DISCLAIMER the original idea of pokemon, team rocket and all the basic
sotryline thereof are the property(in the united states) of Kids WB!
entertainment and are not an original idea of yours truly.
this is part one of a four story series in which all parts will eventually be tied together. this, being the first part, is the only one complete as of yet. watch for parts 2-4 in the near future(hopefully). thank you, and enjoy the story.....
The world of pokémon, a mysterious and wonderful place. But it goes far beyond the Kanto and Johto regions. Beyond the Orange Archipelago and to the far side of the known world. In the south western hemisphere of the pokémon world a series of large islands exists off the shore of an unknown continent.
Chaste Island, the largest of the isles, is the commercial center for the region. The u-shaped land has two small sister isles nearby. Shard Island and Sand Island are to the southwest and are seperated from Chaste by many small islands and three miles of water. The bay in Chaste Island is known as Marril Bay and is home to a large port, Beachtown City. Here is where our story begins.
It was a beautiful day, as always, in Beachtown City. The soft caw of gulls and the low hum of tug boats filled the air. The monolithic skyscrapers gleamed with the early-morning sun of June. Inside the Coral Tower a meeting is in place.
" Well have you got the items?" asked a tall man. He stood wearing a dark suit, glaring out over the ocean. He slicked back his hair and sipped a martini.
" Yes sir. The first pokémon is right here," a voice replied. The short bald lowling opened a case revealing one polished gold pokéball. The large circular room they stood in was lavishly furnished. The carpet had a large circle in the center, surrounding an image of a tropical fish. " Flareon sir. My thugs are about getting the others now."
" Good. How long will it take to get all six of the chain?" the man growled turning to look over his shoulder.
" We're working on it now sir, and it's only a matter of time. I'll have them soon. Is there anything else Giovanni?"
" No, not at all. All is going as planned. The office downstairs will take care of the first payment for you. I'll call if there's anything else," Giovanni said turning around. He downed the rest of a martini and glared at his thug.
" Don't fail me Mr. Ono. I'll see you soon, now get out!"
" Goodbye, sir," Ono replied uneasily. He moved quickly from the office, wiping sweat from his tan face. I can't keep this up much longer. It just isn't right stealing pokémon from people, he thought. But I told him I'd do anything. He stepped onto the elevator and made for the lobby. I hope he dosen't go too far.
On the same morning a young teen was out to visit his uncle. Neo stepped off the plane and exited the small airport. It was a short flight from the mainland so he felt little if any tiredness. He yawned, though, and stretched his arms.
Neo was about fifteen, five foot nine, and skinny. He tugged on his t- shirt, which was black under a red and white vest, and brushed creases out of his grey shorts. He ran his fingers through his short hair and hailed a cab. He got in a taxi and made east to his Uncle Raff's beach pad.
Neo had made this trip before. Every time his busy parents went away he went to his uncle's house. They knew eachother well, and got along pretty well. Neo always went off into the city though. It took no longer than usual to get to his temporary home.
Neo opened the door and dumped his bag on the floor, " Hey, Uncle Raff! Where the hey are you?" Neo frowned and went to the back of the house. He found his uncle sobbing madly over his patio table. " Hey, what's eating you?"
" Flareon," he sobbed deeply, " was stolen." Raff rubbed his bald head. He was short and old but rather fistey. He wore the traditional hawiian shirt, cargo shorts and sandals. " Poor pokémon!"
Neo forwned in embarassment and consoled his uncle, " It's okay, uh, we'll get him back." Flareon had been at that house since before Neo was born. A great pokémon and compaion, it was Raff's dearest friend. " What happened?"
Raff wiped tears from his eyes and sniffled. " I left Flareon on the back porch while I went to feed the pokémon in the aquarium. When I came back I saw a man running off with my pokémon," he explained. Neo looked out where a string of footprints ran down the beach. " I called the cops, but they said it's been happening a lot and there's nothing they can do."
" Well there's not much I can do," Neo said consoling his uncle, " but I could ask around and see what's up. Maybe some of the kids downtown know something."
Raff's sobbing halted abruptly and he clenched Neo's shirt. " Would you really?! Really?! Gee Neo you're the best nephew ever! Go on! Hurry!" Raff was hurriedly shoving Neo out the door. At the last second he stopped. " Oh wait. I can't send you out like that. What if something happened?" He rubbed his chin for a second then jumped up and ran to his room. When he returned he held a pokéball.
" A pokémon? But I'm no trainer," Neo insisted throwing his bag over his shoulder. " I've only had my license a little while and I'm still in training!"
" You'll do fine. Now take this and GO!" his uncle forced the pokéball into Neo's hands and pushed him out the door. Neo looked over his shoulder in time to see the three foot old man slam the door.
Neo held the pokéball and looked down at it. " Wonder what it is," he muttered to himself, " Well one way to find out." He clicked the latch, releasing a strange little pokémon. Only a foot or so tall, the green and yellow pokémon had red spots on its back and its eyes were in a tight squint. " A Cyndaquil?" Neo pondered, " Uncle and his fire types."
He sighed and picked up Cyndaquil. " Well buddy, looks like we're working together."
Neo found himself in the midst of an expansive, yet familiar city. Beachtown City was a popular resort of the region, attracting thousands of people every year. The buildings shone a golden orange in the late morning sun and a soft salty breeze blew through the streets.
Cyndaquil had been returned to its ball and Neo had made his way speedily into town. There weren't too many shifty going ons in Beachtown, but if there were, there was one place to find out.
The Ditto Dungeon was a favorite hangout for the underbelly of Chaste Island's population. As Neo made his way down the steep stairs he could make out the neon purple Ditto shaped light over the door. He stepped in through the wooden barrier and staggered as his eyes adjusted.
The inside of the place was dark but Neo could see the bar to his right. On the far side of a set of tables a good size color TV was mounted on the wall. A group of lolygaggers layed over eachother on a table.
Neo made his way to the bar and looked cooly at the tender. The tall, built man finished polishing a glass and wiped his hands on his kahki pants.
" What can I get ya kid?" the bartender asked.
Neo looked to and fro cautiously, " Information, if you got any."
The bartender leaned back and eyed the kid suspicously, " Who wants to know?"
