Chapter 25
There was chaos everywhere as Leaf and Red rushed over to Silph Co.'s headquarters. They shoved through swarms of people running in the opposite direction. Some of the people were shouting, but their words all jumbled together into one incoherent mess. When they arrived at Silph Co., Leaf gasped.
The smoke wasn't coming from the headquarters itself. It was coming from around it or, more accurately, what was once around it. The streets and buildings around Silph Co. had been completely blown up, leaving the tower on an island surrounded by empty space. All the cars that were fortunate enough to have avoided the explosion were abandoned. Leaf saw the remaining half of a condo hanging precariously over the edge of the chasm. From where she was, she couldn't see how deep the drop was, but she could see three people on the fifth floor huddled as far away from it as possible, their faces white with terror. Instinctively, Leaf sent out Fearow and climbed on top of the bird. As they soared over the wreckage, Leaf looked down and her mind began to reel.
It wasn't like a canyon. Someone could fall in and survive, albeit with several broken bones. But the size of the destruction was still unlike anything Leaf had ever heard of. The blast radius must've been close to twenty feet. Leaf felt as if she was staring into a giant mouth that was about to swallow Silph Co. whole. Among the dirt and rubble, Leaf spotted scraps of metal, likely from cars and buildings, glinting under the sun. The thought of people being down there made Leaf sick.
The people in the condo were petrified, but Leaf managed to get them on Fearow, who was thankfully able to carry all of them. By the time they landed, the first responders had arrived and were searching for survivors. The cop who patronized Leaf earlier was there. He escorted the people she rescued to a paramedic. He definitely recognized Leaf, as he was careful about not making eye contact with her. On another day, Leaf might've berated him for not taking her seriously, but she was too shaken by what she'd seen.
"Are you alright?" Red asked, snapping Leaf out of it.
It took a moment for Leaf to find her words. "As bad as Team Rocket is, I can't believe they could do something like this. And I can't think of a reason why."
Red's face was grim. "I don't know how they did it, but it's because they want to isolate Silph Co. My guess is they want Silph Co.'s tech."
"Yeah, I figured that much, but they didn't need to be so––"
"Hey, you two!" A cop was pointing at them. He gestured for them to leave. "Get away from here! It's dangerous!"
When Leaf and Red didn't do as told, the cop began to walk over to them. Nearby, other brave onlookers were being driven away, even if they insisted on helping out. Leaf and Red glanced at each other.
No words needed to be exchanged. They hopped onto Fearow. As Fearow took off, Red released Pikachu, who climbed on top of his head. Below them, the cop was shouting.
Leaf pointed at Silph Co.'s entrance. "Go, Fearow."
Fearow dived straight towards it. When they were milliseconds away from the glass sliding door, Pikachu launched a Thunderbolt at it, scattering a countless number of shards and filling Leaf's vision with tiny rainbows. As Fearow landed, Leaf heard a scream.
The Silph Co. lobby was more or less what Leaf expected: marble floor, elaborate light structures hanging from the ceiling, a big statue at the center. Fearow had landed right in front of the statue, which looked like a sea dinosaur with its long neck, four large flippers, and shell on its back. The creature looked familiar, though Leaf wasn't in the place to ponder why. Past the statue was the reception desk and Leaf saw where the scream came from. The receptionist, a young and pretty woman, had been startled by their entrance. Standing by her were two Team Rocket grunts.
The grunts wasted no time. They each sent out a Raticate. But Pikachu was quicker. The grunts' commands had barely escaped their lips when Pikachu electrocuted their rats with a Thunderbolt.
One of the grunts gaped at Red. "Wait a second. Are you the kid who––"
"What's Team Rocket doing here?" Red interrupted sharply. Though Leaf saw Red asserting himself at Team Rocket's hideout, it still caught her off-guard.
The grunt suddenly grinned. "Our boss just wants to have a chat with Silph Co.'s president. You're pretty tough, but if you think this'll turn out the same way it did at the hideout, you're in for a nasty surprise."
Red didn't reply. He jogged towards one of several elevators and pressed the button. It didn't light up.
"You need a key card to use it," the other grunt laughed.
Red turned to Leaf. "Get the receptionist out of here. I'm gonna take the stairs up."
Leaf hesitated. "Are you sure about going alone?"
"I'll be fine. You can catch up in a bit."
That latter line convinced Leaf. While Red began to make his way to the stairs, Leaf helped the receptionist get on Fearow and flew her out. As soon as the receptionist was safely on the ground, Leaf flew back into Silph Co., returned Fearow, and headed towards the second floor.
