~ Chapter 52 ~
Team Galactic Returns
"Fresh off my defeat at the hands of Maylene, I decided to spend the next week training in and around Veilstone City alongside my friends. Jeremy, Niya and Alyssandra all helped my Pokémon get stronger through battle. My strategies were polished and finalized and tweaked and added to after a few days. But the rest of the week was used for practice and refinement. That didn't, however, stop us from getting distracted though. For all my burning desire to beat Maylene, I also can't ignore someone in trouble. We ran into Dawn and Lucas Oak again, who ended up also running into Team Galactic."
Sam sat down, ripping apart his sandwich ravenously.
Alyssandra had decided to make one for the entire group as they took a break from training Sam and his Pokémon for a rematch with Maylene later this week.
In the middle of the summer, the Sinnoh Region was at its hottest and the sun was beating down hard on the four teens and their Pokémon as they trained in the foothills just outside the city.
From their altitude, the group could see the wide-open North Sinnoh Sea. A large shipping harbour, a mass of warehouses covered the northern shores of Veilstone City. From here, ships would carry goods and cargo to Canalave and Snowpoint, as well as the Battle Zone.
All three ports—Snowpoint, Veilstone and Canalave—exported and imported goods from all the other regions of the world. Unova to Kanto, Hoenn to Johto and even Orre.
It was a beautiful sight.
"One day soon we'll be in Canalave, and Snowpoint," sighed Jeremy, "I can't wait."
"I know," laughed Alyssandra, "Before this adventure, the largest city we had ever been in was Jubilife once or twice. It's so much different from small town life in Twinleaf Town.
"I remember the last time we were here," laughed Niya, "We never got to see it like this. It's even more amazing this time around."
"We were never allowed out of our families' sights," interjected Sam, "After Jeremy and I nearly ran up a bill at the Game Corner, could you blame our parents?"
Jeremy looked at Sam and sighed. "Just have to bring that up, don't you?"
"Hey, I was just as responsible as you!" corrected Sam.
Niya burst out laughing. "Nearly ran up a bill? More like ran up a massive bill being all competitive! Thank goodness you weren't playing for any of the larger stakes like the adult section of the Game Corner."
"And that's why you two are never allowed near a Game Corner without supervision and a budget," smirked Alyssandra as she finished up her sandwich.
Sam stood up and dusted himself off. Looking down into the stony valley below that nestled and cradled Veilstone City. "Come on, let's head back."
"So soon?" wondered Niya as she stood up and joined him, "I thought you wanted to keep training?"
"I do," nodded Sam, "But I don't want to push my Pokémon too hard. Staravia is still flying a little slower than before. That Rock Throw did some damage. I'm glad I backed out when I did."
Jeremy nodded. "It could have been a lot worse."
Sam nodded back.
The group got up and gathered their things. They followed the narrow, well-worn, dirt trails back down to Veilstone City. The paths led down to the eastern end of the city, where several tourist attractions lay. Namely the series of large, unearthly meteorites that struck down outside the city two decades ago.
Since then, they had become one of the main draws to Veilstone City. They attracted Trainers, collectors, tourists and scientists and scholars. No one could discern what the purpose of these stones were, only that they were different from other meteorites.
The group reached the city from the foothills in a matter of a half hour. A few minutes past the meteorites and their craters and the group was back in the heart of Veilstone City. The streets were filling up more than during the day as tourists came out to explore the city's night life.
The Game Corner was the main draw to the city at night.
Sam and his friends kept to the side of the sidewalk and streets. Keeping away from the large crowds that flocked to restaurants and the Game Corner.
"It was even worse during that matsuri years ago, remember?" smiled Niya.
Sam nodded. He remembered almost getting separated from his grandmother several times. It was crazy.
As they neared the Pokémon Centre near the harbour where the group was staying, Sam heard a people screaming somewhere around the corner.
Sam froze. "You hear that?"
Niya nodded. Jeremy and Alyssandra did as well.
They had heard someone struggling, screaming at someone. Someone was being accosted in the harbour area.
"Let's go," cried Sam as he ran off in the direction of the screaming.
Three voices. Young. Two males, one female. Their opponents older, grown up. Male. That much Sam could discern. As for what was going on? He would soon find out.
Sam and his friends burst through the alleyway to find Dawn and Lucas Oak, as well as blonde friend about their age being confronted by several Team Galactic Grunts.
Pokémon were out. Some literally knocked out. Things were looking good for Dawn, Lucas, or their friend.
"Go, Roserade!" cried Niya before anyone else could do the same.
Jeremy sent his Pikachu charging after Roserade.
Alyssandra sent her Lopunny.
Sam sent his Empoleon.
