Chapter/Episode 2:

Enter Team Comet

The day was fair with a light breeze rolling in from the nearby sea was only slightly broken up by the trees. The loud sound of shouting and pokemon scattering in all directions could be heard of the rustling of the leaves easily.

"What do you mean my technique is sloppy!?" shouted Masatoshi at the little white and black Riolu with clenched fists. They stood in the middle of a forest clearing rather dirty and looking angry at one another.

The Riolu put up a finger and pointed at the scyther-morph with a growl as he shouted back, "Raien says you have potential but I don't believe him! You don't talk down to me boy I'm over twice your age!"

Masatoshi bore his teeth for a few moments as he threw up his hands. "How the hell am I supposed to work with a pokemon that's more stubborn than a Tauros!? If you're so smart why haven't you evolved yet huh," said the green bug type with venom in his words. He was only fifteen and honestly not quite ready to deal with a pokemon like Zaradel.

Zaradel's mouth fell open as he crossed his arms across his chest and looked away with a frown. The words had cut deep and he didn't feel the need to respond to such a childish attack though he would be lying if he said his pride hadn't taken a bit of a dent.

Frowning the Oginawa boy let out a sigh and put two fingers on his temples as he shook his head slowly, "Uhh... I'm sorry Zaradel... that was just mean. I guess we're both kinda stressed out. I'm sorry I decided to go into the Carelian without a map but I'm sure if we keep heading south we will get out of here and find Maridian town I promise!"

Zaradel didn't respond. He just stood there stoic and angry with his new trainer. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the wind in the trees as well as the occasional pokemon rustling through the leaves on the ground and the calls of the birds.

Shaking his head in exasperation the scyther spoke again, "Fine... be all quiet... I don't care anymore. All you ever do is spew nastiness out of your muzzle anyway ya little jerk!"

Turning to the south Masatoshi began to walk again and it took some time before Zaradel turned to follow him. He couldn't leave the scyther no matter how much he wanted to as he had made a promise to Raien that he would take care of the boy while he learned.

It was hours later and much darker before either of them spoke again. With the darkness came danger so Toshi built them a fire and set up their sleeping mats. Their last bit of pre packaged food was being cooked over the fire when Zaradel finally spoke, "You are a child... You have the potential to be great but potential is nothing without the proper focus. You need to learn these things before you really get yourself hurt. I made a promise to Raien that I would keep you safe but that doesn't mean I have to like you."

Toshi rolled his eyes and looked up to the canopy with a sigh, "I don't wanna talk about it Zaradel. Every time this comes up my father is brought up and I didn't even know the guy! Just be quiet or change the subject now. I wanna enjoy our last bit of food tonight okay... We will have to look for berry bushes as we walk tomorrow. I'm sure we are close though."

Zaradel shrugged slowly as he was handed a decent amount of the food and remained quiet as he ate the corned beef hash just starring into the fire for some time. It seemed that for the time being the both of them were content with being angry with one another. They even ended up sleeping angry.

The next morning came and they broke down camp quickly putting everything back into the backpack that Masatoshi carried on his back. They even began their hike south without a word. It was nearing noon when they both spotted a break in the trees. The two broke into a run and let out a sigh of relief as they saw Maridian town in the distance. This was their first stop on their trip.

"There it is! I told you if we kept going south we would make it!" shouted Toshi excited that they had finally found their way out of the forest.

Zaradel simply rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest, "It woulda been a lot easier if you hadn't wasted all of our pokeballs trying to catch weedles and caterpies from the trees. I've never seen anyone miss that many times before..."

Masatoshi had nearly had it with the little Riolu already and that was pushing him over the edge, "Yeah well I didn't see you stepping up to help at all! Isn't that how it's supposed to work!? We work together!"

The Riolu turned to look up at the scyther and growled again, "Maybe if you weren't such an idiot it wouldn't be so hard to help you but I don't know what you're going to do next! You're completely unpredictable!"

"Well maybe I like being that way so no one can ever guess what my next move is going to be! It's a valid stratagy," shouted Toshi in frustraition.

