Chapter 71: The Loweeans in the cave
After a short while of walking I eventually see the base in sight, which appears to be on some sort of rocky hill in the cave with a path leading up to it. That I find quite convenient, and even more so is that from where I'm standing which thankfully is a place they cannot see me, I find that there doesn't seem to be many of them there. But then again it's quite hard to tell, though there are only 2 guards standing on either side outside the entrance at the very least.
I can just predict that I'll be forced to fight them, but what choice do I have and if I can just kill them all and ensure they don't call for back up, I should be fine. But this will probably be easier said than done. With this thought I decide to keep up the idea of me being attacked by bats, but by the time I've arrived at this point I do find that my wounds are healing up quite a bit, which is nice as I feel a lot less pain than earlier.
Ok here goes as I approach the two guards that stand there, armed with torches and pistols with which they aim at me.
"Who are you and what business do you have here?" The guard asks me with much suspicion and dare I say with much aggression.
I quickly answer knowing what the outcome is going to be.
"I am Butch an officer of Team Rocket assigned to this cave. I wish to report that I've been attacked by Zubats." I answer him.
"Butch eh? OK please wait here and I'll go get some medical attention for you." He replies to me before heading to the camp.
I can just tell that he intends to walk off and come back with some reinforcements, who intend to shoot me down. There's one guard waiting at his post looking at me constantly. I throw my knife at him and before he can react, he dies. With the guard dead I choose to retrieve my thrown knife before infiltrating the base, as the other guard walks through the camp. I would kill him but I'm concerned they'd see his dead body or worse me.
Although I am noticed by various grunts in this small base, they don't suspect me and just see me as one of their officers. I end up noticing the guard speaking to another grunt who guards a nearby tent. Upon noticing this I manage to sneak along the tent away from the guards that patrol the centre of the camp, as I walk past the two tents and head around the rear to the very tent that the guard is at. As I'm at the tent which is fairly large, and is of triangular prism shape and is in white, I overhear a conversation in there and the people inside seem to consist of females. My magnetic visions confirms this and even shows the females to be officers themselves, though while they have different lengths of hair they all have it tied in pig tails. Unfortunately my magnetic vision doesn't reveal the colour of their hair or their clothes, but I do notice that they're standing around a table with a map on it along with cans of soft drink, as well as a radio there. I'll need to destroy that when I get the chance.
"We have found the location of the Loweean hideout to be in sector R4 of this cave. Although we need more troops in R4, we already have a good number of grunts approaching R4." One of them speaks.
"It's very good that this hideout has been found…..I it's n not like I'm proud of the man who has found it or anything." Another one of them replies in that all too familiar tone.
"9, 26, 4, 2, 10, 9, 7, 24, 25, 6, 14, 0, 8, 5." A voice chants in my head.
What's going on? My head starts to ache as I see numbers all over my vision, and I hear a distinctive voice chant numbers again. What's with the officers being females with pig tails, and them speaking in a tsundere manner and what's with R4? I know that pigtails and tsunderes remind me of Noire, but Noire isn't a tsundere and while I know R4 to be Arfoire, I didn't think she existed. Why am I getting a migraine and the numbers in my head? How can I be brainwashed now? I've proved Noire to be innocent and I sorted out the issue over killing my CPUs. It makes me wonder…. I hope Lastation isn't dead along with its CPUs. But what is this all about anyway? Is it to do with me being in Lowee? This doesn't make any sense and I must admit this has surprised me. At least astonishingly my familiar symptoms didn't last very long this time around, and despite the pain I resisted yelling.
But by the time I'm back to normal a male guard has already entered the tent, this must be the one who confronted me and wanted to find out my business in this camp.
"Ladies, I wish to report that there is a man by the entrance who claims to be Butch, and has been attacked by an army of Zubats. He should be waiting by the entrance." He informed them sounding quite nervous as he's interrupted their meeting.
"It's n not like I'm happy to see you or anything. Leave this to us we'll head out right away." She replies snapping at the guard.
