"Flaaffy, use ThunderShock!"
"Flaaffy!" Yellow sparks appeared around the wool Pokémon's ears as she fired a blast of electricity at the opponent.
"Is it gone?"
Quinn sighed as the Zubat flew away from them into the dark depths of the cave. "Yes, Rachel, it's gone."
Rachel came out from behind Quinn with a breath of relief. "Thank Ho-Oh! I can't believe we didn't stock up on repels before we left the city!"
"Well, you're the one who wanted to leave as quickly as possible." Quinn's words tumbled from her mouth before she realized what she said. "Rachel, I didn't—"
Rachel sucked in a breath. "No, no, y-you're right. Let's just… let's just continue on our way," she said in a rush before hurrying off through the cave.
Quinn groaned at her lack of tact. She knew Rachel was insecure about people leaving her. No matter how many times Rachel denied it, Quinn fully believed part of it was her and Russell's fault for tearing away their friendship when they were children. While they had obviously reconciled, Puck was the one who was there for Rachel during those tough days. Quinn knew that while they would see him again at the end of the summer, it must have still been hard for Rachel to say goodbye to someone who had been a constant in her life.
"Shit," Quinn ran her hand through her hair in frustration. That's why Rachel insisted they leave the city so quickly right after Puck made his announcement; she didn't say it, but Quinn knew it was so she wouldn't have to say a long goodbye and be forced to dwell on the fact she wouldn't be seeing one of her best friends for a few months.
A scream drew her out of her thoughts.
"Was that…?" Quinn cautiously asked Flaaffy.
"Quinn! Help!"
"Flaaffy!" The pink electric Pokémon scurried towards the noise with Quinn on her heels.
"Quinn!" Rachel cried as a colony of Zubat surrounded her. She fell to her knees with her hands protecting her head.
Quinn's eyes widened as she stumbled upon the site. "Flaaffy," she commanded in desperation.
The Pokémon was already on the move; a massive bolt of yellow electricity shot towards the Zubat as Quinn slid to the ground to Rachel.
"It's okay. You're okay," Quinn consoled. "They're gone."
"The-they came out of nowhere—Quinn!" Rachel fell out of the cheerleader's arms in fright.
"What?" Quinn asked in panic. "It's okay. They're gone!"
"No, Quinn!" Rachel held up a trembling finger and pointed behind Quinn's head.
"Golbat!"
Quinn slowly turned around and her breath caught in her throat as she came face to face with a gigantic bat towering over her.
"I think… I think she's the mother of all the Zubat we've been encountering," Rachel whispered to Quinn as they both slowly scooted back towards the cave wall.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit," Quinn mumbled as the giant bat Pokémon gradually advanced on them. Light from the corner of her eye caught her attention. "Flaaffy, Electro Ball!"
The pink Pokémon summoned a ball of electricity from her tail and swung it at the giant bat.
"Quinn! You're going to make her mad!"
Golbat stumbled from the attack before whipping her head around and charging at the wool Pokémon.
Quinn pulled Rachel to her feet and shoved her to the side. "Rachel, there's the exit!"
Rachel nodded and ran before stopping once she realized something. "Quinn!" She called out as Quinn ran in the opposite direction and towards the bat Pokémon.
"Just go! I'll be fine!"
"No, not without—"
"Quilava, make sure Rachel gets out of the cave safe and unharmed!" Quinn yelled as she threw a pokéball over her shoulder.
"Quilava!" The fire type Pokémon stood up on his hind legs and pushed his trainer's friend towards the exit.
"Quinn!"
Once Rachel was out of her sight, Quinn turned back to the battling Pokémon. "Okay, Flaaffy, we've been working on this one. Iron Tail!"
Flaaffy's tail began to glow white as she jumped into the air and swung at Golbat.
The bat Pokémon skidded to the ground from the impact. She screeched at the duo before opening her mouth and letting out a thick, black smoke.
"She's using Haze! Flaaffy, return!" She called back her Pokémon when the smoke slowly started to surround all crevices of the cave. She coughed as she frantically darted her watering eyes in search of the exit. "There."