Zaradel rolled his eyes and pointed up at the scyther, "Or completely useless when you want to actually work together! How am I supposed to know what you are going to do next and help you when all you ever do is rush in without second guessing anything!? Being a pokemon trainer isn't just about you!"

The scyther morph crossed his arms across his chest with a deep frown as he looked away, "You know it would be a lot easier to work with you if you weren't such a jerk... I'm starting to think professor Diam hocked you off on me because he couldn't stand you anymore."

The tiny Riolu couldn't take it anymore. Turning quickly, he drove his paw forward and leapt at the scyther with his hackles raised driving that paw into Masatoshi's chest. Toshi stumbled backwards holding his chest and panting hard with a growl.

"Oh so you wanna talk that way huh!? Fine," Shouted Masatoshi as tried to take a step forward but his muscles felt like jelly. He stumbled forward and looked up helplessly at the Riolu that was smirking at him, "The... hell did you do to me!?"

"You're paralyzed you idiot... Why do I even try sometimes... Raien was completely wrong about you. You're a complete halfwit," replied Zaradel as he folded his arms across his chest.

A female voice broke the quiet, "Tsk tsk... You two should be getting along so much better. For shame seeing trainers act like this..."

Slowly the Plusul stepped out of the treeline with a grin on her face. She was a tall woman, nearly six feet, with long red hair done into a pony tail and a white belly length shirt with a the decal of what looked like a comet falling from the sky upon it. Her paws and feet were adorned with black leather. The feet in the form of high heeled boots and the paws in the form of gloves.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Shouted Masatoshi still trying to recover his numb body.

"To destroy the world's surplus population." Said the Plusul girl as she winked and was joined by a Minun man in the same uniform, minus the high heels. His hair was short cropped and green in color which matched his eyes.

"To bring forth from the ashes a new nation." Came the voice of the male as he grinned.

"To denounce the truth and embrace the night." Replied the girl.

"To extend our fist with all our might," Said the male as he stuck what looked like a black rose behind his ear.

"Ambercrombie."

"Fitch."

The two seemed to have rehearsed for some time as the next part came in unison, "Team comet crashing in with explosive might! Surrender now or be blotted out with the light." The two electric types struck a pose as a little pink skitty hopped between them with a V using her first and second fingers on her paw, "Skit..ty!"

Zaradel and Masatoshi looked to each other for some time in complete silence not really sure what to make of what they just witnessed. It was a few moments before they started laughing and shaking their heads.

Zaradel held his little gut and put up a paw, "You've got to be kidding me... You two watch way to many cartoons."

The plusul and Minun frowned as they put their hands on their hips, "We'll be the ones laughing in the end you little twit," Said Fitch with a grin on his face, "you're nothing without your trainer anyway!"

Toshi's eyes went wide as he tried to get up. What the hell did they want with him!? His body simply would not respond as he cried out, "Zaradel help me out here!"

Zaradel got down into a fighting stance with a growl, "I don't like you but like hell am I letting them get away with you! Raien would be furious with me after all."

Team Comet was quicker than expected throwing a pair of pokeballs behind Zaradel and having their bright light reveal a Sviper and Gulpin That quickly grabbed Raien and began to run off while the Plusul and Minun rushed Zaradel. Toshi's cries for help were getting quieter as he was dragged away.

The Riolu was confused as to which way he should go and without direction it seemed he was at a loss. His mind went strait into self preservation and he put his paws up enduring the attacks from the electric types as they attempted to tackle him and were knocked back, "Just because I'm small doesn't mean I'm weak," shouted Zaradel as he closed his eyes and put his paws by his side gathering a great deal of power between them. He opened his eyes suddenly as a massive focus blast hit both of the Team Comet member sending them back into the woods.

Turning quickly Zaradel tried to see where they had taken Toshi only to see the Maridian shining in the distance and his trainer nowhere to be seen. Panic began to grow in his little heart as he knew things were only going to get harder now. The white and black pokemon began running towards the city at full speed. He had to find his trainer before anything could come of the situation Raien would never forgive him and he wasn't about to be the one to tell Hikari the news.

