Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Pokémon or any of its parent companies. I am merely a humble storyteller. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this journey with me.

Note: I am English, so some of the wording, spellings, and expressions will be those commonly used in England.

Chapter Sixteen: Trouble in Mt. Moon!

"You can't have it! It's mine! They're all mine!"

"What are you talking about? I found this fair and square!"

"I don't care! All the Fossils are mine! Mine, you hear! They are my preciousss…"

Red glared at the bespectacled teenager who had a clump of rock in one hand and the other hand reaching out for the one Red held.

"You're being ridiculous," Red said. "Look, you've got a Fossil and I've got a Fossil. Fair's fair and all that, right? Just go ahead and search for another one if you're so desperate. I mean, I found mine by fluke. You might get lucky like me. I've been getting pretty lucky. Do you know how many items I found in this area?"

"Nooooooo, I don't want to share," the bespectacled guy moaned.

Red sighed. By his feet, Pikachu sighed. Around the globe, people who had no clue what was happening sighed, and then quickly wondered why they were sighing. This guy, this self-declared 'Super Nerd', this Mitsuharu as he introduced himself, was starting to grate on his nerves.

"I'm going," Red said, slotting the Fossil into his rucksack. "I want to get to Cerulean as quickly as possible. See you, whatever-your-name-was-again."

"Nooooooo!" Mitsuharu shrieked. "Give me the Fossil! I want it! I need it!"

Red gritted his teeth. There was only one way to get this nuisance to leave him alone. Well, technically there were two, but one of those would have been a crime and did not bear even being considered.

"How about this?" Red said, hitching up his rucksack. "We'll have a battle. If you win, you get my Fossil. If I win, I get yours. A two-on-two battle. Deal?"

Mitsuharu calmed down at Red's suggestion, almost as though he became a completely different, functional person. He pushed his slipping glasses up the bridge of his nose and said, "Okay. I guess, that sounds fair. You won't go against the deal when you lose though, will you?"

"Nope," Red replied, pulling out a Poké Ball. "You ready to go, then?"

Mitsuharu mirrored him. "I am."

Out came Charmander. And out came a metallic, sphere-shaped Pokémon, with two horse-shoe magnets either side of its main body. It had one eye, a screw on top of its head, and two more just below its eye.

"Is that a Magnemite?" Red mused to himself. His Pokédex confirmed that fact:

Magnemite, a dual Electric and Steel-type Pokémon. It is hatched with the ability to defy gravity. It floats while emitting powerful electromagnetic waves.

"I knew it," Red said. "Okay, let's start. Charmander, use Ember."

At Red's command, Charmander spewed a fiery rain towards Magnemite.

"Protect!" Mitsuharu countered, and a blue, transparent shield formed around Magnemite. The Ember attack struck the shield and dissipated. The shield fell a second later.

"Use Thunder Shock," came the next command.

Magnemite's horse-shoe magnets began to rapidly spin and spark, the momentum charging itself, and it discharged a weak jolt of electricity at Charmander. But Charmander was ahead of the game, already taking advantage of the minor delay, leaping over the electric strike.

"Ember again!" Red said.

This time Ember connected with its target, a super-effective hit which caused Magnemite to whirr and beep as its metal body absorbed the heat. However, it did not go down, scarcely managing to hang on.

"It's fine, Magnemite," Mitsuharu called to it. "Hit it with Magnet Bomb."

Magnemite's magnets spun once more, and flakes of metal gathered at their ends, growing larger and more solid with each passing second until they united and formed a black, iron sphere.

Charmander whined, recalling Onix's Rock Tomb. In contrast, Red was confident, certain of himself and his Pokémon. They had one Badge after all! "Get ready to dodge, Charmander," Red said calmly.

Charmander readied himself.

The black sphere zoomed towards it and, like with the Thunder Shock, Charmander bounded over it.

"Awesome, Charmander!" Red cheered. "Now, use Emb –"

'Emb… what?' one may ask, and if one thought 'Ember' they would be correct. But Red could not finish saying it because the black sphere suddenly diverted its course and headed straight for its target, exploding when striking Charmander's back. Charmander flopped to the ground, groaning, its back smoking.

"What the heck?" Red exclaimed. "How is that possible?"

Mitsuharu chuckled and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose once more. "There are some techniques that can't be avoided, like Swift, Feint Attack, and Shock Wave. Magnet Bomb is also one of them."

"Good to know," Red muttered. "Are you okay, buddy?"

Charmander got right back up, looking no worse for wear, no longer smoking, especially because it is considered a bad habit. He gave Red a thumbs-up.

