Hi folks! Sorry that it's been a while, I don't want anyone to think I've abandoned this story again! It's been rough coming up with content for this story, I honestly think Writer's Block is hitting me again, but I'll try my best to finish 50,000 Volts!

Either way, I hope you enjoy this next chapter, take care!

Chapter sixty: His Plan

I can't believe what just happened! We were having the time of our lives and it had to be ruined (again) by Team Rocket…or the group that broke off from them…

That strange man from Outpost 3C 273, who can use fire like that Team Rocket girl, is obsessed with finding us…what's his deal…what is his plan?

We lost Orion and Eev, both having fallen off the bridge…into the river below. Despite the fact Charmeleon is now a Charizard, we still can't find the duo. It's been minutes since the fight: Rigel, Jen, and I (riding on Charizard) scan the water around us for any sign of them.

"Anything yet?" Rigel asked his "dragon" Pokémon, but the reptile snorted back in response as if to say 'no.'

"We should just go to the authorities at this point. What happened on the bridge might be enough for them to help us find them!" Jennifer suggested.

The teenager thought about it as I rested on his shoulder. Despite searching everywhere, we can't find the two Pokémon…maybe she's right.

"We'll most likely need the help…" Rigel stated.

"And those grunts might still be hunting us!" Jen added

The trainer didn't want to leave, but they needed help by this point, they had no choice, "okay…let's go…I hope we can come back quickly…"

I sighed…it had to be done…every minute we waste could mean less for Orion/Eev. And so, our group hesitantly left the river in search of the authorities.

Down below, not too far away: a Pikachu is dragging an unconscious Eevee out of the water and into a sewer pipe. Just moments ago, Orion had swum down to rescue Eev who was underwater.

"I can't swim!" She had said earlier after both hit the river.

"Hang on!" Orion shouted, diving in to save her. It's the reason why Lucas and the others missed them…

Now, Orion had to get the fox-like creature someplace safe. Inside the long and dark sewer pipe, it's calm enough for the Pikachu to place her on the ground, having carried her on his back the whole time.

He checked her…she's not breathing! Oh no!

He paced back and forth…what will he do!? W-wait…he remembers what humans do in such situations, having learned it from Rigel and the other humans he lived with.

Quickly and carefully, he placed his small paws against Eev's chest and pressed down repeatedly. Then he remembered to breathe in her mouth to give her air.

Now, she finally began to stir, coughing up water in response. She slowly opened her eyes, "ugh…"

She's breathing!

"Eev…are you alright?" Orion asked with concern beaming in his brown eyes. Relief washed over him, happy that he knew what to do to save her.

"N-never…better…" she quipped weakly, "W-where are…we?" She looked around as she began recovering. Soon she got on all fours as the Pikachu sighed softly, "we fell from the bridge we were on…I pulled you out of the river in time."

"I…drowned?" She shook her head.

"Almost did…" he nodded.

"Thank you…" she said to him wholeheartedly.

"Well…I wasn't going to let you drown…"

"Orion…you saved my life…thank you."

He gave a soft smile in return, "it's what we Pokémon do."

She chuckled a bit before looking down the corridor leading deeper into the sewer, "so then…where do we go from here?"

Orion the Pikachu sighed in response, "I didn't see the others during all the chaos and there's no way we can get back to the street the way we came. I suppose we have no choice but to go down this way…" he said regrettably.

Eev is nervous, especially after he said that, but it's true. Maybe they'll find a way out through the sewer…it'd have to be quick though, for they wouldn't want to get separated from the others too long. After all, Saffron City is BIG, one of the biggest in Kanto.

And so, both Pokémon began their trek through the damp and dark sewer…not knowing what lies ahead for them…

Charizard landed us next to the closest police station in town. Right after Rigel calls his Pokémon back in his ball, we quickly got off and rushed inside. There, Jen, Rigel, and I were confronted by an officer behind a desk. We explained everything to the best of our knowledge and sure enough: our details matched what the witnesses saw at the mall and on the bridge.

