Chapter 04 – Team
Route 04
I had slept off the side of the road of Route 04 just beside the Desert Resort inside a hollow fallen down tree. I wanted to walk to the next location to rest up there, but with the soldiers already patrolling the route and feeling exhausted I couldn't risk it, so I had to sleep out here for the night. Wrapped up in my cloak Aqua gave to me before I left trying to stay warm for the night without lighting a fire, I suppose it was foolish to do so since it was December and getting really cold outside. I didn't want freeze to death before finding my friends and family, but lighting a fire would draw the soldier's attention patrolling the area.
I climbed out of the tree and scanned my surroundings to find no soldiers in sight, but I didn't leave just yet. I sat down beside the tree to look at the map of the region, a map filled with notes of various areas of the region; towns, cities and landmarks that may give me a lead on where I can find them. Notes on where most of Team Annihilation Reborn patrolled the most and where their bases have been located trying to find a pattern in them to find their main base. Nimbasa, Driftveil, and Mistralton where locations I had not properly checked yet, and since they were close I decided to go to each of those cities.
Before I had got up I noticed my phone ringing, so I checked and saw the caller was an unknown number. I let it ring for a while waiting until the caller hung up. Then just as soon as the call ended, the unknown caller called again. Usually I just ignore it or turn off the phone, but after four more calls from the same unknown caller I answered. If it was just a person asking if someone else but my name was on the other line, a wrong number I would just say so and not be interrupted again. "Hello?"
"This is Zack Raines, right? Rank 01 of The Savior's Unova branch?" the voice on the other line asked. I quickly crouched low beside the tree cautious if anyone was watching me. Rarely have I ever had people I didn't know calling me out of the blue and knowing who I was. Usually if this was someone wanting me to do a mission for them since I was still a member of The Savior's they would usually send it to me via email, never phone calls, I never did hand out my number to anyone I met or did business with. if people did call me on the line it was usually people or Pokemon I knew, but our conversations were short and straight to the point; warnings and updates from Team Annihilation Reborn and nothing much else. Having someone call me like this was rare.
"I'm asking; who is this?" I asked again, the caller on the other line remained silent. "Answer or I'll hang up."
"My name is Devon Young; I am a member of The Savior's Hoenn branch working alongside Unova Savior members still in hiding, and working alongside the intel team." I remained silent; he could've been anyone talking to me, perhaps someone controlled by Shiny Latias to lure me out. "I have some information that may be useful for your journey. Would it be alright if we meet in person in Nimbasa city? I believe talking over the phone like this isn't exactly good for business."
"Aqua, what was the first flavor of ice cream she ever had?" I could've asked him anything all other Savior members knew, but one thing when it came to talk with people claiming to be Savior members they all knew it controlled or not. So asking them about Aqua only a small few knew and myself, call it a security question it was as good as any.
"That would be Vanilla. And after that she has loved ice cream ever since. You introduced her to it." He said "Your girlfriend/wife/mate… whatever Aqua is to you, both of you have two children, a boy and a girl." Shiny Latias didn't know that, but I let him speak still unsure about this man I was speaking to. "Light, the boy a name suggested to Aqua when asking what if one of the Oshawott's were a boy, and Kairi named after Aqua's mother the girl. Does that much information suffice?"
"What do you want?"
"We believe we have found one of them, one of your friends who were kidnapped almost five years ago by Shiny Latias." I didn't know what to say. I was somewhat unsure about this; one not knowing how he and his team found them, where were they being kept all this time. He was right about the information he gave me, but the timing was off to me. First Shiny Latias appears, and the next day this Devon Young calls me saying he and his team found my friends. I was uncertain the information from this man was legit and he could be trusted, so I would have to go to Nimbasa City and find out.
