It was official: Anabel despised auctions.
There was just something about them that tested her patience. Those that attended them were all among the most stuck up, dull people that she'd ever had the misfortune to meet. Anyone who decided to spend thousands, hundreds of thousands, or potentially even millions on useless baubles and paintings was someone that didn't deserve that money. The worst part was that they always felt that they were the center of the universe and therefore deserved to be lavished with attention from everyone around them. It was sickening.
Then there was the pointless small talk and boasting about how they would easily be able to buy what they wished. Or the endless talks about business ventures and pointless gossip about their rivals. Some were even bold enough to talk about criminal activity in the open! As though they were untouchable! If she didn't have something more important to do, she'd have liked to prove them wrong just so she could see the looks on their faces as they were dragged out of here like a common criminal.
Back when she had still been a Frontier Brain, she'd been invited to events like this all the time. Auctions, parties, balls; anything that the rich and powerful could use to show off how much better they were than their peers. Some had been held for good causes and she didn't mind attending those, but the rest? She burned all the invitations and pretended she never received them. Of course, that didn't help with the one's that she actually did attend. With everyone clamoring to convince her to let them become her sponsor or join them in a 'business' venture, they quickly became annoying within moments of arriving.
Mercifully, she hadn't needed to deal with any of that since stepping down from her position as Frontier Brain to begin her training with the International Police. The universe must have had a sadistic sense of humor though, because how else would she find herself back at another auction?
At least here she had an alias so that no one knew who she was.
Looker nudged her in her side. She sent him her most withering glare. The bastard had the audacity to laugh!
"Don't look so miserable. It's not every day we get to mingle with the rich and famous." Looker snatched a tiny appetizer off the tray of a waiter and popped it into his mouth. "You might as well enjoy the luxuries before things get serious."
Anabel rolled her eyes. "I can't. My time as a Frontier Brain ruined any chance that I could ever enjoy this stuff." She let out a sigh. "You really shouldn't fill up on snacks though. Knowing our luck, something is going to catch on fire or Proton will find out we're here and run. Then this whole thing will be pointless."
Looker flickered her nose. She narrowed her eyes and jabbed him in the gut in retaliation. Amusement rolled off of him in waves.
"Don't focus so much on what-if's." He advised. "We've prepared as best we can. If we fail, then we'll learn from our mistakes and try again. Worrying about what can go wrong all but guarantees that something will. You need to focus on what's in front of you."
Anabel sighed. He was right. He could be a bit strange at times, but Looker knew what he was talking about. "I'll... try."
He smiled. "Good. Because Proton is alone at the moment and the closer that you are to him, the smoother this will go."
She nodded and shifted her eyes to their target. Among the more powerful members of Team Rocket, Proton was known for two things: his cruelty and his love for the finer things in life. It was why she wasn't surprised to see that he had chosen to arrive in a blindingly white suit accompanied with stark white gloves and fedora. Even among the array of colors that everyone had chosen to dress in, white stood out the most. Given his flair for the dramatic, she wasn't surprised to see him doing his damnedest to draw attention to himself.
She began her approach, adding a subtle sway to her hips and plastering a warm smile on her face. Their eyes met from across the room, and she could see the interest in them. The plan was simple: get close to him. Play to his ego and make him believe that she was interested. Then after the auction once they were alone - with no innocent bystanders around that could be put in danger - they would spring the trap. And if anything went wrong along the way, Looker would be close by to respond with Ash and the others not far behind.
It was as good a plan as any considering they'd had barely any time to prepare.
Sadly, as was the norm for them nowadays, something went wrong.
It all seemed so normal at first. The guests were busy chatting about pointless gossip, the waiters were putting on fake smiles for everyone, and the security was sitting around completely bored out of their minds. Then the doors to the auction were thrown open. Before anyone could properly react, over a dozen Golbat flew through the doors and made a beeline straight for the security. The shock at the entrance must have been too much or maybe they just weren't used to actually needing to do anything. Whatever the case, none of them stood a chance of fighting back as the Golbat latched onto the necks of security and tore them apart in a spray of ruby red blood.
They were followed closely by a horde of Raticate and over a dozen members of Team Rocket members. They proudly wore their uniforms and strode in with all the exaggerated swagger of people who knew they were in absolute control of the situation.
One of the guests close by to the door - an older man in his fifties by the looks of it - must have thought that he could do something about that. He surged towards them with a snarl on his face. "What is the meaning of this you criminal-"
He never got the chance to finish his demand. One of the Rocket's took a single look at the man, scoffed, and slammed their fist into the man's face. He went down like a sack of bricks. The grunt then hopped up onto one of the tables and spread his arms wide, a maniacal gleam in his eyes.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" He began. "Tonight's performance is brought to you by random acts of violence!"
On his que, chaos erupted in the room. The Golbat which had previously been busy ripping into the security for the auction flew into the air and began harassing the guests, yanking them into the air and roughly dropping them to the ground. The Raticate which had swarmed the room began to let off their own attacks, tearing into the walls and lightly nipping at the limbs of those who had fallen from the grasp of the Golbat's. The Rocket grunts themselves began to flip tables and toss the guests around who had been spared the ire of their Pokemon.
Her hand drifted to wear her Poke balls should have been. When it grasped nothing but air, though, she swore under her breath and moved out of the way of a pair of Raticate's chasing a man. The auction had made no Pokemon a requirement. A way to show that it would be fair and ensure no one could use them to steal the objects for sale. A decision that left them all helpless before Team Rocket.
The grunt hopped down off the table and let out a laugh. "Man, I love show business!" He cheered. "Okay boys and girls, let's have some fun!"
One of the people trapped in the room - the authenticator for the auction known as Mr. Caffrye - managed to find the courage to speak up. "W-what is it you people want!?" He shouted. "Why are you killing people? This was meant to be a simple auction!"
She couldn't agree more. Team Rocket was supposed to be using this auction to sell their forgeries. Killing and terrifying the clients wasn't going to earn them anything but the ire of the public and more attention on their actions. It made no sense! They must have missed something in their preparations, or something had happened to make Team Rocket change their plans.
The grunt wagged his finger at the man. "Settle down there, big boy. No need to get yourself worked up. Kindly hand over your Pokegear and any other communication devices while I explain." He chuckled. "We are just here to do a little shopping. Pick up some of those tiny cakes you horde, maybe a bottle of wine or two. Ah, and we can't forget a couple of those little bits of art you've got. They'll look great in my living room!"
Anabel's eyes drifted to Looker's. Through their mental link, she could feel the same questions on her mind plaguing him.
"Looker-"
"I know, Anabel." He growled into her mind. Across the room, he was busy patching up the wound one of the younger guests had taken. "Can you contact those on the outside?"
She frowned. "Not without a link and not from this far away. What about the comms? They were supposed to warn us about stuff like this!"
"Jammed. I tried to reach them the moment this started. Team Rocket must have known that the police were here and come prepared."
She swore under her breath. That shouldn't have been possible. The only ones that knew were them and the police. She'd felt the emotions of each member of the local police that they'd brought along with them and not a single one felt anything that would have even remotely indicated they were in Team Rocket's pocket. They'd even gone a step further and watched the local police aiding them to make sure they didn't pass along a message.
So how could they have known? Who could have told them?
"It is possible this isn't actually Team Rocket and just a local gang impersonating them." Even through the mental link, she could feel his disbelief. "Though given their level of preparation and confidence, I doubt that."
Anabel turned her attention to Proton. Even though he looked every bit the fearful guest just like everyone else, underneath she could tell that he was anything but. The emotions rolling off of him were nothing except for smug superiority and arrogance. He wasn't concerned whatsoever.
"It's the real Team Rocket." She narrowed her eyes. "What do we do, sir?"
"It's simple. With no weapons, no Pokemon, and a room full of hostages? We wait for an opening to get these people out of here and call for help."