Red was already locked in battle against several grunts. He'd sent Charmeleon out. The fire lizard and Pikachu were working together to take down Raticates, Zubats, Grimers, and Magnemites. As Team Rocket's Pokemon began to surround them, they stood back-to-back and spun to combine their Flamethrower and Thunderbolt into a fiery, electrical vortex. The battle was over in an instant.
"Nice trick, but it won't take you very far," a grunt sneered.
Red walked past him. Now that the battle was over, Leaf saw they were in a very modern office space with glass conference rooms and new computers. There was also a lounge area where some wide-eyed Silph Co. employees were sitting. A few of them had been crying.
"Do any of you have key cards?" Red asked.
An older woman shook her head. "All of ours were taken. They're on another floor."
"Go downstairs. My friend will lead you guys out." Red must've noticed the alarm on Leaf's face because he said to her, "We can't leave them here and it's not like they can walk out of here. There are definitely more employees being held hostage. Someone needs to be by the entrance to help them get out."
He was right, but Leaf didn't want to leave Red again. It was fine earlier since their separation was brief. This time, Red was asking Leaf to let him face however many grunts and Giovanni all by himself. He was able to do so at Team Rocket's hideout, but at least she was there to watch, to know in real-time that he was alright. Plus, if Red ever needed any backup, she could provide that. Considering that Red couldn't solely use Pikachu, there was a chance he might need it today.
Red continued, "I'll be fine. This shouldn't be much more difficult than the hideout. Trust me, Leaf. It's better if you stay down here."
Leaf knew Red didn't mean it negatively, but it still stung a bit. In the end, Leaf couldn't argue with him. She was the only one who could get the employees out of Silph Co.
"Alright, but if you take too long, I'm coming up," Leaf replied. "Good luck."
Red nodded and took off. Leaf gestured at the employees. "Come with me."
They rushed down to the lobby. The two grunts were still there, sitting at a lounge area near the elevator, laughing about something. It bothered Leaf how casual they seemed about losing to Red.
It took Fearow two trips to get all the employees out. Not too long later, another group of frightened professionals came speeding down. It was then that the grunts began to eye Leaf warily. As Leaf flew out more people, their discomfort grew, though they tried to hide it.
Leaf, meanwhile, was conflicted. Each new batch of Silph Co. employees was proof that Red was winning his battles. The grunts knew this. Every time they shifted in their seats or glanced nervously at each other, Leaf was filled with satisfaction. But there was just as much, if not more, anxiety on her end as well. As Red went further up the building, the intervals between groups of employees widened. Red was becoming the most incredible trainer Leaf had seen, but thoughts of him losing, of getting hurt flooded her mind as she waited.
On the wall by the elevator was a directory. Leaf jogged over to it and her heart sank. Silph Co. had forty-nine floors. Fifty, if she counted the observation deck. Red was not even halfway up.
More time passed. It was cruel how slowly it stretched. When Leaf finally couldn't handle the anticipation, she stuck her head out the door. The police were still focused on digging through the rubble and tending to injured people. Leaf spotted the Saffron Gym Leader Sabrina in the pit, commanding her psychic Pokemon to telepathically move rocks out of the way. Some of the Silph Co. employees were speaking with the police, who looked up at the headquarters every now and then. It fully dawned on Leaf how useless the cops were. The only Pokemon they carried were Growlithe. They weren't able to do more than what they were currently doing.
Beside her, Fearow cawed. Leaf looked up and was taken aback to see another Fearow flying towards them. When the vulture was close enough, Leaf saw a bushy brown-haired man in overalls riding on it.
The man smiled. "Name's Jacob. Heard you were flying Silph Co. employees out of here and was wondering if you needed any help."
This was a sign, if Leaf had ever seen one. "Yes, thank you so much. Wait here for people to come down. Also, there are two guys in the lounge area who work for the one responsible for all this. Just ignore them for now."
Jacob cocked his head as Leaf hopped onto Fearow. "Where are you going?"
"To help my friend."
At the twenty-fifth floor, Leaf noticed a giant hole in the facade. The grunts jolted when Leaf stopped at it, but made no attempt to apprehend her.
"Another one?" A grunt blurted out. "What're they feeding kids these days that they all suddenly gotta be heroes?"
Another grunt laughed dryly. "I guess they're the three musketeers."
Three? Leaf brushed it aside. Reading into what this grunt said was a waste of time. She continued to fly up.
