Chapter 63 – Prize master
Viridian Forest, Kanto Region…
"I feel like you're turning me into a dragon tracker," Zacian muttered as she raised her nose from the ground.
"Have you found the scent," Ash asked, ignoring her comment.
"I think so, they can't have gone too far into the forest. I'm surprised the smell is as strong as it is. It's almost like…" She broke off midsentence as if pondering the rest.
This wasn't typically how Ash liked to spend his morning, even when he was travelling. Trekking through the forest looking for his Pokémon, and this mysterious Dragonite, who had gone of wandering…Again.
Ordinarily, with the sun only just up, he would prefer to still be in bed. For at least several more hours. Followed by breakfast.
"Damnit Ashachu," he cursed allowed. "Why do you have to keep doing this."
"He'll be fine," said Pikachu with a yawn.
Of all four of them there in the woods, Pikachu seemed the most exhausted, constantly yawning and with a slight redness to his usually chocolate eyes. The rodent's pregnancy was now visible, presenting as a slight bludge in Pikachu's sides and stomach.
He was also not in his usual position on Ash's shoulder but had instead chosen to ride on Zacian's. His usual place of honour on Ash's right shoulder was this morning taken up by the fourth member of the party, Axew.
The little dragon had come racing to find Ash at his mother's house only about an hour ago, after finding Ashachu, Charizard and the others had gone missing. He'd flown there on the back of a flying type.
"He's with Charizard remember."
That did give Ash some comfort. Charizard, currently the strongest member of his team (except for Pikachu himself, maybe), and one of his oldest and closest friends. He was happy Ashachu and Charizard had found each other – even if he did find it a little bit odd given the size and age difference between the two of them.
He would still have preferred Ashachu not to have gone off without a trainer and only one other Pokémon to look after him – Charizard too for that matter. And his fears were about to be vindicated, for at that moment there was a crashing sound and….
"AHHHHHH… They're here, they're coming."
"Whoa!" Ash was knocked flying, when out of the tall grass burst a young man, followed by an orange Pokémon.
Ash had just enough time to notice the man seemed young and was quite tall with an athletic build and brown hair, before he was shoved out the way and fell backwards into a bush. "Who's coming," he shouted stupidly after him.
"TEAM ROCKET!"
By the time he had managed to pull himself out of the bushes, assisted by Zacian and Pikachu, the man and his Pokémon had gone.
"What was that about," asked Pikachu, his jaw hanging open.
"I don't know," said Ash. "But it didn't sound good. Who was that man?"
"Yew Yew AXEW!" A squeaking sound caused Ash to look back down into the bush he had fallen into, where he saw Axew lying on the ground and trapped by brambles. "Ohh. Sorry Axew." He reached in and pulled the little dragon out, sustaining cuts to his hands and arms as he did so.
"Yew." Axew resumed his position on Ash's shoulder, even going so far as to give his ear a lick.
"Come on," said Zacian. "We should get moving! If Team Rocket are here, you can bet things are about to get worse!"
[Pokémon]
"Rwahh." Charizard hit the ground with a hard thud. It hadn't been a particularly large drop from the top of the tree to the ground and the landing was soft thanks to the grass. Still, for the large heavy Pokémon not used to crash landings, it still felt pretty bone jarring.
He gingerly climbed back onto his hind legs and shook stretched his neck, back and wings with a groan, before glancing around for Ashachu. He found the mouse sitting in the tall grass beside him, looking slightly dazed.
"Ashachu," he grunted. "You okay." He scooped the Pikachu up into his claws and pressed the end of his long muzzled to the top of his head, licking his ear.
"Pika Pikachu." Ashachu shook himself, before clambering up Charizard's arm and resuming his position on Charizard's shoulder.
The three members of Team Rocket were certainly not expecting the sudden appearance of Charizard and Ashachu. Jessie, James and Meowth jumped nearly as high as they had fallen as the two came crashing to the ground.
"Whoa, where'd dat come from," cried Meowth.
"It's raining Charizard," James exclaimed.
Charizard let out a long-exasperated sigh and folded his arms. His eyes narrowing in a piercing stare. "Team Rocket. I might have known. What are you three idiots doing out here in the middle of the forest at this time in the morning?"
