So... been a while huh? I'm very sorry for how long it took to get this out. Work and trying to secure an internship have all been taking up my time. Thankfully, though, I finally managed to scrounge together enough time to get the beginning of the next arc started. I hope that you all enjoy!
A fist swung in towards Ash's head.
He stepped to the left, narrowly managing to avoid the blow. He tried to put some distance between him and his opponent by leaping backwards. It was a mistake. One he immediately regretted when his enemy took advantage of it, not giving him a chance to catch his breath or think. A swift kick - faster than he could dodge or block - struck him in the ribs. He grunted in pain and felt the wind get knocked out of his lungs. He hit the floor hard. His limbs burned with exhaustion and his vision swam, but he didn't stay where he was. He couldn't.
Training forced him to roll to the side to avoid the foot that came down where he used to be. He rolled backwards over his shoulder and forced himself to his feet. Behind him, he could hear the telltale sound of Pikachu firing off Thunderbolts against his own enemies. When he heard him cry out in pain, he couldn't help but turn to see his Partner being crushed under the metallic foot of a Metagross. Despite how much he struggled, it was clear that Pikachu couldn't do anything to escape.
"Pikachu!"
It was a mistake to turn and look. With his attention on his Pokemon, he didn't see what his opponent was doing. When his legs were swept out from under him, all he could do was gasp in surprise. Their boot was held against his throat, and he reflexively tried to pull it away. All it did was make his opponent push their boot even harder against his throat. This was the end. He couldn't do anything to escape.
"I-I yield..." He groaned out.
The boot pressed against his throat was taken off. He took in a sharp, deep breath now that he could breathe again. An amused snort reached his ears. He sat up and rubbed his throat, eyes drifting up towards his opponent that had tossed him around like a ragdoll.
"Better. You lasted a few seconds longer this time. The same goes for Pikachu." Anabel grinned and offered him a hand up. He gladly took it. He wasn't so sure he'd have been able to stand on his own. "Though you could still do better. You let yourself get distracted."
He frowned. "Pikachu was hurt."
"In a mock battle. You knew there was nothing to worry about." Anabel sighed and gestured to her Pokemon. Her Metagross lifted its leg off of Pikachu and stepped back. Ash rushed over to his partner and crouched down by his side. He looked over for any injuries beyond the norm - broken bones, signs of a concussion, or labored breathing. When he found none, he let out a relieved sigh and pulled him in close for a hug.
"Are you alright, buddy?"
"Pi."
"He says that he's fine, Ash." Anabel tossed him an ice-cold bottle of water. He gulped it down eagerly. "Why don't you two take some time to rest? We've been going for a few hours, so you should relax a bit. We'll continue later."
He flashed her a thumbs-up. He took a breath and laid down on the ground beneath him. As he felt Pikachu curl up on his chest in exhaustion as well, his mind drifted to the past few weeks. He had managed to escape Kanto not long after he had agreed to work with the International Police. The trip itself had been far more uneventful than he had suspected it would have been. A short, uncomfortable flight in the cargo bay of a plane to the Johto region and he was in the clear. He was safe - as much as he could be, anyway - from the authorities at the International Police's headquarters in the region.
He hadn't really known what to expect by joining them. Maybe some sort of ritualistic initiation involving strange robes and creepy chanting or an intense test of his skills and intelligence to prove he deserved to be there like in the movies. He hadn't expected to almost immediately be put to work training. Not just training Pikachu but training him as well. They taught him how to think outside the box. They taught him to better understand interregional law. He learned the importance of being able to lie and understand people. They even taught him the basics of investigative work. It was all interesting to learn. Extremely difficult and outside of his comfort zone, but he was eager and willing to learn as much as he could.
Unfortunately, he was also required to learn how to fight. According to Anabel and Looker, he needed to be able to defend himself in case his Pokemon couldn't. He could see the reasoning behind that and had tentatively been excited to learn. At least until he'd found out firsthand what he was expected to do. It wasn't just learning how to throw a punch or block a strike. It was intense training to build muscle, improve his reaction time, make him faster, and in general do whatever it took to make him stronger. The combat training in particular was unique since Anabel and Looker always had him train alongside Pikachu's battles. Sometimes even forcing him to try and defend himself against Pokemon themselves! Once he'd even seen Anabel punt Pikachu into the wall like a soccer ball!
Those days were always the most painful for the both of them.
Ash sat up with a groan, much to the dismay of his partner who slid down his chest to rest on the floor with a tired groan of his own. He looked towards Anabel to see her relaxing with her Pokemon. She wasn't even sweating... he tried not to let that crush his pride. She had been doing this a lot longer than him. Of course she would be better at handling the exertion than he was. He just needed to keep working at it and eventually he'd reach her level.
