Chapter 10

Spring Forward, No Falling Back

We pulled up to the resort on the giant red motorcycle. Pichu was in the cup holder, as always, wearing his little goggles that keep the wind out of his eyes. He would have been wearing his small leather jacket that matches mine, but we both thought it was far too hot to wear those things.

I took off my helmet, looking up at the large gate that was in front of us. This place looks more like a mansion than a resort. "Well Pichu," I said, looking at the massive walls of the 30 or 40 story building that sat behind the gates. "Shall we go in?"

"Pi, Pichu!" He squeaked, pushing his goggles off his eyes and on top his head as he climbed on my shoulder. I took my helmet off, placing it in the storage unit on the bike, and then pushed the three-button combination making the bike poof back into its capsule form.

We walked up to the door, noticing there was no one around, anywhere. There was hot spring fountain sculptures littering the massive parking lot. It makes sense that there would be a parking lot… but. I turned around, looking at the path I took to get here. "There's no road."

"Of course not, ol' chap." An elderly man with a monocle and a fancy cane walking in front of us, the closed gate separating the old man from me and Pichu. He wasn't very tall, but he looked very rich. He wore a blue pin-striped tux, white button-up undershirt, and gold chains, which hung from every pocket he had. "The resort has yet to be finished." He spoke and a slight, but heavy British accent. "We hope to have it assembled within the next few months."

"Oh." I said, looking over at Pichu. "I'm sorry bud, it looks like we can't stay here."

"Pi…" Pichu flopped down on my shoulder. "Chuuu…" He started to tear up.

"Why can't you stay?" The man asked.

"Well, you said this resort wasn't open yet, so I just assumed…"

"Nonsense, chap!" The man said, pushing a button on a remote that he had in his pocket. When he did, the large iron gate began to open. "The name is Charles, my fine sir." The man bowed. "And as the owner of this fine establishment, I would be honored if you and your pokemon were our first guests." He rose, as he began to walk away. "Please, follow me." Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I did. Shortly after we made it into the resort, the gate slammed shut.

Weird… I thought, but I kept it to myself, I didn't want to mess this one up with my rudeness.

"Do you mind if I give you the grand tour?" Charles asked. "I am quite pleased of my, soon to be, five star resort."

"Sure, I would love for you to." I smiled.

"Very well then." We walked in front of the massive building, stopping when we reached red wooden doors, even larger than the iron gates we saw before. Once again, Charles pushed a button on a remote, and the doors opened. Inside were, what looked like, black and white checkered marble tiles, lining all the floors, reproductions of masterpiece paintings littering all the walls, chandeliers of crystal and diamonds hanging from the ceiling, and red marble staircases the spiraled up. This whole place was so amazing I couldn't even speak as Charles started pointing out different wings of the resort, telling us all about it.

"In here we have the kitchen." He said. "Though we only have one five star chef on hand, we will soon have 500, one for every room." We walked a little further. "Here is the back exit, with 500 separate hot springs, one for every room. And, to make sure no one gets in the wrong spring," He brought out a card from his pocket. "Only one key can unlock the door for that hot spring."

"Wow, that's fancy." I said, still flabbergasted by all this… stuff.

"Indeed…" Charles said. "May we continue?"

Wow… that was kindda snobbish.

For the next thirty minutes we went thought the rest of the resort. Training grounds for pokemon battles, workout stations, lounge rooms, pool halls, bar, casino, anything you could think of, this place had it.

"And this, is our final stop." He said, stopping beside a large red wooden door.

"This place is so big!" I said.

"Pi, chu!" Pichu squeaked, lying on my head, playing with my hair.

"Now, before I show you the last room, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Yes?" I asked, wondering what he could possibly want from me.

"Would you, Mr… Mr… I'm terribly sorry, young chap, but I don't think you have given me your name."

"Oh yeah." I laughed. "My name is Kyle, Kyle Gray."

"Gray, hum?" He put a finger to his chin. "That sounds familiar."