"Alright… but I'll meet you around seven at night by the baseball stadium." I said I would meet the man at a later time so I could first plan out ahead for any traps like soldiers and Pokemon waiting for me. I would arrive at the city in less than two hours giving me five hours to search the city. Outside the baseball stadium was an open space. Usually around that time it was less crowded so it would be a good area to fight should an ambush happen and civilians won't get in the way. Last time I check about a week ago there weren't that many Annihilation soldiers there, so I "I have things I need to do first. I'll meet you there."
"Seven outside the baseball stadium. Alright, works for me." The phone call ended, but I was still cautious someone was nearby. After a few minutes of silence I felt that this route was safe and left to make my way through the route to reach Nimbasa City.
As I passed the quiet cold route, I noticed a newspaper left on a bench off the side of the road with the title 'Team Annihilation Reborn's Leader a Latias?' with a photo of Latias as she appeared on TV last night. I walked up to the newspaper and read the text underneath.
Not even twenty-four hours had passed and things had gotten worse. The so-called leader of Team Annihilation Reborn began making public appearances addressing to the public how she and her team would kill anyone who opposed them, threatened those for hiding any valuable member of the Savior's left in hiding a fate worse than death.
When an old man stood up demanding to know why his son was taken from him by the soldiers, Latias' translator simply told him that he was suspected of being a Savior member. The old man then went on to say that his son wasn't a member of the Savior's but a baker working alongside his wife. Despite the crowd who knew the old man backing him up, Latias laughed and had her translator order the soldiers to take them in too. The crowd of course fought back, throwing rocks and heavy things at Latias and the soldiers. The soldiers were all wearing heavy body armor from head to toe, so they would be just fine from anything they threw at them. As for Latias, she never used her moves to defend herself from the attacks, the ability Shiny Latias had placed on her forced her to take it and smile through it all. This angered me to the point the voices began echoing through my head repeating over and over again to kill, but I chose to ignore it and continue on towards Nimbasa wanting to at least calm myself down before arriving first.
"I should really be focused before arriving at Nimbasa City. Who knows what kind of traps may be waiting for me there, so just think of happier times, and relax." I thought to myself as I walked down the road, finding at least some comfort with the cold air. The voices thankfully eased down and I was left to my thoughts.
"Enemy sighted; Zack Raines!" Not even a minute passed before I heard emerging from the tall bushes several soldiers armed to the teeth with all kinds of weapons and Pokeball's on their belts filled with mind controlled Pokemon no doubt. I wasn't sure how I didn't see them there before walking down the road, I was always on the lookout for ambushes like this, I was better than this.
The soldier's were controlled never to kill me and only take me in as a prisoner back to Shiny Latias, using their weapons mostly their ranged weapons to try and weaken me before capture. Their weapons were similar to what the drone's used, blue ball-like pellets filled with some kind of tranquilizer or something to weaken the target. They had what they call 'Ailment Grenades' mostly used against Pokemon targets, call for reinforcements using some signal grenade, or flash bang to escape which was a very rare sight to see these soldiers escaping. The Pokemon they used were of many types, someone Shiny Latias allowed the soldiers to take with them out on the field three years ago. It made dealing with the soldiers much easier than having to face both the soldiers and Pokemon; made it much more difficult to defeat them all before they could call for reinforcements.
Five soldiers surrounded me readying their weapons preparing to attack. I noticed by the speed on which they prepared their weapons they were much slower, either from the cold or they lacked any energy. Shiny Latias does make her soldiers work long hour's even days without breaks. Either I got lucky by getting the slower soldiers this time around rather than the quick ones quick to act and perform several attacks within short seconds, or they needed a little warm up first before gearing up to be the faster than average soldier I faced every week. But I didn't wait; I acted first by pulling one of the soldier's in front of me with my Psychic throwing them into a cliff wall then moving onto the other closest to me.
The three soldiers had shot me, painting my leg with that blue pellet stuff, but the amount they shot at me wasn't enough to make me feel sleepy, I could keep going.
Moving to advance at the last four soldiers determined to end this fight; two of the three soldiers suddenly were lifted up high before being either slammed down back into the ground and into the side of a tree. I saw emerging from the tall bushes was a Pokemon with lilac fur and gemstone n her forehead… an Espeon emerged with a grin as she focused her Psychic on the soldier she had hurled into the tree as he was reaching for his weapon.
