Poke-genetics: brave citizens
She was trying to hide her worries behind her usual smile, but she couldn't quite do it. No matter how much she knew it was useless, Nurse Joy couldn't help but think about the police officers that were probably fighting Team Blast at this very moment. She hoped there wouldn't be too many injuries, but she knew better than to delude herself. There was no way the police could win this war without facing… losses.
She was so lost in those thoughts that she didn't notice the glass doors sliding and letting someone in.
However, it changed soon.
When she stepped into the center, the young girl screamed:
«NURSE JOY! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME! »
Startled, Joy regained her sense of reality and shot a worried look at the girl holding a spearow.
«What happened? » the nurse asked.
She barely managed to hold her tears and her answer was cut by her sobs.
«It… was a… pikachu… it attacked me… so suddenly… my Spiwo… tried to… protect me… I fainted… and when I woke up… Spiwo was… was… »
Nicely, Nurse Joy put a finger on her lips and smiled to appease the poor trainer. With experts hands, she took the flying type and examined it.
It had been shocked by a powerful electric attack.
She would have bitten her lower lips in other circumstances, but the little girl was staring so intensively at her, she couldn't.
This was serious, not life-threatening, but it would require her attention eventually.
With a calm soothing voice, she said:
«Don't worry. Chansey will take good care of your Spiwo. »
«He's going to be okay? » the little girl wondered, genuinely worried.
«Yes, we will do everything needed to heal him. »
Unsure, the girl smiled back nonetheless.
«You should be more careful around wild pokemon, they are dangerous when they feel threatened. » Nurse Joy advised.
«But… I was just taking a walk in the park with Spiwo! We were standing in the middle of the road when it just jumped out of some bushes and attacked us! » she vehemently protested.
The nurse paled. It was in the city? An aggressive electric type was running havoc in the park while the police was away?
This was bad.
Not letting her trouble appeared more than her slightly paler skin, she handed the spearow to her chansey and gave it a few instructions. Then, turning to the kid, she added:
«You should go with Chansey. It is important for wounded pokemon to see their trainer when they wake up, especially young ones. »
Courageously, she swallowed her sadness and nodded.
Nurse Joy followed the little girl with her eyes. She wanted to make sure she would not see what would happen next. If the police was away, that pikachu could cause a lot of trouble. Her responsibility was to heal injured pokemon, but it was also to prevent the injuries in the first place. She had to do this.
The pokemon nurse bent and opened a case under her counter. The few things stored in there would have to be enough.
Forgetting her unease, she grabbed the items and went outside.
The fight was one-sided. They were tired. Their battle with the police had taken its toll on them and now they were feeling its full effect. Not that it would have mattered anyway, they were completely outnumbered. For every criminal in red, there were ten in green.
Team Kanto was decimating Team Blast.
They had been surprised when they were the most vulnerable: tired from their previous fight and starting to lower their guards.
Now, it was simply a matter of time. Team Blast was doomed.
It was the conclusion that Captain Seriza had come to. They could fight back and delay their defeat, but they could not win. Everywhere her eyes fell on, one of her subordinates was knocked out, injured or worse.
And the most troubling was that, from times to times, she would hear someone say: «YOU! That's impossible! » just before falling to the ground. She attempted to understand, but she did find the answer. She had a lot on her hands.
In the midst of the battles, between pokemon throwing their most powerful attacks in the melee, Captain Seriza finally saw what the fallen members had seen. With the understanding came the anger and she charged at the source of her fury.
She usually enjoyed battlefields, but this time, it was a bit different. Janes was looking at the persons in green and white surrounding her with a calculating look. She could not break through the wall of their pokemon and she was back against a wall of steel.
Things weren't looking that good.
In front of her, the man that had succeeded in leading her there was showing every ounce of arrogance he could.
«Well, we've been ordered to take extra precautions when going against you, but it seems those were useless. » he commented with a grin.
«Oh, and by whom? » she asked, sounding perfectly innocent.
«You would like to know, right? » he said, his traits exhibiting a strange victory. «It's… »
«No! She doesn't need to know! » a member at his left cut him off.
The remark puzzled her. She had the feeling that there was something extremely important about Team Kanto, but she could not quite put her finger on it. She had heard some people yelled in disbelief when they figured it out, but it was out of her own reach.
