"So this is what a corporate basement looks like," Robert poked his head out of the hole in the floor, staring around at the wooden crates in the large basement of Clarity's skyscraper. "How much do you wanna bet these are filled with drugs?"

"Not betting money on a sure thing," Alex heaved herself up and I followed close behind. After us a dozen Team Plasma grunts followed without a word, spreading out instantly. The Shadow Triad materialized in front of us, staring up at the ceiling.

"They are here," the lead one murmured. "Go, you three. Make your way up. We will move on ahead and deal with the Executioners." They leaped, dematerializing."

"Again, it would be so useful if we could do that as well," Alex sighed.

"I wouldn't put it past Zeno to know how," Robert looked at me. Alex joined him.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not that skilled thank you. I'll leave that stuff to Greninja." A croak from my all black Greninja. "Now let's get moving. With any luck we won't face heavy resistance if they have most of their people spread out around the city."


"C'mon you two," Spicy hefted his axe as he marched for the elevator, Fang floating after him. "Basements sensors went off a few minutes ago. You can bet that it's Zeno."

"Yay," Sage hopped to her feet while Spirit rose more slowly, fitting her katana's sheath at her side as Ghost slunk out of the shadows, crimson eyes glanced towards her trainer. A subtle shake of her head as the elevator doors dinged open and immediately the lights in the barren office flickered.

"Shi-!" Spicy swung his axe as a blur of movement aimed a kick for his side, only to shoot away as the axe nearly cleaved them into two and crashed into the floor. "Well well," Spicy's emerald eye narrowed as a figure in a black outfit shimmered into existence, a Bisharp kneeling in front of him. Nunchucks were in Sage's hands in a split second while Spirit's blade was drawn in the blink of an eye as two more members of the Shadow Triad materialized on either ends of the room, trapping them in a triangle, each one with a Bisharp.

"Well now we all have ourselves a date," Spicy sneered. "Too bad we have one already scheduled, so beat it Plasma."

"Lord Ghetsis has ordered for your removal," the one in front of him spoke, rising to full height, long white hair falling down past his shoulders. "Clarity can no longer be tolerated in Unova, not while he has his own ambitions."

"Well ain't that too bad, cause we're here to get paid," Spicy ripped his axe from the ground. "And we're gonna get the job done no matter what!" He finished with a yell, swinging himself forward, axe first. The Shadow Triad member leaped overhead as the Bisharp batted the axe aside and moved in to slash Spicy's chest only for Fang to grip the Steel type and send him crashing into the wall.

Sage engaged the Shadow Triad member near her, both of them expertly dodging each other's attacks as they tried to find an opening. Her cerulean eyes narrowed as she clipped his arm with one of her nunchucks and quickly twisted, wrapping it around his arm. She yanked him toward her, slamming her knee into his middle as she twisted his arm hard, audibly breaking it. Claws clashed with his Bisharp, making up for her type disadvantage by weaving around him, battering him with sharp ghostly claws and bursts of dark winds to knock him off balance.

Two shurikens whizzed through the air, but each one was deflected off of Spirit's katana. She whipped the sword to her side before dashing forward, swinging in a wide upwards arc. He ducked beneath the swing, moving behind her as he produced three more shurikens. Spirit, using her momentum, spun herself around to the side as the shurikens shot into the wall as she leveled her sword at him. Shooting forwards, faster than was almost humanly possible, she thrust her blade, quickly turning it in anticipation of his dodge, slicing a gash down his left arm.

She lowered her sword, blood dripping from the metal as she regarded him with cold eyes. "You three may have been trained extensively, but you are no match for us." Behind her huge vines burst from the ground, engulfing his Bisharp and crushing him within before spitting the Pokemon back out, fainted. Ghost appeared next to her side, the long blades on her arms glowing.

"HA HA!" Spicy roared triumphantly, managing to slam the side of his axe's blade against his opponent's back, sending him flying as Fang Guillotined his Bisharp. At the same time they heard a large shattering noise and the other Bisharp went flying out the window before quickly being recalled to a pokeball belonging to the broken armed member Shadow Triad.