"What about the others? They must know what's going on."
"Probably." She could feel the concern coming from her leader. "If Petrovic knows what he's doing, he's waiting for reinforcements before he comes charging in. I may hate the man, but he's not stupid. Not completely."
"If he charges in here before we can get these people out, they're going to get caught in the crossfire."
"He won't care. Which is why we need to get them out before it comes to that."
Wonderful. So, on top of needing to somehow sneak an entire ballroom full of people - some of them injured and all of them terrified out of their minds - out to safety, they had to do it before Petrovic came bursting in like an action hero and got them all killed. Why could nothing ever be simple?
At least Ash wasn't in danger or doing anything stupid. She dreaded to imagine what he would have done if he were here.
Ash had been called many things in his life. He'd been called a weakling because of how he'd treated his Pokemon with kindness. He'd been considered stupid because of how often he went into things without much of a plan. He'd been called reckless more than once. Then there was everything that Gary had called him back when they'd let their rivalry get the better of them as kids. Maybe all of those were things that he deserved to be called. One thing that he had never been called before was a coward. No matter how terrifying the situation got, he never flinched. He never hesitated to meet the danger head-on.
For the first time in his life, Ash considered running. It was hard not to when he got closer to the mansion hosting the auction and was met with a sickening silence that did nothing to hide what he knew was happening inside. Team Rocket hadn't even done anything to hide the bodies of the security guards they'd killed. Those people had been left where they died. He did his best not to look at them for too long. As it was, the sickening smell of blood and venom was enough to make him want to throw up. He'd lose it if he had to actually see what state they'd been left in.
He carefully stepped around their bodies and avoided the pools of blood that leaked from them.
"I won't let them get away with this."
It was the best that he could give them. None of them had survived the initial attack. Even if they had, Ash didn't know the first thing about first aid beyond simple bruises or broken bones. What happened to these men would have required a hospital if they'd survived. The pain would have been unbearable. And here he was marching into a situation where the same things could be done to him.
Any sane man would have stayed far away. Any competent agent would have listened to Petrovic and waited for reinforcements. He couldn't though. Looker and Anabel were trapped in there without any weapons or Pokemon to defend themselves with. The guests of the auction were even more defenseless than them! At least those two had the training of the International Police. None of the others were so lucky. They needed help. Or at least a distraction so that Looker and Anabel could do what they did best and save people.
He took a breath. "Calm down. You've faced down Legends. This is nothing compared to that."
His pep talk didn't help nearly as much as he'd hoped it would. It was too late to back out now though. He was already close to the mansion. To leave now would just endanger everyone. He pressed himself up against the wall and hid in the shadows as best he could. He hadn't seen any of Team Rocket left behind to guard the entrance or act as lookouts, but he wasn't about to risk it by walking through the front doors. Knowing his luck, he'd stumble right into the middle of them and get torn apart. He needed to find another way inside.
That would be harder than it looked. It wasn't like he could climb the wall and find a way inside from the roof. Not when it was as flat as a board and the mansion towered over the few trees nearby. Breaking a window was out of the question. That would create too much noise and the Rocket grunts would fall on him like a tidal wave. He supposed he could check around the back of the building and see if there was another way inside-
He felt a tiny paw tug on his pants and glanced down towards his partner. Pikachu was pointing up towards the wall and tapping his foot impatiently. Ash followed where he pointed and felt a surge of disappointment. His partner had found an air vent. A small air vent. He'd never fit in there. He was too big and too heavy. He'd either get stuck trying or break it the moment he tried. Not to mention the noise that he'd make! It'd take someone a lot smaller and lighter than him... to...
He realized what Pikachu wanted to do. He narrowed his eyes and crouched down to his level. "Are you sure about this Pikachu?" He whispered. "You'd be in there on your own. I wouldn't be able to help you."
Pikachu nodded and placed his paw on Ash's hand. Ash could tell Pikachu was just as determined to help as he was. He just hoped that his partner was also as afraid as he was. He didn't want his oldest friend to go rushing into danger and getting himself killed. They needed to play this smart. They needed to act like the agents Looker and Anabel were training him to be.
He really wished they'd given him more training before taking him out.
Ash let out a sigh and gave his partner an encouraging thumbs up. "Okay, if this is what you want to do then I'm with you, buddy." He frowned. "I'll try to sneak around back. This place is huge, so there's got to be another entrance I can use."
He grabbed Pikachu by the sides and held him up to the vent. Pikachu didn't need any prompting for what came next. His tail glowed an almost blinding white before turning into a sharp, reflective silver. Slowly, Pikachu forced his tail under the latch and began to twist. Ash flinched at the sudden noise it made and glanced back towards the door. Nothing. No sign that anyone inside had heard.
He gave Pikachu a small glare. He needed to be more careful, or he'd bring them all down on top of them! Ash could almost feel the way that Pikachu rolled his eyes at him. It was too late to do anything about it now though. At least the vent was open enough for his partner to squeeze inside.
"Find Looker and Anabel." He told his partner as he squirmed his way inside. "They'll know what to do. Try not to draw attention to yourself, okay? I can't lose you."
"Pi."
His partner was gone not long after. Ash would need to follow his lead. If his partner was willing to risk his life walking into danger, then he couldn't do any less! He'd find a way inside. As for what came after?
He'd do what he did best: adapt and hope for the best.
Looker was beginning to think he'd offended a Legendary in a past life of his. He couldn't think of any other reason why his missions always went wrong somehow.
He tore the sleeve off of his suit jacket and tied it around the leg of an elderly woman. She'd been one of the unlucky one's to be attacked by Team Rocket's Raticate's. Nothing life-threatening though so long as the bleeding was stopped. Plenty of scratches and bite wounds, but they hadn't caused any permanent damage. The only casualties so far had been the security force - the only one's who'd possessed Pokemon of their own. Pokemon that were still stuck inside their Poke balls and had been hidden away from them all. There was no chance they'd be able to fight their way out.
"How are you feeling?" He and the elderly woman were away from the larger congregations of people. After Team Rocket had stormed the building and secured everyone in the dining room as hostages, they'd moved through the house to capture any staff hidden away to bring back here. There was no privacy since everyone was forced to stay within sight of the Rocket grunts, but it was the best he could offer the poor woman. The only one he'd allowed to remain nearby had been the little boy who had been attached to her side when he found them.
"Like my leg is a chew toy." She groaned. "I'll be fine, young man. You should be more focused on helping everyone else. Your effort is wasted on me."
"That's not true, gram!"
Looker glanced up at the source of the voice. A boy who couldn't be more than 12 years old. He should have been out on a Pokemon journey seeing all the wonders that the world had to offer and making new friends. Instead, he was stuck in here with the rest of them. He did his best to offer the boy a reassuring smile.
"It's alright. Your grandma will be fine. We'll all be fine once these people get what they want."
The elder smiled up at her grandson. "Don't listen to me. I'm just bitter is all. Why don't you give me and the good doctor some privacy?"
The boy frowned and crossed his arms. "Why? I need to protect you!"
"I need to thank him. Now listen to your grandma and go. See if anyone else would like their wounds wrapped up."
It was clear that the child didn't want to listen but knew better than to argue. Looker watched him go and let out a tired sigh. "Just so you know, I'm not a doctor."
"Just so you know, I don't care." She countered. "Whatever you are, I appreciate you trying to help. But I have to ask... do you really believe these ruffians will just let us go once they get what they want? Or was that just a lie to calm the boy down?"
Truthfully? Looker didn't know. Team Rocket wasn't usually this bold. For all the power they held, they preferred to work in the shadows. There were only two situations Looker knew of that would provoke them to not just move in the open but make it a spectacle for the world to see. The first was what the International Police had dubbed the Smokescreen Division. A unit whose sole purpose was to convince the world that Team Rocket wasn't a real threat. Bumbling idiots and petty thieves. It was a surprisingly effective strategy. As far as the public was concerned, they were a joke. If children could defeat their operatives, then how dangerous could they be?