" Mister Gyarados," he replied sliding a twenty across the counter. It was a good chunk of his spending cash, but his Uncle would pay him back.
" Oh him," the bartender said quickly. He snatched the bill and stuffed it in his pocket. " Now what kind of information does he need?"
" Anything on recent pokémon theft, particularly in the east end of town," Neo whispered, keeping the conversation low.
" Well rumor has it that a certain pokémon mobster is in town and his goons are behind it," the slim man told Neo.
" Who is it?"
" That'll cost a little something more."
Neo sighed and slid a blue bill with a psyduck on it over to the man, " Another ten good?"
" Oh yes," he replied, again stuffing the cash away quickly. " The man is Giovanni, head of Team Rocket. He's been operating here for several months now. Lately there's been a rash of Eevee and eevee-lution theivery. Sources say he's behind it. Now, what can I get ya to drink?" the man shifted gears cooly, looking to make another buck.
" I'll pass," Neo replied. the bartender shrugged and Neo made for the exit.
Okay, so Team Rocket is behind the thefts. But it's Team Rocket! If the cops won't go near them, what am I supposed to do? Neo looked up at the sky as he strolled down a boardwalk. Cyndaquil, having been released, walked along next to him.
" What do you think?" he joked turning to the fire-type. The little aardvark smiled and chirped Cyndi-quil quil! " Good answer," Neo replied smiling. But his joy was short lived.
Just up the beach a swimmer played in the water with a Vaporeon. The pokémon flared its fishy frills and disappeared into the water then reappeared, splashing its master. Out of nowhere a Team Rocket thug lept into view. He hucked a unique purple and white ball at the monster, catching it. The ball returned and the Rocket sprinted into a nearby crowd.
" Hey help! Theif!," the swimmer waved his arms to get attention. Heads turned to look at the man, but only Neo ran into the crowd after the thug.
He pushed and shoved his way along, Cyndaquil now put away. The crowd was dense, but Neo saw the thug turn down an alley. As the teen slid around the corner he saw the thug whip out a pistol and open fire towards him.
He dove behind a metal dumpster and the shooting stopped. He looked over the edge of the bin and saw the Rocket running again. He flew after him, throwing the pokéball forward.
" Cyndaquil! Fire Spin!" Neo ordered. The fire monster's back flared up with red and yellow as it spun a torrent of flame, igniting the wooden fence in front of the thug. " Stop!"
" Nobody can stop us kid," the Rocket growled, turning back to face Neo. He bent his knees and did a backflip over the fence. Neo scurried up a nearby fire escape in time to see the hoodlum jump into a van and peel away.
" Oh man...," Neo hopped back down as a small fire truck pulled up to exstinguish the flames.
After explaining the situation to the firemen a number of times, Neo convinced them to let him go on his way. Cyndaquil lay over his shoulder, pooped. The teen sighed and sat on a bench down the block from the Coral Tower. His companion slid off of him and laid belly down on the bench.
" Well a lot of good that did," Neo moaned to himself. He petted his pokémon, thinking. Why, he thought, would Team Rocket want all the eevee- lutions? I mean, come on, what good would it really do, Neo sucked in air quickly as he realized, All the elements! It fit. Water, fire, electric, psychic and dark, a well balanced team if ever there was one. Add an Eevee and the set is complete. They could go on a pokémon crime wave. So they've got Flareon and Vaporeon, but where will they get the other four?
Just then a bus went by, sporting a promising advertisement. As the bus stopped nearby Neo read the ad:
Chaste Island Evolution Festival
Featuring a special demonstration on Eevee evolutions
Fri June Thirteenth, Five p.m., Oddish Park
Neo's eyes bugged and he quickly looked at his watch. Oh geeze! Today's the thirteenth and it's almost four-forty-five! He scooped up Cyndaquil and dashed madly for Oddish Park in the center of Beachtown.
The park was alive with activity when our hero ran into the area. Games and booths surrounded a massive stage in the middle of a massive green clearing. Neo slowed as he entered the crowd, looking back and forth for anything suspicous.
What am I doing? he thought to himself. I mean here I am, on Chaste Island, in the middle of June, chasing down an enormous criminal organization. He moaned to himself at the thought. I'm going crazy!
Neo had slipped Cyndaquil once again into his pokéball. He remembered that he hadn't really battled with it yet, and that scared him. But better one untrained pokémon than none at all, he reminded himself shrugging. He found his way to the end of wall of people and stepped out into a field on a hill above a massive stage. Many, many rows of seats were built right into the side of the hill, making an amphitheater-like pit. The stage was fully equipped with all the latest lights and speakers and one thing Neo thought didn't belong.
Down to the left of the stage a group of shifty looking people split up, some going under the stage, others backstage. They sure don't look like stage hands to me. He stepped forward to get a better look, realizing that the bleachers around him were full and a show was about to begin.
" Well here goes," he whispered to himself. No sooner did he start to move than music blared from the speakers and colored smoke spewed onto the stage. Three trainers lept out, each accompanied by an eevee-lution. The three pokémon, Umbreon, Jolteon and Espeon, lept around eachother, feinting attacks as the trainers had a mock battle. As the battle reached a peak, a short guy jumped on the stage, leading an Eevee after him. They both joined in to the cheers of the crowd.
Neo found himself sitting on the steps as the show continued. The 'battle' went on for a few minutes before it finally ended with the crowd up in excitement. Neo was shook back to reality and realized now was the time to act. He hurried down the steps, nearly tripping several times.
Just as he reached the bottom of the seats a massive explosion rocked the stage. Purple and blue smoke wafted in the summer breeze as Neo coughed and hacked along with the rest of the audience.
As the smoke cleared near the stage, it was still thick in the seats, Neo could make out the forms of the Team Rocket thugs hopping onto the stage and grabbing the pokémon in balls. The four Eevee trainers yelled after the Rockets as they turned to run.
" Hey stop!" Neo screamed after them. They turned and looked at him. He crawled onto the stage and took out his one and only pokéball. " Where do you think you're going with those monsters?"
The thugs looked down at the Master Balls they used to catch the pokémon and glared at him. " Who are you anyway? What makes you think you can stop us?!"
