Chapter 14

Torn

Late that night, in the Lilycove City jail in Hoenn, the cells of Archie, Maxie, and Shelly were opened, with a note in each cell: "Re-form Team Rocket." They also found changes of clothes in all three cells. The three escaped the prison without anyone noticing, as no one had ever escaped from the Lilycove prison before. The three of them agreed that to rejoin Team Rocket, because whoever set them free obviously knew all about them and wanted them as Team Rocket members.

"We need to find Tabitha," Maxie said. "He went off with that girl, but I'm sure we can get him to join us again."

The next day, the three Team Rocket members went to the Lilycove City Department Store in an attempt to blend into the crowd. They then saw Winona, Wallace, Flannery and Tabitha shopping.

"I had a feeling that he'd be here," Maxie said.

Maxie walked up to Tabitha and pulled him aside.

"What happened to you?" Tabitha asked.

"I was in jail, you idiot!" Maxie said. "Look, we need you to rejoin us, as Team Rocket."

"I thought we were Team Magma," Tabitha said.

"We were, but not anymore," Maxie said. "If you don't join us, we'll blacklist you and that girl too."

"Can't I take her with me?" Tabitha asked.

"Not if you want us to succeed," Maxie said.

"Oh… all right," Tabitha said.

Tabitha walked back over to Flannery.

"Flannery, I've got to take care of some business… it's a job I've taken," Tabitha said. "I'll be gone for a little while… I don't know how long yet, but I'll return."

"Okay," the naïve Flannery said.

Tabitha had inner conflict about whether to stay with Flannery or to go with Team Rocket, and whether to do good or evil. In the end, though, his fear for Flannery's safety won out, and he chose not to upset Maxie, whom he knew would attempt to exact revenge.

"What was that?" Winona asked Flannery.

"Tabitha just left… he said he had some sort of job to do," Flannery said.

"Interesting," Wallace said. "This is the guy who was with one of those evil teams, right?"

"Right," Flannery said.

"I saw on the news today that three former Team Rocket members escaped from the Lilycove jail last night," Wallace said.

Flannery gasped. "He's gone evil again!" she said. She then ran through the crowd, trying to find Tabitha, but it was of no use. Team Rocket had left Lilycove City altogether, as they attempted to find a way to Kanto and find a way to realize what was going on with Team Rocket on the whole.

"Flannery!" Winona said, catching up to her.

"He's gone," Flannery said, beginning to cry.

"You could never have trusted a guy from an evil organization," said Wallace.

"That guy was shady," Winona said. "I'm sure you'll find someone who truly loves you."

"I thought he did…" Flannery said, crying.

Meanwhile, Sabrina was feeling strange feelings about the news report on the escape of three former Team Rocket members at Lilycove City. The fact that no one knew how they were released was something that her mind couldn't stop thinking about. She had the feeling that there was another Team Rocket member using the Anti-Silph Scope Will had told her about, but she couldn't figure out who it could be.

Liza was still acting very strange, too. She only wanted to "play" by throwing around Jessie, James and Meowth psychically, which Sabrina put to an end by having her Mr. Mime put a Barrier around Liza's room to prevent her from escaping and wreaking havoc. The Barrier was teleport-proof.

Will came over to Sabrina's house that day, a Saturday, knowing that Sabrina's mind was troubled.

"I know you're worried about two things: that Team Rocket escape in Hoenn and Liza," Will said.

"That's correct," Sabrina said. "I don't know what to do about these things. I didn't think Liza would get herself into the same sort of trance I did, and I don't know how to find and stop a ghost."

"Have you ever heard of Shirona?" Will asked.

"Yes," Sabrina said. "A psychic who lives far away."

"We need to ask her," Will said. "She's very powerful, maybe the most powerful psychic. If we combine our psychic powers, we could come up with some sort of cure for Liza, and maybe a way to catch ghosts."

Sabrina bristled at the thought that there was a more powerful psychic than herself. "I don't think we need her help," Sabrina said.

"A little jealous, aren't you?" Will said.

"Jealous? Of what?" Sabrina asked angrily.

"Of her power," Will said.

"I'm more powerful than her!" Sabrina said. "I'll prove it to you!"

"First, you must teleport to the land of Sinnoh and get to come here," Will said.

"You really need to learn how to teleport," Sabrina said. "It's not that hard."

"Is that what you told Liza to get her into a trance?" Will asked, a bit upset.

Sabrina ignored Will's response. Focusing her mind on the far-off land of Sinnoh, her eyes turned blue. Then, in a flash, she disappeared.

"I have a bad feeling about what's going to happen," Will sighed.