A/N: It's been a while and I was very busy lately.
As for any new characters, I think I'm going to stop adding now. The roster in this story is already very expansive. But, there still might be some cameos or references if anyone wants to suggest some.
Enjoy the chapter, and thank you to those who read it!
Chapter 17: The Sinjoh Ruins – The Field Agent Fight
It was now 1:45 in the afternoon, and by this time Serena was already at the front of ruins. After tending to Fennekin, Serena returned Fennekin to its Pokeball and used a cold, stone ruin block as a chair. There, Serena turned on Looker's tablet and continued her discussion with the group back in Blackthorn City.
"Hey guys," Serena said cheerfully, "I'm back."
"Hey Serena," Kenny and Drew replied.
"How's it looking over there?" Clair asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" Serena said back. "All I can see from over here is fighting and running."
"Do you know what their overall objective is?" Conway inquired.
"Yes," Serena responded, "I think they're trying to find Giovanni and knock him out! They're also trying to defeat the legendary Pokemon!"
"But how will they do that?" Kenny wondered.
"Good question," Drew agreed.
"Hopefully they can pull it off," Clair thought to herself.
"Uh, what are you trying to do over there, Conway?" Serena asked.
"I'm trying to access the cameras they've set up so we can see them live," Conway answered.
"Great idea," Kenny said.
"But is it working?" Drew asked.
"Not really," Conway replied. "Team Rocket turned off their system all of a sudden so I can't access them."
"I can turn it on," Serena offered. "I just need to find their power button."
"Let's see, where's the closest camera to you?" Conway said.
Serena scanned the area around her and found a camera mounted on a nearby pillar. "Found it." Serena said.
"Ok, well if these types of cameras have antennae," Conway started, "then tell me which direction the antenna is pointing."
"That way," Serena said.
"Good," Conway said. "The antenna should be pointing towards the computer. Then all you have to do is plug in tablet in the computer and I can handle the rest."
"Ok," Serena said, running off. Fortunately, their computer system was away from all of the fighting. After plugging in the tablet, she waited patiently for Conway to finish.
Meanwhile, Drew and Kenny were having a casual conversation with each other. They were sitting across from each other on the couch discussing an interesting topic.
"So Drew," Kenny started.
"Yeah?" Drew replied.
"Well, you see," Kenny said quietly, "there's something I wanted to ask you. How are you so smooth?"
"Smooth?" Drew wondered. "What do you mean?"
"You know," Kenny clarified, "the way you are with girls."
"What?" Drew answered. "Come on man, you must be crazy."
"Just look Drew," Kenny said back. "All those girls over there are gazing at you from that couch across the Pokémon Center. It's like every girl is into you!"
"Nah, it's just that I'm a popular coordinator, that's all," Drew responded frivolously. "Just relax. Besides, I've been doing Johto contests for a while now so it's not that big of a deal."
"You know," Kenny told Drew, "I want to be like that too. There's this girl that I want to travel with me, but I don't know what to do about it. I thought you might be able to help."
"Well, I don't know," Drew hesitated.
"Really? Come on, Drew," Kenny urged. "I know you give roses all the time! You know you have experience."
"Roses?" Drew gulped. "How did you know?"
"Don't you remember?" Kenny casually laughed. "That's what you were doing after the Wallace Cup."
"Oh," Drew realized. "That's right. Well I guess I'll tell you a few things then."
After a brief pause, Drew began his advice for Kenny.
"Well," Drew said, "first you should make sure that she is the one before being serious. And don't forget to consider all of your options as well; you never know who you'll meet! But for girls to like you, I guess one thing you could try acting nicer with them. They may not like you if you're mean to them."
"Good point," Kenny agreed. "You must be really nice to girls then."
"Well," Drew corrected, "not exactly. I guess tease a lot. There was this one time where I got unreasonably mad and I'm sure I was dislikable."
"Thanks Drew," Kenny said.
"Really?" Drew laughed. "That's a no-brainer; we haven't even got to style yet!"
"Maybe next time," Kenny said. "So Drew, what other kinds of Pokemon do you have?"