"You know what, that's just the warm up I needed," Spicy whooped, shouldering his axe. "So, thank you. If you know what's good for you, you won't stick around to die. After all, it's not like you're on our hit list. Who we're after is Zeno and his little friends. Oh I'm so gonna enjoy killing-"

What Spicy did next was only possible due to years of intense training in his awareness. His body moved on its own, just barely bringing up the axe to block the blade that slammed into his axe's hilt. If he had been just a moment slower, he'd have been decapitated.

He stared at the blade with his one eye, a dangerous expression crossing his features. "What. The. Hell?!" He swung his axe, knocking the blade away as Spirit leaped back, already in defensive position. "Explain to me clearly why you just tried to kill me, Spirit, and I may actually make your death painless."

Sage moved quickly, putting herself several meters behind Spirit, eyes narrowed in barely concealed rage as the Shadow Triad were all but forgotten in the face of this surprise treachery. Spirit spared a glance over her shoulder before refocusing on Spicy. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. But killing Zeno is just one thing I cannot allow. Not now, not ever."

"Damn you," Spicy growled. "We trained you better than this. Your emotions cannot control your blade."

"I will not let you kill him." Ghost took up position beside Spirit, eyeing both Fang and Claws. Spirit's eyes seemed to be devoid of emotion as her grip tightened on her blade's hilt. "And I will kill both of you to ensure that."

"I'd like to see you try, runt," Spicy spat as both he and Sage charged their comrade turned traitor.


"Push them back!" I shouted as Arcaneis slammed his front paws down, a wave of heat crashing through the lobby, blasting several Liepards across the room into several Clarity grunts. A wave of muddy water followed, sending the entire enemy force crashing into the back wall.

"Zeno!" One of the Plasma grunts called my name. She had a finger held to an earpiece, surprise etched on her features. "The Shadow Triad have retreated, but they say the Executioners are likely to be kept busy."

"That's... great?" Alex blinked. "But they retreated?"

"We don't have time to worry about that, let's just head up and-" The sound of the front doors of the building being blown inwards cut me off. I lowered my arms from where I had shielded my head to see dozens of Clarity members pouring inside, being led by Strong Arm and his Machamp. He wore the same clothes as the time we had battled at Virbank Port, but this time he wore a tactical vest over his muscle shirt.

"Seems like our boss was right on the money," he sneered. "You kids are stupid enough to fight us on our turf."

"Get going," the Plasma grunt who had relayed the message spoke again, putting herself in-between me and Strong Arm, the rest of the Plasma force getting into position. "We'll deal with him."

"I'll help," Robert said, Swampert snarling beside him. He looked to me. "I have some payback I need to deliver. You and Alex get going."

I gripped his shoulder briefly. "Good luck."

"Heh, when do I ever need luck?" Robert patted me on the arm. "Now go."

Nodding, I hurried towards the door marked with a staircase symbol, Alex right behind me as we returned our Pokemon. I glanced back one last time to see both groups colliding in battle before rushing through the door and up the stairs. Alex and I didn't talk, only ran. We both had our worries, but right now we had to focus on the mission at hand.

After a several minutes, we had to pause briefly to catch our breath. That's when we heard the crash. We glanced at one another, then towards the door on the stairwell where the sound had come from. Opening it carefully, I glanced inside to see a barren office space. Opening wider once realizing there was no one inside, I took in the tattered bloodstained carpets, slash marks gouging out the floor and walls, and the several shattered windows where a breeze blew inside.

"What happened here?" Alex looked around in shock.

I narrowed my eyes at the windows, approaching cautiously and looking out. "The Executioners no doubt. Looks like the Shadow Triad were true to their word. C'mon," I turned away from the window. "We need to go higher."

"It's really just us fighting, huh?" Alex said as we ran.

"I tried getting in touch with Looker," I glanced down at my X-transceiver. "But they must be blocking the signal. Yeah, it's just us."

