The Hood, splendid as he sat upon his throne, patiently waited as Eclipse Commander Mable gave her report.
In fact, he had already known that the attempt to capture Kyogre had failed. The GReat Djinn had taken care of that, and had let both him and Eric experience the consequences. Still, Eric was a capable servent, so that fact that the Great Djinn had not killed him was a thing to be thankful for. The Hood still felt a responsibility to listen to every dreary report, as to set a example for his underlings.
"And also, my lord," The former Team Flare admin continued. "The child that attempted to interfere with Admin Henry's operation was at the site. It is believed that his presence was not the cause of Project Kyogre's failure, but he is yet another witness. The Pokémon Association has captured the Primordial Accreciator at the site of Brimber Volcano, and operatives are on route to dispatch the second at Rosecove. Gym Leader Sebastian is now apart of a growing multi-member lawsuit against Team Eclipse. It should be in effect in only another month, as the Chairman is pushing it through all the red tape we throw at it. That is all I have to say, my lord."
"All issues noted. You are dismissed, Commander Mable."
Bowing low, the Commander left the throne room.
The Hood sighed in exasperation. He did not particularly like the female element in his leadership structure, or even its place in the whole organization. In fact, The Hood considered himself to be a chauvinist of the old class, along with being a proud racial bigot. Woman simply bored him. But men! Men he could size up, think out, battle, see who was really stronger.
Of course, the Great Djinn could use anyone of any race or gender to his liking, one of the reasons that the Hood had made Team Eclipse a equal-opportunity organizations. However, Arceus could use anyone to fulfill His mission, as well. Glorious balance, as Emrett called it. All things in moderation, a rather funny thing to hear from a immoderate man.
Emrett was currently heading the development of the Spatial Fracture Generator, a machine that would prove invaluable in a upcoming operation. The prison break would free many prospective allies for the cause of Team Eclipse, while also striking a arrow into the cogs of the Pokémon Association. The prison break should occur at any moment...
Ah, Emrett...the public speaker, the politician, the charmer, the gangster and warlock rolled into one. Although the Hood would never tell any other member of his organization his true thoughts regarding the wonder worker, he considered Emrett to be the most like him in mind and motivation, a bundle of characteristics that made Emrett the Hood's favorite servant, and the one who knew the most of the mind of the Great Djinn, the one to whom Arceus was the most hateful.
Kett was also busy with the Shaymin issue. It had taken a quite a while to prepare the attack, as Shaymin was currently under the guardianship of Marley, the dratted little bread-and-butter girl. The stupid teen would probably even find the Hood amusing. She would think differently after Kett was done with her, that much was certain.
In order to prevent another slip of identity, the Hood had sent a message to Kett, warning him not to reveal his true nature as a Team Eclipse member, under any circumstances. Eric had only confirmed Bronze's suspicions, but it was foolish of him to boast his real colors, when he was safe behind the hated uniforms of Team Rocket.
The Hood then reviewed the progress on the airship weapons, all nearly completed, thanks to Tyler's zealous work ethic. He would have put them only to minimal power, but his master had insisted on maximum force, even though it had delayed the completion of the airship by a month. The speeder and transport production was going well, too, along with many other smaller attack craft.
All this built from the remains of organizations that came before me. The Hood thought. But there will be none to come after me. Soon, my master's world will be all that remains. As the Hisuians said that Paradise would be one day brought about by Arceus, Man will establish it himself. Even the Hisuians may have foreseen such a fate. Are not the Children of Arceus, Pokémon and Men, made in His image? The Son of Man comes in this generation, this very year. The elements will disappear in fire, the sky will roll up like a scroll. But the Great Djinn shall endure.
Viewing many transcripts of sabotaged communications from the Pokémon Association and International Police, the Hood predicted that most of the Pokedex Holders would be routed to Anthein City, along with a substantial increase in police presence in the city. Perhaps even Bronze would be there.
Wonderful. All the more witnesses that would see the Great Djinn's full return.
Smiling, The Hood exited his throne room. Descending to the lower room where the Kyurem Cannon module was being prepared, the Hood only thought of victory.
