Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. They belong to Game Freak and Nintendo. The songs I reference here belong to their respective artists as well. With that out of the way, please enjoy this piece of fanfiction.

Catherine was lying on her bed, sleeping. The screen mounted on her right wall was displaying a television show called: "Tiny Chefs". That had not been what she was watching before fallen sleep, mind you. It was actually a show about Essal's history. She had happed to doze off after hearing about the first part of the Apocalypse war.

A "contestant" of the show, an Oshawott wearing a blue apron, was putting a gourmet dish on the table for three fully evolve Pokémon judges. One Gothitelle, a Serperior and a Braviery in the middle. The Braviery opened his mouth and let the Gothitelle used her Psychic to pick up a piece of food and dropped it inside. The flying type chewed and swallow while the Oshawott was watching nervously. The Braviery gave his straight face and said. 'Do you know what I'm about to say to you?'

'It's good?' The Oshawott said, sounded like a female.

'No' He said, making the Oshawott head immediately drop. 'It is F*bleep* awesome. Cue the fireworks mother*bleep*ers, we got a winner.' He threw both his wings up in the air, pushing the two other Pokémon out of their chairs.

The ground behind him and the other judges opened up two trapdoors. From there, a large quantity of firework was shot up. The Bravery extended his wings and flew up. He then yelled some more of those gibberish screaming, a few of which were overlapped with censored bleeps. The firework reached the sky and exploded, filling the background with various colors and chain of loud nasty booming sound. The combination of both the screaming and firework was so loud that it woke Catherine up.

'Oh fuck!' Catherine said before rolling down from her bed with her sheet. Her head hit the floor with a clank. She felt dizzy and a sharp pain began to fade in her head. Without looking, she immediately curled up like a fist and covered her head with her hands, eyes still shut tight. When the fireworks stopped, she opened her eyes and saw the wrinkled sheet and the drawer beside her bed. Catherine released her grip on her head and recollected her thoughts. She reminded herself that she was not in the Outlands anymore. She was inside the living quarters of the Delta base. The sound of explosions she had heard was nothing more but the recorded sound of firework went off somewhere and some other time and was definitely not came from some bandit attack. Catherine rubbed her hands around her forehead, easing the aftermath of the fall. 'God fucking damn it!' She got the sheet off of her and stood up from the cold floor. The next thing she did was shutting the screen off.

(The song "Do the evolution" by Pearl Jam begins to play)

Chesterization proudly presents.

A Pokémon fanfiction

Genesis

(Song ends)

Chapter 6: Alone once again.

Catherine walked out of her room and while popping her knuckles. The sound they made was not the same as usual. It seemed weaker and more tiring. And sounded more like violent cracking than popping. It was possibly caused by the bruises from the previous day, which were still there. Laying on and in between her knuckles like lumps of coal wrapped under her skin. Catherine flashed her teeth briefly. Both from biting down the pain and hiding a chuckle from a memory. (That thing's face was fucking priceless) Mercy had suggested some medicine and wrapping those knuckles under some bandages the day before. But of course, Catherine refused.

She looked around. The main room was empty, there was the sound of glass came in contact with each other somewhere in the kitchen. The curve TV in the living room was still on. That odd screen shape somehow made the moving image of a classical concert extremely lifelike. However, the sound came from the speakers was tone down and rather hard to hear, like background noises. The dinner table in the middle had two empty plates on it. One was still covered with leftover orange sauce, the other had a few empty vials. Something that Catherine began to grow accustom to. From behind the kitchen counter, Mercy stood up with a purple jar in her hand. The Audino saw Catherine and said with a cheerful smile: 'Good morning, Catherine.'

Catherine saluted her. 'Morning. Where are the others?'

Mercy laid down the jar on the counter and walked to the table. 'Well, Doc are working on some machines, as usual. He said he was going to make a break through today. He always says that as well. Rick is probably helping some of his workers "buddies". And Axel. He is doing some assignments with his lady friend, I believe.' She paused and then asked Catherine. 'So how are you feeling today?'

Shook her head once, trying to get herself awake and then responded. 'Like any other day, not so fucking great.'

'Well, on the bright side you have a nice long nap isn't it?'

'I doubt that.' She massaged the back of her head.

Mercy took the two empty plates and turned around. 'What time did you went to bed last night?'

'I don't know, late.' She yawned.

'Sit down and we'll have a chat over breakfast. That should wake you up. Are you fine with it?'

'Sure, why the fuck not?'

'Alright, please, give me a moment.' Mercy said from the kitchen counter. 'Toast or regular bread?' She asked.

'Pick whatever, I don't mind.' Catherine said before getting herself a chair and sat down. Rested her elbow on the table, and hands caught her heavy head, she looked at the wall. The black moving numbers imprinted on it said 10:32 AM. If she was still in the Outlands, waking up around that hour would definitely get her killed, horribly. She could probably wake up and see herself by hanging upside down with two nails pierced through her feet and died by blunt force trauma from being beaten with a metal stick, which happened to be covered with spikes. She rubbed her temple, easing a mild headache and get that unpleasant mental image away. "Fuck whoever the fuck that Braviery was." she grumbled in her head. She then put her arms on the table and rested her head on them, trying to get a quick nap. A clink made her raised her head up. A plate completely occupied with a sandwich had been placed in front of her.

'Berry jam sandwich. It is relatively small but should give you enough energy for today. Eat up dear.'

She looked at it, but didn't feel like putting it in her mouth. Hell she didn't even wanted to lift it up. She hate it when all the sudden, her body just felt useless and tired. If she had some sleep the night before, she wouldn't feel this way. Suddenly, she regretted punching that Genesect in the first place. But at the same time didn't. "Its face was still fucking priceless." The thought brought back some amusement in her head. However, there was indeed a price for that face, and that price was a night of her knuckles constantly screaming: "You shouldn't have done that!" in form of waves after waves of pain signals flooding her head. As a result, she had to desperately trying to drown their voices with the sound of a few historical documentaries. And even that took the entire marathon of those things to make her exhausted enough to sleep. She didn't know what worse, the pain or the fact that she had to sit through those boring programs.

It was true that the voice in her could do more than just give her unnecessary companionship. It could healed the broken skins and lost muscles on her knuckles in an instance but the clogged up blood and pieces of cracked bones pinning on the nerves in her hands, those got to take a while. "I could have made all the pain go away in a blink of an eye, if you allow me to help you" That tempting voice was there, among the sea of pain signals.

Realized that she had just staring at her plate blankly. Catherine recalled the conversation with Mercy and answered her. 'Enough for what? No mission today. Everyone else had left. And most assignments are stupid anyway. And I don't need money since I don't shop. So.' She stopped and punched herself in the jaw. 'Ugh, I do getting lazy.'

Mercy placed another plate with an identical sandwich on her side of the table and sat down.

'No, you just need some rest that's all. You can sleep for a bit before tackling the day. 'Mercy then picked her sandwich up and took a small bite. 'Better late than never.'

'Yeah, maybe.'

'Were those injuries gave you a hard time last night?' Mercy asked.

Catherine nodded and looked away, her pride refused to let her call them injuries with her mouth. She had a mindset that said: "If something that is small enough to be covered with a bitch sticker (that's her way to call bandages), it is not an injury."

'Don't be like that, dear. It nothing be a shame of. Pain is a natural condition, it happened to everyone. Just acknowledge that they are there. As for those knuckles, it happens quite often here. A misconception that the healing serum could fix everything, so a lot of agents have the tendency to punch something that should be handled with some other means, like bullets. The serum doesn't make you invincible so please be careful. I hope I don't sound too preachy when I say these words.'

Catherine faced her again. 'So, what is your recommendation for these then?' Catherine then grabbed her sandwich and took a large bite. It has a sweet and slightly sour taste. She can crunched a small piece of berry while chewing. And the sweet juice flowed on her tongue in each bite. The bread was different then usual. It was softer and had some hidden taste to it. Overall, this sandwich was the best of its kind that Catherine had ever eaten.