The only other situation that would provoke them like this was when a Legendary Pokemon was involved. Every time Team Rocket found one, they threw everything they had at them and didn't care who got hurt in the process. Tens of millions of dollars, entire cells of grunts, and the kind of technology that the International Police would have killed to acquire. He dreaded to imagine what would happen if they ever succeeded and managed to bend one to their will. He couldn't see how an auction of all things was connected to a Legendary. Not when it would make any enemy of so many of the rich and powerful.
He didn't know which was worse: the idea that there was a Legendary involved and they hadn't known or that there was something just as valuable here that Team Rocket wanted?
He couldn't tell her that. He needed to put on a brave face and keep these people calm. "If they wanted us dead, they could have done that when they stormed in. So long as we don't cause any trouble, we should be fine."
At least until Petrovic came blasting in.
"Looker, I... think there's something you need to see."
He cleared his throat. "Excuse me, ma'am. I need to go check on a friend of mine."
He found Anabel sitting down at a table in the corner of the room. A Rocket Grunt was nearby but didn't seem to be paying her much attention. Even when he came close, the man didn't seem too concerned about paying attention to them like he was supposed to. A small mercy, but they'd need to be careful.
He took a seat across from her and gave her a smile. "Hello ma'am. How are you holding up?"
"What is it you needed to show me? How bad is it?"
Anabel let out a sigh and leaned across the table. "I'm being held hostage so... I could be better."
"Look at the vent above us. Try to be subtle about it."
Looker was almost offended. He was the senior agent and yet he was being told to be subtle by a rookie agent? The only thing more galling would have been if Ash had been the one to say it. With that horrifying thought now in his head, he grasped one of the glasses on the table and brought it to his lips. He tilted his head back in an exaggerated manner to look up towards the vent.
He choked on his drink and slammed the glass down on his table. This couldn't be happening! Not on top of everything else! His eyes had to be playing to tricks on him. He glanced up towards the vent one more time.
Nope. His eyes were fine.
Anabel offered him a sympathetic smile. "Careful. A man your age shouldn't drink so much."
"I know. That's how I feel too."
Looker's eye twitched. "I'm not that old."
"Why is there a Pikachu in the vents? No, scratch that. Why is Ash's Pikachu in the vents!"
Anabel drummed her fingers on the table. "Says the man with wrinkles and gray in his hair."
"According to Pikachu, he and Ash decided to try infiltrating the mansion when they saw what was happening."
Of all the horrible ideas he'd heard in the past few weeks, this had to be the worst. "I like to think I'm refined, not old."
"Did he come with Petrovic?"
Anabel tilted her head to the side and frowned. "Do you always lie to yourself to feel better?"
"No... is that better or worse?"
It was hard to say. On the one hand, if Petrovic was here that meant Ash would be safe but then Looker would have to put up with the smug bastard gloating about having to rescue him. On the other hand, if Ash came alone then that meant he was in way over his head and Petrovic had done nothing to stop him.
"Do you always insult people trying to check on you?"
"Please tell me they're not going to burst in here like an action hero. Please give me some good news!"
Anabel grimaced. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me."
"... Pikachu doesn't know."
Looker was at a loss for words.
"Explain. Now."
Anabel looked away in shame. The Team Rocket Grunt had moved away from the table and towards the rest of the Grunts on the other side of the room. All of those that had been ordered to watch the hostages seemed to be doing the same thing.
"He and Ash split up. Apparently while Ash tries to find another way inside, he told Pikachu to find us. He wants to know what our plan is."
Looker let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair.
"The plan hasn't changed. We need to get these civilians out of the way before Petrovic attacks. Tell Pikachu to wait for our signal before he does anything."
As powerful as Pikachu may have been, he was still outnumbered and too inexperienced in life-or-death battles. If they weren't careful, their only way of fighting back would be overwhelmed and torn apart. If they were lucky, they could time it just right to get these people out at the same time Petrovic made his move.
Anabel was silent for a moment. "What about Ash? He can't understand Pikachu and I don't have a link with him."
Looker frowned and stood up from his chair. "That's the tricky part. We're going to have to trust that he's been trained enough to not do anything stupid."
She looked as confident hearing that as he felt having to say it. Or think it, as the case may be. At least they were on the same page.
He caught movement out of the corner of his eyes. The Golbat's that Team Rocket had brought with them were all spreading out and hovering around the room. He didn't have to wait long to find out why. A loud, shrill screech began to fill the room. He covered his ears and doubled over in pain. He wasn't the only one. Throughout the dining room, everyone was in the same state that he was. Mercifully, the screeching stopped after a few agonizing moment.
The same Rocket Grunt that had started the attack and commanded the room before hopped up onto a table again. He didn't seem nearly as amused as he had been the first time.
Looker dreaded to imagine what had set him off. He hoped Ash was okay.
Proton was a monster.
He knew this. He'd lied, cheated, and stolen for his entire life. Oh, and killed. He had a particular talent for that last one. He'd killed for money, power, and revenge. He'd killed because he'd been told to. Sometimes he killed just because he felt like it. He'd become so good at it that he had been recruited by a group of monsters even more dangerous than he was. For nothing more than the promise of power and an opulent lifestyle, he had sold his soul. Or what little of it was left at this point. He never had put much stock in that kind of junk.
Normal people could never understand living this kind of life. They were sheep. Always crying out for a savior but never doing anything to help themselves when it counted. They made it so easy for predators like him to have their fun. It shouldn't have been a surprise for anyone when Team Rocket had become the titanic organization it was today. For all that their rivals in other regions liked to pretend they were dangerous, they all deluded themselves with foolish ideals and the goal of creating a 'better world'.
It made him sick. Team Rocket didn't have such weaknesses. And their boss? He was the biggest monster of them all. Proton had met a lot of people in his life who liked to pretend they had power. All those imposters ever did was shout and stomp around making demands of everyone. They raged against the world for their powerlessness.
Giovanni was different. When he spoke, people listened. Not because he demanded it or intimidated them into doing it, but because they wanted to listen. When he entered a room, people gave him the attention and respect that he deserved. Most of all, he was the type of monster that other monsters feared. He was the only man that Proton knew could stare down an enraged Legendary and bend it to his will. That was the type of monster that Proton served, and he had no intention of angering him.
It took all his effort to stop himself from smiling as his plan came together. He dared anyone to not smile when things were going their way! He'd had to make some last minute changes to his plans for the auction, but so what? If he had to sacrifice a couple million in exchange for access to the most unique piece of tech in the world, then he'd do it without a second thought.
Anything to make the boss happy.
His Grunts were certainly happy to take a break from their normal duties to shake down the rich. He'd never seen so many grown men and women turn into giddy children so fast. They loved messing with these types of people almost as much as he did. He gave them props for taking such a theatrical spin on all this. The hostages may not have appreciated it, but he'd be having a good laugh when this was all said and done.
"Attention, you rich halfwits!" One of the more loud and forgettable ones shouted from his place atop the table. "So, we've gone looking through your little collection and it really is something. We'll be leaving soon."
Proton could practically feel the relief radiating off of these fools. It was almost sad how eager they were to believe that this would all be over soon. Mr. Caffrye even seemed to grow enough of a spine to step forward.
"S-so... you're going to let us go? You'll leave us be?" The man had such hope in his voice.
The Grunt's grin turned feral. "I didn't say that."
Proton had never seen hope leave so many people's eyes so fast. He was almost proud of these Grunts. They were really embracing his more predatory, showmanship style of crime. It was flattering. So long as they didn't screw this whole job up somehow, he'd be sure to reward them somehow. Maybe first pick of the next batch of smuggled Pokemon or a little bonus on top of their pay? He'd have to see how he felt when this was all over.