The forty-seventh floor also had a hole in the facade, so Leaf flew through it, barely paying the grunts any attention. She returned Fearow and ran up the stairs.
The forty-eighth floor was a lab. The windows on this floor were tinted. Leaf supposed it was to prevent anyone from looking into it, as if many people would be able to in the first place. A split-second after noticing where she was, there was a flash of lightning.
Red and Pikachu were on the other side of the lab. For some reason, Charmeleon wasn't battling with them. Even more interesting was that Pikachu's opponent wasn't a Raticate or Zubat or any typical Team Rocket grunt Pokemon. It was a massive, bipedal, blue turtle with triangular ears and a strong jaw, the lower half of which was the same cream color as its underside. Residing over its shoulders, at the top of its tough brown shell, were two white cannons.
The turtle bellowed and fell forward with a boom. Now that it was lying on the floor, Leaf could see who its trainer was. The shock rammed into her like a train.
It was Blue. His face was unreadable as he said, "So you are ready for Boss Rocket." He noticed Leaf and smirked. "I was wondering where you were, rival."
Red turned, startled. Before Leaf could come up with something to say, she saw movement in her peripheral vision. A middle-aged man in a suit, followed by several other men in lab coats and glasses, appeared from behind a few machines. They ran over to Red.
"Thank you for coming to rescue us," the man in the suit said. He had brown hair and kind eyes. "My name is Maurice Lillenthal. I'm the Vice President of Silph Co. With me is Ed Levy, our lead scientist, and his team. What's your name?"
Maurice Lillenthal had extended his hand, but Red didn't shake it. He crouched down to check on Pikachu.
The Silph Co. VP awkwardly withdrew his hand and cleared his throat. "Well, if you're going up against the man holding our president hostage, we'd like to help you. Ed, do you have anything the boy could use?"
Ed Levy looked like he'd not slept or eaten anything his entire life. He looked younger than his superior, but his hair was mostly silver. Leaf wasn't sure if it was this jarring look or his lopsided smile that made her uncomfortable.
"Yes, I'm sure there's something," he said. He had a raspy voice. His gaze flitted back-and-forth between some of the other scientists. "Give me a second to check."
Ed Levy and the scientists he was glancing at turned and walked away, hands in pockets. They stopped in front of a table, which didn't seem to have anything interesting on it. Suddenly, they whirled around, arms lashing out, and the lab glowed white.
They'd sent out Pokemon. All of them had a Magnemite, except for Ed Levy who had its evolution, Magneton. The Magneton was essentially three Magnemites stuck together in a triangle formation. The one on top had three screws while the others had two.
"Ed, what's the meaning of this?" Maurice asked, alarmed.
The scientist smiled again and Leaf realized he looked like a character from a horror movie. "Team Rocket has plans to do great things, Maury. Things this company will never understand."
"Y-You're supporting the thugs who bombed this city and are holding us hostage? You're damn right I don't understand!"
"Your opinion doesn't matter anyway." He glanced at Red. "You must be exhausted from all that battling. Since you're young, I'm willing to let you and your friends walk away as long as you're cooperative. Do I make myself clear?"
Red stood with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. He backed away a few steps before tossing a PokeBall forward.
The light was so huge and bright that Leaf had to look away. When it faded, Leaf's vision was full of turquoise.
Snorlax roared and swept the line of magnet Pokemon with its colossal paw. Sparks of electricity bounced off the magnets, but their attempt at defense couldn't come fast enough. They collapsed onto the floor and Red returned Snorlax, freeing up considerable space.
The scientists stared at their fallen Pokemon, dumbfounded. When they came to their senses, they screamed and began to run towards the elevators, only to fall themselves as a yellow powder cloaked them. While Snorlax was clearing out the magnets, Red had sent out his Ivysaur. The powder he emitted had a paralyzing effect. The scientists fell stiffly, their limbs locked into whatever position they were in before getting hit by the powder. Red patted his Ivysaur's head before returning him.
Maurice Lillenthal examined Ed Levy, who'd fallen on his face and snapped his glasses, and shook his head disappointedly before turning to Red. "I don't know how to thank you." He glanced at the few scientists who had not betrayed him. "Do you have any ideas?"
When they shook their heads, the VP tapped his chin thoughtfully. Then, his eyes brightened as if a lightbulb had turned on in his head. He stuck a hand in his pocket and pulled out a PokeBall.
"This was given to me as a gift recently. I think it's way more suited for you than for me."
Red took the PokeBall and tossed it. Though not the same size as Snorlax, the light was still massive. When it was fully released, Leaf did a double take.