" Just a concerned citizen. Now give back those monsters," Neo ordered, expanding his pokéball. As he spoke the cloud cleared and he found himself backed by not only the Eevee trainers, but by an entire police squad. The rocket's looked past Neo into the rows of blue suited police.
" Well there's nothing you can do this time!" one Rocket yelled.
Neo flung the pokéball, releasing Cyndaquil. " Ember attack!" he yelled. The firey monster spat bits of ash and cinders, scorching the crooks and scattering their group into a crazed dash for safety. One's uniform caught on fire, causing him to dump his jacket and run with the rest of his cohorts.
The police automatically ran after the creeps, followed close behind by the trainers. Neo just stood. He patted Cyndaquil on the head and recalled it to its ball. He knelt and picked up the jacket.
He ran it through his fingers, examining every scorch and tear. He rummaged through the pockets and just as he checked the inside, and last, pocket, he found a key card. His eyes lit up with anticipation. This could unlock the entire mystery.
He flipped the card over in his hand. The bright yellow reverse side gave him just the clue he needed. The tropical fish insignia was unmistakable, the Coral Tower Corporation. The very same logo was all over town, not to mention on the tower itself.
Well what to do now? he thought to himself. He should wait and give the key card to the cops, but what would they dow ith it. I could sneak into the tower, but I'd need a disguise. Just as the words went through his mind he saw the jacket with the massive red 'R' right in his hands. Looks like it's up to me now. Time for some undercover work.
" Sir I've got them," Ono reported as he stepped into the office, thugs in tow. Giovanni turned away from the wall of glass facing the city and walked to Ono.
He picked up one of the four pokéballs Ono held out to him and examined it. " Now we have a complete set. Nothing can stop us now, nothing!" he growled with anticipation. " Very good. Prepare to begin the operation. We will have the final meeting in one hour."
" Of course sir," Ono replied briskly. He snapped his heels and walked out of the double doors, taking a team of goons, one without a jacket, back into the hall. I just want this to be over now, Ono thought as he walked away.
Giovanni set all six balls in an arch on his desk, admiring the shining gold plating of the Master Balls. He grinned with evil, rubbing his knuckles anxiously. " Soon it will all come together. Not even the best team in the world can beat all of these. I was foolish to try to create a new pokémon when I can just use a combo of the best ones that already exist. Mewtwo was a mistake, I see that now. But no matter. Team Rocket is about to return to its throne as king of the pokémon crime world!"
He clenched a fist and laughed with pure evil intent as he turned back to his window to look over his new kingdom.
It was not long before Neo found himself sneaking past the front desk in the Coral Tower lobby. Sheer luck had lead him to the tower, now all he had to do was save the city. He wore the burnt jacket he recovered from the stage and a dark grey cap. As he slid past the desk into the elevator hallway he couldn't help but feel nervous, despite having Cyndaquil at his side.
He sighed and looked at the elevator call button. Next to the button was a card swipe. He whisked the key card through it and mashed the tiny clear button. The small button lit up and he stood waiting. Oh boy. Well now that I'm here, what do I do?Neo thought. Really should have thought this out better, he told himself as the elvator opened.
He looked inside and found himself face to face with a dozen Rockets. One grabbed him and yanked him into the elevator. The door closed and the elevator moved suddenly.
" Why didn't you come in the backdoor? You know the boss can't have us in the lobby!" the grunt snarled.
Neo pulled his cap low and averted his eyes as he spoke, " Sorry, I'm kinda new." He folded his arms across his chest and looked at the thug from under the shadow of his cap.
The Rocket looked suspicously at Neo, then continued. " I see you don't even have your full uniform yet. I understand, it was tough to be new." The thug grinned with reminessance. " Well anyway it's good you made it to this meeting."
Neo thought quickly. " Yeah, I guess so," he stammered trying to hide the fact he didn't know what was going on.
" Yep, the last meeting before the operation goes into effect," he told the teen. At this the other thugs in the elevator nodded and grinned excitedly. Neo frowned, once again telling himself he was crazy.
By this time, although he hadn't noticed, the lift had raised more than ten floors into the top stories. The door opened and our hero found himself looking at hundreds Team Rocket thugs and captains. The room had a low cieling and, as he looked, Neo found he was at the top of a large aduience section in a stadium seating format that swept down away to a wide thin stage with a podium. Beyond that a tinted glass wall exposed Marril bay in the pale evening light.
The crooks in the elevator filed out, dragging Neo with them. He found himself standing against the back wall as the lights in the chamber dimmed and two yellow spotlights struck the podium.
A hole opened in the floor and slowly a man appeared as a stage lift brought him into view. His dark, slick hair and fancy italian suit could not draw your stare away from his evil eyes. Giovanni adjusted his tie, looking over the silent crowd.
" Hello Rockets. As your captains have told you we are about to write the next chapter in the history of Team Rocket. A golden age of money and power, and you will all be a part of my vision. Ever since Team Rocket formed nearly four years ago we have had nothing but bad luck. First that one boy Red, with only the aide of his pokémon, ended our siege in Kanto. And, after the league stripped me of my gym leader status and I was forced to flee here, the organization crumbled and very little remains."
" But there I still have loyal followers in Kanto, and once we conquer this part of the world, they'll help to restore Team Rocket to its former glory," Giovanni boomed his voice on the word 'glory' and sent the room into cheers and raised arms.
Neo looked about at the couple rows of Rockets in the back and they seemed a little less enthusiastic. In fact they seemed to be getting ready for something. Uh-oh. What they know I'm not a Rocket? he thought. Turning back to the grinning crime lord before him Neo made a command decision.
" Not if I have anything to do with it!" he yelled running down the aisle.
The whole room was silenced. He ran on, gaining speed as thugs raised to stop him. But Giovanni raised his hand and stopped them. Neo stopped fifteen feet from the podium and took Cyndaquil from his belt and held the ball outward.
The Rocket Boss chuckled and spoke to the teen, " And who says you'll have anything to do with it? Hm boy?" Neo clenched his teeth and growled. " I thought so. Ono, amuse me and dispose of this brat!" The short oriental man by Giovanni's side stepped forward, but was then stopped cold by a voice.
