Flinky: Hello everyone. I'm back. I've probably said this before, but sorry about the updating later and later. I just don't have much free time.

Red: Come on. You're almost to the end. Don't stop now.

Flinky: I'll try. Anyways, one review from DisneyWriter. You've emphasized my main problem with writing. I sometimes assume that everyone gets the same vision I have when I write, so I forget to include some details. I am trying to work on it though.


I knocked on the door of my old house. So many memories here… And a few good ones, too.

"Hello? Who is it?" My mom answered, sweetly.

"Your son," I said, simply.

"Oh." There was venom in her voice. I kinda figured.

She opened the door and stared at me.

"So… you did come."

"Yep. I was told you wanted to see me?"

"I suppose so," she sighed. "Come in."

Things looked just like when I left the house, if a bit more gray.

"Is dad home?" I asked.

"He went to the Sevii Islands on a business trip. He hasn't come back yet."

"Oh."

We sat down in the dining room. She didn't change her expression the entire time.

"You've been busy, haven't you?" She asked. "Taking away peace, causing chaos. You're a terrorist, you know that?"

"How many lives have ended because of me? Have I actually killed anyone?"

She looked confused for a second, before going back to her emotionless face.

"Well… there was that innocent scientist."

I thought back to the last scientist that died near me.

Right, at the power plant, where we found Zapdos. The scientist committed suicide.

"That guy commited suicide," I pointed out.

"Because of you."

"No… well, sorta. He didn't want to give up any information, but it was his choice to end his life."

"You do have a point… Red, why are you doing this? Things weren't necessarily bad under Team Rocket. How many crimes have there been before you came along?"

"Hmm, are we going to include or exclude everything Team Rocket has done?"

"I'm not talking about their methods of keeping peace. I'm talking about the result. Have you ever been attacked by a gang member, or robbed while you were away?"

"Have you ever seen someone be brainwashed, or their Pokémon taken away from them?

She started to look angry.

"Pokémon… I figured you would bring them up. Vile creatures…"

"Nothing about them is bad. I have 13-ish who would give their lives for me, and I would do the same."

She started yelling.

"THAT'S BULLSHIT! DO YOU REALLY TRUST THEM THAT MUCH? THEY'LL JUST ABANDON YOU!"

"No, they won't! I've seen them. My Umbreon literally died because of me, so I walked straight into hell to retrieve him! My Pikachu was a 'failed' experiment, so Team Rocket threw him aside, and he's fought for me ever since! My first Pokémon, a Charizard, was held by Team Rocket, and I saved him!"

"So what? They'll just betray you."

"Storm, Omni, and Ignite have saved my ass more times than I can count! Without Rift, my body would literally tear apart! Even Shadow has come through to save me! We fight alongside each other."

"You would think that, huh? You'll learn eventually. They could never actually defend you when you need it. They'll just run away…"

"No they won't!"

"That's what I thought for the longest time…"

Her voice trailed off. Come to think of it, my mom never really talked much about why she followed Team Rocket so loyally. We were too busy getting into screaming matches with each other.

"Well, I suppose I can't avoid it now."

She paused for a second.

"Before Team Rocket, I used to be a trainer. I had a Bulbasaur that Professor Oak's dad gave to me. We used to be the team. Bulbasaur alone swept the first three gyms."

I decided not to point out that a Bulbasaur had a type-advantage against those gyms.

"Then, I saw Team Rocket for the first time. I was on a vacation in Johto when I saw them near Lake Mahogany. I ran over and tried to stop them. We fought a couple guards on our way through one of their bases. It wasn't too difficult. Then, we found Proton, the admin."

She sniffed once. She's trying to hide it, but I can tell she's tearing up.

"I remember that moment crystal clear…"

20-ish Years Ago

"So, you're the kid who's been giving us all these problems," Proton said, staring at Delilah, an average Pokémon trainer.

"Yep! And I'm going to stop you guys!" She responded, cheerfully. "Go, Ivysaur!"

"Heh, this'll be fun. Go, Wheezing!"

"Ivysaur, use Sleep Powder!"

"Wheezing, use Sludge!"

Ivysaur's Sleep Powder missed, but Sludge was a direct hit, stunning Ivysaur.

"Heh, it's a miracle that you made it this far. I bet your Pokémon is thinking the same."

"We're not just luck!"

"Suuuuure. What do you think?" The admin asked Delilah's Ivysaur. "If you want, you can join us."

"Ivysaur would never join you guys!" Delilah yelled out.

