The ground shook as Garchomp and Krookodile worked. The lifeless forms of two women in Team Infinite uniforms and a fake police officer were slumped nearby, and there were signs of a battle strewn about. Ash stood nearby, his arms crossed as he watched over the unmoving forms of his now undisposed enemies. Gengar had used hypnosis to put them to sleep after their little battle, but there was no guarantee they would stay asleep for long.
Ash and his pokemon could assault the tunnel from it's entrance, but he was hesitant to do so now that one of the grunts had run in to warn the rest. His pokemon were powerful, very powerful. In fact, some of them had gone up against legendaries before and come out on top. Still, it was best not to test their luck against a large number of enemies all at once. It was for this very reason that Garchomp and Krookodile were digging away at one side of the tunnel while many of Ash's other pokemon removed the rubble.
Suddenly the cave wall collapsed inward, and Garchomp and Krookodile surged forward. Ash followed, stopping only to return most of his other pokemon to their luxury ball. Only Noctowl, Noivern, Decidueye, and Lucario remained by his side, leaving him with a grand total of six of his pokemon at the ready. They ran, or in many cases flew, down damp dark passages of earth and rock for about ten minutes before the tunnel opened up into a large chamber. Ash and his pokemon poured out of their small tunnel, finding themselves face to face with several gaping Team Infinite grunts, some of who were in digging gear. "GET THEM!" Ash shouted, pointing at the frightened criminals.
They didn't even have enough time to send out their own pokemon. Krookodile and Garchomp dove into the crowd, lashing out in all directions at the white wearing criminals. Lucario and Noivern took up defensive stances in front of their trainer, taking out the few brave team members that charged at Ash. Noivern and Noctowl, meanwhile, were picking off the stragglers that managed to escape Crocodile and Garchomp's notice, firing off multiple attacks at range. To call it a fight would be to do it a disservice. It was a beat down, over with in mere minutes.
Ash and his pokemon continued further in, leaving a pile of groaning Team Infinite members behind them. They came to a stop before four different offshoots, each bustling with noise. "Noivern! I need you to listen for any mention of Serena!" Noctowl landed in front of Ash and the rest of his pokemon with a barely discernible thud, closing his eyes and listening intently. He stayed like that for about ten seconds (though it felt like much longer to Ash) before his eyes snapped open. He took to the air with a single flap of his wings and screeched down the third hallway to the left. Lucario and Garchomp immediately gave chase, with Ash and the others following suit mere milliseconds later. As they rushed down yet another dark and damp tunnel, Ash found himself worrying about Serena. They had been searching just under five hours now, and even though they had found Team Infinite's base, and proof that she had been here, there had been plenty of time for Team Infinite to move her to another location. Maybe I should have found Misty and Brock before charging in. He thought, grimly.
He and his pokemon slowed to a halt as a man wearing the uniform of Team Infinite stepped out from the shadows. He had a purple mohawk and a small patch of cropped purple hair on his chin, with leering brown eyes and sharp eyebrows. "YOU!" he shouted, clutching at one of three pokeballs at his belt.
Ash frowned. "Do I know you?" he inquired, unhappy at the interruption.
The purple haired man's face turned red as he sputtered in indignation. "You mean you don't remember?" he said, scoffing. "I am Petrel, former executive of Team Rocket! You stopped our operation in Goldenrod years ago! Because of you we were unable to reunite with Giovanni!"
Ash frowned, thinking back to his time in the Johto region. He vaguely remembered storming some tower Team Rocket had taken control of with Brock and Misty, but he didn't really remember this guy. "Doesn't ring a bell. Sorry." He replied, shrugging.