"You should tell me yours before I tell you," Drew responded. They both chuckled.
As the two friends continued to talk, Conway was finally able to access the Sinjoh Ruins cameras.
"Drew! Kenny! Clair!" Conway called out. "I got the cameras to work; we can see every one of them now."
"Good work, Conway," Clair praised.
"Cool," Drew and Kenny said after getting up from the couch.
"I'll go send the link to the major broadcasters and departments of the Kalos, Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto regions," Clair stated while typing on the computer. "All of the important figures such as the Professors will get the link as well."
"Wow," Kenny said while looking at the screen, "there sure is a crisis going on over there."
"Dang," Drew gazed. "Look at all of the fighting. Shots and attacks are being fired from many directions!"
"Let's take a closer look by zooming in with a different camera," Conway stated.
The screen displayed a view of six humans speed walking.
"Who are they?" Drew and Kenny wondered.
"From the Team Rocket data website," Conway answered, "it appears those six go by the names of Clemont, Misty, Tracey, Cilan, Iris, and Blaziken Mask."
"What about the others?" Drew and Kenny wondered again.
"Let's see if we can get another camera," Conway said. "Here we go; there are two people in this view fighting against one man."
"That's May!" Drew recognized.
"And I bet all of us know who Brock is," Kenny said to Clair, Conway, and Drew.
"Yep," they responded.
"There's also a man by the name of Looker, who is setting devices around the ruins. But the rest of them are the furthest back," Conway stated. "It appears they are trying to maneuver to the top vertex of the triangular platform. Including the Meowth, there are nine of them running right now."
"That looks like Ash," Drew pointed out.
"And there's Dawn!" Kenny also pointed out.
"Precisely," Conway replied, nodding his head.
Clair, who had just finished sending as mass email, looked at the screen. "Unbelievable. Four beings of unprecedented power are all on the same stage. What are we going to do?"
"I guess watching is the only thing we can do," Drew sighed.
"Yeah," Clair said, also with a sigh.
"I've calculated that their chances of success are slim," Conway declared.
"But there's always a chance; we can't give up until it's over," Kenny reassured. "We just have to make to make sure that they'll be able to stop them in time!"
That's just what Team Pikachu was doing, and they were in a race against the clock to stop the scheme before it was too late.
Rival Reunion
Ash, Donovan, Dawn, Ashlyn, Jessie, James, Meowth, Max, and Bonnie continued their way to the top vertex of the Mystri Stage where Giovanni was located. Along the way, they found some opportunities to attack the legendary Pokemon, but it did no good to stop them.
"We don't have that much time," Donovan told the rest of Team Pikachu, "so let's move!"
"Right," they all said in agreement.
So they continued on to Giovanni, but only to be stopped by two figures standing in their way. However, their bodies and faces were shrouded by shadows.
"You're not going anywhere!" the woman declared.
"Not with us around!" the man yelled.
"Who are you?" they all wondered. They got a resounding answer.
"Prepare for trouble!" the woman shouted.
Dawn gasped. "It's Jessie!"
"Grr, no it's not!" Jessie angrily retorted, slapping Dawn in the head. "I'm right here!"
"Owww!" Dawn wailed.
"Why'd you have to hurt Dawn!" Ash yelled at Jessie while holding Dawn's head.
"Well SAW-RRY…geez," Jessie apologized reluctantly.
"But if it's not Jessie…" Max started.
"Then who is it?" Bonnie wondered.
After a long frightful pause, the man said something after the woman.
"Hahah, and make it double!" the man yelled.
Meowth also gasped. "Oh no! I know who it is!"
"It can't be!" James cried.
"But it is," the man told James. Both the man and the woman finally revealed themselves.
"Quick, run!" Donovan told everyone.
"Not so fast!" the woman yelled. "Sableye, use Shadow Ball!"
"Mightyena, use Hyper Beam!" the man also yelled.
"Oh no!" they all cried.
The Shadow Ball and the Hyper Beam blasted Team Pikachu back. Smoke now covered every part of their area.
