Kanto Chapter 37 - Anonymous revealed


"Umm I may be from Unova, but I don't think this is legal?" Elesa pointed down to the commotion on the league competition battlefield. Cole hugged his fiancé into him and looked to his parents. "He can't do that to Sis, can he?"

"Why is no one stopping this?!" Misty screamed, rolling her sleeves up and lunging forwards. Gary gently held her back by her shoulders. "Have the officials gone blind?! DISQUALIFY THAT BASTARD! MAKE THAT PLANT LET GO OF HER NOW!"

Ash turned to Brock and Gary. "This looks bad." The master then looked at his raging wife and then to his son and Elesa. His eyes went back to his friends. "No matter what happens, protect my family. Come on Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

Brock and Gary both nodded.

Pausing mid rant, Misty turned. "Ash, what are you?" But Ash and Pikachu had already gone.

Surge followed suit and vaulted over the seats.

"Woah! What's he doing?!" Forrest cried out as the giant electric gym leader breezed past him. Erika shook her head shocked and deeply saddened at what she was witnessing before her. She looked into the Victreebel's wicked expression and held back tears. Who could raise a pokémon to be so cruel?

Misty went to follow, but Gary kept his gentle grip.

"Hold on Misty. Let's see how this plays out. Going down there might make things worse for Ashy Boy."

"But … Amber! She needs me!"

"I agree with Gary on this one Misty, we don't know what's happening. Best you hold back here for now." Brock added.

"Please Mom. Stay." Cole pleaded with his mother, not wanting her to leave him.

Misty looked between both Brock and Gary's sincere faces and then to her son's pleading eyes and she conceded, relaxing slightly into Gary's grip. Gary turned her around to face the action leaving his hands gently on her shoulders.

Misty looked out to the arena where her daughter was being suspended. Her heart dropped as she held her hand to her chest.

Ash, we're counting on you again … Our baby is counting on you … I'm counting on you.


Magnemite bobbed around the field frantically. Without it's trainer guiding it, it wasn't sure what to do, so it went to it's default mode. Panicking.

The little magnet halted on hearing it's trainer cry out and watched as the monstrous grass pokémon dangled Amber about like a weedle on hook. Magnemite didn't like this. It didn't like it. At all.

Memories raced through Magnemite's mind. When Amber first caught it in the pokéball. The times Amber had stood up for it. The times they'd battled together, faced danger together. It narrowed it's eye.

No.

Now wasn't the time to panic. Now was the time to be brave and stand up for what's right. Just like it's trainer would.

On it's new resolve, Magnemite charged up energy and rushed forwards with everything it had, screeching loudly to disarm the opponent.

The mysterious trainer took his attention away from his captor, raising an eyebrow at the hurtling little magnet coming towards them and released another pokémon. A monstrous bat like form emerged from the pokéball.

"Gliscor, take care of that pipsqueak."

Magnemite halted dead in it's tracks as the beast appeared before it, casting a looming shadow over the electric pokémon. Intimidated, it shook and hesitated in fear.

Amber saw her little friend in trouble. Oh no! Magnemites in trouble! That Gliscor isn't going to play nice … "Magnemite! Save yourself! Run for it!"

The little magnet looked past the pokémon in front of it and to it's pleading trainer. Her chocolate brown eyes bore into it. Not in fear for herself, but in fear for Magnemite! She didn't want it to get hurt. No! It had to come through, for Amber's sake! She was depending on it, and it couldn't let her down. Not after all they had been through together. It wouldn't let her down!

The electric pokémon charged forwards but the evolved ground pokémon merely dodged and hit back with a powerful X-Scissor attack.

"Ohh! Magnemite!" Amber cried out for her little friend as it skidded across the field from the blast. "Why are you doing this to us?!" The red head turned her head angrily at the mysterious trainer and began to thrash more in the grips of the Victreebel's vines. Anonymous turned and looked her dead in the eye.

"Believe it or not, it's nothing personal against you kid. You just happen to be born to the wrong gene pool. An unfortunate trait we happen to have in common."

"We … do?!" Amber squinter her eye in confusion.

Magnemite got back up and charged forwards once more, only to be hit back again. Undeterred the little magnet got back up once again, albeit slower.