Unfortunately, we were forced to stay here for an indefinite period because the authorities had questions for us (or at least Rigel and Jen.)

It all turned out to be the most agonizing, most anxious, time in recent memory. Thoughts plagued me: one is that of Orion and Eev…they're still out there and we can't find them…plus the cops are forcing us to stay! Curse me, I knew this was a bad idea…we shouldn't have left the cottage! We should have just…stayed there…now we're in this horrible mess…

Oh, Jennifer…why…why did you have to go and suggest going on some adventure when we knew Team Rocket was still at large…

Speaking of Jen…what is she hiding from her past?

During the confrontation with the grunts, she muttered something regarding Team Galactic…the name sounded very familiar, but I already know they're similar to Team Rocket. I've heard stories surrounding them in Sinnoh but never had I seen them. I just had to ask her.

"Jen…" I whispered as we sat idly on a bench in the middle of a busy office. Cubicles filled the space with officers milling about. It's noisy and chaotic, to say the least, which opened the opportunity for me to speak.

"What was that…back there…what you said to those…grunts?" I struggled with my slurred speech. She slowly turned toward me, face darkening…it felt like she was nervous to respond.

"Team Galactic…" I eyed her, carefully looking into her eyes…begging for an explanation for all this. Rigel, too, is curious, and he naturally decided to butt in…moving closer toward the girl. Jen darted her eyes back and forth slowly, trying to figure a way out, but it was futile. She finally closed her eyes and sighed.

"I thought about telling you guys before we got to Lavender Town…I didn't know how you'd react…especially you Lucas…"

"About what…what are you hiding?" Rigel raised an eyebrow, but I already knew…I just needed confirmation. She gave me the saddest, most regretful, the face she's ever given to me, "I'm a member of Team Galactic…"

My eyes widened while Rigel was a bit confused but soon it dawned upon him what she had said.

I shake my head in return to her revelation…pain filling inside me and my stuttering voice, "you're a…grunt…"

"I wanted to tell you…long before we both ended up here…but I was afraid…I…"

"I don't…believe this…" I muttered, scoffing afterward at the madness playing out. Rigel moved away in shock, "you're one of them!?"

"N-no!" Jen retorted, stopping him from yelling. She tried to keep her voice down as low as possible to prevent getting the cops' attention, "not anymore. Lucas…" she tried to place her hands against the ends of my cheeks, but my emotions caused her to get pinched by my electricity. She pulled back as a tear fell from her eye, "there's a reason I sold the shop…"

"Y-you…you're the one…who brought the contraband…" I pulled farther away as she started getting desperate.

"…please…hear me out…I wanted to leave that life behind…I wanted to come here…to be with you!" Sure enough, her words and the truth also sent me into tears, "Lucas…I've never had a friend like you before…someone who cared about me…I see it with you and Orion. I gave up that life because you inspired me to…you're the reason I decided to change my life!"

Inside my mind, I was conflicted…what should I say…what should I do…should I just reject her? After everything…I felt betrayed, all this time I was in love with one of them. But, could it be true…did she want to give up that life, how can I trust her again!? M-maybe she was the one who sent those grunts after us!

Rigel, meanwhile, is silent…but he had pulled out a Pokéball as if he was going to threaten Jennifer with a fight. Jennifer saw this and just sighed loudly, "I want you to be happy, Lucas…and not just you but Rigel too...I want the two of you to find peace. You can't trust me anymore; I don't blame you…I've made mistakes in my life. I ended my Pokémon journey in Sinnoh because I thought joining Team Galactic would somehow make the world a better place. I bought into their lies…their promise of reshaping the world and the universe for the betterment of everything and everybody. H-how foolish I was! Then, I met you…Lucas…I met the most wonderful person in my life…"

"Enough!" Rigel stood up but I stopped him with a paw before I turned to her, "when you…hugged me at the airport…did you think of all that..."

