Chapter 32: Captured
Night had fallen and Blade had made his way back to Po Town. He hadn't had a chance to meet up with Hikari again for a few days and he decided that this was the perfect time. Blade climbed the largest building, searching through the windows for the Pikachu. After a few he found what he was after. Hikari was asleep beside the riolu. And without a second thought Blade began to lightly tap his claws against the window.
Hikari stirred and awoke slowly looking around as Blade continued tapping the glass. After a moment he noticed the Sneasel in the window. After a few moments Hikari carefully got up, trying not to awaken the Riolu. Then he moved across the room to the window. "Blade?" he whispered.
The Sneasel's maw opened into an extremely wide grin when he saw Hikari. "Hey kid. Open up."
Hikari pushed open the window with his front paws and stuck his head through the opening.
"Blade. What are you doing here?" He asked, confused by Blade's presence.
"I came to see you again kid," Blade replied louder than necessary.
"Shhh. Keep it down," Hikari whispered back urgently. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment.
"Oh sorry." Blade apologized upon noticing the Riolu was still asleep.
"What do you want?"
"You want to keep training?"
Hikari was hesitant. "I don't know. The last time we trained you left me unconscious in the middle of the lawn."
Blade folded his arms. "Hey I make no apology for fighting you with the best of my ability. Not my fault if you couldn't take the hit."
Hikari scowled at him and moved to shut the window.
"No stop." Blade quickly grabbed the window to hold it open. "Alright Hikari, I probably shouldn't have just left you. I just didn't want the humans to see me. I have no interest in being captured." He pushed hard to keep Hikari from closing the window. "Come on kid. Keep training with me and I guarantee I can get you to beat that Dewott."
Hikari stopped trying to close the window at that comment.
"That's more like it." Blade smirked internally.
"How exactly will knocking me out help me beat Geyser," Hikari asked.
"Simple. The more opponents you fight without a trainer, the more you'll learn to use your instincts." Blade responded making a small mental note of the Dewott's name.
Hikari sighed. Likely thinking of defeating the Dewott.
"Come on. I've got an idea." Blade jumped, grabbing onto the ledge above the window and disappearing from the Pikachu's view.
Blade looked down as Hikari poked his head out and looked up at the Sneasel. "Come on."
"How am I supposed to get up there?" Hikari asked uncertainly.
"You'll figure it out. Use your instincts." Blade wanted to laugh at his comment. As he stood back a bit.
Hikari looked down. They were on the second floor, a considerable distance to the ground. He looked around a moment before slowly climbing out the window. "Pikkaaa."
The moment his back paws touched the roof tiles he slipped, and began to slide towards the ground. It had been raining so the tiles were wet.
"Use your instinct," Blade shouted again. Hoping that Hikari would recover before falling to the ground. Blade watched as Hikari dug his claws into the tiles and to stop himself from sliding down.
"Volt tackle…" Hikari said before letting off a burst of speed with sparks surrounding his body. He managed to maintain his stability until he reached Blade.
"Nice going kid." Blade patted him on the back once the electricity disappeared.
"Err…Thanks," said Hikari, breathing heavily.
"That's what you need to do if you want to beat that Dewott. Trust your instincts. Now come with me." Blade started walking away as he led Hikari across the roof to the east side of the mansion.
"Right," he said, glancing around. "I got up here by climbing that drainpipe. But I think my claws are sharper than yours. So we'll use that tree to get down." Blade pointed to an oak tree that sat just in front of the mansion. Despite it's close proximity to the mansion, there was still quite a gap between the roof's edge and the end of the closest branch.
"What?" Hikari sounded surprised. "You want me to jump."
"Yep."
"Are you kidding me? What do I look like, an Emolga?"
Blade grinned at the expression on Hikari's face. "Come on, it's easy. I'll show you." The Sneasel crouched down, then leapt through the air, landing gracefully on his feet on top of a branch. "See, easy. Now you try."
Hikari got low so his weight was focused on his back paws and he bent his little legs.
"Come on. Jump," Blade encouraged.