" Hold it Giovanni! The Beachtown P.D. hearby terminates this activity and you are under arrest!" Everyone turned to the back of the room. Neo had been right about the people around him getting ready for something. The back two rows of the auditorium were standing and exposing their pokéballs, which bore the Beachtown P.D. logo.
The entire room erupted in chaos. Half the Rockets began to run to the elevators around the room when several large holes were blasted in from the roof. Bright summer evening light cast deep shadows of S.W.A.T. team members jumping in. And that began the battle.
Growlithes and Gastlys appeared like crazy, prepared to clash with the Zubat, Koffing and Raticate that came in waves of poisonous fury. Neo turned as he heard the whine and snap of an opening pokéball.
" All right kid, here goes!" Ono began. At his feet sat a large angry looking Wartortle. Off to Ono's right Giovanni made a break for it, running right into Officer Jenny.
" Alright 'Boss Rocket' games over," she said releasing a large red Arcanine. The fire type growled and gritted its teeth.
" Is it now?" the man retorted. He sent out his prized purple Nidoking. " Poison Sting!"
" Arcy, Flamethrower!" The fire and poison barbs collided and exploded, with frankly was a little odd. But as that battle raged Neo was tangling with Ono.
" Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!" The fire type stood on all fours and zipped past the dark Wartortle, scraping its side. Then the speed demon zipped back and landed a solid tackle in the water monster's back.
Ono panicked for a second and made a bad move. " Wartortle, Skull Bash!" The funny looking turtle did a backflip and sprung off the wall, zooming head first at Cyndaquil.
" Dodge it!" Neo hollered. Cyndaquil held still, then rolled away at the last second. Wartortle went onward, sending more than a few rockets and police diving to the side. The poor water element slammed head long into a support column. The entire room shook and the glass wall of the building fell away, taking much of the roof with it. The cool wind washed over his face, and Neo realized how big this mess was. As he heard the debris crash into the sand below, the boy turned to Ono.
" Poor Wartortle!" Ono moaned as he ran to help his pokémon. It had fainted and the short thug held it gently. " It's easy to see that helping Giovanni was wrong. As the manager of the Coral Tower Corporation I had the power to turn him down, but greed got in the way."
Neo stood at his side holding his monster and listening intently. Ono took a Revive from his belt and injected it into Wartorlte's arm. The monster came around and just looking at it's master the Squirtle evolution knew what to do. Neo stepped back and watched in awe as Ono moved to finish the bloody melee.
Meanwhile Arcanine was suffering. Very few people expect a Nidoking to know Surf, but Giovanni's did and now the fire type was fading fast.
" Nothing is over, Officer Jenny. This is only the beggining," Giovanni began. Jenny knelt by her weakened teammate and looked with anger at the man. " With my Eevee-lution team and the waves of clones to follow them nothing will stop me! Nothing!"
" You're wrong," Ono snapped. Wartortle stood ready, chomping its maw menacingly. " Hand over the pokéballs." As he spoke a futuristic looking helicopter came into view where the wall had once been. A door opened and a ladder was thrown out to the boss.
He recalled Nidoking and held the belt of the stolen critters high as he lept from the building to the ladder. " See you around fool! Thanks for the loan of the building!" he chuckled with evil.
" Wartortle, Hydro Pump!" Ono commanded. The stream of water hammered Giovanni, shaking him but not knocking him down. The executive was getting frustrated with himself when suddenly an arc of flame cut at the chopper's tail, nearly cripling the craft.
" Good job Cyndaquil!" Neo cheered on. Ono grinned at the teen and continued the watery onslaught of the boss.
The flame attack hit the tail of the aircraft and spun it, shaking Giovanni. Combined with the torrent of water, the evil man was forced to cling to the ladder with both hands, and drop the pilfered pokémon. He paid no mind and scrambled up the ladder into the cockpit.
" No! The belt!" Neo yelled.
Officer Jenny was on top of the problem. She picked out another ball from her side and threw it out. " Go Pidgeot! Catch the belt!" The large bird swung out and dove past the edge. It reapeared soaring up, belt in beak. " Good job!"
The fire and water attacks turned to the rudder of the huey. The heat and cold of the water contrasted so much the metals of the engine bent and snapped and sparked, and finally exploded. The chopper disappeared in a burst of flame, but an escape pod seating the crime lord streaked away over the bay.
After the chopper exploded most of the Rockets either gave up or dissapeared into the city streets of Chaste Island. Neo, Ono and Officer Jenny stood on the edge of the rubbled top floor and looked out over the city that came so close to Rocket control. Below sirens whined as the rubble was cleared away by rescue workers.
" Well I almost handed my home town over to an evil madman, but thank goodness for you two," Ono said looking to the taller Officer Jenny and the slightly shorter Neo. " Thank you, for everything."
" No problem. Since we did recover the pokémon and you had no way of stopping Giovanni in the first place, you won't get any jail time. And you Mr. Neo," she continued, " the city owes you very much. Even though the police had it under control and you spoiled the end of a six month operation."
" Yeah, well, I was just helping my Uncle. The Flareon on that belt belongs to him," Neo explained.
Officer Jenny looked at the belt and retrieved the ball. She handed it to him, " Give it back to him then. The other five will be returned to their owners. I bet they'll be glad to get them too."
" Is their anything I can do to repay you my boy?" Ono asked.
The teen looked out to the horizon and thought for a long moment. " Yeah, fund my trip to the Summer Regional Pokémon Tournament. I want to explore and compete and raise pokémon as friends to help me become the best trainer ever." The other two looked at him, sensing something great from the person. " I mean, if I can help bring down Team Rocket I can compete as a pokémon trainer in the Tropical Champion League, right?"
Ono laughed, " Of course my boy. Consider it done."
Neo smiled and scratched Cyndaquil's head. The firey monster sat in his arms smiling at the teen as the stars slowly flicked on in the fading light.
The next day a massive parade and ceremony was held for the Chaste Island Evolution Festival and there Neo was awarded a medal of honor from the city. He stood with his Uncle Raff, Cyndaquil, Flareon, Officer Jenny and Ono on the steps of City Hall as all of Beachtown cheered their appreciation. The sun was bright, the sky blue and the world safe.