It was the statue in the lobby. Or at least, the statue in color. It was blue with darker spots and had a cream underside. The shell on its back, covered in blunt knobs, was gray. Its tightly curled ears twitched as it regarded Red with large brown eyes. There was a short horn on its forehead.
"This is Lapras," Maurice Lillenthal said. "It's my and the president's favorite Pokemon. Lorelei of the Elite Four is quite fond of it as well."
That was why the statue looked so familiar. Lapras was one of Lorelei's main Pokemon. Red was lucky to get one.
Red nodded and returned the Lapras. He glanced at Leaf and she could tell he was wondering why she was here.
"Mr. Lillienthal," Leaf said. "You and the scientists can go down to the lobby. Someone will be there to get you out of here."
"Thank you." Maurice Lillienthal looked at Red again. "And good luck."
The VP fished a card out of Ed Levy's pocket and headed for the elevators, with the scientists following him. They thanked Red as they passed him. Once they were out of sight, Red nodded at Leaf and ran towards the stairs, leaving her, Blue, and the paralyzed scientists.
"Well, that was quite a scene," Blue said. "Smell ya later."
So much had happened so fast that Leaf was still processing it. Somehow, Blue's obnoxious catchphrase was what made everything click.
Leaf marched over to Blue, who was already walking away, and stopped in front of him. "What were you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
Leaf bristled. "I'm serious, Blue. We're in the middle of––of––you know what I'm trying to say! You're obviously not here to help."
Blue shrugged. "Thought kicking some Team Rocket ass would be good training."
I guess they're the three musketeers. "We didn't see you come in."
"Pidgeot flew me halfway up. We busted a window. Satisfied now?"
"No," Leaf snapped. "I know it was you who challenged him. I know you know why Red's here. Why battle him now out of all times? Why did you have to get in his way?"
Blue had been strangely stoic the whole time. Now, something shifted in his eyes, though he didn't let it show long enough for Leaf to decipher it. In a low tone, he answered, "I needed to know he was ready."
Leaf knit her brows. "Ready? Ready for what?"
Blue didn't elaborate. He stuck his hands in his pockets and began to leave again. This time, Leaf wasn't the one who prevented him from going.
All the elevator doors opened and numerous Team Rocket grunts rushed out. At the front of the pack was a teal-haired man in a white uniform.
Archer's face lit up in recognition when he saw Leaf. "I knew I'd see you. When Ariana…" he cocked his head at a female grunt with red hair. "...informed me a child was causing trouble, I figured it was that silent friend of yours. I left to gather some reinforcements. I don't expect our leader to lose again, but you can never be too cautious."
He looked down at the paralyzed scientists and frowned. "Useless. Anyways, I'm sure your friend is upstairs now. That means we'll just have to deal with you and…this other friend of yours."
Blue muttered something under his breath before saying more loudly, "I'll have to join you later. I need a moment to heal my Pokemon."
Leaf blinked. "What?"
"What's that face for? Don't tell me you can't handle some stupid grunts on your own."
"Oh, right." Leaf shook her head and moved a hand to her belt. The grunts were quick. They all released their Pokemon. There were too many for a single one of Leaf's Pokemon to face. She needed to send her whole team out. As fast as she could, she tossed all six of her PokeBalls.
Her Pokemon had barely been released when the Raticates, Zubats, Golbats, Grimers, Ekans, and Koffings charged at them. Instinctively, Ivysaur fired Razor Leafs, Fearow slashed at her attackers with her beak, Vulpix launched a Flamethrower and Golduck, Water Gun. Haunter weaved through its opponents, laughing in glee.
Dratini, meanwhile, squealed and darted away, searching for a place to hide. For a moment, Leaf considered returning the dragon, but decided against it. It was time for him to stand strong.
"Dratini, use Twister!"
Either Dratini didn't hear her––Leaf's voice was getting a little lost among the Rocket grunts' commands and Pokemon's cries––or was ignoring her, because he continued to slither around the lab. Clearly, he wasn't ready to battle alone. He needed some assistance.
"Fearow, go to Dratini!"
Though the lab wasn't particularly spacious, Fearow was able to fly over to Dratini, knocking his pursuers away with her wings. She landed between them and the dragon.
"Dratini, get on Fearow!"
This, at least, Dratini was able to do. "Fly around, Fearow! Dratini, Twister!"
Leaf almost laughed in relief as a tornado whipped up. Almost. The Pokemon around Dratini were hit as planned. That included Fearow, who shrieked and shook Dratini off. The sudden jerk startled Dratini, ending his Twister. Seizing its chance, a Golbat lunged at Dratini and sank its fangs into his body. Dratini cried out in pain.