"Then we're fine," Alex wore a bright smile. "Because that's how we usually win. Right?"

I blinked, then returned the smile. "Right."


CRASH

Spirit sailed through the window, twisting her body as glass shards flew around her in the open air, sheathing her katana in a fluid motion. She flicked her wrist, a cable shooting out and crashed through another window. It caught and the line went taught. Gritting her teeth, she crashed into the side of the building and began to run along the side, ignoring the throbbing pain on the side she'd hit. She released the cable, leaping away from the building towards a rooftop below. Ghost materialized in the air next to her, shooting seeds down below. Giant roots erupted from the rooftop and Spirit drew her wakizashi, digging it into a root that shot by. Having slowed to a stop, she yanked herself onto the root and began running down the length, Ghost right beside her.

Moments after Spirit had been ejected from the 50th floor, Spicy had leaped out after her, slamming his axe into the building, digging into the metal as he leaped off after Spirit. Sage made a tremendous leap, soaring straight towards her brother, who without looking swung his axe back so she could land atop the flat part and bounce off. Fang flew underneath his trainer, who bounced off his Pokemon's back towards the newly erupted roots.

Sage produced a cable from her maid outfit and swung it towards Spicy, who raised his axe to allow it to wrap around the hilt. With a yell, he swung his whole body, launching his sister straight towards the roots. Spicy braced himself as Fang slammed into his back with glowing claws, propelling him after Sage with a gust of wind helping him along.

Having shot out her cable again, it wrapped around a root and she swung down, then back up where she released the cable and landed on the root. Spicy shot past her, digging his axe's blade into the root, wood chips flying around him as he slowed down just enough before propelling himself onto the root ahead of his sister. Both were already in the process of running after Spirit, Claws popping back out of her pokeball with Fang soaring overhead.

Spirit leaped off the root, landing on the roof with a roll as Ghost let out a horrible screech, a ghostly aura suddenly spreading across the giant roots and making them swing around wildly as they began to shrivel up. Spirit's eyes widened and she dodged to the side as Spicy's axe hurtled towards her. It crashed into a generator, causing an explosion, knocking the wind from Spirit as she went flying. With lightning fast reflexes, she drew her wakizashi and swung up as Sage came leaping down, nunchuck aimed for her skull. The weapon wrapped around her blade and Spirit tightened her grip down on the cracked hilt, a ghostly energy shooting upwards along the blade, ripping apart the nunchuck and blasting Sage across the rooftop.

Claws let out a cry as Ghost slashed her chest with a ominously glowing blade, followed by an orange jab to the side. She let out a cry as Fang swooped in, grasping Ghost's shoulders with both claws as he slammed her to the ground. Spirit leaped to her feet and immediately dodged right as Spicy, having grabbed his axe, launched himself at her, the blade arcing down. It crashed into the rooftop and Spirit slammed a vicious kick into his side, knocking him away from his weapon. She dropped as Sage's nunchuck swung right where her head had been and kicked out her leg, tripping the other girl as she swung both blades towards Spicy.

The man blocked both attacks with his wrists, the blades clanging against metal. Spicy grinned, swinging both arms and knocking Spirit off balance. "Was wondering when these metal cuffs would come in handy! The problem is, no one really puts up this much of a fight usually!" He stayed close, punching, kicking, weaving through Spirit's slashes and thrusts as he pummeled her. "Give it up, runt! I'm the one who trained you! Don't think you'll be able to surpass my skills-!" He blinked, finding his balance thrown off as he began to fall forwards. While struggling on the ground with Fang, Ghost had elongated the long leaf on her left arm to trip him. Gritting his teeth, he spun to get his movement back in his control and dodged, Spirit's blade grazing his side.

Spicy leapt back, palm pressed to his side, blood oozing from the cut. Spirit put more distance between them as Sage rejoined her brother and Ghost had managed to free herself from Fang, blasting backwards in a storm of leaves that forced Fang to retreat.