Boy am I glad the Noire I know isn't a tsundere, the lot of them then leave the tent and it is now I make my move. I waste no time as I enter the tent from the back before stealing the map on the table, and destroying the radio with the butt of my shotgun. With that done I leave through the back entrance to see if there's any transportation I can use, to make for an easy getaway as well as to assist me in going to the Loweean hideout as quickly as possible. With my magnetic vision on it is then I see a row of bikes parked by a bar, though unfortunately it is at the opposite side at the end of these tents. I'll probably get spotted and they'll know I'm not one of them, but what choice do I have. I have much confidence that if this were to happen I could make it without taking too many hits, and then it would be a simple matter of wiping out the pursuers.
With my plan thought out I quickly walk across the back of the tents while remaining crouched, though during this time I couldn't help but over hear the enemy, as they have found that I am nowhere to be seen and one of their guards have died. I now hear them panicking trying to find me but looking through my vision, they are nowhere near where I am.
Eventually I am now at the point where I'm opposite the motorbikes that wait for me, my ride out there, and my ride to the Loweean hide out. What relieves me is that there are not many of them guarding the motorbikes, which I find rather convenient. I can just smell an ambush if I was to ride out, but what difference would it make. I can't just wait here, I have no choice but to make a break for it and I'm pleased that I'm able to run at such a fast pace without losing breath. But as I'm about midway I notice the enemy soldiers spot me, and they try and call the others to assist them as well as to try and shoot at me, but I run away before any of their bullets are even close.
I make it to the bikes and just pick one of them and it's not until that point that I realise that I may have needed a key, but conveniently though it could have been convenient for them there are keys in the ignition ready to be switched on.
I do so with no trouble before heading off, leaving the camp with the enemy grunts close behind trying to shoot me down. It's not long before I leave the camp and drive through the different winding paths, that I realise that even with my map on my person, I have no idea where the Loweean camp is without looking at the map. Amazingly the location of it is on my HUD though it's quite far away, and it is now as I anticipated that there are a bunch of pursuers who are after me on their bikes, it worries me if they'll send in Zubats again like before. I'm not sure I'd want to deal with those creatures again.
Thing is I find myself in quite the precarious position as my enemies are behind me. I have to balance between looking at the road and navigating, at the expense of not being able to shoot my enemies effectively, and looking at my back being able to kill the enemies there, at the expense of not being able to see where I am going. Hmmm this is not the ideal situation and if I get shot too many times, they'll work out I'm someone special and I'm worried they might eventually realise that there are Lastation troops in Lowee, something that Team Rocket have warned about. Hmmm I just hope that despite what's been going on since we've showed up; they don't suspect an attack from Lastation.
I decide to slow down to a reasonable speed and wait for a point where I'm at a long straight section of this path, but even that isn't easy as this place is full of corners and curves that go in different directions. As best I can I decide to keep focusing on the road only when I'm at every convenient point do I quickly look behind me, and take out one of them out at a time. But even then there are at least half a dozen of them, and there are not many good opportunities to take them out one by one. This concerns me and it's only a matter of time before more of them join in the chase. It would help if I had one extra ally with me right now to deal with the pursuers.
Finally at last I come up to a long straight part, and then I turn around and kill the enemy pursuers quickly with my revolver. It pleases me how I'm able to aim and fire really quickly.
Unfortunately however it's not long before I see with my magnetic vision that along the path are rocks that are to the side of this road, and hiding behind them are more bikers eager to ambush me as I drive past them. I do indeed drive past them but as I do, I look in their direction and shoot at the potential ambushers. There are a few more groups of them along this path but I do the same things to them, killing them all before they can even react.
After dealing with the groups of ambushers I find the straight section coming to an end, and there's a T junction in sight. To the left I can see with my magnetic vision that there is a group there waiting to ambush me, armed with mounted Type 99s and Arisakas. It does intrigue me that they set up such a defensive position there. I mean it certainly makes me wonder if they know I'm coming along this way. I shouldn't be too bothered by it as at least the right is clear, and it's just a matter of wiping these guys out with my revolver. I must admit this magnetic vision has proven to be very useful as I am able to see perfectly clear in the dark, as well as seeing the enemies that are hiding behind cover that intend to ambush me. After all this time I'm pleasantly surprised with how many bullets I have left, though I'm pleased with how accurate I try to be with every shot I fire.