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Diamond and Pearl walked into the cool, rustling Sinnoh meadow. It was in the eastern regions of Sinnoh, in the region that was known as the Cobalt Coastlands long ago. The flowery field that the two Pokedex Holders now walked through was only a remnant of the Vale of Losgar, the realm of Shaymin, Nessa the Healer.
"Pearl, I really don't see her. Maybe we got the address wrong?" Diamond lamented, remembering the frenzied call that had soon been cut off. "Marley is always rushing around, with that Arcanine of hers. She could have moved away from the area, right?"
"No, we got the right place. This is definitely Flower Paradise." Pearl replied. "Maybe she got away from whoever was threatening her. I still feel a hint of evil in the air, though. Remember the cave that some of us went through to reach the Distortion World, during the crisis with Charon, after we defeated Cyrus at Spear Pillar?"
"Yeah, maybe it's just you feeling the aura of the entrance to the Distortion World." Diamond said, yawning. "I guess we could head back now?"
Suddenly, sounds of battle over the the vale of a dry river, and frantic shouts and cursing dispelled any further doubts that the battle was still ongoing.
Running over the hill, the two could see Marley and Shaymin being surrounded in by men in strange uniforms, which Pearl recognized as the livery of Team Rocket, a prominent red R on the chest proclaiming the allegiance of the goons. Razor Leafs and bursts of fire covered the battlefield, but Marley was soundly outnumbered.
The man standing away from Shaymin's attacks looked up, and eyed Diamond and Pearl. Holding up his hand as a signal for the grunts to stop their assault, he took his cap off in mock humility, his strikingly blond hair complementing his northern Kantoian features.
"Well! Pokedex Holders Diamond and Pearl, in person! I am Commander Kett of Team Rocket, and I am honored to make your acquaintance, you miserable do-gooders. However, we are in the middle of a operation, so could you please step aside, while we pummel this silly girl to a pulp? We require the little creature she is holding for...our experiments."
"Get away from her!" Diamond yelled. "Or we'll show you who is the boss in Sinnoh! It's not Team Rocket, or anyone else! You guys haven't ever even been active in Sinnoh before, why now?!"
"First time for everything, I suppose." Kett said. "Disperse!"
Diamond sent out his Pokémon, while Pearl did the same. Eyeing the well-trained teams, Kett raised an eyebrow. "Soldiers, step aside! Now that we have a substantial disadvantage in combat, I would say it is time to resort to the secondary approach, considering that the girl is already almost beaten...let the Pokémon decide it's true allegiance, to Arceus or the Dark!"
Pulling out a reddish-pink flower from a belt pouch, he held it out to Shaymin, sweet-smelling wafts of fume emitting from the center of the beautiful specimen.
Diamond tried to intervene. "Tru, Razor Leaf!"
At almost lightspeed, the Tortuga shot a single leaf, with the combined power of all the leaves in a standard attack. However, even the supercharged leaf only blasted off a invisible forcefield around Kett. A power cell on Kett's wrist gauntlet blew, and the commander winced from a charged shock that passed through his sheild.
"Lady Shaymin," Kett calmly began, unperturbed. "This is the Gracidea flower. It holds great value to you, as it allows you to convert from Land and Sky forms. I offer this to you, as a gift, so that Team Rocket may use your services, not for ill deeds, but the mutual benefit of all. We have great value for Pokémon possessing exception powers of Healing and Virtue, and I regret to say that the girl you call your master resisted us in giving you a invitations. I hope you will consider our offer, Lady Nessa."
Shaymin looked up at the panicked Marley, smelling the flower, and hearing the strange man call it by its ancient name. It seemed to lose some part of its loyalty, as it left Marley's protection, and slowly came forward to Kett, who was grinning ever wider.
"Shaymin! Don't go with him!" Marley screamed. Shaymin looked back and forth in confusion, and then seemed to remember the battle earlier, and began to back away from Kett. But it was too late.
Quick as a brandished whip, Kett threw a Ultra Ball, capturing Shaymin. Pearl sent out Chatler to grab the ball before any of the grunts could, but Kett quickly pressed a button on his wrist gauntlet, causing the Master Ball to fly to the newly activated magnet, attaching to it with a clunk.