Spirit leveled both blades as Ghost's leaf blades grew and sharpened. With a snarl on his face, Spicy ripped his axe from the ground as Sage replaced her sole nunchuck with her cable. The fight was far from over.


"Looks like Clarity's plans aren't going the way they wanted," Colress said smugly. A little too smugly from someone who was tied up in his own chair while Kamake navigated across his monitors, observing the going-ons up above on the surface. "The Executioners turning on another is just gold."

Kamake frowned, tapped a few keys, then sighed. "You erased everything then."

"Yep!" Colress said cheerfully. "But hey, we can still watch Clarity fall apart together."

"You go ahead," Kamake stood, heading towards the door. "But you are a fool if you think everything isn't going according to plan."

"You never cease to amaze me," Colress shook his head. "Tell me, Kamake, why did you partner up with these goons? First was Team Rocket, then Radiance, now this. I mean, I'm certainly one to talk, but I can't help but be curious."

The blue haired woman paused at the exit. "There's more going on than you could possibly realize." She tilted her head to one side as if thinking, then, "The name Clarity was chosen for a reason. Its criminal operations, drug factories, experimentations, all of it a front to cover up our real goals."

"Real goals," Colress echoed. He glanced at one of the monitors, watching as both Zeno and Alex reached the top floor. He blinked with a sudden realization. "You couldn't mean-" He turned back, but Kamake had already gone.

"I hate it when she does that," he grumbled. "Doesn't even stick around to catch up with her own brother, how rude can you get?"


"Well well, took you long enough."

Upon having reached the top floor, Alex and I had entered through the door to find ourselves in the head office. Lounging in a plush chair with her high heels propped up on a desk was Akane, her red lips curved in a devilish smile. Her Liepard lay on the rest of the desk, lifting her head as we approached. And as usual she had her two lackeys on either side of her. To her right was the lanky blond with his Scrafty glaring at us at his feet, and on her left was the bald brawny biker with his Gurdurr hefting his metal beam, one end sharpened to a deadly point.

"I was beginning to think you'd been held up," Akane lowered her legs and stood. "Which shouldn't happen since most of our forces are out taking control of the city."

"So you're the last line of defense," Alex smirked. "Shouldn't be too difficult to get past you."

Akane smirked right back. "Let's see how that bravado holds up without your boyfriend around to help."

"What-!" I cut off, suddenly finding myself no longer in the room, but on a rooftop. I heard a chirp and a Natu flew off of my shoulder towards a man in a brown suit standing on the other side of the roof, looking down on the city.

"Good of you to join me," Averick spoke, straightening his tie as he turned, Natu settling on his right shoulder. "Zeno."

"Where's Alex!?" I demanded as I sent out Greninja.

"Right where you left her, don't worry," Averick wore a small smile. "Akane and her two goons will be keeping her occupied. Right now, it's just you and me."

"Where's your boss?" I asked, glancing around. "He's not here, is he?"

The man's grin turned savage. "Indeed. He's left me in charge. Told me that I could deal with you however I wanted. Oh, but he did want me to pass on a message." Averick chuckled. "You try to be a hero, stopping the bad guys wherever you should come across them. But what can you do when there's a threat far away from you?"

I felt a chill run down my spine. "What did you do?"

"Just another part of our plan," Averick shrugged. "Right now, there's a train heading for Vertress City, where the Pokemon League is going to be held quite soon. It's chock full of participating trainers. It would be an absolute shame that if, upon arriving in the city, an unfortunate incident occurred."

"The bombs," I realized with dread.

"Exactly," Averick brought his hands together. "Consider it my boss' parting gift and apology for not being able to be here to face you himself. So know that as you attempt to stop me and save this city from being taken over, right now, halfway across the region, there's gonna be an unprecedented disaster that you can do nothing to stop."

"You bastard," I growled as Greninja took up a fighting stance beside me. "You're not going to get away with this."

"Knowing you, maybe not," Averick flicked out a pokeball, releasing his Electivire. "But I'll sure as hell give it my best shot. Now then," he smirked as Electivire roared, electricity blasting off him. "Bring it on, hero."