"Eah, you probably haven't heard of me." I put a hand behind my head as I chuckled. "I have done anything that great."

"Well," He shook his head. "Anyway, Mr. Gray. Seeing as how we will be opening our doors in a few months, I would like to ask a favor of you. Would you be willing to stay here a day or two, just to test our facility for us so we can make sure we have everything needed to open?"

"Why, I would love to." I said, looking around at all the fancy stuff. "But, I don't think I have enough money to afford this kind of luxury. I mean, I have never even dreamed of seeing things this… wealthy."

"You needn't worry about money, Mr. Gray." He said, pulling out the remote again. "You are my guest. Please, use everything in my resort at your own leisure. If there is anything you desire, just call room service and let me know." Charles then handed me the remote, a card, and a map of the resort. "This door we have stopped in front of is your room, Mr. Gray. Please, make yourself at home."

"Thank you so much!" I said as he walked away. "But, one thing."

"Yes, chap?" Charles asked, stopping to face me.

"In the tour I didn't see a PC System around, is there one I can use?"

"But of course." He chuckled. "There is one in every room. And soon, within the next few days actually, there will be a Pokemon Center in the east wing, with three nurse joys on hand."

"Wow. Thank you!" I said as he walked away. I looked over to Pichu. "Well, lets see what we got." I pushed the button, watching in amazement as the door to my room opened, showing lavish decor in a room that was almost three times the size of any Pokemon Center lobby I have ever been in before. There was the same marble checkered floor as before, with masterpiece replications on the walls. Gold highlights were on everything, even on the red felt fabric couches, chairs, and bed sheets. There was a real, but not necessary, fireplace, which was located directly below the 42" plasma screen HD TV. Ten foot tall mirrors were hung on the 15 foot walls. Crystal chandeliers, were hung from the ceiling.

"My, gosh…" I said, dropping my book bag on the marble floor. I couldn't believe it. How in the world could someone be so rich they could afford to build this, and then give me a free pass because I came early?

"Piiii!" Pichu cheered happily as he ran for the bed, jumping on it and messing up the covers. "Pi, hi hi!" He laughed.

"Pichu." I said, flopping down on the bed with him. "I have no idea how we landed a sweet deal like this. But man." I laughed. "This is so awesome!" I rolled over, seeing a PC System beside the bed. Hmmm… I did come here for a reason. I leaned up, and walked over to the system, plugging in my information. "Well." I said, rolling over my inbox. "Two new messages."

Message From:

Debbie Gray:

Subject: Return

Pokemon Number: 2468130 – Name: Scyther - has been returned.

"Well that was short and sweet." I said, rolling over the next message.

Message From:

Debbie Gray

Subject: Retrieval Needed

Pokemon Number: 2468130 – Name: Scyther – and Pokemon Number: 1357642 – Name: Primeape needs to be sent immediately. Transfer as reply to message.

"That's strange." I said. Why would my mother send over Scyther if she wanted me to just send him back? And why would it matter if I replied to that message? "Oh well… I guess she knows what she's doing."

***_-Scene Change-_***

Conner had been working for hours on constructing the last of the thirteen holding tubes. In this new design he wouldn't have to manually put the pokemon into the holding containers anymore, instead they would be directly sent to them by Kyle himself. Every time Kyle attached one of his pokemon to a reply of Conner's hacked emails the pokemon would be deposited into their own special holding units.

Conner stood back, observing his handy work as Primeape appeared in holding tube 005. The bio-fluid filled his lungs as he coughed, inhaling the thick mixture of manipulated DNA structural liquid. Shortly after, Scizors appeared in tube 006.

"Scizors?" Conner tilted his head. "I wonder, did Kyle put a metal coat on it? If he did, Scyther could have evolved during the transfer from Kyle's system to mine." Conner laughed. "Oh well, like I care." He turned to walk over to tube 001. "As long as you grow, that's all I need Kyle for." He placed his hand on the tube, watching as the small forming body gained a pair of arms that looked like Scizors's.