"Anabel, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
She glanced his way with curiosity in her eyes. "What's on your mind?"
"Why are you having me train to fight?" The question had been bugging him ever since they had been doing this. Up until now, though, he'd been too caught up actually training to question why he was doing it in the first place. "It seems pointless when I have Pikachu with me."
Anabel frowned and sat down across from him. Her Pokemon all did the same, curled up at her sides. "Why do you think it's pointless?"
"Well... Pikachu is the one who does most of the fighting. He's capable of doing a lot more than I can." It was just a fact of life that Pokemon were naturally capable of far more than Humans were. They could take far more punishment, perform amazing feats of strength and speed, manipulate the elements and the world around them... He'd heard Clemont talk about how Human could do the same one day with technology, but that was far in the future from what he'd been told. "What's the point when I'll be relying on him so much?"
She laughed. "I remember thinking the same thing when I was training. But it's not so simple." It certainly seemed simple to him. "It's true that most Humans can't naturally compete with Pokemon, but it's not so cut and dry. Take me, for instance."
He blinked in confusion. "You?"
She nodded. "I am a Psychic." She began. "While I can't levitate objects or attack others with my mind, I can defend myself from almost any form of psychic assault. I can link the minds of myself and those around me to allow instant, silent communication - something that is essential in a battle. Even putting me aside, other Psychics more powerful than me can potentially match Pokémon's telekinetic or telepathic abilities."
"That's different though." He rushed to point out. "Not everyone is Psychic like you. The rest of us can't really compare."
Something he'd learned early on in his journey. He could still remember when he first challenged Sabrina for her gym badge. He'd lost, of course. He'd gone in expecting to beat her with brute force and she'd toyed with him the entire time. After the loss, he and his friends had been teleported to an abandoned town and become her playthings. He'd learned his lesson after that. Psychics were on a whole other level compared to any other trainer. It was a lesson that was only reinforced the longer he'd gone on his journey.
He wasn't prepared for Anabel to reach across and flick his nose with an amused grin. He could only gape at her in surprise. He must have looked funny because she laughed, though she tried her best to hide it from him.
"Not true, Ash." She wagged her finger in his face. "While the average person can't use the same abilities as psychics, they can become strong enough to fend off a Pokemon - at least up to a certain point."
"But how?"
"Simple physical strength and skill." She told him. "Haven't you ever wondered why martial artists train directly alongside their Fighting type Pokemon? How they're able to do that even though Pokemon are supposedly so superior to Humans?"
He... hadn't. It just seemed like a normal, everyday thing. He'd been more focused on traveling with his friends and training for the Pokemon League. There had never been any time to think about the differences between Humans and Pokemon in detail.
"Fighting types use the same martial arts as Humans, so martial artists train alongside them all the time without suffering any serious harm." She explained. "There's many instances of Humans being able to beat Pokemon of all types thanks to superior skill and a good deal of creativity." She paused for a moment. A frown crossed her face and her violet brows furrowed. "That doesn't mean it's advised that you fight Pokemon yourself, though. Only as a matter of last resort when our enemies Pokemon manage to break past your own."
Only as a last resort... he should have expected that. The battles he took part in from now on wouldn't be regulated by the Pokemon League. There wouldn't be anyone to stop his opponents from ordering their Pokemon to maim or kill him. When his Pokemon fainted, they wouldn't stop attacking or politely wait for him to switch. The old rules had been thrown out the window. He wouldn't be fighting for a gym badge or the prestige. He would be fighting for survival and justice.
He'd have to get used to it if he planned on sticking around.
"Is that why you've had your Pokemon attack me during training? Why you've attacked Pikachu?"
She nodded swiftly. "Better you both get the experience here in a safe, controlled environment than an actual battle. Your mistakes won't be punished so severely here." She explained. "With luck, you'll only personally have to fight other Humans. It's why I'm your main sparring partner, after all."
He frowned. "How often do you think I'm going to have to use that experience?"
Anabel let out a sigh. "If you're lucky, not often. Pikachu should hopefully be enough to handle any Pokemon. If he can't, though, you need to be able to defend yourself long enough to either get away or find a way to beat them." She quickly got to her feet and offered him a hand up. "Ready to continue? I think you've gotten enough rest."
Ash glanced down at Pikachu. He looked ready to go another round with her Pokemon, albeit reluctantly. He accepted her hand and got to his feet. He was determined to do better. If learning how to defend himself from Pokemon and how to fight multiple opponents at once was what he needed to, then that was what he would do. It didn't matter how long it took or how painful it was!
Misty hadn't called him a stubborn fool for nothing!
"I'm ready when you are."
He wasn't ready.
