Chapter 46: Double Trouble
"Faba? Come in Faba."
"Give it up, Petrel. Clearly he's out of comission."
Petrel gave an annoyed snarl before turning his attention to their captives. Lusamine, despite having been tortured mercilessly, gave him the ugliest glare she could muster.
"Alright, madame president, you're gonna spill the beans on The Ultra Beasts, or else things are going to get ugly."
"Funny, I thought they got ugly when you walked in the room."
A quick kick to her stomach was the only reply she got. Ariana sighed in annoyance.
"Forget it, she's clearly not going to talk. How goes the encryption, Proton?"
"Difficult. The data's been buried underneath every possible code imaginable. This will take some time."
Realizing time was something they didn't have, Ariana turned to Petrel once more.
"Never mind, continue."
Petrel grinned like a little kid on Christmas. He was going to have some fun.
Looker lead the group through the corridors of Aether Paradise, checking the map of the base periodically.
"How much longer to the lab, Looker?"
"We should be coming to it right...now!"
The group grabbed their Pokeballs, ready for a massive battle royale...
Only to find themselves staring at a dead end, their faces falling faster than a shooting star.
"Or...maybe not."
"Great, so we're completely lost!"
"All that walking for nothing."
"Oh, it wasn't nothing. I'd say you found trouble."
"Yes, and make it double!"
Everyone turned to find Jesse, James, and Meowth blocking the way which they came. Ash just sighed in annoyance.
"Seriously, is this really the best time for this?"
"Hey, we don't just do this for you, twerp!"
"That's right! Besides, its a classic. It'd be a crime if we didn't do it."
"Whatever, just get out of our way."
"Fat chance! Go, Mimikyu!"
"Go, Mime Jr.!"
As soon as his body left the Pokeball, Mimikyu leapt at Pikachu, ready to kill, but Pikachu leapt up in time, hitting him with an Iron Tail and sending it crashing to the ground. This did nothing, only breaking Mimikyu's disguise before he went right back to attacking. Mime Jr. went in to join, only to be backslapped with a Shadow Claw so hard it passed out immediately, to James's anger.
"Hey, what gives?"
"Don't look at me! But as long as he takes out Pikachu, who cares how he does it?"
Pikachu ran all over the floor, trying to get a good enough distance away to catch his breath, but Mimikyu was always right on his tail. Mimikyu growled, powering up a massive Shadow Ball before releasing it towards his mortal enemy.
"Dodge it, Pikachu!"
But it was too late, the Shadow Ball making contact and creating a massive dust cloud. When it had settled, Pikachu was nowhere to be seen, leaving Mimikyu a sense of satisfaction...
Only to be struck hard from behind, sending it flying against a wall out cold. Pikachu huffed, lucky that its double team had fooled Mimikyu long enough to get his attack in. Jesse and James could only growl in anger.
"Alright, no more mister nice guy!"
"Lets get them!"
"Croagunk, use Poison Jab!"
Before the terrible trio could move, Croagunk burst out and made quick work of them, paralyzing them with powerful blows to their midsection. The trio collapsed in pain, idesperately trying to move. Looker returned his Pokemon before turning his attention to his enemies.
"Alright, where are you keeping the President?"
"We'll never tell! Our loyalty lies with Team Rocket!"
"Looks like you ran into some trouble."
Everyone turned to find Gladion strolling towards them, no worse for wear from his encounter with Faba.
"I managed to get the Master card from Faba. Don't worry, I know how to get there, I just needed this for the route."
After tying up Jesse, James, and Meowth, the group of six made their way down a corridor before reaching the elevator.
"So, which way do we go now?"
Gladion paused, thinking for a moment.
"We can't go directly there, it'll be heavily guarded. The best route would be down, then up."
"Then that's where we go!"
"Hold on, mother, we're coming!"
After pressing a few buttons, the lift descended, taking the six to an unknown fate.
