Chapter 19
Lava's lair
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When we finally reached their base he landed the hovercraft in the front, where we were quickly surrounded by men dressed in red and black.
"Get out." Maxie demanded, Ruby, who was closer to the door, was too terrified to move. "Move!" he yelled reaching down to grab her. my eyes narrowed and I flung myself in the way so that it was me he grabbed by the collar as he threw me off the hovercraft that even when landed was 3 feet high. I landed face first on the dusty, sandy ground. Growling as I struggled to my feet. The men gathering around me, I glared at them and turned back to the hovercraft, my sister was standing in the opening that was used to get off. Maxie looked at me, the look on his face saying if she didn't move he would throw her too. But Ruby couldn't move, only stare at me, fighting back tears.
"Come on Ruby." I soothed, "It's alright, I will be right here." Ruby pressed her lips together giving Maxie one last glance before she jumped down beside me. I wish I had, had a hand to catch her with, the fall was a bit too far and she almost collapsed to the ground. Maxie jumped down with a thud beside her, tossing the keys to a nearby soldier.
"Take care of it." He ordered the man, glancing back at us he ordered. "Come with me." And he turned around leading us into the building. I stopped at the door, glancing around at all the men, whispering and glaring. I shivered and followed Maxie and Ruby inside. The lair was remarkably similar to the team rocket lair, except there were other things here. I heard wild cries from down the hallway, echoing towards and around us, as if we were surrounded. The hallways were narrow paths of a labyrinth, Ruby stayed close to me, burying her head into my arm. A chill ran down my back as the dark damp walls turned to cells around us, lining the hallways with Pokémon, some were sleeping, or sitting quietly in the corner, to terrified to make noise. But most of them, most of them were yelling, crying out in anger and vengeance. I felt Ruby's tears roll down my arm and my heart yanked, pulling to my stomach, the sight of these animals made me want to throw up.
"What do you do with them?" I asked quietly, my voice echoing gently compared to the fading screams of the tormented Pokémon. Maxie didn't look back this time, but I saw him grin, his arms remaining crossed as a set of keys dangled from his hand.
"We use them to further our research; they can provide power sources that are extremely rare, though the means aren't always…friendly." He finished as a pain filled howl echoed down the hallway. I cringed and Ruby spun, her back to me, her hands clutching my arm, her nails digging into my skin. "You're safe, they can't get out." He said confidently. And I glared at him as he stopped in a section of hallway, surrounded by empty cells; the Pokémon's cries were distant and sounded like monsters, crying out from the depths of hell.
Maxie flipped through his keys for a moment, before selecting one and opening the gate to a cell and motioned us inside. Ruby was now too scared to disobey and we both slowly stepped inside, Maxie shoving me as I passed. He reached over freeing both of us from the restraints and Ruby immediately ran and embraced me, I wrapped my arms around her protectively. Maxie shut and locked the gate, disappearing down the hallway leaving them alone in the dark, damp corridor. I ran my hand through Ruby's dark hair.
"It's going to be alright, don't you worry." I whispered calmly as she held onto me, like if she didn't I would disappear. And for the first time in a while, I found myself wishing my father was with me.
Ash, Misty and Brock followed Lance and Giovanni, leading them deep through the forest Lance swiftly swaying between trees with long, fast strides, taking the lead which didn't sit well with Giovanni. Misty, Brock and Ash struggled to keep up with them but eventually after trudging through the forest, they found a clearing, coated in dirt and sand. It was alive with activity; men dressed in red and black bustling this way and that. Ash, Misty, Brock, Lance and Giovanni hid behind trees on the rim of the clearing, all of them accept Lance gasping for breath after the long hike.
"Come on lets go." Ash said anger creeping into his voice, Pikachu on his shoulder wore the same enraged/determined expression.
"Wait Ash, we can't just run in there blindly, we will be over run." Misty scolded. "We need a plan of attack."
"I have a plan, attack." Ash replied, clicking the button to make one of his poke balls bigger.
"Misty is right Ash." Lance said. "We are outnumbered here." Giovanni shot a glare at Lance, knowing his was right.
"I have seen you stroll through my base as if it were a stroll in the park." He growled, forcing Lance to give him a smug glare.
"Yes well, this is team magma I advise we actually take caution with them." He sneered.
