Well, Arc twelve finally begins. And, just when things were starting to cool off, all hell is back again for another pop at Flame. Although, this time, it came prepared and took out the biggest threat first. Okay, enough of the cheesy intro. Get reading! And comment too, while you are at it.

Arc Twelve: Search and Rescue

Episode 142: True Calling

Well, a week after the traumatic incident with the tower, my eyes finally did finally regain their full blue colour. Moron had decided that, after all of the crazy adventures, a break was in order and we'd taken the seven days off. To begin with, I was content to catch up on lost sleep. And a lot of lost eating too. After I had finished the first proper meal, everyone was staring. I had eaten that much, barely stopping to chew.

But after a few days of that, I was starting to get bored. I had explored every nook and cranny of the town by the fifth day. Well, everywhere except that tower. There was no way in hell that I was going to step foot in there again. That left me with one other place nearby for me to explore. The forest. With the memories of the last time I went into a forest still fresh in my mind, I headed into the trees with caution. And Fervo tagging along, just to give any enemies something else to have a go at.

The Treecko was right at home amongst the trees, shooting up the bark trunks and leaping from branch to branch. I assumed he was hyper from all of the berries we'd snacked on five minutes previously or the joy that we were out of the doom and gloom of that town. I could see why Mew didn't like that place, I didn't like it either.

Around an hour had passed and my feet were staring to hurt, so I decided that we'd gone far enough and sat myself down.

"I wonder where Mew is," Fervo said as he plonked himself down beside me, he was the only one who I had told about the encounter in the tower; "surely he'd have shown up again by now."

"He only shows up when needed," I replied, "although popping in and saying hello every now and then would be nice."

"If you want, I could strangle you untill he shows," Fervo laughed, I didn't find it that funny, "yeesh, you sure are boring today. You've hung around that town for too long. Let's have a nap out in the open. That always cheers me up. It'll do you good."

"I don't know," I muttered.

"No arguments, I'll knock you out if I have too."

I smiled, "how can I argue with logic like that?"

"You can't."

"Well, at least the grass is comfortable."

I lay down and curled up, my tail flame touching the tip of my nose. I saw Fervo staring and looked up at him.

"What? This is how I sleep."

"How do you stand that thing's hissing?" He asked, I shrugged and concentrated for a second. My tail flame shrunk in size and the noise stopped, getting a confused look from the Treecko.

"I can't turn it off, but I can shut it up," I yawned, closing my eyes and letting sleep take me.

I found myself standing in a world of blackness, similar to the endless white of that void.

"Fuck, not again," I muttered, untill I heard a voice calling in the distance.

I didn't know what to make of it, so I headed towards it. Eventually I started to recognize it, although it was quivering.

"Mew?"

"Flame," came the reply, I couldn't see from where. It seemed to come from all around me.

"Where are you?"

"In a lot of trouble."

I looked all around me, trying to figure out in which direction the voice is coming from.

"Flame, the Rocket's finally caught up with me," Mew's voice sighed, it seemed to be in a lot of pain and becoming more urgent with each word, "I've been drained of nearly all my strength. It is hurting me to telepathically speak to you. They're planning something. I don't know what. But I need help, and fast."

"Team Rocket," I muttered, "they really do not learn. Nobody messes with me or my friends."

I looked up where the sky should have been, seeing nothing but darkness, and called out, "I'll find you. Somehow. And I'll make sure that they pay."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," came the pained chuckle, untill I heard screaming, "Crap. Get that needle away from me. Shit! Argh!"

I suddenly woke, shooting upright and nearly giving the dozing Treecko a heart attack. I was breathing heavily, trying to decide if all that had just been a nightmare. Eventually I decided not to risk it; Mew wouldn't lie about Team Rocket.

"You okay?" Fervo asked, looking worried.

"I'm fine," I muttered, getting to my feet and looking around, "but a friend isn't."

"There you are!" I heard a shout and Tate burst into the clearing, Scyther following behind. The Totodile looked exhausted and was panting, "I've been looking all over. The two Rocket's you helped catch in the tower escaped."

"Again," Scyther added, "but Moron got their names as they fled. Adam and Eve. Scout managed to track them north of here."

I smiled to myself, knowing exactly where they were heading.

"They must have a base nearby," Fervo said, wiping his forehead with the back of his paw, "damn, this lot never learn."

"Well, shall we go teach them a lesson?" I added, "after all. I got a message from a very old friend of mine that he's in trouble with the Rocket's. And I kinda owe him."

"Scyther will come too," The bug said, Fervo was going to refuse but I halted him.

"We're going to need stealth to get in. Scyther's ninja abilities will come in handy. Besides, he hates the Rocket's more than I do."

"What about me?" Tate asked.

"You get the others, if we are not back in a day's time then get everyone to go in with everything they have. Tell Squirt to write that to Moron so he doesn't do anything stupid. Hell, see if he can get a hold of Alpha's party."

Tate nodded, actually looking glad to miss the fighting. Scyther turned away from us and pointed with his blades.

"The Rocket's were heading that way," he said, "shall we go?"

"Go we shall," Fervo replied, grinning untill Scyther fixed him with a disapproving stare.

"Save the fighting for the bad guys," I yelled, dashing off ahead, 'hold on Mew, we will not be long. And they won't know what hit them.'