So... this chapter was not meant to be this long. At all. But once I started writing it I couldn't find a satisfying place to stop it. Flash forward a month and I've got a chapter close to 40K words long having routinely sucked the energy from me. Battles are hard to write, so I hope you guys like the one's that I included in this chapter.

As you can probably guess, the length is the reason why the chapter was a bit late this time.

As an aside, I changed my username recently so that it was the same as the one on AO3. Just a minor thing, but I feel this one is better than the old one.

Anyway, on with the chapter.

Ash stared out the window of the hotel room from the bed at the dazzling yellow lights of the city illuminated by the moonlight in the night sky. He slowly stroked Pikachu's back and let out a quiet, contemplative sigh. It had only been a few hours since the attack at the auction and he was only now beginning to feel safe. The hostages at the auction were now under police protection. Even with those Grunts responsible for the attack arrested, that didn't mean other Grunt's wouldn't target them in the future.

Personally, he didn't believe they would. He knew exactly what Team Rocket was after and rich socialites had nothing to do with it.

He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. When he had first arrived in Alto Mare, he'd been eager to help Anabel and Looker. He'd been eager to take part in the operation and show off the skills he'd been taught. Like the fool everyone had always called him, Ash had imagined that he'd be like those iconic heroes he'd seen in movies as a kid. Instead, he had nearly been killed because of his recklessness and put everyone in danger.

He shouldn't have expected anything else. He wasn't an agent. He was a kid in over his head. Had he really been so arrogant to believe that a few months of training would make him ready for this type of work? That he knew better than experienced agents?

Ash was disgusted with himself. He needed to do better. He needed to trust Looker and Anabel. They knew what they were doing. Starting now he'd dedicate himself to becoming an agent that could stand beside them. He would show them that they could trust him not just to look after himself, but to have their backs. Assuming he was given the chance after his stunt tonight, anyway.

He heard the door to the room open and turned to see Anabel and Looker walk inside. They had gotten themselves out of the ruined clothes they'd worn for the auction and were back in their trench coats. For his part, he'd practically ripped the Team Rocket uniform off of him and thrown on his old clothes. He'd have even put on the disguise he'd been forced to wear to sneak into the city.

Anything to get rid of the reminder of what happened.

He cleared his throat. "Where's Petrovic?"

Looker shut the door behind him. "At the hospital. He decided he wants to guard those Grunts we captured personally. Something about not trusting the local police to do their job."

Anabel rolled her eyes. "Considering what we saw when we first arrived? I can't blame him." She lamented. "If they somehow lost those Grunts after what we went through tonight, I'd be furious."

"Oh, I would be too. I just hope he can keep his temper in check with them. We still have to question them tomorrow." Looker took a seat on the bed in the room opposite from him. Anabel chose to lean against the wall with her arms crossed. "So, what was it you needed to tell us, Ash? You said you think you have an idea about what Team Rocket is after?"

Ash took a breath to steady his nerves. This was it. The first step towards becoming a better agent.

"I know why they're here." He stressed. "Promise that you won't interrupt until I'm finished. I'll answer all your questions then."

Looker frowned. "Okay..."

"Years ago, when I was on my journey through Johto, my friends and I came to Alto Mare." He began. "It was supposed to be a simple vacation. A break from traveling and collecting gym badges. We wanted to see the sights and take part in the local culture. I even got to take part in the Tour de Alto Mare." He kept his gaze firmly on the two of them. "I might have even managed to win if a Latias hadn't dragged me off course."

Their eyes widened in shock and doubt. They both kept quiet, though, like he'd asked. "Not long after while I was exploring the city, I stumbled across two women harassing a girl. I stepped in to help her escape but that just drew their attention to me. That almost cost the city everything." He continued. "I later found out that those two women were named Annie and Oakley. They were agents of Team Rocket sent here to capture the Soul Dew and the Latias and Latios."

He never had forgiven or forgotten about those two. Working for Team Rocket had been bad enough. Capturing Latios and holding his friends hostage had confirmed to him they were monsters. What came after though? That had cemented them as people to revile.

"I ran into that girl I rescued a few hours later and she led me through the city to a secret garden. Then... well I was attacked by a Latios protecting it and the girl that took me there was actually Latias in disguise. Then the girl she was disguised as - Bianca - and her grandfather appeared." Looking back, he'd been far too trusting when he'd followed her. "Things calmed down after everyone realized I wasn't a threat. They let me relax in their garden and even told me about the history of their family. I even got to see the Soul Dew with my own eyes. It was fun but... it didn't last."

Ash could see the questions in their eyes. He couldn't blame them. This was already an eventful story. It wasn't over yet though. He still had the worst part to tell. He grimaced and looked down at Pikachu. His partner sensed his discomfort and hopped up onto his shoulder to offer what little support he could.

"Later that night, Annie and Oakley snuck into the garden. They managed to capture Latios and would have captured Latias if they had been a little luckier. Worse, they stole the Soul Dew from its place in the garden. Then when they went to the museum and activated the DMA, they took over the city and captured my friends." He flinched at the memories of that night. "They could control the water, manipulate the architecture of the city, and even resurrect the fossils of the Pokemon that once terrorized the city. Despite all of that power at their hands, Latias and I were able to stop them. We were able to free our friends."

His hands tightened into fists. "That should have been the end of it. But... the Soul Dew was never meant to leave the garden. It had been corrupted and destroyed by the DMA. Once it broke, all of the water for miles around receded. Then it came rushing towards the city in a massive tidal wave." He could still remember the all-consuming terror that had gripped his heart at that moment. The feeling of all hope leaving him wasn't something he would ever forget. "This city should have been destroyed and everyone in it should be dead."

Anabel wore a complicated expression. "What happened?" She softly asked.

Despite the interruption, Ash pushed on. "Latios and Latias did their duty as the guardians of this city. They managed to stop the tidal wave from destroying the city and restore the water to it. It wasn't without a cost though." He let out a tired sigh. "Latios gave his life in the process and became the next Soul Dew. Then... well, that's it. Annie and Oakley were arrested. The Soul Dew was placed back in the garden. Hardly anyone in the city even knew they were so close to dying. And I went back to my journey as though nothing happened."

Anabel and Looker were quiet for a moment. Long enough that it set Ash on edge. Did they believe him? Did they think that he was lying to them? The uncertainty was putting him on edge.

Looker let out a quiet hum. "That's quite the story, Ash. It's pretty unbelievable."

He felt his stomach drop.

"However," Looker went on, "you've been involved in these kind of situations before. I'd be a fool to dismiss this just because it seems unlikely. Especially when it gives me the context for what those Grunts told us at the police station."

Ash felt as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulder and he felt a tiny smile spread across his face. "So, you believe me?"

Anabel let out a chuckle and strode across the room to sit down beside him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "I don't see why you'd lie about this, Ash. Not after what happened tonight." She gave him a warm smile. "You may be inexperienced, and you may not have had much of a choice joining us, but you are one of us. I'm willing to trust you."

Looker nodded along with a small smile of his own. "As am I. Despite your recklessness tonight, I trust you." He told him. "I do hope that you'll answer my questions though?" Ash gave him a small nod of confirmation. "Okay... to start, why did you hide this from us?"

"It's not that I didn't trust you." He rushed to reassure them. "I made a promise to Bianca and her grandfather that I'd keep everything that happened here a secret. The less people that know the legends of Alto Mare are real, the safer everyone will be." Or so he'd thought, anyway. "When I heard that Team Rocket were looking for them, I thought that I could keep my promise by helping catch Proton."

Anabel frowned. "Proton isn't the one behind this search, Ash. It's Giovanni. Even if we rooted out Team Rocket from the city entirely, he'd just send more. The threat would never end."

Ash cringed. He hadn't thought of that. Arresting Proton would be a good thing. From what he'd read in the International Police's file on the man and what he orchestrated tonight, he knew Proton was a monster. With him gone, the city would experience some peace and his friends here would be safe. Until Team Rocket sent someone else to take over the search. Sooner or later, they would find the garden again and put the whole city in danger with their greed.

"Earlier you mentioned that the Soul Dew leaving this garden almost destroyed the city." Looker crossed his arms in front of him. "Is this true?"

"It's what Lorenzo - Bianca's grandfather - told us after the water started to leave the city." Ash let out a sigh. "I'm not sure what to do. If arresting Proton won't stop Team Rocket, they'll find the garden eventually. Once they do, it will only be a matter of time until they steal the Soul Dew."

"And when they do they'll destroy this city." Looker narrowed his eyes. "There... may be something we can do. If you're willing to go along with it."

He gave him a firm nod. "I'll do anything if you think it will help."

Looker stood up from his seat on the bed and walked over to look out the window at the calm city below. He crossed his arms behind his back. "I'll alert the director of the International Police about the potential cataclysm that could happen if the Soul Dew is removed from the garden. If we can prove that it exists and give them its location, we could have agents permanently posted here to protect it. We can even protect Bianca and her grandfather."

Ash frowned. "They'd have to know about Latias and the others as well."

"Wouldn't that be for the best?" Anabel said. "As it stands, it sounds like the only real defender this city has is this Latias. If they're willing to work with us, we can provide them with manpower and resources. We can even try to create evacuation plans if Team Rocket succeed in stealing it."

"Or we could try to find ways to prevent the removal of the Soul Dew from destroying the city." Looker added. "The International Police have some of the brightest minds on the planet in our employ. If anyone can figure out how to save this city, it's them."

It was a good plan. While he had faith in Latias' ability to defend it, anyone could be overwhelmed through sheer attrition. With the help of the International Police, they could have a chance of stopping Team Rocket from ever getting their hands on the Soul Dew. Or even better, find a way to prevent the destruction that came with its removal and hide it somewhere far away.

There was just one problem.

"You'd need the approval of Bianca's family and Latias for this plan to work. They won't let anyone they don't trust even near the garden."

Anabel smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that. I may have a plan to get their support. I'll just need your help."

"Things are going to get worse."

Latias turned visible and floated down onto the bed in Bianca's room. The two of them had finally returned from the crisis at the auction and the two of them were exhausted. All Latias wanted to do was curl up in a nice, soft bed and drift off to sleep. She couldn't though. Not when her friend was still on edge.

She let out a sigh and lowered her head onto one of the pillows. "They are. This is the first time Team Rocket has done something this drastic. I wonder what pushed them to do this?"

Bianca huffed and plopped down beside her on the bed, bouncing on the soft mattress. "It doesn't matter what caused this. What matters is that they're escalating." She growled. "So many people were hurt. All those security guards were killed, and they didn't even bat an eye. And for what? Art? No art is worth someone's life!"

Latias couldn't help but agree. She liked to think that she understood Humans better than most Pokemon. Most Pokemon could never understand why Humans placed so much value on art, money, or the simple pleasures that came with civilization. And her fellow Legends? Those pompous fools couldn't understand anyone who wasn't a Legend - Human or Pokemon. They could never understand the beauty of a simple painting or the emotions that could come from a well-written tale. Those were some of Humanity's greatest treasures!

Yet they were not worth any life.

"I'll need to increase how often I patrol the city. If Team Rocket have stopped trying to be subtle, they could start targeting the public."

"That's not a bad idea. I'll do my best to keep an ear open for any sightings." Bianca turned to glare at her. "Don't think I've forgotten how you lied to me though!"

Latias flinched under the burning gaze of her friend. "I'm sorry!" She cried. "I thought I could just do a quick patrol and be back before you knew it. Everything should have been fine-"

"It wasn't fine though!" Bianca jabbed her finger into Latias' face. "People died. People that could have survived if you had just kept your promise and been there!"

Latias couldn't handle the look of sheer disappointment in Bianca's eyes. She knew that she had messed up! No one knew that better than she did! This was the worst that she had ever done as guardian since the night her brother died. Now people had lost their loved ones and those responsible - the leaders of Team Rocket - were still out there.

"I know, Bianca." She whispered into her mind. "I should have been better. A better friend and a better guardian. All I can do now is promise to make up for it to you and the victims. I'm sorry."

Bianca closed her eyes and laid down on the bed. "You know I can't stay mad at you. Especially when you were just trying to help." She let out a sigh and patted Latias on the head. "You couldn't have known Team Rocket would do this. No one could have. I'm sorry for blaming you."

Latias gave her a smile and pushed her head into Bianca's hand. She always gave the best head pats. "It's okay. You've been through a lot tonight."

Bianca hummed in thought. "Do you know why the police showed up?" She inquired. "Team Rocket took away everyone's Pokegears. Did you do something?"

She shook her head. "No, once I heard what was happening I came as quick as I could." She frowned. "I... think I know why they were there though."

"Well don't keep me in suspense. Why were they there?"

"There was someone in a Team Rocket uniform that helped fight them when the police arrived. He must have been a spy in their ranks." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "I... think I recognized him."

Bianca tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Really? Who is it, Latias?"

"Someone I thought we'd never see again..."

It had been two weeks since the attack at the auction. That time had been chaotic for everyone within the city. Once the media learned of what happened and spread the story to the public, the residents of Alto Mare were more on edge than ever. The police were flooded with calls from people worried about Team Rocket or accusing their neighbors of being criminals. It didn't help that not a single one of these alerts were true and only ever wasted the time of the underfunded, incompetent police force. With so many other problems to focus on, no one had the time to wonder why Team Rocket had been so quiet.

Ash, Looker, and Anabel had certainly been busy. Finding the mole within the police had been more difficult than Ash had thought it would be. Oh sure, there'd been plenty of corruption. Most of them were guilty from slacking off on the job or ignoring the minor crimes that plagued the city. Some were guilty of shaking down shops for protection money. A few of them had even taken mistresses on the side and were using the budget meant for surveillance to pay for expensive dates.

None of them were working for Team Rocket though. None of their interrogations of the captured Grunts or investigations had discovered that. Not even Petrovic and his threats had managed to flush them out. He had suggested using more... violent methods to get answers, but Looker had staunchly refused. Ash had been glad to hear that at the time. They were supposed to be better than Team Rocket, not stoop to their level. They could beat them while still maintaining their moral standards.

Ash was certain of it.

What he wasn't certain of was Anabel's plan. With the investigation into the mole turning up nothing and Team Rocket being unusually inactive, they were finally moving forward with her idea. While Petrovic stayed behind to continue searching for the mole within the police, Ash and the others were taking a trip into the city now that the public was finally calming down. The normally bustling streets and happy people were now quiet and somber. The shadow of Team Rocket was smothering the charm of this beautiful city. They sooner they could deal with Proton, the sooner they could put people at ease.

That was what lead to them standing outside of a small home on the edge of one of the canals. There was a workshop for gondolas outside but this early in the morning meant that no one had stopped by for repairs. The perfect time to hold an important meeting.

Looker glanced his way. "Are you ready, Ash?"

He took a deep breath. On one of his shoulders, Pikachu looked at him with concern in his eyes. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm just nervous."

Anabel smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "There's nothing to be worried about. We'll be right beside you."

He let out a sigh and gave her a grateful nod. "Thanks. I appreciate it. Let's get this over with."

As a group, the trio of agents moved towards the house and up the stone steps of the house. Looker knocked and the door and patiently waited with his arms at his side. Anabel was looking around the area with a pleasant smile on her face as she enjoyed the architecture of the city. By contrast, Ash was fidgeting in place and doing his best to cover his face with his brown cap.

After a few moment, the door opened and revealed Lorenzo standing in the doorway with an air of drowsiness about him. He regarded them all with a cautious gaze for a moment and narrowed his eyes.

"Can I help you three?"

Looker offered him a comforting smile and reached into his pocket to pull out his badge. "My name is Looker, and these are my associates Anabel and Red. We're members of the International Police and we have a few questions for you, Mr. Davri."

Lorenzo's eyes roamed over them all and he reached out to take the badge from Looker's hand. "International Police eh?" He hummed. "Can't say I've ever heard of you."

An easy smile graced Anabel's face. "We work for the United Regions. We're a collaborative police agency dedicated upholding the law and protecting people from criminals."

"I see. You're like the Rangers then?"

A look of annoyance crossed Looker's face, but it was gone as quick as it came. "Not exactly. We focus on organized crime, terrorism, and anything else which could have an effect on an international scale. They prefer more... environmental and Pokemon-based crimes." He explained. "We understand that your granddaughter was one of the victims of Team Rocket's attack at the auction two weeks ago?"

Lorenzo's eyes darkened as he passed Looker's badge back to him. "Yes, she was. She's already spoken to the police about this though."

Looker nodded. "Yes, we understand. But we have reason to believe that you and her will become targets of theirs in the future."

His eyes widened. "Are you certain?"

For the first time since this conversation began, Ash found the courage to speak up. "We have reason to believe they specifically targeted the auction because Bianca was there."

Lorenzo's gaze lingered on him for a moment. "I see... please, all of you come in. I'll go get Bianca. She should hear what you have to say as well."

The three were lead inside of the small but quaint home. Looker and Anabel took a seat in the living room while Lorenzo upstairs to wake Bianca. He was leaning against the wall by the doorway. It gave Ash the chance to think about what he was going to say. Anabel's plan relied on him being able to convince Bianca and Lorenzo to work with them. The issue was his status as a wanted criminal. Chances were high that once they learned who he was they'd react poorly. Not that he could blame them.

News of his crime had been broadcast far and wide. With his status as the Alolan champion, it was to be expected. Like all champions, he had been catapulted to stardom once he'd won the league. Being the first champion of Alola had only made it worse. His status as a consistently skilled competitor in the Leagues cemented the medias fascination. The interviews and awe that had followed him immediately after his victory had been... uncomfortable to say the least. Luckily for him, he hadn't stayed in Alola long enough for it to be a recurring thing. Professor Kukui had said that things would calm down once he was back in Kanto. Well... that and something about wearing masks to avoid the fame.

It hadn't mattered. In the end, the one thing people loved more than a victory was a fall from grace. Within only a few hours of the media learning of his crime, every region that took part in the Pokemon League knew of what he'd done. His escape not long after had garnered even more press and last he'd heard there was endless speculation about where he could have been hiding. Some people thought he was still in Viridian Forest. Others thought he'd gone for the oceans and was hiding out on a boat. Some even thought he'd scaled Mount Silver and was making his home at its peak.

None of it was true, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that the speculation kept him on people's minds. He doubted there was a single person in the world who didn't at least know what he'd done. Hopefully Lorenzo and Bianca would at least be willing to give him a chance to explain.

When the two of them finally came down, they sat down on the couch opposite of his two partners. Both of them looked tired but interested in what they had to say.

"So... my grandfather and I are targets?" Bianca asked.

Looker leaned forward to place a photo on the table. "Do you two know this man?"

Lorenzo nodded. "That's Proton. He's an art collector and a history buff. He came by the museum a few weeks ago to ask about the DMA."

Ash and Anabel exchanged a worried look. "And what about you, miss Bianca?"

Bianca's eyes were narrowed as she looked at the picture. "I met him at the auction. He stopped Team Rocket from kidnapping people. He disappeared in the chaos when the police attacked though. Is he alright? Is he also a target?"

Looker scoffed. "Oh, he's more than fine." He took the picture back from them. "Proton is one of Team Rocket's bosses. He has a reputation for senseless violence and collateral damage."

The room descended into silence as Lorenzo and Bianca processed that new information. It must have been shocking to learn someone they knew was a dangerous criminal. He couldn't claim to understand but he knew that it must have been difficult to process.

"Oh." Bianca eventually managed to say. "So, what happened at the auction is my fault?"

Anabel leaned forward and looked her firmly in the eyes. "You are not to blame for what happened. The only ones responsible for what happened are Proton and his lackeys."

"Why is he interested in us though?" Lorenzo spoke up. "We're not important. We have no money and power. There's nothing they could gain targeting us."

Looker leaned forward and cupped his hands in front of him. "We both know that's not true. What they want from you is far more valuable than simple money." He spoke. "After all, what is money compared to the power of a Latias and the Soul Dew?"

The tension in the room was so thick Ash could have cut it with a knife. He could practically see the wheels turning in their heads. How did they know about Latias and the Soul Dew? What did they want from them? Should they deny any knowledge or come clean? All important questions. Luckily for them, they didn't have to ask any.

"You must be wondering how we know this." Anabel's eyes shifted to him. "It's okay. You can reveal it to them."

Lorenzo and Bianca both turned to look at him with curiosity in their eyes. Ash's heart was beating so loud and fast that he could practically hear it in his ears. He took a slow, steady breath to try and calm himself, but it didn't work. With shaky hands, he slowly reached up to pull the cap off of his head and stepped forward. An uneasy smile spread across his face.

"Hey. It's been a while, Bianca. Lorenzo."

They didn't recognize him. Not at first. He'd barely been twelve years old when he first met them and in the years since he'd gotten taller and more mature features. The heavy black trench and hat that he wore couldn't have helped, but with the cap gone they had a clearer view of his face now. Even weeks later, Ash had still been unable to completely wash the green out of his hair. It was an unsightly mixture of green and black that hurt to look at.