"Heh, they can take all the steroids all they want and still cannot defeat us." Espeon smirked as she finished off the soldier before using Protect from the soldiers sudden attack as he shot more of the same blue pellets at her. This was my Espeon no doubt about that. I was uncertain why Espeon was here. But first I had to take care of the soldiers then question Espeon.
I used Scald on one of the soldiers before pushing their weapons out of their hands with my Scalchop, running at them readying my scalchop to use Razor Shell. I had hit two with Razor Shell but one soldier quickly unsheathed his knife and thought back against my attack trying to deflect the attacks trying to grab me into a chokehold, but I was too fast and received assistance from Espeon as she used Confusion on the soldier causing him to stumble in place. With one soldier remaining, feeling outnumbered he ran as fast as he could to the soldier Espeon threw against the tree to receive the radio to call for reinforcements, but Espeon threw a large rock at the soldiers head knocking him out cold.
With the battle other and done with, I turned to Espeon, and she turned to face me. "Hey Zackary, long time no see! It's been a long time." She smiled as she walked closer towards me, casually stepping over the unconscious soldier she defeated.
"E-Espeon, is that really you?" I was surprised to see her here; she should've been in the safe zone with the others. I had to get closer to find out if she was really there, that my eye wasn't playing tricks on me or the enemy had used an ailment grenade and this Espeon was a hallucination. I knelt down in front of her, and she immediately threw herself up at me wrapping her forelegs over my shoulders and hugged me, cheerfully laughing as she spoke.
"Zackary, it's so goooood to see you again! I missed you!" I placed my paws on her back as she lifted her head up to look at me.
"Espeon, uh I…. Why are you? You should be back at the safe zone." She chuckled and hugged me tighter.
"I've come to take you to the meeting. Devon called you on your phone before, right? Early this morning you probably received a call from a man named Devon Young?"
"How did you know I was in the area?"
"I'm a Psychic remember?" She said reminding me how Psychics can track down others; friends, family if their bond was strong enough or they just had something that belonged to them, something precious to them to help gather a signal. "One of our agents saw you in Castelia City last night, so the search didn't last long once someone was able to confirm it was you and so I did the tracking while Devon arranged the meeting in Nimbasa City. I wanted to come and get you to put you at ease, after what happened last night on the TV with Latias, a phone call with someone who knew who you were might've looked suspicious that it was from the enemy calling you up to trap you." Espeon walked up the road and gently pulled me along with her Psychic. "Come Zackary, all will be explained. Devon can be trusted. You trust me, right?"
Of course I trusted her; she was one of my closest friends knowing each other for almost ten years fighting side-by-side through all kinds of danger, all kinds of scenarios. But I was also worried about her being out here especially with Shiny Latias and her soldiers around. But how fast she was walking, dragging me along up the road, I could see she really wanted to get me to Nimbasa City. "I do trust you Espeon, no doubt about that. It's just I'm just worried about being out here, with them all over the place…" I said glancing back at the unconscious soldier's.
"Well the faster we get to Nimbasa City, the better. It's safe in the city. Devon's team were once members of The Savior's Unova branch, they're good guys who want to help. They have good information for you when we arrive." Espeon reassured me as we walked towards the city, a walk that was mostly quiet; it that was making things a lot more tense than it was for me. The five years I had not have to worry about anyone else except for myself. So throughout the entire walk towards the city, I constantly had my paw hovered over my scalchop and moves prepared at all times.
Nimbasa City – Baseball Stadium
Espeon had taken me to Nimbasa City towards the baseball stadium and sat down on one of the seats close to the field. There wasn't a game held today, and I wasn't sure why we were allowed in here when it was obviously closed. Perhaps Devon and Espeon wanted a more private place to talk without having anyone watching.