Hikari took a deep breath and jumped forward, pushing his small yellow body off the roof with his legs. He reached out for the branch as he went through the air. He managed to land on the end of the branch, but it apparently couldn't hold his weight. The branch bent and bowed under the chu and he felt a thrill of fear fill him. "Pika…"
"I got you." Blade moved quickly grabbing him and pulling him farther up the branch to where the wood was stronger.
"Thanks," Hikari expressed his gratitude before lightly snapping at Blade. "See, I told you. I'm not an Emolga."
Blade laughed it off. "Hehehe. You're funny Hikari. Now come on."
Had Blade left on his own he easily could have scaled one of the walls of the town, but due to the lack of climbing experience that the Pikachu had Blade had to sneak them out through the only opening, an archway at the end of the town.
Two humans stood guard at the archway. Or they would but they were either asleep or distracted. Sneaking out was too easy, as was sneaking in, but that didn't matter. And so Blade and Hikari snuck away without incident.
"Blade," Hikari whispered when they finally came to a stop surrounded by palm trees. "What are we doing out here?"
"It's easier to train out here," Blade replied. "No humans. More space." Blade relaxed, feeling more at ease away from the humans.
Hikari looked uneasy. "Umm…Blade. I don't know if my trainer would," he began, but Blade cut him off.
"You're trainer! Seriously. He's not the boss of you." Blade felt a twinge of annoyance at Hikari's apparent obsession with obeying his trainer.
"Err…He kind of is."
Blade rolled his eyes. He was losing patience already with the talk of humans. "Ugh. What is it with you trained Pokémon. Wthch." He made a whipping sound and flicked his arm as if cracking an invisible whip. "Do you want to beat that Dewott or not."
"Umm. Yes."
"Then let's get to work…" Blade took a ready position and after a few moments so did Hikari.
Without warning Blade dashed forward slashing at the Pikachu with his claws. The first strike hit but then he managed to weave under the follow up strike.
Hikari countered with an iron tail knocking Blade back.
The Sneasel held himself steady and dashed forward again, this time leaping into the air and slamming his heel down barely grazing Hikari's head. This time he retaliated with a thunderbolt stunning the Sneasel long enough to land a second iron tail knocking Blade down.
The Sneasel rolled to his feet and with a sudden burst of speed was in front of the Pikachu. A low sweep of the leg knocked the Pikachu to the ground and Blade threw the same leg into the air, coating his heel in ice, and slamming it down onto Hikari's stomach taking the air from his lungs. Blade pushed him away giving him a chance to recover.
Hikari finally caught his breath and stood up. Blade attacked again this time Hikari managed to dodge several slashes before fatigue finally slowed him enough for Blade to take home down again. Then again, and again, and again. Blade kept knocking him down over and over. Blade obviously had more stamina than Hikari, which is something they'd have to work on. Clearly that human hadn't been training him well enough for him to last in a prolonged battle.
After a few minutes of a rather one sided sparring match Blade gave him a break.
Hikari's body was covered in cuts and bruises from battling Blade. He had managed to remain on his paws longer this time; even so the Sneasel had still knocked him to the ground repeatedly and without mercy.
It was taking him quite a lot of effort to stay on his four paws, as the pair of them sat among the palm trees of the area.
Two figures had appeared on the road; one obviously human and the other a small Pokémon, just a bit larger than Hikari, walking on four paws.
"Alright," said Blade, noticing a perfect opportunity. "I want you to go out there, and challenge that trainer's Pokémon to a battle."
Hikari was baffled as fear overwhelmed him. "What! You must be joking?"
"It'll be good practice for you at fighting with your instinct." Blade thought as he leaned against a tree.
"But. But." Hikari stared at Blade with pleading eyes. He wished he'd never set paw outside Po Town. "I'm too hurt."
"Wild Pokémon fight even when they're hurt. Get used to it." Blade spoke bluntly, he'd been through worse than one long sparring match and a battle against an unknown opponent. And he did that almost every day without a trainer.
"But. What if he captures me?"