«Now, drop every pokeball and weapon you have. You're cornered and we won't hesitate to hurt you if you try anything funny. » the team leader demanded.
Janes suddenly smiled. She had not found the most obscure details, but she had figured them out. They would see her true strength.
«I'm cornered? » she asked.
«You're back against a wall and your pokemon are all in their pokeballs. You can't escape us. It's over. »
«Would you really say that? After all, you could never beat me if you tried. I count a few reasons for that. » she explained smugly.
Faster than they anticipated, she grabbed a pokeball and threw it in front of her.
«Alakazam, teleport me out of here! » she yelled.
With admirable speed, the man she was facing yelled his order and half a dozen moves were sent toward her. While she may have acted fast, her pokemon would be hit by the attacks before she could reach it.
For a fraction of a second, he grinned at the inevitable conclusion.
Then, he saw the same grin on the terrible woman's face.
And the light that came out of the pokeball took the shape of a wobbuffet.
«No… » he barely had the time to articulate.
The psychic type reflected the attacks, sending them back to their creators. Half of his team was knocked out in an instant.
Seeing his gaping mouth, she started laughing. When Janes stopped, it was like her strength was radiating from under her skin. She was serious.
«It's called playing dirty and you clearly do not know how to. I said one thing and you instantly assumed I was telling the truth. It's not hard to lie, you know? Not to mention how useful it is.»
Now imbued with rage, he could barely stop himself from ordering another all-out attack, but her pokemon was still there.
Janes looked at the wall behind her and chuckled. She leaned on it, finding the situation hilarious.
«Being backed against a wall also means no one can attack me from behind… »
He was gritting his teeth so hard it hurt.
«You on the other hand… » she started.
Once more, she moved at a dreadful speed. Her pokeball went through the air and landed just behind on of them. Her dragonite roared as it was released and sent to crush his mistress's enemies.
«… are in for a world of pain. »
The dragon pokemon slammed the man against the ground with incredible violence.
Janes was completely relaxed now. In a creepy contrast with the rest of the room, she was patiently waiting for her pokemon to finish things for her… all behind the safety of her wobbuffet's barrier.
When her dragon type sent the last of them to the abyss of the unconsciousness, she simply straightened and ordered it to come back.
«Well, since those other Team Kanto posers are a bit too occupied to pay attention to me, we should just get going then. » she proposed to her dragonite as she called back in wobbuffet and took her alakazam's pokeball.
Suddenly, she was lifted from the ground.
«What… ? » she muttered.
The sudden pain in her right arm cut the rest of her question short.
Her dragonite had just saved her from a fire blast.
A stream of flame had just missed her torso by inches and only her right arm had been hit. In her pokemon's arms, she looked at the arcanine that was growling at her. The fire type seemed ready to throws another attack at them.
It was not the only one. Janes's dragonite was blowing steam from his nostrils, too eager to make that insolent pay.
Janes's feet touched the ground as her strongest pokemon launched itself toward the arcanine.
The criminal saw her dragon type dive at frightening speed and the fire type brace itself for the impact.
Neither Janes nor her pokemon saw the woman ready for their reaction.
As the dragonite was about to reach his target, he felt a powerful pain erupt in his left wing. Surprised, he missed the arcanine and crashed on the metallic floor. The fire type didn't waste time and jumped on it, trying to finish it off.
However, Janes was not even looking at her struggling pokemon. No, her eyes were fixed on the person that had shot her pokemon through on wing. Unable to hide her disbelief, she muttered a single word.
«Jenny… »
Proud and fiercely determined, the notable police officer was perfectly recognizable under her green and white uniform. Pointing at Janes was her gun, held with a firm grasp and ready to end things once and for all.
Thinking one last time about John, she fired.
The bullet pierced through the space separating them both in an instant, only to end up in the wall.
Janes had plunged when she saw the look on Jenny's face and had dropped her alakzam's pokeball.
Seeing the psychic type, Jenny knew she had lost. With it at her side, Janes would not be defeated by a traditional weapon. She shot a look of despite at the pokeball hanging at her belt. If only that captain hadn't taken out her gengar…
The process of her thoughts going in a parallel way, Janes was grinning with arrogance… and was trying to hide the fact that her right arm was difficult to move.
