A massive torrent of flame swept around the Pokemon and swirled into a towering column of fire, securing the advantage for Number B 101476. Leading the battle with five Pokemon to their opponent's one, they took a moment to reflect on the tragic events that had led them here. ~They came after breakfast... We were silent because we knew even the tiniest word would start an argument, but the knock seemed so loud... Before we knew what was happening the door was knocked down and Team Rocket came running up the stairs... Who would do that? I can't understand why they gave in to their weakness and turned us in. Mother... I could hear "I told you so!" in her eyes... but fear too.~ Number B 101476 saw their opponent recall their fallen Pokemon, and send out a Linoone, a Pokemon that bore a remarkable resemblance to a cross between a badger and a weasel. ~And the interrogation very nearly scared me to death. "We have been authorized to give Jews who kept Pokemon over to a special fate..."~

Focusing on the battle, Number B 101476 saw the Linoone charging straight ahead. ~Most likely to use Headbutt...~ "Sleipnir! Run to the side and use Fire Spin!" Leaping over to his right, Sleipnir turned and blew out a spiral of flame that wrapped around the Linoone.

The old woman who owned the Linoone smiled, glad to see Anne growing as a trainer. ~There you go, darling. She can't run in circles... just a few days ago she didn't notice that...~ She and Anne had battled many times over their short time at Westerbork, they being some of the few Jewish women daring to own Pokemon. "Attack with Fury Swipes, Linny!" The flames still spiraling around her, Linny planted her feet and changed direction to spring at Sleipnir. She clawed at the fire horse Pokemon, her claws shining like polished steel. Sleipnir took the hits, his fiery mane flaring up and engulfing Linny. The Linoone reeled back, even more flames surrounding her.

~I need to keep a speed advantage,~ Anne plotted. ~Linny's strong, but if Sleipnir can move to the side I'll win easily.~ "Sleipnir, go ahead and use Flame Charge!"

"Pon!" ~Anytime! An aura of fire flickered into being around Sleipnir, like a comet entering the Earth's atmosphere. He took a step forwards and then rammed into Linny at high velocity, knocking her back further. He tossed his head, mane and tail flames streaming out longer still. Anne hesitated before issuing another command, not wanting to see the battle through to its end but knowing she must.

~No food for either of our Pokemon or us if we quit...~ "Sleipnir, Stomp!" Rearing up, he attempted to kick at Linny with his ultra-hard hooves- but at just a word, Linny dashed away to avoid the attack. ~What...? How is she faster?~

"Linny, go straight in and use Tackle!" ~This'll be over soon, sweetie.~ Linny collided with Sleipnir, bringing him to the dusty ground with her.

"Linoone! Lin, lin!" ~I'm not afraid! Come on! Linny stood on her hind legs and gave her best intimidating shout, as the fires blazed up and scorched her.

"You can do it, Sleipnir. Get up, get up..." Sleipnir shook his head, and stood. While he rose, Anne called "Circle in and use Flame Charge again, Sleipnir!" He almost stumbled on his first few steps, but recovered and raced around Linny, the fire flowing behind him like a comet's tail. He slammed into Linny again, powering her all the way to the side of the arena. ~One more time...~ "Another Flame Charge, Sleipnir..." He raced around the arena, almost too fast for the eye to follow, and too fast for Linny dodge. Like a meteor sent to pass judgement on a doomed planet, his Flame Charge connected and exploded in a ball of fire.

"Li- linoooone!" ~No, dammit! Unbidden, Linny used the last of her strength to leap forwards in a Headbutt. But as the move hit, Sleipnir's mane and tail and all the flames surrounding Linny flared up again, swallowing up Linny and leaving her unconscious.

The prison guard refereeing the match saw this. "Halt! Victory goes to inmate B 101476!" She motioned for Anne to come over. The large woman stared at Anne several seconds before speaking again. "I should not even be telling you this, but it is tradition for inmates to face one of us guards every tenth victory." She searched Anne's eyes for any trace of fear or anxiety. "Double rations for a win, extra labor for a loss. And... we have not yet been defeated. I will see you here tomorrow, B 101476. Dismissed."