"It will." the man sneered, tossing the pokeball he had grabbed in front of him on the ground. The red laser beam jumped to life, spitting out a Swalot. "Swalot, deal with this trespasser! Use Toxic!" Petrel's swalot opened it's mouth wide, spitting out a rain of purple poisonous blobs. The purple substances flew at Ash, but Lucario jumped in front of his trainer, unflinchingly absorbing the blow. Ash grinned predatorially. It's a battle, then? "Lucario, use zen headbutt!" Lucario dashed forward, his head giving off bright, light blue sparks. The steal type rammed his head into his poison type opponent, sending the purple pokemon flying back several feet. Petrel's swalot struggled to it's… blob? It didn't exactly have feet. It glared hatefully at Lucario, who took an at ready stance. Swalot let out a gurgling impression of a roar and slid forward, it's tendrils undulating as it rapidly approached. Lucario struck first, punching at the poison type with a glowing fist. Swalot leaned left, narrowly dodging the blow, before belching more toxic material right into Lucario's face. Lucario didn't even flinch, taking the blow head on with no hesitation, before rearing back and slamming his once again glowing head into Swalot's own. The poison type wailed on impact with the blow, slumping lifelessly to the ground.
Petrel scoffed with a "tch.", withdrawing the unconscious pure poison type. The red beam had barely touched Swalot before releasing his next pokemon. A salazzle took the field, hissing in laughter as it laid it's eyes on the opposing steel type.
Ash frowned as he spotted the fire/poison type. That Salazzle will take Lucario out almost instantly. "Lucario. Switch out with Feraligatr." he commanded, tossing the luxury ball. Lucario nodded, never taking his eyes off the opposing salazzle, and leapt straight backwards and behind his trainer.
Feraligatr sprang to life with a roar, flexing his clawed arms and red spikes. He appeared to grin, eyeing the enemy's pokemon in challenge. Petrel frowned. "Sludge bomb!" Salazzle dashed forward, closing the distance between Feraligatr and herself. She stopped after a moment or so and took a stance, hurling toxic sludge at her opponent.
"Hydro pump!" Ash instructed as the opposing attack neared Feraligatr. Feraligatr opened his jaw wide and spewed a huge column of water, intercepting the sludge bomb and sending it flying back at Salazzle. The poison type leapt sideways, dodging the stream of water, but still getting struck by it's own attack. Salazzle stumbled, and purple bubbles rose into the air around her.
"Poison? How?" Petrel wailed. Ash smirked in response.
"Finish it, Feraligatr! Aqua tail!"
Feraligatr rushed forward, grinning the entire way. He pivoted, slamming his tail into Salazzle, sending her flying back at the Team Infinite Commander. He caught the unconscious pokemon before recalling her with a scowl.
Ash's pokemon inched forward, spurred by their cohort's victories. Garchomp and Krookodile flexed their claws threateningly, while Noivern and Lucario merely growled, causing Petrel to inch backwards in fear. The criminal commander was aware that Ash could sick a large number of pokemon on him at any time, something that he wasn't keen on experiencing. He certainly doesn't look happy. Petrel thought, analyzing Ash's face.
Nodding discreetly, Petrel grabbed another pokeball, hurling it in the air before turning on his heels and running back the way he had come. "Weezing! Stop them with smog!" Petrel shouted as he fled. The poison type floated in place for a mere second before spewing violet gas everywhere. Ash brought his arm up to shield his mouth and nose, and the pokemon around him leapt into action. Krookodile and Garchomp leapt forward claws ablaze, tearing into the incorporeal poison type with gusto. Lucario used his aura to shield Ash, while Noctowl and Noivern rapidly flapped their wings, blowing away the gas. By the time it was all over Petrel was gone, having vanished down the long hallway.
Ash grinded his teeth in frustration. "GET HIM!" he shouted, stumbling forward before bursting into a full sprint. His pokemon followed, spreading out and storming the tunnel alongside their trainer. They rounded a corner, coming into a room that held a row of six or seven cells dug into the stone walls. In one of the cells was a girl with fair skin and honey blonde hair.
She had a collar around her neck. Connected to the collar was a chain, the end of which was embedded in the back wall of the cell. Interlinking cuffs encircled her ankles and wrists, and a short chain kept her bound arms above her head. What was left of the girl's clothing, short of her undergarments, was a mere pile of tattered rags sitting in the corner of the cell. The girl was blindfolded, and there was a clothe gagging her. Tears ran down her face from beneath the blindfold. Serena! Ash thought in equal parts horror and relief.
