Chapter 5

The Old Hideout

'Hello, this is Brendan.'

'Brendan, this is May! Team Rocket is in Lilycove City we need good trainers like you to come and help.'

'All right I'm on my way,' Brendan replied he then turned to Red and said, 'we need to go to Lilycove City. Team Rocket has taken control of the city'

'This is exactly what happened in Saffron City five years ago,' Red said. He then had his Pokégear out and was talking to Blue, 'Team Rocket's back!'

'I know. They attacked Dewford Gym.'

'Team Rocket has control of Lilycove City. You have to get there immediately.'

'How? It's too far away to walk and surf, a boat takes too long and I've never been so I can't fly there.'

'Fly to Slateport City and follow me and this other trainer called Brendan.' Before he hung up Red heard Blue calling, 'Pidgeot! Slateport City!' Shortly he and Brendan saw a Pidgeot approaching with Blue on it's back. Pidgeot landed and Blue introduced himself to Brendan.

'Let's go now,' Brendan said, 'Salamence, get us to Lilycove City.'

'Charizard,' Red said, 'Follow Brendan and Salamence.'

'You do the same Pidgeot,' Blue said. The three boys mounted their flying Pokémon and got to Lilycove City very quickly. When they landed they went to the Contest Hall were they saw May, Leaf and another boy.

'Wally!' Brendan said, 'What are you doing here?'

'May called me and told me what happened so I had to come,' Wally replied, 'Where's Marcus?'

'Over here Wally,' Marcus replied. He was a tall boy the same age as the rest of them with brown hair.

'Red, Blue, this is Wally,' Brendan said, 'he's champion of the Pokémon League here in Hoenn.'

'I used to be the champion in Kanto,' Blue told Wally then he turned to Red and continued, 'until someone took the title from me. Now I'm just the gym leader in Viridian City.'

'I'm not the champion anymore Blue,' Red said agitated, 'I've also stopped training on Mt. Silver now.'

'That was all your choice to do that,' Blue said. Leaf told them to stop their fighting and to focus on the matter at hand.

'What's happening here right now?' Red asked.

'They came into the Contest Hall and started stealing Pokémon,' May said, 'we sent them away from the contest hall but we think they're hiding in the city. Archie and Maxie came in to help us.'

'Who?' Blue asked.

'Archie was the boss of Team Aqua and Maxie was the boss of Team Magma,' Brendan explained. 'They were the big crime gangs in Hoenn five years ago. If I'm right Team Rocket must be hiding in the old Aqua Hideout.' They were correct. Team Rocket had occupied the Aqua Hideout as their base. The group all had to sneak in very quietly and break in around the back but then they were stopped.

'What are you doing?' a man asked them. 'Don't break in. They'll catch you. Follow me.'

'Who are you?' Wally asked.

'I'm Archer. I used to be an Executive in Team Rocket. Two years ago in Johto, I was the leader in Giovanni's absence. When Gold defeated me I realised that what we were doing was wrong.'

The group all came in through the secret entrance and went through very quietly. It was only when they stepped on a warp tile that they made a mistake. They landed in a small room with a screen that took up an entire wall. Opposite that wall was a desk with a man in an orange suit sitting behind it stroking a Persian. Red recognised him immediately. It was Giovanni.

'You,' Giovanni said, 'Why are you here Red?'

'To stop Team Rocket.' Red replied.

'I can't let you do that,' Giovanni told him.

'I thought you reformed,' Red said solemnly.

'Of course that's what I was going to tell you,' Giovanni said before turning to Archer, 'Good to have you back Archer.'

'I'm here to stop you as well Giovanni,' Archer told him, 'Team Rocket is wrong. A kid called Gold showed me that, two years ago, at the Radio Tower.'

'I was training in Tohjo Falls when you were there,' Giovanni said, 'that kid came to me with Celebi and stopped me from returning to you. Blue, I believe you're my successor at the Viridian Gym.'

'That's right. I'm doing a much better job than you ever did,' Blue replied.

'How so?' Giovanni asked.

'At least the challengers know who I am. I didn't know who you were until Red told me after he became champion,' Blue said.

'Does that make you a better trainer?' Giovanni asked.

'At least MY Rhydon doesn't wear an earpiece so challengers don't hear my voice in case they recognise it.' Giovanni ignored Blue and just said, 'Enough of this, Nidoking, Nidoqueen! Get rid of them,' Giovanni ordered. The entire group aside from Red left who then engaged battle with Giovanni.

'Go Espeon! Use Psychic!' Red called.

'Nidoking, dodge and use Crunch!' Nidoking took out Espeon. Nidoking took out Red's Snorlax, Pikachu and Venusaur before his Blastoise beat Nidoking.

'Go Tyranitar! Use Thunder,' Giovanni ordered. A huge cloud covered Tyranitar and a massive bolt struck Blastoise.

'No!' Red said distressed, 'Go Charizard! Use Earthquake!' The whole room shook but Tyranitar implanted itself into the ground and received no damage. Tyranitar then used Rock Slide and knocked out Charizard. Red had lost. Giovanni had gotten far stronger in the last five years. Giovanni just said, 'Not being able to measure your own strength marks that you are still but a child. Now away with you!'