Chapter 17
I felt a nervous rush that I always felt before I had to do field work. It seemed to be getting exceedingly dangerous as Team Rocket had started chipping more dangerous pokemon. The professor handed me the EMDAC again, and within minutes I found myself in Karen's office.
"So, where to today", I asked her. She gave me a quick smirk.
"About 200 kilometers west of here there have been two arcanines spotted".
"You've tranquilized arcanines before what's diff-"
"Yes we have tranquilized them before but, this time there's two of them. Whenever we try to tranquilize one, the other attacks us back, before we have a chance to shoot".
"So what would the difference be in sending me. Wouldn't they only jump on me as they did the dechippers"?
"Well, as you can see the professor gave you a new invention. As you may also notice, you're the only one you can use the device. Round up Terra and Dallin".
"And the dechippers"?
Karen sighed "Well, Nick, there's another reason that we weren't able to detain the arcanines. It seems that Team Rocket has recovered some of the pokemon that we had to tranquilize to capture. You did prove that pokemon can't be rechipped but that's not what they've taken them back for. It seems over the time they have researched the tranquilizer that we use and now", I listened intently and nervously, "now, they have developed a resistance to the tranquilizer".
"DAMNIT, it seems like every time we come up with an invention, they come up with a better one"!
Karen gave me a shocked look, I had never acted that way before in front of her.
I sighed, "Sorry, just, give me a minute". I went down a floor and got Terra and Dallin. Even though I always got nervous before my field work, they always seemed to get excited. I wasn't surprised, they had they're own means of self defense. With there lighting and fire powers, they seemed pretty confident. I always looked upon that as a good thing.
I had all my protection on, and I was ready to go. I made my way back to the top floor with Dallin on my shoulder and Terra by my side. I always had confidence when they were at my side. I came back into Karen's office.
"Are you ok now, Nick". I paused for a second.
"Ya... Ya, I'm fine. Alright, I'm ready".
"Good", she opened up the portal and Terra, Dallin, and I walked in. I waved to her on the way out.
I found myself a few kilometers up a mountain. It wasn't very steep but it didn't have very good walking conditions. There were rocks and jagged edges everywhere. I stepped carefully across the rocks, some of them crumbled under my feet. I started to think about how well I was going to do when the arcanines arrived.
I looked at Dallin who was still on my shoulder, he had a firm grip as I tumbled over the rocks. I looked at Terra to find her gracefully jumping from rock to rock.
'Well at least one of us knows how to make haste. Are you having fun Terra'?
'Finally, something to test my skill at. I've grown a bit tired of the repeated open plains we've been on'.
'To test your skill? Well, I guess we could use some training'. At that moment Dallin jumped off my shoulder and started jumping from stone to stone.
'Ok great, I'm the only one who can't do this right', I couldn't help but laugh to see me stumble and tumble as Terra and Dallin jumped all over the place like it was nothing.
Dallin finally spoke, 'So, Nick, where are the arcanines'?
'Right, lemme check the brace. I was about to push the scanner button but all of a sudden I heard a loud thud behind me. I slowly and nervously turned my head. Surely enough there was arcanine number one. I quickly readied the EMDAC, and took aim. But then another thud was heard behind me again. There was arcanine number two.
I looked back and forth to see they're eyes were glowing like fire. They were massive, with claws and teeth that looked like they could rip me in two. They were growling and barking as they slowly approached me. All of a sudden they dived right toward me. I ducked as they narrowly missed me and each other.
I got up and scrambled across the rocks. But they could easily jump right in front of me. I wasn't getting away easily. One of them jumped right in front of me and attempted to take a bite, I dodged it by jumping back. But as I jumped back my foot got caught on one of the rocks, and I fell right onto my back. I remembered I had the EMDAC at hand. I aimed towards the arcanine I had just dodged but it jumped right on top of me with it's feet at both my sides.
It bent down, growling right in my face. I aimed and fired right at the arcanines chest. The energy went right through the arcanine and hit the chip. I saw the fiery glow disappear from the arcanine's eyes.
'What? What's going on here' a girls voice came out. It sounded surprisingly young for a full grown arcanine.
Just than, that high pitched screech filled my head again. In unison, both me and the arcanine yelled in pain as the chip kicked back in. I looked back at the arcanine to find it lunging for my neck.
'DALLIN, NOW'! Just then the arcanine froze. A lightning bolt had hit the arcanine faster than I could see. The arcanine slowly tipped over as she seemed paralyzed by the shock. She slammed onto the ground, giving me my chance. I came to my feet, jumped over the arcanine and pulled the chip out of her neck.
