The Year of Rocket's Revenge
Story Written by Freedom Fighter
Gotta keep going... almost at the halfway point...
You'd better be paying attention, because the first two parts are presented at breakneck speed. That includes the first appearance in this series, regulars of "The Adventures Series," of two familiar faces in Part 1, and then a first-timer in Part 2! And then, in Parts 3 & 4, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"
Or, it should be. What could possibly ruin the holidays for our heroes? Heh... like I'm gonna tell you now! You're just going to have to keep reading on to find out!
It's Christmastime again... in whatever month this is!
Disclaimer: All characters and places featured in the Pokémon anime series and other productions belong to Nintendo and Pokémon USA! As for those original characters like Cassie Banks, Arius McFly, and many, many others, they are my creations. Don't dare use them without my permission... or NO SOUP FOR YOU! Oh, wait, I mean... A LUMP OF COAL FOR YOU!
This fanfic is only posted at two places: my place, which contains the full-length chapters in one piece, and which has the same story, but split up into smaller pieces. It should not be posted anywhere else without my permission.
The Year of Rocket's Revenge
Session: December, Part 1 (12.05.05/03.08.07)
Many mysteries still surround the legend of five Pokémon trainers who have the ability to somehow temporarily possess the bodies of their favorite Pokémon. For example, can the trainers actually control where and when they're able to use their powers? Is there a limit to their power, or how often they can access it? More importantly, who are the identities of these mysterious five?
Previously on "The Year of Rocket's Revenge," Erika and her assistant, Maria, continued their research on the subject by making a trip to Germany, where they talked to Professor Geissler. They had hoped that he could answer some of their questions. But alas, there wasn't much he could do for them. However, Erika has managed to pare down the list of possible candidates to a group of twenty. Are the chosen five among them?
We know one of them is the world's first-ever Pokémon Junior Master in Marco Pereira. Unfortunately, it seems that Team Rocket has gotten to him, and he is revealed to be their newest recruit!
Another is our lead hero, Ash Ketchum, who had finally chased down former Pokémon Trainers' Association members Cassie Banks and Arius McFly. He told them of how he knew what Marco's powers were and, to their shock, revealed that he was just like him!
The final participant of that first Junior Master Tournament, Gary Oak, had recently arrived in the Johto Region. But he had no time to think about what had happened in Evergrande City... especially when he had enough to deal with between the smitten-with-him Stephanie, call-in-life-searching Amber, and a chance meeting with an enthusiastic Electabuzz baseball fan in Casey.
Meanwhile, in Cerulean City, Misty felt bored about being unable to travel with Ash. After all, if they're a couple, shouldn't they always be together? Her eldest sister Daisy, though, provided her with a way to fight the blues. By going out on a blind date! A blind... play date with an old friend, 10-year old Mikey!
Our heroes have spent some time going their own ways after the Junior Master Tournament. But with the holiday season approaching, will they do something that's very rare for traveling trainers?
Returning home to spend Christmas and New Year's with family and friends?
Wednesday, December 5th, Fallarbor Town
"I had no idea... this was your hometown."
Cassie was standing in the midst of a graveyard on a blustery mid-afternoon, holding a small bouquet of three daisies and one lone white carnation. Standing next to her was Arius, who had placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Cassie was doing her best to keep her emotions in check and she read aloud the inscription on the tombstone in front of her.
"Franklin... Mosley," she uttered slowly. "1984-2001. Died doing what he loved best... researching... Pokémon."
"Wow..." Arius gasped. "If they only knew the truth..."
"It's... it's better this way. I hope his family never finds out the truth... it would devastate them!"
"Frank died doing his job, Cassie. Just like the others who died that day..."
Monday, July 3rd, one year ago, Pokémon Trainers' Association HQ
Crews of trainers and Pokémon were running all over the base, trying to gain control over the raging fires some of the buildings were engulfed in. There were many dead lying in and around the place, many in the remains of buildings already burnt to the ground, several were in pieces. All of the damage was centered in the research sectors of the base, particularly around the laboratories.