Slowly, however, they began to recognize him the longer they looked at him. The shock was expected. He was far different and had a worse reputation than when they'd last seen him. He expected them to recoil in disgust or maybe lash out in anger with accusations. Maybe even try to plead with him for mercy out of fear. All reactions that would have hurt him to his core.

What wasn't expected was for Lorenzo and Bianca to share a brief glance at one another to pass some message he couldn't understand. Slowly, Bianca stood up from the couch and moved closer to him. He could feel Pikachu tense up on his shoulder protectively. Ever since Viridian City, Pikachu had gotten protective of him. He couldn't - wouldn't - let him hurt someone just because they disapproved of who they thought he was. Least of all someone he considered a friend.

He took Pikachu off of his shoulder and placed him off to the side. He gave his partner a firm glare and a silent message not to do anything. Pikachu narrowed his eyes and turned aside with a huff, little sparks of electricity bouncing off its cheeks. He clearly didn't agree with Ash's decision, but he would do as he was told. That was all he could ask for.

Ash turned back to face Bianca and silently gulped now that she was close. When they were younger, they'd practically been the same height. So many years later, he was a full head and shoulders taller. Even so, under her critical gaze he felt smaller than he'd ever been. He rested his hands at his side and managed to resist the urge to look away from her.

"Ash... you look well." Bianca's tone was even and gave nothing about her mood away.

He gave a short nod. "I..." He didn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say to her? Anabel and Looker had wanted him to reveal himself, but they hadn't known any more than he did about how to handle this kind of situation.

"I never expected to see you again, you know. Not after everything that happened."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. Bianca moved closer and raised her arms. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable blows. With what he'd been through recently, the miniscule amount of pain she could inflict would be nothing. If she felt he deserved it, then he wouldn't resist.

His eyes shot open. A gasp of shock escaped his mouth as her arms wrapped tightly around him and brought him into a hug. Dumbly, he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug. He shot a look towards Looker, Anabel, and Lorenzo. Each of them looked somewhere between surprised and amused. No help from them, it seemed.

"Thank you." She mumbled into his chest.

He blinked down at her in confusion. "For... what?"

She turned her head to look up at him with a coy smile. "For helping save us at the auction." She explained as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "That was you dressed as a Grunt, wasn't it? The one that was saved from a Golbat attack?"

He frowned. "How did you know about that?"

"A mutual friend of ours was there." She said vaguely. "She told me you were responsible for the police arriving."

"Ah... the police were there before Team Rocket arrived. We knew they'd be there, but we never thought something like that would happen." He admitted. "Honestly, me disguising myself as a member of Team Rocket was a last minute decision."

Anabel rolled her eyes. "Not a very bright one either since he put himself in danger needlessly."

Lorenzo let out an amused snort. "He wouldn't be Ash if he didn't act a bit reckless. It's part of his charm."

He managed a small smile. "I'm not that bad." He chuckled. "So... you two aren't angry at me?"

Bianca pulled out from their embrace and stepped back with a complicated look on their face. "Not angry, just... confused." She explained. "We saw the news reports of what you did the same as everyone else. At any other time, we'd be calling the police. But after a few weeks ago and now you showing up with these International Police, we're willing to give you a chance to explain."

Ash let out a sigh and walked over towards Pikachu. He sat on the ground next to his partner and allowed him to scramble into his lap. Absent-mindedly, he began to scratch his partner behind the ears. A chance to explain... it was more than he'd expected. He couldn't mess this up. Where to begin though?

"What do you two know about Team Rocket?" It was as good a place to start as any.

Lorenzo frowned. "They're a Kantonian crime syndicate that have infested Alto Mare. From what I hear, they mainly focus on smuggling and stealing Pokemon?"

"That's how they started out years ago." Looker interjected. "They've expanded into other types of crime since then."

Ash nodded. "They're still responsible for close to 30% of all Pokemon thefts world-wide though." It had been one of the first lessons he'd been taught upon his recruitment into the International Police. While 30% didn't sound like a lot, when one considered how large the world was and how many other criminals there were - both independents and organizations - it was startlingly large. "In recent years, their main targets have been Psychic types."

Bianca leaned forward. "Why? I know Psychics are powerful, but it's not like they're invincible."

"They don't have to be invincible." Anabel let out a sigh and leaned back in her seat. "Psychics have far more practical uses than just battling. One of them being their ability to control the minds of others."

Bianca's eyes widened and she looked to him in sympathy. "Are you saying that you were under the control of a psychic?"

Ash grimaced. "I was. I don't have any memory of being controlled or the crime though." He clenched his eyes shut in frustration. "I was weak. I couldn't do anything to resist them, and a woman lost their life because of it."

"That wasn't your fault, Ash." Anabel's voice was full of such genuine worry that he couldn't bear to look at her. "It takes an iron will and years of training to resist a psychic assault. You can't blame yourself."

Maybe not. That didn't mean he wasn't though. No matter what Anabel or Looker said, he was used as a weapon. He had been the one to kill her. The blood had been on his hands. It didn't matter that Team Rocket had forced him to do it. If he had just stayed in the hotel that night, she would still be alive.

"Anabel was the one who discovered I was controlled." He pushed on. "If it hadn't been for her, I'd have accepted responsibility for what happened... and probably have been killed by now."

"I'm a psychic." Anabel added upon Bianca and Lorenzo's questioning looks. "Once I took a look inside his head, the evidence all pointed to his innocence. Further investigation showed that Team Rocket had decided to frame him."

"Not that it can be proven." Ash said. "There's no hard evidence and the only witness was a Pokemon - which can't give testimony to anything. So Looker and Anabel helped me escape. They've given me the opportunity to help fight Team Rocket and clear my name."

"Which brought you here." Lorenzo finished. "Well, I can't say we don't appreciate the help. Our city can always use more people willing to do the right thing."

Ash chuckled. "I'm sure Latias will appreciate our help at least." Bianca and Lorenzo's eyes widened in shock, eyes flickering to Looker and Anabel while their mouths fell open. He rushed to reassure them. "I told them everything. They know about Latias, the Soul Dew, and what happened years ago. I tried to keep it secret..."

Looker chose that moment to speak up. "He did. He revealed it to us after the events at the auction." Looker frowned in worry. "Don't blame him. He only did it out of concern for the two of you and this city.

Lorenzo turned his skeptical gaze to Looker. "And what do you plan to do now that you know?"

Looker smiled. "At the moment? Arrest Proton and kick Team Rocket out of the city." He declared. "As for what comes after? I was thinking of a partnership between you and the International Police. One that could help protect this city from complete destruction. All I ask is that you hear me out before deciding anything."

Looker and Lorenzo had spoken at length about the International Police and what they could do to aid in the protection of Alto Mare. Lorenzo had seemed interested in the idea of dedicated manpower and resources. Not only would Latias have allies in her fight, with the International Police taking permanent residence in the city they could mold the lackluster, corrupt local police into a truly effective fighting force. As far as Ash was concerned, there was no reason for them to reject it.

The only issue was the Soul Dew. Neither Bianca nor Lorenzo wanted to International Police studying the DMA or the Soul Dew. They didn't like the idea of anyone tampering with those. If either were damaged beyond repair, the entire city would be put at risk. Lorenzo had nearly lost his temper when he heard Looker suggest finding a way to safely remove the Soul Dew. Not to mention he hadn't liked the idea of anyone possessing them - International Police or not. To Lorenzo, no one could trusted with that kind of power.

It had seemed like the promising alliance that would safeguard Alto Mare would be destroyed before it could even begin. Luckily for them all, Bianca had suggested that they seek Latias' opinion. As the true guardian of this city, the final say on whether or not the International Police would be allowed to work with them was up to her.

That was how Ash found himself walking through the streets of this historic city with only Pikachu by his side. Given his history with Latias, it had been decided that he would be the best one to approach her. Put a friendly face to the International Police, or so Looker had said. Meanwhile, Looker and Anabel would head back to the headquarters of the police to continue their search for Proton.

Walking through these streets brought back memories. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine he was a kid again. What he wouldn't give to return to those simpler times when he could spend every day with his closest friends. When the thought of catching new Pokemon and meeting new people was enough to make him excited for whatever the day would bring.

He shook his head and let out a small sigh. If only things were that simple. He couldn't get caught up on dreaming of a past long gone. The present was what mattered. If he could convince Latias to work with them, then he could save so many people. Not just the nameless, faceless people of Alto Mare but his friends too. They had been pushing their luck fighting Team Rocket already. Now that Lorenzo and Bianca had captured their interest, it would only have been a matter of time until they made their move.

Even all these years later, Ash was able to traverse the maze-like backstreets of Alto Mare as though he'd never left. In another life, perhaps he could have called this city home. Despite the presence of Team Rocket, the city still had an air of calm to it that he could appreciate it. Maybe when this was all over - if he could ever clear his name - he'd get a little home here.

It wasn't likely to happen, but he could dream.

Latias' home was a garden within the heart of the city hidden by an illusionary wall by a small water fountain. When he finally found the entrance to the secret garden, he paused. Bianca claimed that Latias knew he was here, even if she didn't know why. How would she react to him just showing up out of nowhere in the most secret place within the city? Was he even welcome anymore? Lorenzo and Bianca had been quick to assure him that he would be but... he wasn't so sure. If there was one thing he knew about Legendary Pokemon, it was that they were a prideful bunch.

There was only one way to find out.

Taking a quick breath to steady his nerves, he and Pikachu stepped through the illusion. They appeared on the other and moved through the narrow, granite hallway to find the garden. It was... as beautiful as he remembered it. It took his breath away. The trees and flowers were so vibrant and full of life. The pools of water scattered through the large garden had water so refreshing to look at he longed to drink from them. There even Pokemon running around and playing with one another. Mainly Yanma, Poliwag, and Pidgey's but there were others as well. Even when they noticed him standing at the edge of the garden, they waved in happiness before going about their day.

"This place is exactly like a remember it." He mumbled. "As peaceful as ever. Let's hope that Team Rocket never finds this place."

Pikachu nodded in agreement at his feet before scampering up to rest on his shoulder. Ash turned to regard his partner for a moment. "Well? Can you tell if she's nearby?" Pikachu took a quick sniff of the air before shaking his head. "She must not be here then. Well... nothing else to do but wait."

The two of them moved through the garden and allowed themselves to relax. Ash moved past the Pokemon playing in the pools of water and gave them a smile. As nice as it would have been to sit down and watch these Pokemon enjoy their simple life, he had something more important to do while he waited for Latias to return.

He had to pay his respects.

In the center of this serene sanctuary was a small pool of clear blue water. It was utterly unremarkable aside from one simple thing. Submerged in the center of the pool was a small jewel that could fit in the palm of his hand. It was an iridescent shade of blue and seemed to glow with a blinding energy in its center. It was one of the most beautiful jewels in the world. Any collector would have given their limbs for the chance to own it.

It was also the only thing standing between this wonderful city and a watery doom. The Soul Dew. It may have looked like nothing other than a simple, if beautiful, jewel but Ash knew better. He'd seen what this thing was capable of in the wrong hands once before. He would not allow Team Rocket to get their hands on it. Especially not when it contained the soul of the very creature that had sacrificed itself to save them all.

"Hey, Latios... it's been a while." He began. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder to sit on the edge of the pool and run his paws through the cool water. "I'm not sure if you're still conscious in there or if you even remember me, but I wanted to thank you."

There was no sound in the garden other than the rustling of the leaves and the chirps of the Pokemon playing.

Ash let out a short laugh. "Yeah, I guess you can't say anything. Not that I'd have understand it even if you could." He said. "I just never thanked you years ago. Funny, isn't it? You sacrificed yourself to save me and everyone else... and I was too self-centered to spare even a few words for you."

Silence.

"That's not to say I wasn't grateful!" He rushed to reassure the Soul Dew. "I thought you were so cool and so brave for sacrificing yourself. You were like one of the heroes that you'd hear about in old stories. The kind that can face insurmountable odds and certain death without a hint of fear to protect others."

He ran his hand along the surface of the water and allowed a sad smile to grace his face. "Except you weren't fearless, were you?" He asked. As predicted, there was no answer. "It's stupid to think you weren't afraid. You must have been terrified. Your family was in danger. Your home was about to be destroyed. The legacy of your father was about to be swept away. You were about to die. Anyone - Human or Pokemon - would have been scared."

Pikachu looked up to him in worry. Ash couldn't bear to look him in the eyes.

"I think I can understand why you did it though." He let out a shaky breath. "You were scared of dying, yeah. But you were terrified about what would happen to everyone else more. You couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to them. So, you were willing to give everything you had just to make sure they survived - no matter the pain."

He clenched his eyes shut and tightened his hands into fists. "I went through something similar recently. Not at the same scale but... my friends were in danger. Innocent people too. They were caught in the middle of one of Team Rocket's schemes. And I rushed off without thinking knowing I had to save them." He laughed even as tears began to gather at the edge of his eyes. "Everyone said it was a stupid idea. That I should have sat back to let those more experienced deal with it. And they were right."

A tiny yellow paw rested itself on his arms. Ash looked down at Pikachu and tried his best to give him a reassuring smile. It must not have worked because Pikachu let out a low growl and began to rub his cheek against his arms in an attempt to make him feel better. It helped more than Ash had thought it would.

"The thing is... I couldn't just sit by and do nothing. Not when everyone was in so much danger." He whispered. "The idea that they would have been hurt while I sat by and did nothing? It was unacceptable to me. So I tried my best to help them. Not that it did a lot of good. I nearly got myself killed and it turns out Latias was there to save the day, so I wasn't even needed. Just another stupid decision on my part."

He shook his head. "And now I'm rambling... sorry. This is probably the first conversation you've had in years. You don't need to hear me pity myself." He sighed. "I just want you to know that I understand the sacrifice you made for us all - better than anyone. So, thank you, Latios. I'll do my best to make sure it wasn't in vain."

"He would have appreciated knowing you thought so highly of him, Ash."

Ash spun around and raised his fists to defend himself. Pikachu hopped away from the pool of water and lowered himself to the ground, electricity sparking off of him dangerously. Ash's eyes frantically searched the clearing for the source of the voice but... nothing. There was no one else in the garden but him and the native Pokemon.

"Who said that?" He dared call out. "If you're not a threat, show yourself!"

A giggle filled the air. "If I were a threat, you'd already be on the ground." The voice was clearly amused at his response. "Still, I guess it would be rude to stay invisible."

Mere feet away from them, the source of the voice revealed itself to be Latias. She slowly shimmered into view as she lowered her cloaking ability. She was bigger than last he'd seen her with a wingspan easily larger than himself. Her feathers seemed to be a far darker shade of red than he remembered as well, and her eyes shined with a maturity that only came with age.

He quickly raised his arm to wipe away his tears even as Pikachu finally relaxed at his side. She didn't need to see that he had been crying. "Latias! You look great... how much of that did you hear?"

He hoped she didn't hear all of it.

Sadly, as usual his hopes amounted to nothing. "All of it." She smiled sadly and floated closer to him. She gently nuzzled his face, and he could feel... acceptance coming off of her. "I wondered when you'd finally show up. It's been weeks!"

He flushed in embarrassment. "It must have skipped my mind." It sounded like a weak excuse even to him. "Since when could you talk?"

Latias pulled away and rolled her eyes in amusement. "Since always? Maybe you've just finally decided to start listening?" She teased. "I'm using telepathy. I learned it not long after you left. It's nice to finally be able to talk with you Humans."

His eyes widened. "That's amazing, Latias!"

Latias grinned. "You think that's impressive? Listen to this." She turned to look at Pikachu. "It's been a while, Pikachu. You look stronger than ever. Still stealing ketchup when he isn't looking?"

What came next nearly left Ash speechless. Pikachu held a paw behind his head and let out a loud laugh. "I don't have to steal anything! All I gotta do is give him the sad eyes and he folds like a house of cards!"

"I knew you were messing with me!" He growled in response. His eyes widened in shock. "Hold on... I can understand you!"

Pikachu looked up at him in bewilderment. "You can!? Then I take it back! I really do get depressed when you don't give me ketchup!"

Latias giggled in amusement. "I can also help the brain translate Pokemon language. You're welcome."

He and Pikachu looked at her in awe. "You really are amazing, you know that?"

Latias smirked. "Oh, I know." She tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "So... what brings you back to Alto Mare? And why were you there the night of the auction?"

Ash frowned and mentally slapped himself. He was here for a reason! He couldn't go getting sidetracked by his old friends new abilities. "How much do you know about my situation?"

Latias blinked in confusion. "I know that other Humans consider you a criminal. The news say you murdered a woman." She must have noticed his flinch because she rushed to speak again. "Not that I believed them! The boy I knew years ago would never have done that."

Her faith in him was astounding. His friends had all lost faith in him the moment they heard the evidence against him. Even he hadn't believed his innocence until Anabel had looked into his mind and confirmed it for him. Yet here in Alto Mare was not one, but three people he hadn't seen in years willing to give him the benefit of the doubt...

He didn't know if that was touching or naive. Frankly, he didn't care. It meant more to him than they would ever know.

"Well... long story short, I was hypnotized by one of Team Rocket's Pokemon to k-kill that woman." Even now, the thought of actually taking a life filled him with revulsion. He swore that he would never take a life for as long as he lived. All life was precious. "The International Police - the ones you saw at the auction - rescued me. They're helping me clear my name and I'm helping them fight Team Rocket."

Latias' eyes glowed with a blue light. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt a... presence for lack of a better term enter his mind. Unlike Anabel who had clinically worked her way through his mind or the psychics he had encountered in his journey that smashed through his defenses, this presence was gentle. It slowly worked through his mind and emotions as it searched for answers. Once it found what it wanted, it slowly retreated from his mind and left him with a feeling of content.

He shook his head. "What was that?"

Latias floated up until she was looking him in the eyes. "I took a look into your mind." She explained. "I know it's intrusive but... well I wanted to make sure it was true. Now I can say for sure. There's a chasm where your memories should be."

He shifted uncomfortably in place. "Ah... can you not do that again?" He asked. "It's nothing against you. I just don't like psychics poking around in my head after what happened."

Latias' eyes widened. "No no no! You don't have to explain! After what happened, I completely understand!" She rushed to reassure him. "While I was in there, though, I did notice a few other things?"

Pikachu hopped up onto his shoulder and tilted his head to the side. "Like what?"

She frowned. "Why you're here in Alto Mare and the deal they want you to make... among other things."

The look of pure concern she gave him made Ash feel uncomfortable. He couldn't say for sure what she'd seen in his mind, but he could take a guess. If she really had heard his confession to the Soul Dew, she must have gotten curious and seen what happened at the auction.

Ash cleared his throat. "So... what do you think?"

Latias sighed and floated over towards the pool that contained the Soul Dew. She ran her claws through the water and kept her back turned to him. "Do you trust the International Police, Ash?"

"Of course!" He nodded firmly. "We're the good guys. I trust Looker and Anabel with my life!"

"I'm not talking about them." She clarified. "I'm talking about the other members. Their comrades and superiors. Would you trust them with the secrets of Alto Mare?"

He paused. Did he trust the International Police? His first instinct was to say yes even without Looker and Anabel being part of the equation. They were the ones upholding the law and fighting against Team Rocket. Even when everyone else turned a blind eye, they were there acting as the bulwark against chaos. Yet at the same time... agents like Petrovic existed. He may have had the best intentions, but that man took pleasure in the brutality. If they were willing to use those types of agents, were they truly the paragons he thought they were?

"I can't talk about the entire organization. I've only been with them a few months." He said after a few moments of silence. "What I know is that their only interest is in protecting people. Some of their people may have the wrong methods, but they all want what's best for people."

Pikachu hummed in thought. "You're strong, Latias, but you're on your own." He added. "It's only a matter of time until you're overwhelmed. The International Police are the only ones with the manpower and resources who can help."

Latias let out a slow, tired sigh before turning to face them once more. Her eyes shined with worry. "Help who? The city or themselves?" She pushed. "You know what happens if the Soul Dew leaves this garden for too long. What if in their war against Team Rocket, they decide having it here is too much of a risk? What if they try to take it regardless of the consequences?"

Then everyone in this city would die. There was no other outcome of the Soul Dew leaving the city and they all knew it.

"They wouldn't do that." He said instead. "Even if some of them may be more... eccentric than others, none of them want the destruction of an entire city on their conscious. At best, they'll study the Soul Dew to find a way to safely remove it. I don't believe for a second they'd take it if it was still a danger to the city though."

Even Team Rocket didn't seem like the type to want the destruction of an entire city. That was more Plasma and Galactic's thing. Team Rocket probably didn't even know what taking it would do. Unlike the International Police, however, he couldn't say for certain they'd ignore the temptation to steal it.

Latias stared at the two of them long and hard. It was as if she was judging whether or not her trust in them could be extended to their allies. Finally, she sighed and moved back towards them. "I'll consider it... I want to meet Looker and Anabel first. If I can trust them and they help remove Team Rocket from the city, then I'll allow an alliance."

