The Year of Rocket's Revenge
Session: December, Part 2 (12.12.05/03.22.07)


I thought my life was already full, between running the Pokémon gym and my own perfume shop. But who would've thought that two years ago, I received an anonymous letter stating that Team Rocket was searching for five kids, each destined to be great in some field of Pokémon. Each of these five also has the ability to temporarily take over the body of their most beloved Pokémon. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have any control over where or when it happens.

I'm sure that Team Rocket gets closer to discovering and capturing all five of them with every passing second. But there's a lot about this that I don't quite understand. I'm not even sure if I want to understand, given what it could mean for the world should these five all end up on their side. I'm not even sure if I'm the right person to be looking for them for the League.

But, I've been given a duty. And as a Gym Leader for the Pokémon League, I've sworn to help do anything to make the world safer for Pokémon and Pokémon trainers.

I'm not a heroine with superpowers. I'm just a young woman, doing my job. After all, that's what everyone expects from me...


Tuesday, December 11th, Olivine City Library, Main Branch

"I'm sorry, but Miss Erika will not be answering questions at this time!"

Maria was trying to shoo away the paparazzi as she and Erika, the Celadon City Gym Leader, were leaving the library. Apparently, they were researching another lead in their quest to figure out the identities of five young individuals who had the ability to, temporarily, embody their Pokémon and utilize their powers. Erika had so far succeeded in identifying two of the five... Marco Pereira and Ash Ketchum.

Unfortunately, her presence in Olivine City has caused such a buzz that she can't get any research done!


Wednesday, December 12th

"Sorry, still not answering!"

Another day, another sequence of Erika and Maria being chased out of the library by the paparazzi.


Thursday, December 13th

And yet again...

"The answer's still no!"


Seaside Motel

"Why don't they go away?" Maria whined as she plopped down on one of the room's twin-sized beds. "Isn't there some other famous celebrity they can pester for a few days?"

"I'm beginning to think coming here was a mistake," admitted Erika, sitting on a wooden chair by the window.

"Oh, come on! We've made so many side trips here and there over the past few months! They can't ALL be mistakes!"

"Then why haven't we found any definitive proof yet, Maria? Sigh... maybe I'm just not getting it."

Suddenly, the chair gave way, and Erika fell to the floor as a leg on the piece of furniture disappeared.

"Miss Erika!"

Maria jumped up from her bed and ran over to help Erika up. It was then that she spotted a small group of termites emerge from the remnants of the broken chair leg.

"Oh, and Maria... could you please tell me why you've booked us in this despicable dump of a motel tonight?"

"Our research funds have run dry," Maria sighed, pulling out an envelope and shaking it while holding it upside down. "We could tap into our gym's personal funds, but we barely have enough for our plane trip home and to cover staff's payroll for this month."

Erika got up from the floor, outraged.

"Impossible! Given our profits from the perfume shop and the healthy amount of donations we receive every month, we should have plenty... never mind! There's more important things to worry about right now!"

Erika was cut off from saying something further by the sound of knocking at the door. The gym leader quickly moved away from the door and headed to the back of the room while Maria went to the door. Once Erika was at a safe distance, Maria unlocked the door and opened it ever so slightly.

"Yes?" she asked, peering through the small crack in the door frame.

"I'm here to see Erika."

The man at the door flashed his credentials... a Boulder Badge.

"You're the... Pewter City Gym Leader, right?"

"The name's Brock, and my, don't you look lovely tonight!"

"Uh..." Maria stammered.

"Hey Erika, are you in there?" Brock shouted into the room.

"Let him in, Maria."

Maria opened the door wide and let Brock come in. She immediately shut it behind him and locked it.

"Brock!" Erika exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"The month-long Gym Leader Retreat, remember?"

"Ah, yes... that explains why there's so many photographers roaming around the city..."

"I thought you backed out because you had some matters with the Pokémon League to take care of. How'd you end up here? And in... such a dump of a motel?"

Erika took a seat on one of the beds and beckoned Brock to join her. He did so without hesitation.

"So, allow me to explain what Maria and I are up to..."

Brock sat quietly as Erika told him about all of the research she and Maria had done up to that point. He was just trying to take all the information in, as all sorts of thoughts raced through his mind.

"And that's basically it, Brock," Erika finished. "It would help if we could find out who the other three are. Or any information on how their powers work, or where they come from, or the like."