Golbat regained her footing and stood up right as Quinn sprinted into a run.
"Golbat!"
The trainer's eyes locked on the light from outside as she held her breath through the haze and ran as fast as she could.
The bat Pokémon picked up speed and flew after her.
Rachel nervously paced the ground outside of the cave. She had tried running back in there, but Quilava picked her up and set her down away from it.
"Quil!" The fire type Pokémon called out to the stressed girl.
A gasp from the opening of the cave drew their attention. Rachel turned to run but Quilava blocked her path.
Quinn knelt on the ground catching her breath as the haze of black smoke trailed from the cave. She shakily stood up and staggered towards Rachel.
Quilava stepped to the side as the humans embraced. The embers on his back flared as Golbat emerged from the cave. The fire Pokémon was ready for battle; however, the bright light of the outside world forced a screech from the bat Pokémon and she quickly flew back into the darkness
The two girls waited with bated breath as Quilava stood up on his hind legs facing the cave. They let out a sigh of relief once he relaxed and walked back towards them.
"What did I tell you about such extreme behavior?" Rachel cried into Quinn's shoulder.
Quinn hugged her close. "I couldn't let anything happen to you."
Rachel's breath hitched and she held on tighter. It was silent for a while before she mumbled, "thank you."
Quinn pulled back to look into Rachel's eyes. "Rachel, I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
"For what I said about leaving the city quickly."
"Quinn…"
"No. If I didn't say that, I wouldn't have upset you and you wouldn't have run off and gotten attacked and… and…"
"Quinn." Rachel rubbed the Quinn's arms soothingly. "It wasn't your fault. Granted, what you said did hurt my feelings a bit, but I realized as I was walking away how sorry you were. Look," she brought her hands down to lock with Quinn's, "we both miss Puck and we were both not in the right state of minds… especially with all those Zubat." She shuttered. "Speaking of the Zubat, that attack had nothing to do with you. I've heard stories about how the caves in this region can be; we would've had to face them regardless."
Quinn sniffed out a laugh. "How do you always know what to say?"
Rachel brought her in for another hug. "I've known you since we were ten, Q. Sometimes I think I know you better than I know myself."
Quinn blushed at the admission and ducked her head.
Rachel giggled at her friend's shyness before pulling her even closer to herself.
Quinn's head snapped up at the sudden proximity and her eyes widened when she came face to face with best friend. She gulped at the twinkle in Rachel's gaze and then held her breath as their faces got closer.
"Quinn…"
"Jigglypuff!"
The pink balloon Pokémon startled the two out of their embrace. Rachel gasped when she caught sight of Jigglypuff. "You! Quinn, this is the same Jigglypuff from before!"
Quinn rubbed her neck as the blush on her cheeks slowly faded. She could've sworn they were about to… She shook her head and snapped out of it. "Rachel, no offense, but… there are Pokémon of the same species all over the world. I highly doubt this is the same—"
Jigglypuff's eyes widened in recognition when she noticed the humans. "Puff!"
"See! Look, Quinn, she remembers us! Oh, I'm so going to catch her this time," Rachel said excitedly as she reached for a pokéball.
"Lava!" Quilava called out anxiously to his trainer.
"Rachel!" Quinn gulped as she noticed the Jigglypuff open her mouth.
"I'm telling you; this is the same Jigglypuff from before! She's going—"
"Jigglypuff…Jiggly…"
"—make a great addition to…oh…" Rachel trailed off as her eyes closed.
"Not again…" Quinn whined before she too fell asleep.
Quilava mustered up a glare to the pink Pokémon before he walked slowly to the humans and curled up next to them.
"Hey, wake up!"
Rachel snapped her eyes open and jumped up. "I'll capture you yet, Jigglypuff!" She blinked and looked around, "Wait, who are you?"
Quinn yawned, "What are you going on about?"
Rachel narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Just what are you doing here in the woods whilst two unsuspecting young women are comfortably asleep? Hmmm…?"