Ash smiled. "Good! They'll love to meet you and I'm sure you'll like them. Trust me, they're the best people in the world."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I'll find out for myself later. For now, though, you have some explaining to do! I wanna hear all about your adventures travelling the world!"

For the first time in what felt like ages, a genuine smile graced his face.

"Do you think he'll be able to pull it off?"

Looker spared a glance towards Anabel and hummed in thought. It wasn't an unreasonable question. They needed this alliance to work. With cooperation from a Legendary and natives of the city, the International Police could make a difference here. Given Ash's history, he was confident that the boy could get results. He knew better than anyone how important it was that they worked alongside the law.

On the off chance that he couldn't though? Things would get... messy. It wasn't just that a Legendary was running amok in the city, there was a doomsday switch that would go off the moment someone took it out of wherever this garden was. If Latias and her people refused? They would have no choice but to act. If that meant fighting a territorial Legend and seizing control of the Soul Dew so it was in safe hands then that was what they would do. They didn't have any other choice. Thousands of lives were on the line.

"Ash can be persuasive when he needs to be." He said instead. "Have a little faith, Anabel."

Anabel huffed and leaned back in her seat. The two of them were back at police headquarters in Alto Mare. The building was massive yet still managed to be cramped with pale paint that should have been replaced years ago. When they'd first arrived, they'd found police asleep at their desks and drinking on the job. Even after revealing who they were, the lazy attitude hadn't changed. Looker and his young partner had been shuffled off into a small office room on the first floor to conduct their investigation and left alone.

Petrovic had laughed the entire time. It had taken every ounce of his self-control not to break the man's nose.

"I have faith in him." Anabel crossed her arms. "I'm just worried what we'll do if they say no."

Looker frowned. "Whatever we have to. The city is more important than the pride of a Legend." He sighed. "The director will know what to do if the alliance falls through."

Anabel tilted her head to the side. "Speaking of the director... do you know who they are? I've heard how we answer to them, but I don't actually know what they look like. Or anything about them really."

A small grin spread across his face. "That's the biggest mystery in the International Police, my friend." He said. "No one knows who they are or what they look like. All we know about them is they helped end the Great War and they created our organization in the model of the old intelligence agencies. Well... that and the rumors they challenged Yveltal to a game of riddles, but that's probably a lie."

Anabel's eyes narrowed in thought. He could see the questions swirling through her mind and her desire to ask more. It was the same reaction every new agent had when they eventually learned the mystery of their illusive leader. He doubted he'd ever stop being amused by their painfully curious expressions.

"So, no one knows who they are?"

Looker shook his head. "Nope." He made sure to pop the P as he spoke. "There's plenty of theories, of course. Some think he's a grizzled old veteran who got tired of the death and destruction. Some people claim that they're an incredibly powerful and hyper intelligent Pokemon pulling our strings. Hell, some of the crazier ones think the director is an AI developed during the war that went rogue."

Anabel blinked in bewilderment. "And what do you think?"

He shrugged. "I think it doesn't matter who or what they are. They're helping preserve the peace and that's all I care about." A slow grin crossed his face. "If I had to make a guess though... I think it's not a single person. I think it's a group. That's the only explanation for how they could achieve so much without having their identity revealed."

Before she could ask any more questions, there was a loud crash as something heavy fell to the ground and there were many shouts of alarm. Looker and Anabel exchanged a brief look before they got up to leave their small office. What they emerged to find was officers scrambling out of the door and clerks frantically shouting into phones at those on the other. Petrovic saw them and moved towards them with a grim expression on his face.

Seeing his arrogant comrade with such a look immediately set him on edge.

"What's going on?" Anabel asked.

Petrovic sneered. "We're getting fucked is what's going on." He growled. "We're getting alerts across the entire city."

Her eyes widened. "What kind of alerts?"

"It'd be easier to tell you what we aren't dealing with." Petrovic cracked his neck in annoyance. "We've got fires at the docks, there was an explosion at the northern Pokemon center, three of the largest banks are reporting robberies at the same time, hospitals across the city have lost power, and there's reports of rabid Pokemon attacking crowds of people on every street corner. It's all hands on deck."

"Is this Team Rocket?"

Petrovic scoffed. "I doubt it. There's been no mention of anyone wearing their uniforms or stealing Pokemon."

Looker's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't mean it's not them." His fists clenched in rage. "They've been quiet for weeks and we never knew why. It looks like they were preparing these attacks."

"There's no proof it's them." Petrovic growled. "They've never done something on this scale before and I can't see any reason why they'd start now." He turned his back and marched away, though not before calling out over his shoulder. "I'm going to see if I can save the people being attacked at the marketplace. You're welcome to join me."

Anabel nodded. "Right- huh?" She glanced back at Looker as he caught her arm in his hand. "What's wrong?"

"This feels off, Anabel." His eyes narrowed. "Attacks, tragedies, and emergencies happening across the city all at once? To the point that every officer and trainer willing to help is stretched thin? Doesn't this remind you of anything?"

Realization slowly dawned on her. "Viridian... it's like what we did at Viridian to free Ash."

It was said that the most dangerous enemies weren't those with the most powerful Pokemon or vast resources on their side, but those that learned from their defeat. Those that survived to learn their weaknesses and adapt the strategies of their enemies to suit their own goals. It seemed that Team Rocket was taking a page out of their book. Imitation was supposed to be the highest form of flattery, but all Looker felt was disgust.

He nodded. "Exactly. Notice how out of everything being attacked or experiencing some emergency, the museum wasn't mentioned at all?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You think they're going after the DMA? How would they even get it out of the museum? It's massive!"

"I don't know anything for sure." He sighed. "That's why I need you to go to the museum and make sure it's safe. Until we have the city back under our control, I'm ordering you to guard that museum with your life. Understood."

She gave him a firm nod. "Understood." She took off sprinting out the door towards the museum.

Perhaps he should have gone with her as back-up, but he needed to stay here. If he went into the field, he wouldn't be able to see the entire picture. Even if the police headquarters in this city was lacking compared to the International Police, it was still the center of information. Once Team Rocket made their move, he would be ready to act. He was confident that Anabel could look after herself in the meantime.

She was the strongest of them, after all.

He needed to find out what Ash was doing and cover his bases. He dialed Ash's number and raised his Pokegear to his ear. On the third ring, Ash picked up. Looker cut him off before he could speak.

"Where are you?"

"I'm with Latias like you told me. Is something wrong?"

"You could say that." A morbid laugh escaped him. "I think Team Rocket has made their move. They're trying to spread us thin across the city with emergencies and distract us from their real goal."

He could hear Ash suck in a deep breath on the other end. "What do you need me to do?"

Looker narrowed his eyes at a map on screen in the center of the room. It showed the current state of the city in real time and the situation wasn't looking good. Half of the city was shadowed in a bright red and on fire. If what he could overhear from the dispatchers and clerks was any indication, the city was in complete chaos.

"You said that the garden is hidden?" He asked. "No one should be able to find it or what's inside?"

A moment of silence. "No. Latias says she erased the memory of the garden from Annie and Oakley's minds. There's no way Team Rocket could know about it."

Thank Arceus for small mercies. "Then I need you and Latias to find Bianca and Lorenzo." He ordered. "They're targets so we need to offer them as much protection as possible. Anabel is on her way to the museum and I'm overseeing the situation from headquarters. If either of you are attacked, I'll try my best to send reinforcements your way."

"Understood, sir. We'll find them."

"No heroics this time, Ash." He warned. "I don't want you putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Am I clear?"

"I won't, Looker. I promise I'll think before I act this time."

That was all he could hope for. With a tired grunt, he hung up the Pokegear and turned his attention to the crisis map. He needed to figure out what their target was. While it was a safe bet they were after the Soul Dew and everything related to it, he couldn't get tunnel vision. If he focused too hard on the Soul Dew or the DMA, he could overlook an important detail. That could be a mistake he'd pay for in innocent lives.

Before he could spend any time truly thinking over the situation, the building violently shook from an explosion and sent him sprawling to the ground as the room was field with dust and debris. He scrambled to his feet and looked towards the source of the explosion. Where once there had been an old cement wall was now a gaping hole large enough for a truck to fit through. Once the dust settled and he could see clearly once more, he paled in worry.

Stood at the newly made entrance was over a dozen men and women with an assortment of Pokemon by their side - ranging from Golbat and Raticate to Machoke and Arbok. Their trainers were dressed in raggedy hoodies and baggy brown pants with masks obscuring their faces. Each of them was wielding a blunt weapon some kind in their hands such as baseball bats and crowbars.

One of them twirled their bat and stepped forward. "Remember what the boss said. Kick the shit out of them but try not to kill anyone. Otherwise, it's time to have some fun!"

The was all the warning they received before the crowd of deadly Pokemon, and their trainers charged forward to brutalize them all. Some of the clerks and dispatchers were too slow to react and fell under the initial blows. Their cries of pain were loud and hard to listen to, but they were not the last sounds of dying men. They were taking the orders of their boss seriously at least.

This had to be Team Rocket. Regular criminals would never have been bold enough to attack police headquarters in broad daylight. Even if they could pull it off, the retaliation would have meant the violent end of the gang sooner or later. For all that Team Rocket tried to hide their involvement by dressing their members up, he could see through it. What he couldn't understand was why they would attack in conjunction with everything else. What were they trying to distract them from?

He'd have to worry about that later. He had to focus on the here and now.

He reached into the pockets of his trench coat and pulled out two Pokeballs. He tossed them in the air and in a flash of light his Pokemon were released into the world. Growlithe and Croagunk had been his partners since he was a kid. They'd been with him through the worst moments of his life. When he joined the International Police, it had only been natural that he take them with him.

All it took was a single look around the chaotic room and they were prepared for battle. The same couldn't be said for the others who had stayed behind at headquarters. Even now they were either being beaten by the disguised members of Team Rocket or frozen in shock. If they were going to have any chance of repelling this attack, that couldn't last.

"Stop standing around!" He shouted. "Release your Pokemon and fight back! You're the protectors of Alto Mare, so start acting like it!"

That seemed to rouse some of them into action. With angry, desperate roars they released their own Pokemon and grabbed nearby items to use as weapons. It wasn't an impressive display, truth be told. Most of them only had Poochyena's, Sentret's, and Lillipup's. As far as weapons went, it was only small paper weights, pencils, and whatever else they could be used to bludgeon someone into submission. Compared to the heavily armed gang members and their imposing Pokemon, the odds weren't in their favor.

He'd have to tip the scales back in their direction.

Looker gave a silent nod to his Growlithe and Croagunk. That was all the command they needed to rush forward into the fray. Team Rocket didn't seem particularly alarmed. Not when their own Pokemon were almost all fully evolved. They learned quickly that their arrogance was a mistake. His partners may not have had the power of their evolved forms, but they made up for it with experience.

Growlithe leapt into the thick of the fighting and rammed itself into the side of an Arbok at full force. The Arbok was pushed back a few feet but appeared more annoyed than hurt. The violet serpent growled and lashed out with its tail as it glowed brightly with the purple, toxic energy of a Poison Tail. Growlithe waited until the last moment before it leapt to the side of the tail just as it slammed into the concrete floor where it had once stood, sending debris flying onto the air.

The moment it landed, Growlithe latched onto the Arbok's tail with a painful Crunch. The Arbok let out a pained cry as its foul smelling blood began to seep from the wound into its attackers mouth and it began to thrash around in an attempt to throw the faithful hound off. This only made Growlithe bite down harder and dig its feet into the ground to hold its opponent in place. With its jaws still clutching the tail, its fangs lit up in a blaze of fire and scorched the flesh of the Arbok. The smell of burning, putrid flesh was enough to send those with more sensitive noses in the room into coughing fits. All except for Growlithe who's eyes blazed with fury.

While the Arbok continued to whimper and struggling against the bite of its attacker, Growlithe spun around and threw the Arbok through the air with surprising strength given its small size. It sailed through the air and slammed into a small group of Raticate that had been gnawing on the legs of one unfortunate clerk caught in the crossfire. Growlithe reared back and took in a gulp of air... before releasing a stream orange flames from its maws that caused the air to sizzle. Faster than the Human eye could track, the Flamethrower traveled through the air directly over the bodies of the injured before slamming into the Arbok and Raticate in an explosion of heat that caused everyone nearby to sweat.

The screams of the Arbok and Raticate were never heard as the flames robbed the air from their lungs.

For its part, Croagunk had leapt directly in-between a blast of Acid and an injured Sentret. Thanks in no small part to its natural Poison typing, it was capable of tanking the corrosive liquid with ease. It was fortunate too as the acid that splashed off of his body and fell to the floor ate away at the concrete with sickening ease. The Arbok that had launched the attack narrowed its eyes in frustration and its fangs glowed as it prepared to lash out with a vicious Bite.

It never got the chance. Croagunk surged forward with speed that belied its true size and jabbed its left hand directly into the lungs of the Arbok in a Sucker Punch. The snake lurched forward and let out a silent gasp of pain as it choked on air. Croagunk regarded it with cold contempt and reared its right hand back, curling it into a fist. Air began to coalesce around its fist until it began to freeze over, and the air visibly wafted around it.

Croagunk's fist rocketed forward in an Ice Punch and slammed into the eye of the Arbok with so much force that bones could be heard fracturing even over the din of battle. The Arbok flew through the air and slammed into a wall, creating spider-web cracks where it impacted. It slowly slid to the ground where it lay unconscious, eyes frozen shut by a thick layer of opaque ice.

Croagunk paid little attention to its fallen opponent once it was clear they were no longer a threat and rushed back into the thick of the fighting. Its goal was clear: defend those that couldn't defend themselves.

If Team Rocket had come expecting an easy beat down, they were getting far more than they bargained for.

For his part, Looker hadn't just been sitting back while his Pokemon fought in the thick of the battle. The moment his Pokemon had left his side, one of the Grunt's charged towards him with a booming battle cry. He had a slim, metal battle in his hands which was already coated in blood and had already reared back ready to swing. Looker simply rolled his eyes at the telegraphed attack and waited patiently for the Grunt to get close. In the man's battle frenzy, he must have thought Looker was frozen in fear. That was a mistake that would cost him.

Once the Grunt got within striking distance, he swung wildly in a horizontal arc with enough force to crack open a Human skull with ease. Looker quickly leaned out of the way just enough for the bat to miss and swing wildly out of the way. With so much strength put behind the swing, it was out of his control. Not for long, but a few moments were all Looker needed.

Stepping into the Grunt's guard, Looker launched his fist into the man's exposed throat. Reflexively, the Grunt dropped the bat and stumbled back in pain while clutching his throat. While the Grunt let out pained coughs, Looker scooped the bloody bat up off of the floor and twirled it in his hand for a moment. He could tell by the weight and texture of the grip that it was cheaply made but it would do. The Grunt's eyes practically bulged out of his skull when Looker stabbed the tip of the bat into his exposed stomach.

The Grunt doubled over in pain and clutched his gut with his eyes clenched shut. If nothing else, that made what came next easier since the man wouldn't have to fear. Raising the bat high into the air, Looker brought it down with as much force as he could muster onto the back of the Grunt's skull. There was an audible, wet crack as the heavy bat smashed into its target and some of the blood spattered back onto Looker's face. The unfortunate Grunt crumpled to ground like a sack of bricks with vacant eyes and blood pooling beneath him.

Death was not a new phenomenon for Looker. When you lived a life of intrigue and dedicated yourself to fighting the worst Humanity had to offer, it was a common occurrence. Ash didn't realize it yet, but sooner or later he would be forced to cross the same line they all did. As distasteful and horrific as it was, sometimes it was a necessary evil in this job. He would do his damndest to make sure it didn't happen before Ash was ready to deal with the consequences though. It was the least he owed the boy.

An anguished cry erupted in the room and drew his attention away from the body of his would-be attacker. Visibly shaking with rage in the center of the fighting was a single Machoke. It seemed to ignore everything going on around it even as attacks bounced harmlessly off of its powerful muscles. The Machoke's eyes were locked firmly on the grunt that lay at Looker's feet. Slowly, its eyes slid from the body to him and the bloody bat in his hands. Realization dawned on him.

This Grunt must have been its trainer.

The Machoke's eyes blazed with fury and its fists clenched so hard he could see blood leaking from its hands. With a guttural roar of pure rage, the Machoke barreled through anyone in its way and threw them out of its path with such power he could hear bones break. It didn't matter if they were members of Team Rocket or the police, they were all treated with the same lack of restraint or care. It only had one goal now: to make him suffer and avenge its trainer.

Looker tensed up as the Machoke drew near with startling speed. Fighting any Pokemon in close combat was a dangerous gambit for a Human. Standard operating procedure was to use Pokemon of their own to deal with the danger. Failing that, firearms and excessive explosives were all highly effective on Pokemon without natural armor. When retreat wasn't possible, the only option was to grit your teeth and do whatever it took to survive.

Fortunately for him, this kind of scenario was precisely why the International Police made it mandatory for all agents to learn how to fight Pokemon.

The Machoke reared its fist back once it drew close. The fist pulsed with rabid, red energy and the Machoke's muscles throbbed. Fueled by animalistic rage, the Machoke lashed out with a Strength attack that could have turned him into a fine, red paste. Luckily for him, Looker was able to roll under the blow and out of the way of the attack behind it. Raising the bat, he slammed the body of his weapon into the side of its right kneecap.

Machoke grunted in pain but was otherwise unharmed. It turned on a dime and swept its arm out in a wide, horizontal arc. Looker leapt backwards to avoid the blow and raised his bat defensively in front of him. In a burst of speed, the Machoke was on him and launching a flurry of punches, chops, and kicks that all glowed with the powerful energy of Fighting type attacks. If the Machoke had been in control of its temper, he likely would have fallen under the assault. With its mind clouded by rage, its moves became predictable.

Not clumsy or any less dangerous, but predictable enough that he was able to bob and weave around the lethal attacks. He was never able to go on the offensive. Not without risking one of those blows landing and shattering his bones into a million pieces, but he knew that an opportunity would present itself. The longer he kept avoiding the blows, the angrier the Machoke grew. The Pokemon would grow reckless and give him an opening to capitalize on.

His predictions proved true when the Machoke growled in annoyance and raised its right hand into the sky. Quicker than the untrained eye could perceive, it brought it down with such force and precision that he would have been cleaved in two if he hadn't moved. He dodged to the side at the last possible second and could feel the wind rushing past his face. The Brick Break slammed into the floor with such power that the ground shattered underneath it. Wasting no time, Looker reared back with the bat once more and smashed it into the Machoke's right kneecap again.

Unlike last time, the Machoke visibly flinched as the bat connected with a meaty thwack and stumbled to the ground. Someone like Ash would have felt sympathy for a Pokemon in obvious pain and moved to retreat. Looker knew better. When an opponent was off balance, you couldn't afford to show mercy or restraint. He raised the bat down and swung with as much force as he could muster at the right kneecap.

This was his undoing. Mere moments before the bat would have connected with the Machoke's bruised leg, its hand shot out and grabbed the weapon in the middle of its arc. With almost pitiful ease, it squeezed its hand shut around the metal and snapped the bat in two. With another roar of anger, the Machoke was back on its feet and moved to attack. This time he was too slow to dodge and was punished for it with a powerful punch to the chest that sent him flying through the air.

He slammed through a wooden desk and rolled to a stop not far from the rubble. His vision swam and his entire chest burned with agony. Before he could think of moving, he was lifted up off of the ground and slammed into the nearby wall so hard he gasped in pain. Two powerful hands wrapped around his throat, and he reflexively brought up his own to try and pull them away. Predictably, it accomplished nothing.

No matter how skilled or strong a Human was they would never be capable of overpowering a Pokémon's raw, supernatural strength.

Looker forced himself to gaze into the smoldering eyes of the Machoke. It held nothing but contempt and hatred for him but was staying its hand. With its strength, it could have snapped his neck with barely any effort whatsoever. No... he could tell that it wanted him to suffer a slow, agonizing death for killing its trainer. As he felt its hands begin to slowly tighten around his neck, Looker knew that if he didn't act quick then his fate would be sealed.

"You must... really hate me." He forced out with gritted teeth. "Can't say I blame you if that was your trainer..."

The Machoke's eyes narrowed and stopped squeezing his neck for a moment. A moment he capitalized on.

"I don't regret it though. That man was scum that deserved worse." The Machoke snarled and bared its fangs as it began to squeeze his throat even tighter. "I... on the other hand... have no intention of dying today."

He raised his left arm above them in a quick, dramatic flourish. Instinctively, the Machoke's eyes were drawn to it. With it distracted, Looker was able to work his right hand inside of his trench coat and unsheathe a simple, silver knife from his belt. With as much speed and power as he could summon in his weakened state, he thrust the knife into ribcage of enraged beast. With a quick twist of his wrist, he yanked his dagger out of the Machoke and began to slash its chest in quick, rapid strikes.

This proved to be too much for it. Machoke released him from its grip and stumbled backwards while clutching its wounds in its hands. Once he hit the ground, Looker rushed towards the Machoke with his dagger poised to strike and ignoring the way that his throat throbbed in pain. Still clutching its wounds, the Machoke's entire body began to glow a dark, pulsating red before trying to lash out in a powerful Revenge attack.