"I can't see!" Ashlyn said while coughing with the smoke around.
"Who are these guys anyway?" Donovan said, also coughing.
"Who are we?" the woman said. Then both the man and the woman then declared a statement together.
"Here's our mission so you better listen!" they both proclaimed.
"To infect the world with devastation!" the woman declared.
"To blight all people in every nation!" the man also declared.
"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!" the woman stated.
"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"
"Cassidy!" the woman finally said, revealing her name.
The man revealed his name as well. "And Butch, of course!"
"We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!" Cassidy assured.
"Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!" Butch threatened.
"Are you kidding me?" Max protested. "We're not going to surrender!"
"That's right!" Bonnie shouted back.
"It's Cassidy," Jessie murmured.
"And Biff," James stated.
"I remember those guys from Sinnoh!" Dawn remembered.
"You're right Dawn. And wow, I never expected to see Biff again," Ash said.
"So you know this Biff guy?" Donovan asked Ash and James.
"Yeah," Ash and James replied.
"Let's stop them, Biff," Cassidy said to her partner.
After hearing his name said incorrectly four times, Butch became infuriated and yelled to the top of his lungs. "Grr…THE NAME'S BUTCH!"
"Well, long time no see, Jessie," Cassidy said to Jessie, looking at her with a smirk.
"And it's been a long time, James," Butch told James.
"I think I know what's going to happen next," Meowth realized.
"Dawn," Jessie whispered, "tell your Quilava to use Smokescreen again."
"We've got these guys covered," James told them confidently.
Donovan and the others were listening carefully. "Did everyone get that?"
"Yeah," they all responded. They executed their plan immediately afterwards.
"Quilava, use Smokescreen!" Dawn commanded.
"What?!" Butch and Cassidy reacted in disbelief.
The smoke was just enough so that Ashlyn, Donvan, Ash, Dawn, Max, and Bonnie could get away, leaving Jessie, James, and Meowth behind. After the smoke cleared, Butch and Cassidy were in for a real shock.
"Huh?" Butch wondered.
"Grr…where did they go?" Cassidy grumbled.
"We're right here!" James, Jessie, and Meowth yelled.
"Team Rocket blasting off at the speed of light!" Jessie proclaimed.
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" James declared.
"That's right!" Meowth finished.
Battle for the Better
"Well, well, if it isn't Jessie," Cassidy scoffed. "Did you get any better since we last met in Sinnoh? It sure doesn't look like it."
"Very funny," Jessie cackled sarcastically, "I was about to say the same thing about you, blondie!"
"Oh, but I did," Cassidy smirked back. "For your information, we're in a brilliant operation to take over six of the Pokemon regions! It's something a nitwit like you could only dream of getting involved in."
"Grrr! You make me mad, but I've been waiting a long time for this! Look Cassidy, I'm going to put you in your place because of the nasty punk you are!"
"Oh yeah?" Cassidy responded. "Giovanni thinks I'm better than you! There's a reason why I'm in Team Rocket and you're not!"
"Is that so?" Jessie mocked. "Then why are you always under the eye of Professor Lamba?"
"Hold on, jerkface, I've got a call from Professor Bambi," Cassidy said, stopping Jessie. She answered the call.
"Hello?" Cassidy said.
"IT'S PROFESSOR NAMBA!" Professor Namba screamed.
"Haha, silly Cassidy," Jessie laughed. "Makes sense that they would give an annoying Professor Sambo to an annoying Cassidy.
"IT'S NAMBA!" Professor Namba screamed again.
"Well I know YOU'RE annoying," Cassidy retorted, "but what am I?!"
"You're a blonde punk with no life, that's what!" Jessie answered harshly.
"And you're a purple-haired yahoo who has no friends! That's why you're in people's faces all the time! You're the annoying one!"
"No, you are!"
"You are!"
"You are!"
"NO, YOU!"
"NO, YOU!"
James and Butch watched the two girls fight.
"Those girls are crazy, right Hutch?" James asked.
"THE NAME'S BUTCH!" Butch yelled. "But it's okay baby James, we're still better than you!"
