~Pokeball Factory~

~North End~

Clemont and his team of infiltrators sat behind a large bush outside the pokeball factory. Clemont had a pair of binoculars pressed against his face and was scanning their surroundings. Ahead of him were three grunts guarding the main entrance, each with a pokemon out. The left had a Beartic, the center grunt had an Arcanine, and the left had a Farfetch'd.

"Do you see anything, Clemont?" Bonnie asked. "How many of them are there?"

"Not too many, I suppose." Clemont replied not looking away. "Something's off though. He definitely has a trap somewhere. He basically rolled out the red carpet for us earlier. There's no way three grunts is all he has." Clemont brought his hand up to his ear and hit a little button in a device hanging from his ear causing it to light up green. "Professor, what's it like on your end?"

'We had one guard. Jessie and James were kind enough to offer to knock him out.' Sycamore replied. 'Painlessly, I hope. Somethings off about this lad, he doesn't seem like the degenerate type.' Sycamore explained.

"Looks can be deceiving, professor. Don't get too sentimental or those people locked inside are as good as dead." Clemont replied.

'Regardless, Tory, Trip, and I are about to move in.'

"Alright, good luck. And keep your communicators on." Clemont ordered. "If you get split up somehow, it's imperative that we're able to communicate with each other."

'Understood.'

Clemont turned around to find his little sister, Anabel, Pikachu, Molly, Miette, Ritchie, Bianca, and his Clembot looking towards him. "Alright it's time to move out and we need to be...wait a minute..." He took a moment to take a head count. "Where's Kidd?" Bonnie pointed behind him and Clemont turned around to see Kidd tying up two grunts with another unconscious grunt and three pokemon incased in blocks of ice next to her. She tightened the knot quick and waved for the others to join her. "Huh." Was all Clemont could say.

"Come on." Anabel said jumping from behind the bush.

"Pika!" The little mouse cheered from Anabel's shoulder. He thrusted his leg forward for emphasis as well. "Pika. Chuu." Everybody followed closely behind for an unusually easy sprint up to the front door.

"How'd you do that?" Bonnie asked in wonder running up to Kidd. "That was amazing!"

Kidd chuckled. "I take guys like these on for a living. They all operate in mostly the same way. Strength in numbers using combined strength to overpower their enemies because they can't overpower anyone on their own." She replied knowingly.

"This is way too easy. I thought you said there was going to be a trap?" Bianca asked.

"I thought there would be. Maybe I overestimated this guy." Clemont replied in an exhausted voice. "I didn't think I did."

"You okay?" Kidd asked the heaving scientist. "You need water?"

"I'm a scientist, not an athlete." He replied. "I hate running."

"It was like 200 feet!" Kidd said in disbelief. "That's like, a tenth of my warm up."

"200 feet uphill!" Clemont fought back. "I'm so out of shape."

"That you are." Kidd shot back turning herself towards the factory. "Alright, let's go." Kidd, Anabel, and Ritchie walked up to the giant door and Kidd noticed the numbered padlock. "We need a code. You got one?" She asked turning back to Clemont.

Clemont was about to answer when the doors began to slowly open on their own revealing a long dark hallway in front of them. From atop Anabel's shoulder, Pikachu's ears began to twitch rapidly. He turned his head around as close to 180 degrees as he could searching his surroundings.

"Pika!" He shouted.

Anabel turned his head towards the little mouse. "You hear something?" Anabel asked. "What?"

Pikachu turned his head once again and met eyes with a stranger. "Pikachu! Pik!" He said pointing behind them. "Pikachuuu!" Everyone turned the direction Pikachu was pointing to find several new lackeys walking towards them.

"Over there!" Bianca said. From their left, more people were coming. "It wasn't long before they were coming from all sides except from behind.

"They're everywhere!" Miette exclaimed. "And they're flanking us."

"Then let's go!" Anabel said. "See you on the other side!" She quickly grabbed ahold of Ritchie's wrist and dragged him quickly inside the factory.