Eventually I reach the junction before quickly turning right, and killing the entire enemy group there before they could fire. I then look ahead to find another group armed with the same weapons, but this time one of them appears to have a radio and this time they're behind another group who's behind another group. In fact there are a good number of groups of them that are behind each other facing my direction. Hmmm I don't think there's any way I can get past them. I attempt to turn around, firing at them but they all shoot at me with their Type 99s. Because of the radio man I have to deliberately fall of my bike, as I get shot enough times to kill a normal person.
I try to crawl away, pretending to be seriously injured as the enemy moves closer and closer to my position. They don't seem to have torches for some reason, though I'm guessing they thought they'd give their positions away if they did have lights. Fortunately I find a passage on the side of the path, though this passage is very small almost like a tunnel. I crawl up it as far away from the road as I can, but it is then I see a couple of soldiers approach me with rifles. They try to aim their guns at me but I just shoot them before they can fire.
I then look through with my magnetic vision again to find the group of them approaching, I decide to rush away and hide out of sight in this small passage inside the cave. I once again look to see that rather than entering the passage they merely shine torches at the entrance, as well as place their machine guns around the outside of the entrance. I then hear the radio person speak.
"Be advised suspect has entered a cave but he has been severely wounded, we have him surrounded so it's safe to assume that he'll die a painful death. We'll leave his body at the mercy of the Zubats but we will remain here, should he be dumb enough to leave again." The radio man speaks sounding rather pleased with the results.
That's good, it should mean they won't be chasing me and I won't have to pretend that I'm at near death. I can only hope that this passage way doesn't have a dead end or at least there is another way out. But what can I do if I'm trapped? All I can do is worry about it if it happens, though I wouldn't be surprised if it did.
I follow the passage way hoping that it will lead me to somewhere good, as I crouch and move slowly with my revolver and knife in hand due to the passageway being that small. I have little room to move my arms so I hope that I will only need to fire 6 times at the most, and won't need to reload. As I move slowly but surely I can't help but think how I'd love to have some friendly company right now, especially from that guy that only existed in someone's mind. I forget who he was, he tried to break out of prison with his friends but there's reason to believe he died. I wouldn't mind being with someone with immense agility right now, though he might swear at me and I do wonder how quick he'd be compared to a potential ambusher. But some company would be nice that's for sure, speaking of which I hope my allied troops are alright outside. Come to think it would be difficult to try and find them, and get them to the Loweean camp considering all of the patrols.
But I quickly make do with just myself as I crouch forward through the tunnel. It's not long before I see a soldier crouched down, holding a rifle with a bayonet in his hands. Although I can easily shoot him from where I am, I am concerned about the noise I'd make. I just hope I'm able to throw my knife from where I'm holding it, although it'll be quite difficult due to the lack of space. At least I'm not making much noise so maybe I can move closer without him suspecting. It's clear his torch isn't on so he must be intending to ambush me by walking into his bayonet.
I move a bit closer to his location and somehow I manage to throw the knife at him, despite being a bit cramped and not having much room for my arms to move. Oddly enough although this is probably down to the physics of this world, I am able to crouch past him as though he was never there. It concerns me with how many more of them are there. Would I be discovered by the enemy and arouse suspicion as to who they suspect me to be? Hmmm I can't worry about that now, I have to keep going and that's what I do.
As I crouch and move further I then go to a section that is quite a bit higher, in fact with my magnetic vision I see rocks that stick out, suggesting to me that maybe I could climb up these rocks but despite this I decide to carry on walking past the rocks. Eventually I reach a corner but it is then that thanks to my magnetic vision that I see three grunts, two of them stand around the corner while a third one stand a few metres away from them. No doubt these guys are ready to pounce on any unsuspecting enemy. It does feel convenient almost as if they know I'm here, though perhaps they expect there to be people disguised as Team Rocket, and they know of the friendly fire test and they'd probably pounce on their allies, only it wouldn't hurt them at all.
I'll need to think of an effective strategy for defeating those 3 without making too much noise, but it is then I go on automatic as:
"First creep around, crouch until I reach corner, stab enemy in the gut. Then wait for the second enemy to charge, grab the rifle with the left hand. Push it away and stab target in the neck with the knife. Finally throw the knife at the 3rd guard. Chances of success certainly, chances of alerting the enemy: highly unlikely."