'That's rather difficult. I don't have any medication or treatment for them at this state.' She pointed at Catherine black bruises. 'Most medications I could give would mellow you down as side effects. That is something you wouldn't want to happen to a Foundation agent. For now, just let them recover naturally. You look like the kind of Pokémon that could handle some levels of discomfort.'

'I have slept in an empty bombshell that was impossible to lay down or sit straight up so I can handle that.'

'Yes, but don't act like you are invulnerable. Having higher endurance can only hold out to certain extend. As for the future, you let me examine and treat your injuries immediately, okay? No matter how big or small they are to you.' Mercy then took another small bite of her sandwich.

'I'll reconsider it.' Catherine then took the final bite, or rather stuffed the rest the sandwich into her mouth and stood up. She swallowed and said. 'Yeah, I think I'll go somewhere, do something now.'

'You don't want to rest up first?' Mercy said.

'I hate laying in one spot while others work. Always makes me feel like a fucking idiot. You made this sandwich for me, I hate to see it go to waste with me sleeping. I just hate owning favors from Pokémon.'

Mercy laughed. 'It's just a sandwich, dear. You don't have to put it that way. But if there is a favor I could ask you, can you please lower your use of profanity around me? I am not to too fond of them.'

'No promises but I'll try.' Catherine said before straightened her coat and made her way to the door. As her hand laid on the control panel. Mercy quickly get to the kitchen counter in urgency. 'Hold up dear.' Mercy said before taking a sport bottle contained blue liquid out of the fridge.

'A special kind of berry juice just for you. You need to stay hydrated in the Outland. It's good for your body and your metal state in general.' She then tossed it at Catherine, who caught it with her right hand.

'Pfff, Yeah right. But, thanks anyway.' She let out a small smile at the corner of her mouth and deconstructed to bottle and its content.

'Have a wonderful day, dear.' Mercy waved at Catherine once and return to quietly eat her breakfast. Catherine turned around, hand did the salute gesture and opened the door.

Catherine took the elevator to the ground floor. No one seemed to use the elevator at that hour, and the walkway to the entrance were left empty with the exception of machines that keep the checkpoints running. It took quite some time to get through all the custom and head to the auto double door.

Catherine exited the Living quarters and head to the bus station located a few yards away. She tried remembering the route she and Axel had taken from before. She felt thankful that she had briefly looked at the number of the bus just before it left. But was it 86, or was it 68? For just switching the two numbers in her head, she started to ask a numbers of questions and created a few simulation in her head. However, her mind decided to end all the pointlessness by saying: "Just read the fucking board." Catherine saw the station along with the hologram board. Very few Pokémon was there today. She teleported to the board and read it. She felt thankful once again for there was only number 86, 72, 03, and 32 on that board. She got behind the line of Pokémon and waited. What happened next was pretty expectable. She got the bus, took a seat by the window, watching the sights she had seen at least twice while it get her to the destination on the hologram board. After a while, she got off from the bus and made her way to the Assignment center.

At the center, all the doors and window had been shut tight with those dull grey metal shutters. A few agents were standing outside. All were gathering in front of a hologram board it seemed. There were chatters surrounding the area. Random talks: 'Third time this month?'; 'No, I don't think so.'; 'Yes, it's been a few day.' Catherine made her way to the board, gently pushed aside a few Pokémon. Some of them gave her agitated looks from behind her back. She decided not to be bothered by them. The chatters changed from random topics into one: 'Who was that?'

"Emergency maintenance. The Assignments Center will be fully operational in 24 minutes. "The blue hologram board said.

Didn't feel like standing there for more than five minutes with those eyes watching her back, Catherine turned around and walked away, leaving the chatters concerning her behind.

She walked along the crystal pavement, head was turning left to right, looking for something, different. Or something to do. And that was when she saw it. Something that was quite "out of place". Among the rigid and box-like buildings, lied a pub (or something of the kind) with turned off neon sign that said: "Revenant". There was no fancy hologram or glass stairs, just a pub made out of bricks, stones and a few windows. Catherine decided to step in.

(The song Tomorrow comes today by the Gorillaz began to play.)

The inside was lit up by sunlight and a few neon lights on the ceiling. On the wall were expected decorations like a few picture frames of some Pokémon, all seem to have a Mawile in them. A few sniper rifles with wooden stock. And stuffed heads of a few mutated feral Pokémon. There was a long wooden bar that was void of any Pokémon sitting in front and holding glasses of liquor. Behind it was a strange Pokémon wearing a long fancy black dress. She was standing in front of a library of drinks in different color. The Pokémon was something Catherine hadn't seen before. She looked like a Mawile but deferent, seemed more evolved. There were two jaws on her hair, which were both shut tight and had golden spiral pieces of jewelry at the bases. She had a locket with a large round stone imprisoned by a small skeleton hand made of silver bones. On her right arm was a Foundation arm band like Catherine. But the color of it was faded greatly, some patched had turned white. Wrapped around her waist like a red belt was a leather whip with a golden grip.

There were a number of tables at the opposite of the bar. Some were vacant by Pokémon, also without any glass of drink in front of them. Either just another Pokémon sit in the opposite or an ash stray. There was a thick smell of smoke coming from a few table, including one in the corner, which was occupied by the same eyes less Sableye and Lopunny. The latter Pokémon seemed to be angry about something while the Sableye just tried to look the other direction, searching for a way to escape. His hand held tight to a lit cigarettes. Catherine's appearance shut the Lopunny up momentarily, earning a relieved expression on the Sableye face. Then the Lopunny and other Pokémon in the bar suddenly focused on Catherine.

Catherine didn't feel like sitting in any of the table, not with those looks again. She didn't smoke and she had no one with her beside the voice inside her head. Speaking of which was saying that the place infuriated it. And that somehow made Catherine felt a sense of pleasure. The voice knew that, which made it angrier. She looked around having no clue why she was there. After contemplating for a while, she decided to head for the empty bar, for the Mawile behind it was the only one that saw her and acted like, "Seen it, nothing special, let's move on, everyone!" She sat down, the moment when she done fixing her long coat on the chair, the Mawile approached her. Her voice sounded much more mature than Catherine expected. It bore similarity of a Pokémon in her fifty. A few wrinkles were then noticeable to Catherine when she was closer.

'If a drink is what you looking for then you would be disappointed. Sorry, but I only sell them at night.'

'No, I'm just looking for a way to pass the time.'

'Yes, I have heard. The assignments center's emergency maintenance. That is the reason why so many are here today, at this hour anyway.'

Catherine looked behind her back. 'I wouldn't call that, many.'

'Deferent perspectives, I guess.'

'Uh huh.' Catherine turned back to the bar.

'Say. Why don't you went to those Pokémon and mingle with them. More allies in this base is always a good thing.'

'I'm more interested in talking to you. You are also an agent after all.' Catherine pointed at the purple band with the Foundation logo.

The Mawile laughed. 'Oh this old thing? It's just a souvenir, something to remind me of my young days. I'm retired.'

'Young days? Can you be any younger than this?'

'Oh, I am flattered. Thank you, Catherine.'

'Wait, you know my name?'

'Oh sorry. It is a nasty old habit that I can't seem to shake off.' She then reached down her counter and took out a shot glass. She turned around, grabbed a bottle of white liquor and continued. 'You see, back when this band on my arm was still new, I was working as a spy and an information broker for Foundation. It is an exercise that has transformed into a nasty habit overtime.' She filled up the shot glass and slid it to Catherine's grasp.

'I thought you said you don't sell drink during the day.'

'Well, this one is on the house. Therefore I didn't technically sell it. Enjoy. Taking it as my apology for taking your name.'

'Catherine lifted the glass up and poured the content into her mouth. The liquor was like melted metal that went through Catherine's throat and entered her system. It made her dry coughed afterward.

'Ahem, I don't mind Pokémon knowing my name but I don't mind having free drink, either. So, tell me, what else do you know about me? I'm, let just say, curious.'

'Well, if that is fine with you. '

Catherine raised and shook her glass in approval.