"I thought of nothing but you, Lucas…why would I have come had I not cared…when I heard you went missing? Inside I felt anger that your life was turned upside down…and it presented me the opportunity to redeem myself…"

"So then…he…" Rigel finally lowered his Pokéball, letting her words sink in.

"He saved me" she said.

I look away…letting my mind curl itself into a tight ball…I shut everything out. Now, my world was at battle…what do I do, what do I say? I can't bring myself to shun her, I can't do such a thing. I moved closer to her, eyes shining a beckoning light to her, "prove…prove to me…prove to me you are telling…the truth" I said to her.

She stared into my eyes…never turning away. We both kept our gaze squarely on one another. Finally, she stood up…sighing loudly, "I…don't know how I can…"

Sure enough, our moment is interrupted by an officer who confronts us about the Rocket Grunts. Jennifer looks toward them and lowers her head. The man is a detective sent to ask them questions regarding the incident on the bridge.

By this point in time, the sun began setting and long shadows are being cast deep within Saffron City. Orion and his new companion, Eev, finally crawled out of the sewer and ended up on ground level. The first thing they see is tall buildings around them…where they are: neither of them knows for sure. In front of them, however, is a long alleyway that is covered in trash bags, dumpsters, and wet puddles.

Unfortunately for them, they had no idea where to go…but a police station must be near…either way, getting through this alleyway is a start.

Orion, in the past, had passed several buildings with his trainer in Viridian City that matched the appearance of typical police stations. The Pikachu, by this point, is acquainted with the letters that read Police, so even if he didn't know how to read human writing he could, theoretically, find such a place easily. The mouse knew that if there was anyone who could help them…it's the police.

Thanks to Lucas's efforts, Orion knew more or less how to communicate with people, whether people would accept this gift/talent from the rodent…that was another story.

And so, they pressed onward: deeper into the claustrophobic corridor (which is crowded with junk and inner-city filth)

"Place reminds me of Jubilife City…" Eev silently and nervously muttered. Orion could hear and he raised an eyebrow as they both walked together, "uhh…what now?"

"It's a city in what humans call Sinnoh."

"Oh…" He put a paw against his mouth in curiosity, "what's there?"

"A lot of things…most of which I can't describe really…" She shook her head.

"Is it like this city?" Orion asked sincerely.

"It's smaller, and you can see a tall mountain off in the distance."

"Cool!" Orion gave a cute smile in return, and she backed away slowly, still walking on all fours, "you are easily impressed, aren't you?"

He rolled his eyes at that before beckoning her to continue, "tell me more!"

She groaned inwardly but decided to get her mind off their task by describing the city, "the sidewalks are yellow and gray…there are more brick buildings there…but there's this one place that I always remembered. It was a tall tower with an antenna on the roof…it was some place where people could trade their Pokémon from anywhere in the world."

"And here you said you couldn't really describe the things…" Orion chuckled.

She growled back as the Pikachu hopped away in response, "all of this is from my trainer, Jen."

"Okay, jeez" Orion sheepishly grinned in return. After a bit of silence, as they're halfway through the alleyway, the mouse turned to the Eevee again, "I would love to go see your region."

"In my opinion, this region is far more interesting than Sinnoh" Eev retorted truthfully.

"I dunno about that…" the Electric-Type scoffed.

When they passed by a worn-out sign, the foxlike Pokémon giggled a bit.

"So…it must be good that you're able to read and write...granted it's unusual"

"…well yeah…it's not something Pokémon do but imagine the possibilities!"

"I bet…it could be really handy, I got to say" she nodded.

"It is!" Orion smiled back at her.

Before they can continue their conversation, both creatures heard something from a dark corner…what sounded like growls…

This sent both Pokémon into worry. Already the two of them got into a stance ready for battle.

"Wh-who's there!?" The brown creature shouted with a growl. Orion heard such cries before when around Cy (Ansel) …there's no mistaking it…it's the cry of a Growlithe!