Standing in front of Serena's cell were two Team Infinite grunts, acting as guards. They were talking to none other than Commander Petrel, who was waving his arms emphatically and pointing in Ash's direction. One of the guards quickly noticed Ash and his pokemon, and his eyes widened in shock. Petrel seemed to key in on this, turning swiftly to once again come face to face with Ash and his pokemon.
"Stop him!" Petrel commanded, backing away in terror. The guards leapt into action, quickly summoning their pokemon. Ash's pokemon swarmed the pair of enemies, bringing them to their figurative knees in less than a minute. Ash jumped into the action himself, knocking one of the guards out with a powerful right hook and breaking his nose. Gengar dealt with the other, merging from the shadows behind him and using hypnosis during the fight.
Ash turned to face Petrel with bloodied fists, scaring the man immensely. Petrel backed up all the way to the door of Serena's cell, banging into the bars and causing the poor girl to shudder and begin crying once more. Ash grimaced, his anger flaring up even greater. Heat infused his body at the thought of what Team Infinite had done to her. Hatred filled his heart, and he took a single step forward. Petrel attempted to press himself further into the cell door before straightening up with a sigh.
"Toxtricity, stop them!" he shouted, tossing another pokeball. The blue and purple pokemon burst to life with gusto, strumming the parts on it's chest before leveling a glare in Ash's direction. Ash's pokemon began to move forward with a cacophony of growls, hoots, and grunts, but Ash held up a hand. We can't hurt Serena, and he's pressed up almost completely against the door! He thought worriedly.
"Garchomp. Deal with them. No mercy. Under no circumstances are you to hurt Serena!" Ash instructed, waving the dragon type forward. Garchomp marched forward with a snarl on his face, clawed arms held low and spread to his sides. Sweat beaded Petrel's face as the dragon stomped forward.
Ash never turned, but he sent out a wave of intent to Lucario through their aura bond. It wasn't something he could reliably control as the two had never been formally trained, but on many occasions Lucario seemed to just know what Ash intended. In truth, this was the crystallization of the pure raw talent the two of them possessed, as well as six years of experience fighting alongside each other, not a conscious choice. But this time Ash needed Lucario to understand what he envisioned, so he put all his will into the one thought: Take Krookodile and FREE Serena!
Lucario's eyes widened as he received Ash's instructions through their bond. He turned and locked eyes with his trainer and nodded, discreetly backing away from the fight. He turned to Krookodile and grunted. The hulking ground type nodded, and the pair of pokemon stealthily vanished back into the tunnel from which they came.
Meanwhile, Garchomp battled the galarian electric type, and it really wasn't much of a contest. Being a ground type pokemon, Garchomp could shrug off just about anything the blue and violet pokemon could throw at him. The dragon type danced around any poison attacks Petrel's toxtricity sent his way while absorbing the various electric attacks it fired off as he closed the distance, slowly stalking towards his prey.
Toxtricity began backing away, attacking as it went in an attempt to keep it's distance. The electric type threw a shock wave at the hulking dragon, turning it's head as it nearly slipped on a rock. It then used sludge bomb, hoping beyond hope to force it's opponent back. When it turned back around it's face warped in surprise; Garchomp wasn't there. Toxtricity took a single step forward before the ground beneath it's feet began to tremble.
Garchomp erupted from the ground beneath his opponent, slamming his finned arm into it, catching it beneath the jaw. The electric type flew back, sailing five feet through the air, before crashing into the stone wall next to the cell, motionless. Garchomp roared in triumph, towering defiantly over his unconscious foe. Ash watched the savage spectacle with a grin. Garchomp had dealt with Toxtricity swiftly and safely, causing zero damage to the cell, all while completely overpowering his enemy. Sure, he had a substantial advantage, being completely immune to electric type attacks and resisting poison type attacks, but his attacks had still been swift and absolute. Ash grinned. Guess I'll have to treat Garchomp later.
Ash and his remaining pokemon turned to Commander Petrel, who was shaking against the bars of the cell. "W…w-wait! Take one step and I'll hurt your girlfriend!" the coward shouted pointing behind him through the bars.
Ash tilted his head. "Exactly what do you mean?" he growled.
Petrel's panicked look morphed into one of gleeful haughtiness as he laughed.