Looker twisted around the blow to the right side of the Machoke. His enemies eyes widened as it realized what was going to happen, but it was too slow to react in time. Looker slammed his boot into the side of its right kneecap with all the force he could muster. He was reward with an audible crack and a cry of agonized pain as the Machoke stumbled to ground in pain.

With Machoke focused on its crippling wound, Looker worked his way behind it and readied his knife. He grabbed the back of the brown ridges atop its skull and forced its head back. The Machoke realized what he was trying to do and tried reach behind itself to grab onto him, thrashing in his hold the entire time. It was too late for that. In a single, swift motion he slammed his knife in the exposed throat of the Machoke and sliced through it from end to end. Its struggles slowly came to an end in his grasp as the severity of the wound finally began to set in.

With one final twist of his knife, he pulled it out and pushed the dying Machoke to the ground. Even as its life ebbed away and its crimson blood pooled beneath it, the Machoke glared up at him with all the hate in its soul and weakly tried to grab onto him. He easily avoided its grasp and turned away him it. It was no longer a threat and so there was no need to focus any more attention on the pitiful creature.

His little brawl with the Machoke had lasted less than a minute and largely gone unnoticed by the Grunts and their Pokemon. They no doubt had expected him to die and decided to focus their attention on more pressing threats. He twirled the knife in his hand and narrowed his eyes at the exposed back of one of the Grunt's kicking one of the younger dispatchers on the ground.

It was time to show them why you never turned your back on the International Police.

Proton let out a sigh and traced his fingers along the edge of the DMA. He gazed up at the ancient technological marvel with disdain. So much fuss over a worthless piece of tech that was all but useless without access to both a Latias and a Soul Dew. At this point, Proton was convinced they were wasting resources trying to learn its secrets. If he could do things his way, they would focus more on their smuggling operation and draw out that Legendary.

Sadly, Giovanni saw things differently. If his boss wanted its secrets then Proton would make sure he got them. He had no interest in being the next chew toy for the boss' Persian, after all.

He turned his attention to the rest of the museum and leaned back against the DMA with his arms crossed in front of him. Grunts were patrolling the halls and snatching the most valuable pieces of art from the walls while scientists tinkered with the ancient machine. At his side, some of Team Rocket's scientists were conducting scans of the ancient machine and sharing scientific terms which each other he hardly understood. They were the only one's here which was a little disappointing. It was the middle of the day and not a single person had shown up. Not even the curator!

That had spoiled both his fun and his plan to take the man hostage. At least his Grunts would be able to take both the old man and his granddaughter once they raided that little house of theirs. He was half tempted to join them... but that would go against Domino's plan.

As much as he desperately wanted to wipe the smug look off her face by ignoring her, he was on thin ice. He wasn't scared of her, of course. She may have been a deadly agent, but she was a child compared to him. A brat. She thought she was a predator worthy of fear and respect. She was not deserving of either as far as he was concerned. She treated their line of work like it was a game.

How he longed to show her what a true predator was capable of. Sadly, she was here with the authority of Giovanni. Which meant that if he went against her orders, he'd be going against Giovanni. His respect for the man far outweighed his hatred of Domino. So, he would grit his teeth and obey her orders.

No matter how foolish they may have been.

Proton narrowed his eyes at a nearby Grunt and motioned for them to come to him. Like the obedient little dog, they were, they rushed over the moment he called.

"Yes, sir?"

Proton cleared his throat. "What's the situation in the rest of the city?"

The Grunt frowned. "It's all going according to plan. The police and trainers are stretched thin dealing with everything. It's complete chaos out there." The Grunt explained. "But... it's not gonna last. Our people in the field say that it'll only be a few hours at most before the authorities have everything under control."

Proton snorted in amusement. Of course they would. As incompetent as the police of this city may have been, it was in Team Rocket's best interest they keep order in the city. They just needed their attention - or more specifically, the attention of the International Police - focused on something else. It wouldn't do for them to interfere with Domino's little plan.

Not that he didn't have problems with it. For someone that had been quick to lambaste him for taking hostages and making a show out of that auction, she hadn't hesitated to do far worse. The casualties after today would be in the triple digits and it wouldn't surprise Proton if news of this spread to neighboring regions by tonight. Even with their members dressed in their civilian clothes, that wouldn't fool the International Police. They'd know Team Rocket was responsible for this even if no one else did.

And she had the gall to criticize him for drawing attention to them. If the public became convinced they were behind this, they'd be considered terrorists like their rivals in other regions. He refused to be lumped in with those psychopaths from Galactic and Flare! That kind of infamy would spell the end of Team Rocket if they weren't careful.

He gazed up at the ceiling in boredom. "What about the attack on the police headquarters?"

"It went off without a hitch." The Grunt shrugged. "Far as we can tell, our boys are trashing the place and everyone inside. It doesn't seem like the police in the city have any idea it's happening either."

Lucky them. He wondered... were the International Police at their headquarters or did they rush off into the city with all the others? It didn't matter in the end, he supposed. So long as they were too busy to realize they were being manipulated like puppets on a string, Proton was content to leave them alone.

He could always have his fun with them once the Soul Dew was in their hands.

The city was in chaos.

Looker had told him that Team Rocket was creating emergencies throughout the city, but Ash hadn't realized what that meant. As he sprinted through the city, he could see what his mentor meant by spreading the police thin.

People were running away in terror and all but trampling one another to do so. The reason why became clear the moment anyone became curious. Throughout the city, wild Pokemon were rampaging through the streets and attacking everything in sight. Almost all of them were exotic in the Johto region. He could see Durant burrowing through the stone walls of homes and Bewear's tearing up the street beneath them. In the canals, Floatzel were sinking all the gondola's they could find and trying to pull those nearby under the waves. Even the skies were filled with Talonflame and Stararaptor battling for dominance with anything that they set their sights on.

There were so many Pokemon from a variety of regions that the only way they could all collectively be here was from smuggling.

They weren't ignoring one another either. Whenever the rampaging Pokemon noticed one another, they would immediately abandon whatever or whoever they were attacking to try and pummel one another into submission. A trio of Talonflame bathed themselves in orange flames and swooped down to pluck Durant off of the field, carrying it high into the sky and letting their flames burn its steel armor. A Floatzel launched itself out of the water and tackled a Zebstrika, blasting it at point blank range with a powerful Hydro Pump. In retaliation, the Zebstrika let off a powerful Thunder attack that arced away from it and struck everything nearby.

Ash wasn't sure what Team Rocket had done to drive these Pokemon crazy and make them ignore any injuries they received. Had their minds been completely shattered and left them as little more than living weapons? Did Team Rocket pump these creatures full of drugs and released them into the city for the populace to suffer the consequences? Whatever had been done to these Pokemon, innocent people were put in danger because of them.

And he could do nothing to help them. Every fiber of his being was urging him to intervene with Pikachu and fight the berserking Pokemon. He may not have been able to defeat them all, but he could draw their attention away from the civilians long enough for them to escape. If he did that, though, he wouldn't be able to protect Bianca and Lorenzo if Team Rocket was targeting them.

As much as he hated even thinking it, the reality was that protecting them was more important than stopping these rampaging Pokemon. It was what a good agent would have done and what Looker had ordered him to do but... why did it hurt so much? Why did he have to choose which people were more deserving of his help?

Not even Latias could step in to help. Through the mental link they'd established in the garden, he could feel that she was close by and invisible to the naked eye. As the guardian of this city, protecting it from threats like this was her sole responsibility. Now she was forced to choose between the city and the people that she loved the most. It must have been an agonizing choice to make when you could see the consequences of it first-hand.

Mercifully for the both of them, their help wasn't needed. Just as they rushed past a group of tourists frozen in terror as a Bewear barreled towards them, a trainer nearby tossed a Pokeball directly at the powerful Fighting type and sucked it inside. The ball had barely touched the ground before it shattered into a thousand pieces as the Bewear burst out. The attempted capture only seemed to enrage the Bewear further and cause it to turn its murderous gaze on the trainer that had dared throw the ball.

It was enough to snap the tourists out of their state of terror and send them running in the opposite direction. As for the trainer, he couldn't be older than fifteen at most. Yet here he was standing his ground against one of Alola's most dangerous Pokemon. The boy took a breath and grabbed two Pokeballs. He tossed them in the air and released a pink Gastrodon and a Sawk. Both looked powerful but the question was whether they could stand up to the might of a Bewear?

Ash would never find out.

It didn't take much longer before Ash, Pikachu, and Latias were close to Lorenzo's house. They passed by more rampages than they could count but these one's were thankfully being contained by the police and the brave trainers nearby willing to lend a hand. If the smoke rising over the city was any indication then the same couldn't be said for everywhere.

The odd thing was that once they got within a few blocks of Lorenzo's house everything became strangely... quiet. There were signs of battle from destroyed houses and scorch marks on the street, but there was no blood or any bodies in sight. He couldn't hear any battles happening nearby either and he doubted these Pokemon would be capable of being stealthy with the state they were in.

It set him on edge.

"Latias, hold on for a moment."

She appeared before his eyes in a bright shimmer of light as she ended her invisibility. Her eyes were narrowed in frustration and her claws twitched in anticipation. Whether that was because of what they'd seen in their journey or annoyance at being stopped, he didn't know.

"What is it? We don't have time to just stand around!"

Pikachu frowned and flattened his ears against his head. "She's right. Why are we stopping?"

He gestured weakly to the silent, vacant streets that surrounded them. "Doesn't this seem odd? There's no one anywhere near here and it doesn't look like anyone was hurt despite the violence that happened."

Pikachu narrowed his eyes. "They could have all escaped without anyone getting hurt. It's possible the police were able to stop the Pokemon and evacuate everyone to safety."

"Maybe..." He mumbled. "Latias, have you been able to contact Bianca or Lorenzo?"

"I've been trying since this all started but I haven't been able to establish a connection with either of them." Fear flashed through her eyes. "I thought their panic was just making it hard to contact them, but do you think something could have happened!?"

"I can't say anything for certain." He sighed. "All I know is that Team Rocket knows Bianca and Lorenzo are connected to you somehow. More importantly, they wouldn't create this kind of chaos unless they wanted to distract us from their real goal."

Latias become to visibly shake with psychic power. "Then we need to get moving! If they're after my family, then we have to protect them!"

"We will!" He rushed to reassure her. "We just need to be careful that we're not walking into a trap."

Pikachu hopped off of his shoulder and onto Latias' back. "Do you have a plan then?"

"Something like that. If we do this right, I think we can stop Team Rocket from getting what they want."

Domino took in a deep breath of fresh air and closed her eyes.

This garden was everything she had imagined it would be. As the personal home of a Legendary, she had expected it to be beautiful and ornate beyond measure. What she hadn't expected was how... peaceful it was. The air here seemed cleaner than anywhere else in the city and the entire place radiated a sense of calm that compelled her to relax. As if all of her worldly worries no longer mattered. That if she simply rested in this tranquil garden then everything would be alright.

She was sorely tempted to do just that. Unfortunately, she had a mission to accomplish. With a disappointed sigh, she stepped into the garden.

As much as she despised Proton, she could understand why he'd been having difficulty finding this place. For once, his failure wasn't a result of his arrogance. An entrance hidden in plain sight behind an illusion of a simple brick wall? No wonder it had stayed hidden for so long. They'd been looking for tangible entrances concealed in important monuments or historical buildings. No one had ever thought to go searching random back alleys and investigating every wall for an illusion.

She'd need to inform Giovanni once she delivered the Soul Dew. The next time they dealt with a Legendary, they needed to be aware of the potential for illusions.

Chances were they would never have found it if it weren't for the International Police. After the fiasco at the auction Proton had orchestrated, she'd demanded constant surveillance on these agents once they learned who they were. She was a little shocked that the agents were Looker and Anabel. What were the odds that the very people that had humiliated her in Viridian City would be her opponents on this assignment?

The truly surprising discovery was that Ash Ketchum was here. He may have taken on an alias and changed his appearance a bit, but she never forgot a face. Domino had suspected that the International Police would recruit the brat. He seemed like the type of be motivated by lost causes and a foolish sense of justice. Add in the natural desire for revenge on Team Rocket for ruining his life and she could imagine he had leapt at the chance to join them.

She couldn't understand why he was here though. It had only been a few months since Viridian. He couldn't have been properly trained yet. Either Ketchum was a prodigy when it came to this line of work, or something had forced Looker to bring him here. Whatever the case, she wouldn't question it. Tailing him from that meeting he had with the Davri's had been as simple as sticking to the rooftops and out of sight.

People never bothered to look up and she would be forever grateful for their incompetence. The stroke of pure luck that the Ketchum boy knew where the hidden garden was had just been the icing on the cake.

She paused as a group of Pokemon moved to intercept her. She couldn't help but roll her eyes in amusement. An assortment of Yanma's, Poliwag's, and Pidgey. Far from an intimidating sight. Still, she couldn't afford to ignore them. That would just risk them running off to tell the Latias her garden had been compromised.

She unclasped a Pokeball from her belt and tossed it into the air. A large Hypno materialized in front of her and clutching its pendulum tightly in its hand. It glanced between her and the aggressive crowd of Pokemon.

She gave it a dismissive wave of her hand and sauntered towards the dangerous creatures with her hands in her pockets. "Hypno, deal with these things will you?"

Despite Hypno's reputation as being a difficult Pokemon to train, this one obeyed her commands with the kind of obedience only years of conditioning could instill. With only the briefest of nods, the Hypno turned to the crowd of Pokemon and began to slowly swing its pendulum from side to side. Had any of the Pokemon noticed the faint blue glow that surrounded it, they might have been able to prevent what came next.

One by one, the Pokémon's eyes glazed over, and they all slumped to the ground as sleep overtook them. A few managed to stay on their feet and slowly hobble towards Domino. Avoiding them was as simple as taking one short step to the side or knocking them over with her boot. A crueler person would have taken joy in the weakness of these creatures, but Domino prided herself on her professionalism.

She wasn't Proton!

Once all of the Pokemon in the garden were under the sway of Hypno, she gestured for it to follow her. None of them were particularly powerful or rare so there was no reason to capture them.

Not when the true prize was right in front of her.

In the center of the illusive garden was a simple pool of water. Submerged within it was the most beautiful blue jewel that Domino had ever seen. The Soul Dew. The physical embodiment of the soul of a Latios - something Human's had once considered a god. This little thing would be worth a fortune to potential collectors. With the power contained within it, it could be used to change the world.

Anyone else would have been tempted to take it for themselves. Proton certainly wouldn't have hesitated to keep it for himself.

She was a loyal agent though. She could never betray Giovanni.

Domino reached into the pool and gently pried the Soul Dew from its place in the center. She held it up in the air so that the sun could glint off of it and hummed in thought. She wondered what Giovanni had planned for this. He wasn't the type to want world domination so she doubted this would be used for that. She'd seen him scoff at collectors of powerful artifacts as well so it wasn't like this would just be an ornament for him.

It wasn't normally her place to question him but... her curiosity was getting the better of her. Perhaps he'd be in a good enough mood to explain why he wanted it when she delivered the Soul Dew.

She glanced up at the once clear blue sky to find it filled with thick, black smoke. Her plan had gone off without a hitch. Domino would admit that she had taken great pleasure in using the International Police's own strategy from Viridian City against them. It was so cathartic knowing they were susceptible to the same tricks they used. Granted, she'd had to make some adjustments.

They didn't have the ability to create false alarms like they had. Luckily for them, Team Rocket excelled at creating real emergencies. All it took was a little coordination on their part, a few simple disguises, and the right drugs to enhance the aggression and power of the Pokemon smuggled into the city. Once that was done, all they had to do was strike at the most important parts of the city and the authorities would be stretched thin dealing with it all.

She hummed in thought and tossed the Soul Dew between her hands. By now, Ketchum and the Latias would be arriving at the Davri's home. The plan had originally called for her to be with the Grunts interrogating them but... that wasn't really important anymore. They knew where the garden was now and could create the perfect ambush for Latias whenever they pleased. They could drag every scrap of information about the DMA out of the old man and his granddaughter later.

They couldn't afford to delay delivery of the Soul Dew. Experience had taught her when to cut her losses. If she went to the Davri's now, there was a good chance that she'd find the Grunts beaten into submission and put herself in danger. It was a pointless risk. As much as she would have enjoyed taking her frustration out on Ketchum, the mission was more important.

Domino let out a sigh. She supposed she could always return to the city after she delivered the Soul Dew. Now that she thought about it, that would be glorious. The capture of a Legendary, the delivery of ancient tech, revenge on the International Police, and a chance to humiliate Proton?

She liked the sound of that.

Domino pocketed the Soul Dew and turned to Hypno with a pleased smile. "We're done here. Hypno, teleport us to Olivine City. We have a boat to Kanto to catch."

Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide to live by.

Anabel's father used to tell her that when she had been a child. At the time, she hadn't understood what he meant. How could she? To her innocent mind, breaking a toy or being denied dessert might as well have been the end of the world.

As she grew older, she eventually understood what he meant. She couldn't allow herself to be controlled by the hard times in her life or the mistakes she made. She needed to learn from what had gone wrong and use it as motivation to improve. As a veteran of the Great War, her father understood better than any why moving on was important. His lessons about failure and tragedy had been what allowed her to push forward as a trainer during her journey. Had it not been for him teaching her how to use failure as a motivator, she would never have become Frontier Brain or joined the International Police.

There was no wisdom to be gained from the chaos in Alto Mare though. This city was supposed to be a place of peace. A home for anyone with an artistic soul and a love of culture. This was a place that any trainer had to visit at least once during their journey. For many couples be they young or old, it was a haven of romance that could ignite of fire of passion within anyone. She would have loved to experience everything it had to offer in better days.

Now the city was burning, and its people were being terrorized. All for the petty greed of Team Rocket.

What lessons were there to learn from this? Team Rocket prioritized their greed over the lives of the innocent? Never underestimate how far they were willing to go? Always be prepared?

She didn't need a city to burn to understand that.

Anabel gazed up at the museum with narrowed eyes. It was... perfectly fine. The chaos engulfing the rest of the city had spared this historic landmark. There wasn't any hint of the fires or the crazed Pokemon rampaging through the rest of the city spreading here. Compared to the rest of the city, the museum and its surrounding area was a bastion of peace.

She wouldn't be fooled so easily.

If the museum was Team Rocket's true target, they wouldn't want to draw attention to it. A quick glance around showed that most of the people nearby were locking themselves in their homes. She couldn't blame them for that, but if the chaos did spread to this part of the city then their homes wouldn't be able to protect them. For their sake, she hoped that they were prepared to defend themselves if they weren't able to avoid it.

The Human's weren't the only one's hunkering down to avoid the danger. Hidden in the alleys between the houses and on the roofs of the buildings were small groups of Pokemon huddling together for safety. Compared to the powerful, psychotic Pokemon attacking the city the native Pokemon of Alto Mare were just as vulnerable as its citizens.

"Oi! I need to speak with one of you for a moment!" She called out to a group of Pidgey's perched atop nearby home.

One of the Pidgey glanced down at her and seemed to scoff. "What for? Not like you'll be able to understand what I have to say anyway."

Anabel rolled her eyes at the dismissive Pidgey. "You'd be surprised. Most Pokemon don't usually have anything interesting to say, but I kind of need you right now." She took no small amount of pleasure at the shocked look on the faces of it and its flock. "So... willing to talk now? I'm kind of in a hurry."

The Pidgey shook itself out of its surprised stupor. "What's in it for me, Human?"

Anabel could only sigh. For all the differences Human's and Pokemon possessed, one thing they had in common was greed. Pokemon were just better at hiding it. With that in mind, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a single granola bar. From the way its eyes lit up in hunger, it was clear she had won its cooperation.

"That building over there," She pointed towards the museum, "have you seen anyone suspicious enter or leave it recently?"

The Pidgey tilted its head and blinked in confusion. "Now that you mention it, yes. Normally the only Human's that go there are tourists. I'll never understand why but you Human's seem to enjoy your 'art'." It chirped. "Today was different... there was strange man in white that went in a few hours ago with over a dozen others with him. That was hours ago though and they haven't come out."

Anabel frowned and narrowed her eyes in contemplation. "Did the man in white have pale green hair?"

"Yeah. He was also wearing one of those hat things your kind are so obsessed with." The Pidgey squawked. "Look I don't know anything else. Can you just gimme the food?"

She was tempted to toss the granola bar into the canals just to spite the Pidgey for how disrespectful it was being but that would just create more problems. However satisfying it would be to see the look of shock and horror in its eyes, she knew that it would come back to bite her. Chances were high it would try to attack her at the worst possible moment.

So, she grit her teeth and tossed the granola bar up to the Flying type. Still wrapped, of course. She wasn't going to make this too easy for it. With that done, she turned her back to the Pidgey and made her way towards the museum.

