Still in Celadon City, our heroes have teamed up with Gym Leader Erika to drive Team Rocket out of the Department Store, and find and rescue a lost Cubone. Now, as they exit the Gym, Erika remembers something crucial…
"Brayden, Trace, I may know where Cubone is! Please follow me!"
This was so sudden that Brayden's and Trace's eyes went wide with shock.
"What?! Are you sure?!" Brayden asked loudly.
"How can that be?" Trace said as they followed the Gym Leader outside the city.
"A while back, a wild Cubone was found hiding in a den just outside the town. The poor thing was utterly exhausted and suffering from starvation. We tried to take it to the Pokémon Center, but it was too frightened to let anyone near it. Nobody could bear to catch it in this state, so I organized an effort to bring it back to health. It wouldn't accept food from us, but it was willing to accept it from our Pokémon. While it has fortunately recovered back to health thanks to our efforts, it's still far too frightened to go out and fend for itself."
Brayden and Trace thought it over, and saw where Erika was going with this.
"Okay, so it doesn't trust people and it's too scared to go out on its own. But there's one more important thing we need to know," Brayden asked seriously. "When did you find this Cubone?"
Erika stopped and faced Brayden before responding.
"One year ago," she said with certainty.
Trace gasped.
"No way! Then that proves it! It MUST be the same Cubone!" he said excitedly.
Brayden nodded in agreement.
As they resumed their walk, Erika continued.
"The group I organized is still working to keep Cubone warm and fed. In fact, one of them should be there right n—"
"LADY ERIKA! SOMETHING HAPPENED TO CUBONE!"
A panic-stricken man came running over to them, his equally distraught Sandshrew.
"Mark?! What do you mean?!" Erika asked the man, urgently.
"I mean, Cubone's gone! It's not in the den! Look for yourselves!"
They followed Mark to a hole dug into the side of the hill. It certainly looked like something a Pokémon as small as Cubone could hide inside, but it was not there.
Trace's blood ran cold, and he fell to his knees.
"No… we were so close to freeing Pikachu! It's not fair!" he shouted.
Brayden couldn't stand this. There had to be some sort of clue that could lead them to the Lonely Pokémon! He looked around the area carefully, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary to him.
Fortunately, Erika was also examining the hole.
"Hold on. Some of the dirt seems like it collapsed from the walls recently. It's possible that Cubone was attacked."
Moments later, they heard another voice call out to them. However, this one belonged to a teen girl.
"Who's that?" Brayden wondered.
The girl skidded to a halt and introduced herself.
"My name is Mary, and I am one of Miss Erika's Gym Trainers. I was in charge of the Cubone last night. And I know who took it!"
"Well, tell us! We need to rescue him immediately!" Brayden said urgently.
Mary nodded.
"Here's what happened. My Ivysaur and I came out here last night to check on Cubone and bring it some food, but those crooks… TEAM ROCKET… took it, despite our best efforts to stop them."
Trace, Erika and Mark gasped, and Brayden snarled with rage.
"No! If Team Rocket took Cubone… we might be too late!" Trace cried.
Brayden grabbed Trace by the shoulders and stared intensely at him.
"Don't even think it, Trace! Cubone's just fine. He HAS to be, for Pikachu's sake. Not to mention for Marowak and everyone in Lavender Town. We're not giving up on any of them, so hang in there, pal."
A pleasant scent wafted through the air. Erika had asked her Vileplume use Sweet Scent to calm everyone down.
Trace inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly.
"Right, right. I'm okay."
"Well, that settles it then," Erika said. "Both Team Rocket and Cubone are somewhere inside the Department Store. Let us head there immediately and put an end to this!"
"Yeah!" Brayden, Trace and Mary said in unison.
Mark, on the other hand, had no intention to go with them.
"Sorry, but Sandshrew and I are no good at battles. We'd just slow you guys down. But we're rooting for you all the same!"
"Shrew!"
The two of them waved goodbye as our heroes rushed back into Celadon City.
"So Mark isn't a Gym Trainer too?" Trace asked.
"Don't be ridiculous. Men are strictly forbidden from entering the Gym unless they are challengers," Mary said harshly. "Miss Erika only made an exception for you two because you're helping us fight Team Rocket."
"Mary, do not be so rude to these kind boys," Erika admonished her. "I would never turn anyone down in a time of need. You know that."
Mary sighed.
"You're right. I'm sorry…Trace, correct?"
Trace nodded.
"She's not wrong, though. Most men are not permitted anywhere near the Gym," Erika admitted.
"Really? Why not? None of the other Gyms I've been to have such a rule," Brayden said.
"Well, it's a tradition that's been followed for generations in this town. Not that I entirely agree with it, but a lady must follow the rules. It sets a good example, you know?"
"Well, that and some men are… untrustworthy, to put it lightly," Mary said under her breath.
