Welcome to the final chapter of Hoenn. So, as I write this, it is late afternoon/early evening on Tuesday. I wanted to write this chapter earlier in the day, since my laptop started working again. But then it stopped working again, and now I need to wait a couple of weeks to get it back. Place your bets on whether or not it'll come back actually fucking working. Anyway, because of this disappointment, I decided not to update it until tomorrow. But then I started rereading this story to refresh my memory, and changed my mind, since I'm very much looking forward to writing. Here's hoping you're reading this on Tuesday.
Chapter 98:
To Protect the World from Devastation
They do not, in fact, like it. At all.
An explosion of protests bursts from everyone as Ash explains who he has in mind. "Are you crazy!?" May asks. "How in Arceus's name can you even think of trusting them!?" "What made you even think about them?" Dawn asks. "They approached me," Ash replies. "According to them, we have a common enemy. Team Terra wronged them, and they want revenge. And to help get that, they offered one favour, on the condition that I return it at some point." Ash you can't be serious," Serena says. "They could have you do something horrible in return." Ash shakes his head. "I have the option to turn it down and accept a different one," he replies. "So, as far as I'm aware, this is a good deal."
"Yeah, of course it is," says Clemont sarcastically. "It's not as if they've tricked you before." "This is different," Ash argues. "I scanned them with my Aura, and they weren't lying. At least, they believed they were being sincere." "I don't care how sincere they think they are!" May shouts. "I'm not trusting those fools with the safety of my little brother!" "Nor I with my sister!" Clemont adds. At this, Ash stands up angrily. "Alright then," he says. "Give me another plan and we'll do it!" Neither of them speak. "Exactly," he says, calming down a bit. "Look, I don't like this anymore than you do," he says. "But this is literally the only idea we have. So unless you've got a better one, it's the one we have to go with."
Korrina looks to Max and Bonnie at this. "What do you think?" she asks. Bonnie looks to Max, silently letting him know that she'll agree with whatever he decides. Max thinks about it for a while, weighing the risks. Eventually, he sighs and makes his decision. "I think we should do it," he says finally. Everyone stares at him. "But it's a terrible plan!" May argues. "How can you of all people agree to it?" "I'm not denying it's a terrible plan," Max replies. "But like Ash said, we have no other option. Besides, if they do try to backstab us, Bonnie and I can escape on Talonflame and Flygon." Bonnie nods in agreement at this.
"This is all well and good," says Meyer. "But none of that matters as long as Team Terra are actively looking for them. No amount of sneakiness from those morons will get them out of this region." Ash smirks at this. "Not without a distraction," he says. "And I've got that part covered." With that, he stands up. "May, Dawn, Serena, Clemont, I need your help with this." All of them look at him quizzically. "Why not us?" Drew asks. "You'll see," Ash replies, scrolling through his phone. "Just get Max and Bonnie to wherever they can meet with them this evening. We'll have a nice distraction cooked up for you by then." He turns to leave the room, when Zoey asks, "What are you planning?" Ash turns to look at her, grins, and says, "Team Terra have been fighting us at every turn. I think it's about time we take the fight to them." With that, he leads the four of them out of the room, leaving the rest of them to plan out a way for Max and Bonnie to meet with Ash's contacts.
The people responsible for sneaking Max and Bonnie out of Hoenn contact them in the late afternoon, sending them the coordinates for the meet-up spot. By this time, a large number of people have stopped by the Maple house to ask if Max is in there. Max has had to hide up on the rafters of the gym to prevent from being found. Meanwhile, no one could get out of Ash what his plan is. It seems to involve his old travelling buddies, and he did tell them to keep an eye on the news, but that's about it.
Eventually, evening falls, and it's time to move Max and Bonnie to the meet-up spot. So, Norman gets his old pickup truck out, and Drew, Zoey, and Korrina fill it with old blankets and sheets. If anyone asks, Norman is dropping them off to an old friend. Once the back of the truck is filled, Max and Bonnie climb inside and bury themselves in the sheets. Before she does, Bonnie gives her father a goodbye hug, and promises to stay safe. Max does the same thing with his mother, then they climb in. Once they're tucked under the sheets, Norman starts the car and drives off.