"Hold on!" Kidd said. She had just finished setting all the grunts and their pokemon inside the factory. "Hold on!" She repeated rushing after them. She sprinted up behind them and into the darkened hallway.

"Wait! Maybe-" Clemont was cut off by the giant doors slamming shut at an alarming speed. It also created a gust strong enough to knock Clemont and everyone else clean off his feet. He groaned heavily as he and the rest of his team got back to their feet. "I knew I didn't overestimate him!"

"Anabel can you hear me!?" Clemont shouted hoping the communicator was still working.

"It won't work," One of the grunts said. The man pulled a pokeball out of his pocket and tossed it gently into the air, revealing a rather large Zangoose. "the building's jamming your signal. Come quietly or this'll get ugly."

Clemont looked around to see the others being put in a similar situation. He turned back to his oppressor. "If there's one thing I've learned from dealing with people like you," He started reaching into his pocket. "it's that things usually turn out better when you do it the ugly way! Luxray!" He called letting out his trusted pokemon.

Luxray immediately glared at the grunt causing him to take one step back. Beside him Everybody seemed to be doing the same. Bonnie was, of course, fighting with Dedenne and Miette had let out her Meowstic, Bianca had released an Espeon. Molly was attacking a few head on with a Teddiursa, and Clembot was fighting with Clemont's Heliolisk.

"Is anybody there?" Clemont begged.

'We're still here.' The voice of Max chimed in. 'We've lost Professor Sycamore and the others, though.'

"Were you going to let us know?!" Clemont asked annoyed.

'Grovyle use Leaf Blade!' He heard the voice of Max yell. 'Go for the face!' There was a pause before anything else was said. 'Yeah, we're a little caught up. As soon as they got inside the door locked shut and we were surrounded. Don't even know where they came from, it just happened.'

"Damn." Clemont cursed. "You guys too, huh?" He looked to see Luxray doing pretty well on its own for being out of its element. Clemont covered the communicator with his hand. "Luxray, use Electric Terrain! The lay down some Thunders!" Clemont ordered. Luxray turned his head and nodded before covering all the immediate area with burst of lightning and electricity.

"What's going on over there?!" Clemont finally asked.

~Pokeball Factory~

~South End~

Over on the south end, things were going more or less the same for them. Everyone was being pinned down by varying numbers of grunts, though no one had lost yet. Max and his Grovyle were standing strong against the attacking Exxecutor and Marowak. Abel and his Mega Altaria were firing Draco Meteor's like it was going out of style, Mairin and Alain were fighting two grunts, armed with a Magmortar and Electivire, with Alain's Charizard and Chespie, Though Charizard was doing most of the work. Finally, Team Rocket, with their newly accquired Houndour and Scyther, and Meowth, were fighting back more than several others.

"Grovyle, use X-Scissor!" Grovyle crossed its arms across its chest and lunged forward at the opposing Marowak and collided with its chest, knocking the little monster back a few meters.

"Exxecutor use-"

"Moonblast!" A different voice called. From the corner of his eye Max saw a blinding pink light fade into a single thick beam that continued to shoot past him and hit the grunt's Exxecutor. The resulting blast left the pokemon wobbling to its feet before finally giving in and falling backwards onto Marowak. Max looked to see Abel running towards him. "Max!"

"Abel!" He called back. "Where's Minun?!"

"He wanted to take on one of the girls on his own." He hitched a thumb towards a scene where Minun was currently doing little flips around a defending Ivysaur while giving small electric shocks whenever he got a window.

"Why doesn't he just end it?"

"Because he wants to have fun. Besides-"

'Are you still there, Max? What's going on?' Clemont asked. Max held up a finger to Abel to silence him.

"Yeah. Couple more down. But they just keep coming." Max reported. Max took a check to see if everyone was succeeding with their battles. What troubled him, however was that he soon found several 'employees' wheeling giant tubes towards them on large hand trucks. They were heading steaight for Team Rocket.