«Well, well, it seems like you've made up your mind about killing me, officer. It's just too bad you won't succeed. I've faced so many officers in my life that it's not even a challenge. How many of your colleagues do you think died the same way as that man you loved? » she taunted.
At the mention of her acts, Jenny felt a flame burst inside her. It was the strongest feeling of hatred she ever felt. This… monster… she only wanted to bring more pain. She had no excuse, no sad past, no trouble; her very nature was to destroy and enjoy the destruction. Feeding on that dark feeling, her face hidden by her hood, Jenny said in a very low tone:
«You will die. »
«Really? Won't we all someday? » Janes countered with a pout.
And Jenny raised her head.
Janes's grin faded. There was something burning behind those eyes and she did not like it.
Jenny was not consumed by anger like Ash had been; she was simply using it as a source of strength. Her gaze met Janes's and the criminal could feel a threat more certain than any other before.
«You have played with fire for years. » Jenny began. «You should be afraid. »
«Oh, and why is that? »
«The ones that suffered at your hands will make you pay someday. You will be burned at the stake. »
Under Jenny's blazing gaze, Janes could only call back her dragonite and disappeared with her psychic type.
Now staring at a wall, Jenny whispered:
«Someday…»
He was breathing heavily. Milosia's absence was pressing against his sanity, threatening to let go of his hold over his own body. A hand clinging to s doorknob, Genno was trying to control his mind… without a great success.
His field of vision was blurry and full of crawling shadows.
«You don't want to go near that egg, do you? » they asked, times after times.
«No… but I will. » Genno replied every time.
However, every time, he took a little longer to answer. If it kept going like that, he would be unable to continue.
That egg… it was radiating malice. It was just like being close to Janes. His pokemon instinct was telling him to run away as fast as he could, to put some distance between that monstrosity and him. The best would be a world or two.
His legs were feeling heavy.
It was somehow a good thing. While it was hard to progress, it also meant that he could not easily run if his fear overwhelmed him.
«Come on, Genno! You can do better than that! » he thought.
He took a step further. The sound resonated in the dark corridor, reminding him of his isolation. There was no one with him to help, to support him. He couldn't depend on a friend to get him to safety if everything else failed.
Well, if Team Kanto won… he would actually be safe.
His foot moved forward once more.
His breathing stabilizing, he concentrated his strength on his legs. He would get to that egg no matter what.
Before his eyes, the shadows started fading into nothingness. He had to get to that egg and…
…And what?
He had no idea of how his father had created a thing like that. What was he supposed to do with it? Images of a poke-geneticist flashed before his eyes.
Stan! He had to get that egg to Stan and the others. They would be able to find a solution!
Suddenly, the structure of the hideout was shaken by some sort of explosion.
«What is happening up there? » he asked. «I sure hope it was Team Kanto winning. »
His balance having returned, he took another step forward. He was determined to do this and he would, without fail, reach that lab and get that thing!
One step at a time, Genno advanced toward the lab.
His progression was slow. Every step was making him closer to that egg and he was feeling its power radiating in his guts, screaming at him to turn around and run. Every step was making him more mentally unstable.
But as many shadows danced before him, there were other images that kept him from turning around. Stan, for example, and Ash and Pikachu and Milosia and Helen and Sebastian and Marco and… everyone. He didn't have the right to fail. He did not want to let them all down. If his sanity had to be held for the last time, it would be now!
His eyes fell on a door he knew well.
He was in front of the lab.
His hand shaking, he reached for the doorknob. As soon as his skin made contact with the cold metal, he froze.
All over his skin, covering his whole body… there were shadows, their claws biting his flesh.
«Don't… don't… don't… »
Gritting his teeth to hold the pain at bay, he focused all his strength on his hand. He would not let go now!
When he entered the room, he knew something was wrong. He could not feel a thing. It was as if that pressure had vanished.
Slowly, he walked to the screen his father showed him. There, he snapped.
The incubator was empty.
When men in green and white later entered the lab, they found a trashed room and a sobbing teen.
«Reporting sir. » a blonde woman with a green uniform said.
«Drop that military talk with me, Mandy. You know it's not appropriate. » her boss ordered.
«Very well, Mr. Dexter. »
He turned around to look at the television screen on which her image had appeared.