"Dratini, use Twister!" The dragon continued to squirm in the Golbat's jaws.
"Fearow, help Dratini!" But the vulture was now distracted by several Rattatas scrambling onto her.
Leaf reached for Dratini's PokeBall and stopped. The Golbat had let go of Dratini, darkness swirling around it. Its screech was ear-splitting. When it fainted, Leaf heard Haunter's distinctive laugh.
Leaf beamed. "Good job, Haunter!"
The ghost cackled and moved onto its next opponent. Leaf looked back at Dratini. The dragon was lying on the tiled floor, shaking. Stifling a sigh, Leaf returned him.
There wasn't time to feel bad. Vulpix yelped as an Ekans coiled itself tightly around her neck. She clawed at the Ekans, but it refused to let go. The fox wasn't in a position to aim a Flamethrower, either.
"Vulpix, use Will-O-Wisp! Let it fall out of your mouth!"
The blue flames landed gently on the Ekans. It hissed and released Vulpix, who finished it off with a Flamethrower. Nearby, Ivysaur and Golduck had been pressed back-to-back as some of Team Rocket's Pokemon surrounded them.
Remembering Pikachu and Charmeleon's combined attacks, Leaf said, "Ivysaur and Golduck, spin around while using Razor Leaf and Water Gun!"
Ivysaur and Golduck did as ordered, or at least tried to. The leaves and water couldn't form a vortex. Instead, they ran along the circle of opponents, which was still pretty effective.
Fearow was still struggling with the Rattatas. There were just too many of them. They weighed her down. Leaf was about to call Haunter over when she heard, "Pidgeot, use Whirlwind!"
Blue's Pidgeot let out a battle cry and beat its wings, creating violent gusts. When enough Rattatas had been knocked off, Fearow spread her wings and shook off the rest. The two birds circled over the lab, much of which was destroyed, using their talons to pick up Pokemon and toss them aside, their beaks to slash them.
At this point, many Pokemon had fainted and were being returned by their trainers. But Team Rocket seemed to have an endless supply of grunts. More and more were coming from the elevators and sending out their Pokemon. It wasn't until Leaf spotted the two grunts from the lobby that she realized many of them were ones Red had defeated. They'd just healed their Pokemon and were ready to battle again. When one grunt was finished, they'd retreat to god knows where and a new one would take their place. With Blue's team now in the fray, however, the grunts were losing at a faster rate. Leaf couldn't help but notice Blue's Pokemon pairing up with each other, working seamlessly together to take down their enemies.
Blue moved over to Leaf's side. "I saw what you were doing with Ivysaur and Golduck. I have an idea."
"What is it?"
"Tell Ivysaur to get on Blastoise's shell and use Razor Leaf."
Leaf didn't quite know where Blue was going with this, but listened. Blastoise, which Leaf understood was the evolution of Wartortle, crouched down so Ivysaur could climb onto its shell.
"Blastoise, spin on the floor and use Water Gun!"
On the smooth floor, Blastoise was able to spin on its belly. Water shot out of its canons. With Ivysaur balancing on its shell and firing Razor Leaf, the attacks came together as one, clearing the area around them.
"Nice," was all Leaf could say. Blue smirked.
Leaf looked around. Ed Levy and the other scientists were nowhere to be seen. They must've regained their ability to move and fled. The number of grunts was dwindling. Only the tougher ones were left. She saw the red-haired woman, Ariana, among them. Off to the side was Archer, who seemed to be examining the situation as well. He turned to leave.
Leaf pointed at him. "Stop him, Fearow!"
Fearow dived in front of Archer, startling him. Leaf skirted around the battling Pokemon to reach them.
Archer glared at Leaf. "You have more guts than I remember. You didn't really do anything at the hideout. Are you sure it's wise to challenge me, the second strongest trainer in the organization?"
"Doesn't matter how strong you are," Leaf snapped. "I'm going to make you sorry for coming here."
Archer chuckled. "Cute. Very well, then. Let's do a classic one-on-one battle. Since your Fearow is already here, you can lead with that."
Leaf nodded. She turned to the battlefield, and returned the rest of her team, earning a questioning look from Blue. She felt a flicker of hesitation. Blue would have to face the grunts alone. He seemed to be doing alright, though. He was facing just a handful of grunts now, one of them being Ariana.