'You are now doctor Voynich's teammate right? Having a seasoned agent to watch your back, you are pretty lucky.'

'I'm gonna need some evident to supported the lucky part.'

'You'll see it soon enough. Let's see, you are a Celestian or rather were a Celestian. Exiled, sorry to hear that. My father had similar fate as well. Let's not dwell on that. And you seem to have lady luck by your side at all time. Winning a 5* Cerberus shotgun during the first day and from a slot machine? That is something else.'

'Wows, and I have only been here for two days.'

'It's not that impressive, Catherine. Not to brag, but if I really want to, I can get your medical record and got more than that. Like what kind of behavior, personally and weaknesses that I should expect to see from you. But now, I'm settle with a few conversation starters.'

'Then I guess it is fair for me to ask you your name.'

The Mawile laughed. 'Of course, I am Gwendolyn Ivory, former Foundation agents and now this place bartender. Nothing special, just here to help you agents unwind and make some allies.' She then offered Catherine another shot, who gladly took it.

Catherine drank it and shook her head once or twice. 'So, when did you start working for the Foundation?'

'It was about 40 years ago. Back when Doc's flesh and metal ratio was still fifty-fifty. But I swear to God, he still acts the same way now and 40 years ago. '

'40 years, get the fuck out of here.' Catherine slammed the bar with her fist. 'You look forty now.'

'I'm actually 65.' She put her index finger on her mouth. 'Don't tell anyone.'

'I won't. So are you an acquaintance of Doc by any chance?'

Gwendolyn laughed. 'I am more than that, Catherine. Everyone around here knows me as Foundation agent number 003. And Doc is 001. He was my mentor and former teammate.'

'Holy shit!' Catherine leaned back a bit. So you must be in the very first team huh?'

'Yes. I remember joining in when I was about your age. I have watched this base and the Foundation grow ever since. It's a long story, but.'

A Gliscor opened the doors and shouted. 'The center is fixed, let's move.' The other agents took the signal, ultimately got off their seat and rushed out of the door. Catherine let out a groan. She still hadn't be able to shake off that bit of laziness in her system. And these two shots sure weren't going to help that.

'Don't be upset, Catherine.' Gwen took Catherine shot glass and put it back. 'I planned to share those some other time. If you are still interested in hearing the old tales from a has-been, you know where to find me. But right now, you should get to work. The day is short inside this place. Stay in one spot for too long in the base and you are going to hate yourself. Go save the Essal. Oh, and send Doc my regards.'

Catherine stood up and nodded. 'I sure will. See ya.'

'See you later.' Gwen smiled and started cleaning the bar table, while Catherine made her way out.

(Song end)

After a while, the two shots in Catherine's system stopped slowing her down. Instead, they started warning her up from within. Suddenly, she felt the urge to run. And that was how she got back to the center, impulsive running. From the distance, a flood of Pokémon went in and out of the Assignment center was seen. It stopped Catherine from her attempt to storm in and get the hardest assignment possible. When things cleared up, she got inside.

It was still pretty crowded but not too much. Fortunately, no one was at the bulletin board. With haste, she approached it and notice it was mostly empty. Everyone else was quicker than her that day. The highest difficulty available was just a B rank escort assignment-Something Catherine had done for her merchant uncle many times over. Anything lower were just chores like delivering items and protecting facilities. She expanded the description on the B rank one. It wanted her to protect someone who will convince a colony of free-lance workers to join the base. It also said that all the negotiations would be simple and fast. She shrugged her shoulders, tapped on the assignment icon. And memorized its marked serial number. She turned to the Ducklett booth and lucky enough, the last agent had just left.

The Ducklett recognized a familiar face approaching his booth, said. 'Ah, new blood again. What do you want?'

'Receive my reward and register an assignment.'

'All right, card. 'He opened a slot. Catherine put her card in. The Duclett's machine arm took it, quickly scanned and returned it to her.

'Congratulation on your SS mission. The bonus equipment is at the Kangaskhan place. Give her the card and she give it to you. And what is the assignment you wish to take?'

'The.' She looked into her memory. '1547A-K5 one.'

'You don't have to remember. Just scan it with your fabricator device. You didn't read the instructions did you? Anyway, fine.' He commanded the mechanical arms to type something and another took out a small box.

'Here is your item.' He passed the box to Catherine through a slot.

Catherine took it and said. 'Okay, what is this?'

'Ugh, have to explain to these assholes again. That is a hologram built in Anna's image and intellect. That will be the thing that do all the talking. You just need to make sure it get there and let it do what it is designed for. Remember to bring it back and do not lose it at any cost. Got it, good, now get the hell out of my sight, you ingrate. Next.'

She flipped him a finger and proceed to the Kangaskhan booth.

'I'm here for the bonus equipment.' She said and handled over her card. The Kangaskhan took the card, scanned it with a device hidden in her pouch and gently tapped the gun wall behind her with her elbow. From the wall popped out an assault rifle with a shining chrome coating and a giant ammo box for a magazine. There was also a carving of an eye near the end of the metal stock and a scope on top of it. The Kangaskhan took it and placed it on a tray.

'Here you go, hon. The eye of the storm 4 * assault rifle. Full auto, it spits out electrified bullets like nobody business. But be careful with the recoil.'

Catherine took the gun from the tray and held it in firing position. It was a bit long for her comfort. She adjusted the stock a bit to make it fit for her shoulder. The knowledge over these things through update the process were still amazed and confused to her from time to time. She deconstructed the weapon afterward.

'Oh, and just use standard assault rifle ammunition for it. The Genesis elemental drive in it will do all the conversion. That however needs to be charged from time to time though. Be careful when reloading it, easy to jam. See the weapon card for details. Enjoy your weapon hon.'

'Sure will.'

Catherine got out of the center and opened the box. Inside was a pen like device with a hologram screen that said: "Do not activate before reaching the hangar bay."

'Okay, whatever you say, you fucking note.'

Catherine caught two bus to get to the hangar bay. It was somewhere in the south east part of the Square. She had spent a few minutes at the directory board just to understand the route. It was a mess with all kind of colored lines that running on top of each other. That and a mix drink of number and letter that were not placed in any other, at least to Catherine. She constantly blaming herself for not paying attention to Axel's instruction from the day before.

At the main entrance of the hangar bay, she head straight inside the building with the constantly moving roofs and reek the smell of fuel. After passing through a few Killian planes and helicopters, Catherine took out the device from the box and pushed the only button on it. A hologram of someone familiar popped out. 'Greeting Foundation agent number 364. I am hologram 1472.' The hologram bowed. 'Ready to assist.'

Catherine let out a long breath and said. 'Alright, what do you want me to do?'

'First, take me to gate C18 and I shall arrange a personal vehicle for you.'

'Personal vehicle? I can't fly these fucking things. I have only been here for two days.'

'No need to worry, for I am the one that will pilot it. As the personal vehicles cannot be controlled by any other means after all. We don't want the risk of someone escaping the facility.'

'Okay, whatever. Now, let me check.' Catherine turned off the hologram and stuck it on her coat. She continued moving deeper into the base, passed by gate A6, A7 and then changed direction as a cross road and head to the gates with "C" on them. She reached gate C18 after a while. Beyond the gate were pods with odd shape and a huge frontal glass. At the back of them were thrusters, small tails and wings.

'Oh shit.' Catherine exclaimed when she saw them. 'I'm gonna hate these, am I?' The hologram reappeared.

'If you have any trouble with this vehicle I will close the shutter for the entire journey. You won't see a thing.'

'Righttttttt, but I'm definitely gonna feel something from those.'

'Well, just give it a try. And the trip will be short anyway.'