Sure enough, his suspicions are proven true when a stripped canine walked out of the shadows to confront the duo. Their fur is messy and filled with dirt…as if it were a stray. It's salivating as if it just found its next meal…as if starvation drove its feral thinking. It is soon joined by two other Growlithe: it's a pack of them!

Orion and the female Eevee back away slowly, and sure enough both are forced to run when the street dogs begin giving chase. The mouse and the "Fox" run for their lives down the rest of the alleyway; however, one of the dogs creates a wall of fire that stops the two in their tracks!

"Darn it…" the small Pikachu cursed under his breath. Eev looks over to a flight of stairs that they can use to get to higher ground, and she makes a soft nod to herself before shouting, "this way!"

The rodent across from her wasted no time: both jumped…making it to the top of a dumpster to get to the stairs above. There's only one problem, however…Eevee's paws won't be able to climb the ladder. And so, Orion quickly grabbed her and jumped high…narrowly missing the dogs by a few inches!

For the brown Pokémon, she is surprised by Orion's strength (given his size.) She never expected him, or any Pikachu for that matter, to have such power!

Once Orion got her to the stairs, she had no time to dwell on the thought longer…she had to hold on the best way she could as they climbed the stairs. The Growlithe pack below them bombarded them with their Ember, but Orion tried the best he could to dodge their attacks as the duo climbed higher. Once they were high enough, they saw the canines lose interest…but they still stared at them with their cunning bluish gaze. Both Orion and Eev sighed in relief before pressing on.

"Where should we go now?"

"We'll have to find another way through" the Pikachu regrettably answered, "maybe take the rooftop" the mouse deadpanned.

"Boy…you're just looking for an excuse to make this more exciting, aren't you?" The female protested feebly. Finally, though, she yielded…sighing to herself before he finally set her down. They both went up the last flight of stairs and made it to the top.

The two Pokémon are met with an endless expanse of pipe and steel: the Saffron City skyline. Both became nervous again: how exactly would they be able to get through the city in one piece? It's pretty much a jungle to them. Team Rocket is still out there…looking for them…there's no doubt, so they had to hurry. This is the only thought that crossed their minds.

We were still stuck in the police station and now a detective had approached us: his badge glittered under the ceiling lights above. They have a stern look, yet they tried emulating a calm expression for our sake.

"So, you are the same boy the Viridian City precinct helped not too long ago, correct?" He raised an eyebrow before Rigel and I nodded, almost in synch. Jennifer had tried pulling away but ultimately is forced to stay put.

"Then you remember detectives Dean Kilde and Hideo Yoshida?"

Rigel nodded, "yeah, those two interviewed me in the hospital…" the boy murmured, remembering the events.

"They were informed of what happened. They had been monitoring your group for some time."

"What…" Rigel said. I almost butted in, but I didn't want my ability to speak to interfere at all.

"Both agents are on their way as we speak."

"What do you mean by 'monitoring' them?" Jennifer finally spoke up. The man eyed her for a moment and decided to respond in kind, "quite simply put, we were told your group has had run-ins with Team Rocket…so much so that the precinct would like your full cooperation in bringing this criminal organization down." He explained.

We all looked at each other in confusion; however, soon enough I got angry deep inside.

So…the authorities were using us? Why…how?

"This precinct is finding your Pikachu, but we need cooperation from both of you."

"How so?" Rigel crossed his arms, and the man placed a hand against his side at this, "the detectives want to place a tracker on your Pokémon. In doing so they hope to catch the grunts."

We all, once again, glance at one another at the idea…so we'll be used…as bait?

"Hold up…if that is the case…why didn't they just do that in the first place when we left Viridian City? It would have saved us A LOT of trouble!"

"They almost considered the idea prior, supposedly" the detective explained. Silence filled the space around us. I soon find myself lost in thought, "now they've noticed a pattern. Someone in that organization wants you…we're not sure why."