Marley screamed in rage and rushed at Kett, but two grunts restrained her, others fighting her Arcanine. Diamond and Pearl fired off attacks, but Kett sent out a Venomoth, dodging and weaving it the air.
A blow from Chimler hit Kett's ray shield again, blowing its circuitry. Kett yelled in pain as his arm was burnt by the malfunctioning wrist gauntlet, the metal twisting into superheated slag.
Suddenly, a cloud of spores flew out of Venomoth's wings, blinding the pair, and Marley. Once they had finally rubbed the soporific spores out of their eyes, Kett and the grunts were gone, all having flown away beyond the green-covered hills.
Giving the two a sad look, Marley ran of into the distance, calling back her Arcanine. Pearl looked at Diamond grimly. They would have to speak with Platinum about this.
...
"Yes, my lord." Kett said, nursing his wound. "We have the package. Two witnesses, Pokedex Holders. Our cover held, Team Rocket is such a wonderful thing to blame. The foolish girl could have called anyone when she evaded us at first, and she contacted them, not the police. Lucky us, eh?"
Kett listened to his master's next instructions.
"Return to base, my lord? It will be done."
The Hood grinned. "Well done. Perhaps, good and loyal servant, I will give you a promotion for this..."
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"Alright...I'm interested in getting to know you guys, by the way. Pokedex Holders, huh?"
Bronze, Jake, and Tess walked through the shadowy, eaved route to Cragonos Cliff. As Bronze predicted, Tess was by far the most talkative of the three.
"I told you, Tess." Bronze said. "Being a Pokedex Holder isn't some validation that you wear on your sleeve. If I went around just showing the Pokedex to everyone, who knows what could happen?"
Tess shrugged, her shoulders brushing a cluster of low-hanging branches. "I get it. You guys aren't in this for the fame. Virtue, right? Hey...have you guys even seen my Pokémon, yet?"
"Yes."
"Well, let's see them again!" Tess sent out her team. "Garchomp, Bagon, which I sometimes call Waffle and Bagel. Why don't you guys nickname your Pokémon, anyway?"
"..."
"Hey, Bronze...what are you actually doing this for? You don't seem like the type to chase after the Champion title for the sake of it. Jake, I get that you are just following Bronze around. I want to see things, meet people, smell foreign air. But, I just can't get a read on you, Bronze! Tell me more!"
Bronze started one of his trademark lectures. "Well, I believe that a certain combinations of classical Hisuian Ideals, combined with a soft-anarchist governing base, can create a virtuous and just society. Rorian government is a cesspool these days, and I am concerned about a neo-Terramist element in the new Eastern Liberation Party. Basically, the Champion title holds a lot of political clout, and perhaps I can sway popular opinion for the better."
Tess blinked. "That is probably the strangest reason for a person wanting to become a Champion that I have ever heard of. Anyway, tell me more about these Team Eclipse thugs. I see a spokesman for them, Emrett, on televisions here and there. Once, he even visited Rosecove. My grandfather doesn't trust a word the man says, but a lot of people believe him. I wonder why."
"It seems obvious to me." Bronze said. "People are functioning on a broken soul, without Arceus as the guiding force in their lives. Of course they are going to get the solution wrong, without all the instructions! Emrett is a charismatic man with Ambition, an archetype that hopeless people flock to. Face it. Roria is a recovering war zone. You can see battle scars on old buildings. Sometimes you hear about a guy who got killed by a leftover Terramist IED. Everyone knows someone who adopted a Pokémon left over from the war, its trainer killed by Arceus knows what. It is a dark time for all of us. People in Mitis Town had it easy, the Terramist's never went there on their eastern war march. But that is the root issue, I think. Of course, there are many contesting theories..."
"Contesting theories?" Jake snorted. "Yeah, I've heard a few. Like the old Terramist conspiracy that the Logarian race used to live on the moon, before being blown down to Earth by Rayquaza, and then a mad scientist with a oversized head created the Hisuians, Alolans, Johtoians, and Kalosi to oppress the pure race up until the time of the Terramist Jihad, where they would take back Roria from the northern devils, and then the rest of the world in a series of race wars, then creating Paradise. Crazy stuff."