If there was one thought flowing through Looker's head as he overlooked Ash's training, it was how unprepared Ash was for the tasks ahead of him. He had a willingness to learn beyond the average recruit. Even if the lessons were difficult, the boy took to them with an eagerness that could only help him. Truthfully, he was learning fast for someone with no prior experience in law enforcement. While he took to the combat training the easiest, the reports on his progress all claimed that despite a reluctance on his part to lie to others, Ash had a natural affinity for the more covert part of the job. While his investigative skills were only average at best, the reports assured him that with time he could become competent enough to operate on his own.
It wasn't enough though.
No matter how eager Ash was in his training or how skilled he had the potential to become, it wouldn't change the fact that he wasn't ready for the missions ahead of them. His inexperience would only get in the way. He would make mistakes. Mistakes that could tip off the enemy to their presence and make their mission far more difficult. He would hesitate in the critical, life or death situations the job often put them through as anyone unused to being in those situations would. He could be hurt or killed if he were sent into the field as he was now, to say nothing of the risk everyone around him would be in as well.
Their next mission all but required someone who knew what they were doing. Even Anabel - a rookie herself- was far more experienced and had the fundamentals of the job down. She would still be learning, but the skills she brought with her would only benefit the mission. The same could not be said for Ash. The best thing for Looker to do would be to leave Ash behind. Theoretically, the boy would be safe here among the International Police. He could continue to improve until he was finally ready to join him and Anabel in the field. Meanwhile the two of them could work at their best and strike a blow against Team Rocket.
Sadly, that wasn't possible. While Looker wanted to believe that the International Police were incorruptible, he wasn't so naive. He didn't doubt that there were members of the International Police that were corrupt and had been bought or blackmailed by Team Rocket into being a mole. It was why individual agents were cautioned against sharing the details of their missions with those that weren't involved. If they weren't careful, Team Rocket could learn of their plans and adapt. The damage they could cause to the organization would be disastrous.
Which was why he couldn't afford to leave Ash behind. If he did, it was possible that a traitor in their ranks would kill Ash. Then all that potential he had would go to waste. Ash would never get the justice he deserved and any future he may have had once this was all over would crumble into dust.
For better or worse, Ash would be accompanying Looker and Anabel on their next mission. They'd have to continue his training themselves during the mission. With luck, Ash wouldn't hinder their mission too much and they could finish without any bloodshed. Perhaps Ash would even benefit from some on the job experience and come out the other side better for it.
Only time would tell.
For Proton, life was good. He ate the finest foods, he slept on the softest of silk sheets, and he mingled with high society like he was born among the fools. For a Unovan kid who grew up within the system, it was a massive step up from eating processed food from a can or sleeping on a bed that stabbed him in the back as he slept.
Sitting here in an immaculate dining room covered in expensive gold and silver ornaments, he couldn't help but let his mind wander. Joining Team Rocket had been one of the best decisions he had ever made. It had been nothing more than an impulse job at first. A freelance gig to help break into a bank when he had been in a rough position and needed the cash. One good performance there and an impressive pay off afterwards, and he was all too eager to join this mysterious organization from far away Kanto. A single year of grueling training, a few more years working his way through the ranks to prove his worth to his superiors, and a good deal of cruelty and ruthlessness had paid off when he had ascended to the rank of Admin all before he was even thirty years old.
A monumental achievement that promised him a future of wealth and power. He twirled the gleaming silver knife in his hand and stabbed it into the berry salad he had in front of him. Fresh and juicy Pecha, Oran, and Sitrus berries all topped with a nice helping of whipped cream. His favorite. If all the other foods arrayed in front of him were just as good, he'd have to find a way to wrangle the recipe out of the cook. He absentmindedly stroked the Lillipup tensely huddled into his side.
He glanced up when he heard someone enter the dining room and felt a cocky grin work its way onto his face. "Good evening, Mr. Caffrye."
Mr. Caffrye was exactly what one would expect from an art authenticator. He looked every bit the snooty, arrogant Kalosian everyone pictured right down to the greasy, slicked back hair, the formal suit a size too small, and a general air of superiority to all those around him. From what Proton had heard, the man's personality did nothing to offset the poor first impression his appearance could give. According to his people, the man was a sleazy pig with a penchant for wine and absolutely zero capability of holding his liquor. Add in that the man was rude to everyone he met and only knew how to shout at the top of his lungs?
Well Proton could understand why his wife would cheat on the man with Alto Mare's mayor.
At the moment, Mr. Caffrye's face was turning an ugly shade of red, and his face scrunched up in disgust. "Who the hell are you?"