"Clemont, I think things just got a whole lot worse." Max reported. "Those tubes that they've been keeping prisoners in,"

'Yeah...' Clemont responded.

"I think they just brought in a few portable ones." Max said distressed. "They're headin' for Jessie and James."

'Go help them!' Clemont ordered.

"Yeah, yeah, we're going." Abel responded before Max could. "Minun!" He called over his side causing the little Pika-clone to turn his head towards him. "End it." He ordered. Minun gave a slight nod and let out a powerful Thunder attack knocking the quadruped out, slumping back on its rear.

Unfortunately one of the other grunts, a female with long black hair, caught wind of what they were attempting. "Tyranitar, Rhydon!" She called throwing two pokeballs in the air. When the two towering pokemon were released they turned towards their trainer. "Stop them!"

"Come on!" Max said running towards Team Rocket and gesturing for Grovyle to follow him. Grovyle nodded and jumped into the air attempting to close the gap between himself and Max. As Max was running ahead, a giant rushed its way towards Grovyle body slamming into him mid-air and sending him flying through the air. Max noticed and came to a stop. "Grovyle!" He exclaimed retracing his steps.

"Hey, you big lug! Take this!" Abel interrupted. "Altaria use Moonblast!" Altaria reeled back its head and surrounded itself with a pink energy.

"Tyranitar Protect!" The biggest pokemon out on the field at the moment began stomping its way towards Rhydon. Once in place it pounded her fists together and generated a giant blue shield that veiled herself and Rhydon, who was still beating on Grovyle. The moonblast was finally released and collided with the shield bouncing clean off of it and deflected at an eighty-degree angle.

"Hey!" Abel protested.

Over with Team Rocket, a proud looking Vileplume stood over James' defeated Scyther, who was laying spread-eagle on the ground and an opposing Wigglytuff was just finishing off Jessie's Houndour. Meowth was busy fighting on his own against a Drifblim. With a single uppercut the Wigglytuff claimed its victory over the poor Houndour.

Jessie and James returned their fallen pokemon as the remaining grunts advanced on them. One grunt grabbed Jessie by the arms. Another put his hand on James' shoulder and shot him an intimidating glare.

"Vileplume, sleep powder." A female grunt ordered calmly.

"Meowth, a little help?!" Jessie screamed. The Scratch Cat pokemon turned just in time to see his friends be hit with Vileplime's Sleep Powder.

"Jessie! James!" Meowth yelled. He scratched his opponent in the face and jumped into the air, landing on the Drifblim's anterior end and pounced right off into a sprint towards his friends. He wasn't fast enough though. Soon after he began running, he felt what felt like cloth wrap around him. He looked back to see Drifblim looking down at him. "Let me go, you bag of farts! Those are my only friends! I knew we shoulda stayed out of this!" He yelled struggling in the grip of the balloon pokemon.

He watched in horror as one grunt threw James into a pod that had been rolled over towards them and again as another person slung Jessie over her shoulder violently, supposedly to do the same thing.

"Hey show some respect! Those are respected members of Team Rocket, you nimrods!" Meowth yelled.

"Is that Meowth insulting us?" One grunt asked leaning towards another. "Do we take him too?" He whispered to the girl carrying Jessie on her shoulder.

"Boss said not to take in any pokemon. Just the people." The girl answered setting Jessie in a pod of her own. She slammed the door to the tube shut and turned towards the captive feline. "Drifblim, let him go." She ordered. "You," She pointed to the boy next her. "take Will and wheel these two inside. I'll stay here and help round up the rest."

"No!" Meowth yelled. Drifblim slowly loosened its grip around him eventually dropping the little guy back to the ground. "Give them back!" He lunged at the female grunt just to be slapped back down to the ground by the girl.

"It's nothing personal, purely business. Be happy the boss is giving you mercy." She ordered. Behind her two grunts began wheeling the new captives back inside. Meowth shook his head once before turning on his heels and running.

