"X" - Talking

'X' - Thinking

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon, 'k? Remember, suing is for chumps.

Chapter 3: The Don's 1st strike

Mt. Pyre was a place that wasn't supposed to be taken lightly. Though the volcano had been dormant for a while, it was still active. But not so in relation to the volcano, but to the activity near its base. A sleek black helicopter hovered its way towards the base of the mountain at a steady pace, its rotors silently cutting through the air. What looks like a head-on collision isn't so as a 30ft long section of the mountain opens up, letting the helicopter into a dimly lit helipad. As the engines shut down, a side door opens up and Reynard walks out, followed by two people clocked in black. They lead him to a steel elevator on the far side of the helipad and get on.

The three end their walk as they enter a lavish office made of marble floor and golden statues of legendary pokemon. They signal for Reynard to sit at a chair in front of a marble desk, facing an oversized chair to has its back facing him.

"Boss, here is Reynard Frenesco, per your request", one of the cloaked figures says, saluting the mystery man in the chair.

"Very well. You are dismissed", the mystery person says in a sinister voice, the cloaked figures promptly leaving the office. The oversized leather chair swivels around slowly to reveal the mystery person's identity, to which Reynard immediately frowns.

"Hello Reynard. You and I have business to discuss", Giovanni said, sneering.

6 hours later...

Z awoke to thunder and lightning as the 3-car train he was on made its way through a mountain pass during a bad storm. Z wasn't sure how long he had been riding this train, but his whole body was aching from lack of movement.

But it could of been worse. The train could've been packed, but it was only half full.

However, as he reached for his cellphone in his pocket, sounds of helicopter rotors caught his attention. He would of just shrugged it off, but then loud clangs were heard on the roof of the train, soon following with a few Team Rocket soldiers coming from the front car door. One of the soldiers points to him, and not a moment too soon, Z grabs his backpack and makes a break for the rear door. A couple of TR soldiers come through the back door, only to be greeted by a shoulder ram from Z. He continues to run through the next car, passing startled passengers as TR soldiers give chase. Z opens the door to the next car, but immediately jumps behind a row of chairs as an ice beam zooms past him, freezing his pursuers in their tracks. The piloswine that sent that attack starts walking towards Z's position. But its advancement is suddenly halted when it gets knocked a couple of feet by a psychic attack. Z emerges from his hiding place while Espeon jumps out from behind him and rushes Piloswine, delivering a headbutt. Piloswine skids along the carpet floor, only to be blasted out of the last car door by a psybeam. Z recalls Espeon and looks back into the other train cars only to find more TR soldiers coming after him. He runs to the final car door and climbs onto the wet roof of the car, the storm still raging throughout the night.

"Well, if it isn't Hunter Z? Nice of you to stop by!"

Z looks down to the other end of the car he was on to find a guy standing there. His black trench coat swayed slightly in the wind along with his ice blue rattail that accompanied his likewise colored crewcut hair. His blue eyes locked eyes with Z's red and white, tension between the two rising.

"And just who the hell are you?" Z asked. The man seemingly pulls something from his trench coat, and the next thing Z knew he was down on one knee clutching his left arm, blood and rainwater mixing on his sleeve. The man puts his pistol back inside his coat as he walks up to Z, sneering.

"Just Team Rocket's resident assassin. But you can call me East", East said, Z now getting to his feet.

"Let me guess. You want my medallion, don't you?" Z said, sure he hit his attacker's motives dead on.

"You catch on quick Hunter Z. So you should know what I'm gonna say n..."

East is cut off as Z head butts him, making him stagger back. He goes in for a right hook, but East sidesteps the attack and rips through Z with a clothesline, sending Z to the ground and over the edge of the train. Luckily, Z grabs the roof with his right arm, his body dangling over the side of the train and the thick, dark forest below. Z looks down towards the front of the train and his eyes widen in shock as the train approaches a tunnel. He looks up to see East standing over him, no emotions shown on his face.

"Your choice Z! Mother Earth...or me!", East says calmly, as if he knows what Z is gonna do. Z looks ahead again to see the tunnel rapidly approaching.

"...I'll take my chances with Earth!"

Z lets go of the car roof and plummets towards the forest below as East looks on.

"Have a nasty landing, Z", East says as he turns and heads for the incoming helicopter near the front of the train...

I know its short, but I figured I'd go ahead and put it out. I kinda know where I want the story to go, but how I get there is a different story entirely. Oh well, we'll see what happens. Please R&R.