Authoress Note:
Sorry for the long wait, I tried to squeeze in a few interactions before continuing with my script, so half this chapter wasn't even in my notes...
Fun fact: Last chapter we got a few guesses of what is going to happen next! I'm just gonna cryptically say, someone is catching on to where this story is heading~
Aaand that someone will know who they are when we get there. For now… Thank you very much for your support as always, everyone!
Enjoy!~
Chapter 9 'Divide and Conquer'
"James, do your thing."
"Huh? What am I supposed to do?"
"How should I know? You are the techno geek here."
The Team Rocket trio was currently standing right in front of the device that was to blame for their lack of freedom. The only thing needed to be done now, was to disable its energy supply and shut down the shield surrounding the island. So James got to work, opening one of the panels around the machine and started to tamper with it. Just a few minutes later however, he was frowning in disappointment while rubbing the back of his head helplessly.
"It's… no use," he informed. "It has a security system. We need a key."
"What kind of key?" Jessie asked.
"How about we just hit it until it breaks?" Meowth suggested.
His two human companions shared a look and shrugged. Might as well go with that, what could possibly go wro-?
.:oOo:.
A loud explosion distracted both parties from their fight towards the volcano's side of the island. Far in the distance, a black cloud of smoke rose through the treetops, just as the purplish shield, visible through the last rays of sunlight, started to disintegrate and vanished. When the loud uproar caused by the explosion ceased, they could hear very familiar screams coming towards them.
And then they saw it. Soaring through the sky, Team Rocket passed by, already going half through their blast of.
"It seems our role in dis story is ova'!"
"No fair! I want a rewrite!"
"At least we did something useful…"
"Wooobbuffett!"
"That's somehow nostalgic," Clemont commented as he adjusted his glasses.
"I know. It's been awhile since they flew off like that," Ash agreed.
"Really?"
Before anyone could answer Bonnie's question, a Bewear came jumping from the opposite direction and grabbed Team Rocket before they flew too far.
"Oh, there's that Bewear again," Mallow commented, watching as the Bewear turned back into the direction it had come from and disappeared through the trees with its cargo.
"What… just happened?" Serena finally voiced.
"I'm still trying to understand that myself..."
"Pathetic," Celosia murmured, before a big shadow fell on her. She turned around to see Turtonator standing menacingly over her.
"Could say the same about you," Kiawe commented right by his partner; a smug grin adorning his face.
.:oOo:.
"They have disabled the shield!" Xerosic was steaming.
"We better start hunting then," not one to waste time, Aliana loaded her gun, aimed and fired her first shot.
A metal ball surrounded by raw energy blasted off the cannon at incredible speed towards the intended target. Upon contact, the projectile changed forms and expanded the energy around its victim with the shape of a restraining ring. Finding itself unable to fly, their first capture pummeled to the ground below without much resistance.
"Bingo!"
.:oOo:.
Tapu Koko's cry of surprise and consecutive fall got everyone's mind back in high alert just in time to see several balls of energy shooting all around them.
"What are those things?!"
The kids barely manage to avoid getting hit by moving around and spreading in different directions; their Pokémon doing their best to defend both themselves and their trainers.
"What do we have here?" Mable asked to herself as she approached the Guardian Pokémon.
"Looks like Xerosic just finished his little invention," Celosia commented, relaxing her posture.
"Tapu Koko is in trouble!"
"Ash, wait!"
Identifying the reason of the warning, Greninja was fast to grab his trainer and pull him out of the way of a Druddigon that dropped right in front of them. As it moved to attack, Greninja went ahead to counter it before leading it far from the group. Ash took the chance to look back to the place where Tapu Koko had fallen, only to find it surrounded by grunts.
"Rowlet, can you help?"
The owl-like Pokémon chirped in confirmation flying up and away.
"Luxray, Swift to your right!" Clemont warned his Pokémon a few steps away, noting how the defeated teams retreated back to let the new arrivals continue the battle. "Careful, everyone! They got backup!"
