Kanto Chapter 38 - Faith in the future
*** Flashback 25 years New Bark Town Johto ***
"So, this is the famous Elm pokémon Lab."
10-year-old Silver stood outside the impressive research lab building, looking up and taking in the architecture. He ducked down to the side behind some bushes, as he noticed another boy arrive at the centre. The boy was around the same age as him with short black hair covered by a backwards cap and wearing a red hoodie top. Sometime later the same boy emerged but with a new pokémon. A Cyndaquil.
The red headed boy narrowed his eyes. "So, they gave a chump like him a pokémon, but I can't have one? Well … I say can't … there are other ways …" The boy looked to an open window and smirked. "After all as my dear ol' man would say, there's no such thing as can't, it's just can with a T."
With that he climbed in the window of the lab.
Moments later he rushed out the building undetected with a pokéball. "The League might not give me a registration, but so long as I have a pokémon, they can't stop me from becoming the world's greatest most powerful trainer! I'll show them ney-sayers, I'll show them all!"
He rounded a corner and hid behind a bush. He looked at his new pokéball and smirked, turning it around in his hand. "With this totodile in my possession, nothing can stop me."
The competition trainers and honest officials sat huddled in the locker room, not sure what to do or what was going on. Team Rocket had infiltrated the Pokémon League Competition and it was clear they were not playing around.
A small group of Rocket grunts walked into the group brandishing pokéballs and weapons. Sinister confident grins on their faces.
"Ok trainers, you know the drill. Give us all your pokémon, we won't be asking twice."
"I don't think so!" Elaine released her Rapidash. "Take Down!" The mighty fire horse charged and took out the rocket grunts with ease, knocking them all out. Elaine walked up and placed a hand on her faithful friend. "If they're going to try and steal our pokémon we might as well make it a battle."
"But there's so many of them out there and they have weapons." One of the trainers spoke up nervously looking out. "What could we do?"
Elaine turned to face the others. "Listen everyone! Team Rocket may have us totally outnumbered, but just like the League made a big mistake letting them in, they too have made a big mistake in making us stay. We're the top 16 trainers of Kanto. Every one of us has proven ourselves to be here and one of our pokémon is worth ten of theirs! And I know I'd put my faith in pokémon over a knife or bat any day."
"She's right!" Freddie stood up in support. "We can do this!"
The others all looked at each other and nodded in agreement and stood up too. If they were going to go down, then they'd go down fighting, like the trainers they were!
One of the trainers face dropped. "But erm … how are we going to do this?"
Elaine looked out and smiled confidently, adjusting her cap. "I have a plan."
A clattering noise echoed through the entrance tunnel. The group of Rocket grunts guarding the backstage locker rooms all peered in to investigate the strange noise. There was a deathly silence, and the tunnel was pitch black. Suddenly a huge gust of wind blew all around them, sucking the grunts into a powerful whirlwind vortex, smashing their bodies against the walls, knocking them all out.
Elaine walked out with her Pidgeot and petted her for a job well done, before recalling her back into the pokéball. She looked up into the stands see Gary, Misty, Lance and the other Elite Four trainers and Kanto Gym Leaders surrounded by Rockets.
Her attention then turned out to the arena field to see Surge and Ash at the mercy of the now unhooded mystery trainer holding poor Amber captive with his vicious victreebel.
Ok. Ash and the Masters are clearly out. Looks like we really are on our own here …
Freddie walked up to Elaine and looked out to the arena. "I'll take on mystery man out there."
Elaine took a silent deep hesitant breath and gave Freddie a small smile and nod. Time to put her faith in the youth, just as others had in her upon a time. "Ok Freddie. You go out there and create a nice big diversion. I'll go up into the stands and free the Masters. Arceus knows we'll need all their help."
"What? You'll be seen?"
"Not if I come in from the outside, in."
"What?!" The trainers all chorused in union.
"Listen, with Freddie creating some chaos on the field, Team Rocket will have all their resources in here. So, if we get out, we can re-enter the stadium from wherever we like, get the drop on them, and take them by surprise."
"Surly Team Rocket will still have the Stadium entrances locked down?" A trainer questioned.
Elaine pondered for a moment before looking up at the open top arena and smirking. "Then we'll go in from above!"
"Above? … Above!" The trainers all smiled amongst each other in agreement.
Elaine turned to the genuine league officials. "You guys must know this stadium like the back of your hands. There's gotta be multiple routes out that only you could know. Can you guide us out unseen?"
