Chapter 18: Captured
Hey guys, so I managed to complete the story I was focusing on completing last month and I'm back with a new plan. Instead of updating this story every two weeks I think I'll do it every week on Wednesday or Thursday (Friday Morning at the latest). Hope you guys enjoy this. Don't know for sure how long the final conflict with Teams Aqua and Magma will go on, maybe 3 or 4 chapters. Also in regards to the Hoenn League, I'm thinking it might be best to skip over it and just have its result shown in an epilogue. As action packed as it probably would be if I were to include it, You-Know-Who serves as the main antagonist here so I don't think there would be point in going much beyond his final defeat.
Ash and May were shoved into a cage on board the submarine along with the others by members of Team Magma. They were all put in pairs in the cages, him and May, Looker and Steven, and the six members of the Hoenn Elite Force into three groups of two. Their pokeballs were been confiscated as well and put into a barell nearby while Pikachu and Glaceon were put into a smaller cage of their own. The Team Magma members locked their prisoners in and then looked to Tabitha.
"Good work," the second in command of the team said. "Now, two of you stay guard here, we don't want them to escape.
"Yes sir," one of the grunts said.
Tabitha then left and Pikachu decided to try and take action.
"Pikachuuuu!" Pikachu tried to zap the bars with his thunderbolt.
"Come on Pikachu!" Ash said.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" the second guard said. "Those cages are equipped with a variety of resistances for Pokemon attacks. They're designed predominantly for water types but normal, rock, grass, ice, flying and electric attacks won't work either."
Pikachu gritted his teeth. But not hearing one type of attack, he had an idea. He raised his tail, which glowed metallic gray, he was going to try-
"Iron Tail!?" the second grunt exclaimed.
"I don't think so!" the first said as he pulled out a remote control.
Pikachu rammed the bars with his hardened tail, which made a crack in the bars.
"Stop!" the first grunt ordered. "Or your friend there will be in for a world of hurt!"
He pressed the button and the shock color around Glaceon's neck let out a surge of electricity that coursed through her, causing her to cry out in pain. Ash, May and Pikachu looked at her in alarm.
"Glaceon!" May screamed.
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed.
"Stand down, or she'll get hurt longer!" the first grunt said.
Pikachu looked at them angrily but lowered his tail. The grunt pressed the same button and the electricity stopped hurting Glaceon.
"Good, but you need a punishment of your own," he said pressing another button.
Pikachu received a shock this time, he cried out in pain.
"Pika!"
"Gla!" Glaceon called in concern.
"Pikachu!" Ash yelled in concern before it quickly turned to anger as he rounded on the Team Magma members. "Stop it!"
"Mind your tongue, kid!" the grunt said.
"Hey, I'm 21! I'm not a kid!" Ash yelled.
"Then you should know when you are beaten," the lead grunt said as he switched off Pikachu's shock collar. "Don't resist, you know what can happen to electric Pokémon if they get too much electricity."
Ash gritted his teeth, that had happened to him a few times in his travels. It could be harmful to electric Pokemon. He'd have to cooperate… for now.
"Fine," he relented. "But this isn't over."
"I think it is," the second grunt said.
They could only hope that things started to look up soon. Maybe Lance would be able to free them, if they ran into him. Ash didn't know where there were going right now, Team Magma had meant to intercept Groudon tomorrow, but that was a day away.
They waited, and finally felt the submarine stop. The door opened and Tabitha emerged. "Get the prisoners out, move it!"
Ash, May and all the others were led out, cuffs still on their hands. Pikachu and Glaceon had a leash attached their shock collars. They came out into a red underground cavern that must been Team Magma's secret base by the large symbol in the middle. About a hundred members stood on the platform before the submarine. Ash had had no idea just how many members across Hoenn there were until now. They were impossibly outnumbered, but somehow they had to get through this.
"Welcome Tabitha," a man at the head of the group said. He had long red hair and wore no hood to conceal his face.
"Thank you, Maxie," Tabitha said.
This must have been the Leader of Team Magma. Maxie looked at them.
"I see you've managed to capture the team sent to stop us and Team Aqua," he said.
"Yes, we can't let them interfere with our plans," Tabitha said before glaring at Ash. "This punk here has been messing with us for a while now. He messed with us in those ancient ruins, in Slateport City and Mount Chimney!"
"Really," Maxie asked. "Well that's certainly troublesome. I think I'll have a little talk with him."
He then looked at Steven. "Ah, the champion himself. I should have known fools who call us villains would try to have you stop us."
Steven didn't answer, merely giving him an ice-cold stare. Maxie then looked back at Ash.
"Escort him to my office… and release his Pokemon as well. We are not power savages like Team Aqua who only desire power! But be ready in case they try anything."
That caught Ash off guard, but he didn't let his guard down. Maxie was probably trying to manipulate him, even if he was a bit better then Archie since he genuinely wanted to make a better world according to Steven.
"Lock the others up!" Maxie said.
"Sir Ash!" May exclaimed in fear, forgetting to only call him that in private, as she was grabbed a member of Team Magma who dragged away.
"May!" Ash called.
"Gla!" Glaceon growled as she ran over to her trainers defense.
Maxie looked between them. "Is she with you?"
"Yes," Ash said.
"Stop! Let her come as well," Maxie said. "Do not harm her or either of the Pokemon."
May let out a breath of relief. Ash looked at Steven.
"Don't let him get in your head Ash!" Steven said.
"Silence!" Tabitha said. "Take them away!"
"Right away Sir!" One of the members said.