Looker's suspicions about the chaos in the city had been correct. She had known in the back of her mind that he was, but she wanted to hold out hope that they were jumping at shadows. No such luck. If Team Rocket really had orchestrated all of this to target the museum, she wouldn't put it past them to target Lorenzo and Bianca as well.

She pulled out her Pokegear and dialed Looker's number. This was the best opportunity they had to catch Proton. If she could get reinforcements before the Admin left, they could take a major player off of the board. Even better, they would have the element of surprise since she doubted he was expecting anyone to show up at the museum with the rest of the city in chaos.

Except... nothing. The Pokegear went straight to voice mail. No matter how many times she tried, Looker wouldn't pick up. Even when she tried calling police headquarters directly she didn't receive an answer. Anabel turned back towards the direction of headquarters to see that the smoke from the chaos in the city had begun to block out the sun.

Something was wrong. Had Team Rocket or one of the berserking Pokemon attacked headquarters after she left? She couldn't imagine there was any other reason her calls wouldn't be picked up. A part of her wanted to rush back to just so she could be certain everyone was alright and offer help if they needed it. But if she did that she'd be abandoning the museum and giving Proton an opportunity to get away from all of this without facing consequences.

She couldn't afford to take that risk. Not when the DMA was within his grasp. She needed to have faith that Looker and everyone else who had remained behind at headquarters could handle themselves.

Anabel could worry about them later. While it wasn't ideal, she had no choice but to take the fight to Proton. Normally she would have preferred to go in with a small army at her back, but she knew that wasn't possible. She would have to rely on herself and her Pokemon for the coming battle. If there was one bright side to this situation, it was that Ash wasn't here instead of her.

Knowing him, he would have gone rushing in with nothing more than a hope and a prayer. Unlike the auction, fate was unlikely to be on his side and he would have died against such overwhelming odds.

Luckily for her, she had the foresight to come up with a plan.

Anabel unclasped a Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the air. Her Mismagius materialized before her eyes in a flash of light and slowly opened her eyes. Mismagius turned its gaze towards the sky and hummed in discomfort. While Mismagius were a species known for the pleasure they took in tormenting both Human's and Pokemon, even they had their limits.

Mismagius turned her gaze to Anabel. "Who is responsible for this?"

"Team Rocket." Mismagius's eyes narrowed with hate. "It's too late to stop this... but we can catch the one responsible."

"Point me in their direction. I've been meaning to practice my incantations."

Anabel pointed towards the museum across the canal. "They're in there. Don't do anything rash though." She warned. "All I need you to do is do a little scouting for me. I need to know exactly where our enemies are."

Mismagius frowned. "Fiiiine... but we'd better make them suffer for this."

Anabel rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you'll get the opportunity soon."

With a tense nod, the Mismagius floated towards the museum and disappeared from view. For a Ghost type like her, walls might as well have not even existed. Despite how much Mismagius enjoyed tormenting criminals, Anabel knew she would remain hidden. No matter how sadistic she was, Mismagius had the same desire to fight injustice like she did. For all the eccentricities that Mismagius had, she was glad to have the Pokemon by her side.

It didn't take long for Mismagius to return. Within only a few minutes, Mismagius appeared in front of her eyes with a self-assured grin.

"Most of them are congregated around some giant machine in the center of the museum. The... DMA, I think." Mismagius told her. "There are a few on the upper level searching for small pieces of art to steal, but not many."

"Do you think you can get them all to gather together? Preferably away from the dangerous machine we're trying to protect?"

Mismagius rolled her eyes. "That'll be easy. Fighting that many at once is going to be trouble though."

Anabel smirked. "Not if we play our cards right." She reached out and grabbed Mismagius' cloak-like body in her hands. In an instant, a Psychic link had been established between the two. She grabbed the Pokeballs which held her Snorlax and Alakazam from her belt and held them out for her Pokemon to take. "Place these two wherever you feel they can do the most damage"

With a brief nod, Mismagius floated off towards the museum while clutching the Pokeballs of her teammates in her cloak appendages. Anabel turned her gaze to regard the museum for a moment before taking another Pokeball off of her belt. She tossed it into the air and released her Salamence. When it materialized, it was curled up into a ball on the ground and covering itself with its massive wings.

Slowly, Salamence unfurled his wings and stood to his full height. He took a deep breath and growled as the stench of death and despair flooded his senses. Unlike Mismagius, Salamence began to dig his claws into the ground and looked as though he was ready to tear apart the first enemy he saw. Given his species' reputation, that kind of rage could level an entire city if it wasn't controlled.

Fortunately for her, she knew how to direct him. She stalked forward and gently placed her hand on his head. "I know. I don't like this either, Salamence." She whispered. "We'll make those responsible pay though."

"Good..." He growled. "What's your plan?"

She climbed onto his back and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. "For now, just fly us to the roof of that museum over there. Quietly, if you can."

With a single flap of his powerful wings, Salamence lifted them off of the ground and flew them up above the museum. If Team Rocket had bothered to place any sentries outside to watch for police, they would have noticed her long before now. In their arrogance, however, they had refused to believe anyone would bother them while the rest of the city burned.

That arrogance would be Proton's downfall.

She slid off of Salamence's back while he hovered a few feet off of the ancient roof. When it had first been built, she imagined that it was a pinnacle of engineering and the tallest building in Alto Mare. With the advent of modern technology and building techniques, however, it was eclipsed by towering hotels that befit the holiday hotspot. Despite that, it was still one of the most beautiful buildings in Alto Mare with its ornate statues of Latias and Latios alongside its marble pillars.

It would be a shame to have to damage it, but it was a small price to pay to protect the DMA.

Anabel snatched another Pokeball off of her belt and released her Espeon. Unlike Salamence and Mismagius, Espeon stood alert the moment she was unleashed from her Pokeball. She huffed and glared down at the roof beneath her paws. Anabel knelt down beside Espeon and placed her hand atop her head. In an instant, a Psychic link between them was established.

Espeon was one of her most valued team members. She was faster than everyone else besides Salamence, had Psychic power that rivaled the strongest of her kind, and was versatile enough to adapt to any situation. Her true strength, however, was her ability to act as an amplifier for Anabel's own Psychic powers. With no more than a thought, Anabel established a link with all of her Pokemon. Not just with her but between all of them.

When most trainer's used Psychic Pokemon, they were only ever concerned with their offensive capabilities. Competing in tournaments and contests encouraged trainers to prefer flashy displays of Psychic energy or telekinetic force. Even on the defensive, they created elaborate barriers of energy to protect themselves from powerful attacks. What those trainers and even some Psychic specialists failed to realize was how powerful their more... passive abilities were.

With their minds all connected to one another, they could act as a singular being. Commands, warnings, and information of all kinds would be transmitted instantaneously from one to the rest of them. In this state of mind, Anabel and her team would operate with peak coordination as a single entity in multiple bodies. Any move the enemy made could be countered quickly and effectively without having to utter a single word.

This technique was simply known as Battle Coordination. In the past, it had been used to lead outnumbered and underpowered armies to victory when it should have been impossible. Kingdoms had risen and fallen thanks to its power. While the ability to command armies was far outside of her power, she was more than powerful enough to enhance a small team like hers without collapsing under the weight.

With only a single thought, she commanded her team to move into position and begin their attack.

Down in the museum, Mismagius floated into the center of the building and hovered in the shadows. Team Rocket hadn't noticed her presence yet which suited her just fine. With a devilish glint in her eyes, Mismagius began to let out a haunting melody. It echoed through the building and sent the career criminals to their knees, clutching their ears in pain.

Proton stumbled towards her with the Grunts and scientists he had brought with him not far behind. "Someone shut that thing up!" He tried to shout over Mismagius' brutally harmonic incantations. Once it was clear that none of his lackeys were able to ignore their pain long enough to reach for their Pokeballs, Proton growled and shifted his hands to his belt to unleash one of his own monsters.

He never got the chance. The far right wall of the building didn't so much collapse as it was shattered under the assault of her Snorlax. The ground shook so badly from Snorlax's footsteps that paintings which hung on the walls tumbled to the ground. With a bellowing roar, her Snorlax set his sights on Team Rocket and began to surround himself in a shimmering golden energy. With far more speed than a Pokemon his size should have been capable of, Snorlax rushed forward with the power of a Giga Impact and tore up the marble floor beneath him in a spray of debris and gore.

While Anabel detested death of any kind, the situation was dire enough that she was willing to cross that line. The only one that couldn't be killed was Proton. The information in his head was too valuable. The Grunts and scientists he had brought with him were expendable.

If they weren't risking an entire city for their greed, she might have felt some sympathy for them.

At the same moment Snorlax broke through the wall of the museum and launched its assault, Anabel and Espeon stepped away from Salamence. With a short flap of its wings, Salamence distanced itself from the roof of the museum and took in a massive gulp of air. While he was incapable of seeing inside the museum even with Battle Coordination, the information that flowed through their Psychic link would more than make up for it.

With a guttural roar, a stream of white-hot flames shot from Salamence's mouth. It didn't so much blast through the marble as it did atomize everything that stood in its path. The Flamethrower melted through the thick marble as though it weren't there and slammed into the ground of the museum, engulfing everything nearby in an ocean of flames that would have put any Fire type to shame. Through their link, Salamence instantly knew that it had missed Team Rocket by a good distance from behind.

A mistake that he quickly moved to correct as he directed the Flamethrower towards the cowering criminals.

On the upper levels of the museum, Alakazam regarded the attack with casual disinterest. Through their link, Anabel and the rest of her team could feel the disdain for Team Rocket. In his mind, the battle was already over and a pointless waste of time. Despite these feelings, Alakazam raised his spoons and directed them towards the debris sent flying through the air by Snorlax. With pitiful ease, he seized control of every piece with the power of its Psychic and launched them at Team Rocket from all sides in a tempest of marble and wood.

For her part, Anabel and Espeon leapt through the molten hole that Salamence's flames had created in the roof. Through the combined power of Espeon and Alakazam, they were able to gently float down to the ground. Once they touched down, Anabel reached into her trench coat and took out her shock baton. With a flick of her wrist, it extended to its full length and glinted in the light of the flames. At this point, the fire control system kicked in and the sprinklers began to cover the museum in water to combat the fire.

It didn't manage to make a dent in the flames.

At her side, Espeon's eyes glowed a brilliant shade of purple and reached out towards the smoldering ground around them. Slowly, the embers and residual flames began to rise off of the ground. They coalesced into a brilliant ball of flame held together entirely by the Psychic power of her companion. Faster than a speeding bullet, the flames were launched towards the criminals. The moment before it would have hit, the flames morphed into a dozen flaming tendrils and lashed out at Team Rocket, snaking around and holding them all in place even as they thrashed against the searing heat.

It was over as quickly as it began. In less than ten seconds, Anabel and her team launched their attack with deadly efficiency. Held in place by the flames under Espeon's control, half of Team Rocket were crushed under Snorlax's brutal attack and turned into a shower of gore that forced Anabel to cringe in barely restrained horror. Alakazam used the debris to batter the surviving members of Team Rocket out of Snorlax's path and directly into the path of Salamence's fire. Their screams were cut off before they had a chance to even begin.

All the while, Mismagius' is cackling with sadistic delight at what was happening beneath her shadowy form.

For anyone else, an ambush like that would have taken considerably longer to plan and could have gone wrong at the drop of a hat. For her team, the ambush might as well have been a practiced motion that had become second nature to them.

By the time it was over, the only survivor on Team Rocket's side was Proton. For the first time since she'd learned of the monster, he wasn't sporting a cocky or cruel grin on his face. Kneeling on the ground with a leash of flames gripping tightly onto his throat, all she could see was a mixture of shock and horror in his eyes.

She ignored the rush of pleasure she felt at having given this monster a taste of his own medicine.

Salamence landed behind her with a powerful gust of wind and leveled a heated glare at Proton. Behind him, Snorlax growled down at the puny criminal even as Alakazam and Mismagius regarded him with utter contempt. Even if Proton was incapable of understanding Pokemon, the desires of her team were abundantly clear.

She stepped forward and reached into her trench coat to pull out her badge. "You're under arrest, Proton." She declared. "I'd list what your crimes are, but we'd be here all day."

Proton narrowed his eyes at her. "I recognize you... you were at that shitshow of an auction a few weeks back." He growled.

It was tempting to zap him with her baton. "A lot of people died that day." She tightened her grip around her weapon. "Even more are dying today."

Proton scoffed and held his hands up in the air above his head. As if the fire coiled around his throat wasn't evidence enough of his surrender. "If I had things my way, none of this would have happened. Unfortunately for us both, little Domino is calling the shots now."

Anger sparked to life within her. "Where is she?"

His lips twitched in amusement. "Not a fan of hers? Can't say I blame you. She is a hypocritical brat." He drawled. "She hates you and your partner almost as much as she hates me. I'd tell you to watch your back... but it won't matter."

Her eyes narrowed. It didn't surprise her that Domino held a grudge against her and Looker after Viridian City. While the public was unaware of Team Rocket's involvement, that whole fiasco had been an embarrassment for the crime syndicate. She couldn't imagine them letting Domino off easy after messing up a job that badly.

"Once I'm done with you, she'll be next." She declared. "Domino's not as clever as she thinks. Sooner or later, she'll make a mistake she can't recover from."

Proton giggled in amusement. "Ah... truer words were never spoken. You've got no idea how refreshing it is to hear someone else see's the brat as the disappointment she is. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you won't be there when she finally gets what she deserves. Only I have that honor."

"From where I'm standing, it looks like it's the other way around."

Proton rolled his eyes. "Maybe. But you see... none of you International Police agents are leaving this city alive. Not you. Not that relic Looker at police headquarters. And that new rookie of yours - Red Westen? He'll be taking a long walk off a short pier real soon once we find him."

So, this attack on the city wasn't just meant to distract them? Team Rocket was specifically targeting her team? She needed to get back to headquarters and help Looker or failing that warn Ash to keep his head down.

"How do you know-"

He cut her off with a bellowing laugh. "Sorry, lass, but I'm afraid the time for talk is over!"

He snapped the fingers he held above his head. It was the only warning that she and the rest of her team received before a swarm of Crobat descended from the ceiling. Though... swarm wasn't quite correct. It was more like a tidal wave of Crobat suddenly appeared out of the darkness and descended upon them all with venom-coated fangs.

In unison, she and her team turned towards the army of Crobat and launched their own attacks. Scorching flames, blinding beams of energy, and Psychic propelled chunks of debris met the tide of enemies head on and... passed through them?

Her eyes widened in realization, but it was too late. Hidden among the illusions created by Double Team, the real Crobat gathered a sickly black aura in its jaws. Faster than any of them could react, the Crobat launched its Dark Pulse. It traveled through the air and slammed into the ground at the feet of both Espeon and herself. The two of them were sent flying away from Proton.

While it wasn't enough to break the Battle Coordination, it was enough for Espeon to lose control of the flames around Proton's throat. Acting on what must have been pure instinct, Proton leapt of the way mere moments before Snorlax brought his fist down where the criminal had been standing. He was lucky to be fast enough. If he was even a second slower, he would have been slammed into the ground with enough force to easily shatter bone.

Proton stumbled backwards while clutching his burnt throat. "You didn't think I'd go down that easily did you?"

He reached down to his belt and grabbed his Pokeballs in a single handful. While the swarm of illusionary Crobat continued to harass her team and keep them off balance, Proton tossed his Pokeballs into the air and summoned his team to his side. In a bright flash of light, he released his Houndoom, Tyranitar, Muk, Weezing, and a pink Jellicent. Every one of them looked just as bloodthirsty and sadistic as their trainer.

Worst of all, there was a collar wrapped tightly around Houndoom's neck. The crown jewel of the collar was a simple red and black gem: a Mega Stone.

She didn't have time to worry about that weapon in the arsenal of her enemy. The moment Proton's Pokemon gained their bearings, they rushed forward and clashed with her team in a battle that would have been the highlight of her career as a Frontier Brain had she maintained that position.

Salamence was the king of the skies. In the air, there wasn't a single species of Pokemon alive or machine that Humanity had created which was capable of competing. Their raw power and maneuverability were enough to make even Garchomp and Hydreigon think twice before fighting in their domain. The issue was... Salamence needed enough room to build up its speed and pull off its midair maneuvers.

No museum could ever compare to the wide-open spaces of the sky. Compared to that, Alto Mare's museum might as well have been a cramped box.

It was certainly one that worked to Crobat's advantage. With its smaller size, maneuvering in the museum was far easier for it than her fearsome dragon. With the aid of its illusionary doubles, it was able to confuse Salamence long enough to latch onto the back of his neck. It gathered a stream of bubbling, violet liquid in its mouth and spewed it at point blank range directly onto the cobalt scales of Salamence. He had just been poisoned by Toxic. Despite his every attempt to shake the Crobat off, it refused to leave.

With a frustrated roar, Salamence flew backwards directly into one of the marble support pillars in an attempt to crush it. The moment before impact, the Crobat gracefully dislodged itself from his back. Salamence was unable to stop himself and crashed through the wall, showering debris into the canals of the outside world. As if to mock him, Crobat cackled sadistically and flew to the edge of the hole. Purple electricity sparking across its body was all the warning he received before it unleashed a powerful blast of Venoshock that struck Salamence head-on.

Salamence's roar of pain echoed through the air.

If the local residents somehow hadn't noticed the battle at the museum before, it would be impossible for them to ignore it now.

When Snorlax and Tyranitar clashed, the two seemed to be evenly matched in their raw strength and visibly struggled to push the other back. In the wild, Tyranitar were among the most feared Pokemon any trainer could encounter. They were the undisputed lords of the mountains and took any sign of Human's in its territory as a challenge to its authority. Too many trainers had gone missing after accidentally wandering into their territory.

While not as infamous, however, Snorlax were one of the few Pokemon capable of standing up to Tyranitar and surviving. Their hunger was the bane of farmers everywhere and many would-be trainers had gone bankrupt attempting to feed them. What wasn't as well known about the docile species was their temper. When an enemy managed to enrage a Snorlax - typically by stealing its food or forcefully waking it from slumber - entire ecosystems could be destroyed in the fallout.

Her Snorlax wasn't so easily angered by such petty issues. The suffering of the innocent though? That was more than enough to send it into a blood rage. Such anger only served to make the Tyranitar more eager to fight Snorlax as a worthy rival. The grapple that the two were currently engaged in forced them to dig their feet into the ground and shattered it beneath them.

Snorlax lacked one important advantage that Tyranitar had however: a powerful set of jaws that regularly turned solid stone into gravel. Proton's Tyranitar reared its head back before lurching forward and clamped its jaws around Snorlax's left shoulder. The sickening crunch of bone breaking, and flesh being torn asunder could be heard even over the din of battle. With its teeth sunk deep into the fatty flesh of her teammate, no one was able to predict when electricity began to spark, and lightning was channeled directly into the powerful muscles of Snorlax through a powerful Thunder Fang.

Even in Snorlax's state of blood rage, he could feel his muscles begin to spasm from the point blank electricity and the agonizing pain from having his shoulder shattered. If it weren't for his blood rage dulling the pain, Anabel was convinced that he would have collapsed from the pain then and there. Instead Snorlax tried to fight back by slamming his right fist into Tyranitar's armored underbelly.

With his left arm all but crippled and the full weight of Tyranitar bearing down on him, it was useless. Snorlax stumbled backwards and fell to the ground, creating a small crater where he laid. Unlatching itself from Snorlax's shoulder, Tyranitar let out a victorious roar and leapt directly onto the stomach of Snorlax. The full weight of the armored pseudo-legend was enough to knock the wind out of him long enough for Tyranitar to begin raining down hammer blows with its stony claws and tail in a deadly Thrash attack.

Every hit caused a miniature earthquake to shake the building.

Up above the chaos on the ground, Mismagius and Jellicent phased in and out of existence as they blasted each other with the mystical energies they summoned out of the void.

The ocean was full of an almost endless number of both wonders and horrors. In the distant Unova region, however, the ocean was more known for being a death sentence. With Pokemon like Jellicent patrolling their waters, it wasn't hard to see why. Every year there were rumors that another ship had sailed into the territory of schools of Jellicent and been dragged to the depths of the ocean as punishment. While none knew exactly what happened to the unfortunate victims of these attacks, what was well known was Jellicent's desire to feed on the life energy of everything around it.

Compared to Mismagius, however, Jellicent had a sparkling reputation. In ancient times, Mismagius were believed to be the souls of powerful witches that refused to afterlife solely to torment the living. It was complete nonsense, but the reputation was well deserved. Even in the modern world, there were countless stories of how Mismagius would appear in random towns or cities for the sole purpose of amusing itself with the residents reactions. The headaches and illusions they were known to create had sent more than one settlement into a downward spiral of madness.

The only thing more infamous than their method of amusing themselves was their terrifying temper.