"You brat," Giovanni started but was cut off by Brock.
"Everyone shut up before they will hear us, please children be serious." He snapped annoyed at their lack of maturity despite their experience.
"I just want to hurry up and save my daughters." Giovanni
"Team Magma wouldn't have taken them for just any reason." Lance said. "They more than likely did it to anger us in which case they want us to run in. It's a trap for us." Lance observed the soldiers for a few seconds. "However you are right about one thing. We have to hurry, we have no idea what is going on in there." Giovanni growled.
"Yes that is what I have been saying, we should get moving."
"It's irrational." Lance snarled.
"It's necessary." Giovanni snapped back, both of them staring hatefully into the other's eyes.
"Let's just go, I am sure we can take them!" Ash said with enthusiasm.
"That's my boy." Giovanni said, receiving glares from everyone but Ash. Lance took another glance around, spotting a small work shed where only a few men seemed to be working. He mentally took note, targeting the stragglers before turning to the others.
"You guys wait here for me." He ordered turning and disappearing into the forest.
"Where did that coward go?" Giovanni asked before they all spotted Lance in the brim of the trees, making his way towards the shed, appearing just to vanish again in the shadows. They all watched astonished, Giovanni taking note.
So this is how the shadow always leaks his way into my plans.
Lance reached the shed, taking cover behind the wall and waited for his pray, popping out of the shadows to elbow a man, hitting his temple causing the man to pass out. Lance quickly snatched up the body and stepped inside the shed and when he saw it was clear he motioned for the others to follow. They ran towards him half in awe, not half as graceful as he had been.
Lance waited impatiently for them inside the shed; he had already slipped the uniform over his own clothes, resembling a team Magma grunt. They could barely recognize him as he tucked the last of his hair in under the bright bandana.
"Ok are you ready?" He asked.
"Ready for what exactly?" Giovanni asked. Lance looked at the others with a devilish grin.
"The easiest way to get inside is to be captives. I can lead you inside claiming I found you sneaking around and captured you." the others nodded and Lance picked up some rope that was lying in the corner. "Put your hands behind your back. i am going to tie it softly so that you can all escape but if we don't do this it will be obvious that we are intruders." the others nodded and obeyed tense as Lance tied very loose knots, the others had to struggle to not let it fall off. Giovanni was the last, he reluctantly put his hands back his face twisted into a snarl as Lance pulled his a little tighter than normal. Causing Giovanni to grimace as the rope dug into his skin, quickly relaxing into a loose knot.
"Alright, let's go!" Ash called out enthusiastically as he began to march from the shed. Lance rushing to cut him off shaking his head disapprovingly, glancing out of the shed he motioned them on, examining them as if he expected them to run. He carefully led them to the entrance, receiving a few odd stares from other magma members who quickly looked away. They were almost to the door when a member ran up to them.
"Good job soldier, i will take their Pokémon." Lance hesitated, his mind racing for a reply. he opened his mouth to speak but was too late. Ash had dropped his ropes and lunged at the man, refusing even the idea to have his Pokémon taken. Giovanni was the next to join in, calling out his Persian. Lance turned to the soldier, slamming his elbow into this chin, sending the man to the ground. more men began to crowd around them, surrounding them.
"Dang it!" Lance muttered stepping back and placing a hand on his poke balls. Misty and Brock cut in front of him, pushing him back with the others towards the door.
"Go on!" Misty demanded.
"We will hold them off, just hurry." Brock added giving them a friendly smile. Lance normally would have objected but he trusted Misty and Brock, they were gym leaders after all.
"I'm staying too. Are you ready Pikachu?" Ash asked, glancing at Pikachu who was sparking with electricity and excitement.
"Pikachu." it agreed rearing to go. Lance nodded and turned to the door.
"Wait!" Ash called out, tossing my belt to him. "Return this to her for me would you?" Lance nodded and rushed to the door, Giovanni was already at the door, unlike Lance he didn't glance back to his son and his friends. The two raced down corridors. They walked down a hallway of cell's each containing a Pokémon that was screaming in pain, agony or rage. Lance clenched his fists and teeth.
