from the Galactic witch and her hostage.
"My, my," Jupiter says, a sadistic grin plastered on her face. "How you've grown, Dawn."
"Jupiter," Dawn hisses between a pair of labored breaths. "You are supposed to be in jail. Why are you here?"
The purple-haired woman lets out a chuckle. "Is it not obvious?"
"It doesn't matter, witch," I growl. "You are going back to prison, right here right now."
Jupiter quirks an eyebrow. "Oh, you think so?"
"I know it. I know we have your bodyguards' Pokémon outnumbered. And that none of them are a match for the former Sinnoh Champion."
"Not to mention you don't have any more besides your Skuntank," Dawn chimes in. "Otherwise you wouldn't be resorting to this. Now let Nate go!"
Jupiter responds by clicking her tongue disapprovingly. "Oh you sad little fools." She tightens her grip around Nate's neck, causing the boy to let out a gasp. "That isn't how it's going to work."
You cowardly whore!
At my side, Dawn fidgets at the stalemate we're in. As that happens, though, Jupiter starts giggling.
"This takes me back," she says. "Do you remember our first meeting in Eterna?"
The bluenette instantly pales at that question.
"I do. That look of fear you have now is the same you had back then. And it is just as exquisite."
I'm just about ready to tell this hag where she can shove the threats and the creepy talk, but one of the Shadows beats me to the punch.
"We do not have time for this. Ghetsis awaits your report."
Jupiter shakes her head as her grin drops somewhat. "Spoilsports."
"In any case," she continues. "I offer you a deal, Dawn. I can let this brat go. But in return-"
"If you think we're going to help Team Plasma-!"
"State your terms, Jupiter," Dawn cuts me off, to my shock. "What do you want?"
"It's simple: your Pokémon. All six of them."
What?!
I turn to Dawn after hearing that absurd request. She is staring blankly at her old enemy. Then, with the same fluidity as an automaton, she starts giving glances to each of her Pokémon. Most of them give her uneasy looks. The only exceptions are E, who just purses his lips, and Drif, who is as unreadable as ever.
"You can't be serious!" I protest, causing her Pokémon to look at me. She doesn't. "Do you seriously want to comply with these...freaks and hand over your-?"
"What choice do I have?!" she snaps, now turning her reddened eyes to me. "Do you want Nate's life on your conscience?!"
"Do you believe a word this witch is saying?!"
"Her word may not mean anything to you," one of the Shadows intervenes.
"But the Shadow Triad's is worth more than that," a second one continues. "Much more."
Yeah, sure.
"Choose now, Dawn Hikari," the third adds as he tosses a Poké Ball to the bluenette. Rio's Poké Ball.
Dawn looks down at the Poké Ball and then she turns back to her team again. "Guys?" she weakly utters.
Again, her Pokémon look at her uneasily.
That, however, changes when Rio intervenes, barking a few...words to the other five. He then steps toward Dawn, soon followed by Drif and Tog. Pip and Roh join them soon after. E is the last one to come along.
"I'm sorry," Dawn murmurs as she starts recalling them. After that is done, she walks over to the Shadow Triad.
"Don't do this, Dawn!"
She ignores me. And to my horror, when she's right in front of the Triad, she hands her Poké Balls over to them, shaking all the while.
"Smart move," Jupiter smugly says as she pushes a now coughing Nate aside, with Ruffles and Mister Jaw rushing to him. "It would appear age has taught you respect."
Dawn lowers her head in defeat at that comment.
You wicked purple-!
"Now let's get out of here!" she orders as she recalls her Skuntank.
Two members of the Shadow Triad instantly disappear out of thin air. The third one grabs Jupiter's shoulders before doing the same.
And then, when all four are gone, Dawn's legs give out. And she starts crying.
Oh yes. That happened. Hope you enjoyed :)
As always, thank you to Softandhappy and Geolight164 for betareading. You can find us at the Fanfiction Treehouse discord server at: 9XG3U7a
See you next time!