"You're a trained Pokémon. You can't be caught in another Pokéball. Now get out there." Blade wanted to groan at such a stupid suggestion, but he refrained from doing so.
Hikari sighed, residing himself to the worst. "Fine."
He stepped out tentatively from the trees and into the middle of the road.
The two figures didn't seem to notice him. The human was looking down at some sort of hand held communicator.
"Hmmm. Team Rocket's is broadcasting up a jamming single all around this area. Pokéballs won't work," Blade could barely hear the words, but he suddenly felt uneasy. He watched Hikari carefully ready to step in if he had to, even so he wasn't passing up the opportunity to help Hikari get stronger.
"Growl," hissed Blade. "Be aggressive. Let him know this is your territory."
Hikari looked uncertain as if he wasn't entirely sure he could growl. Still, he positioned himself on his four paws, his lighting bolt tail low to the ground.
"Do it. Growl." Blade let out a little impatience.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered to himself. He swallowed and let off a bright spark of electricity. "Pika Pikachu," he growled, though it sounded more like a yelp than a growl.
The human looked up from his screen. "Huh. A Pikachu! What are you doing here little guy."
"Pika. Pikachu Pi," Hikari growled again, a little more aggressively this time. He pawed and tapped the ground with his front right paw.
Blade liked the more aggressive look, it suited him more than Blade expected.
"Want to fight huh. Get him Growlithe."
"Groww."
The four-legged creature leapt forward to confront Hikari. "Use tackle."
Growlithe charged, but Hikari stood his ground. He shot a thunderbolt at the oncoming Growlithe, hitting it directly in the nose.
"Groooowww." Growlithe let out a cry of pain and dropped onto its belly.
"Man's it's strong," the human exclaimed.
It was in the brief moment during which the night was illuminated by the light from the thunderbolt, that Hikari managed to get a glimpse of the human. He looked as if he'd be sick. He obviously recognized said human somehow, and it scared him.
Blade noticed and began to make his way over carefully to remain out of sight.
"Flamethrower." Growlithe was quickly back on its paws. It opened its maw and fired a bright orange jet of flame at Hikari. He reposted with another thunderbolt, the two attacks colliding and exploding in a shower of sparks, embers and smoke. "Tackle." The Growlithe was fast. In a split second it appeared from out of the smoke, slamming its body hard into Hikari. The pikachu slid back but managed to remain on his feet. He took advantage of the close proximity to strike Growlithe across the face with an iron tail.
This proved effective, causing Growlithe to stagger backward, whining in pain. But his triumph was short-lived. It opened its mouth and spat another jet of flame at him, the close proximity leaving Hikari no time to react. "Piiikkaaa." He screamed as the searing flames washed over his body. But the pain past quickly, and he retaliated with yet another thunderbolt, hitting Growlithe in the chest.
"That's it Hikari, Blade whispered to himself, quietly cheering on the chu. "Use your instincts. You're a wild Pokémon with everything on the line. Fight like it."
And that's when Blade noticed the human point his hand held device at Hikari, and realized a second too late what was about to happen.
"Go Capture Styler."
Distracted by Growlithe, Hikari notice the beyblade like object come spinning towards him until it was too late…
The puppy Pokémon jumped out of the way as the device begun to run circles around Hikari, emitting a trail of golden light in it's wake.
"Pika."
Hikari stared at the contracting golden circle that had surrounded him in surprise for a second before its powers took hold…
Suddenly he felt a cold claw pushing him. Blade had jumped in to push him out, but it would seem the device had done its work and the two were captured.
*Later*
Blade couldn't explain it, something was wrong, as if he couldn't act on his own, compelled to obey the human as they went back to Po Town
The street lamps that lined the high street had turned a bright red, bathing Po Town in an eerie glow. An alarm was sounding from somewhere, filling the air with a single, repetitive sound that made Blade and Hikari's ears hurt. Team Rocket Grunts were spilling out onto the street from the six buildings that lined it.
"This way," the human whispered before darting into the bushes adjacent to the path. Hikari and Blade followed. They came to halt just behind the Pokémon centre – the only building in town with its lights off.
