Now this was a nice little Episode to write. Mainly because of its freshness. I could write in a completely different style than I used too, using more description. Plus I get to clear up a few plot holes involving Joanne and the others, because Flame has left the spotlight.

Arc Eight: Betrayal

Episode Eighty-Seven: A Different Perspective

Now I'm sure you are all wondering what happened to Flame after all that. I know I am. But he refused to tell anyone. So, I was asked to narrate my side of the story. I guess you can't call it 'Tales Of Flame' anymore. Anyway, let us continue our tale from when Flame had his little talk with Scyther.

I looked up from the wooden table at the sound coming from upstairs. A small thump. Alpha and Co. hadn't noticed the noise, they were much too busy arguing amoungst themselves about Team Rocket's threat. I had spotted Scyther head upstairs a little while earlier, I guessed that he had gone to speak to Flame. Who had been strangely reclusive since Ethan's little anouncement. Moron (I only call him that so you lot know who I am talking about) had crashed out on the sofa and Lt. Surge was dozing in the corner.

I got up and headed to investigate, leaving Alpha and his crew to their little spat. I headed up the stairs, the rough carpet scratching up against my feet. As I came to the bedroom door I froze for a few seconds, listening for sounds coming from inside.

Nothing. I couldn't hear anything. Which immediatly threw my thought over the noise strait out of the window. I had expected the noise to be from Flame throwing a tantrum and Scyther having to bop him over the head to calm him down. Little did I know.

I remember the following events in perfect detail, like I remember Blacky's abduction in Cerulean and numerous other events. I slowly pushed on the door, wincing as it creaked on its hinges. The room was in blackness, Flame wouldn't have needed a light. I doubted that he'd even be able to flip the switch that would have turned on the lights.

I couldn't see any movement from within the darkness, apart from the curtains waving in the chilled breeze that came through the open window. Time seemed to have slowed, a moment was now twice as long. I stepped forwards into the unknown, listening for any sign of life from within the room.

I am not scared to admit that I was shivering, both at the chill in the air and in fright. It was obvious that Flame was no longer here, there was no flickering tail fire.

'Unless he is dead,' I thought, before shaking my head to remove the thought, 'nothing could have taken both Flame and Scyther out so quietly.'

I felt my breath catch in my throat as I spotted moonlight glinting off one of Scyther's blades. He was laying on the ground, not moving.

"This isn't good," I muttered, glancing over my shoulder just to make sure that no nasty was going to jump out and kill me. Nothing did, which was a good start.

I spotted a small lamp and flicked the switch, allowing the room to be illuminated. Now that I could see properly, I could make out Scyther's chest moving. He was still breathing, another good start. I noticed a red mark upon his forehead. Whatever hit him, hit him hard. Probably with no warning, if it was able to slip past Scyther's decidedly sharp defence.

I heard him groan as he opened his eyes. He quickly spotted me and managed to use his left blade as a lever to pull himself up.

"Why was Scyther laying on the floor?" he asked me, rubbing his head with the flat of his blade.

"Why am I suppossed to know? I only just got here, so much for the super ninja powers," I replied.

"Scyther remembers talking to Flame. Flame said thanks and then Scyther cannot remember anything else," Scyther, obviously seeing as no one else speaks in the third person, told me as he sat down on the bed. I climbed up and joined him, voicing my opinion, "well either Team Rocket ambushed you and Flame, taking him. Or Flame whacked you and buggered off on another solo adventure. Knwoing Flame, I'm going to go with the second one."

We both headed downstairs and told the others about what had happened, it was pretty obvious to all that Flame had completely lost his marbles. Or he would have done, had we not left our marbles back in Cerulean along with a frisbee and several dice.

"We have too stop him," Cubone said, going for his club.

"You have no chance," I sighed, "he must be on the rooftops and only two of us would be able to catch up with him on those. Scout is out of action thanks to his wings being fried and Scyther may have a concussion. No, we cannot catch him."

Cubone opened his mouth to argue but was silenced by a loud yell coming from outside. The noise caused Moron to jolt out of his doze and shoot too his feet We all turned and gazed out of the window, most of us recognizing the Human that ran by.

"Joanne!" Moron yelled as a second Human followed and every single one of us knew the uniform of him.

"Team Rocket," Alpha muttered as we all shot for the door.

I made it first, being closer than everyone else. I blasted the door open using my Water Gun and shot out into the road, yelling after the two Humans. Both skidded to a halt and turned to face me, Joanne easily recognizing me while the Rocket just looked confused. His confusion turned into fear as both Moron and Lt. Surge appeared in the doorway with the rest of the Rebellion right behind them.

"You are surrounded," Lt. Surge said as he slowly walked fowards, taking out Raichu's Pokéball as he did so.

"I can fight my way out," the Rocket member said, dispite him quaking in his oversized boots.

"Go ahead," came the Gym Leader's reply, "I'm willing to be honourable. If you can defeat my Pokémon then you can go free, none of us will stop you."

The Rocket nodded, gulping, and took out two Pokéballs. Lt. Surge released Raichu before glancing at me, "how 'bout it? Wanna have a little fun?"

"My pleasure," I replied as I stepped fowards and joined Raichu. Moron hadn't complained, he knew about my hatred of Team Rocket and wouldn't dare refuse me a little payback. Hell, he probably wanted to get involved himself after the Pokémon Center incident.

"Bulbasaur!" Came one of the Pokémon's cries as it formed. A blue Bulbasaur, a fairly rare colouration, which several bruises. It had obviously just had a scrap itself. I'd known a fair few Bulbasaur when I was living in Pallet Town as I grew up, so I knew their main strengths fairly well. The second Pokémon was another familiarity to me, a Geodude.

"Raichu, can you keep that Geodude busy while I handle the Bulbasaur?" I asked my partner as we faced off our opponents.

"No problem, I'll probably have wiped it out by the time you finish with yours. Let's kick some ass, Squirt," Raichu laughed.

"Never call me that again," I replied, as our opponents charged.

The Geodude went strait into a Rollout, heading for Raichu. Who easily lept clear over the rock Pokémon, with a front flip to show off, and landed perfectly. The Bulbasaur took a little while longer to reach me, trying to use its nasty Headbutt. I didn't give it that chance and withdrew into my shell, blasting water at its underbelly as it shot overhead.

It lost its grip and skidded along the floor on its stomach, which would have been fine had the road not been rough stones. I spun around, inside my shell, and fired a blast of water out of a hole. I had turned myself into a projectile. And I was deadly accurate too.