'Yeah, yeah, yeah.' Catherine said before heading to the ammo machine. "It is always important to load up on ammunition. Maximized your chance." Axel words echoed back. After filling up her newly acquired assault rifle, Catherine talked to the Kadabra engineer on duty, who was wearing a Genesis cap. The hologram then said a few things to him, making him unlock the door on one of the pods and instruct Catherine to step inside. When she settled in, he then told her to plug the device in the console in front of her and said.' Just let it do all the work. And hold tight, because this is going to get bumpy. Are you sure you have no heart disease are anything.' Catherine nodded and buckled up. The Kadabra tapped on the vehicle, closing the door. He then returned to his post and opened the roof on top. Catherine jabbed the device in, lighting up the control console. The shutter on the big glass then slowly covered the glass entirely, trapped Catherine in a tight and dark place. The voice of the hologram said. 'Please remain calm.'

'Yeah, that's kinda hard to do in here but just get this over quick.'

Catherine then heard the sound of the thrusters activated and pushed the pod upward. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. 'It will be over soon' she told herself.'

"Pathetic." The voice in her head said before loud boom was heard. The pods instantly escaped the underground base ceiling. Catherine's face and body were stomped by a huge amount of pressure as the pod was getting out of the ground. 'Holy Fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkk!' She screamed as the pressure grew stronger and stronger as the humming of the engine started to grow louder. 'Leaving the Delta base, and achieving optimum height.' Catherine suddenly couldn't feel her legs. For a moment she thought she had been paralyzed or something. She punched herself in the thigh. She could still felt the impact of the blow, though just a little. It made her a bit calmer. And then all the pressure stopped all together. "Reached optimum height." The engine behind her back changed the sound it made and then tossed her aback, pinning her in her seat. Her hand clawed whatever she could grabbed inside and hope that the ride would actually be short like the hologram said.

After 10 or 15 minutes, the pod got to a dry and barren part of the Outland. It began to slow down and descended. The sound of the engine lowered the volume. When the pod touched the ground, the hologram voice could be heard from within. 'We have arrived, 364.' And Catherine voice followed. 'Thanks fuck.' The vehicle then shook violently. Thumping sound of Catherine fist bashing on the door was there. When the door gave way, Catherine dived out of the pod and hit the dusty ground. She used her arms to push half of herself up. Allowed herself to take quick and rapid breaths. The voice of the hologram came out from the pod. '364, Are you alright? 364, answer me?'

'Yeah. Shit. Yes, I am just fine. Whoh, shit. I don't wanna do that again.'

'You have to. How do you expect to go back, 364?'

Catherine got up. 'Whatever, again, let's just get this over with.' She dusted her coat and knees and wiped off dust from her non-existing chin.

'Please do not forget me.' The hologram said.

'Nag, nag. I'm coming.'

After retrieving the device, Catherine got back out, looked around the bad land (Still as fucking majestic as ever), and immediately saw a base a few hundred meter away. It was covered by a relatively tall metal walls in the distance. The hologram point its hand to it, confirming what Catherine had already know. 'There is our destination, 364.'

Catherine was feeling the resistance from the dry and dusty ground again. That and the heat felt nostalgic to Catherine somehow. She couldn't believe that she was just a single day away from the dry and dull ground of the Outland desert. It just felt like a month or more to her.

The Hologram was floating beside her, keeping its straight face. The base grew bigger and clear as they got closer. The metal walls were apparently made from patched up pieces from past war machines. There were serial numbers and flags painted in an absolute chaos fashion on them. A few holes on them were filled up by scrap metal and rusted pipes that cut into sharp spikes.

Catherine reached the gate shortly and faced a blockage. The main gate shutter was still there. "Get the Fuck out; There is nothing here for you bandits; and Your Mum." These words were written in spray paint on the shutter, as if they were there to cause hurt to the bandits, who would likely got angry and do something like shooting at the gate or head butt it (There were a dent and blood stains to support that). The latter scenario got a chuckle out of Catherine, probably because in some regard, those words did cause hurt. There was no guards or anyone or anything that Catherine could do to let her present known. She proceed to knocked on the metal door three times. No answer, just the rustling sound from the wind. She knocked three more times, stronger this time. No answer but the echo on the shutter. She punched the door hard three times and same result. She rubbed the bruises on her knuckles and stepped back. She then charged forward and kicked the door with the metal tips of her boot. The vibration shook her and the door but still, no answer. She began to scream. 'Hey, motherfuckers! Genesis is here and we want to speak with you!'

The hologram tried to held her back but couldn't. Its hand just went right through her. '364, you shouldn't say that.' The walls around the gate suddenly shook and a different sound was played, probably someone opening the locks on the shutter.

'Heh, obviously work. Yeah, about time you wake up!'

Two turrets with auto cannons were raised from behind the wall. They settled and made the sound stopped. The turrets then took aim. 'Oh, shit.' She said and ran away. The hologram disappeared from Catherine's sudden movement. The auto cannons fired, following Catherine every steps. She then perform a burst teleport, throwing the cannons off. And after a series of dodging and teleporting she got behind a large rock. As Catherine disappeared from the turret's sight, the firing stopped.

Catherine said. 'Don't say it. Just shut up.' The device listened and didn't let out the Anna's doppelganger.

Catherine touch the sleeve device and fabricated her assault rifle-the only thing with a scope in her arsenal. She got out of cover and saw the two turrets. They had let up their assault but still remain active. Catherine took aim and shot. The Kangaskhan didn't exaggerate at all. This thing did shoot out bullets like nobody business. But the recoil from a single trigger pulled pushed Catherine back and let the barrel reach to the sky. As a result, she didn't know how many bullet actually hit, probably none.

Changed her plan, she strapped the weapon on her back and returned to the rock, performed a Calm Mind and get herself ready. When her mind was clear, she channeled a ball of orange energy in between her hands. She concentrated and made the orange orb turned red. When the orb became unstable, she got away from the rock and charged toward the door blindly. She screamed a battle cry, hoping to achieve the confusion of her enemy, which obviously didn't work and would never work here. The turret locked on her again and fired. The cannons' bullets hit her barrier and broke it with only a few shots. She teleported in a zigzag while gaining in close. When the distance between her and the gate was enough, she threw her orb at one of turret.

The orb hit the cannon directly, setting off an explosion that decimated the turret from within the protective plating. A crimson shockwave was sent out, shook the other turret. But its armor was enough to keep that cannon running and fired at a standstill Catherine. The shots destroyed the half charged barrier and a few shots punched her coat and pinned in her flesh. With a yelp, she franticly teleported backward and got back to the rock. The cannon stopped once again. Catherine laughed, which shocked her ribcage and made her choke on blood. She spit some blood on the ground and said. 'Pff, advance technology with the intelligent of a potato.' She then proceed to wipe the blood off her mouth. Catherine then breathed slowly, feeling the heaviness inside her chest in each breath. She grabbed her hands into fists, channeled her bright purple psychic glow into them and braced herself. She let out a stretched out grunt and focused her power to the bullets holes. Three blood covered pieces of metal was slowly moved out. As if an invisible surgeon with some fancy equipment was standing in front of her and doing his job. When they were removed, she threw them on the ground and kicked some dirt on them. Pretending as if they didn't exist. She felt relieved to some extent. Her chest was still hurt but it would stop if she forget about. She charged another Crimson Focus Blast and get to the turrets, repeated the process and destroyed it.

The red lights on the gate turned on and an alarm was played. Another layer of shutter slammed down and reinforced the door after the turrets absence. 'Cheeky bitch.' Catherine muttered under her breath.

The hologram came out and said. 'Hm, maybe we should try another approach. Something more polite. Let's just cancel the assignment and let someone else handle this. '

'No, I hate doing things half ass. I am not suffer through a flight in that thing just to come back with a fine. I can do this.' She said before forcefully slammed her palm on the gate, applied Gravity on it and began to walk up.

'364, that's break-in entering.' Catherine pushed the button and turned off the hologram.

When she was the other side, she cut off the Gravity and fell down. The base or rather the colony was consisted of a few small buildings and a rather large yard. There was something planted in the middle of it, Catherine presumed it to be a flag pole-a strangely short flag pole. There was no one present at the base, just a few a few bodies and blood spatters.

'Shit, not again.'

