The Tracey Chronicles
Author's Notes: At last the long awaited Chapter Five is here! Sorry for the wait folks but I just couldn't get any solid ideas down for the progression of this story. Thank you all who stuck it out with me.
Chapter Five: Offering a Helping Hand
Veronica stared up at Tracey. "Help me? You'd do that? Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!"
Before Tracey could reply, Janie put in, "I'm going too."
"No," Tracey said immediately. "You need to stay here just in case something happens."
"Something happens? But Tracey-" Janie began to protest but he didn't let her finish.
"Janie, someone needs to stay here with the Pokemon in the center. What if the center gets attacked? You and Mikey can stay and protect them."
He saw the struggle on her face and was a bit worried that she wouldn't listen. Janie had always been headstrong, even as a little girl. Tracey, being the more responsible and natural elder of the two, had always been protective of her because of her wily, adventurous nature that had often gotten her into nasty scrapes. She had to comply. If Janie went and got hurt…
"Fine," Janie said finally, her reluctance obvious in her voice. "But be careful!"
Tracey nodded, then turned to glance at Veronica expectantly. She, looking quite upset and anxious, said, "The nursery isn't far. Follow me!"
With that, she whirled and disappeared out of the doors in a wild dash. Tracey followed hearing Mikey's cry of, "Good luck" behind him.
He winced at cold, harsh drops of water hit his face. The rain was still pouring down in full force, wind whipping all about him unmercifully and nearly sending him stumbling many times. There were periodic flashes of lightning overhead, pursued by angry grumbles of thunder. Still, Tracey and Veronica continued on.
She led him down the road in full sprint. They rounded a corner and stopped dead at the sight, both taking in what was happening before them.
"Oh no! Uncle Ray! The babies!" Veronica screamed on the verge of tears.
The small edifice bearing a dangling sign "Meadow Valley Pokemon Nursery" was in shambles. A gigantic steel tank-like vehicle had collided right into its side. There was a gaping hole where half of the vehicle was buried in the building. Tracey ducked behind a bush, pulling Veronica with him, and peered out to assess what was going on.
He squinted to see better through the endless sheets of rain bearing down on them. He saw some Pokemon standing around doing as their trainers ordered them. A band of people-about six or seven of them- were quickly running in and out of the makeshift entrance, holding small bundles and tossing them into the back of the vehicle. A suspicious red mark was painted on the side. Tracey scuttled closer to get a better look.
TR. Team Rocket.
"It's Team Rocket," He said disgustedly to Veronica.
She was distressed by this. "Team Rocket? Oh no, we have to stop them! They'll hurt the babies!"
"There's too many of them! We can't take them all!" Tracey yelled over the rain with a shake of his head. "Is there any other way in?"
Veronica fell silent for a moment. Her eyes lit up and she nodded vigorously, "Yes! Around the other side! Come on!"
Using the bushes as cover, they carefully made their way around the building. Veronica pointed to a pair of wooden doors leading to a basement of the nursery that the Team Rocket members had obviously not found since it was undisturbed. Tracey nodded and glanced around before motioning for her to head for it.
Veronica pulled it open and slipped in, Tracey right behind her. It was nice to be out of the storm even though the basement was cold and dark. Tracey heard some shuffling around from the girl and a moment later, there was suddenly a soft light emanating from a lamp in Veronica's hand.
"This way," the blond gestured towards the stairs. Tracey tentatively climbed them, his had already reaching for a Poke Ball as he neared the door at the top. Easing it open, he cautiously scanned the hall. Empty. Good.
"Come on, the coast is clear," Tracey whispered and stepped out.
As fate would have it, the moment he did, the hall proved indeed to not be empty. A Team Rocket member, garbed in a black and white Team Rocket uniform, suddenly appeared from around the corner. He spotted Tracey and Veronica and halted.
"Hey! You shouldn't be here!" He snarled.
"Well you guys shouldn't either, you scumbag!" Veronica snapped.
"Scumbag? You better watch your mouth, toots," the Rocket pulled a Poke Ball out. "Go Marowak! Teach them some manners!"
A fierce-looking Pokemon wearing a skull on his head and holding a bone one hand appeared. It fixed its baleful gaze on them and shouted threateningly, "Maro-wak!"