"Up to no good probably," said Ashachu. "What was in the briefcase you handed that guy. Something you stole no doubt."
It was amusing to Charizard to watch the looks of panic appear simultaneously on each of the three rocket members faces.
"Wait. That Charizard knows us," Jessie gasped pointing at him, before realising what she had said. "Uhm, we're not Team Rocket. We're just."
"A group of young trainers on a journey," added James. "With our Pokémon."
"Ta-dah. Meow," said Meowth holding his paws up.
"And if you'll excuse us, mister dragon," continued Jessie. "We'll be….Whoa"
Charizard groaned again, rolled his eyes then started to flap his wings in and out in one fluid motion, creating a gust of wind. Miraculously the trench coats, hats and sunglasses were blown clean off Jessie, James and Meowth leaving them standing there in their ordinary Team Rocket Uniforms. The red R on clear display!
"Ahhh!" Jessie, James and Meowth jumped in shock again at seeing each other's uniforms, quickly realising that their jig, was up! Not that "the jig" had been particularly impressive in the first place.
"But, but how did you know," Meowth demanded pointing a claw at Charizard.
"Oh please," snorted Charizard, his large nostrils flaring. "It must be pretty naïve of you to think after all the years you've been following us around and trying to capture us that any of your pathetic disguises are going to fool me. Not one as lame at that."
Jessie, James and Meowth all looked at each other.
"Honestly, trench coats. I don't pretend to fully understand human's need for clothes. Your weak bodies need protection, I guess. But what real humans actually wear those things."
"Pika Pikachu," Ashachu giggled.
"So, wait. Charizard knew it was us," said James.
Charizard gave a curt nod. "From the moment I saw you!"
"Hang on. Is this that twerps Charizard," Jessie exclaimed.
Charizard, having thought Team Rocket already knew that, groaned, and buried his head in his right claw. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me. How have you stayed alive this long when you're this dumb."
"Trust me, we 'ave no idea," muttered Meowth.
"But the twerp always falls for our disguises," mused James. "Does this mean?"
"Don't mistake me for my trainer," Charizard growled. "Ash doesn't have a brain, so he may not be able to see through your idiotic disguises, but unlike him, I'm not an idiot. You can't fool me!"
A dangerous note had entered Charizard's voice, and Ashachu noticed Jessie, James and Meowth draw closer together, looks of fear on their faces. This passed quickly however, as Jessie declared confidently, "Oh well. If we can't fool you, then we'll just have to…"
But she was cut off at that moment by two things happening at once. First, Dragonite, who had been hiding close by in the tall grass stood up and cried out, "Charizard. Ashachu. What are you…"?
Second, Ash himself, along with Pikachu, Zacian and Axew, came running into the clearing. "Ashachu, Charizard," he called out upon seeing his two Pokémon, followed by, "Team Rocket."
"The twerp," Jessie, James and Meowth said at the same time, with James adding, "Hey, is that a Dragonite."
"Uhm. I'm nobody," Dragonite replied, shuffling away.
"Alright, just what's going on here," Ash demanded.
"We were asking them the same thing," Charizard growled, looking over his shoulder at his trainer.
"What's going on is trouble," was Jessie's reply, with James adding, "And now that you're here, we'll have to make it double."
"Oh, not this again," Charizard groaned, rolling eyes as the Trio launched into their motto.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all people with your nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie."
"James."
"Team Rocket Blast off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."
"Meowth dats right."
"Wobbuffet!" The motto ended, as it so often did, with Wobbuffet bursting uninvited out of his Pokémon to cry out his name
This was followed by James' Noibat, also releasing itself from its ball, fluttering around his head with a call off "Noibat Noi."
"Must you do that every time," Charizard roared. "Trust me. Having to listen to that shit is more painful than anything you three have ever been able to do in battle."
Zacian, on the other paw, sniggered and muttered, "Ha. The good old Team Rocket Motto. Kind of miss saying it."
"Pelipper, Pelipper, Pelipper."
The sight of a Pelipper, a pelican like flying Pokémon with a giant scoop like beak, passing overhead, might have gone unnoticed, were it not for the large payload in that large beak. Pelipper flew low over the tops of the trees and, once directly above opened it beak dropping something large and heavy onto the forest floor.