"What did you call me?!" James snapped. "You're the crybaby and we're the ones better than you!"
"No, we're better!" Butch retorted in disagreement.
"We're better!" James said back.
"Let's tell them, James," Jessie said.
"Right," James agreed. Since we last met, we've successfully disbanded Team Galactic and Team Plasma. Bet you guys have never done that before."
"Plus, we saved Giovanni from almost getting killed in Operation Tempest. The energy could have completely consumed him," Jessie added. "We're the reason you guys still have a job!"
"Really?" Butch responded. "Then why did he let you go?"
Then Cassidy said, "Well I heard you guys messing around following a cruise ship for an entire month after stopping Team Plasma. It's like you guys went back to being the failures you were!"
"That's true," James sighed while whispering to Jessie.
"But it doesn't make sense!" Jessie complained. "Why did he have to let us go? He would have removed us a long time ago if a one-month failure was the reason…."
"I've had enough of this," Butch said. "We'll settle you two in a battle!"
"Yeah," Cassidy agreed.
"Grrr….I'm going to beat you Cassidy!" Jessie yelled. "Go Wobbuffet!"
"You too, Inkay!" James also called out. Then James whispered to Jessie.
"But Jessie, these are our only Pokemon," James warned.
"It's okay," Jessie replied. "We're the better agents, so we're going to beat these clowns!"
"I'm sneaking out right now," Meowth whispered. Butch and Cassidy had no idea that Meowth was escaping. "I'll see you guys later."
"Right," Jessie and James replied.
"Go Mightyena! Use Iron Tail on Inkay!" Butch immediately declared.
"Dodge it, Inkay!" James responded. Inkay swiftly dodged and continue to float in the air.
"Go Sableye! Use Shadow Ball on Inkay!" Cassidy shouted.
"Protect Inkay with Mirror Coat!" Jessie reacted.
The Mirror Coat reflected the Shadow Ball back at twice the power and Sableye took twice the damage! Sableye was knocked right down to the ground.
"Finish Inkay with Foul Play!" James commanded.
The Foul Play pulverized through fragile Pokemon like it was nothing - Sableye had fainted! However, Mightyena popped up right behind Inkay for a surprise attack!
"Hahaha! Hyper Beam, Mightyena!" Butch grinned.
"I'm one step ahead of you!" Jessie declared. "Do your thing, Wobbuffet!"
After Wobbuffet leaped into the air, the Mirror Coat bounced the tremendously powerful Hyper Beam back at Mightyena with twice the power. Mightyena could not survive the strength of its devastating attack; it fainted.
"Return," Butch and Cassidy muttered, both calling their Pokemon back.
"See that?" Jessie boasted. "We're the better agents after all, Cassidy!"
"You couldn't stop us if you had a full team of those weaklings!" James also commented.
"Sorry, but we're not done yet," Butch stopped them.
"We have secret weapons, and there's no way you can be superior!" Cassidy intimidated.
"Secret weapon?" James inquired.
"Ha, losers like you two could never have anything on us!" Jessie laughed.
"Just you watch," Butch grinned deviously.
"Go, Woobat!" Cassidy yelled.
"Yamask, go!" Butch shouted.
As soon as Jessie and James realized what had happened, they both froze as if they were hit by an Ice Beam.
"No…wha?!" James gawked.
"Buuhh…..how?!" Jessie goggled.
"HOW DID YOU GET OUR POKEMON?!" Jessie and James screamed at the top of their lungs.
"Simple," Cassidy replied, "he gave them to us because you guys were such failures!"
"Yep, as always," Butch sighed in happy agreement.
"Why you…we would never give the boss our Pokemon!" Jessie growled.
"Don't you remember?" James reminded Jessie. "Before we left the boss's room in headquarters? We left our Unova Pokemon on the table!"
"Drats!" Jessie pouted.
"Don't worry little Jessie," Cassidy teased condescendingly, "we'll tuck you babies in nighty-night by making you two cry yourselves to sleep!"
"Oh yeah?" Jessie scowled back. "If I'm the baby then you're going to be my diaper!"