Tess laughed at that. Good.
"Really, Jake?" Bronze said. "That's the best you can do? The ancient Draconids believed that Arceus was actually a representative of a multiversal Life-Force that was based out of a gigantic library, and Rayquaza was His sworn messenger. The Kalosi Rumhoth worshipped a bunch of fake gods, like Zeus, Juno, Ares, including a master god, the Great Djinn, the Giver of Freedom. I've heard of the Evil Djinn, but never the Great Djinn. Nonsense."
"Don't go around insulting the Kalosi, Bronze!" Jake said, shock in his voice. "They put the pocket in the pita, the best thing that happened since the Alolans made malasada!"
"Apparently, Jake, you forgot the human and Pokémon sacrifice, the slave trade, the building of the Great Armament that was only narrowly destroyed by Xerneas and Yveltal..."
"Hey, the last one is just a myth!"
"No, it isn't! The Hisuians said it wasn't! And stop trying to impress Tess!"
"What?! Like you could do any better!"
"Do better?! What is that supposed to mean, you lovesick schoolboy?!"
"I can woo a woman better than the guy who has a game consisting of talking about a less restrictive mortgage licensing format!"
"Take that back, unintellectual!"
"No! Go soak your head!"
Tess watched the situation escalate, eating a protein bar while Jake and Bronze exchanged blows. Then, she noticed what was blocking the wooded path.
"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP AND LOOK IN FRONT OF YOU?!"
Bronze put his hands off his Poke Balls, ashamed that his temper had gotten so out of control. Indeed, bordering the mazelike root system of a fallen tree, a Absol stood, partially obscured by undergrowth that had long overtaken the trail borders.
"An Absol!" Jake yelled. "Back, Tess! While those things may not cause disasters, they always herald them! It could be wild, a feral beast!"
Dusting himself off, Bronze shook his head. "No. Its eyes...they possess intelligence, free of the Original Curse. Is it warning us? I have sworn that I've seen an Absol following us around Roria. State your business, Pokémon!"
The Absol bowed its magnificent heard, a mournful look in its eyes. Then, it bounded away into the wild, disappearing from all knowledge.
However, the trio had also reached the Tath Dirnien, the Guarded Plain. Beyond that, Cragonos Peak loomed, hearilding that the group was nearing the small airport, and beyond that, in the skies, Anthein City.
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Emrett's eyes filled with the unearthly glow of the Spacial Fracture, the portal frame holding the rift open with a incredible gravitational pull. It would only open twice, once to enter, once to exit the Devon High Security Prison.
The wonder worker and his attack team of eight other elite operatives, all dressed in tactical Team Rocket uniforms, moved into the fracture. The tunnels under the prison were secured against Pokémon teleportation, but no one could account for space itself opening.
Bearing high-energy molecular distortion rifles, the soldiers moved to the designated operation point. Emrett rigged the microchip reader on a maintenance door, while his soldiers set bricks of C4 along the gas lines. Emrett looped a camera, knocked a patrolling Magnemite unconscious, and started to put breaching charges along the framework of a ventilation shaft.
The charges burst, silent in their blast. The group moved through the shaft, before resting atop a vent by the control room, a few guards holding most of the prison controls in their hands. What a foolish design.
Emrett broke through the vent after a grunt's Klefki had finished weakening it, sending a Poke Ball through the exposed shaft. A Gengar emerged, choking the guards with its smog. The squared progressed down into the vacant room, securing filtration masks that would prevent the smoke from affecting them.
Grabbing some keys from a unconscious guard, Emrett inserted them into the operating slot, so conspicuously placed next to a plastiglass screen showing which cells were open or closed. Emrett started placing explosives, while a grunt stood over the key, waiting for his orders.
"Open it. All of them."
"All of them, sir? But we only came for-"
"Do you want a distraction, or not? I am the person you answer to if the mission fails, you know."
The grunt opened the cells, also using a advanced password scrambler to override the security restrictions, the device fitting into a USB port near the operations terminal.
...
Charon heard the cell open, and the other prisoners begin to riot. The former Team Galactic admin decided not to get involved. He might just get time for parole in a few years, after all. He would let the security footage asertian to the fact that he had not participated in the skirmish.