He laughed and hoisted the Lillipup in his lap up with one arm. He pressed a mocking kiss to its neck before taking another bite off his knife of the fruit salad in front of him. "No need to be worried, Mr. Caffrye. Bartrand and I are getting along splendidly." He twirled his knife and pointed it towards the bowl. "Care for a berry? It's absolutely delicious. Far better than the local mush I could get from this city's trash that's passed off as food at the produce market."
Mr. Caffrye reached into his pocket. "I'm calling the police." The man growled. He didn't get far, though. Proton let out a tired sigh and snapped his fingers. On cue, his Crobat swooped down from the ceiling and knocked the phone from the man's hand. Mr. Caffrye let out a startled yep and leapt back. His Crobat growled and barred its fangs, venom dripping to the floor. It sizzled where it landed, leaving nothing but holes where floor had once been.
With the way the man shook, it was clear he understood that he wasn't to try something like that again.
"Mr. Caffrye, you and I both know that you're the authenticator for a certain auction being held soon." Proton began. "One where a number of high-profile paintings, sculptures, and ancient artifacts will be sold to eager collectors from all over the world."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." The lie was plain as day and they both knew it. "I'm just a simple art collector. I don't authenticate anything!"
Proton stabbed another slice of Pecha berry. "You really should try some of this. They're so juicy and perfectly ripe. It's an explosion of flavor in your mouth." He laughed and audibly bit into the slice. "The auction. I'll be slipping a few forgeries into the line-up. You're going to authenticate them as the real ones and help drive the price up."
Mr. Caffrye sneered. "If you hurt him..."
The Lillipup whimpered in Proton's arms. A toothy grin crossed his features, and he held the knife up so that it gleamed in the light. "I'm not a monster, Mr. Caffrye. I would never harm such an innocent creature like this." He tightened his grip on his knife and threw it towards the pathetic excuse for a man. It was almost funny how quickly the man collapsed to the floor after it sunk into his thigh. The way he flailed around like a beached Wailmer, clutching his wound with no idea what to do... it was definitely the highlight of his day so far. Rich bastards like this one always thought they were untouchable. Even when they were clearly at someone else's mercy.
Sadly, it couldn't last.
With a regretful sigh, he placed the Lillipup on the ground and stalked over to the man on the ground. He ripped the knife out of him - careful not to damage an artery but otherwise uncaring about whatever pain it caused the man. He wiped the blade of the knife clean of blood and set it on the table. With a snap of his fingers, Crobat landed on the man's chest with its fangs barred and hovering mere millimeters away from puncturing his jugular.
Mr. Caffrye stilled.
"You on the other hand..."
"W-why are you even interested in the auction in the first place!?" Caffrye cried out.
He raised his foot and pressed it against the man's wound. Hard. "None of your business." He chuckled as he saw the man squirm in pain. "All you need to know is if you do what I want you live, and I'll kick a little of the profits your way. You don't..."
Crobat growled with a bloodthirsty gleam to its eyes.
"Fine." Caffrye whimpered. "Just leave me and my family alone. I'll do what you want."
Proton lifted his foot and clicked his tongue at his Crobat. It was clear that it had been hoping Caffrye refused or put up more of a fight. It very reluctantly lifted itself off of the man's chest, but not before spitting a glob of poison directly next to the man's head. Proton was thankful it had missed and merely ate a hole in the floor. Watching what his Crobat's venom was capable of doing to a body wasn't pleasant to watch when he'd just eaten himself.
He returned Crobat to its Poke ball and tipped his hat at the man. "I'm so glad you've seen things my way. I think eventually you'll come to enjoy this partnership. Tell your wife I said hello and to give me a call." With a jolly whistle on his lips, he left Caffrye and his Lillipup in the man's kitchen to tend to the damage that had been done. It was a shame to leave behind all that wonderful looking food, but he other work to deal with today. The downside of power often was that he had little time for himself.
At least he got to have a bit of fun. As he let himself out of Caffrye's home, he saw that the grunts he had brought along with him were approaching. He stalked down the street at a slow enough pace for them to catch up. If they were willing to break their cover and openly approach him, he'd give them the chance to explain why. For their sake, he hoped they had a good reason.
"What is it?"
The grunt audibly gulped in fear. "How did it go, sir?"
Was that it? "It went well. That fat bastard will do whatever I want. The man is more cowardly than a Golisopod." Useful for their purposes. With him authenticating their forgeries, Team Rocket would be able to launder tens of millions through the auction without having to worry about the authorities looking into it too deeply. A stroke of genius on his part as far as he was concerned. Hidden among all of the legitimate purchases was a gold mine. Sadly, this would be a one-time occurrence, but soon enough his other ideas for front businesses would become a reality.
He'd prove to Giovanni that he was his most valuable Admin. "I hope there was more to your approaching me than that, grunt."
