I can't really say sorry for the waits, mostly due to the fact I can't excuse college and the ways it provides for my education. I just have to get through with it and try keeping these stories within my mind.

Without another thought, let's get into it.

Phillip looked down the cliff he was currently walking along. "I have a question for most of the Pokémon Universe."

Black rumbled in response. "Which is?"

"Where do they get off at with leaving the ridges they make without a road guard?"

The specific ridge Phillip was mentioning was a roughly grounded out portion of the cliff that should lead directly towards Saffron City, the place of the next gym battle. At the top of the cliff was a wide green plain that touched the end of a forest deeper inland. At the bottom, ravaging waves that crashed against large, rounded rocks that, if fallen, would bash in a normal human's head in if they fell from Phillip's height.

"I'm sure," Light stated "that with Pokémon aid, most humans can cross without peril. Unless I'm wrong, the humans here at the very least have a Pokémon for pets."

"You're not wrong," Phillip stated. "I've just learned to never gamble my life with beings that have immeasurable power."

"What beings would those be?"

Phillip stopped completely as his face morphed into a deadpan stare in front of him. When no one responded, he carried on.

Above him, Butterfree, a Pokémon Phillip saw with many a trainer while on his adventure, floated above the top of the cliff. Apparently, today was the beginning of some seasonal mating ritual for these Pokémon. Some people found this to be interesting.

Phillip, however, couldn't care less of the event. Even as hot-air balloons of trainers that released their Butterfree into the wild for the season, Phillip couldn't will up an emotional response for it.

Only one thing came to Phillip's mind during all of this. "Where in the bluest of blue hells are hot-air balloons being rented out at? We're in the middle of nowhere!"

Unfortunately, Phillip had managed to stop Ash amongst the crowd. That meant a certain team of idiots would probably be waiting just around the corner.

Phillip just kept on scouting along the cliff as he saw on two Butterfree cut themselves off from the rest of the group fluttering about, one pink and the other standard color. The purple one was dancing about, apparently trying to get the other to notice it. The pink one smacked the other before rejoining the flock. The other, apparently hurt emotionally from the rejection, flew off into the forest.

Phillip watched as Ash's balloon chased after it. "Whelp, I guess I know where I have to go."

"You don't have to go there," Gabriel replied.

Phillip ignored it and pressed forward, following Ash and his band of misfits.

Seeing as the group was screaming loud for Butterfree, it wasn't hard to find the group. Watching from the shadows, Phillip looked after the group. In the middle of the forest, they managed to find Butterfree leaning against a tree. After Brock explained what happened, and Misty's joke at his love life, the group tried to give advice, and Brock gave it a scarf to stand-out.

Phillip sighed. "I don't think would do much, but if they think that will work." With that, Phillip walked along.

Several minutes later, Phillip managed to find a dirt path to follow. However, this came with the unfortunate event of Phillip hearing the whirling of blades coming from the sky. Looking up, he saw a helicopter swooping around in the sky that carried the Team Rocket logo. Behind it was a flag the bared the portraits of Jesse and James.

"Oh, for f-," Phillip began before immediately following the aircraft to its destination.

"Prepare for Trouble!"

"Make it Dou-!"

"Shut Up!" Phillip yelled at the craft, tossing a rock hard enough to shake the helicopter. This caused the crew to stop their monologue for the moment.

Meowth's voice called down. "It's that nasty twerp! Hurry! Collect the Butterfree and then let's scram!"

The helicopter dropped what looked like a large Poké Ball on a long stick. Said Poké Ball soon transformed into a large net, which the helicopter began using to scoop the Butterfree out of the air.

Phillip was oh so tempted to fly up there and just torch the bastards from the skies, up until he realized he still couldn't get the forces to work for him. So, he just wait, biding his anger until he could use it.

After a while, Team Rocket gave celebratory taunt to the trainers above before flying off over the forest. Phillip smirked, before running off after them, just fast enough to stay right on their tail.

The scene changed to a more mountainous region, with brown, rocky mountains touching the sky, scattered about in random places. This would make normal search and rescue nigh improbable, if not absolutely impossible.

Lucky, Phillip wasn't a normal person. With Ash and his friends looking around aimlessly, Phillip was behind a boulder close to the encampment Team Rocket was using to hold the Butterfree. Ash's Butterfree, which was never caught for some reason or another, had left to get the group, leaving Phillip.

Phillip walked right up to Team Rocket's helicopter. "You know, when you capture the DNA samples of one of many super geniuses, were you suspecting the intelligent boost, Gab?"

"Just one of many hopes, yes."

Phillip just smirked as he hopped into the cockpit and began to mess with the controls, randomizing the motion actions and sabotaged the engine. Afterwards, he jumped to the top and destabilized the blades. He moved to the back and did the same there. All the while, Team Rocket was too busy counting their prize.

"You'd think they would realize they shouldn't count their chickens before the hatch."

"Stereotypical anime enemy. What did you expect?"

"Better."

With his work done, Phillip moved back to the boulder. By this time, Ash was here and smashed through the window. Luckily, Phillip was outside, so he didn't have to hear the good awful motto again.

Soon, the Butterfree were released. Phillip watched as they flew off with a small sigh.

This was the time that Team Rocket ran out to use the helicopter. Phillip looked over with a smirk as they realized the random controls. When they figured that out, the helicopter got a whopping two inches off the ground before falling back down to the ground, thanks to the blades stopping suddenly. With that, the Butterfree was far enough away to not be a problem.

Ash, Brock, and Misty came running out of the warehouse, with Pikachu ready and willing to fire a Thunderbolt. Phillip came out from behind his hiding place and blocked off the last route of escape for Team Rocket. Team Rocket jumped out of the machine and the humans of the group got out their Pokémon.

Meowth growled at Phillip. "You-".

Ash, at the same time, shouted, "Pikachu, use-". Phillip put up his hand, cutting Ash off.

All of them looked at Phillip, confused, especially when Phillip began pulling fingers down, as if counting down to something. When he hit his last finger, he point directly to the helicopter.

Said machine was jittering, sparks flying about and electricity jolting around. The blades were acting up, twirling and then suddenly stopping. A malfunction at best, severely damaged at best. For a whole 30 seconds, this happened before stopping. Everyone, except Phillip, let out sigh they didn't know they were holding.

Just before the helicopter exploded into a great fireball, sending the closest group to it to go flying off into the distance. This, of course, being Team Rocket.

The Butterfree left. Ash gave his Butterfree a tearful farewell, along with Pikachu and the rest of the group.

Phillip left a little while after that, giving Ash the space he either needed or wanted.

This, however, gave Gabriel some ammo for some questions for Phillip.

"Could you have done that?"

Phillip stopped cold. He could say any answer. Yes. No. A simple question should have a simple answer, right?

He turned, looking out in the distance where the Butterfree. He let his mind wander, thinking of ways a choice like that would go with in life.

"Would that be a question I need to answer now?"

"Answer when you can."

Phillip began to progress once more. "I don't know if I could or couldn't. I never had that choice given to me. So, I'm going to wait…"

Phillip looked onwards, towards Saffron City. Towards the next step.

"…until I'm tested for that choice."

Yes, it's been a god-long time since I've done this.

Yes, it's been a god-hard time trying to get back into the routine.

Yes, it's a god-forsaken story.

Yes, it's a god-awful story.

Either way,

That's a wrap!

Please, leave constructive criticism as it will be greatly appreciated and used, more than likely.

Let the deconstructive rants begin!