Mismagius flew through a domed case containing the preserved weapons of some ancient, forgotten battle such as rusted spears and swords. Jellicent was close behind her and had summoned large spheres of dark blue water at its side. One by one, it launched these Water Pulse's straight at Mismagius' head. Instead of dodging, Mismagius continued flying straight at a wall and phased through it with ease, completely out of sight. By comparison, the Water Pulse's slammed into and destroyed the strong marble wall. Undeterred, the Jellicent floated through the debris in search of its opponent.

Unbeknownst to the Jellicent, Mismagius had flown up to the roof and was now phasing through the ceiling as silently as it could. Golden electricity sparked around its body before it arced through the air directly towards the Jellicent's unguarded back. At the last possible moment, a shimmering blue dome of energy surrounded the Jellicent. The ocean monster must have heard the sparking of electricity and moved to protect itself. While the deadly Thunderbolt surrounded the protective shield of the Jellicent, the creature took the time to orient itself towards Mismagius.

The moment her attack ended, the Jellicent lowered its Protect and summoned the shadows of the room to its tentacles. With the speed and efficiency of a master, the Jellicent formed a massive Shadow Ball and hurled it at Mismagius. Despite her best attempts to dodge it, Mismagius was too slow, and the Shadow Ball slammed directly into her face. She was sent flying back and slammed into a painting of the sea that had so far survived the battle. It shattered under her weight as she fell to the floor.

Her eyes shot open, and she forced herself off of the ground. As she did, the shadows began to coil around her even as electricity sparked across her body and illuminated the area. In response, the Jellicent trilled in sadistic delight at the fact it could continue playing with its prey.

The battle of the specters was far from over.

Compared to its allies, Proton's Houndoom regarded the entire battle with disdain. It must have thought the entire situation was beneath it. With an almost casual gait, the Houndoom stalked towards her Alakazam. In its eyes was an almost cruel, predatory fire that promised it would be taking its time with Alakazam if he wasn't careful.

In ancient Kalos, legends claimed that death followed Houndoom wherever it went. The stories all claimed that whenever the howl of a Houndoom could be heard that the Grim Reaper itself - Yveltal - was not far behind. It was claimed that if one heard this howl that the only way to survive was to hide and offer a prayer to Xerneas for salvation. While those legends had been proven false in the modern era, Houndoom was still a creature to be feared.

By comparison, Alakazam was as revered and trusted a Pokemon there could be. With their immense Psychic power and intellect, they could adapt to any situation. The wisdom they held was highly sought after by people from all walks of life regardless of whether they were trainers, scientists, or any other profession.

All the wisdom in the world wouldn't help her Alakazam against a Houndoom, however.

Despite the chaos happening around him, Alakazam maintained his mental grip on the chunks of debris he had used to bludgeon Team Rocket into submission. While his Psychic power couldn't do any damage outright, he could still manipulate the battlefield to his advantage. With control that could only come from years of careful practice, the debris swirled around the Houndoom before launching at it with enough velocity to shatter bone on impact. Houndoom merely rolled its eyes at the display of power.

In a flash of light, a powerful blue shield materialized around Houndoom. Despite the constant barrage of debris, Houndoom's Protect held with remarkable ease under the assault. By the time Alakazam's attack ended, all of the debris had been shattered into tiny pebbles and specks of dust from the force used. With a cocky flash of its teeth, Houndoom surrounded itself in flames and leapt forward with the speed of a Flame Charge. It left a trail of fire in its wake and charged directly up the walls to the second floor.

Alakazam's eyes widened in shock, and he let out a gasp. He was too slow compared to his opponent, however. Houndoom leapt onto Alakazam and pinned him to the ground with its full strength. With a maniacal snarl, the Houndoom summoned a fire that put even Salamence's flame to shame. Houndoom's fire engulfed the two in a raging Inferno attack that lit the entire museum in an orange light. The sprinklers which had up until this point continued to rain water on them all seemed to malfunction from the sheer heat exuded by the fire and stop working altogether. Alakazam's cries of pain were only amplified in her teams mind through the Psychic link as the blaze burned away at him.

The Houndoom merely continued to pin Alakazam in place and cackle at his pain. Despite its Fire typing, it should have been taking damage from the powerful Inferno though! Or so Anabel believed until she saw that the flames were being absorbed into it. Flash Fire... such a simple ability and yet so deadly at the same time when used correctly.

With such powerful flames burning away at him and no way of escaping the Houndoom's claws, Alakazam was doomed if no one stepped in to help him.

Fortunately for him, Espeon realized that the instant she heard his Psychic screams. One moment, she was by Anabel's side hunched over and ready to protect her trainer. The next moment, she was gone in a mad dash powered by a Quick Attack. In the blink of an eye, she covered the distance between her and the Houndoom before leaping into the air above it. Her tail glowed briefly for a moment before hardening into iron and slamming directly into the side of the fearsome beast.

Espeon were not a physically strong species, but they didn't have to be. Espeon was strong enough to send the Houndoom tumbling away from Alakazam and put an end to the raging Inferno which had consumed her teammate. She landed defensively in front of him and growled a warning at the Houndoom. It scoffed in amusement and bared its fangs in a threatening manner, saliva dripping to the floor.

She spared a glance back at her wounded teammate. Through their Psychic link, her concern for him was clear as day. Alakazam forced himself to his feet and tightened his grip on his spoons. His skin was charred, and he smelled of burnt flesh, but he would survive. Houndoom's flames were powerful and toxic beyond comprehension, but modern medicine would be able to reverse most of the damage. He wouldn't sit by while his teammate risked her life for him.

They would face this herald of death together.

For her part, Anabel was doing her best to stay out of the way. In a confined space like the museum with such powerful Pokemon all battling at once, she wouldn't just be useless. She would be an active hinderance to her team! Instead, she opted to stay out of the way and moved to put some distance between these fearsome monsters. She had no intention of leaving the fight though.

As powerful as his Pokemon were, Anabel could see Proton taking cover close by the DMA. He must have realized that despite the battles, none of her Pokemon were willing to risk damaging it. If she could just reach and subdue him, she could force him to call off his monsters. Or failing that, forcibly return them herself.

With a brief nod, she moved took a step towards the DMA. That was as far as she got before a Sludge Bomb impacted the ground in front of her. She was forced to leap back to avoid the deadly, corrosive sludge which even now ate away at the floor. Her eyes darted to source of the attack and found both Proton's Weezing and Muk rapidly approaching her.

Clearly Proton had trained his Pokemon to go for the weak link in any fight - in this, the seemingly defenseless Human. Even with her shock baton, Anabel knew that she stood no chance against these two powerful beasts. Luckily for her, she had kept her final Pokemon in reserve for just such an occasion. Her hand fell to her belt and pulled off her final Pokeball, tossing it directly at the two advancing Poison types.

Muk let out a mocking laugh and surged forward, snatching the Pokeball out of the air and letting it sink into its putrid body.

Anabel smirked in delight.

In a blinding flash of light, Metagross materialized before their eyes. By the time Muk realized its mistake, it was too late. Metagross let out a roar of anger and stamped its massive steel forelegs down onto the Muk. The living pile of toxic waste cried out in anguish and tried to slither away, but it was too slow. Held in place by Metagross' Psychic energy, it was helpless against its brutal assault. Proton's Weezing tried to help its pinned comrade by firing off a Dark Pulse, but Metagross shrugged off the beam of dark energy with ease.

Energy began to collect within Metagross' mouth as it prepared a Hyper Beam. Muk's eyes widened, and it struggled against the Psychic hold even hard, trying to fire off blasts of poison and acid with every movement. Weezing noticed its partners struggles and let off another Dark Pulse, but like before it bounced off without doing any real damage to Metagross. In under five second, Metagross had fully charged its Hyper Beam and let it loose at point blank directly into the gaping maw.

What followed was a blinding explosion that filled the room with a foul, rotten smelling smoke. By the time the smoke cleared, all that was left where the Muk had once been pinned was a small crater and tiny patches of toxic sludge. In the center of this carnage was Metagross. With its enemy slain, it turned to the one that had dared to annoy to and attack while it was preoccupied. It leveled an arctic glare at the Weezing and launched itself forward with a burst of speed.

In that instant, Anabel reached out and connected Metagross to the Psychic link between them all.

Under the influence of Battle Coordination, Proton would learn how deadly a Metagross could truly be.

Proton began to laugh nervously from his position behind the DMA. "Well... looks like you're not as weak as I thought. Most people would be dead by now." He shouted. Then a cruel smirk graced his face. "As much as I'd love to drag out your suffering, though, I'm afraid I have to leave now that you've caused so much noise. Just remember... you've got only yourself to blame!"

He raised his left arm and allowed his sleeve to fall down. It revealed a thick leather band wrapped tightly around his wrist and in the center of it was a large, pale Key Stone. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he raised his right hand and placed his fingers atop the stone. The Key Stone flared to life with vibrant energy that cast Proton in an ethereal light that didn't fit him.

On the other side of the museum, his Houndoom's collar glowed as the Mega Stone reacted to the activation of the Key Stone. The lethal canine was surrounded in a ball of energy that burned so brightly Anabel wouldn't have been surprised if people on the other side of the city could see it. She could practically hear her heartbeat in her ears and she all but screamed her orders through her Psychic link with the team. On command, Espeon began collecting vast amounts of electricity in front of her gem stone. Within seconds, the collected lightning had formed a makeshift cannonball easily twice as large as her skull. At her side, Alakazam slammed his spoons together in the formation of a cross. Within a few seconds, a sphere a shining white and ocean blue energy formed in front of him. In perfect unison, Alakazam and Espeon released their Focus Blast and Zap Cannon attacks at the evolving form of Houndoom.

While the accuracy of these moves was notoriously unreliable, against a stationary target there was no chance of them missing.

Just as the devastating attacks would have struck the Houndoom, the energy which had cocooned around it exploded out in a violent burst of power. It blew the attacks completely off course and destroyed even more of the once pristine museum of Alto Mare. What emerged from the volatile energy was the imposing form of a Mega Houndoom. The raw heat its new form exuded was enough to make even Salamence sweat from his position outside of the museum. If it had been a deadly opponent for Alakazam and Espeon before, then it was even more so now.

If she had a Mega Stone of her own, then perhaps Anabel and her team might have had a better chance. Without one, they were fighting an uphill battle. The only option was to retake control of the battle.

Anabel sprinted towards Proton. At the same time, her mind sent several orders to her Pokemon thanks to the aid of the Psychic link. With enough trust in her, they might be able to pull this off.

Metagross narrowed its eyes up at the Weezing quivering above it. With a scoff of pure disdain, silver energy gathered within its massive maw. The Weezing cried out in terror the moment the Flash Cannon was released and threw up a Protect to ward off the attack. However, the shimmering blue shield was unnecessary as the silver beam of energy missed it completely by half a dozen feet. The Weezing began to laugh at what it believed to be Metagross' poor aim.

Until it heard Crobat cry out in shock and anguish as the Flash Cannon slammed directly into its unprotected back. Weezing had barely enough time to turn and see its ally tumble out of the sky before it felt the terrifying stranglehold of Psychic energy grip its body. Metagross used its mental power to fling both the Crobat and Weezing to the ground so hard that there were audible cracks when they connected with the floor. Metagross leapt through the air and came crashing down atop the two immobilized with the full force of a freight train, shattering the ground beneath it with ease. When it stood back up to its full height, purple blood dripped from the underside of its carapace.

With the largest threat to Salamence dealt with, he soared back into the museum with as much speed as he could muster. While he wasn't at full strength due to the potent poison coursing through his body, he was still strong enough to make a difference. He began to glow with a pulsating, crimson aura and his muscles began to bulge. With a ferocious roar of pure anger, Salamence slammed into the back of the Tyranitar that had up until this point been busy brutalizing Snorlax. He dug his claws into Tyranitar's armored carapace that there were visible cracks. Salamence carried the titanic monster through the air with the power of draconic Outrage and smashed through a wall to the outside world.

As battered and bruised as he was, Snorlax let out a groan of pain and forced himself to his feet. After the pummeling that Proton's Tyranitar had inflicted, he was in no shape to continue. Even with adrenaline pumping through his system and rage clouding his mind, he could feel every bit of damage that had been inflicted. Countless bones had been broken, he had numerous deep gashes profusely gushing ruby red blood, and his face was so swollen he could hardly see. Not to mention that one of his arms was all but useless. If this had been a battle at the Battle Frontier or the Pokemon League, he would have been disqualified long before he reached this state.

Reality was often far crueler than such simple competitions led children to believe.

Outside of the museum, Salamence had dragged Tyranitar along the stone streets and pinned it to the ground with his own considerable strength. In his enraged state, he didn't have the mental capacity to think of a plan. If he did then he would have traveled a few yards further and trapped the Tyranitar beneath the water of the canal. Instead, all he could think of doing was ripping the mighty behemoth of a Rock type out of its shell and tearing it to shreds. With this in mind, Salamence slammed his claws into Tyranitar and beat it like a drum.

Each blow was delivered for the strength of a sledgehammer and created horrific dents within the once impressive armor of the Tyranitar. Despite this, Tyranitar refused to utter a single sound throughout the assault. It was as if it believed that by allowing itself to make its pain known to the world that it would acknowledge its weakness. Instead, it endured the attacks with clenched teeth. Until finally... it saw an opening. When Salamence raised both of his claws in the air to deliver one final devastating blow, Tyranitar sprang into action. As Salamence's claws came down, Tyranitar caught and halted them mid-swing. Its claws glowed with a pulsing violet energy that was reminiscent of Dragon Claw. Letting out a mighty roar, it heaved Salamence off of its chest and slammed him into the ground with such force that he was left seeing stars in confusion.

Once Tyranitar had forced itself to its feet, it moved behind the still downed Salamence with malicious intent. With its claws still glowing with draconic energy, Tyranitar gripped Salamence by his snout with one of its claws and hoisted him up until he was roughly sitting upright on his tail. With a slow lick of its lips, Tyranitar gripped the underside of Salamence's jaw with its other claw... and began to pull in opposite directions. Even in his confused state, Salamence knew what Tyranitar was trying to do. He began to thrash and twist in the grip of the Tyranitar, flapping his wings and doing everything in his power to escape this death sentence. No matter how hard he struggled, however, Tyranitar's strength was too much for the poisoned dragon.

Tyranitar had pried Salamence's jaws wide open. Even now it looked down into the terrified eyes of its prey and let out a deep laugh that sound more like boulders smashing together than any real speech. It would be so easy for it to pry just a little further and a little harder. Tearing off Salamence's jaw wouldn't just be satisfying for Tyranitar, it would give it a trophy it could happily present to Proton as a sign of respect. The only issue was that Salamence was unworthy of such a quick death.

For daring to interfere in its battle with that pitiful Snorlax, it would make the overgrown lizard suffer.

Tightening its grip on Salamence's jaws to hold him in place, Tyranitar opened its own. The air began to hum in excitement as tiny flecks of energy began to gather in its gaping jaws. Soon enough, a massive golden orb had grown to encompass it. As Tyranitar continued to charge its Hyper Beam, Salamence tried one last ditch effort to escape the clutches of his would be killer. He gathered as much energy as he could and spewed it out in the form of a Flamethrower - hoping that if nothing else, Tyranitar would flinch at the intense heat and light long enough for its grip to loosen. Unfortunately, no such luck. The moment the Flamethrower ended, Tyranitar angled itself above Salamence as it readied itself to use its most powerful attack and destroy this insignificant worm from the inside out.

A pale glowing fist slammed into the side of Tyranitar's skull.

Massive chunks of the armor on its face flew off and it was sent soaring through the air, letting go of Salamence completely. The Hyper Beam that it had been preparing didn't disappear, however. Instead Tyranitar lost control of it completely and fired it off without any care. The deadly beam of energy lanced through the stone homes of the public nearby in a dazzlingly brutal display of golden energy before carving its way through the statues of the Eon Duo and into the smoke-filled sky. Tyranitar tumbled along the ground before eventually falling into the murky waters of canal.

Snorlax spared a brief glance for the sputtering and shivering Salamence on the ground but couldn't waste any more time. Moving as fast as his injured, cumbersome body would allow he sprinted to the edge of the canal that Tyranitar had fallen into. Down below, Tyranitar hissed in pain and thrashed in the water as it tried to drag itself to dry land. Snorlax leapt into the air and shined in the light as its entire body turned to stainless steel before he plummeted down onto the injured Pokemon. Empowered by Heavy Slam, Snorlax crashed into the beast with such forced that the two of them sunk below the waves.

The two of them crashed into the bottom of the canal and kicked up a cloud of sand, sending the aquatic Pokemon nearby fleeing in terror. While Snorlax had no desire to remain down here, it was his only chance at victory. He could hold his breath for at least a few minutes with how large his lungs were. By comparison, Tyranitar was not so lucky. For a Rock type like it, being submerged completely in water would have been akin to a Human be submerged in a vat of acid. Despite its frantic thrashing and hate filled eyes glaring up at him, Snorlax refused to remove himself from its chest.

Rearing back its one good arm, he powered up a Hammer Arm and launched it directly into the exposed throat of his enemy. Even with the added resistance of water slowing down the velocity of his attack, his fist struck with enough force that Tyranitar's mouth was forced open in a silent scream. The moment that happened was when more water rushed into its lungs.

For the first time in the entire battle, fear filled Tyranitar's eyes. The look it sent him was practically begging for Snorlax to let it live. It would find that Snorlax had neither pity nor mercy for monsters that preyed on the innocent. Slowly over the course of a minute, Tyranitar's struggles gradually grew weaker and weaker... until finally it succumbed to the hopeless of its situation. The cruel eyes which had once regarded his team with disdain were now dull and lifeless. It was fitting that such a cruel creature met an equally cruel end. Without a second thought, Snorlax pushed itself off of his fallen foe and catapulted itself to the surface.

Once he was above the water, Snorlax took in a large gulp of air and began to drag itself up onto land with the aid of Salamence.

Back in the museum, Espeon and Alakazam weren't so much fighting Mega Houndoom as they were desperately trying to stay alive. With the raw power it now held, Mega Houndoom was more than capable of burning the two of them to ashes if it desired. However, like its trainer it preferred to play with its food before it enjoyed a meal. The blasts of fire it spewed were little more than a sample of what it could do and yet every time its new toys would frantically dodge out of the way with such fear in their eyes. It was as though its birthday had come early!

Up above them, Mismagius and Jellicent continued their spectral battle. They phased in and out of existence as the fundamental elements of nature clashed in an array of colors and a cacophony of explosions. Mismagius huffed in frustration as the Jellicent's endless barrage of Shadow Balls and Water Pulses overwhelmed her own powerful Thunderbolts. She grinned mischievously and disappeared in the shadows. Jellicent's eyes darted around room and had already begun forming a new Shadow Ball to defend itself. Just as it floated above what little remained of Muk, Mismagius appeared out of Jellicent's own shadow surrounded in oily black fire and slammed into its unprotected back. While Jellicent recoiled in pain, Mismagius capitalized on this opportunity and slammed a Shadow Ball into the aquatic ghost at point blank range.

Jellicent soared backwards through the air in visible discomfort. Despite the opportunity to press her advantage, Mismagius flew backwards as far from the Jellicent as possible. She stuck her tongue out and cackled in in obvious mockery of her adversary. Jellicent huffed in annoyance and summoned another Water Pulse, flinging the cannonball of pressurized water towards her head. Just as it was about to collide with her, it came to a sudden stop mere inches before it impacted. Jellicent stared in shock as the Water Pulse twisted around Mismagius and rocketed down to the ground to slam into the unsuspecting back of Mega Houndoom.

For the first time since Mega Houndoom was released, there was no malicious amusement in its eyes. Instead, it cried out in pain and turned to level a heated glare at the Jellicent. To its credit, Jellicent didn't cower under its gaze and instead created another Water Pulse. There was no fear for the specter despite the massive power difference between the two. While Proton's Pokemon engaged in a tense stand-off with each other, Mismagius gave a brief nod of approval to Espeon and Alakazam for the quick thinking even as they cowered behind a stone pillar.

As if suddenly remembering their opponents were still alive, Mega Houndoom and Jellicent pushed aside any animosity between them and leapt to attack their enemies. Just as Jellicent was preparing a new Shadow Ball, Metagross leapt up from beneath it with one of its legs glowing as brightly as a star and leaving the trail of a comet. Jellicent attempted to summon a protective barrier around itself, but Metagross' Meteor Mash blew through it as though it wasn't even there and sent it rocketing into the sky. The moment before Jellicent would have slammed into the roof, Mismagius flew forward and lashed out with the most powerful Thunderbolt she could muster. The lightning struck with enough power to hold it in place, even as it cried out in pain.

Once the Thunderbolt ended, Jellicent plummeted to the floor and laid there in a broken heap. Mismagius narrowed her eyes at her disabled opponent and summoned one final Shadow Ball to deliver the coup de grace. Her aquatic rival let out one final, haunting scream before dissolving into a puddle of pink slime.

By the time Anabel reached Proton, she was able to see the worried scowl on his face. Watching his prized monsters being brought down by her own - no matter how much damage they suffered - must have been horrifying when his freedom was on the line. With all the people that he had hurt over the years, she refused to let him escape.