Catherine went to the bodies to investigate. What she had seen so far belonged to the colonists. Some were slashed and punched, or riddled with bullets holes-the usual bandit brutality. But there was something else that caught her attention, these bullet holes were rather unusual. They look more like burn marks than holes. Against her better judgement, she approached a dead Hypno. He was wearing a yellow worker uniform with a tool belt. There was a rusted shotgun in his hand. Catherine tried to reach inside the wound of his body. It was dry and hot on the surface, as she expect it to be. She dug deeper, feeling the damp of flesh and blood. Beside the disgusting sound and feeling that she would like to forget, there was no bullets. She pulled her finger out, and flick it, throwing a drop of thick black blood to the ground. After cleaning it by wiping against her coat she called the hologram, which was still appeared to displease at Catherine's actions.

'Yeah, yeah, forget it. We got something on our hand.'

'Yes, I have seen it, the recording camera on the device have captured everything. The colonists were missing. Judging from the signs we got, it is possible to assume it was a bandit attack.'

'Of course. But have a look at this. These wounds are weird, I have never seen any bandit's weapon did this.'

The hologram looked at the body and said. 'Sorry, I have no data concerning the field of medicine.'

'Oh, yeah, negotiator. Almost forgot.' Catherine left the body there and searched for something else. She found a Machoke bandit's body nearby. He was wearing the scrap metal armor and again with that crown symbol. He was killed with multiple shotgun blasts to his body and face. There was a weird weapon in his hand. She kneeled down and took it. It was a submachine gun with the infinity symbol on it. It was oddly shaped, much more angular than a normal gun.

'That is an Infinity manufactured weapon.' The hologram said.

'What is Infinity? Some company?'

'Yes, in fact, they are our biggest rival.'

'Oh, I see. Probably they want these workers for themselves and didn't get what they want so. They kidnapped them? Is that what company do in the Outland? Join our workforce or we fucking kidnap you. Damn, and I thought the councils were nuts before.'

'No, don't assume such things. Yes, the Infinity has given a lot of troubles to us in the past but I doubt they would kill innocent pedestrians like this. This bandits probably get this weapon from a smugger, nothing more.'

'Whatever works for you.' She took the weapon and test fire it. The weapon shot out a steady stream of energy bullets with a pew sound from science fiction movies. The shots were extremely accurate and created those char mark as they hit a surface. She then then aimed at the bandits body and tested it. The marks were certainly match.

'Well, mystery solve.' She said and tried to reload the weapon but there was no magazine on it. 'Eh, how the hell?'

'The Infinity manufactured weapon have a portable Infinity engine-their exclusive tech, making the weapon never run out of ammo and have zero recoil. However, they will seize fire after a while due to overheating.

'Okay. I'm gonna keep it. It is against company's policy or some shit?'

'Yes.'

'Fuck you. I'll keep it anyway.' She scanned the weapon and then deconstructed it.

A door in the base opened, let loose a few humanoid robots with pistols. 'Intruder detected.' They said in unison with that stiff computer voice. 'Destroy, Destroy.' They moved forward and fire their weapon. All of their shots however, failed to even hit Catherine barrier. Some even appeared to focus more on the Anna's hologram.

'Thank you dumbass bots.' Catherine took out her assault rifle and held it tightly. She got into a better stance and get herself ready for the recoil. Even when she took her time to get ready the robots were still failed to disrupt her barrier. She took aim and squeezed the trigger, the kick back was there but she was more than prepare for it. Keeping the muzzle from pointing up to the sky, she managed to get the bullets to enter the robots body and head. The electrified shots overloaded the mechs system, making them shivered and paralyzed, ensuring the kills. She summoned her grenade and threw it at the one in the middle. As soon as the grenade hit it in the head, she activated her Singularity and pulled them all in and watch them reduced to spare part in a flash. She turned to the hologram. 'What are you hire these workers for?' She said.

'Maintaining power, mechanics, electricians, why did you ask?'

'Good, cause they sure as hell can't program shit.'

She walked to the center of the yard. The flag pole now looked more like a flower with three petals made out of metal. The old and rusted kind of metal. Catherine get closer to it, slowly. Each step as if getting closer to an armed bomb. She saw the side and seen the same Infinity symbol marked on it. The hologram looked at it and said. 'Looking like an obsolete jamming device.'

'What does it do?'

'Stop all electronic from working by releasing an EMP blast. The Infinity used to throw this into our facilities and yes, to steal from us. Probably this is what made the security temporary stopped and allowing the bandits to get in.'

'Still saying this is a bandit act, huh?'

'There is still too little evident to support any other case. Like I said before, these thing are rather obsolete. You can easily find them in very much anywhere in the Outland. And the Infinity had stopped using them for quite some time.'

'Whatever. Anyway, I guess nobody's home, so let get the fuck out. Please try some way for me not to get fined after this. '

'No, someone is home. Someone has reactivated the turrets and mechs. These things just don't come back online on their own. Someone had to reboot them after the EMP.'

Catherine reloaded her weapon and shrugged her shoulders. She lifted her head up and yelled. 'Okay, who the fuck is still here, show yourself or-'

'364, stop making it worse.'

Catherine continued to scream. 'Okay, sorry.' She took a long breath. 'We are Genesis. We here to investigate and stuffs. Let yourself be known. We mean you no harm.' A pause. 'Except for your dumb as fuck robots. They shot first.'

'That is somehow, better.' The hologram said.

A megaphone on one of the buildings spoke up. The Pokémon behind it seem too uncertain and young to be intimidating. 'Good, if so, dr, drop your weapon to the ground and kick it away, then we'll talk.'

Catherine chuckled then did what she was told. She also put her hands behind her head for good measure. 'There. You happy?'

A reinforced door opened up and a Minccino shorter than Catherine with two humanoid mechs were walking by his side stepped out. The Pokémon white fur was stained with patches and patches of sticky black oil. The tip of his tail was not white and fluffy but was dragged on the ground, covered in greasy oil. He had a belt with all the thing an engineer need. In his stubby right paw was a glove with slots that fit the tool on his belt in and a metal tablet in his right. They walked to Catherine and Anna's hologram. He commanded the mechs to point their guns at Catherine at all time. Catherine sighed and yawned, waiting for them to reach her.

'Come on, we are not getting any younger here.' Catherine said.

'Then why don't you meet him half way, it would be less time consuming.'

'I was about to, but our janitor friend seem to have trust issue.'

'Shut up. I'm not a janitor. And fine, move closer, slowly.'

'Of course, I wouldn't want to throw your dumbass robots off their fucking aim.'

'Quiet!' The Minccino spat.

Catherine let out a grin, one bore hint of malice. 'Have another look and take that back.' Catherine spat back. She was planning to disarm him with a focus Psychic attack around that device of his. It might twist his arm but.

The Hologram intervened.

'364, I think that is quite enough. He is a victim who had just recovered from an attack. He is not a bandits. Save that intimidation treatment for someone else more deserving.'

If Catherine had ever wondered a hologram could give a glare chockfull of fury, then she had her answer. The hologram turned to the Minccino. 'I am truly sorry. She is a new agent who haven't had much experience with such sensitive situations. She will have her payment cut I assure you. But please be calm.'

The Minccino nodded.

The hologram let out a smile. 'So, are you Hugh, this facility lead engineer?'

'No, I'm just his apprentice, Kevin. He, he is, is right there.' The Minccino pointed at the body of a Hypno, who Catherine had recently examined. The Minccino's eyes began to watering up.

'How about you head inside and tell us, me everything okay?' The hologram said.

'Sure.' He turned around and head back to the way he came. The mechs followed him, ignoring Catherine, who just stood there, thinking. The hologram turned to Catherine. 'We need to get this moving, 364.' Catherine nodded then slowly made her way inside as well.

The room that the Minccino was in was a security room filled with robots parts tools and stacks of boxes. The Mincinno was sitting on a chair placed in front of a few monitors showing various places inside the colony. He kept his head down, trying not to let the tear fall from his eyes. He took heavy breaths and wiped his paw against the corner of his right eye.