It's weird as I replay my strategy in my mind, it's almost as though I'm actually doing it. But it is then I actually get to do the deed itself as I crouch towards the corner. As soon as I reach the very corner I then quickly stab my enemy in the stomach, causing him to drop his rifle as he groans in pain as he's dying quite slowly and painfully. As predicted I then see his comrade charge at me with his bayonet, and so I quickly stand and with my left hand I grab the enemy's rifle and push it away from my direction, while stabbing the enemy in the throat. I then see the third enemy standing behind him and I quickly throw the knife, which lands in his neck killing him instantly.
It pleases me to know that it went just as I planned, it is then I move forward to retrieve my thrown knife. I like to think that I haven't alerted anyone but I am worried if I get spotted. I could do with a different disguise so I can continue to fight them; perhaps as a Loweean boss as then I can fight them without them arousing suspicion.
As I walk forward I can't help but feel worried with how long I seem to be taking, in finding the Loweean camp. I am worried that it may be all but conquered. This is no good I just hope there isn't much more to go. I eventually get to a point where I see the passage ends which leads to the cave. I wish I can look but there is a sniper crouching overlooking it. I'd like to kill him and take his place, but I have concerns that someone from the outside of this tunnel in the cave is watching the sniper. I guess I'll have to see where the other route would lead me, the one that involves doing some climbing. Not a dead end I hope. I rush back quietly, happy to know that the sniper doesn't know of my presence. When I'm at a significant distance away from him I run away towards the rocks. It's not long before I reach there and thanks to the useful drinks, I'm able to climb the rocks where I'm at another area. The area appears to be a small cave and inside straight ahead is a tunnel, I see no enemies around though maybe that could because they're unable to climb. With no enemies in sight I rush forward towards the tunnel, and I run inside eager to find out where it will take me. As I run I look with my magnetic vision, and I still don't see any enemy troops what so ever. For some strange reason I find the tunnel appears to be heading upwards like a fairly steep ramp. I keep running up it but before I know it the ramp ends along with the tunnel, and I find myself in mid-air. I quickly look to see that below me is a path surrounded by what I believe to be cliffs, where I would have travelled by motor bike earlier. I then look ahead to see an entrance on top of the cliffs, it's not that far away and so it makes me wonder if I can make it considering that it's a bit lower than me. I reach my arms out as well, hoping I can at least grab onto the ledge.
I feel as though time has slowed down due to the suspense and concern at the situation I'm in. At least there are no enemies to see me, but what if I don't make it to the other side. I know the fall won't kill me due to the physics of this world, but I'll be out in the open and I'm not sure if they won't suspect me from the caves. Before I know it I'm at the other side, and I end up landing by holding onto the ledge with both my hands. With my hands secure I then pull myself up, I'm relieved that even now no one has moved past me.
With myself now pulled up and at the other side, I'm in a tunnel though this one goes down and feels like a ramp, which I can't help but find to be odd considering this a cave. It makes me wonder whether Blanc intentionally created that for adventurers who ride bikes. Hmmmm, I then get more and more curious as I rush down the ramp inside the tunnel. But while I wonder where it will take me, I worry about who I'll be encountering and whether the route I am travelling on will indeed lead me to the Loweean hideout. I'm also worried about the others right now. I'm worried about White as I've not received any messages from her. I'm also worried about Lastation; I hope the CPUs are alright as they hold of the Leanbox invasion. I'm pretty sure they are but I can't help but think of the loved ones back at home: Rom, Ram two of the bravest Candidates I know, Uni a very smart young lady who is very skilled, Blanc a great leader who deserves to have her landmass back, and my own wife from heaven, my goddess, my empress, my CPU: Goddess Empress CPU of Lastation: Lady Noire Black Heart. While for White although I know she's a good soldier, I am concerned she may have been captured or worse killed in action. Although revival is possible there is the matter of ensuring she won't die, before we can provide her with the perk a colas as well as retrieving her safely.
I just hope we can get more troops and supplies soon as they'll be crucial in our war efforts.