Maria sighed. "There's still so much we don't know."

Brock hesitated for a second. "Uh... so, what are you gonna do when you find one of them? I mean, you already know about Misty and Marco, yet you're not chasing after those two..."

"I talked to Misty many months ago," Erika said. "She promised me that she'd call me if she learned anything else. I trust her."

"And... what about Marco?"

"Well, all I know about HIM is that we're out looking for him. Just like everyone else. To be blunt, it'll be up to the Pokémon League to decide if any action should be taken."

"I see. Hmmm..."

"Hmmm? Brock, is there something you know that we don't?"

"Well... uh... I thought Misty would tell you since you two are so close, but..."

"But? But what?"

"We, as in myself, Ash, and Misty, know of two others who also possess that ability."

Erika squealed with delight. "That's great! You don't know how much that means to me! So, could you, pretty please... tell me who they are?"

"Anything for a pretty lady," Brock swooned.

"Tell us already!" demanded Maria. "The suspense is killing me!"

"Alright, alright! Okay... how should I put this? The other two 'legendaries' are... Ash and I!"

Erika and Maria gasped in shock. "You and Ash?"

"That's remarkable!" Erika added. "Three of the five, traveling together across the world! How convenient!"

"Actually," Brock corrected, "we haven't been together since the Pokémon Junior Master Tournament three months ago..."

"But why wouldn't Misty tell you that, Miss Erika?" asked Maria.

"Yes... apparently, that is a bit strange..."

"Misty's had a lot on her plate for awhile," Brock told them. "So you can excuse her for forgetting to tell you."

"When did you all learn you had these... abilities?"

"About that... remember the Viridian City gym explosion about... a year and a half ago?"

"That..." Erika gasped again, "that was you guys?"

Brock nodded. "That was the first and only time, as far as I know, that we exhibited these 'abilities,' as you call them. Then again, since we haven't spent much time together recently, I can only vouch for myself. Even stranger... we don't know how to tap into them at all. Or if we ever can again."

"Wow!" Maria shouted. "That's more information about this whole 'legendary' legend than we've gotten from all of the libraries we've visited!"

"True," Erika agreed, "but we still haven't answered all the big questions. Who's the fifth? How does one obtain these abilities? And what if there's a limit to your powers?"

"I'd like to help, Erika. I'm just as curious in finding out what this all means. You make it sound as if it's possible that those abilities might resurface again one day."

"Well... we won't be getting any further unless we can get the press of our backs!"

"Yeah... and some sleep!" Maria tacked on as she jumped onto her bed... and kicked up a cloud of dust in the process.

The trio quickly ran out of room, hacking and coughing as the dust bunnies flew all around the enclosed space.

"That's it!" Maria declared. "I'm going back to the front desk and asking for our money back!"

As Maria headed for the front desk, Brock offered Erika a proposal.

"Say... why don't you guys spend the night over with me at the apartment complex? That's where all the gym leaders for the retreat are staying."

"We couldn't... we wouldn't want to intrude, and we hardly have the money for..."

"Nonsense! I insist that you stay with me!"

Erika blushed. "Really? That's... kind of you..."


After getting a refund, the trio took a taxi to the Grand Olivine Apartments, which turned out to be a huge multi-floor skyscraper that overlooked the nearby Olivine Bay.

"So that's how the Pokémon League spends their money... giving out lavish apartments on what pretty much amounts to a seaside resort!" gasped Maria.

"I do admit..." Erika sighed, "it is a bit much..."


"This really IS much!"

Erika and Maria were stunned at how lavishly decorated Brock's apartment was. Completely furnished from head to toe, along with a full kitchen, a 45" TV, and a balcony view of the bay.

"Only rich people and celebrities can afford all this!" gawked Maria.

"We were all surprised ourselves when we saw the rooms. I still don't know where Jasmine, the Olivine gym leader, got the money to help finance it with the League."

Brock then went all heart-eyed.

"She really knows how to treat a guy!"

"I guess this is okay," relented Erika. "For tonight, anyway. Tomorrow, we'll figure out how Maria and I are going to get home."

"Nonsense! You guys can crash here as long as you need to in order to get your work at the library done! And I'll pay the expenses, no problem! Of course... you'll have to figure out some non-monetary way to pay me back."