Max was still having trouble with Rhydon. Despite having the type advantage, his Grovyle was simply too underleveled and undertrained to face an opponent like that. "Grovyle we need one last push! Leaf Tornado!" A gust of wind kicked up around Grovyle as he was surrounded by a tornado of leaves, twigs, and other flora. With all his strength he pushed the tornado forward. As the move collided with the Rhydon, Grovyle sidestepped around the larger pokemon and reunited with Max on the other side.

Suprisingly the Rhydon shook it off and pivoted around to face both trainer and pokemon who both took back up their fighting stances. "Grovyle use-" Max was cut off by the Tyranitar Abel was facing, falling over and landing right on top of Rhydon revealing Abel and Minun standing victorious.

"Timber." Abel remarked. He carefully stepped around the titan and strode up to Max. "That's two more down. How we doing?"

"Not good. They just keep coming and I'm all out of potions." Max responded. "Once Grovyle's down, I'm defenseless."

"Hey kid!" Max and Abel turned to see Meowth running towards them. "They took Jessie and James. This wasn't part of the plan!"

"Then there's that." Max added turning to Abel. "They must be taking them to the other captives. This could actually work in our favor. If Professor Sycamore could find the grunts wheeling them around, they could lead him straight to the others!" Max claimed.

"Yeah, just one problem." Abel said. "We can't reach them from out here. The building's still jamming the signal."

"Minun." The little mouse squeaked climbing Abel's body and perching himself onto his head.

"Someone will have to go in after them. Then tell the professor of the new plan." Max said.

"That's suicide." Meowth argued. "All alone inside that building? You'll be captured and tubed in seconds!"

"What alternative is there?" Abel asked.

"I'll go." Everyone turned to see Alain and Mairin walking towards them. "Just finished off the last of our ambushers. Need another challenge. Besides out of everyone here, I'll have the most chance of surviving if I get seen."

"I'm going too." Mairin said. Chespie nodded in agreement from her arms. "Wherever he goes, I go."

"Alright. Mairin and Alain you guys go inside and notify the professor. Abel, Meowth and I will circle around a meet back up with Clemont's team. They're probably still fighting. Once we're finished there, we can storm the place ourselves and hopefully find you guys." Max said. "Did you get all that Clemont?"

'Loud and clear. We're actually just about finished and-' He was cut off. 'What is it Bonnie? Where? Hey! Let go of her!'

"Clemont?!" Max asked. "Please don't tell me-"

'They've brought out the pods! They've got Bianca! If you're gonna help, I'd hurry! Luxray, Wild Charge!' Max could hear a number of blasts and explosions go off in the background.

"You heard him." Alain added. "We'll be fine. He needs your help more."

~North End~

A male, dressed in all black with bright red hair, had just finished throwing Bianca in the first of the stasis pods brought around to the north end on the dollies. He turned back around to find a Luxray, covered in electricity, charging towards him. "Aw shi-" Clemont's Luxray slammed right into him before he could finish knocking him backwards onto his side. With the grunt out of the way, Luxray advanced on Bianca's pod.

"Hyper Beam!"

Luxray snapped his head to the left and saw a giant, multicolored laser coming right for him and a Metang staring him down. He turned to run away, but was already too late and was blasted out of the way before he could reach Bianca's tube.

"Luxray!" Clemont called he immediately ran off after his pokemon leaving his sister, who was battling alongside Dedenne, behind. "I'm coming.!"

"Dedenne finish it off with Nuzzle!"

"Ne!" The little mouse jumped and latched itself onto an opposing Octillery and let out its most powerful electrical spark, effectively ending the battle between the two. "Nee." She dropped herself off the fallen Octillery and made her way back to Bonnie.

"Way to go! Told you we could handle ourselves, big brother!" She turned around to find her brother gone, though. "Clemont?" She asked checking her surroundings. "Clemont?!"