"See we've all decided... we can get a lot more out of this than just some paintings and old relics. So, we'll be taking some of you with us when we go." The collective gasp that reverberated throughout the crowd was almost deafening. "Now don't get all pouty on me. Once your family or friends pay your ransom, you'll be fine. Until then, you'll be relaxing with the most dashing rogues in the world."
There were many things Proton would have described Team Rocket as, but dashing was not one of them. Well... other than himself of course.
Mr. Caffrye audibly gulped. "And if no one pays?"
The Grunt rolled his eyes. "Then you'll be taking a nap at the bottom of the canals. I'm sure you're all good for it though."
With a snap of his fingers, the other Grunts surged forward and began to pull people from the crowds. A few of them struggled and looked to the people surrounding them for aid, but they found none. Not a single one of their fellow hostages were willing to put their necks on the line to help them. If anything, some of them seemed relieved that they weren't the ones being taken.
How typical.
One of the Grunts came close and went to grab a girl. He didn't get far. Proton latched onto the man's wrist in a vice grip and stared him down. To his credit, the Grunt didn't shout out in shock or tremble in fear. That would have ruined the plan.
No one ruined Proton's plans and got away with it.
"Now what do we have here?" The theatrical Grunt crowed. "Someone trying to play the hero? I didn't think any of you folks had it in you."
Hero? Him? He could feel the countless real heroes who'd opposed him rolling in their graves. That was the image he was trying to present though. Now he just needed to channel his inner self-righteous do-gooder and play his part. It should be easy.
"I'm just a businessman, not a hero." He drawled. "And you haven't thought this little scheme of yours through."
The Grunt tilted his head and let out a hum. "Oh really?" A Golbat landed on the shoulder of the Grunt, and he hopped off to table to walk towards Proton. "I hope for your sake you have good reasons for speaking up. Otherwise, my Golbat here is gonna have a new chew toy to play with."
It must have been an intimidating sight to be stared down by a dangerous criminal and his Pokemon. Anyone else in his position would have been shaking in their boots. Maybe he would have been too or kept his mouth shut... if he hadn't arranged for this whole situation in the first place.
Proton towered over the Grunts and let go of the one attempting to snatch the girl out of the crowd. "You're making enemies out of the rich and powerful."
The Grunt rolled his eyes. "Is that all? We're Team Rocket. If Champions can't do anything to stop us, these people can't either."
"Oh, Team Rocket will be fine." He jabbed his finger into the chest of the Grunt. "You and your people won't be."
The Grunt made a show of grabbing his hand and forcing it away. "What makes you say that?" He growled.
"You're unimportant." Proton took joy in the shocked gasps that tore through the crowd and the wince that the Grunt wore. "Grunts. I doubt you're ever given truly important work or know anything of value. If your performance here is anything to go by, I can see why. I bet you couldn't even hit the broadside of a barn at pointblank range."
The Grunt had squeezed his eyes shut at this point. "Now that's a little harsh-"
"I bet you thought you could just walk in here and steal everything in sight without anyone trying to stop you." He paused. "Aside from security, but they're all dead now so that's irrelevant. You never stopped to think of the bigger picture."
"Which is?"
Proton crossed his arms. "When the families of these fine people learn that you've kidnapped them, they'll hunt you down. Rich folk like them have almost limitless time and money to pursue their vendettas." He leaned down until his eyes were peering into the Grunt's. No one else may have been able to see the fear in his subordinates eyes, but Proton could. It was intoxicating. "They will find you all. And they will make you suffer for this."
The Grunt let out and audible gulp and stepped back. "Maybe." He began. "Maybe kidnapping isn't the right play... maybe we should just kill you all and take the valuables to cover our tracks. No witnesses left that way."
Proton let out an audible sigh even as the crowd of hostages began to whisper among themselves in fear. "Now you're just being stupid on purpose." He shook his head and gestured around the room. "There's no hiding your involvement here. If you leave now with your stolen art and artifacts, you won't be hunted down by these people's families. Kill them and you'll create enemies for life. Team Rocket may gift wrap and hand you over to them just to placate them."
Sure, the security force was dead... but they didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. They were no threat when they were alive, and they wouldn't be one while they were dead. No one important would mourn their passing. The same couldn't be said for the hostages.
The Grunt was silent for a moment. "And what would you recommend we do?"
Proton shrugged. "Exactly as I said earlier. Take your loot and go. You can escape into the city before the authorities ever arrive and get away without any trouble." He gestured behind him to the terrified crowd of people. "I guarantee none of them will try to go after you. Frankly, I'd bet they'll forget this night ever happened. Right, everyone?"
At his prompting, everyone began to shout out their agreement and promise to stay out of Team Rocket's way. It took all his control to stop himself from laughing.
The Grunt stepped back and narrowed his eyes. "Anyone ever told you you're too smart for your own good?" He let out a sigh. "Give the hostages back... for now. I need to think about what to do."
He didn't. The Grunt was putting on a good show, but this would all be over soon. The Grunts would leave and by the time the hostages called the police, they would be long gone. All while he came out looking like a hero. A wave of satisfaction hit him as those grabbed by his Grunts rejoined the other hostages.
"That was very brave. Thank you for saving me. Not many people are willing to stand up to Team Rocket like that."
And there was the reason for all of this. Proton turned to look at the source of the voice - the woman that he had stopped Team Rocket from grabbing. She was a tall girl with pale skin and brown eyes. She wore a flattering green dress and her dark brown hair had been styled to resemble the wings of a Latias or Latios - fitting given those were the guardians of this city. She was one of the artists for the auction. A rising star within the art community from what he'd heard.
None of that was nearly as important as who she was: Bianca Davri. The granddaughter of Lorenzo Davri, the curator of the Alto Mare Museum and the man Proton suspected knew the secrets of the DMA.
He allowed a charming smile to grace his face. "I couldn't just let them take these people. Team Rocket aren't known for their hospitality." He offered her his hand. "Proton. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Bianca stared down at his hand for a moment before slowly taking it in her own. "I'm Bianca. I'm glad that someone here is trying to stop them." The bitterness in her voice was clear to anyone listening. "Be honest with me. Do you think they'll let us go?"
If they knew what was good for them? Yes.
"Trust me, Bianca. I guarantee that this will all be over soon. So long as we cooperate and no one does anything stupid, they'll see reason and let us leave with our lives."
"I can't believe that you'd do this!"
Latias had made many mistakes in her life.
Most of her mistakes were small and easily forgivable. Splashing people with water or knocking them over while she was doing her patrols was never intentional, but the Humans never looked too closely. They were eager to chalk it up to a stray Water type lashing out or them stumbling over nothing. It was easier to accept than an invisible Legendary making their day more difficult.
She was always at her most careful during her job as guardian of the city. She couldn't afford to make mistakes when so many people's lives and happiness were at stake. After the... incident that occurred years ago, she'd vowed to never mess up that badly again. Not when it had nearly destroyed the city. Even when Team Rocket had appeared in droves, she'd been able to keep her mistakes to a minimum. Not once had a mistake cost someone their lives during her watch and she was proud of that.
Until tonight. Latias had believed that she could do a quick patrol of the city before the auction started. There should have been no harm in it. It was her job, after all. If she didn't do the patrol, she'd have been worried about everything that could have gone wrong and wouldn't have been able to focus on Bianca's night. Her best friend deserved her full attention, and she was going to get it. She may have had to tell a small lie, but Bianca would never have found out. She'd be finished with her patrol and back in time to see her friend get the recognition she deserved. It was the best of both worlds.
Now over a dozen people were dead and even more were being held hostage. Worst of all, her friend was in danger. All because she was too concerned with playing hero instead of keeping her promise to her friend. If she'd just been at the auction, she could have stopped this from even happening in the first place. No one would have had to die.