She swung her shock baton directly for his face. "Give up! You only have one Pokemon left. Surrender now and I'll guarantee you'll be treated fairly."

Proton narrowly dodged the attack and leapt back. The typical arrogance she had come to expect from criminals like him replaced any fear he felt. "Maybe I've only got one, but there's this little thing called quality. Houndoom barely has a scratch on him while half of yours are ready to keel over and die!"

Anabel scowled. As much as she hated to admit it, he wasn't wrong. Despite having the numbers advantage, the battle could still swing wildly out of her favor. If even one of her teammates fell under the power of Mega Houndoom... she didn't know what she'd do. Her team had been with her since she was a child. They had been with her through both the best and worst moments of her life. When she decided to pursue a career protecting people instead of a life of fame, they had supported her wholeheartedly. She could only hope that they were strong enough working together to beat the beast.

She lashed out with her shock baton, sparks flying off its steel tip. Proton sidestepped the attack and latched onto her arm with both of his hands. Her eyes widened and she tried to struggle out of his grip but he was too strong. With a ferocious snarl, Proton whirled around towards the DMA and slammed her bodily against the base of the machine. Without pause, he lined her arm up with the edge of the machine and rammed her arm into it with as much force as possible. She endured the pain with gritted teeth and tried to rip her arm out from his hands, but he wasn't letting up. He kept slamming her arm into the DMA until she was eventually forced to give in from the pain and loosened her grip on the shock baton.

The moment her weapon clattered to the ground, Proton threw her aside and reached down to grab it. Anabel landed on her back but forced herself to her feet just in time to see the Rocket Admin twirling her weapon in his hand.

"Well, isn't this a fancy little weapon." Proton drawled. "I see the International Police spares no expense for its agents. Shame I couldn't bring a toy of my own, but little Domino said she didn't want me 'jumping the gun'. That girl and her damn puns."

Anabel silently cursed as Proton sprinted towards her a moment later. He swung wildly with the shock baton without any thought or care put into his strikes. Each potential blow was filled with raw strength and his grip on the weapon was far too tight. He had clearly never used a weapon like this before but it hardly mattered. With the added functionality of the electricity, even a glancing blow would be debilitating.

She did her best to dodge and twist her body around the uncoordinated attacks of Proton. Occasionally, he would over extend and she could land a quick jab to his face but it was never enough. As soon as her blow land, he would backpedal and swing the shock baton in unpredictable arcs to ward off any further attacks. Then he would charge again, slowly but surely pushing her back. If the International Police hadn't placed such importance on the ability of their agents to evade attacks, she would likely have been hit by now.

Her luck ran out however when she felt her back hit the DMA. Her eyes widened as Proton swung the baton with full forced into her stomach. She clenched her eyes shut as the electricity coursed through her body. Every muscle felt like it was on fire and as though there were a thousand tiny Beedrill eating her from the inside out. A scream of excruciating pain tore past her lips as she collapsed to ground. She was unable to move a single muscle and it took all of her willpower to command her team to ignore her pain. They needed to focus on Mega Houndoom.

She would be fine. Her shock baton was only releasing enough electricity to stun her. Fortunately for her, Proton hadn't figured out how to amp up the power to lethal levels. Unfortunately, that just meant he'd likely keep shocking and beating her until she was dead anyway. With her body not responding, however, there wasn't much she could do.

Proton scoffed and grabbed the back of Anabel's head by her long, violet hair. "Pathetic. One hit and you're down for the count."

That was the only warning she got before her face was slammed into the metallic surface of the DMA. She felt more than heard her nose break under the force of the blow. Her vision swam and pain flared to life in her face anew. Proton didn't stop at just once, however. He kept slamming ramming her head into it. Eventually he must have been satisfied as he threw her to the floor behind him. Her face had been completely blooded and she could hardly breath out of her nose. Even with feeling slowly returning to her as the after-effects of the electricity left her body, moving anything made her body ache.

Proton chuckled darkly above her. "Ah... it's always nice seeing you hero types fail. So selfless and full of hope. I just love seeing your spirit fail." He turned his back to her at her feet as he gazed up at the DMA with what she could only imagine was a cocky grin. "You know, I don't know what the boss wants with this machine. Whatever it is though is gonna leave the world speechless. I can't wait to see it!"

Somehow Anabel wasn't surprised that Proton was taking the chance to gloat. Taunting her with the knowledge that Team Rocket had something sinister planned and that she could do nothing to stop it. It was cruel in a way that only this man could be.

More important though was how arrogant it was. Even if her entire body felt like it was on fire and even if she was forced to breath out of her mouth instead of her nose, she wasn't out of the fight yet. The people of this city were counting on her. If Team Rocket's people tampered with the DMA and that somehow caused the calamity Ash had told them about? So many would die. So many wonderful people that added so much joy and good to the world.

She couldn't allow something as insignificant as pain to stop her from preventing that!

With a burst of speed and strength, she slammed her foot with all of her might into the back of Proton's knee. Proton hadn't expected her to have any fight left her and fell forward to the ground face first, dropping the shock baton in his surprise. Anabel forced herself to her feet and leapt on top of his back the moment he tried to scramble to his feet. Taking fistfuls of his green hair, she began to slam his face into the ground with as much force as her beaten body could muster. Finally being given a taste of his own medicine, all Proton could do was grunt and groan in pain as she hammered his head into the ground.

After slamming him into the ground five consecutive times, she rolled off of his back and gasped for breath. At this point, her lungs were on fire and her arms felt like they were lead weights. All she wanted to do was lay down and rest.

She was not so lucky. Even with the damage done, Proton was more durable than she had believed. Struggling to force himself to his feet, he glared at her from behind bloody eyes. His once roguishly handsome face was now completely destroyed and replaced by a visage of bloody violence. Fitting for a man like him.

"You bitch! When I get my hands on you-"

He never got the chance to finish his threat. The moment she realized he wasn't going to stay down, Anabel snatched her shock baton off the floor. She lashed out and slammed it into the side of his head with what little strength she had left. When it connected with the side of his head, the very same electricity that had been used against her were used against him. He let out a high-pitched scream of pain and began to convulse from the volts of lightning before collapsing the ground.

Aside the odd involuntary twitch of his body, he seemed to be unconscious. The pain must have been too much for him to handle.

In a moment of weakness, Anabel gave in to her spiteful thoughts and jabbed her shock baton into his back. Proton let out an unconscious, pained whimper as his body began to convulse once more from the electricity coursing through his body. Eventually she pulled her weapon away and collapsed to her knees beside his unconscious form. Every breath she took made her wish for the sweet embrace of unconsciousness, but she couldn't afford that luxury.

Her team still needed her to maintain their Battle Coordination and she would be damned if her weakness saw them falter before Houndoom.

While she and Proton had fought their battle by the DMA, on the other side of the museum her team had surrounded the Mega Houndoom. While the cruel gleam in its eyes had been replaced by a cautious gaze, it didn't appear overly worried. By comparison, half of her team were about to collapse from their injuries. One wrong move could mean their end.

In the end, Metagross was the one to make the first move. Both of its forelegs glowed brightly with the power of a Meteor Mash, and it launched itself forward. Out of her entire team, it was the her only one that had a chance of taking a direct attack without serious harm. Or so Anabel had believed until she saw the Mega Houndoom began to smile. The hellhound surrounded itself with an oily black aura and leapt forward to meet Metagross' charge. Just before the two collided with one another, Mega Houndoom swerved to the side and completely avoided Metagross's blows. With a delighted cackle, Mega Houndoom bodily slammed itself into the underside and sent Metagross flying away with more force than it would have been capable of were it not for Foul Play.

As Metagross rolled to a stop barely a few feet away from her and the unconscious Proton, she saw massive dent within Metagross' armor. Mega Houndoom took delight in her shocked expression and summoned flames in its mouth, prepared for launch a Flamethrower. With her injuries, she would have been too slow to dodge and forced Metagross to choose between sacrificing itself for her or watching her die.

Fortunately for them both, it didn't come to that. Just before Mega Houndoom was going to fire its attack, Alakazam seized control of what little remained of Proton's Muk. Psychically grasping the few bits of sludge, he levitated them off the ground and launched them directly into the eyes of their would-be killer. Even dead, the remains of Muk were still a potent toxin that could weaken the strongest of fighters.

Mega Houndoom recoiled in a mixture of pain and anger, attempting to shake the sludge out of its eyes. With the Psychic grip of Alakazam, however, it refused to budge. Up above them, Mismagius tightly closed her eyes. A high-pitched, almost melodic chant escaped her lips. It could almost have been considered beautiful if it weren't for the slightly demonic undertones of the chant. When she was finished, Mismagius' eyes shot open, and she emitted brilliant pink light that illuminated the entire room. While her allies were unharmed, the moment the light touched Mega Houndoom it cried out in agony and wildly fired off a Flamethrower into the ceiling, completely missing Mismagius.

By the time her Dazzling Gleam faded, Mismagius crackled with static electricity and launched a Thunderbolt into the exposed back of their enemy. Even with the sludge blinding it, Mega Houndoom had a general sense of where she was now and angled its jaws up towards her. Just before it could launch a Dark Pulse and obliterate the annoying Ghost type, Snorlax chose that that moment to leap forward with a glowing fist. Amped with the power of a Hammer Arm, Snorlax's fist collided with Mega Houndoom's ribs the moment Mismagius ceased her attack. The canine's eyes widened in pain from behind the sludge and extinguished its flames as it was launched through the air, colliding with a wall.

A crater was formed where it collided with the wall, and it slid to the ground. With a ferocious growl, it summoned a raging Inferno and... surrounded itself in the flames? While Mega Evolution had given it a major power boost, its Flash Fire ability had been replaced and they were all left wondering why it would subject itself to the attack. The answer became clear with the sludge covering its eyes turned ash and revealed the enraged glare behind them. With its sight returned to it, the Mega Houndoom used the fire surrounding it to amp up the power of its Flame Charge and leapt forward. It blazed so brightly that it could almost have been mistake for a Flare Blitz were it not for the astonishing speed it displayed.

Salamence met its attack head-on. Under the influence of Outrage, he was the only one capable of stopping the attack. Thanks to the combination of his draconic nature allowing him to resist the flames and his enhanced power in this state, Salamence halted Mega Houndoom in its tracks. What he could not do, however, was overpower it. As such he was forced to hold it in place until the flames gradually died down.

By the time they did, Salamence's Outrage hand ended and left its vision swimming. Sensing the opening, Mega Houndoom leapt forward with the same oily black aura it had used against Metagross. With how weak Salamence was, Foul Play would be lethal. Just before it could strike, Espeon reached out with her Psychic power to the case of ancient weapon in the museum. The rusted spear within rumbled within its enclosure for a moment before launching itself through the class with the power of a speeding bullet. The spear lodged itself into the side of Mega Houndoom, sliding past its ribcage and puncturing a lung. With a simple flick of her eyes, Espeon twisted the spear and then snapped it in half, leaving the rusted tip inside of the deadly monster.

The Mega Houndoom stumbled in place and coughed up thick, black blood on the ground. On shaking legs, it leveled a glare at Espeon and opened its jaws to prepare a Flamethrower... only to be sent into a fit of coughs, hacking up blood with every breath. It was almost pitiful seeing the once powerful and cocky monster look so weak and afraid.

Her team had no pity to spare. Salamence shook himself out of his confused state and reared back before slamming his tail into the Mega Houndoom, sending it tumbling across the ground. Snorlax grabbed the canine by its imposing horns and slammed it bodily into the ground with as much force as he could muster before tossing it into the air. With a contemptuous laugh, Mismagius launched a Thunderbolt that electrocuted the Mega Houndoom and sent it flying across the museum. Having finally struggled to its feet, Metagross reared back with a Meteor Mash and slammed its right foreleg into the ribs of Proton's final monster, sending it flying into a wall.

The Mega Houndoom slowly slid to the ground. Her team watched in tense anticipation for it to get up and try to attack them again. It never did. In a blinding flash of light, the creature reverted to its previous form. The once mighty Houndoom was now a broken mess. Instead of fighting to the end with a roar to shake the heavens, it had died with a whimper against half dead opponents.

A fitting end as far as Anabel was concerned. While his team may once have been good Pokemon, they had all shown the same cruelty as their trainer. She would shed no tears over their deaths. Not when weighted against those of the entire city.

Anabel struggled to force herself to her feet, catching herself against the side of Metagross. She sent a relieved smile to her entire team and let out a slow, slightly hysterical laugh. They had managed to take down one of Team Rocket's highest ranking members without a single casualty on their end. With Proton in their custody, the International Police had a real chance of dismantling Team Rocket's power base in the city. Even better, she had managed to stop them from tampering with the DMA and bringing a brutal end to the city by mistake.

Not bad for a rookie agent if she said so herself.

All she had to do now was inform Looker of her success and wait for reinforcements. Once they took Proton off her hands, she'd be all too eager to see a doctor. Both her and her team desperately needed it after what they went through.

There was just one issue. A quick glance outside showed that the damage done to the museum and the surrounding area hadn't gone unnoticed by the local residents. Even if they were afraid to approach, they began to crowd together on the other side of the canal. It didn't take a Psychic to know they wanted answers about what had happened here.

If she had her way, answering their questions would be Looker's job while she relaxed after a hard day's work.

Now that the danger had passed, she deserved it.

As it turned out, caution had been the right decision.

Peeking out from behind the corner of a nearby alleyway, Ash and the others were able to get a good look at Bianca and Lorenzo's home. On the outside, everything looked fine. There was no sign of the chaos in the rest of the city having spread here at all. If Ash didn't know any better, he would have suspected that nothing was wrong. Standing outside the entrance to the home, however, was a man that neither he nor Latias recognized.

He was... unremarkable in every way. He didn't have any standout features and the clothes he wore were the kind he'd expect from a tourist right down to the sunglasses over his eyes and the floral shirt. He seemed utterly bored out of his mind and more focused on the cigarette in his hands. Ash knew that the man was more than just a simple tourist though.

He was with Team Rocket. A Grunt or at least someone they had hired for this job.

Ash turned to Pikachu atop his shoulder. "Can you smell how many of them there are, buddy?"

Pikachu closed his eyes for a moment and raised his head to the sky, nose twitching slightly. "Bianca and Lorenzo are inside." He began. "I can smell three others - the one outside and two in the house. No Pokemon but they may still be in their balls."

Ash saw a look of worry in Pikachu's eyes and frowned. "What else?"

Pikachu's eyes flickered to Latias. "I... could also smell blood. Human blood. A lot of it."

Latias sucked in a sharp gasp.

Ash's hand lashed out and grabbed Latias' arm. She was more than strong enough to rip herself from his grip, but he hadn't planned on holding her. When she turned her artic glare on him, he almost backed down. He steeled his nerves and kept his grip firmly on her, however.

"Latias, calm down."

"How can you ask me to calm down?!" She growled inside his mind. "Your friends - my family - are hurt!"

"We don't know that for certain." It felt like a weak excuse even to him. The idea that Lorenzo and Bianca had wounded one of the Rocket Grunts was laughable at best. "I'm not saying we can't help them. We just need a plan."

"There are three of them, Ash. They don't even have their Pokemon out!" She argued. "With my invisibility, I can sneak inside and get rid them in seconds!"

"And what happens if that's what they want you to do?" He hissed. "Bianca and Lorenzo were targeted for a reason! Team Rocket has probably planned for you to try rescuing them and is prepared for it!"

"There's no way-"

"Don't be reckless!" He scolded. "Take a moment to calm down and think. Rushing in will just put them in danger if things go wrong. Wouldn't you rather be certain they won't get hurt in the crossfire if this goes wrong?"

Latias looked like she wanted to argue. Ash couldn't say he blamed her. If it was his mother in danger, he wouldn't have had the patience to wait either and gone rushing ahead without thinking. That would have been a mistake though. He refused to allow Latias to make that mistake when he was here to be the support she needed.

Latias clenched her eyes shut. "What do you suggest then?"

"I'll draw them out." He stated. "While they're focused on me, Pikachu will sneak inside to free Bianca and Lorenzo so they can escape. Once they're safe, you'll reveal yourself and we can catch them in a pincer attack."

Latias growled and turned herself invisible before his eyes. "Fine... I just want them to be safe."

"I do too. Trust me, I won't let them get hurt."

With a brief nod to his partner, Pikachu hopped off of his shoulder and made a dash for the house. He stuck to the shadows as best he could, but he needn't have bothered. The Grunt stationed outside seemed bored out of his mind and was staring off into the distance, cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. In seconds, Pikachu disappeared around the corner of the house.

Before leaving the safety of his hiding place, Ash reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokegear. He needed to tell Looker about this so that he could send reinforcements in case things went wrong. After he dialed and there was no answer, Ash felt his anxiety flare up. Why wasn't Looker answering? Had he just not noticed or was something happening back at headquarters that meant he couldn't answer?

Ash couldn't allow himself to worry about that.

Not when he had a plan to see through.

Ash took a deep breath to steady his nerves and stepped out from behind the alleyway. Obscured to the world, Latias floated close behind him. Through their mental link, he could feel her coiled and ready to lash out at the first opportunity. He could only hope she was able to keep herself in check. By the time the Grunt noticed him, Ash had come to stop in the middle of the street with his hands in the pockets of his trench coat.

It was the only way to hide how much his hands were shaking in terror.

"Hello there!" He shouted with what he hoped sounded like confidence. In the empty streets of Alto Mare, his voice echoed around them loud enough for Pikachu to hear from wherever he was hiding. "Do you mind if we have the chat?"

The Grunt kept turned his attention to Ash and stared at him in silence for a few moments. Dropping the cigarette to the ground and stamping it out with his foot, he slammed his fist onto the door to the house. "Boys! Get out here!"

Ash did his best not to pale at the sight of two more Grunts moving out of the house. Like the sentry, each of them was wearing plain clothes and the same sleek black glasses over their eyes. His blood ran cold when he saw the dried blood on the hands of the two that left the house. Though he couldn't be certain, they seemed to tense up once their gazes landed on him.

What he wouldn't give to have more Pokemon at his side or even a weapon of his own. He'd need to talk to Looker about getting trained in one.

"Who are you?" One of them called out.

An uneasy smile spread across his face. "Someone in way over their head." He admitted. "I know who you are though. You're Team Rocket."

In unison, the Grunts all snatched their Pokeballs from their belts and looked prepared to unleash their Pokemon on him. They probably would have if it weren't for him taking his hands out of his pockets and holding them in the air above his head.

"Now now, there's no need for violence." He called out. "I'm just here to talk."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll walk away." One of the Grunts tossed his Pokeball into the air. Following his lead, the other two did the same. At their side appeared a Dusclops, Raticate, and Glalie appeared at their sides.

Seeing such deadly Pokemon glaring at him sent a chill down his spine.

"I could say the same for you!" He declared with far more courage than he actually felt. "You see, I work for the International Police! I've already called my superiors to summon reinforcements." They didn't need to know he hadn't been successful. "They should be here soon. If you flee now, you might escape."

With their eyes obscured by those glasses, he didn't know if that worried them or not. Everything was quiet for a few seconds before one of the grunts stepped forward with the Dusclops by their side.

"Bullshit."

Ash's eyes widened.

"If there really were police on their way here, there's no way you'd be foolish enough to show yourself to us." The Grunt grinned. "After all, you must know that Team Rocket has a bounty on the head of every International Police agent."

His heart skipped a beat. He hadn't known that! Why hadn't Looker or Anabel told him that?!

"I'll tell you what, agent." The Grunt called out. "We'll let you walk away and forget this ever happened. And in exchange for this generous offer, all we're gonna need is that partner of yours."

His eyes narrowed. "Partner?"

The Grunt lazily pointed over Ash's shoulder. "That Latias, of course."

That was all the warning they received before the Dusclops sprang into action. The Ghost types single eye glowed red and teal light began to surround the area. In less than a second, they were all surrounded by teal walls of light that loomed high into the sky. With the Trick Room set up, one of the Grunt lashed out with his hands.

"Raticate, Super Fang!"

With astonishing speed, the Raticate surged forward with golden glowing teeth and leapt over Ash's shoulders. He didn't have to wait long to find out why. Latias let out a loud shriek of pain and momentarily lowered her invisibility. The Raticate had latched onto one of Latias' wings and was even now trying to gnaw through the draconic appendage. It was liable to do that too. While Super Fang was often forgotten about by most trainers, it was one of the few moves that could allow even a rookie trainer to cripple a Champion's Pokemon.

Latias attempted to shake the Raticate off of her by flying into the sky but was intercepted halfway by the Glalie halfway there. With a truly maniacal smile that was full of sparkling white teeth, it opened its massive jaws and clamped down on Latias' other wing. There was an audible crack as Glalie began to Crunch on the wing and stopped Latias in her tracks. She growled in frustration and hovered in place, eyes beginning to glow with a mystical blue energy. At that moment, the Dusclops leapt into the air, and it appeared as if its fists wear surrounded by a raging blizzard. With a haunting moan, the Dusclops used its Ice Punch to send Latias hurtling back towards him just as Raticate and Glalie detached themselves from her wings.