Mewthree was mutating quite well for only being in this state for a few hours. He had already grew two wings from Pidgeot, hair on his neck from Primeape, a rear stinger from Beedrill, a tail from Raticate, and now, a set of arms from Scissors. "With these mutations, you will be the most powerful pokemon in the world. You will be able to use any move, any type of attack, and be immune to every attack." Conner turned his head to look at the other tubes. "All I need is the other ones."

He walked behind the tubes, making his way to his throne when a large tv over the cave room entrance turned on.

"Mr. Conner." A man in a British accent spoke. "We have a visitor at our resort."

"Why does that concern me?" Conner barked, throwing one leg over the arm rest of his throne.

"It is a Mr. Kyle Gray, sir."

Conner didn't say anything, instead he just put a finger to his chin, thinking about the situation.

"Sir?"

"Get him anything he wants." Conner said. "Make him feel at home, like he has never felt before. Wait on him hand and foot."

"Yes, sir." The man said, about to click off the call.

"One more thing." Conner said. "I want him under 24 hour video surveillance. I want to know what he's up too."

"Of course, yes sir. It will be done." With that, the connection was cut.

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Alright you guys!" I said, hopping into the hot spring that was located around back of the resort. "This is your next training. Everyone get in!" I watched almost humorously as Pichu, Kabuto and Umbreon jumped in without thinking, while Arcanine, Slugma and Quilava stayed about five feet away from the water.

"Oh, come on you three." I said, getting out of the water and walking over to Arcanine. "This water is as hot as it gets, so it wont hurt you very much to get in it." I ran my hand through Arcanine's massive hair. "And on top of that, the more used you get to water, the less damage you will take during battle to water attacks."

"Arrnn." Arcanine took a gulp as he lowered a paw into the water. His eyes opened wide when he realized it didn't hurt. "Arf arf!" He yipped as he walked into the water, and slowly started to sit down, sinking his whole body up to his head in the hot water.

"That's great Arcanine!" I cheered. "That water didn't hurt at all did it?"

I watched as Quilava began to step into the hot spring, and, like Arcanine, he went right in, sitting in the water. "Quil…" He let out a sigh of relief.

"That's so great you two!" I said, then I looked over at Slugma. "Do you want to give it a try?"

Slugma didn't say anything, he just stared and looked at the water.

"Arf, arf, arf!" Arcanine barked happily.

"Quil, Quil, lava!" Quilava added.

"Slug…" The silver lava clump slowly made his way to the waters edge. I don't know if this is a good thing or not. The water might make his body harden up, but this would be the best way to find out. Slugma inched his way closer to the water, slowly placing a small drop of this lava body into the hot spring. I watched as the drop slowly turned to a hard stone, but Slugma didn't seem to mind. He took the drop back out, and almost instantly it turned back into his lava body.

"Alright." I said, walking up behind him. "You don't have to get in if you don't want to, but if you do get in I don't want you staying there very long. Your body just isn't meant to be in water. Do you understand?"

"Slug, slug!" He said in his deep voice happily as he slid into the water. His silver body turned to a silver stone, but, some how, he was still able to move. He walked around the inside of the hot spring, almost like he was trying to run laps.

"This is absolutely amazing." I said, watching as my three fire type pokemon were having fun and even playing in water. "Maybe with a little more training like this, they could build up an immunity of some sort to water.

Near the entrance of the hot spring a camera began to turn, facing Kyle and his pokemon. The lens zoomed in, getting them in focus. It began to record, capturing every move they made.

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Well, did you all enjoy your three-hour-swim?" I asked, running a towel through my thick brown hair. We were in the towel room, right outside of the hot spring, getting dried off.

"Woof!" Arcanine barked, shaking all over to get the water off of him, only to get it on everyone else.

"Arcanine!" I laughed, holding my towel up to block the water.

"Pi-chu!" Pichu whined as he began to get covered with water.