They nodded. "Yes, sir. We received a call from headquarters... Giovanni wants to know what kind of progress you're making on our other mission."
His heart skipped a beat. He whirled around and grabbed the grunt by the neck of their shirt to pull them close. Close enough that the worthless little grunt could see the promise of murder within his eyes. "What. Did. You. Tell. Him?"
The grunt shut their eyes. The fear rolling off of them was so strong Proton was almost convinced they would pass out from fear with how badly they were shaking. "We-we told them that everything was going according to plan. That we had almost found the Latias and were close to capturing it!"
Reluctantly, Proton released the grunt and allowed them to tumble to the ground. He sneered down at them. For all that Team Rocket had grown in strength, there were always weak-willed fools in their ranks. Hopefully once he proved how skilled he was to the boss, he could finally get some actually competent agents here. Until then he would just have to deal with the trash he was given.
"Make sure it stays that way." He paused for a moment. His hand noticeably drifted to Crobat's Poke ball. "The next time Giovanni calls, none of you are to pick up. Understand? I am the only one who will be speaking to our boss."
The grunt didn't so much speak their agreement as they did whimper and nod up at him. With a scoff, Proton stalked off down the road without paying the grunt or their weakness another thought.
While Proton's efforts to establish Team Rocket within Alto Mare and effectively turn the city into a port for their own operations were going successfully so far aside from a few minor hiccups, his efforts to find that Latias or any trace of the Soul Dew had still bore no fruit. No matter how much he encouraged his subordinates or how hard he himself searched, there was no trace of that annoying Legendary. Every lead they followed ended in a dead end and them looking like fools to the other Admins for not being able to find one Pokemon. Even their efforts to locate schematics for the DMA without arousing suspicion hadn't turned up anything!
He growled. He'd have liked to see the others try to find it, just so he could laugh and mock them when they inevitably failed. It was always easier to criticize others for their failures so long as you weren't the one experiencing the same issues. A Legendary that lived within a secret garden and could turn itself invisible on top of that meant that even if they did find the damn thing, they'd need to go in with everything they had just to have a chance of catching it. The attention that would bring to them would be bothersome and they'd likely lose at least half their people to battle or police arrest, but if it meant capturing such a rare Pokemon and a once in a lifetime find of an artifact?
It would all be worth it.
"My everything hurts..."
Anabel laughed and patted him on the shoulder. It took everything Ash had just to resist groaning in pain. "Oh, come on, Ash. It wasn't that bad."
He sent a glare her way. Her smile told him it had absolutely no effect. "You're not the one who got thrown around like a Human pinball." He let out a tired sighed. "That Espeon of yours is really strong. And that Metagross... I think it doesn't like me."
Anabel tilted her head. "What makes you say that?"
He grimaced. "Well, it kept bouncing me against the wall a little more forcefully than it needed to. I know he was holding back, but still..."
She hummed and tapped her chin in thought. "Well, Metagross is pretty prideful. It may still be angry about the time you and Pikachu beat it." Her eyes glanced to his partner on his shoulder. "Speaking of, I hope you're alright Pikachu. Do you need to see a doctor?"
Pikachu shook his head, though he winced at the movement. Clearly his old buddy was just as sore as him, even if he couldn't voice that the same way that he could.
"I'm fine too, you know. No need to see a doctor here..."
She chuckled. "Don't be so sarcastic, Ash. If you need to see a doctor, I'll take you there afterwards. Or if you'd prefer, I can take a look at you." She offered. "I am trained in field medicine, after all."
She was? Was that something she had to learn herself or was it something he'd be taught while he was with the International Police as well? A part of him hoped that he would. Who knew what could happen in the field that he may have to deal with, however far away that may be?
"Would you? Are you any good at it?"
She scoffed. "Of course I am!" A smirk stretched across her face, and she cupped her gloved hands in front of her. "I'll just need to knock you unconscious. Can't have you squirming around while I poke and prod your body to see what's wrong. Especially if I need to break out the scalpels."
He gulped and let out a nervous laugh. "N-no thanks, Anabel! I'm actually feeling fine!" He practically shouted. "I could actually go for a mile run once this is over just to prove how great I'm feeling!"
Anabel rolled her eyes and patted his head. "Well don't work too hard. Remember to give your body the time it needs to rest." She glanced around the room they were in. It was a simple room with grey walls, a small rectangular table in the center, and a large TV on the wall. "I wonder where Looker is? And why he wants you here for this?"
"Here for what?"
"A mission briefing, Ash." Looker answered as he entered the room. There was a bundle of files underneath his arms. "Anabel and I are going on a mission. And you are coming with us."