But I need to focus as I have to do my bit to ensure that victory will be ours someday. I then get on with the task at hand as I head down the tunnel, looking with my magnetic vision to see if there are any enemy troops up ahead, although I do find that there isn't any of them there so I just keep running down the tunnel at a fast pace. Eventually as I'm running I hear the sound of motorbikes driving past, and I do see them with my vision but the size of them implies how far away they are from me. It makes me wonder if they're heading for the Loweean camp. Whether they are or not I need to head to the bottom of the tunnel and try and find out where it leads to, and whether there'll be any enemies waiting for me.
As I keep on running without any signs of fatigue what so ever, my vision suggests that I'm near the end and I look to the right to see a motorbike coming towards my direction, although he is some distance away. Hmmm maybe it would be possible to kill him, steal his ride and no one would know. I manage to rush to the bottom of the tunnel which in fact leads to the rest of the cave with quite a wide path. I then hide close to the exit of the tunnel as I wait for the biker to come past, when he's in range that's when I'll strike against him. The enemy biker is conveniently driving quite close to where I'm hiding, it's not long before he's close and it is at that point that I stab him knocking him and the bike over.
I quickly look around and find that no one has noticed me kill him. While finding his body will be inevitable I doubt they'd suspect me, or at least be suspicious regarding how I was supposed to be dead in the tunnels, although it does concern me that they may find out sooner or later that I'm not in the tunnels. I just hope that this time I'll be able to ride through the caves, and they see me as one of them. All I can do though is ride the motorbike and use my HUD as a guide to get to the Loweean camp.
I find it odd that I don't see any Team Rocket troops patrolling these parts; it makes me wonder if they are in fact assembling outside the Loweean camp with the intention of destroying it. I drive up a ramp on the side of the path, which according to my HUD leads me to their camp. The ramp is quite steep and long as well but soon enough I'm at the top, but as soon as I reach the top I notice a good number of Loweean troops pop up from rocks which are used as makeshift hiding places. They then attempt to shoot at me but no bullets come out.
They eventually stop firing at me and while they are fully aware of the friendly fire rule and they know that I am not an enemy, they become suspicious of me due and they keep their torches pointing in my direction. I can't blame them for being suspicious as I'm wearing a Team Rocket outfit, and why would a member of Team Rocket defect like this? I don't know I just don't think any of them would defect, mind you it's what has been at the back of my mind during our operation here, as my forces are disguised as Team Rocket Grunts who have defected, and would they believe that any of them could defect or rebel against them? I realise that perhaps from now on the troops from Lastation would be better off disguised as Loweeans as they are fighting against Team Rocket, but every care must be taken to ensure that there is no evidence of Lastation presence in Lowee. I must admit it has occurred to me just now that they might notice how this fighting between defectors has occurred in Pallet Town, which is the first town past the Lastation/Lowee border. I just hope that this doesn't make them suspect that Lastation has invaded in disguise. I just hope they either suspect there to be defectors or Loweeans but there's nothing I can do about that.
In any case I do wish I could tell them that I'm Black from Lastation, but I'm worried that Team Rocket would eventually learn of this, and they'll just end up invading Lastation and we'll probably be doomed. It is sad that I cannot tell them who I really am, and I have to keep my cover even to them but it does make me wonder how long it will last?
I can't help but wonder what their own thoughts of Lastation is considering that Blanc has been at war with them although they were friends long ago, then again there's also how there's never been any fighting apart from Blanc personally invading Lastation. I suppose it depends on what they know, what their experiences are which would affect their thoughts. Then there is also their thoughts on Blanc their leader, considering how she was a great leader before the brainwashing and then she's forced to leave her nation.
As I think about this it is then I look at the Loweeans and notice how they're all dressed in the same colour, which I can only assume to be white as I have my magnetic vision on and I know white to be their colour. They wear pumps and socks along with short white shorts as well as t shirts; while some wear caps and others wear cardigans while there are a few that wear both.
As I look at them all they look reasonably fed but maybe barely, and I can see how rough and tired they all look as their clothes have been worn, perhaps dirty and sweaty from them being worn all the time. It's just as I thought as they have to rely on limited supplies as they're trapped in the cave by patrolling Team Rocket groups, I can't imagine what it must be like to not have much food, to not have any daylight and perhaps to have not much hope or morale.