"I take it that wasn't very effective," Red said to himself. Okay, now was time for something different, that technique that took a back seat to Metal Claw, the one he had no chance to use before now. It was the perfect opportunity to test it out. "Okay, buddy. Flame Charge!"

The little lizard stepped on one foot, then the other, the back to the first, alternating between each one until he was moving his feet so quickly that they were blurring and giving off great heat.

"Hit it with Thunder Shock!" Mitsuharu ordered, and Magnemite directed another electric bolt at Charmander.

But at that moment, Charmander's whole body became engulfed in flames, and he charged through the weak Electric attack like it was not there and rammed into the magnet creature. Magnemite hovered for a couple seconds, as if it was still in the battle, as though it still had a fighting chance, before it shut its eye and hit the rocky surface with a ker-lunk.

"Nooooooo, Magnemite!" Mitsuharu cried, reluctantly returning his defeated Pokémon back to its Poké Ball.

"God job, buddy," Red said to Charmander, giving him a big hug (Pikachu gave him a small pat on the back). "I can't believe we actually pulled Flame Charge off. That advice Mint gave us for getting Flame Charge started really worked. It's another move for you."

Charmander squealed in joy and removed itself from Red's embrace, ready to get on with the battle. Ready to win.

"I should've switched Magnemite out when I saw you starting off with Charmander," Mitsuharu said. "That's my hubris bringing me down, right there. But I'm still not going to lose. All the Fossils are mine!"

"Are they now?"

A new person spoke. A new person would have had to have spoken because Mitsuharu had just finished speaking and Red had not yet had the chance to say anything. That is how logic works.

Red searched for the source of the voice, finding it a second later. It came from a young man, perhaps in his late teens, dressed in a full black suit, complete with a hat that did not completely hide his teal hair. A purple 'R' adorned the front of his sweater. Flanking him were more people, dressed in the same way as him apart from their 'R's, which were red instead.

"Who are you?" Red asked.

Charmander ran to him and hugged his leg; Pikachu cheeks sparked like crazy.

The young man ignored him, his attention on Mitsuharu.

"Did you say all the Fossils are yours?" The teal-haired man smiled, but it was a cruel one, sending shivers down Red's spine. "Did I hear you correctly?"

The wildness in Mitsuharu's eyes vanished, replaced by wariness. When he replied, he spoke slowly, deliberately. "I'm a Super Nerd, and I love Fossils. Fossils are sort of my thing."

"Are they now?" The man slinked forward, his gaze never leaving Mitsuharu, never blinking, an Ekans which slithered towards a nest of Pidgey eggs.

Mitsuharu nodded.

"So, I take you've got Fossils on you?"

Mitsuharu nodded again, the man's stare almost compelling him to.

The man stopped a foot from Mitsuharu. He tilted his head to the side like a curious child's. "That's good and bad simultaneously. Good for us because we've also got an interest in Fossils – probably not the same interest as you – and bad for you because, well, you're in our way."

Mitsuharu frowned and was about to say something when the words were taken away from him by a punch to the gut. He collapsed to the ground, holding his stomach, moaning and hacking.

Red was struck dumb. He could not move. He could not make a sound. All he could was watch as the cruel, teal-haired man snatched Mitsuharu's Fossil from him.

"Just the one?" he said. "Disappointing, but we'll take it. I, Proton, thank you on behalf of our great leader and Team Rocket as a whole. Oh, and that's not all, good sir, goodness no. We will be commandeering your Pokémon too." Proton seized both of Mitsuharu's Poké Balls and tossed them to one of his associates.

"No," Mitsuharu said, between coughs. "They're my friends… please…"

Proton scoffed. "Pokémon aren't friends. They are an inferior species meant only to do our bidding. That's why humans hold the Poké Balls and Pokémon dwell within them. Besides, it won't make a difference to you, oh deary me no." He smirked. "No, it won't."

Charmander's grip tightened around Red's leg, while Pikachu's sparks lessened and he unconsciously inched closer to Red. Poor Mitsuharu forced himself to his knees, tears fogging up his glasses.

I have to do something, Red thought. Something. Anything. They're going to turn on me after. I have to help him. We can do it. We beat Brock. We can do it, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it, we can do it…

Proton turned to him. His lips curled. "A Charmander. A Pikachu. A face filled with complete naiveté. If I didn't know any better, I would say you've barely started your journey, am I correct?"

Red felt inclined to nod his head.

"I thought so." Proton's stare was like an x-ray and he stepped towards Red, leaving Mitsuharu struggling on the ground. "About a week or so into it?"

Red nodded again, the ability to speak beyond him.