Erika blushed. "Oh... well... I'm not sure... if we..."

Suddenly realizing what Erika was thinking he meant, Brock's face also blushed beet red as he tried to explain himself.

"Of course... not. Nothing... like... that. Unless you want... to..."

"Sorry to break up the act, but this isn't a honeymoon!" yelled Maria.

Erika quickly came to her senses. "You're right. We have to figure out how to get into that library tomorrow without attracting the paparazzi!"

"Just leave that to me!" Brock told her. "Tomorrow, they won't even be anywhere near you! I've got the perfect plan!"

"Really? Wow... I'm thankful you found us tonight, Brock!"

"And it gets even better!" Brock proclaimed joyfully, leading the two towards a door. "There's a bedroom!"

"Dust and lint and termite-free, I hope, I hope!" hoped Maria.

"But Brock..." Erika wondered, ever thoughtful, "if Maria and I are sharing the bed, where are you going to sleep?"

"On the couch!" Brock declared, pulling a comfy pillow and a blanket out of nowhere and placing them down there. "It's where any good gentleman sleeps!"

Erika opened her mouth to object, but Brock quickly hushed her by placing one of his fingers over it.

"Sorry, my fair Erika... but I won't take no for an answer."

Erika showed her graciousness by bowing before Brock. Maria did the same before gleefully running into the room and leaping onto the bed.

"So warmmmmmmm..." she drooled, quickly dozing off in the center of the bed.

Erika smiled, then turned to Brock and bowed once again.

"I really will find a way to thank you for all this some day, Brock. Thank you."

"It's my pleasure!"

Erika quickly dragged her and Maria's suitcases inside the room, then closed the door behind her, waving good night to Brock as she did. Brock waved back in response, and continued to do so for quite awhile after the door had been closed.

Then waterfalls started flowing from his eyes.

"Why do I always have to be the nice guy? Why don't I ever get lucky?"


Friday, December 14th

The next morning, Erika emerged from the bedroom refreshed and ready to make another attempt at getting into the library. But, to her surprise, Brock wasn't in the living room. Or anywhere in the apartment, for that matter. But there was something sitting on the dining room table. It was a note from Brock. Erika read it aloud.

"Erika... there's some disguises in the coat closet for you and Maria to wear. I'm already taking care of the photographers. Love... uh, I mean, Sincerely, Brock!"

Erika smiled, then walked back to the bedroom to wake up Maria.


A few hundred feet from the library, Brock was dressed in a flamboyant Spanish dancer outfit, shaking Pokéball-shaped maracas as a large group of paparazzi gathered around him, taking photos as if there was no tomorrow.

"So la la la, this is my paradise to live onnnnnn!" he sang.

As he distracted the photographers, a taxi cab pulled away from the library's entranceway, leaving behind two... glasses-and-fuku-wearing schoolgirls?

"I wonder how Brock got uniforms that were EXACTLY our size?" Erika pondered out loud.

"Just because I'm wearing glasses doesn't mean I know all the answers," quipped Maria.


The two made their way inside, where they quickly shed their outfits for their more traditional wear... Erika in a yukata and Maria in a uniform more suited for a Safari Zone worker... and proceeded to get to the front desk. That's where the head librarian was waiting for them.

"Ah, you're finally here!" he exclaimed. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up at all!"

"I apologize for any trouble our delayed arrival has caused us," Erika said. "Getting in the door was one thing. But getting past those photographers was another..."

"I should be the one apologizing, Miss Erika. Apparently, our lax security wasn't prepared for that. Anyway, the second floor is all set and ready for you."

"The... second floor?"


Proceeding past a door locked with a randomly-generated key code, the head librarian led Erika and Maria up to the second floor. Like the main floor, it was filled with shelves full of books and documents... though these on average were much older and fragile.

"Some of the world's oldest books and documents, many out of print and exclusively rare, can only be found here in the Main Branch of the Olivine City Library! I've been informed of your search by Lance of the Elite Four. If there's anything about to this 'legend' of yours, you can find it here!"

"Amazing!" exclaimed Maria.

"Please be careful, though! Some of these books are ancient, and may tear or crumble with the slightest pull or push in the wrong direction! If you need any help, feel free to ring the front desk."

He pointed out a phone next to the staircase leading back down. He then directed the ladies' attention to the far side of the floor.