Toshi had been knocked out cold by the gulpin and only came too in a dark room. His eyes took some time to adjust as he looked around. All he could really see was what was lighted by a single suspended light above his head. Just cement floor and the outlines of a few boxes. The light was hot making him sweat bullets as the silence sank in.

The green insect type wiggled in the chair finding himself locked into the armrests and his legs attached to those of the chair. He was a prisoner of people he didn't even know and had no idea why they would want him. He had no concept of what time it was and no idea what had happened to Zaradel but at least he could feel his body.

"Anyone!? Can you hear me!? Help," Came the cries of the boy but he was just met with silence. It was some time before he heard the sound of boots and arguing above him. The muffled voices couldn't be made out no matter how hard he listened.

Toshi whimpered and bit his lip as he started to shake with fear. What were they going to do with him? What had they done to Zaradel? Would someone find him? So many unanswered questions racing through the mind of the bug type as all he could hear was the muffled sounds of shouting and the clopping of boots on the wood floor above.

After some time there was a small bit of light and only the outline of something lithe and fuzzy could be seen for a moment before it closed the door behind it and the sound of boots on the steps could be heard. They stood just outside of Toshi's vision for some time before speaking softly in a deep masculine voice, "So you some how managed to grab a rare and powerful pokemon I hear. And here I thought after your defeat by Andrew we would be rid of you. You're more resourceful than I thought."

Toshi spit at the direction of the voice only to feel a whiff of wind and the voice was laughing behind him as a pair of strong paws rested on his shoulders making him afraid again, "What do you want from me," was all the nervous and terrified tamer could say.

The chuckle returned from the darkness but that was all that could he heard. Looking down at his shoulder the bug type saw white paws with large black claws tipping each finger. He shivered as they gripped a bit tighter and stuck against his armor plates slightly. The voice returned seeing Toshi's fear speaking softly into the scyther's ear, "You're right to be afraid... you've gotten yourself involved in something you should have walked away from boy."

Toshi shook his head quickly and shouted, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about! Who are you and why am I here!?" The green armored teen started fighting at his bindings around actually making the chair hop a bit which made the paws on his shoulders force themselves down painfully hard. He grit his teeth and let out a yelp and a whine, "Just... let me go... I won't tell anyone..."

The white paws were removed from his shoulders and suddenly the trainer's vision was filled with bright lights and pain. They had hit him in the back of the head hard but not enough to knock the scyther out. He gave out a yelp and began to have tears form in the corners of his eyes as the voice returned from the darkness, "We can't have you going anywhere until our plans are finished... We are the son's and daughters of ADAM. Perfection... You can't hope to stop us but we can't let you have the chance little fly. You're the mosquito that is buzzing around our ears and it's quiet annoying. You see we would have picked you up earlier if you hadn't gotten yourself lost in those woods."

Masatoshi swallowed hard still reeling from the hit to the back of his head. The world was spinning and the words were like they were being spoken through some sort of barrier. It took time to decipher their meaning but once he had he spoke softly, "I don't know what you're talking about... I just want to compete in the league... that's all... I'm just a nobody trainer!"

Finally the form of a completely white Zangoose stepped into the light and Toshi's mind stopped spinning. He remembered that one but from where? It took a moment before he flashed back to just after the bicycle race and the black scizzor standing next to the man in front of him, "Y...You're the guy from the contest," was all the dazed Toshi could say.

"An astute observation young Oginawa. Your father was a much better man that you but your shadow is beginning to grow. After you beat Andrew in that race we had our eyes on you... and then you had the audacity to actually strike him not once but twice. A son of ADAM himself! Have you no brain between your ears insect," Said the zangoose questioningly as he started to pace and tap his chin with one of his claws.