"Hey kid. All alone?" Bonnie turned back around again to see a giant man staring down at her. He reached down and picked the little girl up with ease. Bonnie immediately began kicking and screaming.

"Let me go you jerk! Picking on a little girl, do you have any decency?!" She screamed. "Dedenne, get him! Nuzzle!" Bonnie ordered while still struggling. Dedenne latched to the bigger man's left leg and began releasing as much electricity as it could. The man looked down at the rodent and simply shook his leg violently sending the little pokemon flying. "Dedenne! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Personally, I'm against this whole 'capturing little kids' thing. But this is bigger than you know." The giant replied. "Don't worry, the boss isn't near as cruel enough to hurt a kid, he just wants you out of the way."

"Well, we'll just see what my big brother has to say about that." Bonnie said sticking her tongue out. "Clemont! This big jerk wants to lock me up!" She called.

Clemont snapped back towards Bonnie and saw the giant carrying his sister towards the set of pods. "Bonnie!" He yelled. He quickly recalled his fallen Luxray and sprinted back the way he came towards the giant. "Clembot, I'm out of pokemon, come help me!" He heard no agreement. "Clembot?" He looked over his shoulder and found a decapitated Clembot lying on the ground next to his Heliolisk who Clemont assumed must have fainted. 'I'll have to rebuild him later.' Clemont thought to himself. 'At least this time he can probably keep his memories. Looks like I'm on my own.'

"Let my sister go!" Clemont yelled charging at the man. Behind him another grunt, a woman with short black hair grabbed Clemont by the collar as he ran by, jerking him back as he struggled.

"Sorry kid. We have our orders." She told him.

"Then just take me, let her go." Clemont pleaded still trying to yank himself out of her grasp.

"Boss said both of you needed to be caught above everyone else. The fight you put up is commendable but-" Suddenly she let go of Clemont's collar and fell over, dropping him to the ground and as he landed on his side, he looked over at the girl in a struggle of her own as a green and black dog-like pokemon thrashing her.

"That can't be-" Clemont started. "Zygarde? Squishy, is that you?" Zygarde turned to Clemont and nodded before getting off the girl. The legendary pokemon growled in inquiry at the inventor. "Forget me. That guy's got Bonnie!" Zygarde nodded once again and dashed off to save Bonnie. Clemont braced himself with his arms and tried to hoist himself up onto his feet when he felt something grab his ankle.

"Where do you think you're going, punk?" His attacker said tightening her grip. "Sicking a legendary pokemon on me? What the hell is wrong with you?" Clemont kicked his foot in the girl's direction but for a someone who was laying on her stomach, she was surprisingly good at dodging.

"I did tell you to let go." Clemont shot back. "Maybe you should have listened." She managed to, despite Clemont's resistance, pull him back into her grasp and climbed on top of him pinning him on all fours.

"Well now I'm mad. I was gonna let you go painlessly before but now," She used all her strength in one punch as her fist collided with Clemont's face. "No one messes with Libia Tusk." She snarled. "Get me a pod over here, got another one!" She yelled before punching Clemont again. "Now, say goodnight, jerk." She reeled back her fist once again.

"Pip lup, lup lup!" Libia looked up to find a little Piplup gliding down from the air while firing a barrage of bubbles at her.

"Hydro Pump!" The voice of Dawn called. Clemont turned his head as much as he could in his current situation and could barely make out a blue haired girl riding above him on a whie pokemon.

While Libia was temporarily blinded by the bubbles in her face, she was hit with a powerful blast of ice-cold water knocking her off of Clemont. The scientist gently rolled himself onto his stomach and sure enough found Dawn dismounting her Togekiss and running towards him.

"Clemont!" She yelled coming to a stop in front of him. "Are you okay?" She asked offering a hand. Behind them Piplup was still firing beams of water at Libia relentlessly. Clemont took the bluenettes hand as she used her strength to help him to his feet.