We all laughed, drying off once again, before heading out of the towel room, and down the hall to our resort stay. I opened the door, letting all of them run in. Arcanine, Slugma, and Quilava huddled up by the active fireplace while Pichu ran straight for the bed. Kabuto, I don't know why, went for the bathroom. I guess he wants to be in more water. I followed him in there as Umbreon curled up on the rug that was laying in the sunlight next to the open window.

When me and Kabuto got into the bathroom I began to fill up the fancy looking bath tub. The automatic jet streams created a small whirlpool in the water.

"There, is this what you wanted?" I asked, picking up the horseshoe crab.

"Buto, buto!" He scraped his claws happily as I put him into the water.

"Eeeeerrrrrrr-eeeee." I heard.

That's a strange sound. I turned around to see a security camera over in the corner of the bathroom. It was facing me, zooming in on me putting Kabuto in the bath. That's really weird. Well… in a place like this I guess they cant be too safe. I got up, walking out. "Hey, if you need anything just let me know, okay?"

"Boooo-oo-oo too-o—o-o." He said in bubbles under the water.

I walked into the main room, looking at all the pokemon lying on the floor. I looked up to the ceiling. Once again, there was a security camera, this time, over the plasma screen TV.

"Hmm…" I looked around the room at all the stuff. I guess it makes sense to have cameras everywhere. I mean, there must be about five or six hundred thousand dollars in décor in just this one room. I glanced around again. All of the rooms cant be like this one, that would just be insane. I bet I got the presidential suite, or something. "Yeah, that would explain all the cameras." I said, flopping down on the bed.

I just laid there for a moment, taking all this in. Just then, I heard my stomach growl. It was then that I realized I hadn't ate since last night at the pokecenter when Ricky and I showed up there.

"Hey, are you guys hungry? Cause I'm starving." When I said that, I saw all of them raise their head up. Even Kabuto stuck his head out of the water and began to cheep. "Alright I guess that's a yes." I reached over to the phone that was laying beside my bed. When I picked it automatically began to ring in to somewhere.

"Main chef's office." A man in a French accent picked up.

"Oh that's great!" I said, happy. "I would like to order some room service."

"Vut of Course." The man commented back. "Vot may I get for you?"

"Okay, I want some BBQ Ribs, full rack. And … Umm." I said looking around the room. I looked at Arcanine. "I want three steaks, rare." Then to Umbreon. "Umm… better make that six steaks." I then looked to Quilava, and then Pichu. "I also want two giant arrangements of fruits, nuts, and berries. And… if you can…" I looked over to Kabuto and Slugma. "Could you also send up a bucket full of pond scum and rocks?"

"Pond scum?" The man on the phone asked shocked.

"Yes, pond scum, and rocks."

"Uhhh… Vot every you say, zee customer is alvays vight."

"Oh yeah, the drinks. I want some ginger ale, and a large tub of water."

"Um… Alright… Ve shall ving it up as soon as possible." With that, the man hung up.

"Alright guys, food's on the way." I said, reaching for the remote to turn on the plasma screen tv. "Lets relax, you all deserve it, after how hard you trained today." We all laughed when I mentioned the 'hard training'.

***_-Scene Change-_***

"How can Conner say that?" Charles asked to the head chef that had just hung up with Kyle. "Just, 'Give him anything he wants'? You would think with us having Kyle Gray in our grasp he would do something else."

"Eah…" The chef sighed as he pulled out six steaks and a full rack of ribs from the freezer. "Viy are you complaining? Is doing nothing not good?"

"Not when you are talking about the future of Team Rocket." Charles snapped. "Conner has been trailing that brat since that scuffle at the Seafoam Islands, and now that we have him, we do nothing?"

"Viy don't you just follow zee orders?" The chef asked. "Zated be much better to do as he says."

"I can't!" Charles barked. "Conner has been after his pokemon, and I will get one for him." He raised his head high. "I am tired of being the stupid grunt in a disguise. I want my own name, I want my own ranking in team rocket." When he said this, his British accent was gone.