Anabel shot to her feet and slammed her hands on the table. "What!?" She shrieked. "Looker, are you insane? Ash has barely even started his training!"
She was right! He still didn't know the first thing about this job! He could barely grasp the intense form of battles the International Police used, let alone how to blend in with others or how to sniff out a crime! He'd been told it would take at least a year - potentially more - for him to complete the training. Why would Looker want to take him with them? Ash would just drag them down! He told the man exactly that.
Looker frowned and set the files he had down on the table. "He'll learn better on the job than he would here. It's not like he has no experience in dangerous situations, after all." He held up a hand to stop both of their objections and let out a tired sigh. "Listen, I share your concerns. But... the truth is he'll be safer with us out there than he would be here."
What?
Anabel's eyes narrowed. "You think that Rocket has people in the International Police?"
What!?
Looker nodded. "I do. Anyone with even a basic grasp of the situation would think the same. Whatever danger he would be in on the mission, he would at least have the two of us to protect him."
She glanced towards him. "I see... I understand then. I don't like it, but I understand." She sat back down.
Ash wasn't nearly so understanding. "What do you mean I wouldn't be safe here?" He demanded. This was the International Police. An organization dedicated to justice and investigating crimes. The idea that someone could actually be working for Team Rocket among them sounded ludicrous to him.
"There are traitors within the International Police." His eyes widened. Looker sighed. "Don't be so naive, Ash."
"It's just... why would they do that?"
Looker crossed his arms. "You tell me. Consider it an extension of your training. Why would they do it?"
Why would someone betray the International Police? Well...
"Bribes." He began. "Maybe they felt they need the money because of something going on in their personal life with their family or their health? Or maybe they feel that they deserve more than they have?"
"Indeed. Money is and always will be a big motivator in why people commit acts of betrayal." Looker commended. "What else?"
Ash hummed in thought. "Maybe... maybe they're being blackmailed? Maybe they did something in their past, and it's being used against them or they're threatening the people they care about?" He tentatively offered.
"Correct. Those are just two of many reasons that someone can betray their allies and friends for." Looker sat down at the table across from the two of them. "There are more, but those are the two primary and most likely reasons. You'll see that once you get into the field."
Ash couldn't exactly say that he was looking forward to that, but he wouldn't shy away from it either.
"So, what's our mission? Where are we going?" Anabel sighed. "Please tell me we're not throwing Ash into the fire right away."
Looker didn't say a word.
He felt his stomach drop.
"Damn it, Looker..."
Looker had the decency to cough and look away in embarrassment. "It's not that bad." He started. "It's not that different than what we would have been doing in Viridian city. We'll be rooting out corruption to strike a blow against Team Rocket!"
Ash couldn't help but find a problem with that. "Weren't you tricked into thinking the leader of Team Rocket was your ally and being played like a fiddle?"
"He makes a good point, Looker. This had better be nothing like Viridian."
"..." Looker hung his head and flicked on the TV. "So, we'll be going to Alto Mare. It's an island city in the south of Johto. It's well known for-"
"For its canals, it's ties to the Legendary Pokemon Latias and Latios, and an annual race through the canals of the city every year called the Tour de Alto Mare." He finished. "I went there when I younger on my journey through Johto. It was... an experience."
It was the only way he could describe it without going into what really happened there. A simple vacation to that wonderful city had turned into one of the most dangerous experiences of his entire life. The dead returned to hunt him and his friends down, the very water itself turned against them, and more than once he had nearly died. Thinking back now, it was one of his first real exposures to Team Rocket's true nature. In hindsight, it made him feel like a fool for not taking them more seriously. He was paying the price for it now.
It looked like his second trip to the city would only be marginally less dangerous this time. He hoped he didn't run into any of his old friends while he was there. He wasn't ready to face anyone from his past yet. He wasn't sure he would be until he cleared his name.
"You've been there before?" Looker hummed in thought. "Hopefully, you'll be able to give us some more details or potential contacts we could use while we're there."
"Well while I'm glad we'll be going somewhere nice, I'd like a little more detail about what we're dealing with." Anabel interjected. "How strong is Team Rocket's presence in the city?"
"Unfortunately, they've entrenched themselves within the city over the past eight months. They've turned it into a port for their illegal smuggling operations." Looker explained. "Practically fifty percent of all shipments being smuggled in and out of Johto are passing through the city. Our people within Team Rocket mentioned that they were looking for something in the city, but they couldn't find out what."
Ash had a gnawing suspicion that he knew what it was. He had to hope that he was wrong. A part of him wanted to bring it up with Anabel and Looker but until he knew exactly what Team Rocket's other goal within Alto Mare was, he wouldn't betray the trust that had been placed in him. Not if there was no reason.