"I'm fine, thanks to you. When we couldn't reach you, we figured they had already captured you." Clemont explained. "Now that you're here maybe we can-"

"Do you know a way inside?" She asked while returning her Togekiss.

"Uh...yeah there's a back door on the other side of the factory, but I don't-"

"Thanks!" She said sidestepping past him and rushing away. "Come on, Piplup! There's a back door!" Piplup stopped his barrage of Hydro Pumps and nodded before quickly waddling after his best friend.

"Wait! Dawn!" Clemont called. He looked to his left to see Squishy had reached the giant man holding Bonnie.

"Squishy!" Bonnie yelled from under the big man's arm. "You're here! Any chance you could help an old friend out?"

"Is this yours?" The giant man asked.

"Not exactly. But I'd put me down if I were you." Bonnie said smugly as Zygarde just glared at the big man.

"I have my orders. You're to be captured. I promise we won't hurt your friend." He said. Zygarde gave one growl before glowing a brilliant light green and in an evolution like transformation grew fives times it's ten percent form's size. Then with a burst of light his fifty percent form was revealed. It slowly lowered its head and met eyes with the man who was currently slightly shaking in what Bonnie assumed to be fear. Slowly, Zygarde opened its mouth and began charging it up with an unknown purple element.

Still being held under the man's armpit Bonnie looked up at the man with a triumphant smile. "I think he wants you to put me down." Bonnie advised with a smug grin. At that moment Max, Grovyle, Meowth, Abel, and Minun ran around the corner and both skidded to stop in front of the scene.

"An actual Zygarde?!" Max said. He pulled his glasses off his head and began cleaning phantom dust off of them. "I don't believe it."

"Look big guy," The man reasoned. "I don't want any trouble-" He was interrupted by Zygarde firing a powerful Dragon Pulse at the man's head. It only grazed the side of his face, just enough to disintegrate some of the guy's hair, leaving a mess of uneven hair behind.

"There's always a bigger fish." Bonnie taunted. "I don't think he'll miss you next time."

"You do realize that's a legendary pokemon right?" Abel commented.

"Not just any legendary," Max added. "If I remember correctly from the 'Mythological creatures of ancient Kalos and their roles in the world' book I read, he's the guardian of Kalos's ecosystem." He said pushing up his glasses. "He normally doesn't show himself unless the ecosystem is in crisis."

"So, why's he here?" Abel asked.

"Because he's my friend!" Bonnie called.

"Look, I'm putting the little girl down." The man said. "Don't do anything hasty. We can still all be friends here." He gently set Bonnie back on her feet and took a step back. "See? I'm not all bad. I don't even really want to be here."

"Ne!" Dedenne now finally back to her feet wobbled back over to Bonnie "Ne!" The little pokemon bawled. Bonnie got to her feet and rushed to meet her pokemon halfway.

"Dedenne, are you alright?!" She picked up the little mouse gently. Dedenne gestured to her left foot and shook it gently. "You're hurt? Zygarde, he hurt Dedenne!" She whined looking up at the giant serpent. "Show him what it's like to be picked on by someone bigger than you!" She ordered as she gently placed Dedenne back in her purse.

Zygarde lifted his tail up just above the ground and swung it into the giant man sending him flying backwards into a faraway bush. Bonnie ran forward and lunged at the base of Zygarde's abdomen, hugging it tightly. "Did you come just to rescue me?" Squishy once again glowed lime green and this time reverted back to its core form, jumping into Bonnie's arms. "Aw, I missed you too!"

"Bonnie!" Clemont yelled. She turned around just in time to wrapped in a hug by her big brother. "I thought they were gonna take you too." He let go of her. "They already took Bianca."

"Miette seems to have disappeared, too." The voice of Molly Hale said as she reunited with the rest of them with her Teddiursa following close behind. "We were caught up with our own battle and when I looked next, she was gone."

"They've got Jessie and James too!" Meowth cried.