Restraining the urge to open the cells knowing the Pokémon were too far gone, they would run rampant and cause more trouble than help. He made a mental note that he would need back up and come free them later. Giovanni glanced at Lance, amazed he wasn't releasing the Pokémon despite the consequences, though Giovanni wasn't very pleased with it either. He didn't believe Pokémon to be very important but this was crazy. He didn't have much of a stomach for torture. He simply wanted world domination and to own all Pokémon, that didn't involve things like this.
Lance discarded his disguise as he walked, pulling off the over coat and bandanna, reverting back to his shadow black outfit. Eventually more and more cells turned up empty and the Pokémon's cries began to decrease into background noise, but something else took its place, another something was crying. Lance was the first to spot me and Ruby, we were sitting on the floor and she was sobbing gently into my chest, my arm patting back comfortingly. Whispering promises and kind words to try and cheer her.
I looked up and saw them approaching, instantly telling Ruby to look, her face lifting when she saw them. Giovanni didn't slow his pace as he pulled a poke ball from his belt, calling out his Golem who slammed its fist into the lock, smashing it instantly. The door opened with a bang and Lance and Giovanni ran in. Giovanni lifted Ruby up into the air, pulling her into a hug while she clung to him, her sobs dying in her throat. Lance reached his hand down to me, helping me to my feet; I immediately flew into his arms, embracing him tightly, whispering my thanks into his ear. When they all released Giovanni out Ruby down, Lance backed away to stand beside her, I stared at my father for a moment before breaking. We both stepped forward embracing in a hug.
"I'm sorry." I choked out, unsure of what to say. Giovanni pushed her back staring into her eyes.
"No, no I am the one who should be sorry, I should have told you, I should have given you a second option." I am not proud of what my father does, but I see people can do worse, and my father was just that, my father, and I still needed him, and like a child, I couldn't stay mad at him. They both pulled apart, I took Lance's hand while dad lifted Ruby up, preparing to carry her.
"You sure she isn't too heavy for you old man?" Lance teased. As if he expected dad's back to give out and accidently drop Ruby. Dad glared at Lance, lifting Ruby up into a piggy back ride and we made our way down the hallway. When we reached a fork in the road Lance skidded to a stop and we all turned to look at him.
"What's wrong?" I asked him he glanced down the second hallway.
"We have to stop Maxie." He said.
"What? Why? No we don't." Giovanni said.
"Cause, it's the right thing to do." Lance said sounding a little annoyed.
"Well you go do the right thing and I am going to save my daughters ok? Ok." dad said readjusting Ruby so he could get a better grip, ready to make his way down the hallway. Lance glared at daddy and then stared into my eyes.
"You agree with me don't you?" Lance told me, his gaze pleading. I nodded, melting under his eyes. Lance looked up at dad as if asking Is this good enough? Dad sighed turning and following us down the second corridor. Lance passed me my belt, containing all of my poke balls including Ruby's. I strapped it around my waist and called out Ponyta to guard over us as we walked. The narrow corridor opened up into a large room, swarming with team Magma goons. Dad readjusted his grip on Ruby and glanced at Lance and me. Lance was selecting a poke ball while I was petting Ponyta, grateful to have her back knowing she was about to fight. Dad looked around and crouched to the ground putting Ruby down.
"Climb onto Ponyta." He told her and I stared at him. He looked at me as if to explain why he was telling me what to do with my Pokémon. "Ponyta is one of the few Pokémon someone can actually ride, that means she can keep Ruby safe and run if anything goes wrong. Ruby, Claire has taught you how to ride right?" dad asked, Ruby and I nodded, "Good, Claire you can battle with another Pokémon if you want."
"Isn't that against the rules?" I asked, searching my mind remembering a law about only using one Pokémon. Dad raised an eye brow at me and looked out at the members of team Magma.
"Does it look like they are going to follow the rules?" he asked. I sighed knowing I was going to feel guilty. Lance glanced between us before saying.
"You know that rule is only territorial, right?" I looked up at him, clearly confused. "There are some regions such as Hoien and Joto where trainers participate in double battles where it's two on two Pokémon each." I nodded taking in the information before grabbing more poke balls, calling out Vulpix, Evee and Ruby's squirrtle. This way Ruby would have more than just Ponyta to protect her.
"Are we ready?" I asked. Everyone nodded, looks of determination plastered across their faces as we prepared to enter chaos.