Anonymous watched the one sided battle, slightly amused. "Humph. Futile. Gutsy. But futile. Gliscor. Take that thing out."

Amber gasped. "No please! MAGNEMITE!"

"Mag neeeeeee!" On it's trainers cry the little pokémon began to glow and morph. It grew and tripled in size.

"Magneton!"

"My little Magnemite! You evolved into a Magneton!" Amber beamed, tears pricking her eyes.

"Magnetonmagneton."

Anonymous pursed his lips. "Humph. So what. It's still no match for my experienced Gliscor. Use Earth Power, end it before it even begins!"

"HOLD IT!"

Ash pushed his way down through the crowds jumping off backs of chairs and spectators' shoulders. "LET GO OF MY KID!"

The battling pokémon halted in their tracks.

"Ah, here comes Daddy." The man looked up and smiled, his canine teeth visible. "About damn time."

Ash landed on the arena floor with a thud. He stood up tall and glared at the man, throwing his arm out to pull back his cape. Pikachu ever faithfully landed beside his friend and began sparking his cheeks ready to battle.

"Finally, Champion Ash Ketchum. We meet."

"We do? … Do I know you?" Ash narrowed his eyes.

"You should. But you probably don't … ignorance, laziness. Oblivious to what's really around you."

The man clicked his fingers. Half the crowds in the stands stood up and discarded their civilian clothing revealing Team Rocket uniforms. The "officials" blocking the trainers backstage also removed their uniforms revealing Team Rocket logo's.

The organisation had fully infiltrated the Pokémon League competition!


"Team Rocket!" Elaine growled as her, Freddie and the other competition trainers were pushed further back into the locker rooms against overwhelming Rocket numbers, intent on keeping the trainer's hostage. Authentic officials were also ushered in and locked down with them.

Gary gritted his teeth as he looked around at all the people in black. He pulled Misty, Cole and Elesa in behind him. Pokéball at the ready, the Earth Gym Leader would protect them all to the end. As Ash wanted.

"Like we're family too! Right?!" "Protect us!" Daisy wailed as Lily and Violet hugged into their taller sister. Brock and Will covered the sensational sisters, as Rockets moved in on the Master's and Gym Leaders, surrounding them as well.

Lance and Karen stepped forwards, pokéballs in hand ready to fend the rogues off, but a Rocket officer shook his head and smiled knowingly. "I wouldn't if I was you."

"And why would that be?" Lance narrowed his eyes.

"Look around."

Lance removed his stare from the Rocket officer and out to the arena. Members of the public sat shaking and crying as more Rockets stood over them with pokéballs and weapons, menacing and intimidating.

"You wouldn't want to be responsible for any harm to come to these good innocent people now, would you? Dragon Master?" The Rocket jeered knowingly.

Lance growled but back down slightly, signalling Karen to follow suit. He couldn't afford for people to get hurt …


Amber looked around in horror and then back to the mysterious man. "Team Rocket? But we defeated you! We took out your HQ in Celadon City."

The man laughed. "You think Team Rocket are based solely in Kanto? You simple naïve child! Team Rocket are everywhere." Silver scoffed. "You couldn't possibly comprehend."

Ash and Pikachu looked all around them at the sheer number of Rockets in the arena. Their family and friends surrounded, Misty, Cole … the other trainers, the public … then back to Amber wrapped up and at the mercy of this tyrant in front of him. This didn't look good.

The cruel mysterious man shook his head and smiled. "So typical of your type, Ketchum …"

"My type? Like you know me so well?" Ash narrowed his eyes.

"I do know you though. I know you very well. See I've been watching you very closely for a decade now. I know everything about you, and your family. A doting mother left behind in Pallet Town with a very strong, well trained Mr Mime. Your very lovely, very intimidating fiery waterflower wife, the famous son completely untouchable and your overlooked daughter here. Only we didn't look past her ..."

Victreebel's vines coiled higher around Amber and squeezed her a bit harder. The teen squealed out in surprise and pain.

"STOP IT!" Ash bellowed loudly. "NOW!"

Surge landed next to Ash and readied a pokéball. "Listen ta tha Champ if ya know what's good for ya!"

"A ah a. Lieutenant." The man waved a finger. "Stand down. Or Victreebel might get … peckish."