As soon as they were out of sight, the human pulled off his clothes, to reveal a dark shirt and pants underneath. In the dim light cast from the streetlights Blade could easily make out a red R across the chest. He was disguising himself as a Team Rocket Grunt.
He removed the glasses from his face and shoved them in his pocket. He replaced them with a black pair before turning to the two Pokémon and saying, "Well. How do I look?" He struck a pose Blade could only describe as moronic. "Prepare for trouble and make it double."
Hikari and Blade just stared at him blankly.
"Man. You guys are a tough house. Okay. Let's get to work."
After much irritation Blade zoned out what was happening around him, he seemed to have lost his own free will, so he'd just see if he'd move on his own at the humans words. Which he did, sneaking around with Hikari and the human.
They snuck into a building, but Blade only noticed when he saw the change of nature to a less natural look. There was nothing inside except a corridor leading to the front door. There were several other doors lining the corridor. All were locked except one, exactly halfway down the corridor on the right hand side. A set of double doors leading to a staircase.
This staircase in turn led down to a dimly lit corridor underneath Po Town. Hikari was unsettled as he set paw down here. The air was cold and stiff making him shiver. Without truly knowing why he was doing it, he scurried up the human's back to sit on his shoulder.
Doors lined the corridor and it ended with another set of stairs, leading to yet another dimly lit corridor. Eventually however they came to a room that looked like a cross between a laboratory and an office. It was filled with desks, several computers including a large monitor and console on the wall opposite the door, and a load of other equipment too complicated for either of the pokemon to understand.
The human sat at one of the desks. "Right. Let's find out what Team Rocket's up to in Alola," he said, more to himself than to either of the Pokémon. He took something out of his pocket and stuck it into a port on the side of the monitor.
At once images and text flashed across the screen. Complex patterns and formulas that Hikari didn't recognize…Except for an image of a Dewott. "Geyser," he gasped. Blade noticed it at Hikari's gasp. Blade didn't even know the Dewott well, but he already didn't like him.
"Hey you!" Someone suddenly shouted from behind. "This room's off access. What are you doing here?"
The human got up and spun around, and Hikari with him. Two Team Rocket Grunts were standing at the entrance to the room.
"Umm…sorry sir," Max replied quickly. "The base commander asked me to check a record for him."
The grunt's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Let me see some ID."
"Err…ID." Max reached into his pockets but pulled out nothing. "I think I forgot my wallet."
"Then I'm afraid you're going to need to come with us,' said the grunt, removing a Pokéball from his belt…
"Zubat, I choose you."
"Go Machoke."
The grunts tossed their Pokéballs into the air releasing a blind bat-like creature and a humanoid Pokémon with big muscles.
"Get 'em you two," the human commanded. Blade wasn't hesitant this time, he hadn't been too happy about being caught so, taking his frustrations out on Team Rocket was more than a decent way of handling it.
"Pika!" At once Hikari leapt off his shoulder to confront Zubat and Machoke, paws spread out in a battle ready pose, tail low to the ground. Blade joined him, brandishing his claws threateningly. The Sneasel had to contain himself, he suddenly felt that compelling force give way so he could act.
"Zubat supersonic."
"Pikachu thunderbolt…"
The attack knocked the bat pokemon out instantly. And before the human could even order Blade, he'd slid under Machine, between its legs and slashed them bringing the muscular pokemon to it's knees and in a swift motion jumped back onto it's head using ice beam to freeze it's head to the ground and subdue it spreading the ice over the two grunts as well. 'Hikari's exhausted, a single battle against a trainer was one thing, taking Team Rocket on is different. They're murderers, kidnappers…..monsters.'
They quickly moved out of the room and down another hall. And suddenly that compelling force was back.
Hikari, Blade and the human found themselves in what appeared to be another laboratory/office. It was almost identical to the last room except for two differences; one the room was bathed in a red light. And two, there was a large metal and glass case in the center of the room, like the incubator in a Pokémon Centre.