"There's a small little cubby on the other side. Small kitchen, bathroom with a shower, and a bedroom. Feel free to stay as long as you need to... it's stocked enough for two people to live here for a month! Heh heh... though even with all these books here, it won't take you that long to get through them all."

"So we can... basically call this our living quarters?"

"Yes, Miss Erika. As I said, ring the front desk if you need anything!"

With that, the head librarian headed back down the stairs, leaving Erika and Maria alone in a sea of bookshelves.

"So... I guess we should get started..."


Wandering aimlessly somewhere...

Giselle was fiddling with the Poké-Com device on her Pokédex, which had apparently stopped working. Which she was just learning at that exact moment, as she walked along a path in the midst of a grassy plain.

"For a gadget that's supposedly top dollar, this Pokédex sure breaks a lot."

Suddenly, she looked ahead and saw a pay-videophone. She made her way over and started to dial a number.

"Well, at least I can always get my daily advice from Professor Oak! And maybe... maybe HE'LL be there!"

Giselle giggled as she heard a ring tone indicating the phone was ringing on the other end.


Professor Oak's Laboratory, Pallet Town

RING RING RING! RING RING RING! PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL!

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Stupid lousy machine... I don't know why the Professor likes leaving the volume all the way up."

The grumbling was coming from Professor Oak's assistant, Tracey, who ran into the lab to answer the videophone call.

"Uh... hello?" Tracey said as he answered the phone.

"Hello? Who is this?"

Tracey gasped and smiled goofily as a melting sensation came over him.

"It's you!"

"Wha... what?"

"IT'S REALLY YOU!"

Tracey reached down and pressed the 'Voice Only' feature to turn it off so he could see if his hunch was correct. Seconds later, Giselle appeared on the screen in front of Tracey, everything from the waist up visible in the camera.

"You're not the Professor..." Giselle said, disgusted.

"You're even more beautiful on-screen!" squealed Tracey. "It's settled... I JUST HAVE TO MEET YOU!"

Surprised by Tracey's declaration, Giselle quickly hung up the phone. But despite the apparent rejection, Tracey ran back to the keypad and tried to get the phone to redial the number that she had called from.

"Come on... I'm not the Professor, but I'm just as knowledgeable as he is!" he said aloud, exaggerating slightly. "I just wanna talk to you..."


RING RING RING! RING RING RING! PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL!

The pay-videophone was ringing off the hook, but Giselle was already a good distance away, having decided that she could go without any advice for one day.

Oh, and that she abhorred incessant fanboys.

"Freak..."


Fallarbor Town

Ash was at the town's open-air market, searching for Christmas gifts. Naturally, finding something for Misty wasn't going to be easy.

"What do I do?" Ash asked himself out loud.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, pointing out a display case in front of them that had Blue Pokéblock (12-pack, costs 300), a jar of Energy Powder (costs 500), and a bottle of rare Sea Incense (costs 5,000).

"I don't know..." Ash said as he fumbled through his pockets in search of money.

Meanwhile, a few stalls down...

"Hey, kid! Wanna know a secret? Chicks DIG Magikarp!"

A spiky orange-haired boy turned his head at attention when he heard that, and he stood there and listened to the Magikarp salesman's sales pitch...


Sunday, December 16th

Two days had passed since Erika and Maria holed up on the library's second floor, and in that short time they had managed to take a good amount of books off the shelves. Books were strewn all over the place. Some were in neat, vertical piles, while others were in messy heaps. The more fragile and ancient parchments, naturally, were stacked in the neat piles.

But it all looked like a big mess to Brock, who was standing in front of the steel gate that blocked off access to the second floor.

"Hello? Erika? Are you in there?"

Brock shook the gates, making a lot of noise in hopes of drawing out where the Celadon gym leader was.

"I hope you don't mind me bringing you and Maria some dinner. Don't worry... I bought chicken salads from the fast food restaurant a block away!"

Suddenly, Maria appeared from a far-away aisle, sprinting for the keypad that would unlock the gate so Brock would come in.

"Sorry about that!" she apologized. "We thought you wouldn't be here for another half hour."

"Where's Erika?"

"Last time I saw her... buried in 19th-Century non-fiction."