"Oh, no! Braixen!"
Hearing Serena's cry, they turned around to see the fire-type captured by another ring after she had cover for her trainer. Thinking fast, Serena pulled out Braixen's Poké Ball and tried to return her, but the pulling energy just bounced back.
"It seems the energy forming those rings is cancelling out the Poké Ball's function," Clemont deducted.
"Pikachu! Help Braixen out!" Ash exclaimed, while still keeping an eye on his other two Pokémon.
Exclaiming his acknowledgement, Pikachu ran forward, avoiding energy balls as he went and jumped high in the air preparing an Iron Tail attack. Braixen stood still watching as he sliced through the metallic part of the constraints which shut down with a small explosion.
"Thanks, Pikachu!" Serena said before addressing Braixen. "Are you okay?"
Seeing they had things under control again, Ash concentrated in Rowlet's moves, watching as he attempted to sneak through the enemy's ranks and reach the Guardian Deity.
"Bzzt, there is something behind the trees!" Rotom informed Ash, who spotted a light reflection seconds later.
"Rowlet, watch out! Go up!"
Rowlet listened trying to follow the instruction, but it was too late. A metal ball crashed into him, and captured him instantly, making him fall right beside Tapu Koko without even moving an inch.
"Oh, no! Is it hurt?" Bonnie asked in worry.
"Bzzt, bzzt, scan complete. Rowlet is asleep," Rotom helpfully supplied.
"Huh?"
"I should have known…" Ash deadpanned.
"What is Tapu Koko trying to tell us?" Mallow asked, noticing the Guardian Pokémon crying out to them.
"Tapu Koko is telling us not to get closer," Slowking translated Tapu Koko's call. " 'It's too risky. We'll be fine. Go hide.' "
"We have no choice," Kiawe exclaimed, who had been instructing Turtonator to roast any energy balls that were shot in their general direction. "Everyone, cover into the trees!"
Ash looked conflicted but didn't reproach. "We'll come back for you," he promised before he ran and followed Kiawe.
.:oOo:.
Aliana was having the time of her life. Just seeing the group of kids running away like scared Skitty was enough to make her laugh loudly. "Run all you want, but you won't escape!"
"Aliana, you are supposed to concentrate on capturing one kid, not play huntress with all of them," Bryony lectured her just as she captured the big turtle-like Pokémon.
"Then what are you doing?"
"Clearing the path."
Xerosic let them to their devices, trusting them to capture any meddling kid that tried to get in their way. Releasing Malamar from its Poké Ball, he walked ahead, loading his own gun.
"Let's go, Malamar," he grinned.
.:oOo:.
They were separated again. Through the chaos and panic, everyone had run in different directions and ended up lost. Kiawe frowned in worry as he walked alongside Ash. For one thing, neither had any of their Pokémon with them. And for another, it was getting dark. He wondered if it was a good idea to wander around like this, but seeing Ash so determined to keep going, he couldn't back down either.
"Any idea where we are heading?" he asked instead, receiving a nod of confirmation.
"Best thing to do is find the others, then we'll figure out a way to release anyone who has been captured," Ash answered with so much certainty it sounded almost casual.
"That's… unexpected," Kiawe voiced, blinking in surprise. He had expected Ash to act rash and run back to help their captured friends.
"What?"
"I thought you would refuse to leave when a few of us were captured."
Ash frowned at that, not looking at him as if conflicted. "Some time ago I would have done just that," he admitted in a surprisingly subdued voice. "But now I know that's not going to help."
Kiawe raised an eyebrow in inquiry, encouraging him to elaborate.
"Team Flare is clearly focused on me. If I stayed and they captured me, everyone's effort would have been for nothing," he explained.
Kiawe nodded in understanding. His grandfather used to say that right decisions took maturity and great experience, and he wondered just how much experience Ash really had, for him to be able to think so clearly while being under stress.