"Comfortably asleep? That Jigglypuff got to us. Again!" Quinn rubbed at her eyes before standing up. "And what the hell do you mean about two unsuspecting…" Her eyes widened when she realized her friend was talking to someone else. She stood next to Rachel and glared at the intruder. "Who are you?"
Quilava stood defensively in front of the two humans and growled.
"Whoa, whoa, hey! I wasn't doing anything! I was just passing through here to get to the Pokémon Museum when I saw you two sleeping."
Rachel gasped. "You're a Peeping Tom!"
"What? No, no! It's just like you said; you're two unsuspecting young women—"
Quinn stepped forward while the flames on Quilava's back flared up. "You're really not helping your case, buddy."
"—and I thought I'd wake you up before it got dark and you wouldn't spend the night asleep in front of this cave and in the woods where anything could happen to you, I swear!" he rushed out in one breath.
Quinn studied him for a bit before extending her hand. "Quinn."
He let out a sigh of relief and shook her hand. "Sam. Sam I am! And I don't like green eggs and ham!" He gave her a goofy grin.
Quinn arched an eyebrow before shaking her head with a giggle.
"I'm Rachel." She broke up their handshake and placed herself in between the two blondes. "And that's Quilava. He's a very powerful Pokémon that will do everything he can to protect us. Right, Quilava? Quilava!"
The fire Pokémon ignored her as he sniffed at a tree.
"So you said you were on your way to a Pokémon museum?" Quinn inquired.
"Oh, yeah! The P-MOSAH!"
"Who the heck is P. Mosah? Your girlfriend?" Rachel asked hopefully.
"What? No, I don't have a girlfriend." Sam blushed before continuing, "'The Pokémon Museum of Science and History'! P-MOSAH for short. It's actually in the town ahead of these woods. Are you two heading there?"
"We're on our way to the next gym, and I don't believe the town you're referring to as any badges." Rachel crossed her arms.
"Well, actually," Quinn started, "according to the map, the next gym is on an island. We have to take the harbor to get there."
"So?" Rachel rolled her eyes.
"The harbor is on the beach just outside of the town," Sam supplied. His eyes lit up. "We should all totally go there together!"
"Sure, why not? You can show us this P-MOSAH." Quinn smiled.
Rachel huffed and walked towards Quilava. "Can you believe this guy, Quilava? He just waltzes through the woods with this knight-in-shining-armor attitude and perfect blonde hair and silly smile and stupid acronyms for museums—Quilava?"
"Quilava!" The fire Pokémon stood up on his hind legs and growled at the tree he was sniffing at earlier.
"What is it?" Quinn asked as she and Sam walked to the scene.
"Hey, watch out; it could be a dangerous Pokémon. Let me look." Sam warned before reaching for a pokéball.
"I can do it!" Rachel interfered.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure, Sean!"
"My name is Sam…"
"As a matter of fact, you may want to step back."
"No, Quinn told me about the Zubat and Golbat attack; I think I should be the one to—"
"You told him about that? I leave for not even a minute and you tell him!" Rachel put her hands on her hips and turned to the boy. "What else did she tell you?"
"What? She was just telling me why I found you two asleep in the woods. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Oh, no, I'm not embarrassed. But I might be for you if you try facing whatever is behind that tree without adequate preparation."
"Rachel, what are you trying to prove?"
"Why nothing, Quinn; I'm just trying to tell Steve here—"
"My name is Sam!"
Quinn rolled her eyes at the bickering two and walked towards the tree.
"No, Quinn! Don't!" Rachel rushed in front of her. "I'll do it!"
"No, I'll do it!" Sam stepped in front of Rachel.
"Nonsense, I insist!" Rachel squeezed past him and jumped behind the tree.
"I'm telling you that whatever is behind that tree has to be something dangerous and…" he trailed off as Rachel reappeared with a smug look on her face.
"More like dangerously cute." Rachel knelt down and beckoned whatever it was towards her. "Come on, it's okay. Come here."
Quilava flared his flames.
"No, it's okay, Quilava," Rachel told him. She turned to his trainer. "Quinn, call him back. I think Quilava's scaring him."
The blonde gave her a puzzled expression. "Scaring…?" She called Quilava back into his pokéball.