Once again, her actions caused other people to get hurt. Some guardian she turned out to be...
She shook her head. She couldn't get lost in her own thoughts and get crushed under the weight of her failures. Not tonight! She may not have been able to prevent this from happening, but she could still save everyone in Team Rocket's clutches. They may have been prepared for security and even the police, but she doubted they were prepared for a Legendary. Least of all one fighting to protect what was hers.
Invisible to the naked eye, she flew over the rooftops of the city towards the mansion that the auction was being held at. If people found it strange that their windows were thrown open by sudden gusts of wind or how the water in the canals was uneasy that night, she didn't stick around long enough to hear.
"I'm sorry, Bianca." She finally told her friend. Through the mental link that they shared, Latias could feel the anger of her friend. She could handle that. What she couldn't handle was the undercurrent of fear that was in the back of Bianca's thoughts. "I promise, I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Of all the nights you decide to ignore me, you had to pick the one night Team Rocket attacks?"
Latias didn't bother to suppress her flinch. "I didn't know they'd do this."
"That's not the point- forget it. We'll talk about this later."
That was the last thing Latias wanted to do, but there were more important things to focus on. "How many Rocket's are there?"
"Around a dozen. Maybe more if they left people outside to watch for police. As far as I can tell, they only have Golbat and Raticate with them."
This would be easy then. With the element of surprise on her side, Latias was confident that she could take that number out without much effort. The only difficult part would be making sure Team Rocket couldn't lash out at Bianca and the other hostages before she could stop them. She was confident she could pull that off though. She didn't have any other choice.
"What are they doing now?"
"Trying to decide if they're going to kidnap some of us to hold for ransom or just leave with the artifacts and art they already have."
Latias felt a shiver run down her spine. "Does it look like they're going take you?"
"I don't think so. Proton made a convincing argument."
Proton? "Who's that?"
"I think he was going to be a buyer tonight at the auction. He was the only one of us to stand up to them though. Or... at least stand up to them and not get harmed for it."
Latias narrowed her eyes. The mansion was finally within sight. "Does he seem suspicious? Team Rocket isn't known for their kindness, so I can't imagine they'd just let someone get away with telling them what to do."
She could feel Bianca's amusement through their link. "He seems like a smug prick, but no. I think he just scared them. He made it sound like if they kidnapped anyone here that they'd pay for it with their lives."
She rolled her eyes. "That should have been obvious to anyone with a brain."
If movies had taught her anything, it was that the rich Humans were practically untouchable. Unless they were up against a plucky underdog, in which case everything started to go wrong for them all at once. Team Rocket was far from being an underdog.
"Just hurry up. I don't want to bet my life on these creeps having common sense."
Neither would she.
"I'm almost there. Just keep your head down and everything will be fine."
Ash had found his way inside. Around the back of the mansion was a door into the kitchen. The lights were on, but a quick glance through the window of the door showed that no one was there. It looked like a storm had passed through the place. Food and cooking utensils were scattered across the floor, the pots on the stove were boiling over, and worst of all he could see blood spattered across the walls. He did his best to ignore the knot in his stomach.
He reached for the handle to push open the door and... nothing. The door wouldn't budge.
Ash looked up at the night sky. "What did I do to deserve this, Arceus?"
Predictably, he didn't receive an answer. Nor did the door magically open itself to make his life any easier. He let out a despairing sigh. There was no time to find another entrance into the mansion. He'd already spent too long finding this one. For all he knew, everyone inside was being tortured. He needed to force his way inside.
Luckily for him, this was not the first time he'd been forced to break down a door. The door itself was made of a solid hardwood in a wooden frame. A quick glance at the hinges showed that the door swung inwards. He nodded to himself and stepped back. He took a breath to center himself and then kicked just above the lock of the door with all his might. He heard the faint sound of wood splintering and grinned to himself. He stepped back and kicked one more time. This time, the frame of the door broke under the assault and the door flew open with a loud crack!
He stepped inside the kitchen and adjusted his hat atop his head. Now that he was inside the kitchen, he could see that there were no bodies and not more blood beyond the spatters he'd seen coating the walls and floor. That meant that whoever had been attacked was only injured, not dead. Team Rocket must have only been targeting those that could fight back.
That didn't bode well for him, but he couldn't get cold feet now. People were counting on him.
His blood chilled as he heard footsteps coming his way and he looked back towards the door that he had broken open. He should have known that someone would come to investigate the noise! If he survived this, he swore that he'd get Anabel and Looker to teach him how pick a lock. If only so this didn't happen again.
He ducked behind the counter of the room out of sight just before the interior door to the kitchen swung open. Ash peaked his head out from behind the corner of the counter to see a Team Rocket grunt standing in the middle of the room. The Grunt walked towards the now broken door to the outside world and let out a long, tired sigh.
"Balls. Proton is gonna have my head for this." The Grunt reached for his Pokegear. "Better call this in."
Ash swore under his breath. If the Grunt reported this to the rest of his group, this situation could get violent fast. There was only one thing he could do to stop him. Ash glanced up at the counter for something - anything - he could use as a weapon. He passed over the useless pieces of fruit and the knife nearby, still dripping with a thick, purple liquid. He may have been willing to fight, but he was no killer. He never would be.
Luckily for him, he wouldn't have to become one. On the floor by his feet was a wooden rolling pin. Perfect for what he had in mind. Quickly grasping his improvised weapon in his hand, he snuck up behind the Rocket Grunt as he fiddled with his Pokegear. He was careful not to squish any of the berries or other food on the ground and alert the Grunt before he was ready. Once he was close, he raised the rolling pin and struck the back of the Grunt's head with all of his might.
"Gah!" The blow was enough to send the Grunt stumbling away and forced him to drop his Pokegear, but he was still conscious. "What the-"
Never give your opponent a chance to recover. That was one of the most important lessons that Anabel had drilled into him when they were training. He was on the Grunt in a flash, raining down blows with his rolling pin without mercy. The Grunt had raised his arms to block the strikes and growled at the sight of him. On one of Ash's slower strikes, the Grunt lashed out and grabbed the rolling pin just as it was about to come down on his arm again. The rolling pin was ripped out of Ash's weak grip and tossed aside. He didn't have much time to worry about the loss of his weapon before the Grunt tackled him to the ground.
His head hit the ground hard, and his vision swam. Two rough, meaty hands wrapped around his throat and began to squeeze as tight as they could. His eyes shot open and stared up into the cruel, enraged gaze of the Rocket Grunt above him. Ash began to writhe on the floor and struggle against the Grunt, but it was no use. No matter how much he tried to squirm out from beneath his attackers grasp or claw at his arms, nothing worked. He couldn't take a single gasp of breath.
"I don't know who you are kid, but you fucked up!" The Grunt sneered. "Shouldn't have tried to play hero, brat."
This was it. He was going to die here. He was going to die alone and afraid at the hands of some random Rocket Grunt. What would happen to Looker and Anabel when they found out he'd died trying to play hero? What would Team Rocket do to the hostages after this? What state would Pikachu be in when he discovered the bloody end that his trainer was enduring? What would his friends and family think when they heard of this?
Would any of them even care? Or would they think this was a fitting end for the violent criminal they believed he was?
He just wanted to go home...
...
...
No! This couldn't be it! He couldn't just give up here! He would fight for his right to live, no matter how hopeless it may have been. Even as his vision began to blur and darken, Ash continued to struggle against the death grip of the Rocket Grunt seated on his chest. This drew a dark laugh out of the criminal.
"A second wind? Go ahead and keep struggling. You're just drawing this out!" The Grunt leaned down to mock him. "You really are pathetic-"
Ash lashed out towards the Grunt's face. His hand latched onto the side of the Grunt's face, and he pressed his thumb over the right eye of his would-be killer. With the desperation that only a dying man could muster, he began to press down on the Grunt's eye with all of his might and dig his nail into the fleshy organ. He could feel the way that the soft tissue of the eye crumbled under the pressure and the blood that gushed forth under his assault.