And as he held the medal above his head, Neo's heart swelled with pride and he knew this was the start of something great.
this is part one of a four story series in which all parts will eventually be tied together. this, being the first part, is the only one complete as of yet. watch for parts 2-4 in the near future(hopefully). thank you, and enjoy the story.....
The world of pokémon, a mysterious and wonderful place. But it goes far beyond the Kanto and Johto regions. Beyond the Orange Archipelago and to the far side of the known world. In the south western hemisphere of the pokémon world a series of large islands exists off the shore of an unknown continent.
Chaste Island, the largest of the isles, is the commercial center for the region. The u-shaped land has two small sister isles nearby. Shard Island and Sand Island are to the southwest and are seperated from Chaste by many small islands and three miles of water. The bay in Chaste Island is known as Marril Bay and is home to a large port, Beachtown City. Here is where our story begins.
It was a beautiful day, as always, in Beachtown City. The soft caw of gulls and the low hum of tug boats filled the air. The monolithic skyscrapers gleamed with the early-morning sun of June. Inside the Coral Tower a meeting is in place.
" Well have you got the items?" asked a tall man. He stood wearing a dark suit, glaring out over the ocean. He slicked back his hair and sipped a martini.
" Yes sir. The first pokémon is right here," a voice replied. The short bald lowling opened a case revealing one polished gold pokéball. The large circular room they stood in was lavishly furnished. The carpet had a large circle in the center, surrounding an image of a tropical fish. " Flareon sir. My thugs are about getting the others now."
" Good. How long will it take to get all six of the chain?" the man growled turning to look over his shoulder.
" We're working on it now sir, and it's only a matter of time. I'll have them soon. Is there anything else Giovanni?"
" No, not at all. All is going as planned. The office downstairs will take care of the first payment for you. I'll call if there's anything else," Giovanni said turning around. He downed the rest of a martini and glared at his thug.
" Don't fail me Mr. Ono. I'll see you soon, now get out!"
" Goodbye, sir," Ono replied uneasily. He moved quickly from the office, wiping sweat from his tan face. I can't keep this up much longer. It just isn't right stealing pokémon from people, he thought. But I told him I'd do anything. He stepped onto the elevator and made for the lobby. I hope he dosen't go too far.
On the same morning a young teen was out to visit his uncle. Neo stepped off the plane and exited the small airport. It was a short flight from the mainland so he felt little if any tiredness. He yawned, though, and stretched his arms.
Neo was about fifteen, five foot nine, and skinny. He tugged on his t- shirt, which was black under a red and white vest, and brushed creases out of his grey shorts. He ran his fingers through his short hair and hailed a cab. He got in a taxi and made east to his Uncle Raff's beach pad.
Neo had made this trip before. Every time his busy parents went away he went to his uncle's house. They knew eachother well, and got along pretty well. Neo always went off into the city though. It took no longer than usual to get to his temporary home.
Neo opened the door and dumped his bag on the floor, " Hey, Uncle Raff! Where the hey are you?" Neo frowned and went to the back of the house. He found his uncle sobbing madly over his patio table. " Hey, what's eating you?"
" Flareon," he sobbed deeply, " was stolen." Raff rubbed his bald head. He was short and old but rather fistey. He wore the traditional hawiian shirt, cargo shorts and sandals. " Poor pokémon!"
Neo forwned in embarassment and consoled his uncle, " It's okay, uh, we'll get him back." Flareon had been at that house since before Neo was born. A great pokémon and compaion, it was Raff's dearest friend. " What happened?"
Raff wiped tears from his eyes and sniffled. " I left Flareon on the back porch while I went to feed the pokémon in the aquarium. When I came back I saw a man running off with my pokémon," he explained. Neo looked out where a string of footprints ran down the beach. " I called the cops, but they said it's been happening a lot and there's nothing they can do."
" Well there's not much I can do," Neo said consoling his uncle, " but I could ask around and see what's up. Maybe some of the kids downtown know something."
Raff's sobbing halted abruptly and he clenched Neo's shirt. " Would you really?! Really?! Gee Neo you're the best nephew ever! Go on! Hurry!" Raff was hurriedly shoving Neo out the door. At the last second he stopped. " Oh wait. I can't send you out like that. What if something happened?" He rubbed his chin for a second then jumped up and ran to his room. When he returned he held a pokéball.
" A pokémon? But I'm no trainer," Neo insisted throwing his bag over his shoulder. " I've only had my license a little while and I'm still in training!"
" You'll do fine. Now take this and GO!" his uncle forced the pokéball into Neo's hands and pushed him out the door. Neo looked over his shoulder in time to see the three foot old man slam the door.
Neo held the pokéball and looked down at it. " Wonder what it is," he muttered to himself, " Well one way to find out." He clicked the latch, releasing a strange little pokémon. Only a foot or so tall, the green and yellow pokémon had red spots on its back and its eyes were in a tight squint. " A Cyndaquil?" Neo pondered, " Uncle and his fire types."
He sighed and picked up Cyndaquil. " Well buddy, looks like we're working together."
Neo found himself in the midst of an expansive, yet familiar city. Beachtown City was a popular resort of the region, attracting thousands of people every year. The buildings shone a golden orange in the late morning sun and a soft salty breeze blew through the streets.
Cyndaquil had been returned to its ball and Neo had made his way speedily into town. There weren't too many shifty going ons in Beachtown, but if there were, there was one place to find out.
The Ditto Dungeon was a favorite hangout for the underbelly of Chaste Island's population. As Neo made his way down the steep stairs he could make out the neon purple Ditto shaped light over the door. He stepped in through the wooden barrier and staggered as his eyes adjusted.
The inside of the place was dark but Neo could see the bar to his right. On the far side of a set of tables a good size color TV was mounted on the wall. A group of lolygaggers layed over eachother on a table.
Neo made his way to the bar and looked cooly at the tender. The tall, built man finished polishing a glass and wiped his hands on his kahki pants.
" What can I get ya kid?" the bartender asked.
Neo looked to and fro cautiously, " Information, if you got any."
The bartender leaned back and eyed the kid suspicously, " Who wants to know?"
" Mister Gyarados," he replied sliding a twenty across the counter. It was a good chunk of his spending cash, but his Uncle would pay him back.