At that moment, Arius and Cassie came running in towards what was left of Building R-9, which was still partially on fire.
"Has anyone seen Agent Mosley?" Cassie asked, yelling at anyone around the building she could get the attention of. "Does anyone know if he's okay? Has he come out yet?"
"I'm sure he's fine..." Arius reassured her.
Suddenly, Cassie perked up when she saw a familiar face. A brown-haired man in his 30s who was sitting on the ground. The lab coat that he wore over his dress shirt and pants had burn marks on its backside, some deep enough to have created a few holes.
"Professor Mirando!" Cassie shouted as she ran over to him, with Arius following close behind. "Thank goodness!"
"Cassie? Oh, it was horrible in there! I'm lucky to be alive, given everything that happened."
"Have you seen Agent Mosley? Franklin? Where is he?"
The professor glanced down at the ground beneath him, sighing deeply as he shook his head. Cassie's happiness quickly disappeared, as she was starting to get the feeling that the worst had occurred.
"No... please don't..."
"I didn't see it, but I heard it. There were gunshots. Many of them."
"No..."
"He got at least one. I won't get into the gruesome details... but... I'm afraid..."
Cassie couldn't hold back any longer. She burst into tears, falling to her knees in sorrow over the loss of her friend. A very good friend. Maybe one closer than Arius would ever know.
"And to think..." Cassie thought. "That was the day that I... that I... that I..."
"Cassie..." Arius interrupted.
"Huh?"
"We have to get going. Getting to Lavaridge Town isn't easy, you know. We do have to go through the Jagged Pass."
"Which isn't easy," Cassie sighed. "I know, I know."
"Well... good luck with that!" Arius yelled as he waved goodbye and started to run off.
"Hey! I thought you were gonna..."
Before she knew it, Arius had run out of the graveyard and was already bolting towards the town's outskirts. Cassie scratched her head in confusion.
"What? First, he tells me we have to... then he... oooohhh!"
Cassie growled as she started to stomp off. Then, realizing she was still holding her bouquet, she turned about and placed it on the tombstone. She bowed in respect for her fallen friend, then she returned to her growling and stomping as she exited the graveyard.
Arius had made his way to the Fallarbor Town Contest Arena grounds, where a green-haired boy wearing an orange long sleeve sweater and a pair of blue jeans was waiting. Besides him was his number one Pokémon, Sandslash!
"About time you showed up!" the teen exclaimed. "I don't like to be kept waiting!"
"Slash!" nodded Sandslash in agreement.
"Sorry, we... uh, Cassie, was visiting an old friend."
"Where is she? It's been quite awhile since I've seen the gal."
He and Sandslash looked about the empty grounds, seeing no one else around.
"Then again, I wasn't expecting her to drop out of the Pokémon Trainers' Association. Of course, I wasn't expecting to find myself as a member of it, either."
"You know my girl?"
The trainer smirked as he stated his reply.
"We've only met twice, but both times she proved herself to be a pretty good trainer. But naturally, pretty good don't mean much when you lose to me, the next kid destined to become Pokémon Junior Master!"
"She lost to you? Who are you, anyway?"
"I'm surprised you've never heard of me. I'm the one, the only, AJ Kamensky! I'm a Pokémon League member... Novice Class, First Level! Plus, I'm a three-time League Tournament semi-finalist! Matter o' fact, Cassie was the trainer I beat to get to my first ever Tournament semi-finals!"
Thursday, November 2nd, two years ago, Indigo Stadium Pokémon League Novice Tournament, Fall 1999, Quarter-Final Round
"Each trainer is down to their final Pokémon in this 3-on-3 match!" the announcer bellowed over the PA system. "This will determine which of these two will gain a spot for the Final Four!"
"Ready to go, Cassie?" AJ asked.
Cassie nodded. "Yep! Meowth, I choose you!"
"Meowth!" purred Cassie's cat Pokémon.
"Against your Meowth, I'll choose... the one and only, Sandslash!"
"Slash!" greeted Sandslash, his claws drawn and ready to battle.