The Grunt reared back out of pain and scrambled away from Ash, clutching his face in agony. As soon as the Grunt let go of his throat, Ash took in a giant gulp of air and began to let out hacking coughs. This wasn't over though. Not even close. Ash forced himself to his feet, ignoring the pain that racked his entire body. He stumbled over to the stove and grabbed one of the pots of boiling water.
"You son of a bitch!" The Grunt howled in agony and lowered his hands from his wound. "When I get my hands on you-"
The Grunt never got to finish his threat. Ash threw the boiling hot water directly into the face of the Grunt without hesitation. The man reared back and let out a high-pitched, anguished scream and fell back to the ground. He was clutching his face and squirming on the floor. While no words could be heard, Ash could only imagine that he was either begging for the pain to stop or making more incomprehensible threats.
Ash didn't care. He raised the now empty metal pan in his hands above his and tightened his grip. With an adrenaline filled roar of his own, he slammed the pot down on the head of the Grunt. Once, twice, thrice. He kept slamming the pot onto the head of his potential killer until he stopped squirming in pain. By the time he was done, the man's face was a disgusting mess of blood and swollen skin. The bloody pot clattered to the ground at his feet.
Ash stumbled back against a wall and slowly slid down to the floor. His heart was pounding, and every breath set his throat on fire. He rubbed his throat where the Grunt had tried to choke him and winced at the pain that flashed through him. Slowly, he began to calm himself down and slow his heart to the point it no longer felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. The entire time he was sat on the floor, his eyes were locked firmly on the door to the rest of the mansion. That fight hadn't been quiet. He half expected other Grunts to have heard it and come to find the cause. None did though.
Eventually his eyes drifted to the still form of the Rocket Grunt in the kitchen. Cautiously, he moved towards the body and looked down at the man that would have killed him. Despite that, Ash felt only dread. He couldn't have killed the man... could he? He slowly reached out for the man's neck and felt for a pulse. It was faint - almost unnoticeable - but it was there. The Grunt was alive.
Ash let out a shaky sigh of relief. He wasn't a killer. Even when his own life was on the line, he was glad to see that he hadn't crossed a line he couldn't come back from. He wasn't a monster.
Not yet.
He couldn't stand around though. Even if he had just narrowly escaped death, Anabel, Looker, and the hostages were in danger. They didn't have the luxury of waiting on him. He needed to move. He couldn't go out like this though. If any of Team Rocket or their Pokemon saw him wandering the halls, they'd be on him in an instant. With the state he was in, Ash knew that he wouldn't stand a chance. He needed to be careful.
He glanced down at the Rocket Grunt's unconscious form and frowned. While the man himself may have been in a bad state, his clothes were fine. There wasn't a drop of blood or a single tear on them. The man wasn't too much bigger than Ash either...
He let out a scratchy sigh. "Sometimes I hate my ideas."
"What do you think they'll decide to do?"
Anabel hummed in thought and narrowed her eyes at the huddled group of Team Rocket Grunts. They'd been talking among themselves ever since Proton had stepped forward and 'heroically' talked the criminals down from kidnapping people. After that, everyone was looking at the man as though he were a hero for doing it. If Anabel didn't know that he had orchestrated all of this or that he was one of Team Rocket's Admin's, she may have fallen for it.
"I think they'll go without trouble." She told Looker over the mental link. "The real question is why he'd do this."
This auction was supposed to be a way for Team Rocket to sell their forgeries and fool them all. Now it was a heist/hostage situation, and she couldn't understand why. It felt like they were missing a piece of the puzzle that was keeping them from seeing the full picture. There was no reason for Proton to pull something like this. Not when the media would be all over Team Rocket for the deaths and trauma they were inflicting on these people.
The door to the dining room opened and a Grunt walked in with his face obscured by the hat that he wore.
Looker let out a sigh. "We're missing something important. Proton is many things, but he's not stupid. He's doing this for a reason." Looker's eyes drifted to the man in question. Their target had his arm wrapped around a beautiful girl in a green dress, the very one he'd saved from being taken. "It's possible it has something to do with that girl."
Anabel raised any eyebrow. Like Looker, she'd gone over the guest list of the auction and knew everyone who would be here. That was Bianca Davri. A local artist with some skill as a painter. No known connection to any criminal elements though. Her only living family was the curator of a local museum and reports showed that she didn't have any friends.
"If his interest is in her, it must be recent." She drummed her fingers along the table. "After all, it caused him to throw away this little money making scheme of his."
"We'll have to look into her when this is done." Looker narrowed his eyes. "There must be more to her than meets the eye."
Anabel let out a gasp and bent over, clutching her head in her hands. A heavy weight settled on her shoulders and every instinct was telling her to run to the darkest corner she could find to hide. The psychic energy she possessed that was normally so eager to be used now felt cowed into submission - like a pebble being overshadowed by an ancient mountain.
There was another psychic here. And they were furious.
"Get to the hostages." She forced out.
Looker didn't have to wait long to find out why. One moment, the room was calm and quiet aside from the hushed conversations of the hostages and Team Rocket. The next moment, the lights began to flicker rapidly before bursting in a shower of sparks and glass while casting the room in darkness. The chairs and tables in the room all began to levitate off the ground and hurl themselves towards Team Rocket and their Pokemon. They moved with such force and at such rapid speeds that that they shattered the instant they struck their targets.
Panic set in soon after.
The hostages - once cowed into submission by Team Rocket's clear dominance - now began to scream and run for the doors. Whatever was controlling the furniture and debris swirling around the room was doing its best not to harm them. The same couldn't be said for the members of Team Rocket. If anything, the force behind this mayhem was ruthless in how it dispatched them. Even when the furniture would shatter, the remnants would be used beat and batter them around the room. The Golbat and Raticate which had once struck fear in everyone were now scrambling to survive.
Anabel felt hands on her shoulders force her to her feet.
"Come on, we need to go while we have the chance!" Looker ordered.
The pressure in her head made it difficult to speak, but she gave her partner a nod. She made her way towards the hostages fleeing towards the backdoors of the dining room alongside Looker. Then an explosion rocked the room, and the main doors flew off their hinges. She turned to look at what had caused it.
The police had arrived. At the head of them and surrounded by an assortment of Pokemon was Petrovic. He seemed surprised by the chaos that he found inside, but that didn't stop him for long. He stepped forward and released a Weezing from its Poke ball.
"Focus on Team Rocket! Ignore everything else!" He shouted.
At his command, the police rushed in alongside their Pokemon. Team Rocket had already been weakened and caught off guard by the attacks of the unknown psychic. With the arrival of Petrovic and Alto Mare's police, any chance of them escaping like they'd planned was gone. They seemed to realize it too.
Anabel had once heard that a cornered Raticate was more dangerous than any Dragonite. She didn't know how true that was, but it certainly applied to Team Rocket. Realizing how dangerous their situation was, the Grunts began to fight back against the Police in a desperate attempt for at least a few of them to make it to the exit. The dining room was filled with deadly Pokemon attacks and their cries of pain.
One such attack was a Flamethrower released by a Growlithe that missed its intended target and headed straight for the hostages. She and Looker were too far away to do anything about it. She shielded her eyes so that she didn't have to watch those poor people burn alive.
She needn't have worried. Instead of the agonized screams of people burning alive and the smell to go with it, the room was illuminated in a golden light as lightning erupted from the ceiling and struck the Flamethrower halfway. Ravenous, red-hot flames warred with dazzling golden lightning in a clash of the elements before exploding in a cloud of smoke.
From the ceiling, Pikachu dropped to the ground in front of the fleeing hostages. Electricity sparked from its cheeks as it stood protectively before them to act as a shield from anymore incoming stray attacks.
