I'm so lucky that Flint arrived in time to take over my battle.

Executive. Now that made so much sense. That Rocket was a fucking Executive. Within Team Rocket these people are just one rank lower than Giovanni himself. They are rumoured to be at least Pillar level in strength.

I'm lucky to be alive. He was obviously toying with me the entire time. I'm just really lucky to be alive.

Emi, Hawk, Aria, Cotton, Beats are already out of the count thanks to our battle with that Rocket Executive earlier. This makes things a lot harder if our mission is to continue. That said, I'm still hoping that someone from my squadron is able to pick up on my signal. I'm heading back towards Blackthorn on Tino's back and hopefully I will be able to reconnect with my squadron the moment we are in range.

"Zephyr to Black, Zephyr to Black, do you guys copy?"

I repeated the same message over and over again to no avail. I was about to give up when the sound of buzzing static rang out through my comms.

"This- bzzt- mator. We heard you loud and clear, Zephyr. Please- bzzt- in."

Finally.

"Zephyr to Black. I had found the origin of the gas cloud at Route 44! Executive Petrel of Team Rocket is at Route 44 and Flint has engaged him in battle! I repeat! Executive Petrel of Team Rocket is at Route 44 and Flint has engaged him in battle!"

"Cremator to Zephyr! Roger that! We will send reinforcements his way! You are to report back to Blackthorn, do you copy?"

"This is Zephyr, copy that!"

"Stay safe. Cremator over and out."

Our flight back to Blackthorn was tense but otherwise uneventful. By the time I had reached back everything seems to have settled down. Large amount of wreckage could be seen at the south of the city and bodies lined the streets. Most of them are men in black with that crimson R printed on it.

Somehow, a part of me couldn't believe it. We won. Blackthorn remains standing.

"This is Venom. Zephyr, we have a visual of you. At your ten o' clock, do you see us?"

I swerved my head downwards to my ten o'clock direction, spotting my squad mates waving at me from the ground below.

"Skye! You are alright!" Amy ran up to me the moment Tino and I landed and began to fuss over me. The idea of me facing a Rocket Executive must have given her a scare.

"I'm fine." I replied, although there's no hiding the fatigue in my voice. I'm sure it isn't just me. My entire squadron must be feeling the fatigue by now, both physically and mentally.

"Sitrep. I want to know all of your current conditions." Pyral commanded and we all straightened our backs immediately.

"This is Venom. My pokemon and I are all fine. I am able to continue, sir!"

"This is Torrent. I am fine, but my dewgong and kingdra are low on water reserves. It might be best to count them out for subsequent deployments. Other than that, I am also able to continue, sir!"

"This is Nightmare. Pangoro, shiftry, and weavile are unable to continue. Other than that, I am more than fucking to roll, sir!"

"This is Powergirl. Like Venom, my pokemon and I are all fine, although blissey and miltank are starting to reach their limit in conducting healing procedures out on the field. We should keep that in mind for subsequent deployments today. I am also able to continue, sir!"

"This is Zephyr. My emolga, hawlucha, aerodactyl, jumpluff, and crobat are out of the count. The rest of my team are starting to feel physical fatigue. Out of the remaining seven, only four are physically capable to do transportation work. Requesting permission to be relegated to the backlines, sir!"

This is for the best. To be a trainer is to know your pokemon's limits and recognise when they had reached their limits. My team had been heavily relied on for transportation duties ever since the start of this shitfest, especially Tino. We will slip up sooner or later if we continue to push ourselves like this.

"Heal up your remaining pokemon as much as you can. Zephyr, I'm afraid there's no such thing as a backline now. Everywhere is the frontlines. I will try to avoid pushing your flying types too far but do not count on it. You will have to make do with the situation."

"I understand."

We took the opportunity from this brief period of peace to heal up our remaining pokemon with potions. We could get our fainted pokemon back to fighting condition through revives, but that is not recommended because it is not healthy for the pokemon in the long run. Revives are only used when the fainted pokemon suffered minimal injuries or in an emergency where there's no other choice but to continue to fight. It is not a medicine to be used lightly.

"Pyral, am I right?"

Our heads turned towards the source of the voice and my eyes widened when I recognised just who it was that had approached us.