"Grr…" Cassidy murmured, gritting her teeth.
"Don't worry Cassidy; we're going to beat these chumps with their own Pokemon!" Butch laughed.
Just then a random bottle cap that belonged to James rolled right in front Butch. When Butch saw the cap, he smashed it with his foot and laughed evilly at James.
"HOW DARE YOU!" James roared.
"It doesn't matter if you have our Pokemon; we're still going to win!" Jessie yelled.
"Let's show them!" James also yelled. "Inkay, use Foul Play on Woobat!"
"Run right next to Inkay, Wobbuffet!" Jessie commanded.
"Nope, I'm not having it!" Cassidy responded. "Use Gust, Woobat!"
The strong winds immediately put Inkay and Wobbuffet to a halt. A few seconds later, they were desperately holding on to the ground for balance.
"Now Yamask, Shadow Ball on both of them!" Butch told the Pokemon.
Because they were off balance from the wind, they could not do anything to dodge the attacks. Wobbuffet couldn't even reflect it back. The Shadow Balls fired by Yamask were given an extra boost because of the Gust, and they landed critical hits on the Pokemon!
"Wobbuffet, get up!" Jessie demanded.
"You too, Inkay!" James declared boldly. "Use Psybeam on Yamask!"
"Block with Night Shade!" Butch said in response.
"Now hit Inkay with Hidden Power!" Cassidy directed. Inkay was sure to be hit after leaving itself open.
"Do your thing, Wobbuffet!" Jessie reacted. Wobbuffet jumped in front of the Hidden Power and handed the blasts right back at them!
"Psst, Cassidy," Butch nudged. "I've got an idea."
"What is it, Butch?" Cassidy wondered.
"My name's not – anyway, do you remember what that Quilava did with Smokescreen? Let's do that with Yamask's Haze !"
"Good idea!" Cassidy cackled.
"Yamask, use Haze!" Butch commanded.
"What?!" Jessie said in shock.
"But that's one of my tricks!" James replied angrily.
The Haze made it impossible to see where they were attacking from.
"Woobat, use Air Slash on both of them!" Cassidy laughed. The attacks landed clean, direct hit that slammed both Inkay and Wobbuffet to the ground.
"Now surround them with Will-o-wisp!" Butch said.
When the smoke receded, Jessie and James found themselves surrounded by fire, along with Wobbuffet and Inkay.
"No!" Jessie shrieked in worry.
"We're trapped!" James gasped.
"You can surrender now," Butch told them proudly.
"Just give up!" Cassidy smirked.
"Never in a million years!" Jessie retorted.
"Fine, we'll just have to burn you all then! Will-o-wisp, Yamask!"
"Let's see Wobbuffet try to reflect this!" Cassidy laughed, aware that Will-o-wisp was a status move.
"No!" Jessie cringed while bracing herself.
"Please,Yamask, don't do this!" James cried.
As soon as the Will-o-wisp was fired, however, Wobbuffet stood up proudly with a gleaming light covering his body. Next thing they knew, Wobbuffet was able to take the Will-o-wisp unharmed.
"What?" Cassidy said in confusion.
"The move Safeguard?!" Butch gawked. "It can't be!"
"Thank you Wobbuffet!" Jessie said thankfully.
"And there's one thing you two forgot!" an angered James told them.
"Huh?" Cassiy and Butch both wondered.
"Inkay can float!" James revealed. "Go out there and use Tackle!"
"Woobat, use Air Slash!" Cassidy responded.
"Dodge it by spinning!" James commanded. "Then use Foul Play!"
"Woobat, no!" Cassidy shrieked as Woobat took the hit.
"Tackle Woobat on that stone pillar right next to us!" James directed.
After Woobat was slammed to the pillar, it fainted. Soon after a moderate pile of snow slid off the top and sloshed over all of the flames. Jessie and James were now free.
"Don't let them escape!" Butch commanded. "Use Night Shade, Yamask!"
"Give it to them, Wobbuffet!" Jessie declared. "Mirror Coat!"