Anabel let out a sigh of relief. If it hadn't been for him, there would have been many families in mourning after tonight. She and Looker rushed by him to usher the hostages towards the exits and break them out of their terror-induced stupors. She spared a glance back towards Pikachu and gave him a nod of appreciation. He didn't look back at her. He was entirely focused on protecting them from anymore attacks.
With him watching their backs, Anabel knew they wouldn't have to worry about being struck from behind. Now she and Looker would do what they did best.
Protect the people.
It all happened so fast.
Ash had been moving through the dining room disguised as a member of Team Rocket trying to find Looker and Anabel. He hadn't been able to search for long before everything turned chaotic when the furniture began to fly around the room like a tornado. It was as though the entire room was haunted and the ghosts of past were focused entirely on hurting Team Rocket. Not something he would have been against normally, but he was dressed as them. Whatever was behind that chaos either hadn't known or hadn't cared.
He'd nearly been flattened against the wall by a table!
As if that hadn't been bad enough, the police had arrived in force. That should have been a good thing since it meant Petrovic had been there to save the day. Only... it hadn't. Petrovic had been merciless in his attack. Ash had wondered what that man had meant by salting the earth and destroying his enemy.
Now he understood. He knew that it meant to be merciless to his enemies. Petrovic and the police had rushed forward into a brutal melee to beat Team Rocket into submission. Team Rocket met every blow with two of their own, not that it meant much when the police were wearing full body armor. Their Pokemon had been just as vicious. They tore into one another with their fangs and claws, spraying blood on the ground are they fought one another.
Ash was forced to scramble out of the way to avoid everything. He had next to no real combat experience while Pikachu was protecting the hostages with Anabel and Looker. If he got drawn into the thick of the fighting in his state, Ash knew that he wouldn't last long. Skirting along the edges of the battle, he bolted for the exit as fast as his legs could carry him.
He almost made it to the doors when he was stopped. Not by a member of the local police or any of the Pokemon involved in the battle. His body stopped mid-step against his will. He couldn't move a muscle no matter how hard he tried to struggle. It was as if an invisible force had coiled around him and taken control of his body. For all intents and purposes, one had. He recognized this feeling.
The feeling of psychic power wasn't one he'd ever forget.
In an instant, he was lifted off of the floor and flung into the middle of the fight. He collided with one of the Golbat's in the air and was used as a sledgehammer to beat it into the ground. By the time that he was let go, his body ached and his vision swam. He forced himself to roll off of the now unconscious Golbat and let out a gasp of pain. It was almost too much.
He was tempted to stay on the ground. If he played dead and made himself seem harmless, everyone would ignore him for the bigger threats. That mysterious psychic that had used him like a ragdoll seemed done with him now as well. His body would probably thank him for staying out of harm's way after everything it had been put through tonight.
A Raticate rushed by him. More out of curiosity than anything else, he focused his attention on the small rodent. His eyes widened when he saw where the bloodthirsty creature was going. Petrovic was in the thick of the fight, holding one of Team Rocket's Grunts by the collar and raining down blows on the poor man. He was completely unaware of the rapidly approaching death behind him.
He acted on instinct and scrambled after the Raticate. He didn't have time to think about what he'd do to it once he caught it or what he'd say to Petrovic to explain why he was wearing a Team Rocket uniform. He felt the telltale heat and heard the sizzle of the air that always accompanied a powerful Flamethrower. He threw himself to the ground and rolled over his shoulder, narrowly avoiding the blast that would have taken his life but losing the Team Rocket cap in the process.
The Raticate leapt through the air with its fangs bared and glowing with a blinding light. It was prepared to destroy Petrovic's body armor and tear into the vulnerable flesh underneath.
Ash's hand lashed out and grabbed its tail in as tight of a grip as he could manage. He had stopped the Raticate mere inches before it could sink its fangs into the man. With a desperate roar, he reared back and spun around, slamming the Raticate into the tile floor. He didn't stop there. Keeping a hold of its tail, he began to stomp on the Raticate with as much force as his tired body could muster.
Just a few months ago, its screams of pain would have shocked him into stopping. Now in the heat of battle with the survival of himself and others on the line, he didn't hesitate for a moment. He had seen the bodies of the security for the auction. They had been shown no mercy. He couldn't afford to go easy on Team Rocket or their Pokemon.
With one final stomp and a sickening crunch, he let go of the Raticate's tail and stepped away from its unconscious body. He flinched as a hand touched his shoulder. He spun around, eyes wide and ready to defend himself.
Instead, he found Petrovic offering him a cautious smile. "Red? Yer alive? Here I thought ya went and got yerself killed." He lets out a boisterous laugh. As if the violence going on around them meant nothing to him. "Guess ya aren't completely useless after all."
Ash took a steady breath. "Thank you, sir."
A frown. "Don't thank me. What ya did was stupid and, " Petrovic's eyes widened at something behind him, "look out!"
Ash turned around to see what he was talking about. All he saw was a blue and purple blur speeding towards him. It was too fast to dodge. He snapped his eyes shut and prepared himself from the pain.
It never came. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see a Golbat suspended in the air and struggling against some unseen force. Venom coated its fangs and it gazed at him with pure, murderous intent. No matter how hard it fought to attack him, though, it couldn't move an inch. The Golbat was rocketed into the ceiling not long after he realized it. It struck the ceiling with such force that it created a small crater in the ceiling before falling back to the ground in a broken heap.
Ash could only stare at it in shock. Something had... protected him. The same psychic which had previously thrown him around like a ragdoll and beaten Team Rocket into submission had saved him from a painful, inglorious end.
"Why? It doesn't make any sense! Why would it suddenly save me after all of that?"
He was pulled from his thoughts by Petrovic letting out a sigh and patting him on the back. "Looks like ya got a guardian, Red. Lucky." He cracked his neck and lightly kicked the unconscious form of one of Team Rocket. "We're done here. Time to find Looker and Anabel... oh, and the hostages I suppose."
Now that he mentioned it, Ash finally noticed that the fighting had stopped. Team Rocket and their Pokemon had all been beaten while the Police didn't seem to have lost anyone. The element of surprise and the aid of that mysterious psychic had probably helped. All that was left to do now was find the hostages and lock away Team Rocket.
The room swayed. "They went out the back door of the dining room with the hostages." He stumbled towards Petrovic. "I'll go get them. Tell them the good news..."
He got maybe two steps forward before his knees buckled. He would have slammed into the cold floor if it hadn't been for Petrovic catching him before he could fall.
"Shit kid, I don't think yer in any state to move. It's a wonder ya even managed to survive the fight." Petrovic let out a sigh. "I'll find them, kid. Ya need to see the paramedics. Get these wounds of yers looked at."
Ash knew that Petrovic was right. He was running on fumes at this point. With the adrenaline leaving his system, he was slowly becoming more aware of the pain. Honestly, seeing a paramedic about these wounds felt like a wonderful idea.
"Okay... just tell Looker and Anabel to come see me when they can."
"Don't worry, kid. I'm sure they'll be dying to shower you with praise."
"I have never been so disappointed in someone in my entire life." Looker frowned. "You deliberately ignored Petrovic's orders, rushed into a dangerous hostage situation with no training or plan, and put everyone at risk."
Ash had the decency to flinch and look ashamed at his words. That was good. It meant that he understood what he had done wrong. Looker had known that taking him with them to Alto Mare would be risky, but he'd hoped the boy would at least have some sense of self-preservation.
Currently they were out in front of the mansion. The media and the paramedics had arrived in force not long after Petrovic's assault on the building. It was a miracle that none of the hostages had died. He doubted any of them would forget this night. Team Rocket - those that had survived Petrovic's attack - were on their way to the hospital to have their injuries checked. In time, Looker and the police would have to conduct interrogations.