Archer, Leaf, and Fearow moved to an emptier part of the lab. A few machines had been destroyed and there were footprints, puddles, leaves, and sludge all over the floor. With a smile, Archer sent out his first Pokemon, a Golbat.
"Ladies first."
Leaf pointed at the blue bat. "Fearow, use Aerial Ace!"
"Sludge Bomb."
Just as Fearow was about to slash the Golbat, it spat out a massive ball of purple sludge. Fearow pulled away, shrieking and trying to shake off the sludge.
"Sludge Bomb again."
Fearow avoided the attack this time, but Leaf noticed the vulture jerk strangely. There was visible strain in her eyes. The Sludge Bomb was poisonous.
Leaf bit her lip as she returned Fearow. She didn't want to show Archer he'd gained the upper hand in this match––his smug expression indicated he knew––but she never could stomach her Pokemon getting poisoned. She sent Golduck out next. I hope that nurse was right about the poison resistance.
"Golduck, use Water Gun!"
"Air Cutter!"
The razor-like wind cut through the water, but not enough to reach Golduck. They were at a stalemate unless one of the Pokemon lost their stamina or risked getting hurt to try another move.
Leaf decided to take the risk. "Golduck, use Psychic!"
She regretted it. The moment Golduck stopped his Water Gun, he was pummeled by the Air Cutter. The duck raised his arms defensively. Leaf tried to get Golduck to move out of the way, but the Air Cutter was too fast.
The Golbat gradually advanced towards him. Once it was near enough, Archer ordered, "Sludge Bomb!"
Before Golduck could react, the Golbat spat purple sludge at him. Golduck yelped as the blow pushed him back.
Archer didn't follow up. Leaf guessed he was waiting to see if Golduck had been poisoned. She herself was watching the duck closely for any abnormal movements.
Nothing happened. Golduck was breathing heavily and clearly in pain, but the Sludge Bomb didn't seem to have any extra effects on him. Archer looked bewildered.
Leaf grinned. "Golduck, use Psychic!"
Golduck's eyes glowed and the Golbat shrieked as its body stiffened. Golduck violently shook his head around to throw the bat against the floor, the walls, and nearby machines. When Leaf saw the Golbat had been knocked out, she told Golduck to stop.
Archer's second Pokemon was a Weezing. So far, Leaf wasn't seeing anything new which was comforting. "Golduck, use Psy––"
"Thunderbolt!"
Lightning burst from the Weezing. Golduck screamed as it electrocuted him for a painful few seconds. Leaf was still stunned when she returned him.
"Weezing knowing Thunderbolt. Shocking, isn't it?" Archer snickered.
Leaf wanted to punch Archer in the face, but she needed to stay level-headed to win. She closed her eyes and began to think. Koga's Weezing knew Shadow Ball, which Haunter was weak against. Could she assume Archer's Weezing knew the move as well? Ivysaur could probably take on the Weezing, but she saw a third PokeBall on Archer's belt. It was probably better to hold onto Ivysaur for now. Fearow, of course, was poisoned and would be weak against the Thunderbolt anyway. Dratini was definitely not an option either. There was one Pokemon left.
Vulpix was already growling when she came out. The adrenaline from the earlier battle royale was still coursing through her.
Archer laughed. "What an adorable pet you have there. I almost feel bad about harming it. Weezing, use Sludge Bomb."
"Flamethrower!"
Vulpix rolled out of the Sludge Bomb's way and fired a Flamethrower. The Weezing dodged, only to get hit with it when Vulpix redirected the fire.
"Thunderbolt!"
The Thunderbolt shielded the Weezing. This could continue for a while, Leaf realized. She needed to think of a way to end the match sooner.
"Vulpix, get closer to it!"
Vulpix charged at the Weezing, avoiding its Thunderbolt. When she was close, she leaped and opened her mouth to launch another Flamethrower.
"Explosion!"
The powerful blast made Leaf shield her face with an arm. As she lowered it, the air smelled of sulfur. Vulpix was lying in front of a table. Leaf suspected if not for the table, the fox would be on the other side of the lab. The Weezing had collapsed as well. Gas was coming out of the holes on its body.
Leaf's ears were ringing as she returned Vulpix. Did Archer just sacrifice his Weezing? Why? He wasn't losing. Did he see himself losing?
It didn't matter now. The battle wasn't over yet. Leaf sent out Haunter.
Archer's third and final Pokemon was something Leaf had never seen before. It was a black hound with an orange snout and underbelly, red eyes, and a long, thin tail with a triangular tip. There were white bands on its back, around its ankles, and around its neck. At the base of its throat was a skull-shaped pendant. On its head were two long, curved horns.