"Ah, I see," Proton said, his smile never wavering. "And you're all the way here, exploring Mt. Moon. Are you enjoying the sights? Been a little bit of an explorer?"

Red's tongue felt too big for his mouth. He tried to speak, so dearly tried to, but there was nothing there, nothing except for a few stammered syllables that could not form any words whatsoever.

"I'm sure you have been," Proton said, placing a hand on Red's shoulder, cold even through his jacket. "Mt. Moon is a remarkable place. History. Mystique. Environment. Anyone should try and explore here whenever they get the chance. There's never a bad time."

Proton's grip tightened, and Red gasped. "Well, except now. We, Team Rocket, have claimed Mt. Moon and all it contains. Pokémon, Fossils, items, anything that is found here is ours." Proton sighed. "You're just in the wrong place at the wrong time, kid."

Red's heart rammed against his ribcage, as if a Machamp was rocking him with Dynamic Punches from within. He could not look away from Proton's cold stare, locked by them as if by a Pokémon using Mean Look. Charmander's claws dug into his flesh through his trousers, but he did not flinch; Pikachu's sparks disappeared entirely.

"However," Proton said, his voice slithering through the air, "maybe you're not. Maybe today can be the best day ever for you. I just need you to be completely honest with me. Can you do that?"

Automatically, Red nodded once more.

"Grand," Proton said, letting go of Red. Red could still feel his talon-like fingers holding him. "Now, this is a very simple question, so I don't want any beating around the bush or any of that nonsense, got it?"

Another nod.

"Okay. There is a girl wandering about here, causing us quite a disruption by defeating our members. I need to know: have you been travelling with anyone and, if so, is it this girl?"

Red shook his head and finally spoke in a croaky voice: "No, I'm travelling by myself."

Proton looked disappointed. "Is that so? Are you not lying? Are you trying to save yourself by denying knowing her?"

"No, I-I don't know wh-who this girl is," Red stuttered. "I j-just want to g-get to Cer-Cer-Cerulean for my next Gym B-Battle."

"I don't care about where you want to go," Proton retorted. "I just care about finding this pest. Unfortunately for you, it appears you're of no use to me."

Until that moment, Red had never experienced nearly dying by simply hearing someone's words. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What?"

"Yes," Proton said, continuing as if Red had not spoken, "what is the point of you if you don't know who this girl is or where she is? Team Rocket doesn't need a novice like you, and you've regrettably happened across our little excavation; no one outside of Team Rocket really needs to know what we do, you understand? Oh, it looks like it won't be the best day ever for you. Sorry to get your hopes up before."

Red's legs failed him. He fell to his knees, too stunned to even cry.

Was this it? Was everything over for him just because he was traversing an area on his journey that he needed to, that everyone had always gone through with hardly any ill-effects? If he started his journey a couple of weeks earlier would he have been okay? Would he have been fine if he defeated Brock the first time and departed Pewter sooner? This was not fair. The odds of Team Rocket contaminating Mt. Moon and him encountering even one of them had to be high. It just was not fair.

But could he get out of this? Could he give them the Fossil he found and swear he would not say anything about them? Or would they punish him more severely for 'stealing' something that was clearly 'theirs'?

Without thinking, he pulled Charmander and Pikachu into a hug. Charmander hugged him back. Pikachu did not pull away.

They could battle, make a last stand. They were outnumbered, but it was something. Kakuna could have her battle debut. Maybe he should let her out and give her a hug too.

Proton was saying something, but Red could not hear him. Proton marched over to Mitsuharu, who was being restrained by two Rocket Grunts. Red's gaze left the Rockets and travelled upwards and was greeted by quite the sight.

Zubat. A whole bunch of Zubat. Hanging upside down from the ceiling, wings folded around themselves, sleeping. Red grimaced. Those creatures had made the journey into Mt. Moon more difficult than it needed to be, appearing practically everywhere, just flocks of those dual Poison and Flying-types, annoying him, blocking his vision…

The gears in Red's head roared to life. Could it work? Maybe. What other choice did they have? The dwindling flame of hope within Red's heart, almost snuffed out, exploded and filled his body with a blaze.

It was do or die.

"Charmander," he whispered. "Pikachu. Up there. Do you see them? Please use Ember and Thunder Shock on those Zubat."

His Pokémon looked at him as if he had gone mad. But he was their Trainer after all. With a steely determination that did little to hide their trepidation, they launched their attacks at the unaware Zubat.

The effect was instantaneous.