On the seat to my left was a folder with many documents inside owned by the man sitting on the seat on the far left. He stood at six foot two, slightly tanned skin, slight stubble and messy black hair, wearing a black suit and tie, brown shoes polished to a shine. The man was Devon Young a member of The Savior's Unova branch intel team, he was one of the few who had gone into hiding after the fall of The Savior's six years ago. I wasn't sure what to make of the man at first, but minutes after meeting I felt that this guy was alright.
"So I guess you already know who I am, right? Devon Young, I was part of the intel team back in The Savior's Unova branch." Devon offered me his hand to shake, and so I shook his hand with my paw, slightly nodding. I tried to think back to my years whenever I was inside that building remembering the faces of The Savior members within, I had no memory of ever meeting this man before. Not that I was suspicious of this man or anything, but he did look familiar somehow and I didn't know why. "I called you here… well to give you multiple pieces of information that may be beneficial towards your goal. I would've sent it by email, but after Shiny Latias made the announcement last night we had to use caution and had to tell you the information in person of everything that has happened so far. Can't risk the enemy or anyone else from accessing the files resulting in the enemy from finding the location of the save zone."
Devon opened up the folder and brought out a document and began to read from it. "The first report; our intel have gathered information over the past month, reports of a weapons test being held by Team Annihilation Reborn soldiers in a canyon near the Desert Resort. Weapons we have seen being used on both human and Pokemon all nonlethal but quite effective." Devon glanced up from the document and at Espeon as she continued for him.
"New weapons from what we have gathered; new kinds of annoying buzzing drones, new Pokemon, new gadgets including ones to prevent Pokemon from using moves since the last versions didn't exactly hold up all that well, and of course vehicles built with turrets and weapons… yippee." She cheered sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she pulled out the next document from the file passing it to Devon.
"The second report from our intel team east of the region reported in total five sightings of Shiny Latias all in the span of two weeks. It hasn't been confirmed whether or not Team Annihilation Reborn's main hideout is located somewhere there, we are still looking into it though. After that we did some digging, managed to get ourselves one of their radios and listened into their communications. Although the soldiers don't speak much, we did find out the locations of several of their hideouts within the region." Devon read from the document and once again glanced over at Espeon to continue the report.
"Two bases in the top left corner near Mistralton, so mostly up north while the rest are towards the east. Devon's team later found out not too long ago that they have discovered the location of one of our friends near Mistralton." Espeon flicked her ear as she felt the sunlight touch her ear after the clouds moved. "How we know it's one of ours is because of the name they said being transferred to this new location from another; Yuri Amano, your sister Zackary."
Hidden behind the cloak was a smile upon hearing that one of those who I had been searching for was finally found. If I had known right then and there where this hideout was I probably would've ran out of there and ran all the way to the base to save her. I almost teared up after the thought of my sister waiting all this time to be saved by those people, what they did to her all this time. Soon she was finally going to be saved, and hopefully the rest soon after. "That's great... I'm happy to hear this wonderful news."
"We almost didn't get all of this at one point, but we did." Devon glanced at the document once more, unsure whether or not to continue, but he did. "Once they figured out you were hot on the trail in search for your friends, they had to constantly move around fearing you would find them. Then one day they slipped up and we got their location of Yuri. They won't be leaving that place till the end of the week, so we got plenty of time to get there."
"All these years of searching, fighting and shutting down many Team Annihilation Reborn bases I was beginning to lose hope on ever finding them." I thought my five year search was all for nothing. But with me out there and them constantly moving my friends around keeping them alive until I would receive this information, I'm glad it wasn't all for nothing.
"And finally the third is something about Shiny Latias' old team." Devon said as he took out another sheet from the folder and began to read. "Team Doom surviving members; Jessica a Mew, Rose a Ninetales, Ren a Dewott, and yourself Zack Raines a Dewott. Shiny Latias two weeks ago has set up wanted posters of them in various locations offering up rewards for their capture, alive that is." Hearing their names I remembered them; Jessica was a Mew with both Psychic/Ghost moves with an ability to create a nightmare realm for her victims. I helped her break free of the chains Team Doom had cast around her, and we helped each other take down Team Doom. Rose the Ninetale was a Normal/Poison type that could easily poison anything close to her regardless of type; she along with Ren a Dewott who was a Water/Dark type both ended their careers with Team Doom after their defeat by my Pokemon and me.