"Aye… Vew votever you want." The chef bent over grabbing two five gallon buckets. "Vut, for me, I vill follow my orders."

Charles looked at him oddly as he walked away with the two buckets in hand. "What are you doing with those?"

"Eah…" He sighed. "Zee customer is alvays vight"

***_-Scene Change-_***

Everyone, with the exception of Kabuto, was watching the TV when there was a knock on the door.

"Room service!" A female voice said.

"Alright guys!" I jumped up from the bed. "Looks like the food's here!"

"Bu-to-to!" Kabuto jumped out of the bathtub, scurrying as fast as he could to the door.

"Alright, calm down!" I said with a laugh as I made my way to the door, Kabuto clinging to my leg. I opened the door, seeing the 18-year-old, or around there, room service girl in a maid's outfit. Lacy lingerie from chest to legs, black see-through stockings, and who knew what else. What the crap? I didn't order a hooker.

"Mr. Gray?" The girl asked.

"Yeah, that's me. Um… can I have my food?" I asked, pointing at the dishes on the massive tray cart she was pushing.

"But of course." She said, turning the cart to face the door. "May I come in?"

"Um.. sure… I guess." I held the door open as she wheeled the massive tray cart into the room.

"I have an order of six steaks." She said holding up a dish with the meat on it. Arcanine and Umbreon sat down beside her, wagging their tails and giving her puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah, those are theirs." I said. "Just put three in front of Arcanine and three in front of Umbreon."

"Alright." She said, picking up the steaks. "I'm pretty good at handling meat."

I wouldn't doubt that. I thought as I rolled my eyes.

"Alright." She bent over, bringing up a giant salad bowl. "This has fruits, berries, and nuts." She said with a wink.

"Uhh…" I groaned annoyed. "Those are Pichu's and Quilava." I said, pointing over to them. "They can share a bowl."

"Okay." She said, placing the bowl down in front of them as they all but jumped into the bowl, getting lost in the mass of berries and fruits. The girl then walked back over to the cart, bringing out two five gallon buckets, which she couldn't carry.

"Here, let me help." I said, walking over to her and picking up the bucket of rocks. Kabuto, still being on my leg, jumped straight into the bucket she was carrying, burrowing into the pond scum.

"Bu-to-to-to!"

"Ahhh!" She screamed, dropping the bucket, making some slosh out on the floor.

"Oh, don't worry about that." I said, bringing the rocks over to Slugma. "He'll eat it up later."

"Okay…" She looked shocked, but then walked back over to the tray cart. She pushed a button on the side of it, making the bottom compartment of the cart slide on the ground. In the compartment was giant tub of ice water.

"Alright you guys," I said with a smile. "Here's your water!"

"And, something for you." The girl said, putting a champagne bottle in my hand, trying to force herself on me.

"Umm.. that's not Ginger Ale." I backed away, tripping on the rug and falling backwards over the couch, landing on it upside down. Well… what a predicament I'm in… if Ricky was here I know what he would do. I turned my head, looking at the fireplace under the TV when I noticed something, something rectangular and black.

"Oh my gosh!" I screamed, swinging my feet around, accidently kicking the girl in the face with my steel-toed boot when I did. "Is that a new Z-Box? Oh my gosh! I have never even seen one of those! Those things cost so much!" I smiled, looking back at the girl, but when I saw her, my smile went away. "Oh crap." There she was, laying flat on the ground, knocked out, with a black eye.

"Crap, crap, crap." I said, shaking my head. "Great, now I'm going to be known as the pokemon master that beats up women!" I looked back down at her, and then tilted my head to look at something that was on her neck. It was red, but it didn't look like blood. Is that? My eyes opened wide as I saw there was a giant red 'R' tattooed on her neck.

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Var you sure you should ve doing vis?" The chef asked, as Charles turned on the security camera to Kyle's room.