'One down, one to go'. Just then I wondered where the other arcanine was. I looked in all directions and found it about 20 meters away battling with Terra, and Terra was losing. They both were immune to fire, but Terra was outdone in size and strength. I ran over hoping the EMDAC would charge in time. I suddenly saw Terra get thrown away from the arcanine. She fell over and rolled a few times.
"TERRA"!!! The second arcanine turned its head and growled ferociously. I suddenly regretted yelling as the arcanine sprinted towards me. Its footsteps dented the ground and shattered rocks beneath it as it jumped with all its might. I fell back as it jumped on top of me shattering the ground under its feet.
I found myself in the same situation I was before, only the EMDAC wasn't charged this time. It lunged for my neck when all of a sudden an orange blur tackled the arcanine. I looked at the arcanine to find the one that I had just freed holding the other down.
The female arcanine started growling at the other but I could here the thoughts running through her head. 'Blaze, what are you doing'. The chipped arcanine struggled under the others feet.
'He's chipped, he's not going to answer you'!
'What, no, he can't be, I don't remember'. She didn't seem all that surprised that I could talk. I wasn't surprised. Ever since I faced Draelen, I knew I was beginning to be known of.
'You were chipped too'! She stopped growling and I saw the surprise and innocence in her eyes. She couldn't think straight as I heard no thoughts from her.
Just than the chipped arcanine slipped from under her paws. He growled briefly, and ran off.
'Damn, he's getting away'.
'Not if I can help it', the arcanine faced me, 'get on'.
'What'?
'NOW, he's getting away'. I scurried on and gripped her warm fur hard.
'I'll be back in a minute, guys', I said to Dallin and Terra. 'OK let's go-', the arcanine launched, jumping from rock to rock with ease. I could feel the g-force as she jumped back and forth, I tried as hard as I could to hold in my breakfast. I gripped harder and closed my eyes, as I felt her feet beating the ground as she ran at top speed.
I suddenly felt the g-force stop, did we stop moving? I opened my eyes to find we were in a clearing, but we, indeed did not stop. I looked over her shoulder to find the ground rushing beneath us, faster than it was before.
As scared as I was, I had just as much adrenaline as I did fear. I felt a rush as I saw that we were catching up to Blaze. Within 30 seconds we were neck at neck. I saw the flames of rage in Blaze's eyes, but I also saw the chip in his back. I reached, but I couldn't make it as Blaze jumped away. The arcanine I was riding, turned towards Blaze. I suddenly got tired off calling her that.
'Hey, I know this is a bad time but do you have a name'.
'It's Jess'.
'Right, mine's Nick'.
Jess ran went right beside Blaze. I pulled out the EMDAC, and aimed for the chip. I fired and the chip took a direct hit. I suddenly readied myself to jump off Jess' back.
'Jess? What's going on'? I leaped off of Jess and landed on Blaze. I found myself barely hanging from Blaze's back. I pulled myself up as hard as I could. I finally got my leg over and was finally riding Blaze.
I inched forward and place my hands on the chip. I started to hear that high pitched screeched. As I cried out in pain I pulled the chip out before it could make things worse.
It was over.
They slowed down to a walking pace. I was panting and huffing from exhaustion. Blaze and Jess just stared at me, totally speechless. I finally collapsed on Blaze's back and lost consciousness.
- - - - - - - -
I woke up on the ground, I felt Terra and Dallin's fur by my sides.
'Ugh, am I back where I started'? I looked around to find the rocks and giant, burnt footprints that Blaze and Jess left. 'How did I get back here'?
'Blaze and Jess brought you back here'
'Hmm, isn't that nice. I'll have to thank the later'.
'Actually, you could just thank us now'. I sat up to find Blaze and Jess sitting there patiently. 'Than again, it would probably make more sense for us to thank you' Jess said. I smiled a shy smile. 'Thanks for freeing us from the Alpha chips, we would of-'
'Wait, you know what the chips are called'?
'The word has spread quickly that the alpha chips where controlling pokemon'. I must say I was surprised that the pokemon could communicate with each other, let alone spread a message so fast. It was only about a month and half that I told a pokemon the name of the chip, and the name had already spread half way across the country.
'As I was saying, we would of never been able to escape a fate like that without your help. Thanks'.
I smiled and gave her a pat on the head. 'So do you know where you are right now'?
'Don't worry, me and Blaze have been all over these lands. There isn't a spot that we haven't seen yet'.
'Good then, I guess I should be going'. I hit the contacted Karen and she opened the portal. I waved to Blaze and Jess as I walked in.
'Goodbye and thanks again', Blaze said.
I waved them goodbye and went back to the apartment.