Once the gate was unlocked, Brock stepped in and followed Maria deep into the aisles, closing it behind him. But they were unaware that a couple of shadows had followed Brock to the library, and they were trying to find their own way past the gate.


Brock and Maria found Erika in the process of doing a little clean up, as she employed the help of her Pokémon to do so. Tangela and Weepinbell were putting the books back in the shelves as Erika brought them over to them on a cart. Gloom was also out, but she was off snoring in the background.

"Done for the day already?" asked Brock.

"Yes," Erika nodded. "I figure that if Maria and I went to the trouble of taking the books out, we should at least put them out."

"Oh! Let me help!"

Brock placed his backpack on the ground and then started gathering books from one of the piles there. As Brock and Erika worked side by side, Maria wandered over to a nearby empty shelf.

Empty save for one hardcover book with a slightly askew cover.

"Hmmm..." Maria uttered curiously as she picked it up and read the book's title aloud. "'The Mystery of Olivine City.' Sounds self-explanatory."

She opened the book and quickly scanned through it. Leafing through page after page, none of it seemed to interest her at all. That is, until she came across a weird passage about two-thirds of the way through.

"Uh... Miss Erika? You might want to take a look at this..."

Erika stopped what she was doing and walked over to where Maria was. Once she got over there, Maria handed the book over and pointed out the passage in question to her.

"This... this... this is IT!"

Brock looked up from what he was doing to see what the hubbub was all about. Erika ran out of the aisle and plopped the book down on a nearby table. Brock dropped his things ran over to check it out. In seconds, both Brock and Maria were standing over Erika as she sat down and began to read the passage aloud.

"It was August 21st, 1898, when my friend Kei realized that he had developed a condition that had only been documented twice before. The first two occurrences, though, were 33 years ago! The condition involved the ability for one to, at random, be able to inhibit the body of one of his own Pokémon! It was a strange phenomenon... one with, apparently no cure. Old medical records showed that the first two to exhibit the condition died within minutes after returning to their bodies following the third time they pulled off the so-called trick."

"So... there's no cure?" Brock said worriedly. "And one dies after doing it for the third time?"

"Thankfully, you've only exhibited the symptoms once," Erika stated. "If it had already been twice, we might actually start to worry about you."

"Ooh, ooh, there's more!" Maria pointed out on the next page.

"On January 4th, 1930, 15-year old Saria Sugosa became the ninth documented case in the past three months! She and eight others, all ranging from ten to 17 in age, have exhibited the ability to take over their favorite Pokémon's body for a few minutes at a time. It was once thought to occur at random, but recent studies suggest it may triggered by the subject being caught in a life or death situation. For example, Saria was observed initiating the state when she nearly got into a fight with a fellow student and fell into the school's pool. Apparently, she had never learned how to swim, and neither had the girl she was fighting with. But somehow, she was able to inhibit her Dewgong long enough to use it to get her out of the pool, thus saving her life."

Erika continued through to the next few pages, and spotted several more similar entries. What made it weird, though, was that each one was separated by several paragraphs.

"I don't know what to make of this," Erika said to them. "These sound like honest-to-goodness testimonials... but the fact that they're scattered in the midst of a story of how Olivine City was founded... it... it just doesn't make any sense!"

"Could it be some sort of code?" Brock wondered. "Or are we supposed to ignore everything BUT what we want to see?"

"I don't know," stated an apprehensive Maria. "Maybe someone knew we were coming, and like, planted all of this to throw us off the trail."

"But that doesn't make any sense, Maria! Who would go to those lengths?"

"I think we need to give this book a thorough look through," Erika suggested. "Brock, Maria... check the piles and see if there are any other copies."

Brock and Maria followed Erika's orders and began to search. In a matter of minutes, each of them discovered their own copy of 'Mystery.' They then all sat down at the same table, gathered some pen and paper, and started to take notes.

But it didn't take long for Brock to spot something out of the ordinary.

"Uh, Erika... what page was that very first passage on?"

"I believe it was... page 142."

"That's what I thought," Brock said, showing that page in his copy to Erika. "I don't see that passage anywhere in here."

"It's not in here, either," stated Maria as she presented her book.

"Now it seems even more that these pages are fake!"

As Erika, Brock, and Maria debated the validity of the passages in the book, they were unaware that a group of Team Rocket Grunts had made their way in and were preparing to pounce.

To be continued next week in Part 3!