~They think they're too powerful to live among us? The mighty Aryans, so self-concerned, visionary and blind?~ "You will see me right now." Anne was faintly aware of the incredible stupidity of her request, but her more belligerent tendencies had taken over. "I'm not going away." ~Someone has to stand up to them.~

"...I shall, then. But the consequences will be doubled. When you lose, you will not stop working from the moment you rise until curfew." Dropping down from the observation platform, she walked over to the other side other the arena. ~I will waste no time.~ "Tyranitar, crush her!"

"Sleipnir, come back!" Anne hurriedly reached down to the belt and pulled out another ball. "I choose you, Calypso!" The beam of light shot out of the ball and fell to mid field, Calypso stainding there when it faded. She stood face to face with Tyranitar, a dinosaur-like Pokemon with pale green armor that grew into spikes on the back of its head and shoulders, and tail. There was a diamond shaped patch of steel blue hide on its belly, and four black triangle holes in the armor on its chest and knees. It towered over Calypso, standing more than twice her height at nearly seven feet tall.

"Tyranitar, Attack with Thrash!" With a roar, Tyranitar picked up Calypso and shook her before throwing her to the ground., throwing up a cloud of dust.

~Ah! Calypso!~ "Can you get up?"

"War... tortle tortle..." ~Yeah... but he's really strong. Calypso rolled over and stood.

"Now use Rain Dance!" Calypso nodded. She spun around once and swished her tail back and forth, then twirled in the other direction and raised her arms to the sky. A breeze ruffled Anne's hair, and as she looked up a stronger wind brought a dark storm cloud out of nowhere. As it blocked the sun, it unloaded a downpour of rain. ~The rain should heal her some...~

Tyranitar charged forwards, the rage unleashed by Thrash clouding his mind and forcing him to use the same attack. He reached to grab Calypso again, but only knocked her down. She skidded a few yards away on her shell and recovered, the now muddy ground lessening the impact.

"Go for Aqua Tail now, Calypso..." Anne wiped the water out of her eyes, and watched as Calypso's tail glowed light blue. She spun it around, and the rain seemed to fall down towards it in a spiral, more and more until jets of water twisted around it. Flipping over, she struck Tyranitar with her tail. The hit nearly toppled the titanic Pokemon. But Tyranitar came storming back to attack with Thrash once more, grabbing Calypso and rattling her before tossing her into the air. ~She's going to land hard... Wait! Maybe-~ "Calypso, get ready for Skull Bash!" Windmilling her limbs for a moment, Calypso tucked her head in and flipped right side up before landing.

~That brat will be punished for getting me wet.~ "Tyranitar, use Crunch! Go!"

Tyranitar shook his head, confused by the absence of the overwhelming rage he felt during Thrash. "Tyr? Tyran, ty." ~Huh? Crunch. Right. He lunged forwards, but in his confusion he didn't look where he was going and tripped in the mud, ending up Crunching down on his own arm as he fell. While he was pushing himself up, Calypso charged over and scored a headbutt right to the top of Tyranitar's skull. He roared and got up, a glare in his eyes that could split a boulder.

"Now! Stone Edge!" Tyranitar flung out its arms, and two circles of pointed stones faded in around it. They shot out and one hit Calypso, her shell chipping.

"Calypso...!" For a couple frightening seconds, Anne thought Calypso had been knocked out, until the Pokemon rose. "Could you try Water Pulse?" Calypso nodded, and raised its arms. A large globe of blue energy gathered between them, and Calypso hurled it at Tyranitar. The globe hits the ground at his feet, and exploded into a series of waves that crashed over Tyranitar.

The guard battling Anne had gotten soaked, too. ~Wretched Jew girl...~ "Tyranitar, attack with Stone Edge again!"

Tyranitar began using Stone Edge again, but his mind had been scrambled by the impact of the succession of waves. He flung out his arms once more, but his focus was off, and his attack's aim was himself- a few shards shattered on his foot. "Tar!"