The previous Indigo Champion, Professor Samuel Oak.

"He's the reason why everything ended before you came back." Amy whispered into my ear as Professor Oak and Pyral moved to a corner in order to have their private conversation.

"You should have seen that old man go. He's fucking crazy." Adam muttered from where he is standing behind us.

"Glad that someone like him is on our side." Rufus shrugged. "I saw how his blastoise put out the fire. It's amazing."

"Back in the days he's known as the Undefeated Oak. He never lost a single battle from when he first became Champion till the day he stepped down." Jacky helpfully informed us as he continued to administer a hyper potion to his pokemon.

We continue to try and heal our remaining pokemon as much as we could while Pyral and Professor Oak continue to have their conversation, until they call for me.

"Skye, come here for a sec."

I quickly walked over when Pyral beckoned for me to come over.

"Can your dragonite still make long distance flight?"

"As long as it is within Johto, yes, sir."

"Good. Professor Oak needs a lift to Violet City ASAP. You bring him there with your dragonite immediately."

I blinked my eyes at Pyral, then at Professor Oak.

"My alakazam had worn itself out a little teleporting me to several cities within the hour. There's a big threat that I have to deal with personally and I prefer if my pokemon are at full strength when the battle starts. I had heard that the Black Squadron has a trainer within its ranks that possesses a very well-trained dragonite which specialises in transportation. This is why I came looking for you."

"R-Right." I stuttered even if I don't know why. I quickly led him to where my pokemon were waiting for me and after recalling everyone back into their pokeballs except for Tino, helped the aged professor up on Tino's back.

"According to the reports, the situation at Olivine is about to escalate to a Level 10. Our next mission will be at Olivine. We will meet you there." Pyral told me before Tino took off.

"Don't keep me waiting!" I shot back just as Tino flapped her wings and shot off into the air. Heh, at the speed Tino is flying I might reach Olivine even before they do.

"You are very confident when it comes to your dragonite's speed." Professor Oak commented lightheartedly as Tino flew us through the air. She knows the way back to Violet City, my hometown. We will reach there within minutes.

"I don't want to boast, but I trained her myself."

Professor Oak let out a laugh from where he sits himself behind me.

"It's not a boast if you can back it up. The reason why I asked for your help out of the many trainers present is because you are indeed known for your speed in the air."

"Who recommended you to me?" I cannot help but ask, turning my head back a little to look at the renowned professor.

"Will you be surprised if I say that person is Volkner of Sunyshore?"

To be perfectly honest, no. Of course it has to be that irritating man. Why else would I catch Professor Oak's eye?

However, to the public, I am not supposed to know him on a personal level.

"Is that so? Huh? Why would he know about me?" I feigned surprise before checking the landscape below us once more. We are about to reach Violet City soon.

"Where exactly do you want me to drop you off, Professor?"

"Give me a moment." Professor Oak replied as he fished his pokegear out of his pocket. "Umm, it should be somewhere there. Where Violet City's nearest entrance to the Dark Cave is."

"Oh, that place." I replied absentmindedly as I recalled where the exact spot is. I've been there a few times before although I don't recall that area having anything of note. Never liked caves all that much.

We flew lower and lower towards the ground. We were both surprised when we saw how the entire area around the entrance to the Dark Cave had been utterly wrecked, like the earth had been upturned completely over and over again.

My breath hitched when I recognised the people below. One of them is a public figure. It is Giovanni, the Gym Leader of Viridian and the true leader of Team Rocket.

No wonder Professor Oak said that he had to personally make his way to neutralise the threat. Giovanni was an Elite Four before he stepped down to be Viridian's Gym Leader. He is the strongest Gym Leader of Kanto, and that kind of title is not given out for show.

"I know this will come as a surprise to you, Skye, but Giovanni is no ally of ours. He's with the Rockets, remember that."

I gulped nervously, but nodded anyway. I knew that a long time ago due to my foreknowledge. No, what I'm nervous about is a different thing entirely.

The other person which I recognised is being held a short distance up in the air through the impalement of thin rock spikes stabbing through his body and holding him up like some sort of skewered meat. It's a fucking wonder that he is still alive and breathing but that's not all.