"Let's go this way," Ash's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Are you sure we are not getting more lost?"
Ash shook his head. "Greninja is that way, I can feel it," he explained. "He probably won't be alone, so if we find him…"
"We might find the others," Kiawe finished. "Lead the way."
.:oOo:.
"We barely made it…"
"Braixen-brai."
"Yeah, but we got separated…"
Looking around, Serena noticed Clemont was right. Even though Pikachu had managed to stay close to her, Ash was nowhere to be found.
"What should we do now?" Mallow asked beside her, as she perched her Bounsweet on her head.
"For now let's stay together and keep an eye open for the others," Clemont suggested, taking notice of his missing sister and Pokémon.
"It might not be wise to wander around at night," the Slowking beside them advised. "The traps in the forest will get harder to detect."
"But… we can't stay put in one place with Team Flare looking for us, either," Serena commented.
"That's also true," Slowking agreed.
Opting to keep moving at a low pace, they fell into a comfortable silence only broken by the sound of their steps. Serena couldn't help feeling a sense of nostalgia as they kept going. Flashbacks of times when they ended up apart from each other only to reunite by the end of the day started playing in her mind.
"It almost feels like back then…" Serena commented in a low whisper; absently scratching Pikachu on the neck, who squeaked contently at the petting.
Understanding what she meant, Clemont smiled sadly. "If only the circumstances weren't so serious now."
Noticing the mood going downwards, Mallow was fast to interject. "You used to travel together, right? Was it fun? I've never traveled like that, so I don't know what it is like!"
Taken aback by the question, Serena took a few seconds to process it and smile. "Yeah, it was lots of fun. Kalos has a bunch of interesting places to visit, and even if you are not used to sleeping outdoors, it becomes a very fun experience!"
"We did a lot of walking and running, too…" Clemont joined in, with a face that said he didn't exactly enjoyed that part. "But I learned a lot of important things through our journey. Things that I wouldn't have been able to learn otherwise."
"Yeah, me too," Serena agreed.
"That sounds amazing!" Mallow commented.
They let the silence drawl for a few seconds before Clemont decided to voice his thoughts. "You know? The circumstances may not be optimal… but I'm really glad I got to see you guys again."
Serena smiled brightly and nodded. "I really missed you all."
"Hey! How about we find Ash and the others so we can get out from here?" Mallow started with a new idea in mind. "Once we are back in Melemele Island and I'll prepare us a traditional Alolan dish so electrifyingly tasty you'll be energized in the first bite!"
"Boun!"
"That sounds like a great idea!" Serena exclaimed.
"I'm looking forward to it," Clemont said next.
"Of course, you are also invited, Slowking," Mallow smiled at him.
"Sounds like a nice way to celebrate from adverting yet another end of the world," Slowking answered truthfully.
Serena nodded, scowling in thought. "I still don't understand why Team Flare would specifically need Ash to break a seal…"
"A seal? Is that why they went after him?" Clemont asked, having missed that conversation.
"That's right! You haven't explained that part to us, Slowking," Mallow commented.
"Wait, you know why?" Serena suddenly looked more alert.
The Slowking nodded. "It's because it's Ash…"
The kids and Pokémon beside him stared at Slowking with equal expressions of confusion, expecting him to elaborate, but he didn't.
"Ah! Is it one of the reasons why you don't want him to change his name?" Mallow suddenly asked.
"Hmm… it could very much be part of it," Slowking nodded.
"Oh, I see, I see. That makes sense."
"That makes no sense at all…" Serena deadpanned; Clemont's face being a mirror of her own.
Being too enthralled in the now confusing conversation, the group failed to notice the large group of individuals observing them a few steps behind them.
"This is too easy," Bryony commented in a whisper, as she loaded her gun...
.:oOo:.
"Are you a Pokémon or a Poké Dex?"