'Hey, take this.' Catherine handle him the bottle of juice Mercy had given her. 'It's juice. Keeping yourself hydrate. Losing water her making you losing your shit, that's what I heard.'

The Mincino let out signs of a smile. 'Thanks, the Minccino said shyly. He then put that sign out of sight and replaced with a sigh.

'Yeah, sorry for the break-in entering. I knocked and no one answer. And the turrets were being bitches so.'

He then saw the holes with dried blood on Catherine's coat. 'Did the turrets do that to you?' He asked Catherine.

Catherine looked down and said. 'Yeah, no biggy though.'

'Sorry, I thought you were bandits, coming back for me. I have told our "Mayor" to install some more camera outside but you get the idea.'

'So, tell us, what have happed?' The hologram said.

'I don't know for sure. I was in there.' He pointed at the opened vent beside Catherine. 'Inside the air vent, cleaning some electronic parts and grease up a few things. It's what I do every Monday. Everything breaks down in this place and cramped up all the time. I was about to finished my work and then boom.'

'Boom?' the hologram asked.

'Something fall out from the sky. It shook the ground and turned of all the light and devices I have with me. It was dark afterward and I was stuck in the vent. I don't know what to do. I screamed for help but no one answer. And then I hear screaming and gunshots. The Minccino took those heavy breaths again. He opened the bottle, and drank half the bottle. Nearly choked on juice.

'They took everyone, Lyly, Mina, Gage, Kenny. Killed Mr. Hugh during the process. I can't find the Mayor. They must have him. I know that he will tell that I was left behind. I'm sure of it.' He took a sip of the juice. 'I then escape the vent and repaired the security and hold out in here.'

'Do you know what has caused it?' The hologram said.

'Yeah, the thing in the middle of the base. Obviously. It was just there went I got out. That's all I know.'

'Thank you for telling us, now you should rest up while we contact the base. Are you fine with taking refuge at Genesis?'

'Yes, what choice do I have?' He then got off the chair and gave Catherine the bottle back. He then laid on the box. His paws knotted and were on his chest. He looked as if he was ready for a therapy section. His breathing was slow and steady.

Another boom hit the ground, making the Minccino got up and quickly got behind a metal box nearby. 'They are back for me.' He shrieked in terror. Catherine put her finger on her mouth, asked him to remain quiet. She then tell him to get back to the vent. The Minccino nodded and climbed inside. Catherine handled him the pen device that held Anna's hologram. 'This time she will keep it light up and keep you company. If I die, it will help you contact Genesis, maybe'. Then hologram reassured him that it was true.' Catherine closed the vent then put the assault rifle on her back. She picked up the bottle and finished it. The taste of it was blander than she expected. She summoned Anima to her hand and wiped her mouth. The door opened up and got outside. Her hand clutched tight to the double barreled revolver.

At the flower device, she saw a Glacion standing on two feet. Her arms were still natural paws but wrapped up with gloves, similar to the Minccino's. Her entire body was covered in a thin cloud of white snow. The Pokémon was also wearing a white and light blue leather outfit with the Infinity crest on the shoulder.

The Galceon was examined the strange device with great concentration. Catherine screamed, while pointing Anima at her. 'Hey, what the fuck are you doing here?'

The Pokémon turned around. She immediately looked at and recognized Catherine's arm band.

'Who are you?' The Glacion asked.

'Your fucking ancestor.' Catherine said with a grin. 'I don't know who the fuck you are, but you are here for him aren't you?'

'He is here? So the rumor is true, Genesis is behind this.'

That line had Catherine confused for a moment. "What rumor? That pussy ass Mayor, Genesis hiring these Pokémon, maybe." Catherine charged psychic energy into the chamber and continued.

'That depends. What do you want with him? What have he ever done to you?'

'Save your words. Just show me where he is or I will kill you. 'The Glaceon touched a button and activate a helmet to cover her entire head.

'That is not gonna happen. Both scenario that is. '

The Glaceon created an ice spear from the air around her and propelled it at Catherine. 'Then di-Agh'

Catherine had teleported behind the Glaceon and fired Anima. The first double shot hit the ice type back's. Yet it didn't have the impact Catherine was hoping for, just got a scream from the Glaceon. The second shots were blocked by a thick sheet of ice, formed just after the Glaceon's scream. Catherine quickly teleported to the left side of the Glaceon and shot the last of Anima chambers. With a raise from her paw, the Glaceon moved the sheet and blocked Catherine shots once again.

(The song Metal Hypnotized by Earthbound Papas began to play)

'You'll pay for that!' The Glaceon said, before reshaping the sheet into a long spear and threw it at Catherine with two swift moves from her paw. Catherine held tight to Anima, jumped and teleported on top of the spear. She landed on and used it as the base for a double jump. Catherine lifted herself in the air momentarily, with Anima aiming down. Psychic energy flowed from her sleeve and into the chambers. The Glaceon pulled her paw back, stopping and changing the spear's course. This time the other spear head was heading for Catherine's back.

The Glaceon looked up and grinned. A quick flash of Catherine being impaled played in her mind. She then slammed her paws together, launching the spear upward, where Catherine would soon to be. Catherine then disappeared from her sight, and away from the spear's way. That's grin quickly deteriorate as well.

Everything afterward suddenly moved slower to the Glaceon. Her heart nearly stopped when a thud was played by her side. In her peripheral vision, Catherine was recovered from a fall and the hand holding Anima was rising in the same motion as an uppercut. The air around the Glaceon gathered into a thin sheet of ice around the barrel and stopped the gun from moving closer. Catherine then pulled the trigger.

The bullets broke opened the ice formed on the barrel and head to the Glaceon's chest. Her suit absorbed some of the impact force but the shots were too close to get away unhurt. The sound of her ribcage's vibration echoed to her skull. She couldn't feel anything there in a brief moment. But when then the signal was sent to her brain. Her head was flooded with agony and the demand for a scream, which she did before getting knocked down and held her chest, breathing painfully.

Catherine withdrew her hand and breaking the sheet of ice, dropping the shards on the dusty ground. She then pointed Anima at the Glaceon, charged up another shot. The Glaceon gritted her teeth and lifted her head up quickly, making the shards on the ground stood up.

'Oh shit!' Catherine exclaimed before doing a backflip. With another turn of the Glaceon's head, the shards flew upward. Quite a few scratched Catherine legs and one struck the back of her left leg directly. Catherine landed, performed a teleport to get away from the Glaceon as far as possible. She then crouched down and took the shard the size of an arrow head out of her leg.

Both then stood up. The Glaceon's paw left her chest and pointed toward the shards. Catherine dropped and deconstructed Anima. The Glaceon paw lifted up and made the shard flew into the air. Catherine quickly get The eye assault rifle in her grasp. The Glaceon moved her paw down, calling the shards to rain down on Catherine. With an enthusiastic. 'Suck on this.' Catherine pulled the weapon's trigger. The rifle bullets quickly outnumbered and destroyed all the shards. Catherine worked through the recoil and pulled the assault rifle down, letting the bullet come for Glaceon. Seen Catherine's intention, the Glaceon had created a thick wall of blue ice and stopped the electrified bullets. Behind the wall, the Glaceon covered her suit in small pieces of ice, serving as make shift armor.

From Catherine's end, the Glaceon slid out with ice formed below her leg. It helped her going toward Catherine at high speed. In her right hand was a silver submachine gun with the Infinity symbol. The other hand had the broken chunk of ice taken from the wall, which was suspended in front of her paw. The Glaceon fired her weapon at Catherine, creating short burst of white energy shot rather than actual bullets. Catherine's barrier gladly took them. The barrier energy was drained but not as fast at the cannon's shots. And soon the weapon overheated. Catherine continued firing her weapon at the Glaceon. The shots were spread and most just ended up on the chunk of ice, a few hit the Glaceon. However, the suit just made the electricity useless and reduced the bullets' force. The Glaceon was getting closer with the block of ice. Catherine then focus on the block instead. She was going to destroy it and gave the Glaceon the back of her hand. Ice chunks were breaking off. Bits of it was falling on the ground. However, Catherine's new plan had to be terminated as the assault rifle's magazine ran out.

