Chapter Seven: The Mysterious Team Plasma

As Touko left the Gym, she was noticed by a lady with long black hair and wearing a lab coat. As soon as she saw Touko, she spoke up. "Hey there!" She rushed over to meet Touko as she hit the last step. "I'm Fennel. Professor Juniper asked me to give you something." Fennel began to walk away, though she motioned for Touko to follow. "Please, follow me." Touko said nothing but she was a bit confused. Following her to her house which was close to the edge of town but also near the Gym, she went inside. "You're going to meet all of the Pokemon in the Unova region. Am I right?" Fennel asked once the two were indoors.

"I guess, I did tell the Professor I was going to complete the Pokedex." Touko responded, looking around the house. Fennel was nodding excitedly, almost tripping over the first step to the stairs.

"Oh! The stairs are right here!" She laughed nervously, blushing in the cheeks. "M-my room is upstairs here. Come on, go upstairs!" She smiled, heading up the stairs with Touko. The two headed up the stairs and eventually made their way to a table to sit down. The room was quite large and neat, although the bed was odd. It was a normal bed yet a large machine was hooked onto the bed.

"Please tell me I'm not going on there." Touko prayed inside her head, looking back at Fennel and taking a seat across from her.

"So like I said, I'm Fennel, and as you can see, I'm a scientist." She smiled proudly, pointing to her lab coat. "In fact, the subject I'm researching is Trainers!"

"Oh Arceus." Touko bit her lip and then forced out a smile. "Oh really?"

"Mhmm, Professor Juniper is my friend from college. She asked me to help you guys." She frowned and looked down, twiddling her thumbs.

"What is it?" Touko asked, looking at her with confusion.

"Well, I want to ask a favor of you. There is a place called the Dreamyard on the outskirts of Striaton City. I'd like some of the Dream Mist that a Pokemon there called Munna gives off. It will greatly help with my research on Dreams and how they can help people."

"Hmmm." Touko thought for a minute. She wanted to get on the road and didn't want to fall behind Cheren and Bianca in her journey. This was an awesome oppurtonity for more adventure and she smiled. Shifting her Pokemon Egg to her other arm, Touko held out her hand to shake Fennel's. "Sure, I love adventure." Fennel lit up, shaking hands in over-excitement with Touko.

"Thank you, thank you!" Touko laughed and nodded, heading out towards the Dreamyard.

...

When she arrived, she frowned at the large amount of vines and growth that were covering old walls and blocking any sort of path to progress farther into the Dreamyard.

"Hi, Touko!" Touko turned around to see Bianca walking towards her with a big smile. "Are you looking for the mysterious Pokemon, too?"

"If you're talking about the one that gives off the Dream Mist, then yes." Touko responded, looking back over the vines and shrubs covering any path. "Although it's hard to progress when I can't even get through."

"Ooh! No problem! Oshawott, come on out!" Bianca pulled out her Sea Otter Pokemon who patted his chest. "Oshawott, could you cut us a path?"

"Osha." He nodded his head, taking his scalchop off of his chest which grew into a large blade. Slashing the growth a few times, he was able to cut through it and leave a spot to fit through and head farther into the Dreamyard.

"Thanks Oshy!" Bianca smiled and returned Oshawott, heading through the hole. Touko followed after her, almost bumping into her as she stopped. "You know, I'm just really wondering how showing dreams works..."

"Maybe we can ask Fennel later, I'm going on ahead." Touko smiled, staring at the large factory-esque building. As soon as she took a step, a strange noise came from inside the broken down building next to them.

"Hey! Did you hear that sound coming from in there?" Touko nodded and Bianca hurried past her. "Come on! Let's go see!"

...

As the two entered the building, they saw a small pink pokemon with purple floral patterns on it.

"Muuuun..." The pink Pokemon looked at them, floating silently before hurrying farther into the building.

"Oh! Wait!" Bianca called, waving her hand at the Pokemon as it began to hurry away. Touko and Bianca ran after it but all three stopped abruptly as a man and woman dressed in dull gray outfits with a blue P on it jumped out.

"Those are Team Plasma members!" Touko told Bianca, recognizing the outfits from Accumula Town.

"We found you, Munna!" The first member said, glaring at the Munna who was backing away. Suddenly they surrounded the Munna, sandwiching it.

"Come on! Come on! Make some Dream Mist!" The second member kicked the Munna who cried out.

"Hey! Who are you?!" Bianca suddenly shouted, causing the two Plasma members to look over. "What are you doing?!"