"Teddiursa!" A tiny brown Pokémon hesitantly appeared in front of the tree.
"What is that?" Sam got out his pokédex and pointed it to the Pokémon.
"Teddiursa: The Little Bear Pokémon. This cute, cuddly Pokémon is easily frightened and frequently licks its paws, which are usually covered with sweet honey."
"This was the dangerous Pokémon?" Quinn laughed.
Sam ducked his head when Rachel snickered.
"He's so adorable!" Rachel cooed as the little bear Pokémon scuttled into her arms.
"Teddiursa!"
Quinn walked up to her friend and put her hand on Rachel's shoulder. "He is rather..." she trailed off at the expression on the Pokémon's face. "Is he...? Is he glaring at me?" she asked in disbelief.
Rachel shook her head. "What? No, not sweet, little Tony!"
"Tony?" Sam questioned.
Rachel ignored him and looked at the little bear Pokémon. The newly dubbed Tony stared up at her with his big, innocent eyes.
"Q, I believe you're seeing things."
"I'm telling you, he was glar—He just stuck his tongue out at me!"
"Whoa, he totally did!"
"Okay, obviously the thirty seconds I left you both alone together was enough time for you to corrupt Quinn and brainwash her into conspiring against not only me, but this poor little Pokémon. Well, I will have none of that I say! None of it!" She picked up a pokéball and turned to Teddiursa.
"Teddi!" The Pokémon's eyes lit up at the sight and he jumped in excitement as the red light captured him into the ball.
"Now," Rachel began, "come along, Quinn. We have a gym to get to. Sam," she eyed him, "it was a... pleasure, I suppose. Goodbye."
Quinn raised an eyebrow in amusement at Rachel's retreating figure. "Rachel," she called out.
"Hmmm...?"
"We're still going with Sam to the P-MOSAH."
Rachel stopped in her tracks. "But..." She looked from both blondes before sighing. "Ho-Oh, give me strength," she grumbled to herself before storming off into the direction of the next town.
Sam watched in concern. "Is she always this..."
"Crazy?" Quinn asked as she called back Quilava into his pokéball.
"Well, I mean, I was going to say intense, but since you mentioned it..."
"Yes." Quinn chuckled as they began catching up to Rachel. "But I wouldn't have her any other way."
"Lady and lady, may I present to you..." Sam patted his knees to create a drum-roll noise, "the Pokemon Museum of Science and History! The P-MOSAH!" He threw his arms in the air and wiggled his fingers for emphasis.
"That will be fifteen dollars for you two ladies, and ten for Mr. Evans." The worker at the entrance ignored Sam's normal antics.
"Fifteen dollars?" Rachel shouted. "Why is it cheaper for him? This, sir, is blatant sexism and I refuse to be a subject to such misogynous behavior! My dads are gay and unless—"
"Rachel."
"No, Quinn! I should've known this would happen if we followed him here. Actually, I did know—"
"Rachel!"
"What?"
Quinn nodded toward Sam. Rachel trailed her gaze to the boy to see him blushing. She quirked a brow before her eyes landed on the Pokemon Museum of Science and History Membership in his hands.
"...oh."
"Yeah," Quinn rolled her eyes, "oh."
Rachel coughed into her hands. "I apologize, Samuel." Her eyes narrowed, "but wait! This still isn't fair that Quinn and I have to pay a fifteen dollar entrance fee whilst you only pay ten just because you have the membership!"
"Nah, it's cool, it's cool! I'll pay." Sam dug through his pockets and retrieved his wallet to pull out a couple crumpled dollar bills.
"You really don't have to, Sam," Quinn tried.
He gave the money to the worker before turning around. "Don't worry about it." He ran his hand through his hair and leaned against the counter with a toothy grin.
Rachel scoffed. "Unbelievable."
"Wait, what?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing at all." She sighed. "Let's just go in, shall we?"