I also notice their weaponry with how it appears to be of the same level as those of Team Rocket, although they are a bit different as they appear to carry revolving rifles, as well as what looks like Mauser C96s except for one who carries an 1887 Winchester, which makes me wonder whether he is their leader.
This man then approaches me; no doubt he's curious to know who I am. Hmmm it is then I try and think of what to say to this man.
"You do not appear to be an enemy of ours and yet you are dressed as a Team Rocket officer, who are you?" He asks me sounding quite suspicious.
I hope to break the ice with this man as I hope I can get them to join me and regroup with my troops outside the cave, I just hope they're alright and I hope I can reach them.
"I am an officer of Team Rocket who wishes to defect to the Loweeans. My name is Butch. There is a large force heading for this camp and they'll wipe us all out. Fortunately I have some troops waiting at the entrance and Pallet Town is under my control. If we can regroup with my forces we can head back to Pallet Town where I can arrange for supplies. I know you lot are extremely suspicious of me and I cannot blame you for it, but I beg of you to leave this camp before it is too late." I try and explain but I'm not sure if I have convinced them.
"I never thought anyone from Team Rocket would defect, I don't recall that ever happening before. And why would you wish to defect now, why do it at all? Who's to say that you haven't distracted us from the real enemy, and you just happen to be pretending to be our ally which explains why we cannot shoot at you." He replies with the same suspicion.
He makes a good point with what he says and I cannot blame him for his tone.
"I always wanted to defect but I wanted to gather other like-minded people, as well as to come up with a plan to help the remaining Loweeans. It's not until now that I am able to do it. I want to defect due to how much I love Pokémon and it disgusts me how Team Rocket mistreat them, and how they intend to wipe them out along with the Loweeans that care for them. As for pretending to be your ally, I didn't think the friendly fire test could be fooled. I mean I've never seen it happen before, but while you have every right not to trust me what options do you guys have? Do you not think it will be inevitable before Team Rocket finds you and kills you? I admire you guys for fighting to the death and standing up for what you believe in, but I can help you ensure you have better chance of success, better supplies as well as more troops. Please pack everything and come with me before it's too late, I know of a route where we can fight our way out, they're marching towards our location as we speak." I explain though I know I sound desperate with the way I speak to him.
It is then I see a Loweean soldier rushing towards the group, I can only guess this soldier is their scout.
"Bow, I have spotted a large Team Rocket army heading this way, I don't think we'll be able to hold them off Sir." The scout salutes while reporting to him.
Bow then looks at me while thinking about what I have said to him. I can sense that he is still suspicious of me, but from his body language I do think he's willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, though that's perhaps down to a lack of choice. But I do hope that I can earn his trust at very least.
"Very well lead us to your allies Butch. The rest of you pack your things we're leaving." Bow speaks with pride.
I then hear the Loweeans cheer with pride and they smile, appreciating my idea as they realise that even if they don't trust me, it's no worse than fighting to the death against Team Rocket at their camp.
"I hope that there isn't much resistance, I don't recall seeing any from where we're going but I know that there are plenty of patrols. If it comes to that I'll bring in my troops here. But first do you have any Loweean clothes with which I can disguise myself, along with a couple of weapons that you guys use?" I say to them.
Bow agrees to that as well as offering me a spare change of clothes for me in his tent. With our plan settled I rush to go and change, while they rush to pack their belongings consisting of vital supplies, spare clothes and even the occasional handheld console from Lowee as quickly as they can.
I hope White is alright, as now it shouldn't be much longer before we actually head back to Pallet Town. But it is unfortunate that just now she informs me that Pallet Town is invaded by Team Rocket, and they're quite outnumbered. I guess it's a race against time, although it does worry me that we might be too late. I just hope that Lastation is alright and that they'll have repelled the invasion, so Uni can provide assistance once again. I could do with more troops and supplies as well as being informed of what's going on. But at least I have met up with the Loweeans here and I just hope I can lead them to safety without too many casualties, though I have concerns that we could be in for one hell of a fight as we fight our way out of this cave.