"Venonat, I choose you!" Tracey threw his own Poke Ball and unleashed his bug Pokemon.
"Venonat!" Venonat screeched. The battle began.
"Marowak, Head Butt!"
"Watch out, Venonat!"
Marowak lowered its head and charged at Venonat. The bug Pokemon nimbly sidestepped; then hopped backwards evasively as Marowak came back at it again. Venonat sprang onto a chair just in time to avoid Marowak who hurled its head right into a wall, dazing it momentarily from the impact.
"Venonat!" Tracey ordered. "Tackle!"
"Venon-nat!" Venonat bounded off of the chair and threw itself at Marowak.
"Bone Club!" the Rocket shrieked. Marowak's reaction time was a bit slow but just enough to bring the bone up just in time to bash Venonat directly on the face.
"Venooooooooo!" the bug Pokemon cried as it tumbled backwards, taken surprise by the shot.
"Hang in there, Venonat!" Tracey encouraged. "Get up and try again! Watch out!"
"Maro!" Marowak was running towards Venonat, club raised over its head. Venonat snapped itself out of the stupor and jumped high straight up. It landed on Marowak's head, pushed its body weight down on the skull (which earned a shrill cry of protest from Venonat's opponent) and then hopped a safe distance away.
The Rocket was growing agitated. "Marowak! Use Bonebarang!"
Marowak reared its arm back and hurled the bone club at Venonat. The bone spun rapidly like a fan as it zipped around and then straight at the bug Pokemon. Venonat jumped with a shrill cry of surprise when the bone missed it by centimeters. Marowak's bone shot past Venonat and then swooped back in a furious arc, once more heading towards its target.
"Venonat! Jump! Watch out!" Tracey yelled.
Venonat did so just in time. The bone barely missed it and returned to Marowak's hand. For a second the two Pokemon glared each other down.
"Marowak! Thrash!"
"Maro-WAK!" Marowak rushed at Venonat, flailing its body at it.
Tracey's mind raced through possible strategies as he watched Venonat smartly dodge and avoid Marowak's rapid-fire blows. A few hit their mark but Venonat was determined not to give in.
"Stun Spore!" ordered Tracey.
His Pokemon took a single hop backwards. Then it hurdled its small body high into the air and began shaking erratically. A shimmering sheet of blue powder was discharged from the pores on Venonat's body, creating a sparkling cloud around it. A cloud that Marowak threw itself right into.
"Marowak, no!" the Rocket hollered unhappily. Marowak had abruptly stopped moving as the stun spore did its work and paralyzed it. It closed its eyes tightly and uttered incessantly as its body refused to move.
"Finish it, Venonat! Tackle!"
Venonat made a mad dash at Marowak, body tensed for the impact. With a triumphant cry, it slammed into the immobile Marowak. The normal type cried out in pain as it was sent hurtling violently through the air. It skidded along the ground painfully, coming to a stop at the Rocket's feet unconscious. Venonat had won.
"Veno, veno!" Venonat screeched proudly.
"Good job, Venonat!" Tracey cheered.
The Rocket returned the knocked out Marowak to its Poke Ball. He glared at Tracey. "You won this round! But if you think you can take on the rest of Team Rocket, think again!"
He pivoted and ran. Veronica stepped forward with a concerned look on her face, "Tracey, I think he's going to call for reinforcements. We have to hurry!"
"Where's the-" Tracey was cut off by a loud, unfamiliar voice behind them.
"Veronica!"
They turned to find a man in torn and dirty clothes, bruises marring his skin and a large red stain on his shirt where he pressed a hand. He was leaning heavily on the wall and his breathing was ragged. Veronica gasped, "Uncle Ray! Oh thank goodness you're okay!"
She ran to him and offered her arms in support. He gazed at her wearily, then eyed Tracey. "Who is this?"
"This is Tracey, Uncle Ray. He's here to help us."
"I-I'm grateful, young man. But I'm afraid there are just too many of them. You won't stand a chance. They've already cleared out half of the nursery."
"Nurse Joy went to get Officer Jenny. The police should be here any moment. We just have to distract them until they do," Tracey said grimly, ignoring the chilling thought of his three Pokemon taking on the entire squad of Rockets he had seen outside.