"Oh my!" the announcer exclaimed. "We all knew it was coming, folks! Sandslash has not been beaten yet in this tournament, and that's even after competing in every one of AJ's matches here! Cassie will have to do something spectacular to pull this one out!"
"I know," Cassie thought, "but I have no other choice!"
"Ready..." the field judge stated, "and GO!"
"Meowth, Pay Day!"
"Sandslash, Scratch!"
Meowth generated a massive amount of coins and flinged them at Sandslash. But the ground-type avoided every single one, and leapt in, hurting Meowth a lot with just one scratch across the face.
"End it now, Sandslash! Poison Sting!"
Sandslash fired a blast of poison barbs right at Meowth.
"Quick, Meowth, Fury Swipes!"
Cassie was attempting to have Meowth blow through the barrage. But it didn't work. The barbs hit their mark, poisoning Meowth instantly and knocking it out in the process.
"Meowth! No!"
The field judge quickly declared the match over.
"Meowth is unable to battle! The victory goes to AJ and Sandslash!"
"There you have it!" the announcer shouted over the rejoiceful crowd. "AJ and Sandslash do it again, sending Cassie and her team home while they move one step closer to a Novice Tournament crown! Can anyone stop these two?"
"She's good, no doubt, but she's not better than me!"
"Wait, you said three-time semi-finalist. You mean you've never got into a championship match? Or much less win one?"
"IT'S AN OVERSIGHT I PLAN TO CORRECT REAL SOON!" AJ yelled.
"Really? How?"
AJ pulled out a badge case from his pants pocket, and revealed that he had picked up five Hoenn League badges so far.
"Five badges? Impressive."
"Ha! That's nothing. Getting the final three will be a cinch! Then I'll have enough to qualify for the Hoenn League Tournament in April!"
"Whatever. Look, we're not here to talk about the Pokémon League!"
AJ smiled. "So we aren't."
He put away his badge case and then reached into his other pocket to pull out a photo of Marco with his Absol.
"Say... this is the guy who's the current Pokémon Junior Master, right?"
"Uh huh. The same one who also disappeared shortly thereafter, and the one I hear the League wants to dump, resulting in the naming of the runner-up as the new Junior Master!"
"What's that have to do with Cassie and I? She finished as the third runner-up!"
"We want you to find him. Let's just say... we want him playing for our team. Forget the League... whether he loses his title or not isn't important to the PTA. We just want him, before Team Rocket gets him."
"I see your point. If he beat Cassie, plus Ash and that other guy from Pallet, then he must be really talented."
"Humph! He wouldn't have won it if I was there!"
"And why weren't you?"
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Now, just do the job!"
"This is kinda deep for a freelancer agent like myself. Why can't they get a full-timer to do this?"
"At least you're getting jobs! I've been a freelancer for three months, and the only jobs I've had are to deliver jobs for other freelancers! Makes me wonder why I signed up in the first place..."
"I'm sure you'll get a job eventually..."
"Speaking of... if you're still so intent on working for the PTA, why did you get out of the full-time gig?"
Arius sighed. "She thinks there's some conspiracy behind it all, like just because the founders of the organization were ex-members of Team Rocket..."
"They're ex-Rockets?" AJ started to freak.
"No need to worry. I've worked with one of them on a mission before, and I assure you, they're on the up and up now!"
"Well... if you say so. Then again, maybe you shouldn't have told me..."
"You mean you actually believe my girlfriend's conspiracy theories?"
"If you still want her to be your girl, I'd at least humor her. Then again..."
AJ reached into his pocket and pulled out another photograph. This one has Cassie in it, with Franklin sitting next to her on the grass. And they were..."
"KISSING? THEY'RE KISSING?"
"I know it looks suspicious, but..."
Arius growled at AJ, thinking he had the photo doctored...
"I swear!" AJ defended, realizing what Arius was thinking. "I haven't doctored it at all! They'd know if I did, you know. Besides, I'm just the deliverer. I don't know how, when, or where that scandalous shot came from."
"And I suppose you don't know if this was doctored at all!"