Ivysaur looked between Proton and Delilah, before slowly walking toward Proton.

"Ivysaur, what are you doing?" Delilah asked, confused.

"Good boy. Use Sleep Powder on your ex-trainer."

"Ivysaur!"

Delilah couldn't process what was happening before she was rendered unconscious

Red's POV

"I woke up on the ground in front of a souvenir shop. I never saw Ivysaur again."

She was completely in tears now.

"Nothing could ever compare to how Ivysaur looked. He was blank, empty."

Just then, it clicked for me.

"So, you have seen brainwashing first hand."

"What?"

"Brainwashing. Do you know what Team Rocket was doing in Mahogany? Gold told me a while ago."

"That's not the point-"

"That was their first test for brainwashing. They tried to control Pokémon via soundwaves. Your Ivysaur fell victim to those tests."

You know I'm good at my job when I can make my own mom question how she's lived life for the past 20-ish years.

"That… that can't be. There is no way Ivysaur could have been controlled."

"Starter Pokémon are really hard to come by unless you have a link cable or Wonder Trade."

"What's Wonder Trade?"

"Nevermind. The point is that Team Rocket would want a rare Pokémon like Ivysaur."

She was in complete denial now.

"Well, if they could control Pokémon by sound waves, why haven't they done that with you?"

"The other Red shut them down when I was about 10."

"No… Pokémon are still horrid monstrosities…"

"They are not. Honestly, most of them are better than humans. One look at Team Rocket can confirm that."

"Hmm… It's been so many years since that day. I just want to leave it behind…"

"Look, I have no idea where Ivysaur is, or even if he's still alive. But he never wanted to betray you. He's still your partner."

She broke down.

"Ivysaur… I'm so, so sorry… Please, come back…"

I lied in my last sentence. I sent a text to Bill asking about any Bulbasaur-line Pokémon. There are still some Pokémon who haven't been returned to their trainers from when Team Rocket took the PC over.

I got a response pretty fast.

"There is one, a Venasaur. It hasn't been touched for a couple years."

"Can you send it over?" I asked.

"Sure thing. I'll send it to your box."

"Thx."

I turned back to my mom.

"I'll be right back."

I sprinted to the Pokémon Center as fast as possible (red aura again). I noticed the out-of-place Venusaur, so I pulled it out.

I put on my Pokémon-translation gloves, then I sent him out.

"Ugh… where am I now?" He said.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Huh, you don't look like a Rocket."

"Out of curiosity, who is your trainer?"

"I'm just a Rocket Pokémon, but you can't understand me."

"Before Team Rocket. Does the name Delilah ring a bell?"

He instantly tackled me.

"Okay, three questions. What do you know about Delilah, how can you understand me, and why the hell aren't you being crushed by a 220 pound Venusaur?"

"I'm her son, aura, and aura."

"Wait, you're Delilah's son? How long was I in there?"

"10-ish years. I know where she is. I'll take you to her."

"Can I trust you?"

"Do you have a choice?"

"Good point."

I returned Venusaur and ran back to… I hesitate to call it home because it's not anymore, but it's also not just my mom's house. I'll just say "the house" for now.

When I arrived, my mom seemed to have stopped crying.

"So, what did you do this time?"

"Go, Venusaur!"

As I threw the Pokéball, she began yelling.

"Don't you DARE send out a Pokémon in MY house… Is that…"

Venusaur used his vine things to hug Delilah, who was surprised.

"Ivysaur, is it really you?"

She looked at Venusaur.

"Yes it is," she said to herself.

"I'm so sorry for what I did all those years ago. I couldn't control myself. Can you forgive me?" Ivysaur asked.

Even though I was the only one who could understand-

"Of course," my mom said.

What?

Venusaur walked into another room while mom hesitated for a moment.

"Did you really think all your powers came from your dad?" She asked, before joining Venusaur.

I think I finally understand where I got my personality from.

Blue's POV

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"

"Dragonite, use Hyper Beam!"

Apparently my grandpa was a Pokémon trainer. And a good one. So, naturally, when I found him, we had a battle. Now, we're both down to our last Pokémon.

"Okay Blastoise, we're going to pull a Red. Shift your aim down!"

At the last second, Blastoise made his shot hit the dirt ground, shooting up a huge pile of mud.

It made Dragonite miss, and he couldn't move.

"Finish this with Hydro Cannon!"

Blastoise landed the hit knocking out Dragonite.

"Dragonite… return."

"Nice work Blastoise," I said, returning him. Then I turned to gramps. "So, why did you do it? Why did you turn on us?"

