So, I've got another fic I really want to get started on, but I can't do so until this is finished. So, I'm going to try to pick up the pace with this one until it's done, and I can move on to the next one. Also, I forgot to say this in the end notes of the previous chapter, Andrew, like Gina, is based off of a real person in my life that I hate. He isn't a racist bigot, but he was still an all round terrible person, like the real life counterpart of Gina is. Anyway, on with the chapter.
Chapter 11:
Bigotry and Acceptance
The five if them walked into the Lab to find it deserted. It clearly hadn't been used since Professor Turo's death, something that only served to confuse everyone. "What the Hell!?" Nemona demanded. "Where is everyone!? Where're Juliana and Florian!?" Everyone looked around the room, but there was no sign if anyone having been in there. Then, Arven came to a terrible realisation. He walked over to the back of the Lab where the lift stood. He pushed the button to open it, and the lift came up towards them. "I knew it," he grumbled. "They're hiding in the cavern where dad's time machine once stood." The others grew wary at this. Carmine and Kieran had been told about what happened with Professor Turo, so they knew the story. Still, they hardened their resolve to save their friends. Penny left a note to the others explaining where they were, then they all stepped inside the lift once it arrived.
No one uttered a word as they descended down to the Time Machine. Instead, they healed their pokémon and, in Nemona's case, did a few stretches in case the fighting got physical. She could feel herself growing steadily angrier as they approached the lowest point of the Zero Lab. She was finally going to come face to face with the person responsible for kidnapping her best friend and her crush. She was going to make her pay for that, dearly. Arven could clearly see the intense rage and impatience in Nemona's eyes, so he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey,' he said, "it's going to be alright. We'll find Juliana and save her, and you can tell her how you feel." Nemona nodded appreciatively, then checked up in her team to make sure they were fully ready for this confrontation. Meanwhile, both Carmine and Kieran are comforting Penny, who's shaking with rage and anticipation. Seeing this made Nemona feel a little guilty. In all her desperation to save Juliana and finally confess to her, she'd completely forgotten that Penny was fighting to save her boyfriend. She put a hand on her shoulder as well. "We'll save them," she said. "You'll have your boyfriend back!" Penny nodded determinedly, then tried to calm herself down.
But then, the lift stopped. Nemona, Arven and Penny looked around with confusion. "Huh, I thought the lift ride took longer?" Nemona commented. "It does," Arven replied, walking over to the door. "Did they add a new floor?" He pressed a button and the doors opened. The place they stopped at was a few metres above where the Time Machine sat, and there was a bit of residue from it all around. Various technologies were scattered around the room, all damaged beyond repair. Right above the former Time Machine was a giant tube that went from the Lab down to the machine. And there, standing waiting for them, was Gina, accompanied by various other members of Team Eclipse. "Well, well, well, look who finally showed up," she taunted. "I was beginning to think you'd chickened out." Penny's face flushed with anger, but she kept her cool. "Funny coming from you," she replies curtly. "Didn't you flee the very second you saw our Revavrooms?" It was Gina's turn to flush red with anger. "That was then!" she screeched. "This is now! Now, I have leverage on you!"
With that, Gina pulled out a remote and pressed a button on it. A screen descended from the ceiling and switched on. On the screen were the unconscious forms of Florian and Juliana. Hovering over them was the Iron Leaves that attacked Florian and Penny the month prior. Both Nemona and Penny gasped at this, which made Gina laugh. "That's right!" she taunted, suddenly feeling fully in control of the situation. "I have full command of that Iron Leaves! So, with one word from me, it will attack the both of them! And it'll do that, unless you give into our demands!" Nemona showed her refusal by charging at Gina, with Carmine right behind her. But before either of them could reach her, another guy got in the way and pinned both of them to the ground. Gina laughed at this. "You remember Ralph right?" Gina asked, directing her question more towards Penny. She did. "What was this guy like?" Kieran asked. "He made fun of my autism," Penny replied. "This guy made my Admins particularly angry." Now the four were really angry at this guy. Arven ran up to him to try to wrestle Ralph off of Nemona and Carmine, but he managed to kick him away. Nemona managed to slip put from under him and kick him over, freeing Carmine.