The tournament officials looked at each other nervously but all agreed to try. The aid who'd previously helped Amber and Freddie spoke up. "There's a route through the locker rooms into a reception area, from there there's a concealed emergency exit I highly doubt is known, or at most lightly guarded."
"Oh yeah! You took us there." Freddie smiled knowingly.
Elaine hit her hand into her open fist. "Brilliant. When we head out the exit you go get outside help, call on as many Officer Jenny's as you can, let them know exactly what we're up against in here."
The officials nodded.
The seasoned trainer turned to face the other trainers. "Once we're out, you guys make your way back into the stands via the rafters. Get help from your flying and climbing pokémon. Remember don't get too ahead of yourselves, we are still greatly outnumbered till we can turn the tide on them. Use stealth and surprise to disarm as many Rockets as possible and free the spectators from harm. Use everything and anything to your advantage, these bad guys don't play by the rules so neither will we."
Freddie looked out, seeing Amber being squeezed by Victreebel. He winced at the sight and turned back to the others. "If we're going to do this, we have to do this now!"
"Right!"
Elaine gave Freddie's shoulder a quick squeeze before they departed. "You got this. Right?"
The teenager nodded and ran out.
Good luck kid. Elaine watched Freddie go before turning her attention up towards Gary and others.
Hold on Gar, I'm coming!
With that the officials began to lead the trainers out of the locker rooms.
Surge looked around them and turned to the Kanto Champion. "Ash, whatta we gonna do?"
The Master gritted his teeth. "So you resented your father, spent your whole life running from him, from your past, you hated Team Rocket and everything about them, but now suddenly it's your life's purpose? To lead Team Rocket, to end … me?" Ash shook his head and glared at the Rocket Leader before him. "Silver. You make no sense!"
"No. I'd never expect someone like you to understand." Silver sneered.
"I understand." A small voice piped up.
Silver turned his attention to Amber dangling from the victreebel's vines binding her. "What?"
"Where you're coming from. I get it."
"You?" Silver scoffed at the notion. "How could you possibly?"
The teenager continued.
"My whole life I've been compared to my father, living in his shadow. My whole families really. I know I'm not beautiful and talented like my mother and the Waterflowers. Not perfect like my brother is, far from it actually, and I'm definitely not the person my father is, despite the world's blinkered opinion of me. Most of my life I've felt unseen, set aside, unnoticed really. I hated it. Only really ever felt like me when I was at the Vermillion Gym or in the company of my pokémon."
Ash's heart broke on hearing his daughter's words. Amber continued to a captivated Silver.
"So sometimes ... most times ... yeah, I resent my family. Resent him." Amber looked over at her father then back at Silver. "Everything is about him. He's experienced everything. Sometimes I feel what's the point? Everything I do, everything I'm going to do, he's already done it, and probably done it better than I ever will." Amber paused. "But then look at me. Here I am travelling around Kanto collecting badges, just like him. Competing in the Pokémon League, competing to be a Pokémon League Champion, just like him. Heck I even had a Pikachu on my shoulder for a time before I evolved him to Raichu. No matter how much I tried to escape it, I am my father's daughter. I couldn't escape it. I can't escape it. And I hate it. No matter what I do or how much I try, I'll always get treated differently because of it. Sometimes it's an advantage, I won't lie … but other times …"
Amber gestured to her current situation. Silver smirked at the irony.
Silver softened. "Seems we are both casualties of our fathers."
Ash went to interject, but Surge gently stopped him. The electric gym leader nodded knowingly. Amber had this.
The teenager resumed. "But despite that, I am learning that I'm not him. I don't have to do things he does or not because he does do them. I can make my own choices, his experiences, they don't invalidate mine, we can do the same things, but there still different. I will make my own legacies. I will not become my father, I will be better than my father! And everyone will see it. I do what do because I want to do it, not because he did or didn't do it. So, I have only question for you, Silver."
Silver motioned for her to continue.
"What do you want to do?"
Silver stood dumbfounded for a moment. He thought back to another time, another place, another girl … one with long brown hair styled in pigtails covered by a comically oversized hat and soft chocolate brown eyes like the ones before him.
Silver. You can be anything you want to be. Do anything you want to do. So, tell me. What do you want to do?
"Lyra …"
"That's enough!"
"Hm?" Silvers train of thought was cut short as his attention was abruptly drawn to a person approaching him from the front. Freddie ran down the arena field with Typhlosion at his side.