"Maybe not." Catherine put the weapon on her waist, her leg changed the position, ready for a quick teleport and sucker punch the ice type from the plank. The Glaceon spit icy air from her mouth and froze Catherine feet in place, making it impossible to teleport.

'Oh, you Bitch!' Catherine said before putting her hand together and covered her arms with bright purple glow. The ice block hit Catherine barrier, shattered it immediately. It went on and hit Catherine's left arm, making her curled up her body a bit under the force. The Glaceon was surprised to see Catherine still standing after the blow. She tried fire her submachine gun but it was still recharging.

Catherine's psychic glow then infested the ice block and held it in place. She then recovered from the sudden heaviness and threw a psychic charged upper cut to the Glaceon's chest, right where Anima hit from before. The hit sent the ice type to the air with a painful scream. Instance before she could got a charge to shoot Catherine in the face.

While the Glaceon was busy falling down, Catherine got herself ready to retaliate. She took the weight off her arm by wrapping the ice block in psychic glow and threw it at the Glaceon. The block hit her head when she was about to land on the ground. A direct insult to injury. Without savoring that moment, Catherine summoned her Cerberus shotgun and used the fire orb to melt the ice on her feet. The shot melted the ice but also burn her shin and boot a little. She let out a grunt and took away the hurt with a mental block. She jumped off the remaining ice and ran toward the Glaceon, who was barely getting up. Catherine pumped the shotgun and fired it at the Glaceon.

The Glaceon's paw touched the ground, creating a wave of thick ice crystal spikes from below. The first spike took the fire orbs and the consecutive ones were coming for Catherine in a straight line. 'Damn it!' Catherine side dodged, and teleported backward as the spikes were following her. When they stopped coming, Catherine fire some more shots at the Glaceon. The Pokémon had recycled the block Catherine thrown at her into a shield to defend herself from the fire orbs. The block covered most of her body, but not her feet. One orb slipped through and hit the Glaceon's leg, burned a part of her suit and transferred the heat to the skin. The shot sure did something as the Pokémon dropped on her feet and stapled the ice shield to the ground. She let out a scream of agony while Catherine advanced. But soon that scream changed into a cry of absolute rage. The Glaceon concentrated the ice cloud to her right paw, while her left control the spikes on the ground. 'Take this!' The Glaceon said. The spikes levitated and threw themselves speed directly at Catherine

Catherine stopped her advancement, her eyes glowed in bright purple. She dropped the gun and channeled her Psychic power to her hand. She swiped her right hand. A thick but small transparent piece of psychic glass appeared in front of her, deflecting two oncoming spikes. Then with another swipe of her hand the old sheet disappeared and created another to a different spike. The Glaceon stopped the remaining spikes in mid-air. She put her paws together and made the spikes spinning on themselves. With a clap of her paw, she flung the spike at Catherine with much greater speed.

She dropped her barrier and charged up her Focus Blast. When the barrage of spike drill came at Catherine, she teleported to her left, dodging them. When she exited her teleportation, she found herself in a shorter distance than expected. "Shit! Ran out of juice." She cursed in her head before one last spike bypassed her barrier and hit her in the chest, right below her collar bones. It crushed one of the metal buckles on her coat and stabbed into Catherine's newly healed skin. The spike connected to Catherine rib case, and pushed her back with great force. Several line drawn in blood began to run from the tip of the spike and ran downward. Catherine opened her mouth, let a chunk of blood escape her system and landed on the spike. Catherine bit down her teeth, refusing to scream like the Glaceon and stood her ground. Hands still keeping the Focus Blast.

'Oh yes.' The Glaceon said before pushed her paw forward with a devilish smile under her helmet. 'I will take no more non sense from you.' The spike then slowly dug deeper in front of Catherine's very eyes. When the orange blast she held in her left hand was ready, she released it at the Glaceon. The Glaceon dashed to her right and let the orb passed by, went on and exploded at the wall behind her. The Glaceon continued pushing the spear deeper into Catherine. Catherine grasped the spear with her hands, trying to pull it out. The spear then slowly froze her hands while moved in deeper. Catherine could feel it trying to split and break her ribs open. When she started to feel it touched her intestine, she closed her eyes.

"Hey, dying here. Can I have some of that fuck you up now?"

"Are you certain? You always tell me not intervene with, everything. But fine, here it is, keep us alive will you?"

Catherine hair began to grow longer, reached pass shoulder length and almost to her waist. The tip of the ice spike moved backward and started to melt. Catherine's hole in the chest and sleeves released a dark purple aura that heated up the air around her. Like a living creature, the aura crawled along and covered her hands. It melted the ice and freed her hands from the spike. Catherine eyes opened, revealing them to have the same color. The Glaceon was terrified to see that and stepped back. She continued to push the spike into Catherine.

The aura around Catherine hands abruptly grew massive and engulf the spike, turned it into vapor. Catherine then cracked the joints in her neck and popped her aura drenched knuckles.

Catherine let out a snarl and said in a deeper voice. 'No more bullshit. Your insignificant soul will burn here.'

Without hesitation the Glaceon pulled her paws backward. The spikes from before flew up from the ground and began to spin again. They made a return behind Catherine with the same speed at before. Catherine's intimidating but unknowing expression made the Glaceon felt relatively confident. But then it disappeared when Catherine turned into a long streak of dark purple cloud.

'Boo.' Catherine whispered to the Glaceon right ear before delivered a blow to the Glaceon's temple. Catherine fist created a metal cracking sound when it came to contact with the Glaceon's helmet. Before the Glaceon could do so much as waving her paw at Catherine, she felt a ringing sound on the left side of her helmet, completely stunned her. She lost control over the spikes and they dropped on the ground. What she could see from her helmet visor then was that streak of dark cloud moved from her left and in front of her. In the middle of the cloud was a blur image of Catherine kneeling down with her left fist away from the Glaceon sight. 'You think that can stop me?' Catherine was still keeping that voice. And suddenly, the Galeceon felt a blunt object struck her stomach as Catherine began to move up. The distance between Catherine and the Glaceon grew longer as she was sent to the air by Catherine jump upper cut.

When the Galceon began to fall down, Catherine summoned Lady Death and Anima. With the aura jumped into the chambers at lightning speed, she spun the cylinders and fired the two pistols like a pair of machine gun. The psychic bullet juggled the Glaceon up and keeping her in the air. Bored with that after a few second, Catherine deconstructed the two pistols and teleported on top of the Glaceon. With both her feet on the chest and stomach, Catherine pushed the Glaceon down, crashing her to the ground.

With the dark aura went under her boots, Catherine was levitating on the air. She lifted her left hand up, channeling a Focus Blast. The Glaceon called the spikes that missed from earlier, and made them all surrounding her. When the orb reached that high pitch humming sound, Catherine said. 'You pathetic fool, Focus Slam.' and launched it at the ground. The Glaceon quickly morphed the spikes into a shield and raised it up. The orb then hit the shield, trigged a massive explosion covered by a large dust cloud. Moment later, Catherine could feel the shockwave blew against her coat and hair as she slowly get down on the ground.

(Song ended)

When her metal tipped boots made contact, she didn't even bother look back at the place the Focus Slam hit. Catherine immediately knotted her hands tight up and closed her eyes (focus on restrain). Her hair grew shorter and the aura on her arms and feet began to return back to her body. When the last bit of them disappeared, Catherine released the grip and relaxed her body. After that, she drew a long breath.

'Damn, I don't know how to feel about that.' She said in her regular tone and the voice in her head answer. "How about grateful? Is that guilt? Why? She threw the first attack and didn't bother answer you. And don't lie to yourself, you did want to kill her, didn't you."

'Not anymore.' She twisted her body a bit, produced a cracking here and there. She turned around. 'Well, it was fun I give you that, Glaceon. Don't give me crap when I meet you there in hell, okay?' She said with a smile on her face. However, that smile faded away when the dust settled, revealing a crater with a deep hole in the middle.