"Let them go!" Nemona demanded. Gina laughed. "Or what?" she asked. "In case you haven't noticed, you're horribly outnumbered. And, I have a Legendary Pokémon under my control! What chance do you have?!" Penny smirked at this. "Funny thing is," she said, pulling a pokéball out, "so do I!" Then, she released Miraidon into battle. "And, unless I'm very much mistaken, your Iron Leaves is currently guarding ym boyfriend. Which means, it will not be able to fight Miraidon!" Gina seemed to realise this too, as her face was filled with even more rage. So, to counter this, she sent out all 3 of her pokémon at once. "I don't care that you've got a Legendary, I'll beat it anyway!" she roars. "I will prove to you once and for all how much better true Paldeans are! I will defeat you, and show how unworthy you are!" Ralph laughed, then turned to Nemona. "I'll deal with the queer!" he exclaimed, glaring at Nemona. Nemona felt her rage building and set out her pokémon to fight his. Meanwhile, the rest of the Team Eclipse agents surrounded Arven, Carmine and Kieran, ready to fight them.
All 3 of Gina's pokémon charged at Miraidon, but Miraidon batted them all away with ease. Then, her Kilowattrel charged at the Legendary with Thundershock. Miraidon took the hit, then fought back with Overdrive. Kilowattrel was severely hurt by this attack, but still went in with Peck. Miraidon lunged at Kilowattrel and scratched it repeatedly until it fainted. Next came Gina's Metagross and Sylveon. Miraidon was struck by a Gyro Ball and Moonblast at the same time and cried out in pain. But they saw their unconscious master lying in the custody of Team Eclipse and hardened their resolve. They sent out a Stomping Tantrum at Sylveon, while Penny sent out Flareon to counter the Metagross. Flareon sent out a Fire Pledge at Metagross, which almost knocks it out immediately. Metagross tried to charge with a Flash Cannon, but Flareon dodged it and ran in with Flame Charge, knocking Metagross out. Meanwhile, Miraidon is getting the upper hand in their battle against Sylveon. By focusing on dodging, then striking it with Overdrive any chance they got. After a few more goes of this, Sylveon fairness as well.
At this point, Gina is beside herself with rage. "That can't be possible," she wailed. "That's impossible! You must've cheated! How could a foreigner possibly be better than me!?" Penny smirked at Gina, which only grew when she saw that Nemona had won her battle against Ralph and the other three gaining the upper hand in theirs. At this point, Penny can practically see the steam billowing out of Gina's ears. "Ralph!" she barked. "Get her to admit that she cheated! We'll see how well she and the other foreigners are accepted after that!" Ralph made an evil smirk as he turned towards Penny. "With pleasure" he grunted, before advancing on her. Penny stood her ground, ready to fight, with Miraidon and Flareon ready to protect her. But before Ralph could get very far with his plans, a metal pipe came sailing through the air, striking him in the face and knocking him out.
Everyone turned to see where the pipe had come from. Seeing who through it made Penny's heart soar with relief and happiness. Florian was standing in a doorway adjacent to the lift, and he was carrying an unconscious Juliana on his back. He looked rather tired, but angrier and more hateful than any of them had ever seen him before. "So, you lot are the ones who bullied my girlfriend to the point that she isolated herself?" he asked, his voice calm, but shaking with rage and hatred. "Thanks to a conversation with one of your men, I learned everything. About your plans, and your past actions. Normally I like to resolve things peacefully. But after hearing what you've done to the love of my life, and seeing my sister in this state, I will not be satisfied until I've battled each and every one of you. And by the way, I don't have any pokémon!" Everyone was stunned to hear this. Not only because of the fact that this was the most Florian has ever spoken, but the level of anger coming from the boy was astonishing. Florian laid his sister down gently on the ground, then ran to Penny's side and cracked his knuckles menacingly. "So, which of you is the leader?" he asked angrily. "I'll start with you!"
Now things are really getting exciting! Sorry if that ending seemed like a bit of a rushed mess, I am currently writing this at 1:30 AM, so I am tired. In case you couldn't tell, Ralph is also based off of a real person that I despise. They say write what you know after all. Hopefully I can get the next chapter out quickly, because it will show how Florian escaped Team Eclipse's clutches. Thanks again for all of the support, I genuinely wouldn't be writing this right now without it!