"What the! What on earth are Team Rocket doing," the human asked aloud. He tentatively approached the incubator, Hikari and Blade by his side. Hikari climbed back onto his shoulder to get a look. Blade didn't need to know, he had more than a few guesses, and each one made him more furious than the last.
Inside was a strange creature. Like a large muscular bug type with long pointed proboscis on an oval shaped head. It appeared to be injured…no, dismembered, with large gashes in its chest and stomach and a number of holes that suggested parts of its body had been cut off.
'Did Team Rocket get the scraps of something Shadow got ahold of?' Blade though noticing the missing limbs.
Hikari gave a little gasp at the sight.
"Oh no," the human whispered, touching the glass. "Buzzwole. What have Team Rocket done to you?"
Buzzwole? Was that what it was called?
"Well well. Looks like we found our intruder," came a voice from behind.
"And look who it is. Da mini-twerp."
"Turn around slowly, twerp and prepare for trouble."
"Put your hands up and make it double."
Déjà vu… Hikari, Blade and the human once again found themselves confronted by three Team Rocket Grunts. Except these were different, not clad in black, but still bearing the red insignia. Blade had heard something about them.
*Flashback*
Lyte showed Shadow and Blade several pictures. A woman with oversized hair, a man with what appeared to be Blue or perhaps indigo hair, and a Meowth. "According to what I've found these are three very well known members of Team Rocket, reliable sources say their names are Jessie and James, allegedly they've been chasing one kid across the world for some Pikachu. A ridiculous task for a single pokemon, but they shouldn't be a threat considering sources say they haven't succeeded. Even so, they are still members of Team Rocket so don't underestimate them."
*End of Flashback*
It was indeed Jessie, James and Meowth…And a Wobbuffet. Lyte hadn't had enough information on their teams it would seem.
They launched into what Blade could only say was a completely moronic motto.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite the people within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie."
"James."
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."
"Meowth dat's right!"
"Wobbuffet!"
"You three," the human scowled. "Wait! How did you recognize me?"
"Oh please." Meowth waved his paw dismissively. "Like we wouldn't recognize you, da number of times you made us blast off."
"You can't be us in disguise, twerp," added James. "We're the masters of disguises."
"You've got some nerve twerp, prowling around our base uninvited," said Jessie.
"What exactly are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here in the Alola region," the bother human replied.
"That's not fair. I asked you first," said James.
"Well I asked you second."
The longer the conversation went the more Blade wanted to see the humans strung up by a rope as Shadow lifted them from the ground.
"It doesn't matter," Jessie snapped before the conversation could deteriorate into a circular argument. "Team Rocket has ways of extracting information from people. Now twerp. You're coming with us."
"No way."
Jessie laughed. "I'm afraid it's not negotiable."
"You heard the motto twerp," said James. "Surrender now or prepare to fight."
He and Jessie threw a Pokéball into the air casually. Arbok and Inkay materialized in front of them.
At the same time, Meowth took a step forward, extending his claws. "So what's it gonna be?"
"Snea." Blade had to hide an excited grin. He might be able to off these allegedly incompetent fools.
"Pikachu!"
Blade stepped defensively in front of the human and Hikari jumped down from his shoulder to confront the three Pokémon.
"Nya!" Meowth's eyes widened as they fell upon Hikari. He pointed a clawed paw at him and said, "Umm Guys."
"Isn't that the twerp's baby Pikachu," asked Jessie raising one eyebrow.
"I have a name you know," said Hikari slightly hurt.
Blade was confused, they knew each other, but if the knew him as a baby…there was no time to dwell on it, he had to stay focused.
"I believe it is," replied James, ignoring Hikari. "What's it doing here?"
"Never mind that James," hissed Jessie. "How did the mini-twerp get a hold of it?"
"You don't think the big twerp betrayed us do you?"
"His name is Ash," cried Hikari, but his plea fell on deaf ears.
"Nah. I reckon the mini-twerp must 'ave kidnapped him and's usin' him against his will," said Meowth. He suddenly became worried. "Nya…But dat means da twerp must have some sort of Pokémon control device."