Suddenly, the wall behind his cell melted, a Team Rocket operative stepping through the molten rock. "Come with me. You are being rescued."
"Team Rocket?! I will never join you lowlifes, not if my life depended on it."
The soldier laughed, the respirators giving his voice a raspy edge. "We are not Team Rocket. You may call use Team Eclipse, the uniforms are just for cover. Now, do you want to start a new life, or not?"
Charon, looking at the chaos in the common area, weighed his priorities. He chose the most alluring option.
...
Emrett walked through the chaos-enshrined halls, disabling rioters, killing people who got in his way. A guard tried to stop him, but Emrett disintegrated him with a single attack from his Medicham.
The high-security cells were unlocked, but only partially. To fully free the prisoners inside, a double verification was required, in the Heavy Containment Control Room.
Emrett gutted a guard with his serrated knife, stole his keycard, killed another prisoner, brushed a torn sheet off his shoulder, and entered Colress's cell.
Colress was suspended in a straightjacket, hovering in a near-soundless antechamber, solitary confinement at the worst. Emrett wondered if the man was even still sane after his extended incarceration. The wonder worker entered, undoing Colress's muzzle.
"Welcome!" Colress said, in a surprisingly jovial voice. "I always knew that someone would come to get me. I was worried that they would break their promise. How are we going to get out?"
"We go through the ducts. My men and Pokémon have already cleared them."
"And the guards...won't follow us?"
"My men have already made sure that such a collateral will not occur."
Colress grinned and laughed as he was dragged into the tunnels, seeing that Ghetsis was also being brought into the abandoned drainworks system by another Eclipse soldier. These people would have something to do with both of them. Yes, he would be worth more than non-burnable trash.
...
Emrett led the line, Ghetsis, Colress, Lysandre, (bound to a wheelchair) Xerosic, and several others, all blindfolded and bound, following him and his men.
The portal would open in just a little while...and Jamison was not back yet! Had he gotten lost or injured?
"Wait!"
Jamison had arrived, holding a captive Lusamine, taken from the psychiatry ward. "I got this one. The Hood wants a lady, you give him a lady, know what I mean? Time to go, sir!"
Emrett glowered at the tardy soldier. "Have you brought stragglers?"
"None. No one saw-"
Two inmates entered the tunnel intersection, panting with exertion. Emrett recognized them as Zinzolin and Giallo, two of the Seven Sages.
Emrett ordered his men to raise their weapons. "We have no use for you two, and a cold day in Sheol before we ever do. Say your prayers."
"But-but-" Zinzolin stammered. "You have Colress and Ghetsis! We're Team Plasma too, why can't you take us with you-"
The Eclipse grunts fired.
...
On the other side of space, far away from Devon High Security Prison, the Spacial Fracture Generator began to whine, and then activated.
...
The rift opened, a veil between places separated by extremes of distance, Emrett and the captives entered, the laboratory staff on the other end welcoming the wonder worker like a returning hero from a terrible battle.
All, except Lysandre.
The cripple had taken one of the guards Poke Balls! On dumb luck! The grunt now lay unconscious, his own Pokémon being used to topple him over. Lysandre, more fast than could be believed in a wheelchair, had rode through wide exhaust vent, used a Poke Ball obtained on the prison market, and flew up on the talon of a Fearow, up, up, over the fence, out of sight, bound for freedom.
Emrett decided not to follow. The former Team Flare boss was not a liability in the slightest, and the one least useful to the Hood's cause. It was likely that Lysandre would be captured, if it were not for the stunt that Emrett was about to pull.
The wonder worker pulled out a detonator, a cylindrical, oblivion black device, the red button yearning to be pressed. Emrett obliged.
...
The foundation of the northern side of the prison collapsed, the C4 turning it into a churning mass of dust and rubble. Not a single person or Pokémon escaped the wreckage, and all the guards would be rerouted to deal with the fallout. Emrett's group, along with any other escapee, would have more than a fighting chance to make their way back to the underworld.
...
Emrett lifted the linen sack off Colress's head. "Ready for a new start?"
"More than you know."