The Pokémon rushed towards the enemies. Two Zubat, a Stunky and a Croagunk. An unconscious and wounded Piplup, Chimchar and Turtwig lay before the three kids, being protected by them.
Dawn, Lucas, and their friend watched in amazement as Sam and his friends jumped in front of them and battled of the Team Galactic Grunts.
"Empoleon, Aqua Jet at Croagunk!" cried Sam, "Get in close, hit him with a Peck, and when he's weakened, rub salt in the wound with Brine!"
Empoleon bashed its metal body, covered in a jet of water, into Croagunk with the force of a fire hose.
"Lopunny! Get in close with a Dizzy Punch, and once Stunky's head is spinning hit it with Shadow Ball!" cried Alyssandra.
Lopunny struck at Stunky with its small, furry—but powerful—fists. The force of the punch sent Zubat flying, confusing it as it spun in circles in the air, dazed and lost.
Jeremy sent Pikachu after one of the Zubat's with an Electro Ball, followed by a Double Team, and then a Discharge.
Niya teamed up with Jeremy against the other Zubat. While both Zubat got hit by Discharge, Niya sent in her Roserade with a Weather Ball. It was a gamble, because the typing of Weather Ball always changed. But this time it worked in Niya's favour as the Weather Ball turned into a ball of rocks, dust, and stone. It whirled as a Rock type move towards the second Zubat as a dust storm.
"Are you guys okay?" asked Sam, taking a moment in the confusion to check on the Oaks and their friend.
Dawn nodded.
"Team Galactic grabbed us and dragged us into the alley," explained Lucas, "We tried battling them, but they were too strong…they took our Pokédexes. They said the information inside them was necessary for their plans."
Empoleon cried out as Croagunk came back at it with Poison Jab.
Sam whirled around and commanded his Empoleon to dodge.
The attack just barely missed his Pokémon's side, and Sam told Empoleon to teach Croagunk a lesson with another Brine.
Explosions shook the alleyway as the sun sunk low into the sky, and several minutes later, Sam and his friends stood victorious behind their Pokémon.
The Pokémon all breathed hard, ragged, and tired. They had put up quite the fight against the enemy and won out in the end.
"Give back the Pokédexes," called Sam as the grunts scrambled to gather up their fainted Pokémon, "Now."
Sam wasn't messing around here. Team Galactic was starting to piss him off. They had no respect for anyone. Sam was starting to see just how cruel they could be; even worse than Professor Rowan had first described.
Ever since Eterna City, Sam had nothing but disgust and disdain for Team Galactic and anyone with them.
"We—we need them!" cried one of the two grunts, clearly afraid.
"Our boss will hurt us if we come back empty handed!" cried the other, "You don't understand. These Pokédexes are so rare…we…we need them!"
"What for?" hissed Niya, stepping forward. She had grabbed a metal pipe that she found near a dumpster nearby. Niya looked ready to swing.
"We need them to help us—" the second grunt elbowed the first in the gut, winding and silencing him at once.
"We will create the perfect world! No, the perfect universe! You kids won't stop us!" cried the second grunt.
Niya dashed forward, swinging her pipe. "You give back those Pokédexes right now or so help me I will start cracking skulls!"
The grunts yelped and leapt out of the way. The second grunt instantly shut his mouth and handed the three Pokédexes to Niya before running back around the corner and disappearing near where the warehouses grew thickets.
Niya handed the Pokédexes back to Dawn, Lucas, and their friend.
"Thanks," muttered the blonde friend.
Dawn hugged Niya, while Lucas shook her and Sam's hands.
"Thank you. You guys saved us," sighed Dawn, "You came at just the right time."
"It was a complete fluke, but I'm glad we could help," smiled Sam.
"You guys were so cool!" cried the blonde friend.
Sam raised an eyebrow at him, though clearly flattered.
"I'm Barry!" cried the blonde kid, "We grew up together in Twinleaf Town. Well…sort of. You were a few years ahead of me in Trainer School, but I remember you! You grew up to be so cool!"
The four teens blushed as Barry fawned over them and their skills. All they did was jump in and protect their friends in need. There wasn't anything that special about it.
Niya and Sam tried to explain this to Barry, but he was having none of it, and was insistent that Sam and his friends were really super heroes and deserved medals.
The fawning of Barry was cut short, however. "So, we meet again," called a familiar voice.
Everyone wheeled around to see Looker materializing from a shadow against a nearby building. His face was covered in black paint. His clothes were a dark grey colour, blending in with the stone and sheet metal buildings around.
"Looker!" cried Sam, "You saw all that?"
Looker nodded. "The end of it all. I was going to jump in but…you seemed to have the situation under control."
"Boy did they ever!" cried Barry, "Who are you?"