"Well, it's not on my head if that girl doesn't do her job." Charles said as he began to scan the room. "That lovely girl is a top member of Team Rocket, she will get the job done."

"Vowe do you know she will not take zee pokemon vinstead of giving zem to us?" The chef asked.

"Because that's the beauty of blackmail. She would never double cross me, I own that whore." Charles scanned the room again. The camera over top of the TV wasn't picking up anything. He could see the bed, the massive living room area, but nothing else, he couldn't even see the pokemon. "I wonder…" He switched to the camera in the bathroom, but found nothing.

"Ver could zey be?" The chef asked.

"I don't know." Charles said, grabbing his cane. "Lets get up there and see." They both ran down the hall, passing over all the ground between them and Kyle. They ran up to his door, getting on both sides of the door.

"Shhh!" Charles shushed as they listened close. They could hear something, something faint, then out of nowhere. POW!

They both jumped. "Vas that a gunshot?" The chef asked, only to be followed by the sound of glass breaking. "And vot vas that?"

"I don't know." Charles said, standing in front of the door, ready to kick it in. "But we're going to find out!"

***_-Scene Change-_***

"Alright." I said, placing the controller in the girl's hand. She was still knocked out, but maybe this would buy me some time. I had her propped up on the couch, with the Z-Box on, playing Heavenly Light, the latest, most gory video game where you play as a decked out army dude in this awesome suit of armor and kill aliens! Okay, so maybe I took a few minutes while the girl was knocked out to play a few levels on the game. But who cares? I love games!

I already had all my pokemon recalled except for Arcanine, who was standing under the camera where no one could see him. It was pretty lucky, but the couch is also located under the camera, in a place that looks like it wouldn't be visible.

"Alright." I said, looking at Arcanine. "I don't know what these Rockets want with me, but I'm getting out of here. You ready boy?"

"Arf!" He said. But as soon as he barked I heard footsteps run and stop outside the door.

"Crap… they noticed I was on the camera." I looked over at him. "It's now or never." I walked over to the controller in the girl's hand, pushing the start button, making it go out of pause.

"POW!" The surround sound echoed through the room as a gun went off on the video game.

"Time to go!" I said, hopping on Arcanine's back as he ran to the window, breaking it as he jumped through it. We were only on the second story, so the landing wasn't that bad.

"Alright!" I said, pointing north. "Go that way! We need to get to Ecruteak City!"

"Hold it!" Charles screamed, looking out the broken glass. "Kyle Gray! Stop right there!"

"Or what, you old fart?" I yelled. "Okay boy, lets go!"

"Arf!" We took off, running through the long field of hot springs, jumping over or breaking through the bamboo walls that separated them. We ran for quite a while before the security system went off. Alarms were ringing all around us. Barbwire fences were jetting out of the round only inches in front of us. They were coming up so fast and close that Arcanine couldn't jump them, so with every new fence we had to turn, weaving our way through the maze that shot up from the ground. We kept running for a few minutes before we realized, we were trapped, in closed with fences. Not only that, but we had also ran around in circles, and were now back at the front of the building.

We stopped, looking around at the barbwire box we were in. "It's about time you stopped." Charles said from behind me, near the entrance, and outside of the cage we were trapped in. I turned Arcanine around to face him. "Now, why don't you give me your pokemon, ol' chap?"

"Is that what all this was about?" I asked, flabbergasted. "You orchestrated this whole thing just because Team Rocket wanted my pokemon?"

"Eah, so you found us out, but, no. This really is a resort." Charles said. "But now we are probably going to be delayed another six months just for the repair work of the damages you caused!"

I turned my head to look at all the splintered bamboo fences and the torn up ground from the security system. "What was up with the freakin' Rocket hooker?" I yelled, turning around to him. "Isn't prostitution illegal?"

"It is in Kanto." Charles said. "But it is perfectly legal here in Johto."

"And what do you want with my pokemon anyway?" I barked.

"Its not what I want, necessarily, it's what my boss wants."