"So, we can expect to have a hard time while we're there. What are the chances that the police have been paid off by them?" Anabel asked.
"Actually, the police of Alto Mare seem to be more competent than those of other cities. Or at least less corruptible." Looker grinned. "According to our information, they've made a few high-profile arrests and raids on Team Rocket operations. Just recently they managed to confiscate millions in illegal contraband and free over two dozen poached Pokemon."
Anabel laughed. "We'll be working with people that know what they're doing? That's reassuring."
"Indeed. What isn't so reassuring is the man leading this cell of Team Rocket." With the click of a button, Looker changed the image on the screen from Alto Mare to an intimidating looking man in the Team Rocket uniform. On the surface he looked attractive and stood out with his neon green hair, but what caught Ash's attention was the look in his eyes. Even through the still image on screen, Ash could see a cruelty behind his eyes.
"Who is that?"
"That is Proton. An Admin of Team Rocket." Looker let out a sigh. "We don't have much on him. He was in and out of Unovan foster care as a child and fell in with Team Rocket not long after he became an adult. From there he quickly rose through their ranks, leaving a trail of victims in his wake. All either dead or maimed. Some were even fellow members of Team Rocket."
Anabel frowned. "He sounds like a monster."
"He's called the 'Hammer' for a reason. Even compared to other members of this organization, he's a special kind of monster." Looker narrowed his eyes and glared at the picture of Proton. "Arresting him is one of our top priorities. If we do that then not only do we score a major win against Team Rocket, but we can also get justice for all the people he's hurt."
Anabel nodded. "Agreed. Let's just remember to be careful. I doubt he rose so high within Team Rocket by being a fool."
Ash couldn't agree more. From the sound of it, Proton was an entirely different kind of criminal than he was used to. There wouldn't be any long-winded mottos or chance to escape if things went wrong. If Ash messed up here, then he or the others could all end up dead and no one would be left to stop whatever this Proton was doing. He'd have to do his best to learn on the fly and use what little training he'd been given.
"Are the police already looking for him?" They had to be when it came to a man like him.
"Unfortunately, no. It's likely that Proton is operating under an alias and flew under the radar of the local authorities." Looker pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's not uncommon for people to pass dangerous criminals on the street and have no idea who they are. It happens all the time, especially for those who can be charming when they have to."
Ash glared at the picture of Proton and could feel Pikachu doing the same. The idea that a man like him was walking around free without a care in the world... it got to him more than he thought it would.
"The truth is that when it comes to criminals, most people will never remember their names and faces unless they do something particularly horrifying and attention grabbing. Not even if they were on a most wanted list." Anabel added. "Still... this will work to our advantage. A new identity and a small disguise should be all you need to get into the city."
He frowned in worry. "Are you sure that no one will notice me?"
"Not unless you're openly declaring who you are or run into people that you know." Looker assured him. "Just trust us and have some faith in your own ability. We'll take every precaution to get you into the city with us."
Ash let out a sigh. "Alright. I'll trust you. And I promise that I'll do my best to pull my weight and be useful to you both while we're there."
"We know you will." Looker offered the two of them a smile. "However long we're there, I can guarantee that by the time we leave Alto Mare it will be with Proton in our custody and his operation burned to cinders. Team Rocket won't know what hit them."
Humans were confusing creatures. Even though she had grown up among Humans and lived with them practically her entire life, they still found ways to confuse her. They were capable of building such wonderful, beautiful architecture that could capture the imagination and stand the test of time for potentially thousands of years. They were natural storytellers in a way that a Pokemon couldn't compete with - not in a million years. Despite being a naturally weak species, their science allowed them to do such wonderful things and help so many people. To top it all off, Humans were capable of such kindness and selflessness that they could move even the darkest of hearts. Many Humans were willing to go to extreme lengths to help those they didn't know or would gain nothing from.
For all their greatness, though, Humans could be evil in a way that no Pokemon could ever hope to come close to. Their obsession with their money - their pure greed - hurt so many people and destroyed lives for no reason. They hurt others not to defend themselves or those they loved or to grow stronger like Pokemon did, but for more selfish reasons. Hatred, greed, lust, pride... the list of reasons went on. The number of times that the world had been on the brink of catastrophe due to Human actions within the last few years alone was enough to make a damning case against them. Even disregarding that, numerous Pokemon had lost someone close to them because of Human actions - herself included.
Despite how confusing they were, she still loved them. She could only hope that one day they would all become the paragons of virtue that the best of them were. Until then she'd do what she could to mitigate the actions of those with evil in their hearts and protect their victims.