After reflecting Night Shade back with twice the power, Yamask and Woobat were defeated at last.
"Return Woobat," Cassidy sighed.
"Return Yamask," Butch said. "Joke's on you James – it's your Pokemon!"
"Darn it!" James shouted.
"So, you think those two were the only Pokemon of yours we had?" Cassidy smirked.
"But how?" James shuddered.
"They couldn't possibly – "Jessie shook.
"You bet we do!" Butch laughed. "Amoonguss, go!"
"You too, Frillish!" Cassidy called out. "Use Bubblebeam!"
"Block it with Psybeam!" James responded.
"Now's your chance!" Butch declared. "Use Stun Spore on Inkay while it it open!"
"I don't think so!" Jessie shouted. "Jump in and take the hit using your Safeguard!"
Wobbuffet mightily charged its own body to successfully protect Inkay.
"Now Inkay, use Foul Play on Frillish!" James proclaimed.
The super effective attack hammered Frillish with force that it could not handle. Frillish fainted, and Cassidy returned her Pokemon.
"Amoonguss, use Hidden Power!" Butch barked.
"Jump and use Mirror Coat to reflect it back!" Jessie responded.
"I knew you would do that!" Butch laughed. "Dodge it by jumping up in the air! Then use Body Slam right on top of Wobbuffet!"
"What?!" Jessie panicked.
Amoonguss slammed Wobbuffet brutally on the ground. When the smoke receded, Jessie saw that her precious Wobbuffet was trapped under Amoonguss!
"Wobbuffet!" Jessie cried.
"Urgh, Inkay use Tackle!" James said.
"Nope, stop it with Stun Spore!" Butch commanded. Inkay fell straight to the ground, unable to move.
"Well, it looks like we've won," Butch declared. "Inkay can't move and I have Wobbuffet pinned!"
"Oh no, this is terrible," James said in worry "I forgot how powerful Amoonguss was. It was one of our only Pokémon that was able to beat Pikachu."
"Not yet!" Jessie scowled. "Wobbuffet, flail your body and try to roll using your tail!"
"You're a squirmy one, aren't you?" Butch replied. "I forgot Wobbuffet wasn't paralyzed. Use Stun Spore!"
"Use Safeguard!" Jessie said back.
The bright light of Safeguard combined with Stun Spore created electrifying flashes that hurt Amoonguss's eyes! This caused Amoonguss to immediately jump into the air!
"I didn't say jump!" Butch protested. "Get back on top by using Body Slam!"
"There we go!" Jessie smirked. "Use Counter!"
"Noooo!" Butch wailed.
Amoonguss took an extremely powerful force right back at it, sending it flying through the air. It completely regretted using Body Slam.
"Just because I can't move doesn't mean I can't attack!" James affirmed. "Inkay, finish this off with Psybeam!" Inkay fired the beam while in a stationary position, and it was still powerful. Amoonguss had fainted.
"Return Amoonguss," Butch sighed.
"Nice work, James," Jessie smiled.
"You too, Jessie," James answered back.
"HA!" both James and Jessie hollered. "WHO'S THE LOSERS NOW?!"
"Pity; we actually lost to Jessie and James," Cassidy sighed. "But it doesn't matter."
"We still have one trick up our sleeves," Butch responded.
"Take this!" Butch and Cassidy declared in unison. Both of them threw a huge net at Jessie and James!
"What?!" Jessie and James cried.
Just then, a Pokemon zoomed in from the shadows to stop the net. It was no other than Meowth, who had come just in time to use Fury Swipes on the net.
"Meowth!" Jessie and James both said. "Thank you!"
"Now let's give them a taste of their own medicine," Meowth smirked. He then proceeded to chuck specially designed bolas at Butch and Cassidy. The rope wrapped around Butch and Cassidy and left them completely immobilized. Jessie and James decided to taunt Butch and Cassidy before they left.
"Who's the boss now, Cassidy?!" Jessie mocked.
"Admit it; we're way better than you two!" James declared.
"Whatever," Cassidy said, spitting in their faces. "Giovanni will deal with you losers."