A few Zubat dropped from the ceiling and hit the ground, unconscious. The other Zubat, in a panic, swooped down from their perch, their wings fluttering like crazy, the air suddenly filled with blue and purple and a whole bunch of screeching. Most of them hovered around Team Rocket, blocking their vision, cuffing them with their wings, deafening them with their cries, even biting them in their rattled states.

"What the heck*!" Proton roared, swiping at the Zubat. "Why did they go all nuts? Did any of you see what happened?"

His subordinates were too busy interacting with their new batty buddies to answer him.

(*Our good friend Proton here used a word that unfortunately had to be censored.)

It worked. Gosh darn it, it worked! But they still had to get away. But what about Mitsuharu? They could not just leave him.

Almost as if by some chance of fate, the bespectacled Super Nerd crawled out from the blue cloak of beating wings, clutching a Poké Ball. "I managed to get one," he said, his glasses steamed by his tears. "I couldn't get the other. Or my Fossil."

"Come on," Red said, pulling him roughly to his feet. "The Zubat are starting to disperse."

They were indeed. And from the swarm of Zubat, Proton screamed, "I'm going to get you, kid! I know it was you!"

"Hurry!" Red snapped, dragging Mitsuharu by his sleeve as fast as he could, and off they fled, Charmander and Pikachu close behind them.

They ran and ran, turning corner after corner, ascending ladders and descending even more. They just kept going, hoping, praying they would reach a safe passage, an exit from this nightmare, until Mitsuharu stopped, his breathing coming in short, painful gasps. "We should… split up," he wheezed. "Make it… harder… for them to… catch us."

"But if they get you, you're done for," Red protested. "We're better off staying together."

Mitsuharu shook his head. "I'll be… fine. Just… get out of here."

"No."

"Yes! Think… of your… Pokémon."

Think of his Pokémon? Obviously, he was thinking of his Pokémon. But how could he abandon Mitsuharu and his one remaining Pokémon? What kind of person would he be? He would not want that if it was he in Mitsuharu's place.

Red was about to argue back again when angry shouts echoed from the floor right above them. Red felt the colour drain from his face and turned back to Mitsuharu, who was already slinking away. "Get out of here!" he hissed. "Just escape."

Then he disappeared around a corner and was gone.

With no other choice, Red beckoned for Charmander and Pikachu to follow him, and they scampered as fast as they could in the opposite direction of Mitsuharu.

o~o~o~o~o

Leaf had to keep going. No matter how much her feet ached, no matter how much her bones creaked, no matter how much her body screamed at her she had to keep going. If she was caught now, it would make all her fighting futile.

She was down to two Pokémon now: Bulbasaur and Eevee. The others had fought bravely but were now out of it, their energy depleted to levels lower than zero. Poor Butterfree would need a nice, long rest for its wings to fully recover.

They just kept coming. Team Rocket. Leaf was clever enough to avoid some of them, but she still came across many others. Battle after battle and she always emerged victorious. Barely, though. But now she was out of healing items and running on fumes.

Oh no. Talking. There was talking ahead of her.

Leaf hid around the corner, hoping with every fibre of her being that they did not turn into the passageway she currently occupied.

She got lucky. Their voices faded as they walked farther away.

She finally allowed herself a moment to breathe and slid down to the base of the wall she was leaned against. She rested a hand each on Bulbasaur and Eevee, their warmth comforting.

If only she could happen upon Officer Jones. She would take a scolding from him for getting herself into so much trouble. But it wasn't her fault! That silly Rocket Grunt started it. How could something so scary as fleeing from a criminal syndicate evolve from something so innocuous such as exploring a mountain? Then again, a Magikarp evolves into a Gyarados so maybe it's kind of like that?

However, under the layer of fear that cloaked her, there was the tangy taste of excitement. It should have been stupid to have even an iota of that emotion in this situation, but she had it. Maybe it was the adrenaline? Maybe the tiniest part of her enjoyed it? Or maybe she subconsciously knew it was only a matter of time before they caught her and it did not matter what she felt? Either way, she could not control that feeling.

Wait! What was that? It sounded like a footstep.

Leaf sharpened her ears. Yes! There it was again!

She jumped to her feet, her Pokémon staying either side of her, ready to give their all to protect her.

The sound echoed, coming from all directions, even above her. Maybe her imagination was tricking her or maybe Mt. Moon was so convoluted and mysterious that sound did not work the way it was meant to.

She struggled to gulp, her throat tight. Another footstep. Closer this time. Now it was easier to tell where it was coming from: the same way she had just come down.

Her Pokémon stepped closer to the sound, Bulbasaur's vines halfway out and Eevee's fur standing on end. They were ready. They only needed her order.