"Oh, yeah. Totally. Hey, you guys gotta see the fossil exhibit on the first floor," he began as he led Quinn and Rachel to the elevator; they were on the second floor. He sidled up next to the blonde girl. "There are a total of five Pokémon from ancient times fossilized down there; Omanyte and Omastar, Kabuto and Kabutops, and the biggest and baddest one of all... Aerodactyl!"
The group exited the elevator and walked up to the first fossil.
Rachel whistled as she caught sight of the scythe-like bones.
"Kabutops: The Shellfish Pokémon. Kabutops swam underwater to hunt for its prey in ancient times. The Pokémon was apparently evolving from being a water-dweller to living on land as evident from the beginnings of change in its gills and legs. It slashes prey with its claws and drains their fluids."
"Pretty epic, huh?" Sam asked the two. "I've always wanted a Kabutops. The blades on their arms are so awesome! But since they're extinct, I went for the next best thing which is Scyth—Hey! Where's Aerodactyl?" He ran up to a worker putting up a sign next to the empty exhibit. "What are you doing? Where's the Aerodactyl fossil?"
"We took it down for some, um, cleaning."
Quinn's brows furrowed when she locked eyes with the worker. "Have we met..."
"Howard! Hurry up with that sign! We're about to test the machine—Oh. Who are these three?"
"Um, Mr. Ryan. These are just some kids touring the museum. I was just telling them the Aerodactyl fossil is in the process of being... cleaned."
"Yes. Cleaned. Now if you excuse us, we have some important business to attend to." Bryan Ryan grabbed Howard Bamboo's arm and dragged him towards a door.
"Hey, wait! When will the Aerodactyl fossil be back on display?"
"What? Oh, yes. That. That's actually the business we're attending to. We're cleaning it and then seeing when it will be put back on display. Now you kids go up to the third floor of the museum and check out the Moon Stone exhibit."
"We have a Moon Stone exhibit?"
"Shut up, Howard."
The trio watched as the door to the basement swung closed.
"I don't trust them," Rachel stated.
"Yeah, something seemed funky with them. What did they say? "Test the machine.""
"You're oddly good with your impersonations." Rachel remarked in an impressed tone.
Sam sheepishly rubbed his head. "Thanks... hey wait!" He whipped his head around to look at the empty exhibit and then back to the basement door. "They said that thing about a machine, but then said they were going down there to clean the fossil. I think they were lying to us."
"Really?"
"Yeah!" He replied, oblivious to Rachel's sarcasm. He took a step towards the door. "I think we should follow them."
"What? No!"
"Think about it, Q—"
"Did you just call her 'Q'? You are not allowed to call her Q!"
"—They're posing as clean-up crew, they had two conflicting stories, and then they went in the basement." Sam's eyes lit up. "It all leads to one obvious explanation!"
Quinn sighed. "And what's that?"
"They're undercover and are actually a league of evil!"
"Or!" Quinn tried, "Or... they really are a clean-up crew and the machine they're talking about is one that specializes in cleaning fossils. Right, Rach? ...Rach? Oh, not you, too."
"I normally wouldn't agree with anything Samuel says—"
"Hey!"
"—But! They were acting particularly peculiar."
Sam nodded sagely. "Mhmm, mhmm!"
Quinn pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, what do you suggest we do about it? Follow them?" Sam's eyes lit up while a glint appeared in Rachel's. "Oooh no. No. No. No."
"Please?" Sam begged.
"No. You guys, it's not our job to defeat the bad guys—if there even are any bad guys, that is."
"Someone has to be the hero."
"Sam's right for once."
"Thanks! ...I think? Come on; let's go!"
"No! You guys! Get back here!" Quinn called out in exasperation. "Fine!"
The two stopped in their tracks and looked eagerly to the trainer.
"But if we get caught by the police again, I'm leaving both of your asses!" She grinned before latching her arms through both of theirs and leading them towards the basement door.
"Wait, you've gotten caught by the police before?" Sam asked.
"Whoa, what the hell is going on?" Sam stage-whispered as they descended down the stairs and a bright light flickered below them.
Rachel shushed him and stopped right before the final few steps.
"Yes! It's working!" Bryan shouted from behind a giant computer.
Wires and a plethora of other machines were set up around the basement. In the middle stood...