"There's no way you guys are going to stop this plan!" Butch smirked.
"Besides, we have still haveyour –" Cassidy started. But before Cassidy could finish, Inkay shot ink right at her face.
"Hahahahahahahaha!" James laughed while cracking up at the sight. "Good one, Inkay!"
"Ohohohohohoho!" Meowth also laughed. "You were saying?"
"Nice face, Cassidy!" Jessie jeered humorously. Then she took off running.
"Later losers!" Meowth ridiculed. He too ran off with Jessie.
"Bye Bob!" James taunted while also running off.
As Butch and Cassidy watched Jessie and James run off, Cassidy got extremely infuriated.
"ARRRRGRRRHHH! NOOOO! WHY YOU?! I'M GOING TO GET YOU JESSIE!" Cassidy screamed while trying to squirm out of the ropes.
Butch, however, stayed silent for the next 30 seconds. After that Cassidy broke the silence.
"What's wrong, Biff?" Cassidy inquired.
"Grr…..grr…GRR….THE NAME'S BUTCH!" Butch yelled back angrily.
And so, Jessie and James were able to successfully take down their rivals Butch and Cassidy.
"I still don't get why the boss had to let us go," Jessie pondered while running.
"Me neither," James said in agreement.
"That's why we're going to find out," Meowth declared.
Stressful Strains
Blaziken Mask, Clemont, Misty, Tracey, Cilan, and Iris were speedily making their way to catch up with the others. As they were walking, everyone lauded Clemont for his superb inventing skills.
"Thanks for the color-changing pencil, Clemont!" Tracey thanked. "I've made some awesome sketches because of it!"
"And thanks for the portable cooker, Clemont," Cilan also thanks. "Wow, you must be a really good chef!"
"Thanks for the fishing rod!" Misty thanked. "I didn't know you could make fishing gear as well!"
"To think that you designed and own the Lumiose Tower!" Tracey thought in awe.
"You really are a genius!" Cilan praised.
"Hehe, thanks guys," Clemont said in response.
Blaziken Mask just smiled. But Iris just stayed quiet; she was angry! First of all, she was cold, which automatically made matters worse. Second, she didn't think that Clemont deserved all of that praise. But it could have been that Iris as just jealous of Clemont getting so much attention. Finally, she had the hiccups; Iris was getting very irritated.
"What's wrong Iris?" Cilan noticed.
"Are you cold?" Misty asked.
"Oh, you have the hiccups," Tracey realized.
"Yea – hiccup – Yeah, I do," Iris said.
"Don't worry," Clemont told Iris. "I invented a pacifier that can cure the hiccups!"
"Pacifier? Who do you think you are?! Are you calling me a baby?!" Iris raged.
"No, it's not like that!" Clemont innocently said, defending himself.
"Hmph. What a kid. You expect an adult to use a baby product, huh, HUH?!" Iris snuffed.
"Grr…I'm not one to get angry, but I've had enough! You've pushed me too far!" Clemont roared. "I'll outsmart any of you on any day; who do you think you're talking too? I've set aside my gym leader duties just to help Ash, made out the plans, and…..and…..and…..I…I….I can't take this anymore! I've worked too hard for everyone!" Clemont broke down. He was in tears.
"Clemont! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!" Iris cried. She began to tear up as well. Eventually, she too burst out crying.
"I think you might want to apologize to Clemont," Cilan suggested to Iris.
The group stopped walking immediately. Tracey and Misty comforted Clemont from each side.
"Don't worry Clemont," Misty spoke softly, hugging him from the left.
"We're always here for you," Tracey also said, hugging him from the right.
"Sniff…thank you guys," Clemont said, feeling a little better.
"Clemont…I'm sorry for what I said to you…I had no control of myself," Iris said in apology. "You really are an amazing person. You're kind, sweet, and super smart!"
"Thanks Iris," Clemont said softly.
"Being out in this cold ruins isn't that easy," Cilan stated.
"You're right," Blaziken Mask replied. Deep inside, the father inside of Blaziken Mask wanted to comfort Clemont. But, his identity held him back.