"Ren's your brother, right Zackary?" Espeon asked as she held up the four wanted posters of the four surviving members of Team Doom. I nodded after she handed me the poster of Ren, a two million in cash reward for his capture. "After the battle with Team Doom, both Ren and Rose escaped together and we haven't seen them since. Jessica however did return two months before you came back to Nuvema Town with Aqua, saying she had business to take care of."
"I have seen Jessica a few times and spoke with her during the five year search." I took Jessica's wanted poster next, the same price as with Ren and Rose with information underneath their photos of what each Pokemon was capable of and how to catch. "She's still in the region trying to help me find out about Team Annihilation Reborn; members, training methods, when they first appeared, that kind of thing. The last time we spoke was last week telling me she was searching for Rose and Ren so we could talk about Team Doom. I wanted to know more about them. It might give me a clue on where the location for Team Annihilation Reborn's main base is. We need to stop her as soon as possible."
"So I take it you have already encountered the bitch Latias again?" referring to Shiny Latias no doubt. "I guess the reports were right about that. With the region in an almost Shiny Latias controlled region, her and her cronies are roughing up anyone who gets in the way or looks at them all funny-like… meaning someone takes one simple glance at any of those steroid much soldiers and you are a goner."
"I was up on the rooftop of The Savior's building trying to search for her after seeing her on TV last night. I thought this would give me the good opportunity to get her without her knowing, maybe find information on where I could find our missing friends. Then she caught me, controlled me not to allow myself to be killed, kill myself, or leave this region before letting me go meaning she wants me to get strong before she tries to capture me again."
"The bitch!" Espeon growled, throwing a baseball with her Psychic over to the pitchers. "That ability she has is troublesome. One glance up at her eyes and you are as good as dead. If only there was a way to bypass it somehow."
"Our team did some digging on this ability Shiny Latias has, it was from the same serum Shiny Latias gave to you Zack, the Doom serum that caused you to turn from human to a Pokemon." Devon explained as he sat back on the chair with a heavy sigh. "Using it on Pokemon had no effects other than illnesses and or death. But there have been cases were a Pokemon has obtained an ability; Aqua having the ability to foresee future events and Shiny Latias the ability to control all whoever looked into her eyes. Just one look and she could do whatever she desired. The reports we found in her old base only explained her ability, but not how to stop it."
"You'd either have to be blind and a skilled Pokemon to take her down or just lucky enough for her not to notice you as you land the finishing blow." Espeon shrugged. "All of us back in the safe zone all saw Latias on TV. All of us who know her know exactly who the real leader of Team Annihilation Reborn is…. Kind of a long name, kind of wish they made something a bit smaller sounding, eh. Anyway, we are all standing with you on this Zackary, no way are we going to let the bitch do this to us."
"The newspaper mentioned there was a gathering, and Latias was there being controlled to take whatever anyone did to her…" I remembered the newspaper I read this morning, how people in the crowd threw rocks at her, yelling and calling her awful things. "I need to stop Shiny Latias as soon as possible, who knows what she might do to Latias." Just as I got up from the chair to head out, Espeon stopped me by walking in front of me.
"Zackary wait! You don't have to do this alone."
"Espeon, please… I don't want anyone else getting hurt or killed because I…" 'Couldn't save them' was what I was trying to say, but the words never came out. Sakura and Isaac, my friends I had known since the start of my career as a member of The Savior's, their dreams and futures crushed when I agreed to let them go with me. Had I have known what would have happened I would have refused. If I had gone by myself, everyone else would be back home safe and sound.