AJ panicked. "Look, man, I ain't trying to get into trouble! Let's not assume stuff we can't prove here! Look, I got my own worries. Whether you wanna believe that or not, that's your own problem! Let's go, Sandslash!"
Sandslash nodded, and then the two ran for the hills, disappearing down the path. Once they were gone, Arius stared menacingly at the photo once more, then pocketed it and headed back into town.
A little while later, Arius was waiting inside the Pokémon Center. He was in the process of transferring potions and food from three paper bags that were on a bench into his and Cassie's backpacks, which were placed next to them. Cassie was at the desk, waiting for Nurse Joy to return her Pokémon to her. Arius quickly wrapped things up and took a seat on the bench.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the photograph that AJ had handed to him. He went over every inch of it again, as if he was asking it to give him more information about itself. Did this actually happen? If so, who made the first move? And did Cassie really have feelings for Franklin? Ones even stronger than hers for him?
Realizing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Arius gave up and buried the photo among the stuff in his backpack. Just in time, too, as Cassie was walking back, happy as can be with her revitalized Pokémon.
"I heard that the Jagged Pass puts electric Pokémon at a huge disadvantage, so I made a substitution for that Electrike I had caught just after we left Mauville City."
Cassie threw out a Pokéball to reveal the latest trade-in to the team... a Sandslash.
"Sandslash! Slash!"
"Oh, I know it's been awhile Sandslash, but we get to travel together for the first time!"
"I swear, you keep catching Pokémon when I'm not looking! And how'd you get this one? Aren't already evolved Pokémon hard to catch in the wild?"
"In the wild, yes. But not if you get it as a gift!"
"As a gift? From whom?"
Friday, June 30th, one year ago, Pokémon Trainers' Association HQ Inside Laboratory Room 1, Building R-9
Franklin was carrying a box full of folders to be filed in a nearby storage room as he headed for the room exit. Just as he was about to turn around and push the swinging doors open with his back, someone else pulled them open.
It was Cassie.
"Cassie, you're just the girl I wanted to see!"
"Me?" she asked sheepishly, pointing at herself.
Franklin walked through the doorway and put the box down on a nearby table outside. He then reached into his lab coat and pulled out of his lab coat a Pok?all with a pink ribbon tied on it.
"What's that?"
"Open it! It's for you."
Cassie took the Pokéball and threw it softly to the ground. The Pokéball opened immediately, and the Pokémon inside emerged... to Cassie's delight.
"Oh my... it's a Sandslash!"
"Sandslash!" it greeted. "Slash!"
"This is Sandslash, whom I caught about two years ago. Unfortunately, my work here has given me little time to care for all of my Pokémon, and I've kinda been neglecting Sandslash a bit."
"That's terrible!"
"I love Sandslash so much, yet I can't bear to watch him suffer because of me. So I'm hoping giving it to a trainer who has the time to love and care for it will prove beneficial to him in the long run. And Cassie, that trainer is you!"
Cassie gasped. "Really? You're giving me your Sandslash?"
Franklin eyes grew teary-eyed as he clasped Cassie's hands within his.
"I do this as a token of my gratitude for how kind you've been to me these last few weeks, assisting me on my research and all."
"I appreciate it... but, I'm not sure I'm the right person..."
"Please! I insist! Something to remember me by..."
"Something to..."
Franklin released his grip on Cassie and turned away, lowering his head in sadness.
"I know you and Arius have been together for awhile, and I know that you deeply care about each other! But the thing is... I love you too, Cassie Banks!"
Cassie stood there, her mouth hanging wide open, stunned beyond belief.
"But I could never come between you and Arius. It's just not right! So, I'm giving you Sandslash as a token of our friendship. And of remembrance. For you see... in order to risk not driving a wedge between you and Arius, I feel it's best that we not see each other anymore."
"I... I understand where you're coming from, but, not seeing each other anymore? Isn't that a little harsh?"
"I'm sorry, Cassie!" he choked as tears starting running down his cheeks. "But I must do this for the good of us all!"
With that, he took of running down the hall, wailing with tears and never looking back.
"Franklin!"