"You know," Cilan started, talking to everyone, "We've gone so far just to this point. We've got little sleep. We're cold, hungry, and tired of all of this. We're all far away from our homes, but we can't give up now! We need to save both Pikachu and the world!"
"That reminds me, Clemont," Iris said, "your friend Serena told me something before Cilan and I left. She told us to not give up until it's over and to never give up until the end!"
"Right," Clemont agreed, feeling much better.
Just then, the group saw May and Brock in the distance. They ran towards them at full speed.
"May! Brock!" they called out.
"Hey guys!" May answered.
"You caught up with us," Brock smiled.
"Are you guys having as hard of a time as we are?" Misty asked May.
"You bet; that Proton guy annoyed the life out of me!" May replied.
"I agree," Iris said, "those so-called men can be a real pain!"
"I know we're all tired," Blaziken Mask affirmed, "but we can't give up until it's over. We've got to keep on fighting until our work is complete! Are we ready to rejoin Ash?"
"Yeah!" the team chanted.
"All right, let's move!" Blaziken Mask directed.
The path to Giovanni's throne was a ramp-like one; one that inclined upwards onto the elevated triangular stage. While they were far from the others, they were determined to catch up.
As for the group ahead, they now had their most fearsome encounter yet!
"Look out!" Donovan shouted.
A boulder slammed right in front of them, stopping them cold. When the smoke receded, the final Team Rocket Executive revealed himself. He was levitating in midair thanks to his two Golduck.
"Alas, it is me again, the great Archer," Archer declared. "Your quest ends here."
"Oh no…Archer!" Ashlyn cried in fear. "It can't be!"
"What's wrong?" Ash, Dawn, Max, and Bonnie asked.
"It's nothing," Donovan assured. "I'll take him from here! You guys go!"
"Right," they all agreed.
"Quilava, use Smokescreen!" Dawn commanded. Then they ran off.
"Not so fast!" Archer snapped. "Go Crobat! Use Sky Attack to pierce through the smoke and stop them!"
Crobat rushed out at a blinding speed. Fortunately, Ash, Max, Dawn, and Bonnie were able to make it out. However, Ashlyn was not so lucky.
"No, Ashlyn!" Donovan cried. "Leave my wife alone, Archer!"
"I don't think so!" Archer raged back. "Push Ashlyn back in front of Donovan using Heat Wave!"
At the same time, Ash, Dawn, Max, and Bonnie were now only moments away from Giovanni's throne.
"You have a Pachirisu, right Dawn?" Max inquired. "I heard that one time someone became Pokemon World Champion with a Pachirisu!"
"What was that?" Ash, Dawn, and Bonnie said in confusion.
"Oh, it's nothing," Max said. "I just got carried away, that's all."
"Okay. Anyways, I sure hope everyone else is all right," Dawn said.
"Yeah," Max and Bonnie said.
"And I hope that I'll be able to save Pikachu this time," Ash stated.
"I'm sure that since we're all working together, we can do it," Dawn reassured.
"Yeah," the other three agreed.
No matter how hard it is getting for our heroes, Team Pikachu is still hanging on. Can the members left behind catch up with the others? Just what history do Ashlyn and Donovan have with Archer? What surprises await Ash, Bonnie, Dawn, and Max when they reach Giovanni's throne? And most importantly, will Ash be able to save Pikachu? Find out in the next chapter!
"Ah, I finally got back at Cassidy!" Jessie laughed.
"And I showed that I'm stronger than that Butch!" James also laughed.
"Guys, look behind us!" Meowth alerted.
It was the "left behind" members of Team Pikachu.
"So, what did you guys do that kept you behind?" Brock asked.
"We stopped Cassidy and Butch!" Jessie declared.
"And we had only one Pokemon each!" Meowth proclaimed.
"Wow, you guys must sure be happy," May noticed.
"That's for sure," Misty, Cilan, Iris, and Tracey said.
"Enough talk,"Blaziken Mask affirmed. "Let's move out."
"Right," the rest of them said.