I recognise him.

Even without that breton cap and the Rocket uniform there's no way I will ever forget about him. He's the Rocket that had nearly killed me twice now. Vel had told me that this person is known as Executive Plague, one of the most dangerous individuals within Team Rocket.

And there he is, skewered by Giovanni. His dark types lay around him, bleeding out on the ground, and I have so many questions in my mind.

Who is he? Giovanni had obviously just battled this Plague guy right before we arrived. Isn't Plague a Rocket? In that case, why did they battle? Whatever had happened here was obviously more than just the normal spar or rules-regulated battles. They had both obviously just taken part in a life-and-death battle. Aren't they on the same side?

I had so many questions that I don't even know where to start asking.

Giovanni and his team of ground types had spotted us by now. From what I can see, Plague had done a number on Giovanni as well. The most obvious sign would be how Giovanni's hippowdon is bleeding profusely where its right eye is supposed to be at and the charred corpses of a nidoking and a nidoqueen. That alone is a testament to Plague's strength as a trainer.

"Giovanni."

Professor Oak spat out Giovanni's name the moment we landed. The emotions that are packed into that one word is so overwhelming and complicated that a third party like me cannot help but hold my breath.

"Samuel."

Giovanni didn't seem to be really surprised at Professor Oak's appearance. If anything, it's like he's been expecting him. The two trainers continue to stare at each other in silence for a few seconds before Professor Oak breaks it.

"Skye, please extract that young man out of here for emergency treatment as soon as you can."

By now, I had taken a clear look at the young man in question. At this distance, there's no way I could mistake him for anyone else. He is indeed the person who nearly killed me twice.

"But Professor! I know that man! He's a Rocket! A really dangerous one! We faced each other on more than one occasion!"

Giovanni grinned.

"She's right. He's one of my most capable subordinates. Samuel, meet Executive Plague, the Rocket's Exterminator. The attack on Johto National Park? That was his doing."

My eyes widened. It really is him. Even Giovanni confirmed it.

"You said your subordinate, and your response is to stab him like that?! The you of before wouldn't have done something like this! You have changed, Giovanni!" Professor Oak spoke angrily, his face twisting in response to his anger.

"Time changes people, Samuel. You of all people should know this." Giovanni sighed as he took another look at the fallen Rocket. "He's just lost his direction, and he pushed me far enough such that there was no other way to stop him. I planned to have him rejoin Team Rocket as one of the organisation's leaders after he made a full recovery."

What? This doesn't make any damn sense.

And if I had thought that what Giovanni said previously didn't make any sense, what he said after that had me totally shocked and lost at the same time.

"I still have no idea exactly what he had done behind my back all this while, but be thankful to this child, Samuel, for Indigo would definitely have fallen by now if it wasn't for him. Do you know that he had been a double agent all along? Even with the kind of life he led, his loyalty had always been to Indigo. He has been working for Team Rocket for more than a decade and it was only today that I found out that he's the one responsible for single handedly hampering whatever we had planned. Violet City would have been under Team Rocket's control by now if it wasn't for him locating me and then stalling for time through facing me in a suicidal battle, knowing all along that he will pay the price with his life. Oh how we had failed, Samuel, that a child like him was forced to pick up after our messes, because we adults had failed."

… What? Double agent? Stalling Giovanni long enough for us to arrive?

Just… what?

The edge of my vision caught a flicker of movement. Giovanni's pokemon launched an attack just as Professor Oak reached for his pokeballs. The earth around us exploded as Tino tried to shield me from harm although it is not needed.

Right in front of us is Professor Oak and his team of pokemon. The very aura they are emanating is so suffocating yet assuring, like there's no way evil can ever prevail as long as they are around.

So this is Indigo's Undefeated Oak.

Professor Oak then shouted at me, bringing me out of my daze.

"Skye! It doesn't matter if that young man is a Rocket or not! You are a Ranger! Saving lives is your duty! I cannot fight at full power here with him like this and his fainted pokemon lying around! Please!"

"I-I got it!" I replied as I began to move, my hands reaching for the pokeballs that held the rest of my team that could still help out.