"Rocket huddle!" Jessie, James and Meowth turned their backs to Blade and the others, dropped to the floor in a huddle, and started muttering among themselves.
Hikari coxed his head. "Guys?"
"Come on, now's our chance," said the human making a run for the exit. Hikari and Blade quickly followed.
Inkay and Arbok looked at each other.
"Should we," Inkay began but Arbok shook his head before the squid-like Pokémon could finish the question.
"If they're not paying attention then it's not my problem."
It was just as Hikari was crossing the threshold that Team Rocket got back up, having apparently reached a decision.
"Okay so it settled," said Meowth. "We'll…Hey. Dare getting' away."
"After them," shouted Jessie.
*A few minutes later*
Hikari, Blade and the human managed to get back up the stairs and out of the underground complex without much difficulty. They only ran into two Team Rocket members, whom Hikari was able to immobilise with a thunderbolt before they could become a threat.
Jessie, James and Meowth, however, remained hot on their heels.
"Get back here twerp."
"You've got nowhere to run and nowhere to hide."
Up the stairs, out of the house, and then along the high street, which was fortunately devoid of Team Rocket Grunts. Finally they reached the entrance…, which was guarded by a metal shutter.
"Pikachu, aura sphere…" Hikari conjured the aura sphere on his tail and lobbed it at the gate… It had absolutely no effect whatsoever. The orb exploded into a burst of blue energy leaving not so much as a dent or even a scratch on the metal. "Huh…"
The three of them skidded to a halt before the door.
"Okay," said the human nervously. "Try again."
"PIKA PIKA PIKA…" Hikari lobbed three more aura spheres at the door. It remained as solid as ever.
"Oh no," the human whispered, his face going pale.
"Got ya know twerp," Came Meowth's voice from behind.
He spun around to face the Trio. Hikari and Blade did the same.
"Hehehe…That wimpy attack would have been fine if you were trying to put out a candle," Jessie said tauntingly.
"Hey!" Hikari whined.
Blade was already done with Team Rocket's bullshit, and they just found more ways to irritate him, now they'd insulted Hikari's strength.
Jessie ignored him again. "Now. As you can see you're completely surrounded with no way out."
"And now that we've got you cornered you may as well give yourself up," added James.
"And I'm sure da twerp will be wantin' his Asahchoo kit back," said Meowth. "So why not let 'em go free. Dare's no reason he should get hurt for you."
'Ashachu?' Blade thought glancing to Hikari 'he must be mistaking him for another Pikachu? One who looks similar or something's despite what Blade told himself he felt a seed of paranoia growing in his mind.
"Pika." Hikari coxed his head, surprised by Team Rocket's apparent concern for his wellbeing.
The human bit his lip wondering what to do. Jessie and James's Pokémon usually weren't particularly strong. Hikari and Blade would probably be able to take them. But then what would he do. He'd still be stuck in Po Town.
"We're going to give you to the count of three twerp," said Jessie.
"Surrender or prepare to fight," said James.
"One…Two…Th."
"Ashachu."
'That name again?' Blade felt his unease growing, but disregarded it.
Suddenly more people came running up the high street. These ones Blade recognized as the trainers Jimmy and Cameron as well as two pokemon Typhlosion and Riolu followed by a bunch of more Team Rocket Grunts.
"Ashachu. Your safe!" The riolu ran up to Hikari and embraced him. "Oh I was so worried about you." He licked Hikari on the crown of his head.
Hikari accepted the embrace and nuzzled the riolu's neck.
"It's you!" Jimmy and Cameron both chorused as they seemed to recognize the human
At the same time one of the other Rocket's exclaimed, "The intruder cornered. Well done Jessie and James."
The human clenched his fists. "Pikachu. Use thunderbolt…Pikachu."
Hikari ignored him and continued to nuzzle the riolu.
The human let out a defeated sigh. There was no way he could fight his way out of this. He slowly raised his arms in the air. "Alright. I surrender."
Blade, against his own commands, did the same. And they were taken away moments later.