"If you let me go, I'll give you the key to the cell! But you have to let me go! What do yo think? Sounds like a great deal, eh?" he said, attempting to slide around Ash and his pokemon.
Before Ash could retort the hallway behind him began to tremble. The ground erupted, and a steelix burst forth. Riding on it's back was Brock and Misty, and a great number of pokemon flooded forth from the hole the serpentine steel type had made, with an equal number coming from the tunnel behind them. Charizard, Heracross, Dragonite, Sceptile, etcetera. Nearly all of Ash's pokemon were in the crowd.
"Well now…" Ash said, grinning maniacally. "You have two options." he said, pacing in front of the crowd of pokemon. "You can surrender to me now, or I can have my pokemon deal with you." he said. He stopped pacing, turning to face Petrel. "And they won't hold back."
"And if I just hurt the girl?" Petrel counter, convinced he still held the upper hand.
Ash's grin slowly melted, and he leveled a terrifying glare at Petrel. "What girl?"
The Team Infinite Commander put on a confused look as Lucario and Krookodlie pushed their way through the crowd of pokemon. In Lucario's arms was Serena, still barely clothed but free of her bonds, softly crying. Ash and Petrel both found their eyes drawn to her.
Ash's eyes softened for a second as he beheld his crying, terrified friend, and he felt a warm fealing stir in his heart. The warmth quickly transformed into an inferno of rage as he contemplated what Team Infinite had done to her. They had put a damned collar around her neck like some growlithe! Defiled her! Locked her in a damn cell!
Meanwhile, Petrel panicked yet again. If she was there, then that means… uh oh.
Petrel turner around, peering through the bars of the cell door. His eyes goggled at what he found.
A wide hole had been dug into the right wall of the cell, one bog enough for several large pokemon to pass through. The chain was lying in pieces on the ground, broken in multiple places.
Petrel began turning around when smoke hissed to life, swirling round him. A man stood face to face with him. He had long white hair held back by a black band, and a black mask covered his nose, mouth, and chin. Petrel could just barely see the outline of two more people in the smoke.
"The Shadow Triad?!" Petrel gasped in astonishment.
The man nodded, gesturing.
"We must retreat." he said, gesturing for Petrel to follow. The commander did so in an instant.
"Defog!" Ash coughed, coughing and wheezing from the smoke. Talonflame, Noivern, Hawlucha, and Decidueye flapped their wings, blowing the smoke around and causing it to dissipate into the tunnel. When the fumes dissipated Petrel was no longer there.
"NO! Find him!" Ash roared
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
They searched for hours. Every tunnel, every nook, every cranny.
But they never found a trace.
"Someone must have helped him get away, Ash." Brock said, walking up to him. He had been perusing the research notes the Team Infinite scientists had left behind when they made their escape. The five grunts that they had captured hadn't been so lucky, and they now found themselves trussed up in the cell Serena had previously occupied. A few of the were trussed up exactly the same way Serena was, left in nothing but their undergarments. Brock and Misty had been uncomfortable with that one, but Ash was furious. As it was Ash had wanted to eliminate the five Team Infinite team members that had surrendered to them, but Misty and Brock intervened, staying his hand.
"Ash, we should probably get the police." Misty offered, walking up behind Brock. She had been taking care of Serena, who had been a bit unstable, for the better part of the last two hours. "And Serena might need medical care, too."
Ash nodded listlessly, never taking his eyes off the computer screen in front of him. "Is she doing okay?" he asked gingerly. The truth was that Ash felt terrible for what had happened to Serena, and he kinda blamed himself. There has to be something I could have done!
Misty shook her head. "She keeps asking for you. It's going to take her some time to get over the trauma. She says they were going to, er… sell her."
Brock's eyebrows rose in astonishment. "Sell her?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Like trafficking?"
Misty nodded uneasily. "That's what it sounds like. If we take into account the fact that they had stripped her, it's pretty obvious what their intentions were. Anyone would be shaken up after that."
Brock nodded in agreement. "It might be best if she doesn't travel with us for a while, Ash. She'll need to see a therapist."
Ash nodded in agreement, turning to face his friends but not looking them in the yes, instead staring steadily at the ground between them. "I agree, but we can't force that on her."