"Is that the Aerodactyl fos—"
"Quiet!" Quinn slapped her hand over his mouth.
"Hey, what are you three doing down here?" Howard asked in confusion.
"Quick, turn around! Go back up, go back up!" Rachel pushed on Quinn and Sam's backs as they ran up a few steps.
"I don't think so." A voice said in front of them.
"Shit! Going back down, going back down!" Sam yelled as Andrea Cohen shoved them down the stairs and into the light.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" She asked as she brought the trio into the room.
"You three!" Bryan pointed. "You couldn't just go up to the third floor and check out the Moon Stones like a couple of good kids, huh?"
"Kids? We're—ugh," Sam shrugged out of Andrea's grip and stood in front of Quinn and Rachel with his arms crossed, "we're not kids!"
"I don't care if you're the elderly!" Bryan slammed his hands down onto the keyboard and the machine started to glow. "You're prohibited from being down—Whoa!"
A shroud of light surrounded the Aerodactyl fossil as the cranks on the machines started to turn.
"What's happening?" Rachel whispered as she stood closer to Quinn.
Quinn grabbed her best friend's hand and watched with held breath.
"Yes, it's... it's..." Bryan's grin slowly turned into a frown. His eyes widened when he caught sight of rising stats on a screen next to him. He frantically tapped the keyboard. "Shit. It's not supposed to get that much power." He looked up as the Aerodactyl fossil started glowing. He jumped down from the platform and ran to the middle of the room with a pokéball in his hand.
A blast of light interrupted him as a screech surrounded the room.
Aerodactyl stood in place of his once fossilized form.
"I don't think so, Aerodactyl. Go, UltraBall—" The fossil Pokémon swatted the advanced pokéball away with a wing. "What? Impossible!"
"Aerodactyl!" The grayish purple Pokémon let out a horrific screech as he whipped his head around. He flapped his wings and let out an orange beam from his mouth.
"Shit! It's using Hyper Beam! Get down!" Sam yelled. The two girls knelt to the ground and he shielded them with his body.
"What are we going to do?" Rachel shook as she clung to Sam and Quinn. The latter stood up after the attack was over. "Quinn? Quinn! What are you doing?"
"Go, Flaaffy!"
"Quinn," Rachel screamed, "are you out of your mind?"
"You guys were right earlier," Quinn stated as she slowly approached the out of control fossil Pokémon. "Someone has to be the hero."
"But Quinn!" Sam tried to speak.
"You were the one that said it, Sam!" Quinn argued.
"I know! But Quinn!" He tried again.
"Flaaffy, use Electro Ball!"
"Quinn! No! Aerodactyl is stronger than the normal flying Pokémon! It's also part rock," he yelled when the bird dodged the ball of electricity.
Aerodactyl's sharp eyes focused on Flaaffy. He took flight and charged as he let out another Hyper Beam.
Sam shouted, "Everyone, duck!"
"Fuck this! I'm out of here!" Andrea yelled as she dodged debris and ran up the stairs.
"Right behind you!" other workers replied anxiously.
"Where are you guys going?" Bryan hollered. "Get back here! This is an order! I will tell Sylvester that you..." He trailed off as Aerodactyl took flight again. "Oh, screw Sylvester. I'm right behind you guys!"
"Wait for me!" Howard scuttled after them.
"Team Sylvester?" Sam asked in disbelief. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Aerodactyl!"
"I think we have more pressing issues than Team Sylvester, Sam!" Quinn yelled in desperation. "Flaaffy, return! Flaaffy! I said return..." She trailed off as the pink Pokémon started to glow.
"Hey, she's evolving!" Sam stated as he took out his pokédex.
"Ampharos: The Light Pokémon. Ampharos gives off so much light that it can be seen even from space. It acts as a beacon for lost people—"
Rachel knocked the pokédex out of his hands. "Now's not the time, Sam!"
"Aerodactyl: The Fossil Pokémon. Aerodactyl is from prehistoric times. It was known as the King of the Skies. It flew while shrieking high-pitched cries and baring its saw blade-like teeth."