Jessie, James, Meowth and Wobbuffet scrambled out of the way to avoid being hit by the hazardous falling object. "Wahh." Once it had come to a rest, they gathered around to take a closer look.
"So Dat's da our secret weapon da boss was talkin' about," asked Meowth.
The secret weapon a purple egg-shaped machine, with four legs holding it up, looking of like…"It looks like a gumball machine," observed Jessie. Although instead of gumballs, the glass case held Pokéballs.
Not ordinary ones either. Rather than the usual red and white, these Pokéballs were painted a dark purple in colour, and were embroidered with the Team Rocket R insignia above the button.
"But we're fresh out of coins," Meowth mused as he examined the front of the machine. At the bottom of the egg-shaped contraption was a slot, a dial, and a dispensing tray. Not unlike what one would expect to see on a real gumball machine, only the slot was far too wide for most coins.
And was curved in almost the exact inverse of the charm on the top of Meowth's head.
"No, we're not," Jessie and James sang in unison before the pair of them seized a started and unexpecting Meowth from behind.
"Ha. What ya doin'. Dats my charm!" He winced and squirmed as the top of his charm was inserted into the slot on the side of the machine. Jessie held him in place, while James turned the dial three times.
"Our secret."
"Rocket…"
"Prize Master…"
A single purple Pokéball rolled out into the dispensing tray. Jessie snatched it up. "So, if this is the boss's secret weapon, the Pokémon inside must be ready to rumble!" She threw the ball into the air.
Out of the ball came a large, avian Pokémon with a long flowing head crest and billowing tail. It's plumage was a dark black, while its crest and tail seemed to be emblazing with a magenta aura that burned like flames.
Ash had seen a Pokémon like this once before, only that time it had been golden in colour and emblazed by fire. "No," he gasped, taking out his Pokédex. "It can't be."
"Pika," cried Pikachu.
Moltres, Galarian Form. A legendary Dark and Flying Type. This Pokémon's sinister, flame-like aura will consume the spirit of any creature it hits. Victims become burned-out shadows of themselves.
There was a general gasp of shock and surprise from Ash and all of his Pokémon present. Everybody was thinking the same thing – how had Team Rocket managed to catch such a Pokémon. (Also, who knew Moltres had a counterpart in Galar).
"What in the distortion world," growled a bewildered Charizard taking several steps backwards, his jaw hanging open at the sight of the legendary dark bird.
Jessie, James and Meowth couldn't seem to believe their luck at being in command of an actual legendary Pokémon. They gazed at the Galarian Moltres with wide sparkling eyes, hands and paws clasped together.
"That's the boss for you," Jessie sang to which James added, "Leaving us to spar along with some feisty Pokémon."
But it was Zacian of all the Pokémon (and humans) present that seemed most impacted by the appearance of Moltres. She gaped the avian Pokémon her eyes wide and her maw open. Her entire body was frozen.
Pikachu tugged on her ear and mumbled "Zacian."
"I-I knew this day would come," Zacian whined in a low voice, barely a whimper. "Moltres."
"That's right! Hee-hee. Hello Zacian!"
Moltres' cry was high pitched and croaky, as if speaking with a perpetual sore throat. And it's laugh sounded more like a cackle. It was very unlike how Ash or any of his Pokémon would have expected a legendary Pokémon to sound.
And then there was something else too. Examine closely Moltres' dark feather, particularly those around its neck, appeared somewhat dishevelled, and it had a large scar running from above its eye to halfway down its throat. The legendary Pokémon looked as though it had been attacked.
"So Zacian….Escaped did we…No longer one of Team Rocket….hee-hee!"
"N-no," Zacian replied in a low voice. "Ash is my trainer now. W-what have they done to you!"
"You mean what did you do to me." The tone of Moltres voice suddenly change from being raspy to somewhat foreboding. Enough to make Zacian flinch. "You mean what did YOU do to me."
"W-what's going on here," cried Ash, bewildered, and confused. "Zacian. What is this Pokémon talking about?"
"I'd like to know that myself," said Pikachu. "Do you two know each other?"
"T-t-t-tell him Zzzzican," Moltres rasped. "Tell him what you did to! Tell you trai-nnner what you did. Hehehehe ha-ha…"
It wasn't just Ash and his Pokémon who were confused. Jessie, James and Meowth were also looking between Moltres and each other as if unsure what to make of the situation.