Luckily for them, no one stops him as he drives them to the meet-up spot, and they arrive without issue. Norman parks the truck, then lifts the sheets up, allowing Max and Bonnie to climb out. "Well, this is where we part," says Norman. "Those guys want only the two of you there after all. Just remember, if they do anything, and I mean anything to bring you any harm, hurt them back by any means necessary and get the Reverse World out of there, got it?" Max nods, then pulls his father into a hug. "See you when this all blows over," he says. Norman nods and hugs him back. "See you soon," he says. Then, he gets back into the truck and drives off. Max and Bonnie turn around, and head into the meet-up spot.
The meet-up spot is an old abandoned wear house, and a massive one at that. Its massive door is open, though it's too dark to see inside of it. The courtyard surrounding the wear house is deserted, with crates littering the place. Max wouldn't be surprised if they spotted a few ghost types knocking about. They reach the middle of the yard, and Bonnie starts calling out, "Hello!? Hello? We're here! Where are you?!" No response comes. They look around, but nothing happens. "You don't think they bailed on us do you?" Bonnie asks. Max shrugs. "I don't know," he says, "but if I know them, and I'm sorry to say I do, they do love their-" At that moment, floodlights that neither of them noticed before switch on and point to the roof of the wear-house. "Dramatic entrances," Max finishes. "Here they are."
Max and Bonnie look up to the roof of the wear-house, to find two large figures, and one small one, standing on the roof. All 3 of them wearing cloaks. "Prepare for trouble!" shouts the one on the left. "And make it double!" exclaims the one on the right.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!" The figure on the left removes her cloak, revealing a pink haired woman in the Team Rocket uniform.
"And James!" The figure on the right does the same, revealing a blue haired man in the same clothes.
"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, that's right!" The small figure removes his cloak, revealing a Meowth.
At that moment, a Pokéball on Jessie's belt glows, as another Pokémon jumps out, shouting, "Wobbuffet!"
The four of them jump down from the roof, using Wobbuffet to cushion their fall. "So, you two need help being snuck out of the region," Jessie asks. Max nods. "And I can't believe we're getting help from the likes of you." "Well, beggars can't be choosers," says James, "so quit complaining." With that, he, Jessie, and Meowth begin to head into the wear-house. "Wait," Bonnie calls. "Why do you want to help us?" Team Rocket stop walking towards the wear-house. "Because we want to get back at Team Terra," Meowth explains. "Those goons stole a bunch of good people from Team Rocket, and drastically reduced our size. And our numbers were already wearing thin."
Meowth isn't wrong. Ever since Ash became the Monarch, the number Team Rocket agents had begun to decrease, due to being arrested or quitting. And now that a large portion seems to have emigrated over to Team Terra, Team Rocket would probably be a shell of its former self. "So, you want to help Ash so you can pay them back for stealing members?" Max asks. "More or less," Jessie replies, shrugging. "Plus, having the Twerp owe us a favour will be very handy." "But enough talking," says James. "Follow us. We'll take you to your means out of this region." With that, Team Rocket enter the wear-house. Bonnie follows them, but Max stays behind. He stares out at the region he calls home, possibly for the last time. He feels Bonnie take his hand, and turns to her. They smile at each other, then follow the trio into the building.
Jessie, James, and Meowth lead them to a large floating object covered by a giant tarp. Max gets a bad feeling about it. Then, James grabs the tarp and pulls it down, revealing Team Rocket's 'brilliant' idea for sneaking them out. "You've got to be kidding," says Max. Under the tarp was a massive blimp, with Meowth's face on the front, and a giant R on either side. "That's your plan for sneaking us out!?" Bonnie exclaims. "The whole point is to be stealthy!" "And we will be," says Jessie. Max can't help but laugh at that. "Come on," he says. "Nobody would be dumb enough to actually go through with a plan like this!" "Exactly!" Meowth exclaims. "Which makes it the perfect plan. Team Terra will believe that you're far too clever to sneak out of the region on a Team Rocket blimp, so there's no way they'd think to check it!" "And even if they did," Jessie adds, "they'd have to risk and all out war on 2 fronts."