«How did things turned out? »
«As well you and Officer Jenny had anticipated. Our losses are minimal and our objectives have been successfully achieved. »
«Perfect. Where is Jenny at this moment? »
«She is tying up the prisoners and organizing their transfers toward the different prisons in Kanto and a few other regions if the need arises. »
«In that case, let her work. I will call her back later. »
«Very well, Mr. Dexter. » his secretary nodded before she ended their conversation.
Alone in his office, Gregor Dexter closed his eyes. It was finally over. The nightmare that was Team Blast would soon be nothing more than a bad memory.
He owed so much to that kid.
The mayor of Viridian City could still see his face, the bright and burning flame of courage that was telling him to fight. He remembered his meeting with a ditto named Genno.
«My friends and I are fighting Team Blast, but, in the end, we won't be able to defeat them by ourselves that's a fact. We need someone to create a force as dangerous as Team Blast. You have to lead them. »
«Who? » he had asked.
«The citizens of Kanto. Gather them in secret, make them warriors and give them a shot at revenge for the kidnapping of their children! »
As struck by lightning, Gregor Dexter stood still, trying to digest the idea.
«That's… »
«Team Blast ordered us to eliminate Team Rocket because it didn't want a rival. We will give them another! »
And they did. In secret, Gregor assembled a few groups of people ready to stand up to Team Blast and sent them to the other cities in Kanto with the order to recruit new soldiers. It had been long, steady and dangerous, but their numbers kept increasing. When the news had been told that Team Blast had lost their hostages, the number of new Team Kanto recruits skyrocketed.
«But why having that explanation of our ideals? Won't that give it away? »
«No, Jonathan Avery won't suspect a thing. He probably won't bother. He doesn't understand what it means to be a parent, but you do… and hundreds of people all over Kanto do. It is time that Kanto takes back its future. »
«What will we call ourselves? » the mayor finally asked, seduced by the idea.
«Team Kanto. The brave citizens of Kanto shall fight under its name. »
They finally landed on the top of the pokemon center.
They did not lose any time. Sebastian jumped off the dragonite and turned around to Helen. Th poke-geneticist acted fasted too and handed him over the wounded Pikachu.
«Ash… » he weakly said.
«Don't worry, we'll take care of him, Pikachu, but right now, you need to see a good doctor. » the boy replied.
He gulped loudly, the anxiety tightening his throat everytime he looked at the blood soaked bandages.
As Helen got down as well, she said:
«Sebastian, don't shake him up and handle him with caution. He already lost a big quantity of blood and he is weak. »
Sebastian just nodded and went downstairs, leaving Helen alone with the dragonite. The poke-geneticist simply took out a test tube containing white liquid out of a pocket.
Inside Sebastian was yelling for help, but it seemed like the pokemon center was empty.
«Please, anyone! » the kid begged.
«Chansey? » he heard a pokemon ask from his right.
«Thank Mew! Listen, my friend has lost a lot of blood! He needs help! »
With a surreal calm, the nurse pokemon examined the electric type's body. Then, a frown on its face, the chansey took the injured pokemon with it and disappeared inside a room. When Sebastian tried to follow it, it moved its head from right to left.
«But… »
His protest fell in deaf ears as the door was slammed shut and locked.
Standing alone in the hallway, Sebastian fought to hold his tears.
«Please be okay. »
Taking the thunderstone out of his pocket, he rolled it in his hands. If Pikachu had not refused so vehemently to use it, he would have been healed by now…
He tried to convince him that it was dangerous and that they might not get to the pokemon center in time, but it did not influence his friend.
He did not sink in deeper thoughts as a overly excited voice broke the silence.
«What? »
He turned around to see a television screen on the wall showing a reporter that was barely able to calm down.
«Sorry for my attitude, dear viewers, but it's… it's just… OH MEW! I can't believe it! »
Like pretty much everyone else looking at the program, Sebastian urged her to talk.
«Okay okay okay okay, listen well. We have received an unbelievable message from the head of the Viridian City police department, Officer Jenny. With a group of officers and brave citizens trained in secret, she lead an attack against Team Blast… and won! »
Thousands of people gasped simultaneously.
«TEAM BLAST HAS BEEN DEFEATED! »