"And it's possible Alain and Mairin have been captured too." Max finished. "On the bright side, I think we beat 'em all. We can probably head inside now."

Molly pointed a single finger to the sky. "I wouldn't be too sure. Looks like there's two more left." Everyone followed her finger, and sure enough descending from atop the roof were two pokemon.

Two Darkrai.

"Luxray fainted." Clemont said. "And I'm out of items. Clembot's out of order, too."

"I'm not so sure how long Grovyle can hold out either." Max said.

"I've got my pokemon bur no items." Abel chimed in.

"I've still got my Teddiursa and Flaafy." Molly added.

"And we've got Squishy!" Bonnie said letting the little core onto the ground. "He can fight! Besides, it's just two pokemon."

"Don't be so optimistic." Max interjected. "Those are Darkrai. Legendary pokemon and masters of nightmares. One hit from them and you'll be trapped in your darkest dreams!"

The front door to the factory opened once more to reveal three newcomers. The one in the middle, a boy with short black hair, took the lead and began walking towards the group.

"So, you've made it this far. You've got quite the fight in you, but I'm sorry to say that, like your friends, The Boss has ordered your immediate capture. I see you've met my pokemon. That's Nightshroud and Ebony." He said gesturing to his pokemon. "And once I beat you, we'll finally be free."

~Pokeball Factory~

Alain and Mairin were sprinting down a long hallway with several goons chasing after them, right on their tail.

"I don't think I can keep running for much longer!" Mairin yelled turning towards Alain.

"We have to." Alain said calmly. "We may have told the professor already, but I don't fancy those tubes. Keep running!"

Mairin began panting heavily and slowing down dramatically. "I can't." Beside her Alain skidded to a halt. The two had reached a crossroad. The corridor split into two more, both leading to an unknown parts of the factory.

"It would really help if they put signs up in this place." Alain said. He got an idea. Obviously Mairin couldn't keep running and these guys weren't giving up without a fight. "Do you trust me?" Alain asked.

"Of...course..." She said between breaths. Alain looked behind to see the grunts catching up to them fast.

"Go left. See if you can meet up with one of the other groups. Just try and stay out of sight and you'll be fine."

"But what about you?"

"I'll go right. I'll lead them away giving you enough time to catch your breath and get away." Alain explained.

"But you'll be captured!" Alain checked behind them once again. The lackeys were getting closer.

"Maybe. But better me than you." He argued. "Chespie you with me?" Alain asked. Chespie nodded. He jumped out of Mairin's arms and ran down the left hallway beckoning Mairin to follow.

"That's low. Using my pokemon against me." Mairin growled.

"Whatever works. Now go!" He pushed her gently towards Chespie. "You have to keep up with him or you'll lose him too." Mairin nodded and ran down the left hallway. Alain took a few steps down the right hallway and turned around. The three grunts came to a stop at the split in the road.

"You don't want to go after some civilian, do you?" Alain taunted. "Surely, the energy source of the Kalos Champion will prove much more valuable in the long run. Come on, prove your worth. I bet I can take all three of you at once." He turned back around and sprinted down his chosen hallway with the 'employees following close behind.

He continued like this until he came to the ultimate middle finger, a dead end. "Oh, come on! What's the point of hollowing out a portion of a giant factor, to make a hallway, if it's not going to lead anywhere?!" He didn't have to turn around to know they were right behind him, he could hear their footsteps come to a stop. "Well," He said facing them. "looks like it's the end of the road...for you." He said pulling out Charizard's pokeball.

He was surprised when no one else took fighting stances, instead one just stepped forward and pointed at the ceiling with a single finger and gestured upwards. Alain followed the trail to find a giant pokemon sticking upside-down to the ceiling. It was a short red, brown, and silver, quadruped with heavy metal armor on various parts of his body.

"What is that?" Alain asked turning back to the grunts.

"A Heatran." The man replied.

"Why is it on the ceiling?"

"Use flamethrower." The grunt ordered.