Brock sputtered slightly. "Ash, she needs help after what happened today! We can't not get her that help!"
"I don't disagree, Brock. But have you stopped to consider what Serena wants?" Misty interjected before Brock could continue. "She needs help, yeah. But right now she needs her friends."
"Fine. But we need to get moving." Brock said, turning to check some paperwork that Team Infinite had left behind. "We should call Looker. He'll want to hear about what happened here."
"I'll give him a call. You should go check on Serena, Ash." Misty replied.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"You should have called me as soon as you discovered them here, Ash." Looker said as he strode into the main tunnel system. Jupiter and Essentia followed behind him, as well as a few people Ash and his friends hadn't met yet.
Ash, Misty, and Brock were standing beneath the entrance of the tunnel, while Serena was huddled against Ash's chest. The blushing ex champion held her tight, unwilling to let her go again.
" We didn't exactly have time, Looker." Ash groused.
Looker's eyes flitted to Serena. "So I've heard. And the prisoners?"
"They're down the hall." Ash replied, directing Looker to the cell row.
Looker nodded, gesturing to his team. Numerous people began inspecting the area, taking pictures and notes, while the rest walked down the hallway Ash pointed to. " We'll take care of it from here. You kids get out of here and get some rest."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Thanks to Looker, it took the four of them another hour of walking to make it to Vermilion city. The interpol agent gave Ash and his friends an escort composed of a few junior agents, which allowed Brock, Misty, and Ash to relax about as much as they could, but Serena, who Ash carried piggy back, never stopped shaking. As soon as they made it there they took Serena to the pokemon center.
Ash wasn't too keen on challenging the gym, but Serena insisted, citing Ash's vision of Arceus. She argued that Ash's journey could take years, as he would need to travel to eight different regions in order to complete the task given to him by the Creator. She argued skillfully, and not matter what Ash said she countered it.
Tsking in annoyance, Ash slipped out of the pokemon center and began walking towards the gym. If his memory served him correctly it wasn't far; maybe a block or even half a block south of the pokemon center. Pikachu clambered up his arm before he left the room, eager to see his old sparring partner and short time rival, Raichu. As Ash stepped outside he released several pokemon from the luxury ball at his hip. Gliscor, Krookodile, Garchomp, Donphan, Seismitoad, and Torterra took form, walking, gliding, and lumbering alongside their trainer as they accompanied him to the Gym.
The sun was beginning to set as they waltzed up to the gym, the scattered rays of sunlight casting entrancing colors upon the waves. Ash paused at the front door, thoroughly disturbed with the days events. He didn't really feel like challenging the gym right now. He was angry; not pumped up. That said, Serena wanted him to continue onward and take the victory here. Maybe she feels this will make it worth it. He mused grimly as he walked inside. Five of the pokemon with him retreated to the luxury ball, leaving only Gliscor and Pikachu by Ash's side.
"I'm sorry, but we're closed for the day." sighed a woman sitting behind a counter. She hadn't even looked up when Ash walked in the gym, so engrossed was she by what she was reading on the computer in front of her. Ash could just make out the title of the article thanks to the reflection cast upon the tv behind her. 'Ex Champion Ash Ketchum spotted in Kanto!'
"You can come back tomorrow morn…ing-" she stammered, briefly glancing up at Ash, looking back down, and then looking up again, wide eyed.
"I think Pisces might want to know I'm here." Ash stated with a small smile.
The woman (Ash thought she might be a secretary) looked up, gaping like a fish pokemon out of water. "Pisces?" she asked finally.
Ash nodded, walking up to the counter and leaning on it with a self confidant smile, while Pikachu scampered down to rest atop it. "I'm here to challenge him."
The secretary blushed, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm afraid Pisces is no longer the leader of the Vermilion Gym, sir."
Ash's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Then who is?"
"I am."
Ash wheeled around at the new yet oddly familiar voice, only to find a tall man walking out a back room towards them. He had short, spiky blonde hair, and beige wore camo pants with a forest green sleeveless t-shirt. Military tags dangled from the chain around his neck. His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, but the electrifying smile on his face told Ash he was excited.
Lt. Surge grinned. "And I'm ready for a rematch."