"Do you want the true answer or one that you'll believe?"

"True."

"Well, in that case, Proffesor Birch and Elm forced me to. They already made up their minds and included me in on it at the last second. I couldn't say no."

"Didn't you point a gun at us when we were trying to escape?"

"Well, no. Birch was the one who was threatening you. I stood guard, but I knew everyone would make it out."

"We only survived because Red managed to catch a Mew who stopped the bullets from hitting us."

"Red was a quick thinker. Even without the Mew, he would have figured something out."

"Yea…"

"I've learned to see potential in people, and I know what they can do. Red can interrogate a grunt in under five seconds. You can name all 721 Pokémon, they're types, and move pool. I trusted Red to make the right decisions, and he did."

"So, what does that mean?"

"It means Poké Underground has one of the world's most distinguished professors back on their side."

I'm starting to get pissed off.

"Are you kidding me? You were the cause of the two roughest times of my life! When you faked your death to help start Poké Underground, I thought I lost the only family I had left! Seeing you again was a relief, only to find out that you hated me? I mean, just a phone call would have been nice!"

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't do anything. Team Rocket monitored everything-"

"I wanted to commit suicide! The only thing keeping me back was what would happen to my Pokémon. Eventually, Red brought me closer to the rest of our group, and I was liked again. No thanks to you though."

He sighed. "I guess I didn't take into account how you would react to all of it…"

"Gee, you think?"

I got a text on my Poké Gear. Red wants me to meet up with the rest of the group at the Pokémon Center.

"Sorry, but I have to go," I said. "See ya later."

Red's POV

"Hey Blue," I said, as he walked into the center.

"Why are we meeting up here?" He asked.

"We're getting the whole team here," Yellow said, enthusiastically.

"Well, uh, where are they?"

"Humph. You couldn't see us?"

Silver, Ethan, and Lyra walked through the doorway right after Blue.

"So that leaves Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Gold."

There was a flash, and I heard a voice say "We're here."

When I turned around, May, Brendan, Wally, and Wes were there.

"Here I come!"

Someone jumped straight through the window. I recognized them when they hit the ground; it was Barry.

"Where is the rest of Sinnoh?" I asked.

Between his heavy breathing, I could make out the words "behind," "close," "door," and "boring."

Soon, Dawn, Lucas, and Zach were inside.

"Five hundred Poké says Gold is going to have a dramatic entrance," May offered to Brendan.

"No deal, I know he will."

Gold finally came, descending from the roof with a Mission-Impossible like rig.

I miss the days when Omni would yell at me for breaking the fourth wall like that.

"Okay, is that everyone?"

I did a scan. Blue, Leaf, Michael, Yellow, Silver, Gold, Ethan, Lyra, Brendan, May, Wally, Ruby, Sapphire, Wes, Dawn, Lucas, Barry, and Zach.

"Okay, we're all here. So, here's the thing: In two days, we're raining hell on Team Rocket; The final showdown at Viridian. According to Bill, without Viridian supply lines, Indigo is completely isolated. It's also Team Rocket's last line of defence. If we take Viridian, they're moving to Indigo. So if we conquer both… Then we win. Team Rocket will be dead."

(Almost) Everyone cheered. Looking at you, Silver.

"So, I want everyone to train. Hard. All of Team Rocket's best forces are there, so we have to bring our best game. Is everyone on board?"

There was a variety of yay's, cheers, let's go's, and hell yeah's. That's a good sign.

"Alright. Meet up again tomorrow night, same time. We'll talk about strategy and tactics there. Break!"

The members of Poké Underground ran out the door. Eventually, it was just Blue, Leaf, Michael, and I. Yellow left with the others to go train.

"Man, I can't believe it's almost over," Blue said. "This has become my life. I'm not sure what I'll do afterwards."

"Well, I'm going to go climb a random mountain in the Johto region and wait there for someone to challenge me. Then, once I'm defeated, I'll tour the world, and maybe participate in the world champions tournament in Unova," I said.

"Well that was… oddly specific," Michael said.

As we were joking around, a man approached us. He looked at us, before staring directly at me.

"I take it you are Mr. Ketchum."

"No, I'm the king of Kalos."

"Quite the charmer, I see. I was instructed to give this to you."

He gave me a small blue cube.

"I would urge you to go into a private room and turn it on as soon as possible."

"Uhh, okay."

He walked away.

"Huh… Well, I'm going to go bait this trap. You three have fun."

I walked into my room in the Pokémon Center and looked at the device. There hasn't been an explosion or poisonous gas leak yet.