That voice. Ash thought. He looked directly into the man's face, and recognized him. He smiled for an instant, but it quickly vanished as Looker, Steven, and their men were escorted away by the Team Magma Grunts and undercover Lance. With any luck he might be able to free them soon then they could escape and come up with a new plan before it was too late.
Ash and May then followed Maxie into his office, Pikachu and Glaceon following behind them, with Tabitha and other members of the criminal organization flanking them with a pack of Mightyena. One wrong move and they'd probably receive a few nasty bites. Ash put an arm around May who shivered, seeing they were outnumbered and only had Pikachu and Glaceon with them. They'd have to recover their Pokemon before they got out of here. Ash couldn't risk anything happening to his fiancé and their unborn baby, he really wished she could have stayed behind. But there was no use dwelling on it now. They'd make it through this, somehow.
Maxie took a seat and looked at them, gesturing to the seats in front of his desk. Reluctantly, they sat down.
"Now, its Ash correct?" Maxie asked.
"Yes," Ash said, dislike in his voice.
"And who is this lovely young lady?" Maxie asked turning his attention to May.
Ash clenched a fist at those words, not liking the fact that a bad guy was giving his love flattery.
"I'm May," May said with a glare.
"Well May, welcome to our humble abode," Maxie said curtly. "Now I hear you don't like us, Ash."
"No, I don't," Ash said. "I know you have better intentions then Team Aqua since you want to make a better world for everyone, but you're still going about it the wrong way."
"Am I now?" Maxie asked. "We depend on the land to survive. Our population is growing at an alarming rate. We may one day not have anymore room on the land. If outer space exploits yield no other worlds for us to settle we will have to stay on this one."
"Maybe so but you'll cause a great catastrophe yourself!" Ash said. "Expanding the land over the ocean will leave less room for water Pokemon!"
"Most of our world is covered in ocean," Maxie said. "There is plenty of room to spare. Besides, many water Pokemon are capable of walking on land. Not all, but a fair percentage. Its not the same as what Team Aqua would do that would drown many of the land pokemon and people, all for Archie to acquire power for himself."
Ash wasn't able to argue, Maxie made a good case, but even so, there had to be a better way.
"We are very close to possessing the thing we need," Maxie said. "Groudon, the ancient Pokemon that will help us bring about a new world with plenty of land for all to live on. It will at least buy time for when new worlds beyond can be discovered. Come now Ash, surely you see the nobility of this goal?"
Ash just frowned as an idea occurred. "And then you'll probably claim yourself a hero right?"
"And use it to gather support," May elaborated. "Many kings rose to power that way."
Maxie grinned. "An ancient game, dating back to when life began on this world. We are always in fight for survival and to acquire what we want. All I want is to give humanity more room, though the idea of perhaps ruling Hoenn does appeal. But I will not take it by force like Archie is prepared to do."
"And you plan on controlling Groudon how?" Ash asked. "May and I were chased by a legendary Pokemon for weeks! They are not easy to defeat!"
"Indeed," Maxie agreed. "Well, I have two ways to deal with it. These."
He pressed a button on his desk which opened, the inside ascending to reveal two items. One, a brilliant blue orb, and the other a Pokeball with a purple top and the letter M on it.
"A Master Ball!" Ash exclaimed.
"Yes, the ball that can catch any Pokemon," Maxie said before gesturing to the blue orb. "And this blue orb is part of an ancient stone said to be able to control Groudon. Team Aqua likewise has a red orb that can do the same to Kyogre, Groudon's ancient enemy. In ancient times it is said the two of them battled for who would receive the most of the world. Kyogre won, and so most of the world was covered with water. History will soon repeat, the two of them will battle again, but this time, Groudon and Kyogre will both have masters to command them. Me and Archie. A Pokemon grows stronger when they have a trainer to command and work alongside them. But Archie is a cruel man with a small heart that cares for little beyond his own ambition, perhaps for his allies, but not much else. I however, care for this entire world. Groudon and I will have a strong bond, and that will allow it to triumph over Kyogre this time!" Maxie said as he grinned and spread his arms. "Together we shall prevent a world wide flood and create a new world!"
He let out a maniacal laugh then looked at them.
"You're insane!" Ash said.
"Sorry you feel that way," Maxie said with an unwavering smile. "But I'm sure you'll come to change your mind when you see what Groudon and I can accomplish. Take them to the rest of the prisoners."
Tabitha and the two guards with the Mighyena walked forward to take Ash and May, but suddenly there was a loud bang in the distance that cause the base to shake.
"What the-" Ash exclaimed.
"Archie!" Maxie said. "He's sent someone to attack us! I should have known he wouldn't wait for us to meet in a fair fight!"
He pressed a button and spoke into an announcer. "All personnel prepare for immediate evacuation! We are under attack! Watch out for intruders!"
Ash was worried, however, this might not be what Maxie thought. It could be Lance breaking their allies out!
The base shook and all the Team Magma members lost their balance and fell. Ash and May managed to get out of their chairs and steady themselves, the Blue Orb and Master Ball also fell from the desk. Now was their chance! The Master Ball rolled to the right, and the orb to the left.
"May, grab the orb and run!" Ash said as he dove for the Master Ball.
May caught the orb as it slid on the floor, but was met with an angry Mightyena. She backed away in fear as the black and grey doglike Pokemon bared its teeth at her. Fortunately Glaceon came to her rescue and shot a beam of ice at the Mighteyena, knocking it back and freezing it. Pikachu did the same with an iron tail for Ash who had gotten the Master Ball.
"Come on, lets go!" Ash said as he grabbed May's hand.
They ran out of the office and into the hallways of the base, unsure of where to go.