"Five years ago after I heard you left to go out there on your own, I wanted to run after you, not to stop you but I wanted to help you." She said as she walked closer to me. "Zackary, I know you worry when you have a team with you, fearing you'll lose them like when Sakura and Isaac were killed when we were a team last time. The people and Pokemon Shiny Latias took from us, they were our friends too. I want to help."
"The base where one of your friends remains trapped inside does have a lot of enemy soldiers and Pokemon for just one to handle, you are going to need a team to help you get inside and out." Devon said as he handed a sheet of paper for Espeon to take with her Psychic.
"Our team may be small, but it is growing day by day. The team I suggested was frowned upon by other branches of The Savior's since those bastards didn't want to be involved much with Team Annihilation Reborn stuff. But those I chose for the team said 'The hell with you, our friends need us to help them.' and they should be meeting us soon in another city." I took the paper and read it. On the paper I saw the number of how many Savior members from this region in hiding willing to help us was small, not even up to fifty. But the support from other branches willing to help was almost a hundred. A part of me wanted to refuse their offer not wanting to get those people killed, but the other part of me needed all the help I could get, so I accepted it. This search had been going on for too long.
"I… okay, I accept this help." Deep down I was already trying to come up with an excuse to refuse their offer, it wasn't too late to do so or at least make up an excuse to leave for a minute and escape to continue the search by myself, but I didn't. I suppose the thought of having someone travelling with me after all this time of being alone made it sound better.
"I'll be keeping in contact with you and the rest of the team should we find anything useful; location of your friends, patrols of the enemy, Latias or her sister, whatever information we have on them we'll inform you right away." Devon said after he gave me his contact details. "Call this number whenever you want, we'll be happy to help give you all the support you need."
"Not just for missions, but Devon here is really a cool guy once you get to know him like I have done so before arriving here." She pointed at him with her tail. "You want to talk about the latest TV shows, video games, favorite spots in each city to find the best place to chill out and relax, talk to him and he'll be happy to help out. Still waiting on that Super Dash Bros rematch you owe me, Devon."
"Sure, I'll be happy to have a rematch with you." Devon chuckled and giving her a thumbs up. "Winner gets a reward worthy of being a Super Dash Bros champion! It was nice to finally meet you Zack, I look forward to working alongside you and the team." He offered me his hand to shake, and I shook his with my paw.
"It was nice to meet you too Devon. I hope we with this team we make we can save our friends and put a stop to Team Annihilation Reborn for good."
"Me too, we have lost a lot of good people by Shiny Latias and her soldiers."
With that, Espeon and I both walked out of the stadium together finding ourselves out on the streets. For the longest time I felt weights lift off my shoulders since every time I was outside I feared the enemy was just right around the corner waiting for the right moment. At least I could relax a little more with someone else travelling with me.
"Feels good, huh?" Espeon said as we stopped right outside the front entrance of the stadium. "Having someone travel beside you after all this time? Now don't tell me you were enjoying being alone all these years."
"I do miss having someone to travel with…" I said with a nod, but couldn't help but worry someone might happen to Espeon while we travelled together. I said the weights were lifted off my shoulders before, but travelling and fighting alongside Espeon meant I had to watch out for her all the time fearing just like with Sakura and Isaac she would be seriously hurt or killed. "So let's be careful from here on out. I want us all to return home together, no one left behind."
Espeon nodded her head and smiled, jumping up at me and chuckling. "C'mon Zackary, let's go! Man, it's been so long since we were last together!"
Espeon walked a little ahead of me, hopping happily ignoring the stares from the people and Pokemon we walked past, it felt like old times. I really did miss this. I hoped that one day things like this could be waiting for us after all this is over and that the fighting would one day be over.
To be continued...
Trivia:
The final section of this chapter included Brent Jackson to help team up with Zack to find their kidnapped friends. Zack, Espeon, and Brent would then leave the city mirroring the end of the chapter when the three first meet in Pokemon Dreams 02 – Till the End of Time. Brent Jackson's cut from this chapter was so that he could be included in a later chapter.