Ash Ketchum walked with Dawn and Brock, continuing their journey towards Snowpoint City. It had been a few years since he had last been in the Sinnoh region. Now he was on his way back to Pallet Town for a visit and a break. Pikachu sat on the top of Ash's head, looking around at their surroundings as the climate shifted from bare evergreens to trees covered with snow.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Pallet Town." Dawn said. "After everything you've told me, it sounds like an easy-going place."
"Yep." Ash said with a smile. "It will be a nice place to take a break for a while, right Pikachu?"
Ash noticed that Pikachu wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was looking at a path that went off the road with an intense glare. Pikachu then jumped off Ash's head, landing on all fours in a protective stance.
"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked, looking over at the path as Pikachu began to channel electricity from the pouches on the sides of his face.
"Something's sure got him spooked…" Brock said.
Shortly after those words left Brock's mouth, an explosion was heard down the path, followed by a plume of smoke and a roar.
Pikachu suddenly took off down the unmarked path at a full run.
"Woah, Pikachu! Wait up!" Ash called as he, Dawn and Brock ran after him.
# # # # # # #
Another trainer nearby, Tyler Sapphire and his trusted Quilava also heard the explosion. After they saw the plume of smoke, Tyler drove his dune buggy towards the disturbance at a quick pace.
"Come on, Quilava! Let's check this out!" Tyler said, hoping against all odds that whatever that was… It wasn't them.
Tyler drove down the path as fast as he could go, catching up to a few other trainers.
"Did you hear that explosion a few moments ago?" Tyler asked as they stopped for a moment.
"Yeah." The lead trainer said. "Are you checking it out, too?"
"Yes." Tyler answered. "My name's Tyler Sapphire. I'm a trainer from New Bark Town in the Jhoto Region."
"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in Kanto." Ash greeted. "This is Dawn and Brock…"
There was another explosion shortly after, along with more smoke.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu called from down the trail, waving for them to hurry up.
"Well, it appears we don't have time for full introductions." Tyler said. "Let's go! Get in!"
The group then started off again towards the disturbance.
As they reached the crest of a hill, they saw what all the ruckus was about.
There was a group of six mercenaries attacking what appeared to be three Pokemon. Only these Pokemon didn't look at all like Pokemon! They almost looked human and were wearing clothes as well! One looked like an Entei, the second a Suicune, and the third a Raikou. The mercenaries wore armored uniforms with a crest on the back shaped like an "M".
"Oh, no…" Tyler gasped, realizing who the mercenaries were. "Not them…"
"Not who?" Brock asked. "Do you know these people?"
"I've had some run-ins with them in the past. They are a merciless group with the goal of furthering humanity's evolution through experiments on Pokemon." Tyler said. "They go by the name, "Team Midnight…""
Pikachu then ran down the hill into the fray, with Ash and the others close behind.
# # # # # #
Takuya struggled with a mercenary in a power suit, both their hands locked around a long stun prod. Takuya, thanks to his new strength from the splicing would have already won the deadlock if his opponent wasn't using that power suit. Now, the merc had the suit on full blast, and Takuya was using everything just to fend off the attacker!
Avery meanwhile, was throwing zaps of electricity at the rest of the mercs and their Pokemon goons from his hand, though his aim wasn't dead on. Avery was missing half of his total strikes, as he still did not have full control of his electrical abilities. It was keeping their aggressors at bay, though as they focused their attacks on him. Kasi meanwhile, was hiding in the treetops like Takuya told her to, doing her best not to be seen or heard.
The merc Takuya was deadlocked with proceeded to back him up against a tree, angling the stun prod so that the weapon's energized end was pointing at Takuya's chest! Takuya struggled to hold the prod back, but his strength was slowly leaving him. They had been on the run for weeks with little food or water, forced to live off the mercy of the land, and as time had went by, their situation had started to take its toll. They were all tired, hungry, and thirsty. Combined with the injuries from previous skirmishes and fights not just with these mercs but hostile wild Pokemon, Takuya, Kasi and Avery had been dangerously worn down. But Takuya knew he couldn't give up. If he did, his fate, along with Kasi and Avery's would be sealed.
"Feeling tired, half-breed?" The merc snickered. "Got nothing left to give? That's too bad because I haven't even started!"
The merc then sent his power suit into overdrive, increasing the power and strength to overwhelming levels! Takuya's arms started to shake from fatigue as the prod inched closer to his chest! He let out strained grunts loudly as he struggled to keep the merc at bay, as the grunts turned into a loud and desperate scream, the prod now inches from contact as it glowed with energy! Only a miracle could save him now…
As all seemed lost, a thunderbolt flew out from the trees hitting Takuya's aggressor in the back! It damaged something in his opponent's power suit, as Takuya felt his attacker's strength start to buckle.
"No! My power pack!" The merc yelled as Takuya got the upper hand, pouring all his strength into overpowering the merc! The merc started to arch back, and eventually lost his footing. Takuya shoved the merc into the ground, punched him in the face and yanked the stun stick out of his hands! The merc was out cold!
Takuya looked up and saw where the thunderbolt came from. Running in from the forest was a group of trainers with a Pikachu and Quilava.
Unfortunately, that distraction left another Merc enough time to strike! He jumped onto Takuya's back, stabbing a syringe full of sedative into his neck while punching him!
"Takuya!" Avery yelled.
"Quilava, hit that mercenary with Flamethrower!" One of the trainers yelled. The Quilava spat a stream of fire from its mouth, throwing the mercenary off Takuya's shoulders!
Takuya yanked the Syringe out of his neck to see how much had been injected. It was half empty, and Takuya could already feel the effects starting to kick in. It must have been a fast-acting sedative, which meant he did not have a lot of time. He turned to face the rest of the mercenaries.
"Avery, take cover!" Takuya yelled. He then took in a breath and spat a wild torrent of flames from his mouth as Avery tucked his body behind the rock! The mercenaries started to run, seeing as they didn't want to be incinerated!
Takuya stopped the torrent of fire from his mouth. His sight started to go dark as he struggled to stand. Kasi then put out the flames with an ice beam. She jumped out of the tree, running up to Takuya with Avery.
"You're safe…" Takuya said as he started to tilt. "I promised… I wouldn't let anything hurt you…" He then fell backwards, Avery barely catching Takuya the sedative taking its toll along with exhaustion and fatigue.