"Freddie!" Amber's face lit up. "and … Typhlosion?!" But he traded him out …
Freddie and his pokémon skidded to halt in front of the scene. "We're here to end this!"
Silver's eyes widened as the boy before him distorted and melded into a very similar looking boy with dark hair covered by gold and black cap with a protruding fringe showing. The same annoying fire type pokémon stood loyally at his side.
The area around them blurred to fire, Silver reducing in age in his mind, faced off once again against his rival.
"You." Silver narrowed his eyes.
"Me?" Freddie pointed to himself in confusion.
"You'll not interfere again with me. JIMMY!"
"Jimmy?!" Freddie stood perplexed.
"You heard me! Not again! Not now, not EVER!" With that Silver threw out his next pokéball. The red light formed into a giant blue alligator pokémon. He turned to his grass pokémon "Victreebel. If Ketchum or the good Lieutenant here make any sort of move whilst I deal with him, pop that ginger kid's head off!"
Amber glared angrily at Silver and grumbled. "I prefer the term red head … ARRRGGHHHH!"
Ash and Surge gritted their teeth as Victreebel once again gave Amber a little squeeze to show this was no idle threat. Pikachu sparked in anger, waiting faithfully for Ash's instructions.
Freddie glanced at Amber, wincing at her pain and then turned his scowl back to Silver.
"Once again it falls between you and me." Silver lifted up an arm and pointed at the teenager before him. "As always."
"What?!"
Feraligatr stood tall and menacing, waiting for his master's command. Silver wasted no time commanding a Hydro Pump attack. Which Feraligatr happily obliged.
"Woah! Ty dodge it!"
The trainer and his fire pokémon, dived and rolled to the side, narrowly missing the powerful water attack. Typhlosion panting heavily.
Silver smirked. "Your pokémon is weak my old opponent. Feraligatr. Hydro Pump AGAIN!"
"Weak? Old opponent?!" The words made Freddie hesitate as he and Typhlosion were struck with the powerful water move, pushing them across the battlefield.
The trainers and officials had finally made their way safely out of the Indigo Stadium and looked back up at the impressive building, knowing the hardest part was yet to come.
Elaine turned to the Officials. "You guys get going and be careful not to be seen, we can't know for sure there's no Rockets lurking out here."
"Don't worry about us, we'll go get the Jenny's and as much help as possible. Count on it." With that they left the area.
Elaine took a moment and then turned to the 13 pokémon trainers waiting on her command.
"Everyone, this is it now. You all know what to do!"
The trainers all nodded in agreement and with that released their pokémon and began to silently make their way up into the arena struts.
Elaine followed suit and jumped onto her Pidgeot.
It's all on us.
The duo flew up into the ceilings of the giant stadium. Looking around she spotted Gary desperately standing ground against a squad of Rocket grunts trying to take Misty and Cole. The pokémon trainer recalled her impressive bird back and silently began precariously manoeuvring around the rafter beams.
Freddie wiped his wet brow and looked to Typhlosion. His pokémon wasn't looking too great. The trainer growled softly before making his next move. "Ty use Sunny Day, let's dry up those water moves!"
"Ty!" The fire pokémon raised himself up and caused the sky to brighten up with a brilliant radiant sunshine.
"A bit of bright light won't help you." Silver remarked.
The Rockets in the stands all watched the scene below them of the young trainer challenging their fearsome leader, totally unaware of the now free pokémon league trainers lurking above them in the rafters.
Elaine got into place above the box seating arena, waiting till everyone was engrossed in the action below to make her move.
She saw Freddie's Typhlosion create the bright sunlight and knew this was her shot!
"Pidgeot! Hurricane!"
Releasing her pokémon simultaneously with crying out her command, the Rockets looked up just in time to see hurtling winds shower down on them and blow them back and out the box seats away from their hostages.
"Never fear Elaine is here." The pokémon trainer jumped down and posed playfully. "Saw you needed a little help here Gary Kins."
"Elaine?" Gary relaxed his shoulders and smiled back at the younger woman. "Genuinely I never thought I'd be so glad to see you."
"Hmm I guess I'll take that as a compliment." The young woman crossed her arms.
"Really is great to see you again Elaine." Misty smiled warmly. "Awesome timing." Brock chimed in. Elaine held up a peace sign in reply.
"But what about the public!" Lance glanced around concerned that Team Rocket would be carrying out their threats.
"Don't worry, we've got that covered Master Lance." Elaine pointed out the other league trainers that had also crashed the party. Seeing the trainers swoop down and taking out key Rocket Guards and guiding the spectators out of harm's way.