"There they are! Get em'!" The Rockets had found them. They were spilling into the hall after the Rocket Tracey had battled.
"Run!" Veronica yelled, clutching at her uncle and helping him hobble along. Tracey threw out Marril's Poke Ball and released her.
"Venonat, use supersonic! Marril, back Venonat up with a water gun!"
"Venonat!"
"Marril!"
Venonat let out an incredibly loud, nerve-wracking sound that instantly made the Rockets stumble and attempt to block their ears from the horrible sound. Marril followed this by puffing her body up and then unleashing a gushing torrent of water from her mouth. It hit the few Rockets unfortunate enough to be in the front of the group and knocked them down. The Rockets fell on other Rockets behind them, causing the domino effect as they all began to fall on top of each other and curse or cry out in pain.
"Both of you, return!" Tracey called them back. He took advantage of the Rocket's momentary distraction and dashed in the direction that Veronica had dragged Ray off to.
"Psst! Tracey! Over here!" Veronica was waving at him from a doorway to is left. He found Veronica and Ray in a pale pink room that had several cradles and beds spread out around them. For a moment, he thought it was just them in there until he heard a tiny cry, "Clef-fa!"
Startled, Tracey looked down and found a round, pink Pokemon staring up at him with huge curious eyes. It tilted its head and squeaked, "Cleffa!"
And it was followed by a series of other calls. Tracey browsed around and saw other tiny bodies shyly peeping out from various hiding spots to peer at him. Veronica smiled at his confusion. "This is the Cleffa nursery."
"I see," Tracey replied, then looked up as he heard angry marching coming down the hall. The Rockets had recovered, apparently.
Ray looked at Tracey worriedly, "We have to get these little ones out of here before they get them too."
"I think I have an idea," replied the Pokemon watcher carefully. He motioned to the door. "I'll distract them. You two get the Cleffa and get to the basement. You can get them out."
"What? But what about you?"
"Don't worry, I have my Pokemon to protect me," Tracey answered, though even to him that didn't sound very promising considering he only had three Pokemon. The noise was getting louder. "Hurry! They're getting closer!"
Tracey didn't wait for a response, instead taking off and running into the hall just as the angry mob of Rockets rounded the corner. He waved his arms wildly, "Hey! Over here! Come and get my if you can, you idiots!"
He was met with enraged snarls. They surged towards him, prompting Tracey to start running. He ran down the hall in hopes of leading them as far away from Veronica and Ray as he could. The building, small as it was, had a myriad of turns that eventually led Tracey to the large opening in the side of the building where the tank-like vehicle had smashed into it.
"Uh oh," Tracey muttered to himself as other Rockets-the ones who hadn't abandoned what they were doing to catch him-turned and spotted him. In their arms were scared baby Pokemon who were all whimpering and staring at Tracey pleadingly.
"Ha! Now you're trapped!" the Rockets who had been chasing him filed into the room. They surrounded him, forming a semicircle around him.
"Wigglytuff, flash!"
Tracey instinctively closed his eyes as a blinding, white light suddenly exploded over the room. He heard the Rockets cry out in surprise, some in pain as the light blinded them momentarily.
"Tracey! Come on!" Veronica was eagerly waving at him towards where she and a chubby pink Pokemon with large blue eyes was standing. He ran to her, eyeing the new Pokemon. Veronica smiled as she ran ahead of him, "This is Wigglytuff! He helps Uncle Ray out around the nursery. Uncle Ray's waiting, come on!"
Some of the Rockets were rolling around on the ground, hands covering their faces and moaning in pain at their temporary blindness. The time was enough to allow them to escape. They squeezed through the hole the Rockets had made out of the wall.
"Going somewhere?" a cold voice demanded authoritatively after them. Both Tracey and Veronica skidded to a halt and turned to find a person Tracey had not seen before watching them from atop the vehicle buried in the nursery's side.
Ice blue eyes glared at them impassively. His hair was dark and slicked back smoothly, enhancing the sharp features of his face. He was obviously a Rocket by the Team Rocket insignia elaborately pinned to his vest. But something about him alerted Tracey immediately that this was no grunt like the others he'd encountered.