"Use Aqua Tail, Calypso! Hurry!" Jumping up, Calypso twirled her tail and streams of water quickly spiraled around it. Falling from the zenith of her arc, Calypso twisted and swung her tail, smashing Tyranitar over the head and knocking him off his feet.

A roar came from the guard's side of the arena; Anne couldn't tell if it was Tyranitar or the guard herself. Perhaps both. "Tyranitar...! Hyper Beam!" A pulsing orange glow ran up the spikes on Tyranitar's back and neck, and a ball of intense yellow-orange energy slowly formed in Tyranitar's mouth.

~She's already healed a little from the rain, but-~ "Calypso, dodge and use another Aqua Tail, if you can..." As Anne spoke, Tyranitar fired its Hyper Beam. There was a flash of light, and the humongous beam of yellow-orange energy raced towards Calypso, seeming to shine from inside the fabric of the air. The time seemed to pass in slow motion. ~They're both worn out... so maybe the Hyper Beam is slower, or maybe Calypso will be too tired to dodge...~ In crystal clear focus, Anne watched the Hyper Beam approach Calypso. Three feet, two feet... Calypso was edging away but Anne couldn't look, and she closed her eyes. She heard an explosion, but at the sound of a wave crashing Anne opened her eyes- Calypso had managed to dodge and hit Tyranitar with Aqua Tail!

The mighty Pokemon was flat on its stomach, breathing heavily. The guard was also breathing heavily, her jaw clenched and her eyes bulging. "B 101476. Report to my office immediately." Without another word, she pivoted and left the arena.

-The Fuhrerbunker-

Jakob touched his ball belt. ~Growlie's ball, and there's Frosty's ball...~ Frosty was the Frozgar he'd caught their second trip to Snowpoint Temple; the one snared in the errant Master Ball he'd thrown their first trip there he gave to Ingrid. ~I should've done more research on the local Pokemon before the mission. There's no way we could've beaten a Pokemon like Frosty in that environment without planning ahead.~ He glanced to his left one more time, to see if Ingrid was carrying the case. ~Good...~

Ingrid rubbed the ornate trim of the case with her finger. ~It... is one of my proudest moments, to have thrown the Master Ball that caught Regigigas...~ She wiggled her fingers and curled them into a fist. ~I couldn't have done that just six weeks ago.~ She stayed silent, not wanting to potentially ruin the-

"Can't is the cancer of happen," Jakob said. "And we've finally healed. It feels wonderful, doesn't it Ingrid? Like you've got magic, poetry at your fingertips!"

Ingrid sighed. "Yes, it does. But remember we're still only agents of Team Rocket, and Regigigas is to be presented to the Fuhrer."

"Of course. But we have to enjoy the ride while we're on it."

~Really? It's no joy ride Mengele has us on.~ "The ride stops here for now." The duo had come to the war room door in the Fuhrerbunker. Ingrid raised her hand and knocked thrice. The room fell silent on the other side briefly, before the door opened. 'Twas Mengele behind it, and he nodded for them to enter. The generals and secretaries parted, revealing Hitler at the table. Jakob and Ingrid saluted him. "Hail Hitler!"

His blank stare reminded them of their previous failure. He sighed, his words coming out slowly. "You... embarrassed me in front of my children and the world... Servants do not disrespect their masters; that was the Austria I was raised in and the new era I hope to build." He continued to stare at them. "I provided for you in your hour of need, after such a failure as I've never seen before. How have you performed this time? Are there boogers in that box? A Jew's toenail clippings?"

"No, My Fuhrer." Jakob looked to Ingrid.

"My Fuhrer, we present to you the Golem King Regigigas." Ingrid stepped forwards and laid the Master Ball case on the table. She leaned over and pushed it towards Hitler, feeling Jakob's eyes on her as she did so.

The commander of the Third Reich removed his glasses and grasped the case. He gazed deep into its surface, as if reading a book. There was a feeling in the air almost like the box contained an ancient evil too powerful to tame, and all in the room held their breath as Hitler opened it. His expression shifted, as if there was a light shining on his face from the box...