" Oh him," the bartender said quickly. He snatched the bill and stuffed it in his pocket. " Now what kind of information does he need?"
" Anything on recent pokémon theft, particularly in the east end of town," Neo whispered, keeping the conversation low.
" Well rumor has it that a certain pokémon mobster is in town and his goons are behind it," the slim man told Neo.
" Who is it?"
" That'll cost a little something more."
Neo sighed and slid a blue bill with a psyduck on it over to the man, " Another ten good?"
" Oh yes," he replied, again stuffing the cash away quickly. " The man is Giovanni, head of Team Rocket. He's been operating here for several months now. Lately there's been a rash of Eevee and eevee-lution theivery. Sources say he's behind it. Now, what can I get ya to drink?" the man shifted gears cooly, looking to make another buck.
" I'll pass," Neo replied. the bartender shrugged and Neo made for the exit.
Okay, so Team Rocket is behind the thefts. But it's Team Rocket! If the cops won't go near them, what am I supposed to do? Neo looked up at the sky as he strolled down a boardwalk. Cyndaquil, having been released, walked along next to him.
" What do you think?" he joked turning to the fire-type. The little aardvark smiled and chirped Cyndi-quil quil! " Good answer," Neo replied smiling. But his joy was short lived.
Just up the beach a swimmer played in the water with a Vaporeon. The pokémon flared its fishy frills and disappeared into the water then reappeared, splashing its master. Out of nowhere a Team Rocket thug lept into view. He hucked a unique purple and white ball at the monster, catching it. The ball returned and the Rocket sprinted into a nearby crowd.
" Hey help! Theif!," the swimmer waved his arms to get attention. Heads turned to look at the man, but only Neo ran into the crowd after the thug.
He pushed and shoved his way along, Cyndaquil now put away. The crowd was dense, but Neo saw the thug turn down an alley. As the teen slid around the corner he saw the thug whip out a pistol and open fire towards him.
He dove behind a metal dumpster and the shooting stopped. He looked over the edge of the bin and saw the Rocket running again. He flew after him, throwing the pokéball forward.
" Cyndaquil! Fire Spin!" Neo ordered. The fire monster's back flared up with red and yellow as it spun a torrent of flame, igniting the wooden fence in front of the thug. " Stop!"
" Nobody can stop us kid," the Rocket growled, turning back to face Neo. He bent his knees and did a backflip over the fence. Neo scurried up a nearby fire escape in time to see the hoodlum jump into a van and peel away.
" Oh man...," Neo hopped back down as a small fire truck pulled up to exstinguish the flames.
After explaining the situation to the firemen a number of times, Neo convinced them to let him go on his way. Cyndaquil lay over his shoulder, pooped. The teen sighed and sat on a bench down the block from the Coral Tower. His companion slid off of him and laid belly down on the bench.
" Well a lot of good that did," Neo moaned to himself. He petted his pokémon, thinking. Why, he thought, would Team Rocket want all the eevee- lutions? I mean, come on, what good would it really do, Neo sucked in air quickly as he realized, All the elements! It fit. Water, fire, electric, psychic and dark, a well balanced team if ever there was one. Add an Eevee and the set is complete. They could go on a pokémon crime wave. So they've got Flareon and Vaporeon, but where will they get the other four?
Just then a bus went by, sporting a promising advertisement. As the bus stopped nearby Neo read the ad:
Chaste Island Evolution Festival
Featuring a special demonstration on Eevee evolutions
Fri June Thirteenth, Five p.m., Oddish Park
Neo's eyes bugged and he quickly looked at his watch. Oh geeze! Today's the thirteenth and it's almost four-forty-five! He scooped up Cyndaquil and dashed madly for Oddish Park in the center of Beachtown.
The park was alive with activity when our hero ran into the area. Games and booths surrounded a massive stage in the middle of a massive green clearing. Neo slowed as he entered the crowd, looking back and forth for anything suspicous.
What am I doing? he thought to himself. I mean here I am, on Chaste Island, in the middle of June, chasing down an enormous criminal organization. He moaned to himself at the thought. I'm going crazy!
Neo had slipped Cyndaquil once again into his pokéball. He remembered that he hadn't really battled with it yet, and that scared him. But better one untrained pokémon than none at all, he reminded himself shrugging. He found his way to the end of wall of people and stepped out into a field on a hill above a massive stage. Many, many rows of seats were built right into the side of the hill, making an amphitheater-like pit. The stage was fully equipped with all the latest lights and speakers and one thing Neo thought didn't belong.
Down to the left of the stage a group of shifty looking people split up, some going under the stage, others backstage. They sure don't look like stage hands to me. He stepped forward to get a better look, realizing that the bleachers around him were full and a show was about to begin.
" Well here goes," he whispered to himself. No sooner did he start to move than music blared from the speakers and colored smoke spewed onto the stage. Three trainers lept out, each accompanied by an eevee-lution. The three pokémon, Umbreon, Jolteon and Espeon, lept around eachother, feinting attacks as the trainers had a mock battle. As the battle reached a peak, a short guy jumped on the stage, leading an Eevee after him. They both joined in to the cheers of the crowd.
Neo found himself sitting on the steps as the show continued. The 'battle' went on for a few minutes before it finally ended with the crowd up in excitement. Neo was shook back to reality and realized now was the time to act. He hurried down the steps, nearly tripping several times.
Just as he reached the bottom of the seats a massive explosion rocked the stage. Purple and blue smoke wafted in the summer breeze as Neo coughed and hacked along with the rest of the audience.
As the smoke cleared near the stage, it was still thick in the seats, Neo could make out the forms of the Team Rocket thugs hopping onto the stage and grabbing the pokémon in balls. The four Eevee trainers yelled after the Rockets as they turned to run.
" Hey stop!" Neo screamed after them. They turned and looked at him. He crawled onto the stage and took out his one and only pokéball. " Where do you think you're going with those monsters?"
The thugs looked down at the Master Balls they used to catch the pokémon and glared at him. " Who are you anyway? What makes you think you can stop us?!"