Cassie debated whether to chase after him, but she thought better of it. Or rather, maybe she saw something in their relationship that she was only catching onto now. Regardless, there was still a Sandslash standing before her, and Cassie had been left to care for a new Pokémon.
"Slash?" Sandslash asked, taking his first good look at his new trainer. "Sandslash, slash?"
Cassie knelt down to Sandslash's eye level and stared into his eyes quietly, as if she was trying to analyze him.
"Well, I guess I have no choice. Sandslash, welcome to my team! I promise that I'll make sure you'll be taken good care of!"
Sandslash seemed stumped over the sequence of events that resulted in him becoming Cassie's newest Pokémon, but he accepted what had happened in stride. He nodded in agreement, then walked towards Cassie and stuck his paw out to shake, as a gesture of friendship.
"A Pokémon with good manners! Outstanding! You're gonna be a fine addition to the team!"
She added a nod of determination, then stuck her hand out to shake with Sandslash. The two smiled as they exchanged pleasantries and began their new lives together.
"That... was the last time I saw him alive."
Arius gasped as a new line of thought raced through his head.
"If that's so, then maybe this photo really is fake! If she only then spotted that Franklin liked her that way..."
Arius breathed a sigh of relief.
"I guess I have nothing to worry about."
"Huh?" Cassie asked, shooting a glare at Arius. "Worry about? You never explained where you were while I was doing all the grunt work, buying supplies and stuff!"
"How dare you! For your information, I was Christmas shopping... for you!"
"Christmas... shopping?"
"Well, it is a few weeks before Christmas..."
Arius was doing his best to pull off this bluff. He couldn't tell her that he had recently gotten back with the PTA as a freelancer. Then again, he didn't have to tell her. He knew that Cassie could read his mind at a moment's notice, and the jig would be up.
And that's exactly what she was doing, as she continued to glare straight into Arius' eyes.
"Come on! You don't believe me?"
Cassie closed her eyes, as she tried to clear her mind so that she could reach into her boyfriend's. But she stopped just a few seconds later, when she started to develop some pain in her head.
"Owww... not again!" Cassie whined as she took a seat on the bench next to Arius.
Arius quietly cheered a little inside as he moved the bags on the other side of him so he could scoot over to be beside Cassie.
"Those headaches again?"
Cassie nodded. "It's like every time I try to use my psychic powers, I get a headache! Is there something wrong with me?"
"Maybe... maybe we should see a doctor."
"That's not necessary! I mean, maybe it's just related to my psychic abilities only. Growing pains, or something like that. I might be fine as long as I don't try to tap into them. Heh heh..."
Arius thought to himself. "Maybe she's hiding something from me too, and it's hurting her inside. Maybe... maybe she did lie to me... and her and Franklin were together at one point or another! But that photo is the closest thing I have to definitive proof. I need something more."
"Maybe we should put off leaving until tomorrow," Cassie suggested as she leaned against Arius' right shoulder.
Arius blushed, and nodded in response.
"Yes... let's wait 'til tomorrow."
Cassie smiled as she continued to lean on her boyfriend.
"I can figure that out later. I'd better figure out how to find this Marco kid first..."
Thursday, December 6th, Viridian Forest
"Gimme back my Cyndaquil, you thief!" yelled a Hiker.
"Sorry!" Marco yelled as he ran away, his Absol following close behind. "Your property is now the property of Team Rocket!"
"Absol, sol!" Absol chimed in.
"I never realized stealing Pokémon was so fun!"
Marco and Absol vanished into the thick forest as he stuffed his latest capture into his backpack and ran off to find another unsuspecting victim.
Saturday, December 8th, Location?
In some unknown location, Jessie, James, and Persian were trudging slowly along a dirt path. Dying of hunger and thirst, they seemed to be at the end of their rope as they decided to plop down right there and then and take a break.
"We've never been this low," Jessie muttered.
"Maybe we should end it now," James suggested. "This running is killing us!"
"Not eatin' is da thing dat's killin' us!" explained Persian.
"Wait... I see something..."