~Pokeball Factory~

~Cafeteria~

Ash and Serena were in the cafeteria that Kane had lead them to. He and Aipom were currently off doing their daily round, but had given them Kane's card to order whatever they wanted. Ash dumped his tray down the garbage and set the tray on top of the can.

"Too bad you didn't bring some of your pokepuffs along." Ash complained. "The food here tastes so institutional."

"Yeah, it wasn't that good, was it." Though Serena didn't expect much more. She wouldn't be surprised if they somehow poisoned her food. But she couldn't worry about that right now. Right now, she had to figure out how to find Braxien and get her out of whatever hellhole these madmen were keeping her in. And how to convince Ash to go along with it without spilling the beans about his new 'friend'. "Hey, do you think Aaron would let us explore the factory ourselves? Just for a little bit?" She asked.

"I don't see why not. Maybe when we come back with Pikachu." Ash responded. "You know it's weird, this all seems too good to be true."

"You think?" Serena mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said-"

"Hey!" A foreign voice said. "You're Ash Ketchum!" Serena and Ash looked to their right where a young boy with short brown hair and the organization's uniform, was running up to them.

"You know me?" Ash asked. It was weird for Ash to be talking to one of the organization's members. Although he was told he was an 'honored guest' Aaron and Kane had been the only ones to talk to him. Even when he tried to instigate a conversation, they were always too busy.

"You came second in the Kalos League a while back. You were great! I'm Meech Uh...why are you here?"

"Oh! Aaron invited me here to help me." Ash answered. "We're just passing through. In a couple of hours. we'll be leaving."

"Aaron?" The boy asked tilting his head. "Who's that? Honestly, I'd leave if I were you. I've heard the Boss doesn't take too kindly to trespassers."

"You work here, but you don't know your boss's name?" Serena asked. "Aaron is your boss, right?"

The boy's eyes widened. "My boss?" Meech asked in a panic. "As in the organization's boss? You've been speaking to him!?"

"Yeah, he's been a huge help-" Meech leapt forward and grabbed Ash by the shoulders. Ash tried to pull back but the boy's grip was surprisingly strong.

"Listen. If what you say is true, you need to leave. Now." Meech narrowed his eyes and looked around for anyone else. "Whatever help he's offering, you don't want it. Leave now, before he traps you here." He said shaking Ash gently.

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked pushing the boy off of him. "He's been nothing but nice to me. He's even healing my Pikachu. He doesn't seem like the trapping type."

"Haven't you noticed that the workers around here are mostly younger people? He is not who he seems!" Meech yelled in a maniac manner. "Leave behind the hope of healing your Pikachu!"

"What?! No!" Ash fought back, glaring at the boy.

"Then you're already his prisoner!" Meech pointed at Ash.

"Maybe you should sit down, Meech." Serena suggested. "You're hyperventilating." Deep down she knew the boy was speaking the truth, but until Braxien was back in her custody she promised herself not to say anything.

"Oh no. I have to go." Meech said. He pushed both Ash and Serena apart knocking them to the floor and ran out of the room in a panicked manner. Ash and Serena slowly got back to their feet.

"That kid needs medication." Ash said fastening his hat back onto his head. "Poor guy."

"Not a very loyal work force." Serena added dusting herself off. "Do you think he may be right?"

"I don't know, Meech definitely believes what he's saying, he was almost too convincing. I have some questions for Aaron but I'm sure everything's fine." Ash said turning back to her. "Come on, we'll go clear this up with him, then go home and get Pikachu." He said making his way to the cafeteria exit.

"But you don't believe him?" Serena asked catching up with him.

"I don't know. Like I said, Aaron may seem a bit creepy what with the 'watching me for a long time' deal, but he's done nothing but help me. And who knows, maybe the kid's schizophrenic?"

"Ash, do you even know what that means?" Serena asked.

"Nope. It sounds terrible, though." Ash shrugged. "Let's go, the center is this way." Ash said pointing ahead of him.