'Oh C'mon.' Catherine then felt vibration under her feet. And that feeling in her gut again said she should teleported away. She followed its suggestion. A large crystal of ice then immerged from the ground where she was. The crystal vibrated and the Glaceon broke free from it, sending numerous ice shrapnel in a short distance. The ice type got back on her feet. Her helmet was completely destroyed and her suit was torn.

'Wow, you are stubborn aren't you?' Catherine picked up her shotgun with a psychic pull. Dusted it off and reloaded the weapon.

The Glaceon walked forward. Her movement were staggered and looked drunk.

'Hey bitch, are you okay? You look pretty beaten up. Want me to change that into completely fucked up or getting a one way trip to Oblivion?' Catherine said. The Glaceon still limped toward her after calling an ice spear to her hand. She could barely went in a straight line while holding it. Catherine chuckled and put Cerberus behind her back. She then teleported beside the Glaceon and kicked the weapon out of the ice type's hand. The spear went upward, leaving the Pokémon dumbfounded. Catherine, without any second thought, changed her stance and struck the Glaceon in her chest, propelled the Pokémon a short distance and dropped flat on the ground.

The Glaceon struggled to get up. 'Here, let me to assist you.' Catherine grabbed the Glaceon arm, pulled her up. When, the Pokémon backed on her feet, she encased the Glacon in psychic glow and threw her to the wall. Fortunately for the Glaceon, either Catherine's blood loss had made her aim off or she was feeling pity for the Pokémon for Catherine had failed to made her hit the wall directly.

Catherine walked slowly toward the Glaceon, shotgun in hand. The ice type spat out blood and sweated like melting away in the heat. 'You know, you could just hide underground and I might have let you go. But if you made the god damned effort to reappear for round two, make it worth my fucking time.' Catherine said before pumping her shotgun.

The Glaceon crawled to the wall and rest her back against it. 'How can you work for such monsters?' The Pokémon said with a bloody string coming from her mouth.

'Listen, you little bitch, I worked for a lot of Pokémon. Be fucking specific. But first, answer me this, what are you doing here?'

'Stopping you, that's what.' She spat at Catherine feet.

Catherine looked down. 'You are lucky that didn't hit my shoe. So, why would you want us to stop hiring Pokémon?' She pointed the Cerberus barrels at the Glaceon.

'Hiring? Is that what he calling it? Haha.'

'What's so funny?' Catherine pumped her shotgun.

'Catherine do not kill her.' The voice of Anna's hologram said. Catherine turned around with shotgun still pointed at the Glaceon. She saw the engineer with the hologram by his side. His hand was holding a small rusted pistol from the mechs.

'Go back inside you fuckers. It's dangerous. Who knows, what this bitch can do? And who do you think you are?'

The Glaceon looked past Catherine shoulder and saw the Minccino engineer, she said under her breath. 'That's not him.'

'What did you say? I couldn't hear it. Was it, "please spare my life?",'

The Glaceon turned her face away from Catherine. Her eyes wide open in realization.

The hologram signaled the Minccino to approach both Catherine and the Glaceon. He did so with absolute precaution.

'Hey, do you know who she is?' Catherine asked the hologram.

'No, but judging from her attire, she must be an elite from the Infinity.'

'Eh? What?'

'Technically speaking, their version of our Foundation.'

'Heh, nice, corporate competition. '

'This was a mistake. The Glaceon said, clearer and louder this time.

'Yeah can you clear something up? Cause, I'm confused as fuck. Do that or I'll kill you.'

The hologram said. 'Please don't do it. We would gain nothing if you do so. Give her some time.'

'Not necessary.' Catherine said and stepped closer to the Glaceon, who scooched away ever so slowly. Catherine open her left hand, rolled up her left sleeve. She then letting her psychic glow took over. The bright purple one this time.

'I haven't done this for a while so it will hurt, lot.'

But then a small object was flung from the wall and landed in front of Catherine. 'The Fuck?' The object have Catherine surprised as it exploded into a bright white light. Catherine eyes were blinded by the light, while her ears were ringing. Catherine rubbed her eyes ferociously, getting her vision back. When she could see again, the Glaceon was no longer alone. Beside her were other Eeveelutions with different suit (with color that matched their element) standing around her. And like the Glaceon all were standing on their hind legs. A Flareon with orange and red suit was aiming a shotgun attached to her paw at Catherine. An Umbreon with a full black suit got her sniper rifle's laser sight at Catherine's head. And an Espeon with a purple suit was kneeling beside Glaceon, whispering something with her.

'Oh look it's the "Asuna Robo girl dance squad" that the Arcadians fanboy over.' Catherine said while slowly stepped back. She asked herself "Seriously" for utter an obscure reference that she had "learned" from the Outland recently.

Her left hand instructed the engineer holding the hologram to back down as well while her fully loaded shotgun was still aiming at the Glaceon.

'Three against one? I like that odd.' Catherine said before charged up a Focus Blast in her left hand. She aimed the attack at the Umbreon and the shotgun at the Flareon.

'Let be wise here, Kirlia. We do not wish to fight you and you wouldn't want to fight us.' The Umbreon said.

'That debatable. If your bitch of a friend over there haven't thrown the first punch, I would have thinking of having a nice conversation over a nice cold drink.'

'You little.' The Flareon said before pumping the shotgun with her other paw.

'Firona, stop.' The Espeon said, back still turned to Catherine. 'There's nothing here, returning to base. Icelyn needs help immediately.' The Espeon continued before holding her paw in the sky. All the eeveelution slowly became intangible and disappeared from Catherine sight.

'What the fuck is all about?' Catherine said before taking a quick breath and wiped her forehead with her sleeve. Damped it afterward. When her legs felt like collapsing, the Minccino approached her.

'Thank you for saving my life.' He dropped on his knees and bowed her.

'Don't do that shit. Get up, it's nothing. It's what an agent should do. But yeah, could you give me some water? I feel dry all of the sudden.'

The Minccino got up. 'Sure thing, I still have some inside.'

'Good.' Catherine then turned to the hologram. 'So, does this mean, I'm not gonna get paid? Since, you know, we got nothing from this. The dance squad is gone and everyone else is gone and all.'

'Not quite, agent 364. There were complications that you couldn't control. If anything you will get your payment, just not the one you expect, however. And all is not lost. You have fended off our rival in an attempt to capture this engineer. Beating an elite is something rather, impressive.'

'Don't kiss my ass. That bitch picked the wrong time and place to show up. A hot afternoon and this part of the Outland don't mix well with ice types. '

'She probably didn't expect combat but impressive nonetheless. And we still have the machine in our possession. All that will be written in the report. If this young man decided to forgive your earlier behavior, then I will not report and delete your earlier attitude from my memory bank. But just this once.'

'I forgive you. That is what I could do for protecting me. But please find out who is behind all this and rescue my friends.'

'Worry not. I will give full report on this to the boss for investigation. Hoping that we could shed some light on this.'

He then turned to the hologram. 'I don't know if this count but I agree to work for Genesis. Look like the only place for me to be safe for now.'

'Yes, it still count. You just need to fill some legal paperwork right here.' The hologram projected the image of a tablet on her hand. 'I will help you with these. In the meantime, 364, please kindly collect the jamming device.'

'On it.'

Catherine moved to the center of the yard. She opened her palm in front of the device and then encased it with the psychic glow and pulled it out like an oversize weed. She whispered to herself. 'Looks like everything just a got a little bit more complicated.'

Author's notes:

Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed what you have just read and wished to see more, please follow or leave a review. They would give me motivation to write more for everyone. All feedbacks will be appreciated. If you find anything lacking or flawed in my story (grammar, word use, etc.), please tell me in the reviews as well. I shall do my best to updates these chapters sooner and make them more polished. This is my first ever story so please forgive any possible mistake in the future and help me fix them.

Thanks again and have a pleasant day.