For now, he and Anabel had to look after the boy. He was their responsibility.
"I just wanted to help." Ash mumbled. From his position on the boys shoulder, Pikachu nuzzled his cheek in comfort. "I didn't think-"
"That's my point: you didn't think at all." He scolded. "Because of your recklessness, you didn't just put everyone in danger. You nearly got yourself killed."
That more than anything else had shocked him. Realistically, he'd known that Ash would put himself in danger, but he'd assumed that Petrovic would have been able to protect him from harm. Looker couldn't have been more wrong. Deep bruises dotted Ash's entire body. He was suffering from a concussion and if the paramedics were to be believed he'd torn numerous muscles. The worst injury, though, had to be the damage done to Ash's throat from when he'd nearly been choked to death.
Looker had almost stormed off to find the one responsible and make him pay for that. Then he'd seen the state Ash had left him in. It was... concerning to know that Ash had been forced to go that far to save his life. It was too soon, and he was too young. Looker would have given anything to have protected his young comrade from that.
At the very least the Grunt was still alive. Ash hadn't been forced to cross that line yet.
"We're not trying to seem ungrateful." Anabel offered him a smile. "It was reckless, but you and Pikachu saved lives tonight. You should feel proud of that."
Ash let out a sigh. "I guess... what about Proton? Did we manage to catch him?"
Looker clenched his fists in anger. "No. He managed to slip away in the chaos." He spoke. "It could be months before he pokes his head out from whatever hole he's gone to hide in."
Anabel grimaced. "Maybe that's for the best. Team Rocket knew that we were here." She glanced back to the police keeping the media from swarming the former hostages. "They may not have known our specific identities, but they knew enough to jam our comms. We've got a traitor among us."
"We'll have to find out who they are before we can do anything about Proton." Looker pinched the bridge of his nose. "Until we do, we'll be shooting ourselves in the foot."
Ash chose that moment to speak up. "Why were they even here though? I thought they were pawning off forgeries as the real thing. Why try to rob them and turn this into a hostage situation?"
Why indeed. Looker didn't know. Proton was only interested in two things: money and power. This auction would have earned him plenty of the former if he'd gone through with his original plan. By changing it so drastically, he lost money and manpower at the same time. It made no sense. There was something they were missing and all they had were theories.
"We think it may have something to do with one of the guests." Anabel told him. "An artist, to be precise. He specifically went out of his way to save her from being taken by Team Rocket and spent the rest of the night around her."
Ash tilted his head to the side. "Which one? There were a few here tonight."
"Bianca Davri." Looker explained. His eyes narrowed at the way Ash paled when he heard the name. "A young, local artist. We're not sure why he was interested in her though. She has no connection to the criminal underworld and has no real wealth of her own."
"I doubt he'd sabotage his own schemes for a pretty face either." Anabel sighed. "And there's the psychic that was here tonight. Whoever they were clearly they're no friends of Team Rocket. Maybe they could be an ally if we find them?"
Maybe. He didn't want to put all of his faith in an unknown, however. The enemy of your enemy wasn't always a friend. They couldn't waste resources on finding them either. They needed to find the mole first before they did anything else. It would be difficult since any of the local police could have been behind it. It could have even been multiple working together. Only time and a thorough investigation would tell.
Ash and Pikachu shared a worried glance with one another. "Actually... there's something important I need to tell you guys."
Anabel crossed her arms in front of her and tilted her head to the left. "What do you need to tell us?"
Ash closed his eyes. "Not here. There's too many people that could be listening."
Looker took a moment to look around. While there were people nearby, most of them were preoccupied talking to the police or the paramedics. The chances of anyone being nearby to eavesdrop were slim to none.
Looker placed his hand on Ash's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Alright. Once we're done here, we'll find somewhere private. What is this about though? Can you at least tell us that?"
"I think I know why Proton is interested in Bianca and his true purpose being in Alto Mare."
Deeper within the city there was simple coffee shop on the corner of a low-trafficked area. To the locals, it was a nice place to relax after a long day at work and enjoy the pleasures of life. For Team Rocket, it was a place for their agents to lay low when they arrived in the city and conduct important meetings.
Proton let out a roar and threw one of his cowering Grunts to the floor. With the coffee shop closed this late at night, no one would hear him rage.
After the disaster at the auction and the police raid, he had slipped away in the chaos. It hadn't been difficult when everyone else was focused on survival. He'd practically sprinted through the city towards one of Team Rocket's safehouses. The entire way there his mind was plagued by questions.
Why had their mole inside the police allowed the attack to begin? Who were the International Police agents that had infiltrated the guests? Who or what had turned the very room against his Grunts? Most importantly, how could he turn this to his advantage?
Proton slammed his fist into a wall and created a dent in the drywall. He ignored the pain and leveled a deadly glare at the Grunt on the floor.
"I want our people on the street and seen. If the police want to make enemies of us so badly, then this backwater city can burn for it." He growled.
The Grunt stumbled to his feet with the help of his friends. He let out an audible gulp and looked anywhere but Proton's eyes. "Are... are you sure that's a good idea, boss?" He mumbled. "That's gonna draw attention to us. We're supposed to keep things quiet here, so our smuggling operation runs smoothly. Tonight was already too much-"
Proton grabbed the Grunt by the throat and pulled him close. "I'm in charge here! Not some worthless Grunt that can't even look me in the eyes." He tightened his grip and watched the man squirm. "The police of this city have been messing with us for too long. Target the people. Set some fires. Make them fear us and the police will fall in line."
"That has to be the worst idea I've ever heard. You should listen to that Grunt. Unlike you, he seems to have common sense."
He dropped the Grunt to the ground and turned to look at the source of the voice. Standing in the doorway of the room was Domino. One of Giovanni's personal agents. He'd met her once before and that was one time too many. Her lack of respect and arrogance always wore his patience thin. After tonight, he was in no mood to deal with her.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded. "Giovanni said you weren't coming until you fixed your mess in Viridian."
Domino's eyes narrowed into predatory slits. "My mess is handled. Yours is getting worse by the minute." She pushed herself off the wall. "I always knew you were incompetent, but I didn't think you were stupid."
His hand hovered over his Poke balls. "Watch your tone or I'll-"
"Do nothing!" She interrupted with a pleased grin. "I'm here on Giovanni's orders. He's disappointed at your lack of progress finding the Latias. After I tell him what happened tonight? He's going to be livid."
Proton had never wanted to kill someone so badly. "There were... complications. I'm handling it."
She scoffed and brushed by him, gently pulling the Grunt he'd choked to his feet. "Causing chaos in the city won't help." She didn't even bother looking at him as she dusted the Grunt off. "You may have forgotten due to your overinflated ego, but we're a crime syndicate. We operate in the shadows. We don't go around acting like terrorists. Leave that to what's left of Team Magma and Plasma."
Proton clenched his fists. "Then what would you have us do?"
Domino shrugged. "Act like the Admin you're supposed to be." She mocked. "Keep things in the city quiet and wait for the public to move on. They'll forget this happened in a day or two like they do with any tragedy."
He rolled his eyes. "Is that all? And what about the International Police? Or the Latias we're hunting?"
Her grin turned feral. "You just leave that all to me. I guarantee that in the coming weeks, I'll draw that thing out of hiding and cripple the International Police in one fell swoop."
Huh... it's been a while hasn't it? I'm sorry for the small delay everyone. My internship was demanding and I never had the time to write while working with them. It's over now though and I have plenty of time to write! What better time to start writing than spring break, after all? As an apology for taking so long and not keeping you guys aware of what happened, I decided to give you guys a longer chapter this time.
Hopefully you all enjoyed reading it. Let me know what your thoughts are. What did you like? What did you hate? What do you think I can improve on? What are you looking forward to? Let me know!
I'll see you all again soon!