Looker stepped forward and pulled out a gold badge. "Looker. International Police," he said, flashing his badge to Barry, "Why is it I always find you kids near Team Galactic?"
Looker smiled and so did Sam and his friends. "Bad luck?" chuckled Sam.
Looker smirked. "I heard you taught the Black Claw Gang a lesson by accident. Valentina and Cynthia told me they broke up a poaching operation outside Hearthome. Nasty business."
Niya nodded. "They're truly terrible people."
Looker agreed. "They truly are. Because of you we've got more InterPol officers in Sinnoh, undercover and keeping an eye out for Black Claw activities. I have to thank you; for as dangerous as what you did was."
"Danger seems to attract us, usually disguised as harmless fun," sighed Jeremy, "We learn to live with it." He shrugged.
"So, what are you doing here, Looker?" wondered Alyssandra, "Is Team Galactic taking over Veilstone like they did Eterna?"
"I heard that Team Galactic had a headquarters here, and a warehouse. They've been working on something top secret. But I can't find which of these warehouses is theirs. Or which of the buildings here belongs to them." Looker looked frustrated with the situation. He sighed, calmed himself, the smiled. "But when you beat them they got careless. I managed to catch which warehouse the two grunts scrambled off to. I'm going to try sneaking in and see what I can find."
"You going to be okay alone?" wondered Sam.
Looker smiled. "Tell you what." Looker reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. On it was Looker's name, number, and badge information. "When I strike at the heart of Team Galactic, I'll invite you guys along."
"Is it really wise to invite teenagers on a sting operation?" wondered Dawn, sceptically.
"I've seen what these kids can do," reassured Looker, "This isn't the first time they've interrupted Team Galactic's plans. Between that fiasco at the Pokétch Company and the Valley Windworks. Not to mention the Eterna Incident. Well, these kids are probably more equipped to take down Team Galactic than I am."
Sam swelled with pride. As did his friends.
It seemed every time Team Galactic tried to strike at someone—either someone they knew, or people they didn't—Sam and his friends were always there to stop them, disrupt them, or cut their operations short.
No one knew if it was fate, or luck, or purposeful. But it was what was, and it was the truth.
"Give us a call, we'll be right there when you need us," smiled Sam, taking Looker's card from him, "I'm guessing with your connections you won't need our numbers to get a hold of us?"
Looker smiled but didn't respond. "All right. I'm going to go scope out the warehouse. It's best you and your friends get out of here for now. I'll be in touch."
Sam nodded, and everyone shook Looker's hand before he disappeared off into the warehouses by the harbour.
Sam and his friends took Looker's advice and led the Oaks and Barry out of the alley and back towards the main roads of Veilstone City.
As the group walked back to the Pokémon Centre, Sam and his friends poured questions over the trio.
"How long have you been in Veilstone?" wondered Sam.
"A few days?" answered Dawn, "Barry met us in Hearthome the day after we met you and we set off for Pastoria City. We caught some Pokémon in the Great Marsh, and then travelled along the south-eastern coast of Sinnoh towards Lake Valor. Spent a few days by the lake and then travelled up to Veilstone."
"How'd you like the marshes?" asked Niya.
Lucas nodded. "Wet, and cold. But the Pokémon there are like none other. Crawling with wild Pokémon. A great thing for Trainer's like us."
Jeremy smiled. "You've been keeping out of trouble besides today, right?"
Barry nodded. "Sure have!" exclaimed Barry, "Dawn won't let us get into any trouble!"
"Good, I'm glad," chuckled Alyssandra, "Dawn sounds very—"
"Boring?" interjected Sam.
"Practical," corrected Alyssandra.
"Boring," stated Sam definitively.
Alyssandra shoved him.
"Are you two dating?" asked Barry, eyes wide, "Oh my gosh! I always knew you would end up together!"
Niya and Jeremy burst out laughing. Alyssandra turned the colour of a strawberry and Sam avoided eye contact with everyone except the ground.
"They aren't dating," laughed Niya, wiping a tear from her eyes, "Just really good friends."
"Oh, that's too bad. You two always looked like you liked each other," said Barry, frowning.
Dawn wrapped her arm around Barry's neck, pulled him into a headlock and kept him silent by gently choking him. "Forgive him! He got hit on the head a few days ago, he's not…all there right now!"
Lucas simply sighed and facepalmed.
"Hey, let's grab dinner!" cried Jeremy, "Let's get something to eat. I think we're all hungry after that excitement back there. How's that sound?"
Lucas and Dawn agreed. So, did Sam, Niya and Alyssandra—still a shade of red. Barry gurgled his agreement from the headlock. And so, went the group of seven teens.
Tired, but laughing all the way despite everything they had just gone through.