"Shit!" Sam crawled to his pokédex to pick it up from the ground before it could get crushed from the debris. He let out a sigh of relief. "Got it..." He trailed off as he came face to face with the ancient Pokémon.
"Aerodactyl!"
"Ampharos! use Iron Tail!"
"Ampharos!" Half of the newly evolved Pokémon's tail started glowing white. She jumped in the air and swung her tail down onto the prehistoric Pokémon's back.
A shriek erupted from Aerodactyl. He turned around in anger and started charging at Ampharos.
"Ampharos!" Quinn cried out as her Pokémon staggered to the ground from the endless onslaught.
"Go, Nicky!"
Quinn looked to her side to see Rachel standing with determination.
"Nicky, use Vine Whip!"
"Bayleef!" Two dark green vines shot out from the leaves around Bayleef's neck and wrapped around Aerodactyl's wings to stop his attacks.
Sam jumped up and threw a pokéball out into the battle. "I choose you, Warblade!"
"Scyther!"
"Warblade, use Steel Wing!"
The blades on Sycther's wings started to glow white. He took flight and struck repeatedly at the bound Aerodactyl.
"Pokéball, go!" Sam shouted. All three watched as a red light shot out of the pokéball Sam threw. Aerodactyl disappeared inside the ball. "I... I did it!" He cheered in disbelief. "I can't believe I... Oh, shit!"
The pokéball burst open and Aerodactyl reappeared with a screech.
"Ampharos, use Iron Tail one more time!"
The yellow light Pokémon struggled to gather her strength. She let out a roar as she swung her tail and whipped it at Aerodactyl one last time.
"Go!" Quinn yelled as she threw a pokéball and tried her hand at capturing the ancient Pokémon.
All three trainers waited with bated breath as the pokéball shook back and forth. A final click of the ball made them sigh in relief.
Quinn walked over to the ball and picked it up before handing it to Sam.
He shook his head no. "You and Ampharos were the ones to beat it."
"But..."
"Nah, you deserve it, Q." He winced when he realized what he said. He glanced at Rachel only to see her nodding in satisfaction. "Now let's get out of here before—"
"Are those sirens?" Rachel asked. "Oh, no. Not again! Everyone, return!" Once the Pokémon were safely in their balls, Rachel grabbed onto Quinn's hand and ran up the stairs. "You'll never take me alive, coppers!"
"What have I gotten myself into?" Sam groaned as he chased after them.
They ran past the elevator and up the stairs to the second floor. The worker at the front desk leaned forward and shouted after them, "What was all that ruckus below?"
Sam slowed down "Um..." He dug through his pockets and threw the membership card on the desk. "I don't think I'll need this anymore." The two girls ran past him and out the door. "Yeah, I definitely won't need it. Smell ya later!"
The worker sat down with a sigh. "Oh, to be young again."
"Hey, wait up!" Sam burst through the doors and outside to see his new friends tightly embracing.
Rachel and Quinn pulled apart from their hug to regard the male trainer.
"Do you guys normally get into these types of things?"
"You mean shenanigans?" Quinn rolled her eyes but had a smirk on her face.
"Yes, yes, we do." Rachel answered while she looped her arm through the cheerleader's. "Do you have a problem with it?" She asked pointedly.
Sam studied the two and felt as if he was being asked a question with a double meaning. He wasn't sure, but one thing he did know was, "hell no, there's no problem!"
Rachel watched him for a few seconds before grinning. "Would you like to accompany us to the next gym?"
"Really? That'd be great!"
Quinn looked from trainer to trainer with a quirked eyebrow. "Did I miss something, or..." She shook her head. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Welcome aboard, Sam!"
"Oh, wait!" Rachel interrupted. "If you're going to be traveling us, I must know... What type of trainer are you? That Scyther of yours is quite strong."
"I'm a bug Pokémon trainer!" Sam gave a wide grin.
Quinn eyed him warily. "...bug?"
"Nah, nah. Look, everyone thinks we're nothing but a buncha nerdy losers with weak Pokémon, but," he took three pokéballs and threw them, "I want to prove to people we're not weird and that bug Pokémon can be strong! Go, Warblade, Flash, and Nightwing!"