I channeled aura though my body before I turned it on. A flash of blue shone through the room. When I could see again, I noticed several blue holographic windows wrapped around me that weren't there before.

"Greetings Fire Red Ketchum. This is an automated message from the Meeting Caster. You have been called for the Team Leader Negotiations. Redirecting you to the server…"

Soon, in the windows, several figures formed.

"Ah, that must be Red," a semi-familiar voice said.

"Hold on, he's still coming in…" another one said.

The figures in the windows became more and more clear until I could recognize them.

"Hey Red," the first voice said. I turned to the window where it came from and saw Hilbert from the Unovan Strike Team.

"Uh, hi? What's going on here?"

"I'll answer that question."

I looked and saw a man with a large orange haircut and suit.

"I am Lysandre, leader of Team Flare. I had my tech specialists construct this device so we could negotiate without risking our safety. If you'll notice, all of the significant resistance teams are represented."

I looked around and saw some familiar faces, like Hilbert, Caleb, Archie, N, Spencer (from the Patriots), and… oh yay… my dad. Then there were the people I had no idea who they were. Conveniently, their names and team popped up over their window.

"I believe he's the last one," a man who's tag read Cyrus. "Time to begin."

"RIghtfully so," Lysandre agreed. "Now, we've met here to discuss allegiances and plans to defeat Team Rocket. If we establish which side everyone is on now, we can reduce injuries on all sides during the fight."

"We need to start with our goals," my dad said. "From there, we can determine who's with who."

I saw Maxie from Team Magma shift uncomfortably.

Cyrus began saying "Well, I can assure you we only seek to make a better univer-"

I cut him off. "Team Galactic wants complete genocide of the human race. Who else does?"

"What? Our aims are noble and-"

"Yea yea, go on later. Who else wants to end the world as we know it?" I asked.

No one said anything.

"Let me rephrase that. Who wants to capture and control one or more legendary Pokémon for the purpose of changing the world?"

Maxie and Lysandre raised their hand.

"Okay, Team Genocide is Magma, Flare, and Galactic," I summarized. After writing it down on a notepad, I said "Now, who's focus is to rule the world?"

"Everybody wants to rule the world…" I heard Caleb humming.

"We're going to," Ghetsis said, simply. He's from… Team Neo-Plasma? What happened to regular Team Plasma?

N answered that question for me. "You can't possibly control the world. Your rise to power was based on lying to the people!"

He seemed pissed. I bet there's a good story to this. For another time though.

"You simply think your correct by standing for a cause," Ghetsis replied.

"Can we do this later?" Hilbert asked. "There's still some work to do."

"I suppose," N said.

"Okay, does anyone else want world domination?"

"We will rule the world through shadows!" Some old bald guy yelled. Is it just me, or are most of these guys psychotic? Anyways, he's the leader of Team Cipher. That name sounds familiar… Michael. He goes on rants about them a lot.

"Now, who's on my side?" I asked.

"Count us in," Hilbert said.

"You got Kalos on your back," Caleb said.

Lysandre looked a little annoyed.

"Ay, you've saved our asses a couple of times. We'd fight behind you guys," Archie said.

"If you accept help from him we'd have no choice but to fight against you."

"Okay, whatever."

No one spoke for a while.

N broke that silence. "Riley, you're organization is the only one who treats Pokémon like they should be. Whichever side you're on, we support you."

"Well, I have to fight on the same side as my son. It's a rule."

"Not in Star Wars," I said under my breath.

"Wait, you have a son?" N asked. He looked at my dad, then at me. "I should have figured as much. Well Red, consider us an ally."

"Okay, so the allies are the Friends of Kalos, Unovan Strike Team, Aura Guardians, Team Aqua, and Team Plasma. The axis are Neo-Plasma, Cipher, and Rocket. And the genocidal maniacs are Flare, Galactic, and Magma."

"Red, you have no idea how war negotiations work," Ghetsis said.

"Do I look like I give a fuck?"

"It probably was a mistake to invite you," Lysandre mumbled.

"It's because of my team that almost all of Japan is free."

"Look, I have all the information I need, so I am leaving," Greevil interrupted, as his window went blank.

"I suppose it's time," N said. "I never thought I would fight alongside Poké Underground." He logged off too.

"This will certainly be a showdown of legends," Cyrus said.

"Cya bitches," I said, disconnecting.

That went well.

Time for a training montage. I spent the past hour in my room, preparing my playlist.