With that the large grass pokémon pulled Amber headfirst over her vicious mouth and razor fangs. Amber gasped in panic taking in the pokémon's moist stale breath.

Surge growled, Ash put his hand firmly on Surges, lowering the pokéball. The Master stepped forwards. "I know you're not interested in the league competition; I knew from the very minute you stepped on the field. You're no real pokémon trainer. So what are you doing here?"

On that note the mystery man snarled. "I am every bit a real pokémon trainer! Just some of us have to do things our own way, outside the confinements of the Pokémon League and it's precarious ideals! We don't all get the silver spoon treatment like you." He turned to Amber. "And your darling daughter here. Ketchum!"

On this sentence the vines squeezed Amber again and the teen girl again squealed out in pain.

Ash gritted his teeth and growled. "Precarious? Silver spoon?" He was taken aback by the statement. "I've worked hard for everything I have accomplished! Hard and fair!"

"FAIR! Ha. What's fair about ostracising against those who don't fit into the leagues mould? What's fair about denying a boy his dreams because of things beyond is control. WHAT'S FAIR ABOUT TAKING A FATHER AWAY FROM A SON?!"

The man pulled back his hood to reveal bright red hair with silver streaks running through the sides.

Ash's eyes widened. "Silver?"

Silver lifted his face up and smirked. "So, you do know me."


*** Flashback 12 years ago ***

The Elite Four walked into the charred remains of the Viridian City Gym, piecing together evidence of the horrific events that had taken place in Team Rockets most nefarious scheme to date. Gary sat comforting a distraught Leaf, as the Viridian Police Department and medical teams scurried around doing their jobs. Nurse Joy from the pokémon centre also on hand offering her expertise to the injured pokémon on site, was currently giving some TLC to a worn-out Pikachu.

Lance walked over to Ash, who was stood amongst the rubble, still bewildered of the night's events. "What happened to Giovanni?"

"He just … disappeared. After the explosion there was …" Ash opened his hand and looked at the charred Earth Badge in his possession. "Nothing. Either way. I think it's all over now. After tonight, Team Rocket are no more."

"Maybe, maybe not."

Ash frowned slightly in confusion at Lance's reaction.

Lance took a deep breath. "Giovanni has a son."

Ash's eyes widened. "What? A son? Since when? Why didn't I know about this?"

"Because he's never been a threat. He's even helped us against his father a few times before. So, I granted him his anonymity. His existence has been on a strictly on a need-to-know basis."

"And now you think we need to know?"

"After tonight. I don't know what to think." Lance replied honestly looking around at the carnage.

Ash looked over at Lance and then back down to his hand, he dropped the charred Earth badge to the floor and walked over to Lance. "Tell me everything you know."

Lance nodded and the two masters walked out of the Viridian City Gym.

"Silver. Last known location. Johto."


*** 12 years ago ***

"And I care because?" Silver looked over his shoulder at the two Team Rocket misfits before him. A thoroughly bored and unimpressed look strewn across his face.

Cassidy and Butch of Team Rocket stood before the young man. They had spent months tracking down the elusive Rocket Heir and informed him of the demise of Team Rocket at the hands of the league and Ash Ketchum at the Viridian City Gym in Kanto.

Cassidy took a step forward towards the young man. "It's time for you to step up Silver. Take your rightful place in this world."

"My rightful place? Haha. And what might that be?"

Butch shifted forwards to join his partners stance. "As Head of the reformed Team Rocket."

"Head? Daddy's little stand in puppet you mean. Set up to take the fall no doubt." Silver sneered at the prospect.

"You're wrong Silver. You're more than that. And your father knew that, he had high hopes on you. You cannot escape who you really are. Look inside yourself. You are the son and heir of the Team Rocket empire. Accept it or not your blood is his blood, and it runs through your veins."

"Ha! Believe me I'd have a full transfusion if I could!" Silver turned his back and scoffed at the two. "Listen, you two can just go back to my father and tell him that I."

"Your father is gone Silver. He's no more."

"What?!" The young man's eyes widened with shock; his pupils shrank. "What do you mean, gone?"

"Champion Ash Ketchum. He ended everything that night. We saw it all, with our own eyes."