Toshi was sweating hard as he shook his head trying to regain consciousness completely as he watched the Zangoose for some time. With a yelp the scyther tried to pull back as the Zangoose put his paws on the arms of the bug type and gripped tightly with his face in Toshi's own, "I'm Joshua, though you won't be needing to know that. I want to know one thing and that's why I am here in your cell... How in the world did you withstand Andrew's attack... you even withstood my own. What is it that makes you so special?"

The trainer shook his head as tears were streaming down his face. He was terrified of this man and there was nothing he could do to get away or even fight back. Toshi's voice was strained as he spoke through his sobbing, "I don't know... Raien said it was my genes... I don't know what's going on please just let me go... I promise I won't get in your way... Just let me go..."

Joshua leaned in closer as his grin grew even larger at the sobbing and he ran a claw down Toshi's cheek with a soft chuckle, "You're never getting out of here..."

Zaradel ran through the streets of Maridian city looking desperately for any sign of Toshi. He stopped a group of pedestrians but they knew nothing. Panic began to grow as the sun was starting to set and the street lamps began to be the only source of light. Exhausted and exasperated the Riolu sat on a curb and buried his face in his paws.

His mind wandered over the possibilities of what people like those two he had knocked away would do to Toshi. He was just a boy, nothing like his father had been. The black and white jackal was starting to regret the things he had said. It wasn't fair for him to be so critical of Toshi. The bug type had lived a sheltered life in town with his mother and didn't have the experience outside where real dangers lurked around every corner. It was ignorance not stupidity.

With a deep sigh Zaradel stood himself up only to look up at a brown eyed skitty morph wearing a police uniform on a bike. She gave the Riolu a cheerful smile before looking concerned, "What's wrong there little guy? You look upset."

The Riolu looked up blankly at the woman for some time before speaking softly, "My trainer was dragged off by a couple of people in uniforms and I can't find him. He was kidnapped..."

The Skitty's eyes went wide as she put a paw to her mouth and shook her head, "Oh dear! That's just awful! Here little guy I'll help you out. I'm officer Jenny, sheriff of Meridian city. Here hop in the basket up front and we'll head to the station. I'm sure we can figure out where your friend is from there."

Zaradel folded his arms across his chest and looked away quickly as he bit his lower lip nervously. He had trust issues when it came to morphs and he wasn't sure what to do. The Riolu knew this was his only real chance to find his friend, he would have to go along with the request. Hopping up into the basket he gave a quick nod, "Quickly... I have no idea what they would have done with him."

Jenny kicked the bike into the gear and began peddling as quickly as she could making her way through the darkening streets as quickly as her bike could take them. Zaradel watched the city lights absentmindedly as he remained within his own head. He'd failed greater than Masatoshi ever had in the forest. How could he ever say anything about Toshi again? He had been trying his hardest as a young age to keep them both safe. He had seen the worry in the child's eyes and now he had let him down completely.

"Hey we're here... you can get out. You okay," came the voice of the skitty making Zaradel snap out of his daze completely and look up. He realized they had been stopped for at least a minute now as he had been daydreaming. With a slight blush of embarrassment he nodded and jumped out of the little basket looking up at the police headquarters.

The two made their way into the precinct and then into one of the crime labs. Jenny sat down in front of a computer with a nod all the while Zaradel looked about curiously. It was almost like one of Raien's labs. Computers all over and lots of desks. The forensics equipment was new to him but all in all it felt like home. He could only really offer a small and weak smile at the feeling.

"What's their name? Your trainer that is," Said Jenny snapping Zaradel's attention back to her.

Zaradel spoke softly in reply, "Masatoshi Oginawa from Olivine town."

Jenny gave a nod as she entered the information and a soft smile appeared on her face, "It seems like your kidnappers are very inexperienced. Your friend is listed on the national pokedex list of trainers. It seems his pokemiter is also equipped with a tracking device. We can find him in a few minutes as the satalites align."

Turning in her swivel chair the skitty looked to the Riolu with a concerned look on her face, "Hey it's going to be okay... it's not your fault. I'm sure you did everything you could to save him."