"Of course, we are still seriously outnumbers and could do with more help." Elaine winked.
"And that you will receive young lady." Lance smiled at the plucky seasoned trainer. "Elite Four, Gym Leaders, let's help those trainers! Our objective get all the spectators and officials out the stadium safely and securely by any means. Take away the leverage Team Rocket has on us."
"Yeah!" The other Elite Four members and Gym Leaders agreed in union and began to make their way out the box seats.
"What about down there?" Janine pointed at down at Amber on the battle field. "Surly we have to help them?" Koga placed a hand on his daughters shoulder, also interested in an answer.
Misty stepped up. "I'm going down to the arena."
"Misty! No!" Gary and Brock objected in union.
"Do you see what's happening down there? That's my family! Ash! My daughter! I have to." With that the water trainer began making her way down the stands.
"I'll cover you." Elesa followed her future mother-in-law.
"Um, like, we're not expected to go down too ... right?" Violet piped up as the other Waterflower sisters took a step back.
Brock sweat dropped and shook his head. "Don't worry ladies I'll protect you."
Cole watched the two most important women in his life make their way down to harms way. He looked around from left to right and the back to left again … "um … where are my bodyguards?"
"Feraligatr use Hydo Pump. Again!" Silver barked.
Despite the blazing sun reducing the moves power, it still hit home, pushing the fiery pair hard against the arena wall. An Ice Beam attack followed freezing Freddie with icy bonds, pinning his arms around his waist and thighs.
"Typhlosion! Break us free with Overheat." The teenager looked his pokémon and realisation hit him. "Ty … no … you're too tired to break us free…" Freddie looked on sadly to his feinted pokémon, also trapped in shackles of ice pinning him down.
"HAHAHA! Oh Jimmy, how the mighty have fallen. Pitiful. Now I'll finish here now what began all those years ago in New Bark Town."
Feraligatr took a menacing step forward.
Freddie gritted his teeth and struggled against the thick ice pinning him down, but it was no use. He was truly trapped.
Silver closed his eyes. "Weird. I'm almost sad it's ending like this Jimmy. But, well." His eyes bolted open. "I always knew it would." He began to lift his arm up to command his water type.
"I'm not Jimmy!" Freddie shouted out.
"Oh no Freddie!" Amber cried out seeing her rival in trouble. "Poor Typhlosion, he's still exhausted from our battle earlier … there's no way out for them!" Then she saw her pokémon still out on the field "Magneton! Help out Freddie and Typhlosion! Your electric attacks will help combat that water!" Amber cried out as her pokémon bounced into the fray.
"Gliscor stop that thing and!" Silver glanced up and stopped in his tracks seeing his Rocket underlings falling to the now free pokémon trainers and masters of Kanto. "What?! How could this happen?! NO!"
"Alright!" Surge beamed seeing his associates free and making work of the rocket grunts in the stands.
YES! Lance you legend! I have no idea how you managed it, but looks like Team Rocket are going down! "It's all coming apart Silver. Same old Team Rocket after all." Ash smirked.
"Gagh! It makes no difference! I still have what I need to keep you in check Ketchum! And that's all I really care about!" Silver barked as once again Victreebel demonstrated Amber being at the mercy of her by squeezing. "Stand down!"
"No. It's time to leave the kids out of this and battle me, Silver. All this boils down to is you want revenge on me right? Well here I am." Ash stepped up, Pikachu rearing to go. "Leave everyone else alone."
"Oh right, like I'm going to battle you. Pokémon Master, ranked #1 in the whole world. How dumb do you think I am pivoting my whole legacy on battling you?" Silver scoffed.
"Then battle me." Amber piped up.
"You?"
"Yeah, battle me. I'm not ranked number 1. We got to the same level in the tournament, I'm your perfect rival battle."
"Again, not seeing the benefit for me."
"I can sense it in you Silver. I saw how you were when battling my Magneton and Freddie and his Typhlosion. You're not this criminal monster. You're a pokémon trainer. It's in your blood. Battle me. Properly. Fairly. Prove it yourself and the world. Be who you want to be."
Silver narrowed his eyes at Amber. He signalled to Victreebel to lower the girl.
Ash and Surge held their breath.
"I, Silver, Head of Team Rocket, Son of Giovanni. Accept your challenge."
Author Note: I feel bad this chapter is so short. But I felt that was the perfect place to end it. What do you guys think about the story pacing? Is it too fast? Do you need more character development in here? Let me know.