Erika seemed to hear her, because she shot another disapproving look at Mary.
When they finally reached the front doors of the store, they discovered it was locked.
"Hmmm. Odd. It shouldn't be closed today," Erika mused.
"Team Rocket must have had some sort of reason to close it," Trace said.
"Yeah, keeping US out! But that's not going to stop us! We'll break in if that's what it takes to get them out of here!" Brayden exclaimed.
"Let's not be hasty, Brayden. Perhaps we can open the doors another way," Erika suggested.
The four of them thought it over, and Trace got an idea.
"Maybe Charmeleon can pick the lock! Give it a try, buddy."
The Flame Pokémon put a single claw inside the door lock, then turned it to the right. With a subtle "click", the door opened.
"Wow! It really worked! Thanks, Charmeleon!"
The Fire-type beamed as everyone walked inside the building. It was eerily quiet.
"Alright, we're here! Now what?" Brayden asked. "Where would those rotten Rocketers be hiding?"
"Why don't we check the Manager's Office?" Trace suggested. "Maybe they're holding him hostage!"
"That is exactly what I was thinking," Erika said. "But why hasn't the alarm gone off?"
Mary looked around, full of suspicion.
"They might be setting a trap. Stay alert."
As they walked towards the stairs, Trace steeled himself. This was finally it. All they had to do now was defeat Team Rocket, and Cubone would be saved, allowing Pikachu to finally leave Pokémon Tower.
Much to Brayden's surprise, Trace began walking faster, then broke into a run. Before he could tell his friend to slow down, a metallic wall shot up from the floor between them.
"Wah! Brayden! Erika!" Trace blurted out.
"What the heck?! Where'd this wall come from?!" Brayden shouted furiously. "Is this Team Rocket's doing?!"
"This is part of the store's security system!" Erika said. "They must have set it off!"
Right on cue, Rocket Grunts flooded into the building through the front doors, which were then sealed shut by another wall. Every one of them was grinning maliciously. Apparently, they were pretty proud of themselves for setting this trap.
"Ugh, I knew it! You guys are such a pain, you know that?" Mary said to the Grunts.
"Trace, we'll handle these guys! Get up there and take down whoever's in charge of these Grunts!" Brayden shouted through the wall.
"All by myself? I can't do that! I'm not strong enough…" Trace said hopelessly.
"No, Trace! You are not alone!" Erika said encouragingly. "Your Pokémon are with you. Trust in them, and trust in yourself! You can do it!"
"Wartortle!" Wartortle added.
Trace and Charmeleon looked at one another. Poliwhirl rattled his Poké Ball from inside, rallying them to fight.
"It's up to us to save Cubone. I know Pikachu would want us to be strong, too…" Trace said as he clutched Pikachu's empty Poké Ball.
"Okay then! Leave it to us, guys!" Trace shouted back through the wall, before rushing up the stairs with Charmeleon.
Upstairs, just outside the Manager's Office…
"Okay, Team Rocket Executive, or Elite Grunt, whoever you are! Let the manager go—"
As Trace stepped inside the office, everything seemed perfectly normal. He had expected the place to look ransacked, and have at least one member of Team Rocket to be here, but only the manager was there, sitting at his desk like nothing was wrong.
"Is something wrong, kid?" he asked.
"Team Rocket's taken control of the store! Or at least, they're trying to. My friend and the Gym Leader are trapped on the first floor fighting a bunch of Grunts!" Trace explained.
"Hm. Is that right?" the manager said. "Well if that's the case, we shouldn't disable the security system. That would let the bad guys get up here and steal everything we've got."
"Well, can't you call the police or something?"
The manager flashed what seemed to be a slightly panicked expression, then said, "O-of course I can! I'll just press this button and signal them to come by!"
He did so, but the button did not do what he said it would. Instead, several screens flickered on (much to his dismay), each showing several areas of the building, including the first floor.
"Wait a second… shouldn't these screens be on at all times?" Trace asked, growing suspicious.
"Oh, sure, but seeing as we hadn't even opened the store for the day just yet—"
"And why would you be in here all alone with the doors locked? You definitely don't look like you spent the night here."
"I just got here early to work on paperwork! It's not easy being a manager, you know!"
Trace felt that something wasn't quite right here. Either this manager was completely inept at his job, or he was hiding something. There was only one way he was going to know for sure. Though hesitant, he reached for Arbok's Poké Ball.
The "manager" noticed this and tried to threaten Trace.
"W-what are you doing? Don't you dare attack me! The police are on their way, you know! Don't think they won't haul you off alongside the Rocket guys!"
Without a word, Trace opened the Poké Ball, and Arbok appeared beside the desk.
For a few seconds, Trace could hear nothing but the sound of his heart beating rapidly. He prayed that he wouldn't regret doing this…
"ARRRRRBOK!"