" Just a concerned citizen. Now give back those monsters," Neo ordered, expanding his pokéball. As he spoke the cloud cleared and he found himself backed by not only the Eevee trainers, but by an entire police squad. The rocket's looked past Neo into the rows of blue suited police.
" Well there's nothing you can do this time!" one Rocket yelled.
Neo flung the pokéball, releasing Cyndaquil. " Ember attack!" he yelled. The firey monster spat bits of ash and cinders, scorching the crooks and scattering their group into a crazed dash for safety. One's uniform caught on fire, causing him to dump his jacket and run with the rest of his cohorts.
The police automatically ran after the creeps, followed close behind by the trainers. Neo just stood. He patted Cyndaquil on the head and recalled it to its ball. He knelt and picked up the jacket.
He ran it through his fingers, examining every scorch and tear. He rummaged through the pockets and just as he checked the inside, and last, pocket, he found a key card. His eyes lit up with anticipation. This could unlock the entire mystery.
He flipped the card over in his hand. The bright yellow reverse side gave him just the clue he needed. The tropical fish insignia was unmistakable, the Coral Tower Corporation. The very same logo was all over town, not to mention on the tower itself.
Well what to do now? he thought to himself. He should wait and give the key card to the cops, but what would they dow ith it. I could sneak into the tower, but I'd need a disguise. Just as the words went through his mind he saw the jacket with the massive red 'R' right in his hands. Looks like it's up to me now. Time for some undercover work.
" Sir I've got them," Ono reported as he stepped into the office, thugs in tow. Giovanni turned away from the wall of glass facing the city and walked to Ono.
He picked up one of the four pokéballs Ono held out to him and examined it. " Now we have a complete set. Nothing can stop us now, nothing!" he growled with anticipation. " Very good. Prepare to begin the operation. We will have the final meeting in one hour."
" Of course sir," Ono replied briskly. He snapped his heels and walked out of the double doors, taking a team of goons, one without a jacket, back into the hall. I just want this to be over now, Ono thought as he walked away.
Giovanni set all six balls in an arch on his desk, admiring the shining gold plating of the Master Balls. He grinned with evil, rubbing his knuckles anxiously. " Soon it will all come together. Not even the best team in the world can beat all of these. I was foolish to try to create a new pokémon when I can just use a combo of the best ones that already exist. Mewtwo was a mistake, I see that now. But no matter. Team Rocket is about to return to its throne as king of the pokémon crime world!"
He clenched a fist and laughed with pure evil intent as he turned back to his window to look over his new kingdom.
It was not long before Neo found himself sneaking past the front desk in the Coral Tower lobby. Sheer luck had lead him to the tower, now all he had to do was save the city. He wore the burnt jacket he recovered from the stage and a dark grey cap. As he slid past the desk into the elevator hallway he couldn't help but feel nervous, despite having Cyndaquil at his side.
He sighed and looked at the elevator call button. Next to the button was a card swipe. He whisked the key card through it and mashed the tiny clear button. The small button lit up and he stood waiting. Oh boy. Well now that I'm here, what do I do?Neo thought. Really should have thought this out better, he told himself as the elvator opened.
He looked inside and found himself face to face with a dozen Rockets. One grabbed him and yanked him into the elevator. The door closed and the elevator moved suddenly.
" Why didn't you come in the backdoor? You know the boss can't have us in the lobby!" the grunt snarled.
Neo pulled his cap low and averted his eyes as he spoke, " Sorry, I'm kinda new." He folded his arms across his chest and looked at the thug from under the shadow of his cap.
The Rocket looked suspicously at Neo, then continued. " I see you don't even have your full uniform yet. I understand, it was tough to be new." The thug grinned with reminessance. " Well anyway it's good you made it to this meeting."
Neo thought quickly. " Yeah, I guess so," he stammered trying to hide the fact he didn't know what was going on.
" Yep, the last meeting before the operation goes into effect," he told the teen. At this the other thugs in the elevator nodded and grinned excitedly. Neo frowned, once again telling himself he was crazy.
By this time, although he hadn't noticed, the lift had raised more than ten floors into the top stories. The door opened and our hero found himself looking at hundreds Team Rocket thugs and captains. The room had a low cieling and, as he looked, Neo found he was at the top of a large aduience section in a stadium seating format that swept down away to a wide thin stage with a podium. Beyond that a tinted glass wall exposed Marril bay in the pale evening light.
The crooks in the elevator filed out, dragging Neo with them. He found himself standing against the back wall as the lights in the chamber dimmed and two yellow spotlights struck the podium.
A hole opened in the floor and slowly a man appeared as a stage lift brought him into view. His dark, slick hair and fancy italian suit could not draw your stare away from his evil eyes. Giovanni adjusted his tie, looking over the silent crowd.
" Hello Rockets. As your captains have told you we are about to write the next chapter in the history of Team Rocket. A golden age of money and power, and you will all be a part of my vision. Ever since Team Rocket formed nearly four years ago we have had nothing but bad luck. First that one boy Red, with only the aide of his pokémon, ended our siege in Kanto. And, after the league stripped me of my gym leader status and I was forced to flee here, the organization crumbled and very little remains."
" But there I still have loyal followers in Kanto, and once we conquer this part of the world, they'll help to restore Team Rocket to its former glory," Giovanni boomed his voice on the word 'glory' and sent the room into cheers and raised arms.
Neo looked about at the couple rows of Rockets in the back and they seemed a little less enthusiastic. In fact they seemed to be getting ready for something. Uh-oh. What they know I'm not a Rocket? he thought. Turning back to the grinning crime lord before him Neo made a command decision.
" Not if I have anything to do with it!" he yelled running down the aisle.
The whole room was silenced. He ran on, gaining speed as thugs raised to stop him. But Giovanni raised his hand and stopped them. Neo stopped fifteen feet from the podium and took Cyndaquil from his belt and held the ball outward.
The Rocket Boss chuckled and spoke to the teen, " And who says you'll have anything to do with it? Hm boy?" Neo clenched his teeth and growled. " I thought so. Ono, amuse me and dispose of this brat!" The short oriental man by Giovanni's side stepped forward, but was then stopped cold by a voice.