Zaradel clenched his fists and shook his head, "I... We had a fight before and... He was paralyzed. It was my fault. I'm sure if the both of us were able to fight we could have taken them on." The white and black riolu actually had tears in his eyes as he recalled what had happened, "It's my fault all of this happened... I'm not fit to be a partner pokemon to anyone."

Jenny frowned slightly and responded quickly, "Hey hey hey! You didn't drag your friend off. You had a little fight, friends do that. It's not your fault those people showed up when they did. You gotta stop trying to take responsibility for things that aren't your fault little... I'm sorry I don't have your name."

Zaradel shook his head and looked down at his footpaws, "I'm Zaradel... I used to be one of professor Diam's pokemon but he gave me to Toshi a few weeks ago after the event in Olivine..."

Jenny quirked a brow and looked back to the computer as she spoke softly, "I knew that boy looked familiar. He was the one that got beaten by the no good Andrew Montague." She nodded and crossed her arms across her chest before speaking again, "his father went missing in the cinnabar archipelago a long time ago... poor kid. I'm sure professor Diam saw something in the Oginawa boy. He's a very intelligent man."

Zaradel nodded and looked down ashamed, "I said things I shouldn't have... Toshi is just a child setting out on his first adventure and I criticized him on everything. It was wrong of me to do that.... Now he alone and afraid..."

Jenny reached down and patted the Riolu on the head softly. "Hey... We all say things we regret sometimes. You can say you are sorry when we find him alright? I'm sure it will," Jenny was interupted by a beeping from the computer as a little dot appears on the map of the city, "we found him! He's in the industry district. Lets go and get your friend back okay!?"

Zaradel hopped up quickly and started running for the door before she finished, "Lets go then!"

Toshi grit his teeth as blood poured from his muzzle and his eye was red around the iris. He was bruised all over and it looked like a few of his back teeth were knocked out. The Zangoose was laughing as he cracked his knuckles now covered in the Scyther's blood, "Still think they are coming for you Toshi? No one's going to save you... I hear Ambercombe and Fitch found you paralyzed by your own pokemon. I'll bet he's run off now."

Tears streaming down his face Masatoshi looked up swollen and beaten but still with a fiery determination in his eyes as a slight beep could be heard from his jeans, "They found me... They are probably coming here right now to find me... I know who you are as well Joshua. You'll pay for this."

Joshua's eyes went wide as he growled and reached into Toshi's pocket quickly pulling out a working pokemiter, "This... FITCH! AMBER!" Shouted the zangoose as the door to the basement opened quickly and the two electric types were silhouetted in the light. Toshi could see them nursing wounds and couldn't help but smirk. Zaradel had given them hell.

"You didn't take his emiter off of him you idiots!? Now the cops know where we are and are sure to be coming here now! It's too early to be caught! Light the place up and get everyone out! We'll be having a nice long sit down when this is over your blumbering idiots," shouted Joshua as he tossed the pokemiter into Toshi's lap, "Enjoy the fireworks while you can kid... Nice knowin ya. Say hi to your pops for me."

Laughing the Zangoose ran up the stairs before sticking a rag into the top of a bottle and lighting it. He smirked tossing it at the boxes on the far wall setting the room ablaze. He winked to the scyther and slammed the door behind him. Toshi started to panic as he struggled harder than ever in his bindings and only ended up falling over in the chair as he cried out for help.

Tears streamed down his face as the flames showed the room to be full of boxes and nothing to break him free. He was going to burn to death soon if no one got here in time. The boots on the upper floors told him this was most likely a major base of operations and small explosions could be heard as different sections of the building were caught ablaze. They certainly knew how to cover their tracks.

Zaradel's heart sank as he saw the smoke in the distance. Rounding the corner Jenny and he gasped seeing the building they knew Toshi to be in completely engulfed in flames. Skidding to a stop outside of the warehouse Jenny reached for her radio and shouted into it, "We need a water team to 5502 Dialga drive immediately. A major fire is endangering the life of a kidnapped pokemon trainer!"