Cassidy stepped forwards and handed the young man a charred Earth Badge.

"This is all that was left of him … of Giovanni. Your father."

Silver took the badge wide eyed. A million emotions running through his body as he tried to comprehend his feelings. He closed his eyes tightly and clasped the badge tightly in his fist. He felt it crumble slightly in his grip. "Father … he … he wasn't perfect … but he didn't deserve … this!" Silver opened his eyes, steeled, and focused.

"It's time. Silver." Butch bowed gently before the red headed man. "Sir."

"No one has the right to play judge, jury and executioner. This act will not go unserved. My father will be avenged." Silver took a deep breath in and then turned to face the duo. "If I do this, there's going to be changes. Drastic ones."

Cassidy and Butch nodded in agreement before turning to each other both giving a secret small sly smile.

Team Rocket was back.

*** End ***


Ash pulled back in bemusement. "But … but you didn't want anything to do with Team Rocket. Or Giovanni. You hated them, hated him?!"

"It's true. I did hate him. BUT HE WAS STILL MY FATHER! My blood and the only one I had. When I found out he was gone because of you and your pathetic pokémon league, retribution had to be made. Such an insult cannot go unjustified. That was one thing my old man did instil in me. PRIDE! So now Team Rocket lives again, under a new facade. A BETTER FACADE! The next generation has emerged from the ashes to rise high and victorious as the Moltres of Kanto! TEAM ROCKET S!"

Ash looked up and around him. The Team Rocket members all leered from the stands. Pressing the crowds further, closing in on his family and friends in the stands and locking further down on the captive tournament trainers.

Then it dawned on the Pokémon Master, he'd done this. The stolen badges. It was all Team Rocket's doing. And he hadn't acted enough on it. He'd let them in all into the Indigo Stadium … he let them stay … he'd played right into it … all of it. Now innocents were caught in the crossfire. Once again, his family were at the centre of the danger. Maybe Team Rocket was right about the League? And Ash was the League … Was he the bad guy? No! He couldn't let the twisted mindset confuse him! The League was good. He was good. And Amber wouldn't suffer for it!

"Pikachu Thunderbolt!"

The electric mouse acted immediately with no hesitation. "Pikaaaaaa CHUUUUUUUUU!"

Silver remained stoic. "Gliscor, manoeuvre in."

The ground type flew in to take the intense electric attack, unaffected by it's power.

"Now Victreebel, show Champion Ash Ketchum here the consequences of his actions."

"AAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Amber screamed in pain.

"Amber!" Ash screamed out, as his kid was squeezed tighter still once more.

Surge looked pained between his protégé and Ash, feeling utterly helpless in the situation. Despite all his training in the field he was at a loss what to do.


"NO! Amber!" Misty flailed around angrily as Gary continued to try his best and shield her. "That bastard! I'll kill him! I'LL KILL HIM!"

"Go ahead. Let her go." One of the Rockets sneered, as five more surrounded the pair, weapons and pokéballs in hand, ready.

"Believe … it .. or .. not. I'm actually … protecting you … from her …" Gary quipped, doing his best to lightly restrain the furious woman.

"Mrs Ketchum, Mr Ketchum." A Rocket Officer stepped forwards and looked between Misty and Cole. "I'd advise you come with us. Calmly and peacefully."

Cole looked up wide eyed on hearing his name. Elesa hugged her Fiancé tightly. No one would be taking her beau from her without a fight!

Misty's eyes lit up like a fierce blue fire. "AND I'D ADVISE THAT YOU!"

"Yeah. No. That's not happening!" Gary growled at the Officer, cutting Misty off, whilst doing his best to cover the Ketchum's, as the Rockets closed in further still.

"Mistyyyy! Like, calm it down!" Daisy cowered, as more Rockets descended upon the Waterflowers and Brock, one brandishing a small knife over the water beauty, menacingly. Brock held his arm out in front of Daisy, offering what little protection his body could against the weapon.

"Please Mrs Ketchum. I do insist, before things turn … nasty."

Gary, Misty and Brock all gritted their teeth. No way would they turn in to Team Rocket - Misty looked down towards Ash and Amber on the field, her daughter wrapped up in that vicious pokémon's coils - or would she have to?