" Hold it Giovanni! The Beachtown P.D. hearby terminates this activity and you are under arrest!" Everyone turned to the back of the room. Neo had been right about the people around him getting ready for something. The back two rows of the auditorium were standing and exposing their pokéballs, which bore the Beachtown P.D. logo.
The entire room erupted in chaos. Half the Rockets began to run to the elevators around the room when several large holes were blasted in from the roof. Bright summer evening light cast deep shadows of S.W.A.T. team members jumping in. And that began the battle.
Growlithes and Gastlys appeared like crazy, prepared to clash with the Zubat, Koffing and Raticate that came in waves of poisonous fury. Neo turned as he heard the whine and snap of an opening pokéball.
" All right kid, here goes!" Ono began. At his feet sat a large angry looking Wartortle. Off to Ono's right Giovanni made a break for it, running right into Officer Jenny.
" Alright 'Boss Rocket' games over," she said releasing a large red Arcanine. The fire type growled and gritted its teeth.
" Is it now?" the man retorted. He sent out his prized purple Nidoking. " Poison Sting!"
" Arcy, Flamethrower!" The fire and poison barbs collided and exploded, with frankly was a little odd. But as that battle raged Neo was tangling with Ono.
" Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!" The fire type stood on all fours and zipped past the dark Wartortle, scraping its side. Then the speed demon zipped back and landed a solid tackle in the water monster's back.
Ono panicked for a second and made a bad move. " Wartortle, Skull Bash!" The funny looking turtle did a backflip and sprung off the wall, zooming head first at Cyndaquil.
" Dodge it!" Neo hollered. Cyndaquil held still, then rolled away at the last second. Wartortle went onward, sending more than a few rockets and police diving to the side. The poor water element slammed head long into a support column. The entire room shook and the glass wall of the building fell away, taking much of the roof with it. The cool wind washed over his face, and Neo realized how big this mess was. As he heard the debris crash into the sand below, the boy turned to Ono.
" Poor Wartortle!" Ono moaned as he ran to help his pokémon. It had fainted and the short thug held it gently. " It's easy to see that helping Giovanni was wrong. As the manager of the Coral Tower Corporation I had the power to turn him down, but greed got in the way."
Neo stood at his side holding his monster and listening intently. Ono took a Revive from his belt and injected it into Wartorlte's arm. The monster came around and just looking at it's master the Squirtle evolution knew what to do. Neo stepped back and watched in awe as Ono moved to finish the bloody melee.
Meanwhile Arcanine was suffering. Very few people expect a Nidoking to know Surf, but Giovanni's did and now the fire type was fading fast.
" Nothing is over, Officer Jenny. This is only the beggining," Giovanni began. Jenny knelt by her weakened teammate and looked with anger at the man. " With my Eevee-lution team and the waves of clones to follow them nothing will stop me! Nothing!"
" You're wrong," Ono snapped. Wartortle stood ready, chomping its maw menacingly. " Hand over the pokéballs." As he spoke a futuristic looking helicopter came into view where the wall had once been. A door opened and a ladder was thrown out to the boss.
He recalled Nidoking and held the belt of the stolen critters high as he lept from the building to the ladder. " See you around fool! Thanks for the loan of the building!" he chuckled with evil.
" Wartortle, Hydro Pump!" Ono commanded. The stream of water hammered Giovanni, shaking him but not knocking him down. The executive was getting frustrated with himself when suddenly an arc of flame cut at the chopper's tail, nearly cripling the craft.
" Good job Cyndaquil!" Neo cheered on. Ono grinned at the teen and continued the watery onslaught of the boss.
The flame attack hit the tail of the aircraft and spun it, shaking Giovanni. Combined with the torrent of water, the evil man was forced to cling to the ladder with both hands, and drop the pilfered pokémon. He paid no mind and scrambled up the ladder into the cockpit.
" No! The belt!" Neo yelled.
Officer Jenny was on top of the problem. She picked out another ball from her side and threw it out. " Go Pidgeot! Catch the belt!" The large bird swung out and dove past the edge. It reapeared soaring up, belt in beak. " Good job!"
The fire and water attacks turned to the rudder of the huey. The heat and cold of the water contrasted so much the metals of the engine bent and snapped and sparked, and finally exploded. The chopper disappeared in a burst of flame, but an escape pod seating the crime lord streaked away over the bay.
After the chopper exploded most of the Rockets either gave up or dissapeared into the city streets of Chaste Island. Neo, Ono and Officer Jenny stood on the edge of the rubbled top floor and looked out over the city that came so close to Rocket control. Below sirens whined as the rubble was cleared away by rescue workers.
" Well I almost handed my home town over to an evil madman, but thank goodness for you two," Ono said looking to the taller Officer Jenny and the slightly shorter Neo. " Thank you, for everything."
" No problem. Since we did recover the pokémon and you had no way of stopping Giovanni in the first place, you won't get any jail time. And you Mr. Neo," she continued, " the city owes you very much. Even though the police had it under control and you spoiled the end of a six month operation."
" Yeah, well, I was just helping my Uncle. The Flareon on that belt belongs to him," Neo explained.
Officer Jenny looked at the belt and retrieved the ball. She handed it to him, " Give it back to him then. The other five will be returned to their owners. I bet they'll be glad to get them too."
" Is their anything I can do to repay you my boy?" Ono asked.
The teen looked out to the horizon and thought for a long moment. " Yeah, fund my trip to the Summer Regional Pokémon Tournament. I want to explore and compete and raise pokémon as friends to help me become the best trainer ever." The other two looked at him, sensing something great from the person. " I mean, if I can help bring down Team Rocket I can compete as a pokémon trainer in the Tropical Champion League, right?"
Ono laughed, " Of course my boy. Consider it done."
Neo smiled and scratched Cyndaquil's head. The firey monster sat in his arms smiling at the teen as the stars slowly flicked on in the fading light.
The next day a massive parade and ceremony was held for the Chaste Island Evolution Festival and there Neo was awarded a medal of honor from the city. He stood with his Uncle Raff, Cyndaquil, Flareon, Officer Jenny and Ono on the steps of City Hall as all of Beachtown cheered their appreciation. The sun was bright, the sky blue and the world safe.
And as he held the medal above his head, Neo's heart swelled with pride and he knew this was the start of something great.