"EYAAAAAAHHH!"
In the blink of an eye, Arbok had tried to bite the "manager", but the latter jumped backwards just in time. However, the front of his shirt got torn off by Arbok's jaws.
Trace gasped when he saw what was under it.
Not skin, but a black jacket emblazoned with a large "R".
"You're not the manager! You're part of Team Rocket!" he shouted angrily.
The imposter sighed.
"Curses. You caught our little experiment. I told Ariana not to send it after you, but she never listens to me. That was such a good disguise, too…" he muttered.
Adding to the shock Trace and Charmeleon already felt, the man tore off his "face", revealing another one that was quite different. He had purple hair on top of his head and on his chin, and had a rather gloomy look in his eyes offset by a callous smile.
"I'm not just any member of Team Rocket, kid. I'm Petrel, master of disguise, and one of the four Rocket Executives!"
Petrel?! That name sounded very familiar to Trace…
"Oh! So you're the guy Loki mentioned back when we fought him in the Rock Tunnel?"
"Really? Loki told you about me? What did he say? That my disguises are sheer perfection? That I deserve my position?"
"Uhhhh… no."
Petrel froze.
"He said something about you being a slob and that he should be an Executive instead…"
Petrel fell over in exasperation.
"Hmph. I should've expected no less from that guy. Too blinded by his delusions to have respect for anyone but Giovanni. No wonder Proton dislikes having him in his unit…"
Trace and Charmeleon nodded in agreement right away. Immediately after, they realized how bizarre it was to agree with a Team Rocket Executive on anything.
"No more small talk! Tell me what you did with Cubone!" Trace demanded.
"Huh? Cubone…? Oh, you mean this little thing?"
Petrel pulled back a curtain, revealing a small Pokémon wearing a skull, trapped inside a cage. Though conscious, it could barely move, seemingly due to sleepiness.
"Cu…bone…" it said weakly.
"No… what did you do to him?!" Trace cried.
"Relax! I didn't do anything. It's just been hit with several doses of Sleep Powder to keep it quiet. Two of my Grunts happened upon it last night, you see. Figured we could get a decent price for it. If you want it, you can have it… for about 500,000 Poké Dollars! Heh heh heh!"
For the first time in his life, Trace understood why Brayden always got so angry when Team Rocket was around. They weren't just cruel to other humans, they also had no love for Pokémon. The fact that Pokémon were being abused purely to satisfy Team Rocket's greed was simply appalling!
"You… creeps! Why must you treat Pokémon so badly?! Cubone, Arbok, Primeape, and all the other Pokémon that have been hurt by you don't deserve to be treated that way, ever!"
"Sorry, kid," Petrel said sarcastically. "That's just how it is. We need money, and Pokémon get us money! If you don't like it, then fight!"
Petrel threw a Poké Ball of his own, and a Raticate emerged, gnashing it's teeth.
This was it. Time to cast his fears away and never look back. Today, Trace would be fearless. And both Cubone and Pikachu would be saved!
"Charmeleon, Metal Claw!"
"Raticate, Hyper Fang!"
The battle for Celadon City is finally reaching its climax! Will Trace be victorious over Executive Petrel, and rescue Cubone at last?! Don't miss Chapter 31!
Brayden's Current Team:
Wartortle
Moves: Water Pulse, Rapid Spin, Surf, Bite
Ability: Torrent
Hardy Nature. Hates Losing.
Eats Anything.
Pidgeotto
Moves: Twister, Aerial Ace, Quick Attack, Agility
Ability: Keen Eye
Docile Nature. Good Perseverance.
Eats Anything.
Butterfree
Moves: Confusion, Silver Wind, Double Team, Flash
Ability: Compound Eyes
Quiet Nature. Highly Curious.
Likes Dry Food, Hates Sweet Food.
Oddish
Moves: Mega Drain, Acid, Stun Spore, Razor Leaf
Ability: Chlorophyll
Modest Nature. Alert to Sounds.
Likes Dry Food, Hates Spicy Food.
Electrode
Moves: Thunderbolt, Rollout, Screech, Explosion
Ability: Static
Naughty Nature. Somewhat of a Clown.
Likes Spicy Food, Hates Bitter Food.
Trace's Current Team:
Charmeleon
Moves: Flamethrower, Metal Claw, Swords Dance, Brick Break
Ability: Blaze
Bashful Nature. Quick to Flee.
Eats Anything.
Poliwhirl
Moves: Surf, Double Slap, Mud Shot, Substitute
Ability: Damp
Gentle Nature. Takes Plenty of Siestas.
Likes Bitter Food, Hates Sour Food.
New Member!
Arbok
Moves: Sludge Bomb, Ice Fang, Dig
Ability: Shed Skin
Timid Nature. Scatters Things Often.
Likes Sweet Food, Hates Spicy Food.