Now Max is very confused. "What do you mean by that?" he asks. "Well, we know that the Twerp is planning a major distraction for us," says James. "And he seems to be planning on taking on Team Terra themselves. Since he's the Monarch, he's bound to have hundreds of supporters there." "So, if Team Terra were to attack us," Meowth finishes, "they'd risk angering the far superior Team Rocket. Thus, triggering a war on 2 front. It's foolproof!" "Considering how big of a fool these 3 are I find that hard to believe," Bonnie whispers to Max, who snickers.
Team Rocket carry on talking as if they didn't hear her. "Now, all you need to do is get inside," says Jessie. "We'll keep those Team Terra goons out of this blimp, and we'll be in Kanto in no time. Simple as that!" Max and Bonnie look at each other sceptically, but decide not to argue. So, they climb inside the blimp. Jessie and Meowth lead the two of them to a stack of crates around the back, while James starts up the engine. "Hide in here," says Jessie, pointing to the stack. "Once we're past Hoenn's borders we'll let you out." Both Max and Bonnie do as their told, though not before checking any escape hatches for them to flee through should the need arise.
In no time at all, they're up in the air. Sure enough, no one interrupts their ascent. As they wait for the chance to get out of their hiding places, the two of them hear Meowth approaching. "Hey, check the news," he tells them. "The Twerp's distraction is starting now!" Max pulls out his phone and switches to the news. The news woman has just finished describing what's happening, and how the Monarch Ash Ketchum has a message for the people of the world. At the moment Max turns it on, the news report swaps to Ash's face. He has a serious look, with Pikachu sitting on his back.
"Greeting everyone," he says. "I come to you about something serious. The attack on Larousse, instigated by Team Terra. This is the second time they've attacked a major city, and largely gotten away with it! And now, they've seized control of the Hoenn region itself!" At that moment, an image of Brodie appears next to Ash's head. "This man has been lying to you!" he continues. "He is Admin Bannai! He's the one who attacked Champion Brendan! And now he's using the position of Champion to kidnap a friend of mine! As the Monarch, I cannot stand for this any longer!"
At this, he pulls out a Pokéball. "Team Terra, you've been allowed to run rampant across the world for long enough!" he says. "I feel that it's about time we took the fight to you! And I'm not the only one who thinks this!" At that, Ash's picture gets smaller, and goes to the top left of the screen. Then, one by one, more people start appearing on screen. Misty, Brock, Tracey, May, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, Serena, Mallow, Lana, Lillie, Kiawe, Sophocles, Goh, and Chloe all appeared on screen, each of them holding a Pokéball of their own. "We will no longer stand by, and allow you to tear our world to pieces in your self-gratifying quest to 'save the world'," Ash says. "So, Team Terra. This is our message to you!" At that, all of them raise their Pokéballs to the screen. "WE CHALLENGE YOU TO A BATTLE!" they all declare, before the broadcast ends.
As soon as it is, they hear James laughing. "Well, it worked!" he announces. "We're now clear from the Hoenn region. Next stop, Kanto!" Max and Bonnie step out of their hiding place and walk over to the windows. Looking out, they see the feint sign of a plane turning around and heading back to Hoenn. "Looks like Debbie and Cooper were chasing us," Bonnie comments. Max nods. "Thank Arceus for Ash's plan huh," he says. "That's a sentence I never thought I'd say." Bonnie laughs at that, then looks out to the front of the blimp. In the distance, they can see land. "So, ready for the next stage in our adventure?" he asks her. Bonnie laughs and nods her head. "You know I am," she replies, as the two of them watch Kanto approaching beneath them.
Yeah, I bet you all saw that coming huh? That Team Rocket were a part of Ash's plan, I mean. But with that, that is the end of Volume 2. Overall, I think it was better than Kalos, though the second half really lets it down if I'm honest. Hopefully Volume 3 will be an improvement. But, you're going to have to wait 2 weeks for that I'm afraid. Not only do I need a break, as I've been writing this nonstop for the past 5 months, but I also want to write some other things during this 2 week break, so keep an eye out for those on AO3 as I don't typically post stuff here. But, with that said, thanks for reading this far, and I'll see you soon with Volume 3. I will post the link here whenever the first chapter comes out.