It was why she found herself here within a small warehouse at the docks of Alto Mare late at night. A group of Humans were using it to store their... what was the word Bianca had used? Contraband? Drugs? Weapons? One of those. She wasn't here for that, though. What the Humans did with their strange items didn't matter to her nearly as much as the real reason she was here: the Pokemon in cages hidden behind stacks upon stacks of boxes.
These Pokemon were of varying different species and types taken from all across the globe. The fear and anger were rolling off of them would have been enough to overwhelm a lesser psychic. Abducted from their homes and loved ones, taken to an unfamiliar place, and locked in a tiny cage, all while they had received little to eat beyond the scraps their captors chose to give them. Many of them were dripping blood from untreated wounds or were covered in terrible bruises. If she didn't do anything to help them, they were destined to be sold to Humans with cruel intentions and forced to live dangerous lives. She would do everything in her power to help them escape.
If Bianca had done her part, then the police would be on their way. Until they arrived, she would need to get to work freeing these unfortunate souls and setting the authorities up for success.
Thankfully, she was capable of turning herself invisible. She could float right in front of these criminals, and they would have no idea she was there until she revealed herself. As she maneuvered her way through the warehouse towards the imprisoned Pokemon, she reached out to the minds of the Humans around her and planted a suggestion in their minds to stay away from that area for the next few minutes. With luck, most of them would have followed that suggestion. It would have been easier to take control of them and force them unconscious or to set them Pokemon free, but she never did like messing with people's minds. It felt wrong to rob someone of their free will, even if they were a criminal.
She reached out and took hold of the doors to the cages with her mind. With practiced ease, she tore the doors from the hinges of the cages and set them aside. The Pokemon inside frantically looked around to see what had freed them before tentatively stepping outside their cages and into the open. She could practically feel the relief rolling off of them all now that they were finally out of their cages. But in the back of their minds, she could also sense an underlying fear of the Humans capturing them again.
"Does anyone know what just happened?" One of them - an elderly Durant - asked.
She chose that moment to reveal herself to them all. "I happened." She smiled. The shows she used to watch with Bianca as a child always said that smiles made people feel better. "You're welcome."
"L-lady Latias!?"
"Am I seeing things?"
"What is a Legendary doing here?"
"I knew someone would save us!"
Latias frowned. This wasn't good. With how much noise they were all making, it wouldn't be long until the Humans found them. "Yes, it's me but please don't call me lady." She wasn't old and bitter yet! "I heard what was happening here and came to help. Quickly though, do any of you have the strength left to fight?"
Her question was met with a tense silence and dejected murmurs. She had to stop herself from frowning in worry. She'd suspected as much given the conditions they were living in, but she was an eternal optimist and had wanted to hope that they would be strong enough to fight. Worse, she could hear Human's closing in and releasing their own Pokemon from their Poke balls.
"I need you all to hide." She quickly turned herself invisible once more. The Pokemon she had freed weren't nearly as shocked as they were when she had initially appeared. "Once you do, I'll create a distraction to give you a chance to escape. The Humans police are on their way. If you can't escape, they'll be able to help."
The Pokemon scattered at her command. Despite the fear she could feel from them, she could also tell that there was a spark of hope blossoming in their hearts. She would do her best to make sure that it wasn't extinguished.
When the Humans and their Pokemon saw that their prisoners were no longer in their cages, they began shouting and spreading out to search for them. Some began to look for clues to track them down. They wouldn't get so far. Latias used her Psychic to grip all of the large containers within the warehouse - some stacked so high they reached the ceiling - and threw them towards the group of criminals. Slow enough that they would be able to move out of the way, but fast and loudly enough to catch their attention.
She didn't want to kill any of them, after all.
While the Humans scrambled to dodge her attacks and find out what was going on, she subtly steered them away from the Pokémon's hiding places. By the time the police arrived, it was to a scene of Humans cowering on the ground and rushing towards them for protection from the floating cargo containers hurtling towards them. All while their own Pokemon were unconscious on the ground from having been slammed or squished by the numerous objects housed within the warehouse.
It was only after the police figured out what was going on and arrested the criminals that she lowered the crates to the ground. She sent a telepathic signal to the Pokemon that had been imprisoned - all of whom had left their hiding spots to watch her torment their abusers - and advised them to go to the police as well. Slowly, they followed her advice and emerged from the shadows and walked towards the crowd of dumbstruck police and terrified criminals.
Latias let out a quiet, pleased laugh and took off into the night towards her home. She had done everything she could for those Pokemon. It would be up to the police to help them now. It was a job well done tonight as far as she was concerned. With luck, tomorrow would be just as successful if she found another group of criminals harming others.
Bianca would be so proud!
So what did you all think? I hope it lived up to your expectations and that you all enjoyed it! I'm looking to get the next chapter out within the next 2-3 weeks. Until then, I hope you all have a lovely time!