The hound snarled viciously, sending chills down Leaf's spine. She was convinced that if Hell existed, that was where it came from.
"Haunter, use Night Shade!"
Darkness swirled around the hound, but not much seemed to happen. It flicked the darkness away with its tail.
"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!"
The Houndoom's Flamethrower was so powerful, Leaf could feel its heat with alarming intensity. Haunter, fortunately, was able to keep avoiding it. Leaf searched her memory for all of Haunter's moves. She already knew Night Shade wasn't very effective. Lick required Haunter to be right next to the Houndoom, which seemed too risky. Maybe she could use Confuse Ray or Hypnosis? But those weren't going to end the battle.
As unsettling as it was, there was one move that could work. Leaf felt a bit hypocritical.
"Haunter, use Curse!"
Haunter became still. As its eye began to darken, Archer said, "Houndoom, use Crunch."
Lightning quick, the Houndoom launched itself at Haunter, jaw open. Leaf expected its fangs to harmlessly glide through Haunter. Instead, Haunter shrieked as the Houndoom latched onto it. Haunter tried desperately to escape, but the Houndoom's grip was tight.
"Haunter, use Confuse Ray!"
"Shadow Ball!"
The Houndoom was quicker. Haunter screeched as the shadowy mass slammed it out of the Houndoom's mouth. Leaf returned the ghost before it hit the floor.
Leaf shook internally. This wasn't looking good. She only really had Ivysaur left and he was disadvantaged against a fire-type Pokemon. She could lose. If she did, what would happen?
Leaf's train of thought was interrupted by a roar from above. There was a crash and suddenly, the ceiling shook and caved in. Leaf dived under a table, held her hands over her head, and shut her eyes. When it stopped, she emerged from her hiding spot and her eyes widened.
By a stroke of luck, the part of the ceiling that collapsed wasn't over any person or Pokemon. The rubble landed in the middle of the lab, separating Leaf from Blue, who checked to see if she was unharmed. Now that there was a massive hole, Leaf could see what was going on above.
An orange dragon roared as it flew around its opponent, a blue mammalian Pokemon with cream plates on its body. From her angle, she could see the underside of the dragon's body was cream, of its wings, blue-green. Horn-like structures protruded from the back of its rectangular head. At the tip of its tail was a flame.
Leaf didn't need the Pokedex to know that Charmeleon had evolved. She shifted over to catch a glimpse of Red. Though it wasn't the best angle, she could see his face. His quiet determination, his faith in his Pokemon. To her, they blazed as brightly at the dragon's fire. He was still the Red she knew growing up. The sweet, shy, sensitive boy who cared deeply about others. Everyone underestimated him because of those qualities. To an extent, Leaf used to as well. But now, he possessed a strength Leaf had never seen in others before, and it wasn't in spite of his nature. He was going to defeat Giovanni and save everyone. He was a light in the dark. He was her light.
Clenching her fists, Leaf turned towards Archer, who'd also been watching the battle above. Upon noticing Leaf face him, he gave her a taunting smile, which grew when Ivysaur was released.
"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!"
Ivysaur dodged the Flamethrower, but with all the rubble laying around, Leaf knew he wouldn't have anywhere to run for long.
An idea popped in her head. "Throw as much as you can at it!"
With his vines, Ivysaur picked up the smaller pieces and chucked them at the Houndoom. Some of them missed. The ones that pelted it didn't cause much damage. Leaf was fine with that. Ivysaur was creating more space for himself and less for the Houndoom.
Eventually, Ivysaur threw a heavier one that made the Houndoom yelp. But the pause he took to pick up the piece meant he couldn't easily dodge the Flamethrower. It brushed his side and Ivysaur cried out.
"Sleep Powder!"
She noticed Ivysaur limp as he moved slightly closer to the Houndoom. Luckily, the piece he'd thrown had fallen onto the hound's paw, disabling it long enough for the green powder to reach it. It slumped onto the floor just as it freed its paw.
"Leech Seed."
Ivysaur sighed as the sprouts began to heal him. Behind the Houndoom, Archer was shouting.
Leaf pondered her next move. Would having Ivysaur use Razor Leaf speed up the battle? Or would it wake the Houndoom? Should they just wait for the Leech Seed to knock it out?
The Houndoom's eyes suddenly snapped open. He shot up and fired a Flamethrower. Ivysaur leaped out of the way. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the Houndoom redirected its attack. Leaf saw Ivysaur shoot leaves in defense, but the fire incinerated them and slammed into him.