"Eye of the Entei by Endurer, Final Countdown by Kalos, Lose Yourself by Rare Candy, Pocket Animals theme, we're good."

I grabbed all my Pokéballs from the PC and sent them out.

"Go, everyone!"

I was greeted by an Umbreon, Butterfree, Pikachu, Pidgeot, Sandslash, Scyther, Zoroark, Lucario, Lapras, and of course, Charizard.

"So guys. It's about time. We have the rest of today and tomorrow to train, then we finish off Team Rocket."

"Let's DO THIS!" Blade and Spark yelled, simultaneously.

"I suppose we've come to the end of our journey," Blacklight said.

"I'm ready to finish this," Glow said, softly.

"I was only with you for a month or two, but I'll do my best," Azure said.

"Okay. Unfortunately, I can only bring six at a time. I'll probably switch out halfway-ish, but not everyone's coming at once. So first, who wants to go in at the same time?"

Spark immediately jumped on Storm, while Blade, Driver, and Shadow moved together.

"No one else? Okay then. I'll keep that in mind. Now then, time to train our asses off. Ignite, your training with Shadow. Take that however you like."

Both Ignite and Shadow smirked.

"Blacklight, I think I know who you want to practice against. He's waiting behind the center."

Blacklight immediately stiffened up, before running behind the center.

"Who does he want to fight?" Blade asked.

"Michael's Espeon," I responded. "I'm 90% sure that the sheer amount of hatred for eachother is how Blacklight evolved into an Umbreon during the day."

"Wait, he evolved during the day?" Driver asked.

"I have a lot of stories to tell. We'll deal with them later. Now, Glow."

She floated up.

"You're going to train with Blade, since you're my two Bug-types."

They looked at each other, before flying into the forest.

"That leaves Azure, Spark, Driver, and Rift. Rift will stay with me, wile you three can have fun with this."

I tossed them a ring target.

"That makes Pokémon vulnerable to moves they weren't before. So while Driver holds it, Spark can shock him."

The three of them went off to the beach. I will need to talk to Azure about not making tidal waves to get around near a body of water.

"Well Rift, you ready?" I asked, putting on my aura-enhancing gloves (still working on a better name).

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Three… two… one!"

We charged at each other, both burning with red aura.

"Hold it."

We were both stopped by a psychic force.

"Hey, what gives?"

"What gives is that you're at a horrid disadvantage."

"Who's that?" I asked.

"The same answer I've always given you. Mewtwo."

He teleported between Rift and I, then unfroze us.

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"You're planning on taking on teams with several A-tier legendaries on their side."

"What?"

"Perhaps you don't know. All of you foes have a legendary on their side. And not any pushovers. They have Reshiram, Groudon, Yveltel, even Palkia. And that's just scratching the surface."

"How do you know these things?"

"We had a meeting yesterday about legendaries' team allegiances. Are you aware Omni has switched to Team Rocket?"

"Yea, she tried to unnerve me or something."

"Ah. In any case, all of the legendaries have chosen a team to back, save for Arceus, as he still has to attend to his duties, and Giratina, since he is forbidden from leaving the Distortion Realm."

"So, is anyone on our side?"

"Yes. I'm excluding the ones your team has caught. Ho-oh has chosen Gold; The Johto beasts have selected Ethan, Lyra, and Silver; Latias and Latios have picked May and Brendan; Jirachi has picked Wes; Cresselia chose Zach; and the lake trio chose Dawn, Barry, and Lucas."

"Well, that's helpful. And you?"

"Take a guess."

"I got a ball here if you want."

"Very well."

I threw a Pokéball at him. It shook three times, then clicked.

"Well, that was the easiest part of the day."

Giovanni's POV

"So, she's in this room?" Giovanni asked.

"Yes sir," Giovanni's guide answered. "She finished her brainwashing just the other day."

"Leaf Green, fighting for Team Rocket. I'd love to see Red squirm when he finds out."

"Typically I would agree with you, but Red has actually shown very little reaction to these types of betrayals."

"Blame that on the author," Omni said.

"Mew, you better get out of my mind or I will have you skinned and wear you as slippers," Giovanni threatened.

"Yes sir."

"Anyways, show her to me," Giovannie ordered.

The guide opened the door, revealing a woman who was wearing the same clothes as Leaf Green.

"Greetings Leaf- wait, Leaf doesn't have black hair…"

The imposter immediately hit Giovanni in the back of his head, knocking him out. The last words he heard were "Glory to Team Neo-Rocket."


Flinky: The fillers are done. Only one (possibly two) chapters left. Plus an epilogue. Probably.