I leaped onto the railing of Phenac City's wall. Michael entered the city, and panickedly ran towards the majestic Stadium. I ran after him, making sure to find and check off all Shadow Pokémon in the area. Some of them appeared to have gone missing, but I knew Michael had them. I arrived at the Stadium, to see Michael having defeated our operative in Phenac.
"Curses! Why-!"
"Enough, Snattle. You have done enough," I told him. I needed him gone.
"Ah! Yes… yes, I must go." Snattle fled the scene, very intimidated.
"Who are you, anyway?" Michael asked. The defensiveness of his stance got me worried.
"I am the Snagger. Don't worry. I took care of those corners of the city while you were out. The Shadow Pokémon are at the HQ Lab."
"Thank goodness." Michael was quite visibly relieved. I gave a sigh of relief on the inside.
"It was indeed more prudent to save the citizens. Now, if you don't mind, I'll take it from here. You should probably head north of here, to the S.S. Libra. There, you'll find some information."
"Also thank you."
"And then there's this." I leaned in, and brought Michael into a hug. I couldn't resist, being this close to Michael, and having him like me.
"Uh… thank you?" Michael was uncertain about it. I groaned on the inside. Too soon.
"You are the reason I'm in this thing. And you are kinda cute. Now… go. I can't accompany you too often!" I left the room to go and free the Phenac City residents.
"Well, Phenac City is all over." I told Eldes. He nodded approvingly.
"Well played, Ashley, but we can't stop for a break just yet. I need you to go to Eclo Canyon, and recruit Gonzap to your cause."
"Gonzap, Gonzap… head of Team Snagem, right?"
"Biggest pair of biceps I've ever seen. Michael will be getting into the Cipher Key Lair soon, and he'll need the bouncers KOed."
"Understood."
Recruiting Gonzap was an easy task. He was ready to execute revenge on Cipher. And when I mentioned Michael, he was twice as eager. He mentioned something about 'the kid's kid.' But which of Michael's parents was he referring to?
But we were too late by a smidgeon. Michael had already got there.
"Get lost!" one of the bouncers urged.
"Who's going to get lost?" Gonzap asked, stamping. At least we were on time here.
"Sorry I'm late, Michael. I had hoped to get these two buffoons down before you showed up," I said. Michael smirked.
"And I'm here to start making amends. I am ashamed of how I treated you father. I could never mend bridges with him… but I can mend bridges with you!" Gonzap said, bowing. So that was who the kid was.
The muscular man gave a large punch to both men, and they fell into the dark water surrounding the Lair. He smirked. But an alarm sounded, and countless Cipher Peons surrounded us four.
"I don't know about you, but…" I muttered. I sent out my Gardevoir and Milotic. Taking my idea, Michael sent out Springtime and Dusclops.
"Go boy!" Michael said. All hell broke loose. Michael and I prepared our Snag Machines, and chucked like mad. Between us, we saved Paras, Growlithe, Shellder, Pidgeotto, Beedrill, Tangela, Butterfree, Magneton, Venomoth, Weepinbell, and Arbok. We smiled, but that wasn't the last of our woes. A man appeared out of the building. A familiar one.
"Shut up! Why aren't you boys at the production line?"
"We beat every last one, monkey man!" I taunted. Gorigan hated being called a monkey.
…Monkey.
"Every last one? Now I'm steaming mad! Drop and give me 20!"
"Oh, it is on like Mankey Kong!" Michael said.
CIPHER ADMIN GORIGAN would like to battle!
CIPHER ADMIN GORIGAN sent out SEALEO and LAIRON!
SNAGGER MICHAEL sent out Springtime and DEWGONG!
Springtime used a Razor Leaf to damage the Sealeo. Before Gorigan could react, Dewgong used a Surf attack to maximize the damage, and take down Lairon in the meantime.
CIPHER ADMIN GORIGAN sent out URSARING and SLOWKING!
Springtime used a Razor Leaf to distract the Slowking. Gorigan had prepared for that. What he did not prepare for was the Scissor Cross right afterward. Dewgong tried an Ice Beam, which the Ursaring blocked.
CIPHER ADMIN GORIGAN sent out HYPNO!
Michael's eyes narrowed. Gorigan's Shadow Pokémon. He used a Scissor Cross on Ursaring, and a Signal Beam on the Hypno.
CIPHER ADMIN GORIGAN sent out PRIMEAPE!
Michael's eyes narrowed once more. Gorigan had two Shadow Pokémon. He prepared two Snag Balls, before his Snag Machine told him otherwise.
"Michael! Remember, you aren't the only one with a Snag Machine!" I jumped in. I prepared my own Snag Ball, and tossed it at the Primeape, and Michael the weakened Hypno. Both were caught.
SNAGGER MICHAEL defeated CIPHER ADMIN GORIGAN!
"Grr… I'll be taking you two down! Peons, grab them and lock them in the factory!"
"No no. No need to be so rash," a voice stated from behind us. An old man walked forward to us, accompanied by two shady men. One of them was Eldes.
"Wait, you three are familiar," Michael murmured.
"Yes. We met in Gateon Port. But I must have forgot to introduce myself. The name's Greevil, and I am the head of Cipher!"
"…Greevil…" I whispered. My stealth skills were being put to the test. Eldes shook his head. Silence. That was key.
"Girl, stay your tongue. We are talking only to Michael." That was rough, Eldes.
"Yes. Powerful as you might be, you are simply no match for Cipher."
"You do realise this girl will consider it a personal insult if Cipher Key Lair isn't turned to scrap metal by lunchtime, right?" Michael asked. I took that as my cue to do exactly that.
"A midnight deadline?" I asked Eldes.
"Father insisted on it. We will need courage to face this, and get Michael to the top of Citadark Isle."
I looked up.
"We will do this."
"That's the spirit, Ashley."
"Why do you even call me that?"
"It's your birth name. Now that you aren't a mindless goon for Cipher, it's about time you got it back."
"When you put it like that, thank you."