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave, children," He spoke with a contained look of malice in his eyes. Suddenly a Poke Ball was in his hands and thrown, "Steelix, come one out."
There was a subtle thud and shake of the ground as a huge, snake-like Pokemon with a body made up entirely of chunks of hard metal appeared. It reared it's flat, oval shaped head back and let out an earth-shattering cry. Tracey gawked at it for a moment. By the luster of its body and size of the horn on his head, this was obviously an experienced Pokemon.
How can our Pokemon even stand up to THAT? Tracey thought grimly. His hand shot towards his Poke Ball. Scyther and Venonat wouldn't stand a chance. But maybe…
"Marril! Come on!"
Marril emerged, perkily announcing her announcement. Next she saw the large Pokemon leering angrily down at her. She looked up at it and squeaked fearfully before darting to hide behind Tracey. Well, so much for that theory.
"Wigglytuff, use sing!" yelled Veronica. Wigglytuff opened its mouth and sucked in breath, but the stranger, looking mildly amused, intervened.
"Don't insult us so, lass. Steelix, tail whip," he said. Steelix grumbled loudly at the same time it whirled its massive body and lashed out with its tail. It plowed into Wigglytuff's soft body and sent it careening aside.
"Wiggly!" Wigglytuff bellowed in pain as it smashed through a tree branch, severing its connection with the rest of the tree. Then he flopped onto the pavement a few feet away, landing ungracefully in a bruised heap.
Veronica looked horrified. "Wigglytuff! NO!"
It did that in one shot. Tracey thought, shocked.
The stranger watched her run towards the hurt Pokemon before fixing those cold icy eyes on Tracey. He beckoned to him with a little gesture of his drawn hand. "Come now, lad. Don't be shy. Send your little Marril to fight, we've got time."
"Who are you?" Tracey asked instead.
The stranger just narrowed his eyes. "Your opponent. Okay, since you don't want to, we'll take the initiative. Steelix, bind them."
Steelix gave another thundering rumble from its throat and began advancing perilously on Tracey and Marril.
"Marril, give it a water gun," Tracey called out quickly. Marril assented with an incredible burst of water from its tiny body. The water blasted at Steelix, hitting it right in the face. But it didn't even flinch. Calmly, it just kept coming towards them.
Suddenly, sirens filled the air. Tracey jerked his head over. Relief filled him at the sight of several police motorcycles speeding down the street in their direction. But the relief quickly turned to fear as the Steelix lurched forward and headbutted Marril. Her sharp squeal of agony shot a pang of worry of concern through his heart. Without even pausing to think, Tracey jumped forward, arms outstretched, and let out an "Oof!" as Marril flew into his arms and hit his chest.
She moaned softly and slumped against him. Tracey looked up at the stranger. To his surprise, the stranger was shaking his head and tsking, "Yet another unworthy falls. On with my travels then." His look at Tracey was one of disappointment as he returned the Steelix to its Poke Ball.
"Tracey!" Janie's voice distracted Tracey and he looked up to find her swooping down on Pidgeot. She looked worried and urged Pidgeot to fly faster.
"Hey there!" Officer Jenny said as she and several other officers joined Tracey. "Is everyone okay? We got here as fast as we could."
"It was Team Rocket," Tracey said, pointing towards the car. He blinked when he turned his head. "Hey, where'd he go?"
"Where'd who go?" Jenny asked distractedly as she directed her men to arrest the Rockets and get some medical treatment for Veronica and Ray.
"This guy I was-"
"TRACEY!"
A blur of blue tackled him in a hug, so abruptly that he almost lost his balance. "J-Janie! It's okay! I'm fine!"
"I was so worried! Don't you EVER make me do that again!" Janie scowled at him. "The next time something happens, I am going with you, understand?!"
"Okay, okay, calm down," Tracey soothed, gently pushing her away from him. He looked up at the sky, frowning thoughtfully. How had the stranger disappeared so fast?
A scary thought made a chill run down Tracey's spine. Whoever that guy was, he was on Team Rocket. Which means he might be off beating up on some other poor Pokemon. Tracey sighed and looked down at his little Marril. I hope I never run into him again.