"Are you talking to us?" The member said with a growl to his voice, causing Bianca to step back though Touko held her ground. "We're Team Plasma. We battle day and night to liberate Pokemon from foolish humans!"

"What are we doing?" The first grunt hmphed and crossed her arms. "The Pokemon Munna and Musharna emit a mysterious vapor called Dream Mist, which shows people's dreams. We're going to use that to make people want to release their Pokemon... We'll show them dreams to manipulate their hearts." Suddenly the second grunt kicked Munna, who whimpered in pain.

"Come on! Spit out that Dream Mist!"

"You're kicking a Pokemon to make it give off Dream Mist?! That's mean! Why? You're trainers too, right?" Bianca suddenly came back to stand at the fuming Touko's side.

"That's right." The female responded. "We're Pokemon Trainers too, but we're fighting for a different reason. Unlike you two, we're fighting for the freedom of Pokemon!"

"And setting Pokemon free means that we win Pokemon battles and take Pokemon by force!" The man grinned evilly. "So, on that note, we are going to rescue your Pokemon from you!" He pointed at Touko with a laugh.

"You're evil." Touko spat with a glare.

"Don't hurt Touko!" Bianca bit her lip, stepping back as the Plasma grunt approached Touko.

"We're going to take that Egg too!"

"No you won't! Snivy, front and center!" Jumping back just as the man grabbed for the egg container, she called out Snivy.

"Patrat, take it on!" The male grunt called out his Patrat who jumped in the battle and growled.

"Snivy, Vine Whip!"

"Bide, quick Patrat!" Just as soon as the vines hit Patrat, he closed his eyes and braced the impact.

"Like I don't know that trick! Snivy, Growth!" Snivy looked up as the Patrat stored up energy, her vines wiggling in the air as a green light enveloped her. "Keep it up Snivy!"

"Patrat! Stop her, unleash that energy!" Patrat roared fiercely, charging Snivy and hitting her hard. Snivy flew backwards and whimpered. Her first Vine Whip's power was doubled for Patrat and the grunt knew it.

"Our turn, Vine Whip!" Snivy, though downed, raised one vine in the air and brought it slamming down on top of Patrat. As the dirt in the air settled, Patrat was revealed to be unconscious. The grunt was in slackjaw and returned his Pokemon.

"Were you not taking them seriously because they're kids?" The female grunt was angry, punching the male's shoulder angrily. "Well, whatever, I'm next!"

...

The female threw her Pokeball, releasing a Purrloin on the battlefield.

"Snivy..." Snivy looked back at Touko, injured but she nodded. "Right, Snivy, Tackle!"

"Ha, Purrloin can easily dodge that." It was true, the speedy girl jumped to the side, avoiding Snivy. "Scratch Purrloin!" Jumping back in, Snivy was able to block her head but the claws carved into her skin.

"Snivy, Vine Whip!" Snivy shot her vines out as she knelt down, knocking Purrloin down. She groaned but shook her head and stood. Snivy was also able to stand and the two made eye contact with narrowed eyes. "Snivy, Tackle!"

"Purrloin, Scratch!" The two charged each other, colliding in the middle and gritting their teeth from the pain.

"Snivy, Wrap!" Touko smiled as Snivy quickly shot her vines out at the preoccupied Purrloin. Wrapping around her, Snivy threw Purrloin who hit the wall and fell down, knocked out.

"What! This is a nightmare!" The female grunt growled, returning her Purrloin.

"...I can't believe we lost!" The male slapped his face and groaned. "But we have to obtain the Dream Mist." He ran back to the Munna, kicking it repeatedly. "Come on! Make with the Dream Mist!" The female held back Touko who was trying to rush in and stop the male.

"Settle down little girl." The female grunt laughed at Touko who was pushing against the grunt.

"Knock it off!" Bianca yelled, though she seemed frozen in the spot. Suddenly, a white flash blinded all of them.

...

"What are you two doing goofing off?" The five of them looked over at Ghetsis who had suddenly appeared. The grunt pushed back Touko who clutched her egg so it wouldn't fall onto the stony floor. Bianca took a step back and looked with wide eyes at him. Suddenly, another Ghetsis appeared to the right of them. Touko felt uneasy and she hugged her egg as Snivy jumped over to her.

"We, Team Plasma, shall separate Pokemon from foolish people!" The second Ghetsis said, raising his fist. Suddenly, both of them reappeared and then only one Ghetsis stood in front of Munna and the male grunt. Confusion struck both the grunts, Touko, and Bianca. "If you cannot fulfill your duties..."