The riolu couldn't wait for that. He ran at the building even as Jenny noticed and shouted for him to stop. Finding a window that had been broken open the black and white leapt through it grabbing what remained of the curtains and stomping out the flame he wrapped it around his muzzle, "Toshi!? Toshi where are you," came his muffled cries as he began to navagate the inferno. The heat was intense and pitfalls were everywhere, from falling beams to weakened floor sections.

Walking down the smoke dark hallway of the back section of the warehouse Zaradel found himself coughing as the smoke invaded his lungs and stung like a thousand beedrill. He couldn't give up, he knew Masatoshi wouldn't have yet and he wasn't about to either. Slowly making his way through the rooms he finally found a passaged downwards. Kicking open the door he was greeted with more smoke and fire.

Leaping through the flames he saw Masatoshi passed out on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. Zaradel quickly ran to his fallen trainer and began to bite and scratch at the metal holding the scyther to the chair. After a few moments of failure he stood up and began to focus. He had to pull this off right or he would hurt Toshi even more.

Finally he threw a focus blast that reduced the chair into splinters and he was able to free the unconscious Toshi. He tried to heft the boy onto his shoulders but he was so small he could only drag him along. Blackened with soot and coughing at the smoke and intense heat the riolu realized that the situation was impossible. He wasn't going to be able to carry Toshi out of the building by himself.

The door frame collapsed into a pile of billowing flame and splinters. Zaradel began to panic again looking around for any sort of escape route. It was then he got an idea. He grabbed Masatoshi and quickly dragged him under the cement stairs. He then began pulling the non burning boxes to the cubby to try and close them inside. There was help on the way and if he could fight off the flames long enough they could be saved. After pulling the last of the boxes close he sealed them inside and rested against Toshi with a frown.

Doubt was still heavy in Zaradel's head that they would make it out of here alive. It was dark and hot still but at least they had some clean air for now. The riolu took off the makeshift mask and did his best to cover Toshi's mouth and nose sending the black and white into a coughing fit as the unfiltered hot air hit his lungs. Better me than him was all that was going through his mind as he finally passed out from lack of clean air and his own exertion.

Muffled voices filled Toshi's black world as he felt the warmth of a healing table. Shouts for various medical supplies were starting to become more and more prevalent. His eyes flicked open for a moment as he heard shouting but he seemed to be having trouble finding the strength to keep them open.

"Nurse Joy the Oginawa boy is responding," Shouted one of the nurses making Toshi reach for his head with a groan. He was still quite sore but at least he was a little healed up from the encounter. Finally he was able to open his eyes seeing a bright light above him. He was confused as to where he was and a little panicked.

A blissy looked down at him with a frown on her face as she spoke, "Masatoshi Oginawa? That's your name right? Do you know where you are? I'm Nurse Joy. We found you in a warehouse tonight with your pokemon. You're lucky to be alive. If it weren't for your pokemon you wouldn't have made it."

Toshi took some time before the words began to register in his mind. He coughed hard a few times and Joy put a handkerchief over his mouth to catch the nasties the were thrown out. Trying to sit up Toshi was pushed back down into the bed by the blissy, "No no. We can't have you up and about yet. You went through something horrible... The police would like to question you but I won't let them in until you are fully recovered okay?"

The scyther laid back into the bed and gave a little nod as his voice came out as nothing more than a horse rasp, "Zaradel?"

Turning her head to the smaller bed next to Toshi she nodded, "He's better off than you right now but I wouldn't wake him. Pokemon don't do well being woken up suddenly. Jenny said he was genuinely afraid for your wellbeing, something about a fight you two had an how he regretted it."

Toshi nodded slowly as he looked to the sleeping Riolu and reached his hand out a little surprised at the IV in his arm but still he was able to softly place his hand on Zaradel's own, "I guess I owe you one now..." He gripped the paw softly as he didn't have much strength at all.

Zaradel's eyes slowly flicked open as he looked to Toshi and gave a little nod from his place on the bed as he returned the grip. They had bonded closer than ever before after what had happened. It wasn't guilt or worry that brought them together. They knew that between them they would risk their lives for one another. Friends until the end.

To be Continued