"H-Hold on," stuttered Jessie. "Does Moltres here even know how to battle, anymore."
"He does look like he's seen better days," observed James.
"Seems to know dat twerp Pokémon," added Meowth.
"What sort of Pokémon is that anyway," said Jessie.
James shrugged. "Isn't it the same one that was fighting Darkrai in the Galar Region! Perhaps these two have a history!"
"TELL HIM ZACIAN." Moltres' voice suddenly boomed through the forest. Given how raspy and crazed he'd sounded only a few seconds ago, it was a certainly a shock to hear him roar quite like that.
Everybody recoiled, including Charizard who's jaw dropped, and a sweat drop appeared on the back of his head. "
"TELL THEM. T-t-t-tell them how you helped-ddd them hunt my nest! L-led them to me! B-beat me into a corner and went for the kill. YOU DESTORYED ME ZACIAN! MADE ME ONE OF YOU."
"Z-zacian," Ash breathed clutching his chest. His heart was racing so quickly it hurt and it was difficult to breath! "What's going on here? Do you know Moltres."
Zacian did not respond, but continued to stare at Zacian, eyes wide.
It was, perhaps surprisingly, Charizard who worked it out. "Oh, I get it," He growled pointing a claw accusatorily at Zacian. "You helped Team Rocket capture this Moltres, didn't you? And Team Rocket put Moltres in that machine for those three idiots to use."
"G-g-give the mon a prize hehehehe," Moltres laughed.
"Is that true, Zacian," asked Ash.
Zacian sighed, bowing her head. "Yes, it's true. It was one of the early missions I was sent on. I was given to Rocket agent named Hun. He and his partner Attila led a small Team into the Crown Tundra to hunt Moltres down. I'm…I'm sorry Moltres."
"LITTLE LATE FOR THAT NOW," Moltres roared again. "Can't take back what you've done… No when I-I'm here and you're there. Can't undo the pain…ahahahahahahaha bwahahahaha." It was impossible to tell whether Moltres was laughing or screaming at this point, as it threw its head back, a maniacal sound coming from its beak.
"I think it's lost its marbles," said a perplexed Jessie, as she watched Moltres with a mixture of disappointment and bemusement on her face.
"That would imply that it had any to begin with," James added in a similar tone.
"Perhaps we ought to try and tell it to use a move," Meowth suggested with a shrug of his paws.
"How did you do it Zacian… How did you get to leave T-team Rocket, leaving m-m-me and the other to suffer-err…? Every night…Oh yes, every night…Every night they come for me, and they hurt me!"
"Moltres," said Zacian. Her voice sound shaky, though she was standing quite firm. "I'm sorry for what they've done to you. I'm sorry for what I did…I can…"
But Jessie cut her off. "Okay Moltres, use dark pulse attack!"
Moltres reared its head again and fired a spiralling beam of black and purpled coloured energy from its beak.
"Lookout," shouted Ash.
"Rwhaa." Charizard spun around, throwing himself forward, knocking Ashachu off his shoulder before falling atop of him and covering his small yellow body with his wings to shield him from the attack.
It was Zacian who saved the day, parrying the attack with her own Moon Blast, a jet of pink energy coming to meet the black. The attacks were strong enough to cancel each other out, but as is typical when two strong Pokémon use two special attacks, the resulting impact sent a shockwave through the forest.
Smoke and dust filled the clearing, and it became impossible to see. At the same time, cheers and awed gasped of Team Rocket echoed through the forest.
"Whoa such power!"
The smoke quickly dispersed revealing Moltres and Zacian circling each other, Moltres glaring at Zacian and Zacian looking pityingly back at the legendary bird. Once proud, now reduced to being a Team Rocket minion.
"P-Power….You-You're as p-p-powerful as the date you brought me down Zacian," laughed Moltres. "T-T-Tell me! How did you escape. How are you free now! I should bring you back to T-Team Rocket!"
"I'll never go back," Zacian replied simply. "I am not Team Rocket anymore!"
"Perhaps we shall see. Oh yess… hehehe…We shall see."
"Enough talking," Shouted Jessie. "Moltres use Hurricane."
"Close Combat," Zacian roared as she threw herself at Moltres….