Jessie pointed a few hundred feet ahead, where a pair of leather boots were sticking out of a Oran Berry bush.
"If I remember right," James stated, "I hear leather is quite edible when cooked over a campfire."
"Just because you're hungry doesn't mean you have to get dumber!" argued Jessie.
"At dis point, Persian's willing to take da chance!"
Persian willed himself to his feet and ran over to the boots. Realizing that any chance was better than none, Jessie and James also get to their feet and try to beat him to the bush. With, apparently, all three focused on the boots rather than the berries that hanged over them.
"Those shoes are mine!" they screamed as they all reached at the same time.
But upon grabbing the boots, the trio came to a sudden realization. Somebody was still wearing them. A ill look developed on their faces.
"This couldn't..."
They grabbed hold of the legs and slowly pulled the rest of the body out of the bush to its sideway. They became even more surprised when they realized they had a familiar face lying unconscious in front of them.
"The brat?" Jessie stated.
"The snob?" James corrected.
"It's dat Techie girl!" Persian concluded.
Sure enough, Pokémon Tech graduate Giselle Gravelpot laid before them, unaware of whom she was surrounded by. Her arms were lazily spread out and extended all the way out above her head. Other than some dirt and small scratches from the Oran Berry bush on her, she looked perfectly fine otherwise.
"She's out like a light!"
"Do you think she's dead?"
"Who cares? Let's take dis opportunity to steal all her Pokémon!"
Jessie smiled. "And she's bound to have some food."
"And plenty of refreshing spring water!" added James.
Jessie, James, and Persian quickly scanned the area, looking for any sign of a campsite or just Giselle's bags.
"Dere!" Persian said, spotting a blue suitcase and a fanny pack lying next to a nearby tree. "Dat must be it!"
"Finder's keepers, loser's weepers!" Jessie and James cried as they ran over to collect their 'treasure.'
Out of nowhere, a Bonemerang came flying in, clocking Persian upside the head and sending him flying right into Jessie and James. The three landed in a pile just to left of Giselle's belongings.
"What the heck was dat?" Persian asked as he got up.
Persian followed the Bonemerang as it returned to its owner... a Marowak.
"Marowak!" it shouted as it trotted over to Giselle's body and then stood in front of it.
"That's right!" Jessie grimaced as she remembered. "That Marowak belongs to her! And it's her best Pokémon!"
"We're in no condition to fight!" pleaded James, waving his arms about in a wild fashion. "You can't even let us take ONE morsel of food?"
Marowak gritted his teeth before proceeding to roar as loud as his lungs could muster.
"What's he doing?" Jessie screamed, covering her ears with her hands.
"He's not trying to wake HER, is she?" James asked in fear.
"He doesn't need her!" Persian exclaimed.
"Why not?"
Marowak smirked, then charged towards the trio at high speed, with his arms swinging and winding up to dish out some punishment. Before the ex-Rockets knew it, Marowak was on top of them, sparking up a dust cloud and beating them senseless before they knew it. It didn't take much before they decided that they had had enough. Sprinting out of the cloud, Jessie, James, and Persian ran away down the dirt path as fast as they could, leaving Marowak to plainly observe as the trio left the scene.
"Yaaaawwnnnn!" Giselle yawned as she slowly sat up, awaking from her supposed slumber. "Where am I?"
Marowak ran back over to his Master... and clubbed her on the head with his Bonemerang!
"Owwwww!" she screamed. "Marowak, what in the..."
"Marowak, maro maro wak, Marowak!"
Giselle gasped as she listened to what Marowak was telling her.
"It happened again, didn't it?"
"Maro!" her Pokémon nodded in confirmation.
She sighed as she walked over to her bags and put them on.
"I knew I wasn't cut out for this 'walking around and earning badges the hard way' bit! When we reach the next town with an airport, I'm booking a flight to the next Pokémon gym!"
With that, Giselle and Marowak resumed their travels on foot, heading for their next destination. Hopefully after this, no more walking will be involved. After all, that's no way for a girl as rich as Giselle to get around!
To be continued next week in Part 2!