"I am RotomDex! Nice to meet you in person!"
"Oh! So, you are a Rotom!" Bonnie giggled. They were following Greninja through the forest; Bonnie mounted over Luxray, who had picked her up when they were escaping. "Hi, Rotom! I'm Bonnie!"
"No! I am-"
"So, Rotom! You can scan any Pokémon, right? That's amazing!"
Rotom seemed to come to a realization before exclaiming. "Ash never told me he had a little sister, bzzt!"
"Nin-ninja…"
"What? They are not related, bzzt?" Rotom looked utterly surprised. "But I feel like I'm talking with a smaller, female version of him! There is no way they are not related!"
"Rotom is funny," Bonnie giggled again. "Hey Greninja! Are we close to Ash?"
"Gren," He nodded, before pointing ahead. "Ninja."
"He says Ash is just past those bushes," Rotom translate dutifully.
"Great! Let's step it up, Luxray!"
Smiling in amusement, Luxray hurried his steps just enough to walk abreast with Greninja.
"Seriously, Ash. You are making it too easy for these guys to get you," they found a very annoyed Kiawe apparently talking to a tree.
"It's not like I'm doing it on purpose," Ash's voice grumbled. "These traps are everywhere!"
"Hey! We found someone!" Bonnie exclaimed, gaining their attention.
"Oh, hey! It's Bonnie!"
Without a word, Greninja jumped to the tree in front of Kiawe and slashed through its branches. Seconds later, a net fell with a thud and surprised yell. That's when Bonnie noticed, Ash was now grunting in pain on the ground.
"Could have warned me…"
Greninja's only answer was to shrug while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Ash!" feeling eager to greet him properly, Bonnie jumped off of Luxray and ran ahead just as Ash had finished standing, only to tackle him and send him back to the ground with a second grunt. "It's been so long!"
"H-Hi, Bonnie," was all he managed.
Kiawe felt a bit of amusement. Despite the obvious lack of air, Ash was smiling brightly, letting the small girl hug his lungs out.
"So where are the others?" she asked when she finally let him go.
"We haven't-"
The sound of an explosion in the distance cut Ash's sentence just as a blinding thunderbolt crashed from the earth to the sky, illuminating their surroundings for several seconds.
"That was Pikachu's thunderbolt!"
"That strong!?" Kiawe asked in surprise.
"It was 50% stronger than the strongest Thunderbolt I had registered yet!" Rotom seemed to be conflicted between being excited for the new found data and being alarmed by the implications of the sudden display.
Ash and Greninja were the first to move, sprinting ahead in complete synchronicity. Luxray signaled Bonnie to get on and was fast to follow after Kiawe help her climb on; Kiawe himself managing to keep up on his own. But the group didn't get too far.
"Crobat, Air Slash!"
Despite it being a surprise attack, it was easily retaliated by both Pokémon using their respective long distance moves. And just as they got effectively distracted by the Crobat in front of them, a second order was commanded; muffled by the sudden battle.
"Malamar, you know what to do."
There wasn't anything the Pokémon could do, the moment the three humans were suddenly lifted off the ground by an invisible force.
"What's going on?!" Kiawe exclaimed, unable to move an inch.
"Good job," Xerosic praised, stepping out of the darkness the trees provided, with his invention in hand.
"What are you doing here? You should be in jail," Bonnie was fast to reproach.
Greninja and Luxray stepped up, ready to fight, but cut their actions short at the sound of the children crying in pain behind them; the energy surrounding them getting brighter. The Malamar then smiled maliciously and said something that made Greninja and Luxray hesitate even more.
"W-What i-is going on-n?" Kiawe asked through gritted teeth.
"It's Psychic! A move that hits the target with a strong telekinetic force, bzzt!"
"G-Greninja, Luxray! Don't w-worry about us! You gotta stop them!" Ash managed to say.
Xerosic just laugh at this. "I'm afraid it's too late for that," and he fired...