"T-this isn't..." The male grunt suddenly backed off, going to stand besides his co-worker. "Ghetsis when he is gathering followers... or Ghetsis when he is trying to control people by tricking them with speeches!"

"You idiot, shush!" The female glared at him before glaring down at Touko whose mouth was gaping in shock.

"This is Ghetsis when a plan has failed, and he is about to issue punishment..." The male grunt gulped and the female nodded.

"At any rate, let's hurry and say we're sorry so he forgives us!" The two suddenly ran off, disappearing into the factory.

...

Touko sat there, still in shock until she had to block her eyes at another white flash. When she could see again, Ghetsis was gone but a large floating pink and purple Pokemon with pink smoke coming from its nose stepped from behind a wall.
"Shaaaar!" It approached the Munna, touching noses with it.

"...What was that just now?" Bianca asked, helping Touko up who still clutched her Pokemon Egg container. "That person called Ghetsis appeared all over the place, and it wasn't real, right?! It couldn't of been real!" Bianca bit onto a fingernail nervously, staring at the pair of Pokemon. "...Could it have been a dream?" Bianca suddenly asked, looking over at the new Pokemon. "And that Pokemon..." Suddenly, a voice appeared behind them.

"Oh!" It was Fennel, who was addressing Bianca and Touko but looking at the two Pokemon behind them. "I couldn't wait, so I came over! Is that Musharna?!"

"Musha?" The big Pokemon looked over at Fennel, floating calmly.

"Muni!" The Munna cried out, snuggling closer to Musharna. Then the two quickly floated off into the overgrown grass protruding from the broken tiles.

"Did something happen?" Fennel asked, staring after where the Dream Pokemon had disappeared. Bianca nodded, explaining the whole scene to her. Fennel nodded once Bianca finished. "I think I followed that..." She smiled feebly. "See, Musharna evolves from Munna. Seeing Munna in trouble, it used its power - making dreams into reality - to save Munna. Which means... wait a second!" Rushing past the two Trainers, Fennel knelt down where the Munna had been. "Yes! Dream Mist!" Pulling out a test tube from her pocket, Fennel scooped some pink dust into it that was left on the ground. "With this, I can complete my research!" She stood up, grinning from ear to ear. "Thanks to you two so much. I don't know how to thank you." Fennel jumped up happily before running off.

"Phew. How random was that?" Bianca laughed and Touko laughed as well. "Touko, why don't you rest for the night? It's already evening time and you've been through a lot today, as Snivy has as well."

"Maybe, what about you Bianca?" Touko asked, returning Snivy and relaxing her grip on her Pokemon egg.

"Me? Well, I'm going to go look for the Pokemon we saw just now." Bianca smiled, holding up an empty Pokeball.

"Sounds fun, good luck Bianca and just be wary of any Plasma Grunts." Bianca nodded, waving at Touko as she left the Dreamyard.

...

Touko stared off of the balcony of her room in the Pokemon Center. The wind was gentle and carried a warm breeze which relaxed her. The crescent moon hung low in the sky, barely lighting up any of the land. The city lights blocked off most of the stars except for a few bright ones. The brightest one was the one Touko was focused on though, the one she called the Arceus Star. Snivy jumped onto her shoulder and looked at her, licking her cheek tenderly. "Hey you, I'm just looking at the stars. It's far different from Nuvema Town. Back home I could see all the constellations and stars." She smiled and pointed to the Arceus Star. "You see that one right there? I call it the Arceus Star because I used to believe Arceus lived on it." Touko smiled, remembering that time when she little, it seemed so far away. "I would always look up there and it would give me hope because it would shine so bright. Even now, through this city lights, it shines." Touko smiled, heading inside and crawling into bed with Snivy. "You did awesome today. Against Cheren, Chili, and Team Plasma." Touko smiled but frowned slightly, causing Snivy to lick her nose as she curled against her neck.

"Sniv?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. I just was thinking about what they said about Ghetsis using speeches to trick people." Snivy looked at her intensely, and Touko nodded. "I just think those guys are up to no good. Who kicks Pokemon and abuses them? Especially when they claim to be helping Pokemon." Touko sighed, rubbing Snivy's chin. "I just think something's wrong about all of it, but that can wait for another day." Touko turned her head to kiss Snivy's head lovingly. "Let's get some sleep now." Snivy nodded, closing her eyes and drifting off fast. Touko lay there for another hour, still thinking of Team Plasma. What could they really be doing?