All my thoughts…all my feelings…I didn't think about the consequences…I just did it.

"I…know why…" I spoke in English. The officer jumps back at this, taken completely by surprise by what just occurred.

"Y-you speak!?"

"Y-yes…let me…explain everything…" I nodded.

And so, I did…I told them about the Outpost…Dr. Bartoli…and what Team Rocket was up to. I even told him about this…Rk person.

The man just stood there, taking in what is being said. Sure enough, he breaks away to go talk to his superiors. Could this have been a terrible idea on my part? No…it can't be…I'm tired of running…tired of staying quiet. I want this nightmare to finally end, if it means I have to show the world who I am and what I've become…then so be it!

Jen and Rigel were across from me, however…weren't as sure as I was, and they just remained silent. They were possibly musing…wondering what the ultimate plan would be to take down the grunts. I just hope it all works out in the end, it has to…too much pain we've been through…this MUST end somehow! Unbeknownst to us and more importantly the boy, Rigel, a tracker had been placed on the inside of his jacket by one of the grunts…

For the past few minutes, as the sun falls below the horizon and gives the sky a yellowish-orange tint, Orion and Eev make their way from rooftop to rooftop…jumping across them effortlessly like acrobats.

Once they made it to yet another rooftop, the two take a break. The last of the sun's rays hit their fur as they watched night being welcomed. The Pikachu looks over the edge to see a beautiful sight: the police precinct! He can read the letters: that's it…that's their destination for sure!

"Bingo" he smiled, softly muttering.

"You really are something else" one of his long rabbit-like ears twitched before turning around. He is met by the Eevee, who is impressed with him. She expected him to respond in kind, but instead, the Pikachu reacted sarcastically.

"What about you, Eev?"

"What do you mean."

"I had to hold off on this conversation until we were safer…but what was that on the bridge and what Jennifer said?"

Eev hesitated, shocked by what he said…but she knew, and he knew…and there was no use denying it.

And so, she explained everything to him the best way she could. Orion just stood there, shocked by what he is hearing from her but soon he composes himself, "So…she's a grunt too…"

Eev looked away, as if ashamed. Orion raised an eyebrow at this, surprised by her look…but then it dawned upon him. M-maybe Jennifer is like Cy and his Diglett, Orion thought to himself. It took him a minute to consider the possibility.

Orion, despite having disliked her a bit at first, was beginning to like her; however, he wasn't sure anymore.

"And you didn't tell us…" Orion said, having repeated what Lucas said to Jen inside the station.

"We should have…" Eev sighed

"Man…and here I thought I could actually start trusting you two…I only did because Lucas knew you, but grunts…" his cheeks sparked, and she backed away. Before he could do anything…he stopped…his eyes widened as his ears flattened in surprise. Eev looked behind her to see several men with Needlebots joining in. Before Orion can panic (thinking it's Team Rocket), he realized something: the shiny objects that hang on the humans' uniforms. The letters on their uniform…it must be…it's the police!

"I think we found them, sir" one had talked into their radio.

Keep 'em there, we'll call back if and when the commissioner goes through with the plan.

"You got it."

Orion and Eev just stand across them. Unsure what to do.

Down below and down the street: Rk and his goons sat in their vehicles. Across from them is the police station. One of the grunts is holding what appears to be a PDA that is showing a map. A dot in the map is flashing in and out…it's Rigel's position and he's still in the police station.

"What'r we gonna do, man?" One of them asked Jeremy who scoffed.

"They're talking to the cops…they're probably planning something. I'm calling my uncle, he's gotta know 'bout this" Rk muttered, pulling out a primitive cell phone.

"And the Pikachu?"

"Forget 'em, for now, all we need to do is to send our message, my uncle's plan…"

Hey readers, I hope you enjoyed this recent chapter. I'll catch you all later. Please have a great holiday and a great end of the year (2022), peace!