"Ivysaur!" Leaf called out, horrified.
Ivysaur was barely standing. The only thing keeping him up, Leaf suspected, was the Leech Seed. She winced at all the scorch marks on his body.
Archer grinned. "Finish it, Hou––"
Suddenly, Ivysaur straightened and let out a ferocious cry. His body began to glow a blinding white light that doubled in size. It almost hurt to look at, but Leaf was unable to close her eyes. When the light faded, Leaf saw that the flower on Ivysaur's back had bloomed into a large, red flower with white spots. It was supported by a thick brown trunk surrounded by his fronds. The spots on his body had been replaced with small bumps and his once wide eyes were now narrow. Leaf had never pulled out her Pokedex so fast before.
Venusaur. The flower on its back catches the sun's rays. The sunlight is then absorbed and used for energy.
Venusaur roared and nervousness flashed across Archer's face. Now, Leaf was the one grinning.
"Venusaur, use Razor Leaf!"
The storm of leaves was so overwhelming that the Houndoom was struggling to burn all of it with its Flamethrower. It was a step up, but was it enough to end the battle once and for all?
Venusaur seemed to be wondering the same thing. He stopped and roared again. The floor suddenly shook and giant tree branches burst out from it. They shot towards the Houndoom and battered it around as if playing tennis. It howled and tried to burn the branches, but they were tough and quick. After one of them slammed the Houndoom against a table, the branches calmed. The Houndoom weakly lifted up its head, whimpered, and then fainted.
Leaf laughed, ran up to Venusaur, and hugged his head. It astonished her how much bigger he was now. "Venusaur! You did it!"
Venusaur rumbled. Leaf patted him and glanced over to where Archer was, only to see that he had disappeared. Not just him, the grunts also. Blue was the only other person in the lab and he was beginning to make his way out.
Leaf dashed over to him, stepping over the rubble. "Wait! Where are you going?"
Blue stopped and half-looked back. "To the Pokemon Center. Congrats on your Ivysaur evolving."
"T-Thanks. Did you see where the grunts went?"
"They all took off. Not sure where and don't really care." From above, they heard a crash. "You should go check on your boyfriend."
"You're not going to come?"
Blue waved a hand. "I got what I came for. Smell ya later, rival."
Blue walked away and although there were a million questions racing through her head, Leaf let him go. She returned Venusaur and ran up the stairs, skipping every other step.
"...will never fall. I must go, but I shall return," Giovanni was saying when Leaf opened a door on the forty-ninth floor. A grunt with teal hair like Archer's, except it went down to his cheeks and was bluntly cut, tossed a ball and the room was shrouded in smoke. When the smoke was gone, so were Giovanni and the grunt. Leaf, Red, an older man in a brown suit, and a young woman in a pink blazer and skirt were left behind. The room had been utterly destroyed, but Leaf could tell it was once a very nice office.
The man, who had a white mustache and was bald except for some hair on the sides, got up from behind a mahogany desk. He briskly walked around the hole in the floor towards Red, hand extended. "Oh, dear boy! Thank you so much for saving Silph! I am the president, Howard Wright. Over there is my secretary, Angela. What's your name?
Red shook his hand, but didn't say anything. Howard Wright didn't show if he was bothered by it. "I need to thank you in some way. Let me think…oh! Angela, bring it over."
Angela, who had brown hair and a horse-like face, looked confused for a moment, but then understood. She picked up a black box from the desk and hurried over with it. Howard Wright took the box and opened it. Inside was a peculiar-looking PokeBall. The top half was a deep purple and had two pink bumps. In between the bumps, above the button, was a white M.
"This is a special PokeBall that we've just designed. It's called the Master Ball. It catches any Pokemon without fail. Giovanni was after this. I want you to have it."
Red bowed and took the Master Ball. Questions popped in Leaf's head, like how did Giovanni know about this Master Ball and what did he need it for exactly, but she was so exhausted from battling and so immensely happy to see Red safe that she didn't dwell on them.
Howard Wright turned towards Leaf. "A friend?"
Leaf nodded. "Yes. His name is Red and my name is Leaf. Let's get you and Angela out of here."
Oh boy, this was a monster of a chapter. At one point, I considered splitting it in 2, but I didn't want to break the flow.
Other than the league challenge, Silph Co. is like the climax of FRLG. I hope I was able to do it justice. Plus, Ivysaur evolved (along with Charmeleon)! Cabbage frog is really growing up.
Thanks for reading and I would appreciate any thoughts!