Ash managed to leap aside and roll behind a nearby trashcan just as Latias slammed into the ground, creating a small crater where she landed.

His eyes widened in shock. "Latias... are you-"

"I'm fine!" She growled in his mind. True to her word, she forced herself off of the ground with a thunderous expression on her face. She wasn't unscathed though. While she was capable of keeping herself airborne, it was clear to everyone that she hadn't come out unscathed. Her wings had visible indentations and were dripping golden ichor. Worse, one of her eyes was swollen shut from where the Dusclops had slammed its fist into her.

"Go invisible!" He cried out. "If they can't see you, it won't matter if they're faster now!"

Latias sent him a brief nod and faded from view once again. He felt his spirit drop when he heard the Grunts let out a collective laugh.

"Don't you realize that's pointless?" With a snap of their fingers, one of the Grunts pointed his finger towards the sky. "Glalie, use Ice Beam about five feet in front of you to the left."

No one was more shocked than Ash when the Glalie not only followed the command without hesitation but when the attack connected. Once more Latias' invisibility was disrupted and she was sent tumbling towards the ground. She managed to stop her descent moments before impacting the ground and leveled a wary glare at her enemies.

"In case you haven't figured it out, we can tell where that thing is whether its visible or not." One of the Rocket's reached up to tap the side of their glasses. "Gotta love the RND department for making such fancy toys."

Another Grunt let out a dramatic sigh. "Shame us Grunts don't get to use them so often. Nooooo, we're not worthy of them!" He spat a glob of spit on the ground. "Arrogant higher-ups. As if the Operatives and Admins are the only ones who deserve them!"

"Look at the bright side, at least that Domino woman was willing to lend these to us."

Ash paid the Grunts no mind they babbled on without a care in the world. Domino was here? The woman who had ruined his life? Not only that but she'd come with the equipment needed to capture Latias? It made sense but... why hadn't she shown herself yet? Was she still waiting for the right moment to strike? Or had she decided there was something more important than a Legendary that needed her attention?

The uncertainty he felt set him on edge.

"Enough about us." One of the Grunts drew his attention away from his inner thoughts. "This is your last chance to run. Be a good little agent and take our generosity."

Latias never took her eyes off her enemies, but he could feel her concern through their link. "Ash... maybe you should take the offer. This may be more than you can handle." She whispered. "If I lose, I need you to protect Bianca and Lorenzo for me."

Anyone else in his position would have taken the offer. As injured as she was, Latias was a Legendary. She had power that few other Pokemon could ever hope to achieve. With Pikachu inside hopefully freeing Bianca and Lorenzo from whatever bindings Team Rocket had used on them, winning wasn't even necessary here. Once he and the others were safe, Latias could just fly away and lose these criminals within the city.

Except under the effects of the Trick Room, any attempt to flee would be met with immediate force. At the very least, it would force her to expose her back and give them the chance at a free hit. Not to mention the fact that he didn't trust Team Rocket as far as he could throw them. There was no guarantee they would actually allow him to leave.

He took a breath. "I can't do that. I'm sorry." His apology was meant more for Latias than the Grunts. "I won't abandon a friend in their time of need."

Latias sighed. "You're as stubborn as ever." Despite her harsh words, he could feel her gratitude through their link. "But... thanks. For sticking with me. Just watch yourself."

The grunt huffed in annoyance. "If this is the hill you want to die on, so be it." He snapped his fingers and gestured dismissively towards him. "You two deal with him. I'll stay here in case the Latias tries to go invisible again."

Ash didn't give them a chance for the Grunts to rush him. He took off sprinting towards Lorenzo's workshop, followed closely by the two Grunts who were meant to fight him. The Pokemon ignored him as he sprinted by them though whether that was because they didn't view him as a threat or they were worried about turning their backs to Latias, he didn't know. He was just thankful he didn't have to worry about them yet.

Ash charged into the door to the workshop with his shoulder, audibly throwing them open as he burst into the workshop. It was cramped, dusty, and filled to the brim with various types of wood. Lining the walls was both powered and ordinary tools. In the center of the workshop was even a half finished gondola that was missing the seats on the inside.

The Grunts weren't far behind him and had simple knives in their hands. While Ash would normally have preferred to put as much distance between him and any attacker as possible, he couldn't do that now. With no other choice, the only option he had was to limit the way his enemies could engage him.

It had been a lesson Anabel drilled into him. When facing multiple opponents and there was no escape, finding ways to take away that number advantage was the only option. The best way to do that was give them limited space to move in and force them to attack one at a time instead of all at once. Even more essential was ensuring no one could sneak up behind him and catch him from behind when he wasn't looking.

Lorenzo's workshop allowed him to do both. All that was left now was actually fighting the hardened criminals. Neither of which seemed like the kind to hesitate before killing someone. With those knives in their hands, he didn't fancy his chances taking them on unarmed either. Perhaps if he was willing to use some of the tools on the walls that Lorenzo used he would stand a better chance, but Ash staunchly refused to do so. If he wasn't careful with them, he could accidentally kill these men.

Instead, Ash snatched up a wide plank of wood off of the floor and held it out in front of him as a shield. This caused the Grunts to laugh and twirl their weapons in the hand.

"Really? Wood? I thought you International Police were meant to be dangerous." Ash could imagine the Grunt rolling his eyes behind his glasses. "Oh well, this should be easy at least."

The Grunt rushed forward and thrust his knife towards Ash's head. His eyes widened and he reacted on instinct, bringing his shield up to block the attack while backpedaling away from the blow. There was a loud thunk as the knife slammed into the makeshift wooden shield and his eyes widened as he saw the tip of the knife penetrating just beyond the shield.

His shock soon turned to relief when it remained there. The criminal trying to kill him grunted in obvious frustration as he tried to pull the knife out of the wood, but it wouldn't budge. Ash seized the opportunity by twisting his shield to the side and roughly yanking it towards him. The Grunt kept a tight hold on the knife and was pulled along but had his arm twisted at an awkward angle. The Grunts eyes widened when Ash surged forward and slammed the wooden plank into his face, forcing him to let go of the knife and tumble backwards into his teammate.

He didn't stop there. In such a cramped workshop, the other Grunt didn't have the room to attack. Not when his ally was blocking the way forward and clutching his face in pain. Ash took advantage of that by bracing himself and sprinting forward, holding the shield out in front of him like a battering ram. He slammed into the Grunt that had lost their knife and threw them back into their partner, sending them both sprawling to the floor.

Ash narrowed his eyes down at the Grunt at his feet. He raised the wooden shield above his head and brought it down on the criminals head with a grunt of exertion. The Grunts glasses shattered under the blow, and he cried out in pain before going still. The rise and fall of his chest was enough to let Ash breathe a sigh of relief. The man was just unconscious, not dead.

Which still left the other Grunt. He managed to turn just in time to see the Grunt leaping toward him, knife held in a reverse grip. The Grunt raised the knife into the air and brought it down in a blow that was aimed for his head. Ash narrowed his eyes and brought the wooden shield up with the hopes of catching the blade in the same way he had the earlier one.

The Grunt had been expecting that and kicked Ash in the gut just as the knife scraped across the surface of the wooden plan, forcing Ash to stumbling backwards and drop his shield to the ground. With his protection gone, the Grunt surged forward and began to wildly slash for Ash's face. He was only just fast enough to avoid the life-threatening blows, but he hadn't come out unscathed. There were rough, jagged cuts along his arms that bled crimson blood and stained his trench coat. With each narrow graze, Ash was tempted to stop in his tracks and clutch them in pain. To do that would mean standing still and to stand still in such a narrow space was death.

Unfortunately, the choice was taken away from him.

When Ash's back hit the wall of the workshop, his heart skipped a beat. A feral grin split the Grunts face and he thrust his blade forward. Ash only barely managed to twist his body to the side and avoid being impaled on the end of the knife. With the Grunt throwing his entire body behind the blow, the knife sunk into the wooden wall with a harsh thunk. Ash wrapped one of his hands tightly around the Grunt's wrist to keep him in place before delivering a devastating strike to the criminals throat with his elbow.

The Grunt's eyes bulged, and he let go of the knife to stumble backwards, clutching his throat in both of his hands. Ash pounced on the opening and curled his hands into fists. His fist lashed out and struck the Grunt directly in the nose with as much force as he could. Once more the Grunt was forced to recoil in pain and shock, though it certainly wasn't the last. Running on pure adrenaline at this point, Ash was relentless in how he struck the criminal with his fists in a rapid series of blows. He made sure to target the Grunt's face and throat but once the older man tried to throw up his arms to block his blows, Ash switched targets and sent a devastating blow into the man's gut.

The Grunt had no idea what he was doing. Even with Ash's limited training and experience in a fight, it was clear the Grunt was out of his element. Without his Pokemon and weapon, he was helpless. Ash counted himself lucky for that. He didn't want to imagine having to fight someone with actual experience yet. This was already taking everything he had!

The fight eventually came to an end with one final, decisive blow. Ash launched an uppercut into the jaw of the Grunt and sent him flying back to the ground. He landed with a dull thud and laid there unmoving on the ground, his face bloodied and bruised beyond belief. For his part, Ash allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief once he realized he had a moment to catch his breath. He winced in pain, however, and glanced down at his hands. They were covered in blood and shaking so much he was almost certain that he'd broken some of the bones in his hands.

There was nothing to do about it though. While it hurt, he didn't have much of an alternative to his hands. However deadly a fist could be, Ash would take them any day over the far more deadly hammers and saws lining the wall of Lorenzo's workshop.

Stepping over the unconscious bodies of his attackers, Ash peaked out of the door to see how Latias was handling herself outside. He was greeted by the sight of Latias panting and covered in wounds while crumpled to the ground. To her credit, her enemies were all sporting various injuries of their own, but it seemed like effects of the Trick Room had been too much for her. Team Rocket had chosen their strategy well.

Ash's eyes widened when he saw the Grunt gingerly take a Pokeball off of his belt and rear back to throw it. Ash growled and grabbed the closest thing off of the wall that he could - a simple ball-peen hammer - and stepped out from the workshop.

He wouldn't allow his friend to be captured by the likes of them.

"Oi! Fuckface!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "Catch!"

His shouting was enough to distract the Grunt from his throw and draw his attention to Ash. Good. That meant he'd see what came next coming. Ash reared back and hurled the hammer with all of his strength. The Grunt swore and leapt out of the way of the hammer, dropping his Pokeball in the process. It was wasted effort though. With Ash's shaky hands and his desire to not kill anyone, the hammer flew clear above where the Grunt had been standing and smashed through the window of a house on the other side of the street.

An enraged roar was the only warning he received before the Dusclops surged towards him and wrapped its massive hands around him. Ash winced in pain and paled in terror as he stared into the menacing eye of the deadly Ghost type. At that moment, Ash realized why the creature was willing to abandon its fight against Latias to target him.

He had threatened its trainer. Even if the man had been a criminal, he obviously meant a lot to the Dusclops. Ash didn't blame the Pokemon for looking at him with such hatred. He doubted any assurances that he didn't want to kill the man would help though because this creature certainly wanted to kill him.

It would have too if Pikachu hadn't chose that moment to burst through the window of Lorenzo and Bianca's house with a roar of his own. If the Dusclops had been angry at the threat to its trainer then Pikachu looked absolutely livid at the sight of his own in danger.

Even under the effects of Trick Room, Pikachu managed to cover the distance between him and the Dusclops with the use of a Quick Attack. During his sprint, his began to flare with static electricity that coated his body completely and turned the attack into a devastating Volt Tackle. He collided with the side of the Dusclops with enough force that it dropped Ash to the ground and was sent flying back into the Glalie and Raticate it had fought beside.

Ash's eyes widened. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be helping Bianca and Lorenzo escape!"

Pikachu was hunched down on all fours, cheeks sparking with deadly electricity. While Volt Tackle had hurt him, he was still in far better shape than any of the others. "I wasn't going to just sit by while that thing had its way with you!" His partner snapped. "Lorenzo is in no shape to move and Bianca won't leave him."

Ash's blood ran cold. That... left them no choice then. Their only choice was to win this battle. Even with their enemies injured, however, Ash didn't think the odds were in their favor. Against three powerful Pokemon under the effects of Trick Room, even Pikachu would struggle.

They needed an equalizer.

His eyes narrowed in realization and flickered to Latias. "Can you still fight?" He shouted over the battlefield.

Through their link, Ash could feel a tiny fraction of the pain she was experiencing. "Y-yes!" She grimaced. "But... I don't I can move too quickly even if Trick Room ends."

That was fine. With what he had planned, she wouldn't need to move an inch. "The canals! Use the water!"

The Rocket Grunt forced himself to his feet and lashed out with his hand. "Stop her, you idiots!"

To their credit, Team Rocket's Pokemon tried to attack Latias and disrupt her concentration. Each of them was interrupted by Pikachu when he surged forward with the same combination of Quick Attack and Volt Tackle as before, slamming into the Glalie and using it as a springboard to collide with the Dusclops and Raticate. By the time Pikachu was finished with his attack and had leapt away from them to catch his breath, it was already too late.

Latias' eyes glowed with a familiar mystical blue energy, and she reached out towards the waters of the famous canals of Alto Mare. A lesser Psychic would have been able to control a small stream of the water with expert precision or vast amounts of it with the skill of a barbarian but never both at the same time. For a Legendary like her, she was able to lift enough water out of the canals that it cast a shadow over the street. Instead of sending it crashing down onto their enemies and crushing them beneath the weight, the water moved with a mind of its own and lashed out with such speed that he almost missed what came next.

Tendrils of the clear blue water wrapped around the midsections of both the Rocket Grunt and the Pokemon that had been attacking her. They were only able to utter brief gasps of shock before being dragged into the floating mass of water at enough speed to give them whiplash. Once they were within the watery prison, they began to struggle and claw for a way out. No matter how hard they tried, however, none of them were strong enough to break the psychically enhanced grip of the water.

Soon enough, they would drown if no one helped them.

Ash pointed a shaking finger at the water and closed his eyes. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Just enough to knock them unconscious!"

Pikachu sent his trainer a sharp nod and surrounded himself in golden electricity. With a ferocious battle cry, lightning lanced off of his body and directly towards the floating mass of water. Once the Thunderbolt struck, everything within became illuminated in a golden light. Though no sound could be heard from within, it was clear that those inside of the water were screaming in agony.

Once those inside stopped convulsing, Latias allowed her control of the water to slip and dropped it to the ground. While the water pooled on the ground and began to slowly make its way back into the canals, the Grunt and their Pokemon remained unmoving on the ground. Ash cautiously moved towards them each to check their pulses and let out a sigh of relief once he confirmed that they were still alive. He paused over the Grunt's body and snatched the glasses off of them.

The International Police would be interested in studying this technology.

That was a concern for later though. For now, he had to focus on his friends. He rushed over to Latias' side and crouched down to inspect her wounds. They were bad. If she had been anything other than a Legendary, he doubted she would still be conscious let alone have had the mental fortitude to pull off that trick with the water.

"How bad is it?"

He managed to smile at her reassuringly. "Normally I'd take you to a Pokemon Center and you'd be back to normal after a nights rest. Without one though..." He trailed off before letting out a tired sigh. "You'll probably need to take it easy for a few weeks. Not to mention we'll need to get you the right medicine for these wounds."

Latias groaned. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

Pikachu hopped up onto his shoulder and smiled down at Latias. "Look at the bright side: at least the next few weeks should be quiet. I doubt they'll try anything after this."

Latias eyes widened, and she surged off the ground... before tumbling back onto the street with a pain grunt. "Are Lorenzo and Bianca okay?"

Pikachu shifted uncomfortably and averted his eyes. "Bianca is fine. They just had her tied up is all." His partner sighed. "Lorenzo is in bad shape though. I think he tried to resist. He was unconscious when I found him and was beaten pretty badly."

Ash grimaced. "How badly?"

Pikachu closed his eyes tightly. "He's old, Ash. Maybe he'll survive if we can get him to a hospital quickly enough. But if nothing happens soon then it may be too late."

He didn't need to be a Psychic to tell how devastated the news made Latias. With a sigh, Ash took Pikachu off of his shoulder and stood to his full height. He looked down at Latias with sympathy in his eyes and clenched his fists at his side.

"I'll go tell Bianca that the danger is past." He told her. "I don't think that her or you should be alone right now."

Latias could manage anything more than a silent nod. He didn't blame her. First her brother lost his life fixing Team Rocket's mistake and now Lorenzo - her surrogate father - might die? All because of their interest in her? He could only imagine the torment she must have been putting herself through in her own head.

He wished there was more that he could do to help.

Ash made his way into the once comfy little house and flinched at the sight within. The cozy little home had been utterly destroyed. Furniture had been tossed around, the decorations on the wall had been torn apart, and the once happy photos that could be seen in the house were now shattered on the ground.

Worst of all was the sight in the center of the living room. Bianca was on her knees visibly shaking with her hands clenched into fists in her skirt. Her hair was completely frazzled and her eyes were bloodshot from how much she was crying. Her sobs were little more than whimpers but in the otherwise silent house they were as clear as day. Lorenzo...

Lorenzo looked worse than he'd expected. There were no knife wounds on his body or any sign that Team Rocket had used their Pokemon to attack him. That did little to comfort him given the state of the man's face. Lorenzo was normally a kind looking man with a bright smile and a bushy white beard that could brighten anyone's day by looking at them. Now it was little more than a swollen, bloody mess that disgusted him to even look at.

He didn't deserve this. How could Team Rocket have been so cruel?

Ash crouched down beside Bianca and gently laid his hand on her shoulder. She flinched away at his touch in fear but visibly calmed down once she realized it was him.

"Bianca..."

What was he supposed to say? What could he say? Nothing seemed right. In the end, he decided that silence was better than pointless platitudes. Instead, he merely helped her to her feet and pulled her into a gentle hug. Though she didn't return it, she did clutch at his shirt and sob into it.

"T-they... they wouldn't stop hurting him." She whimpered. "E-even when he was unconscious they just wouldn't stop!"

He clenched his eyes shut. "I'm sorry."

"They just kept laughing." She continued. She was furiously shaking the entire time. "They kept saying that unless I told them how the DMA worked or where Latias was that they'd do the same to me!"

Ash didn't think he had ever hated anyone quite like those Grunts in his entire life.

"It's alright." He whispered. "I stopped them. They won't hurt you or Lorenzo anymore."

Slowly, Bianca lifted her head off of his chest and looked him in the eyes. "Did you kill them?"

His hands tightened around her, and he was forced to look away. "No." As much as his rage may have made him want to at the moment, Ash wasn't a killer. He could only hope that never changed. "They're unconscious. Once the police arrive, they'll take them away. They'll never see the light of day again."

Bianca tilted her head down. "Oh..."

He did his best to ignore how disappointed she sounded.

"Latias is outside." He told her. "Come on. Neither of you should be alone right now."

Bianca looked down at her grandfather. "I can't leave him..."

"I'll look after him." He promised. "Just let me help you outside and then I'll come right back. I can make sure his wounds don't get any worse."

Even if he doubted it would make any difference, it was the least he could offer the man.

It seemed to be enough for Bianca. With the brief of nods, she allowed him to help her out of the house. The entire time, she remained glued to his side as though her life depended on it. With how much she was shaking, he wouldn't be surprised if she would collapse the moment he let go. The moment they were outside and she saw Latias, however, Bianca let out a gasp and tore herself from his grasp to go sprinting off towards the Legendary.

The display of almost sisterly concern the two displayed for one another brought a small smile to his face. It did nothing to diminish the tragedy that had happened today, but it gave him hope. So long as the two had each other, he knew they would be alright.

And who knew? There was always the chance that Lorenzo could pull through. All he needed to do now was call Looker again and... find... out...

Ash could hardly breath as his eyes were drawn to the canals. As if on autopilot, his legs carried him to edge of the water. With a shuddering breath, Ash collapsed to his knees and felt tears gather at the corner of his eyes.

"No... it can't be."

The water had begun to leave the city.

That could only mean one thing.

Team Rocket had stolen the Soul Dew... and doomed them all.

Doomed indeed.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It took a lot of effort but it was really fun to write. Next chapter will be the last of the current arc before we move on to a different threat. I'd apologize for the massive cliffhanger but... well I had to end this thing somewhere.

What better spot than imminent doom?

As far as a timeline for the next chapter goes, it'll be a while. Finals for my classes are approaching in the next few weeks so I have to study for them. Not to mention I plan to make some quality of life changes to earlier chapters so that they're more enjoyable for new readers. I hope you all don't mind if I delay the next chapter because of this. Once the next chapter is released after finals, I'll be sure to inform you all about any changes made so you don't have to reread them. They won't be massive changes, after all.

Anyway, goodbye for now everyone. If there was anything in particular you enjoyed or felt could be improved, please let me know. Otherwise I'll see you all in a few weeks.