"I won't let you take him away! Garchomp, Earthquake!"

I ignored whatever is happening next, placing my trust in the professor that he will defend me from harm until I am done extracting Plague and his pokemon out of the battlefield. I ran up to where Plague is, still skewered and held up by those long and thin nasty rock spikes. I actually took a pause when I finally reached him because I have no idea on what I should really do to get him out of there.

Nevertheless, spacing out is definitely not the answer.

"Glide, Dia, try to gently cut the rock spikes down to size. Leave it stabbed in his body or else he would bleed out. Try not to use too much force when doing the cutting, it may shift the spikes and cause it to hit his vital organs. We don't want to worsen his injuries."

I tried my best to hold Plague in place while Glide and Dia got to work. With the sharpness provided by Metal Claw and Steel Wing, we succeeded in cutting Plague away from those rock spikes. As to how to safely remove the rock spikes from his body without him bleeding out, that will be a problem for whatever surgeons that will operate on him later.

Cosmo had very helpfully used her psychic powers to search the Rocket's pockets for his pokeballs, which I quickly used to recall all of his pokemon. Or at least, I believed I had recalled those that I see around me. I have no idea just how many pokemon Plague has so I cannot say for sure. I will have to judge based on the number of empty pokeballs he has on him.

"Don't let her leave with Jayce! Rock Slide!"

"You should be focusing your attention on me! Hydro Cannon! Frenzy Plant!"

Another explosion of power occurred and this time, it is too close to us for comfort. I quickly carried the unconscious man with the help of my pokemon. Together, we loaded the Rocket onto Tino's back, making sure to not shift the rock spikes stabbed into him as much as we can.

"Alright, go!"

Professor Oak is doing a good job in holding Giovanni back while protecting me. He is starting to pick up the pace now that we have taken off into the air. It's like he said. He can only go all out the moment he has no need to worry about friendly fire.

'Mistress! Watch out!'

Cosmo's warning came too late and our reactions were too slow. An alakazam had teleported right in front of me and knocked me off Tino's back, forcing my pokemon to come to my rescue. Crown caught me with his talons as Heli and Glide swooped in to meet the alakazam in combat.

However, we were still too slow. The alakazam teleported away even before we could reach it. It also brought Plague away with it.

"Fuck!" I cannot help but curse at my inability to do the one job that I am supposed to do. I cannot even protect one single person that I was tasked to save, even if I never liked that guy.

I am fucking useless.

"Skye, forget it!" Professor Oak shouted at me while still doing battle with Giovanni, stopping me from trying to track and pursue that alakazam. "Just leave this to me! Go to places where you are needed! I have this handled!"

I gritted my teeth in frustration. I know the professor is right, but the taste that is left in my mouth sucks.

"Roger! Win, Professor!"

Leaving him with those parting words, I got onto Tino's back again as we began to make our way to Olivine. Pyral had said that the situation at Olivine is about to escalate to a Level 10 and while I have no freaking clue about just what escalated the situation to a Level 10, it couldn't be anything good.

There's nothing that I can really do other than pressing on and continuing to fly and fly and fly round and round to save as many as I can. Now that I have some time to recollect myself, is Violet City alright? What about Falkner and Ciel? Falkner has to be involved in the city's defense as a Gym Leader. I know he's strong, but is he fine? Will he be alright? And Ciel? Did he reach the shelter in time? Is he safe? Is he injured?

I don't know, and I won't know until this is all over. I can only pray for them and hope that they are safe. I already lost my parents. I don't want to lose my brothers too.

They are all that I have left.


Character and pokemon list:

Name: Skye Bale, 16, Female

Affiliation: Indigo Ranger Force, Johto Region, 1st Ranger Regiment

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Code Name: Zephyr

Pokemon Team:

1. Pidgeot (Crown), male

2. Gliscor (Glide), male

3. Skarmory (Dia), female

4. Crobat (Beats), male

5. Jumpluff (Cotton), female

6. Dragonite (Tino), female

7. Noivern (Echo), male

8. Emolga, (Emi), female

9. Hawlucha (Hawk), male

10. Sigilyph (Cosmo), female

11. Aerodactyl (Aria), female

12. Masquerain (Heli), male