"Your boss?" I asked. "Giovanni?" I could of sworn Shonna and I put him in prison.

"Giovanni? Ha!" Charles laughed. "Of course not! I'm talking about our new leader, Conner."

"Conner, huh?" I asked, as a smile went across my face. "Thanks, you old fart! Now that I know his name I'm going to put a stop to your little organization!"

"Ha!" Charles laughed. "And how do you plan on doing that, you're trapped."

"Am I?" I asked, as Arcanine let out a flamethrower attack that melted a giant hole all the metal fences in front of us. "Thanks for all the information. That's exactly what I wanted to know!" I gave him a wave as I rode off on Arcanine. "See you in the papers, 'ol' chap'."

Charles watched dumbfounded as we rode off. The chef, who had been inside for most of this, now walked over behind him. "Vu know…" he said. "Conn-or is not going to like this."

"I'll think of something…"

"Vot did I tell you, do as you're told, vot nooooo! You don't listen to me! Nooooo!"

***_-Scene Change-_***

It was late when we arrived in Ecruteak City, probably about 1am or so. The stars were out in the sky, and they lit our way into town. This town was peaceful, very few lights, and not that many houses either. It looked like a very small town, but that was from the nighttime, I'm sure it would be a different story in the daytime.

We first stopped at the police department. I dismounted from Arcanine as we both walked in, heading straight for the cop at the front desk. I don't know why, but I have always hated cops. I guess it could be the fact that I ran from them my whole life up to this point. Underage gambling, fights, races, speeding, running from the law, who knows? But now, I need them.

"What may I do for you?" A man in a cop outfit asked as he shoved a doughnut down his throat.

"I would like to report a Team Rocket hideout." I said, looking at him sternly.

"Um… okay." He got out a pencil and paper. "Where do you think it is?"

"It's about 70 miles south." I pointed. "They are disguising it as a Hot Spring Resort, but it is really a Rocket hide out."

"Wait, 70 miles south?" The man asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"Kid, that's in the middle of nowhere." He said, spitting doughnut on the desk as he spoke. "And, there's no hot springs around here."

"Sir," I hated called him that. "I know how it sounds, but it's there!"

"And what were you doing there?"

"I thought it was a real resort, so I stayed there, next thing I know they are trying to steal my pokemon!"

"Kid, this isn't a place for jokes."

"This isn't a joke!" By this point I was getting mad. "I also heard them talking, something about their leader. His name was Conner."

This got his attention. "Conner, you say?"

"Yes, Conner."

"Hmmm…" He placed a hand to his chin. "Well, with the mention of that name, it very well could be a Rocket hide out. But son, Conner is dead, or so our reports say."

"What?" I asked. "How do you know that? They said they wanted my pokemon for their leader, Conner. I heard them say that."

"When the police department first busted Giovanni we found documents that say his next person in line for command was a man named Dr. Conner, but Giovanni reported he died at the Seafoam Islands, or, something like that."

My eyes widened as I remembered the man that wore a white mask. Was that, Conner? If it was, how is he still alive? And… my pokemon, Charles said he wanted my pokemon. Is he, looking for Articuno?"

"Son?" The cop asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I'm fine." I said, walking out. "It's been a rough day, ya know?"

"Yeah, thanks for the information, kid. We will look into it A.S.A.P."

I walked out of the station, putting Arcanine back in his pokeball. Great, now I have more things to worry about. I walked into the pokecenter, signing in and taking my key. I walked back to my room, placing my book bag on the bed and unzipping it, letting Pichu roll out on the covers.

"Pi-i-i-i." He shook his head dizzily.

"I'm sorry Pichu, but I couldn't have you running around with all that was going on. But," I reached into my bag, grabbing one of my sleeping pills and popping it into my mouth. "Its time to go to bed, we have a big day tomorrow. Another gym match."

With that I turned off the light, closing my eyes, but I couldn't help but think about that man in the Seafoam Islands. Dr. Conner.