"Scyther!"
"Aria!"
"Freeee!"
"You already met Warblade, but these are the Flash and Nightwing!" He took out his pokédex and pointed it to Flash first.
"Ariados: The Long Leg Pokémon. Its feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. This Pokemon constricts its foe with thin and strong silk webbing."
"And now Nightwing!"
"Butterfree: The butterfly Pokémon. It has a superior ability to search for delicious honey from flowers. The wings are protected by a rain-repellent dust. As a result, this Pokémon can fly about even in rain. In battle, Butterfree flaps its wings at great speed to release highly toxic dust into the air."
Quinn eyed the three warily before she turned to Sam. She chuckled at his hopeful expression. "I guess they're not so bad."
"Yes! See, I told you!"
Rachel shook her head in amusement as she thought that having Sam around wouldn't be too bad.
"Hey, wait," Quinn started, "did you name them after comic book characters?"
"You ran?" Sue Sylvester crossed her arms as she regarded Bryan Ryan.
"Farfetch'd!" The duck type Pokémon mimicked his master's movements.
"Boss, you don't understand... Something went wrong with the machine and Aerodactyl became too powerful and—"
"I don't need your excuses!" She slammed her fist onto the table.
"Fetch'd!" Farfetch'd slammed the stick he always carried onto the table as well.
Bryan winced.
"Now we have the cops on our trail again and a damn prehistoric chicken flying around who knows where!"
"Actually..."
Sue pinched the bridge of her nose. "What is it, Andrea?"
"I think some kid captured Aerodactyl."
"What?" The leader of Team Sylvester whipped her head around and glared at Bryan. "Is this true?"
"It may be..." He gulped. "We were running for our lives and we didn't have time to... do... anything..." He trailed off at the look on his boss' face.
"Andrea, leave." The younger girl quickly left the room. Sue stared into Bryan's eyes. "So you're telling me that not only did you give away the location of one of our headquarters and thus alerted the police, but now one of the most powerful ancient Pokémon that we have spent copious amounts of time and money on to bring back from time is in the possession of some kid?" She stood up from her chair and glowered at him. "You're lucky Team Sylvester is blood in and blood out or else I'd fire your ass. And trust me, bub, I'd absolutely destroy your reputation and ensure you'd never work for anyone ever again. Ever!"
"B-boss..."
"I can't look at you right now." She pressed a button on her desk and three people entered the room.
"Cooper! Take Mr. Ryan here and put him on training duty."
Bryan released a sigh of relief. "You mean train the new grunts?"
Sue smirked. "No. To train the herd of wild Tauros we have in our secret field."
The worker's eyes widened. "B-but no one has been able to tame them."
"You better think of a way then. Now get out of my office!"
Cooper winced and led him out the door. "Come on, Bryan..." He leaned into the other guy and whispered in his ear, "I'll help you think of a way to train them."
The remaining two workers stood in silence as Sue paced the length of her desk.
"Farfetch'd far!"
"What am I doing wrong?" She grumbled to herself. "We've made the perfect time machine... but I must've miscalculated somewhere because now it's in ruins and I'm nowhere near closer to where I need to be!"
"Ms. Sylvester, if I may?"
Sue sighed. "What is it, Goolsby?"
"I've realized we're going about this wrong."
Sue studied him for a bit. "Continue."
"See, here's my theory: our tests have been bringing Pokémon back from time. What our main goal is..." Dustin gulped at the intense look on his boss' face, "your main goal is to go back in time."
The Team Sylvester boss stood in silence as she regarded what he said. "And how, by chance, would you suggest we go back in time?" The worker beside Goolsby sucked in a breath. "Is there something you'd like to share with the class, F?" Sue snapped.
The young woman bit her lip before exhaling. "...Celebi."
"What?"
"Celebi. The Guardian of the Forest." Her hand fidgeted as she mulled over what she was about to say. "It can travel through time."
"Huh." Sue sat back down in her chair with a contemplative look on her face. "Celebi."