From the top of the hill, upon exiting Rock Tunnel, Lavender Town could always be seen just in the distance. Even on a good day, the town carried a dreary feel to it, with overcast skies and a general air of depression. But today, as one Hiker leaving Rock Tunnel saw from afar, the town was cast in a different light, both figuratively and literally. The light grey clouds were being reached by thick black smoke, and the orange glare of burning buildings were seen beneath it.
In the town itself, at ground zero, people were running and screaming in fright, desperately trying to get away from the burning buildings. Children could be heard crying, not wanting to leave their homes, but their parents scooped them up regardless. Water-type Pokémon, flanked by firefighters and police officers, were desperately trying to put out the fire, but the blaze was quickly growing beyond their ability to handle. In time, they were forced to abandon the city as well.
Atop the rubble of a fallen building sat a figure. This figure's face and body were obscured by a black cloak with a hood that covered them from head to toe. Still, if anyone were left to see him, they would see a visible smile beneath the hood. By their side was a Houndoom, and they affectionately scratched under its chin. No words needed to be said. They were at peace with the destruction around them and enjoying their role in it.
"Having fun, Apollo?"
The man clicked his tongue in frustration as he heard that familiar voice and heard feet touching down behind him. The newcomer's voice was soft and feminine, though her appearance was also hidden beneath a black cloak identical to Apollo's. By her side was a Gallade, whose Teleport much have been how she managed to appear so suddenly. Houndoom turned around and immediately began to growl threateningly, but was ceased by Apollo raising his hand. He didn't turn back to face the newcomer at all.
"What do you want, Artemis?" snapped Apollo.
"The superior asked me to check in on you", answered Artemis with a giggle. "Should I assume from the scorched earth that you've acquired the target?"
Apollo couldn't stop himself from gnashing his teeth, trying to suppress his dislike of his fellow.
"It's a work in progress", Apollo said, choosing his words carefully. "An Officer Jenny with a little too much backbone got in my way at the last minute. This was just a way to vent some frustrations."
Artemis couldn't stop herself from laughing. By contrast, Gallade closed its eyes and shook its head.
"So, what do you intend to do about it, 'brother'?"
Apollo rolled his eyes and slowly rose to his feet. Houndoom looked up at its Trainer inquisitively as Apollo finally turned to face Artemis.
"Well, fortunately, we were able to injure him. He won't be getting far, no matter which way he went. Houndoom can sniff him out, and we'll have the package with no time lost."
Artemis smirked, placing a hand on Gallade's shoulder.
"You'd better be able to deliver on that, Apollo. The superior is getting impatient."
With that, Gallade's eyes began to glow, and both it and Artemis vanished as if they were never there. Deciding to take his own leave, Apollo whistled as he jumped from the crumbled ruins, Houndoom following. As the duo began walking away, a rumbling sound followed by a crash could be heard. The iconic Pokémon Tower of Lavender Town had finally given way to the same blaze consuming the rest of the town.
Not far away, just outside Vermillion City on Route 12, a young man was engaged in a Pokémon battle. The young man was Ash Ketchum, age fifteen, and his Pokémon of choice was Pikachu. To the uninformed, considering his opponent's choice in Pokémon was Vileplume, it seemed a poor choice. But for those who knew, like his 15-year-old companion Iris, it was the Vileplume Trainer who was at a disadvantage. An astronomical, insurmountable disadvantage.
"Darn it", hissed the Trainer through grit teeth. "I'm not gonna lose here! Vileplume, use your Acid attack!"
The Flower Pokémon spun around with a confident glare, bowing its head to point the center of its flower at Pikachu. Then, the potent solution flew from its full-bloom top in a stream towards its opponents.
"He's gonna dodge and use Iron Tail", Iris stated matter-of-factly, leaning back against a nearby fence with a bored expression.
"Pikachu! Dodge, then use Iron Tail!" called out Ash.
The Electric Mouse Pokémon complied instantly. It leapt aside as a yellow blur, dodging the acid effortlessly. Still, it didn't make it less chilling, seeing the acid melt through the ground where Pikachu had just been standing. Even Vileplume almost seemed to shudder at the sight. However, this didn't last long. Pikachu's tail began glowing with a white sheen, and it smashed the appendage into Vileplume's face. Vileplume went flying backwards, landing on its back and skidding to a halt. Still, the pink and blue Grass-type was able to rise to its feet defiantly.
"Don't give up, Vileplume! This next attack will finish it!"
"Couldn't agree more", Ash replied with a confident smirk.
Iris, however, seemed as bored as ever.
"What a kid. Just use Thunderbolt and finish it off", she whined with a tired smile.
The two Trainers paused for a moment, and their Pokémon sunk into low combat poses, as if ready to burst forward at full speed. After a tense moment of silence…
"Vileplume, use Petal Dance!"
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Vileplume moved first. It jumped high into the air; flower petals beginning to swirl around it. Then, it pointed its head downward towards Pikachu once more, and those petals swirled towards the mouse like a targeted beam. But Pikachu was faster. At the last possible moment, Pikachu pushed off from the ground with its tail, launching itself above the already high-up Vileplume. With crackling cheeks, Pikachu let out its signature battle cry.
"Piiiiiikaaaaaa…CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
A bolt of electricity shot off the mouse in a flash of blinding light. It collided with Vileplume and coursed through its body, before climaxing with a massive explosion. As the smoke lingered, both Pokémon fell back to Earth. Pikachu did a front flip before landing gracefully on its four paws. Vileplume, meanwhile, crashed into the ground with a loud thud, and it was knocked out cold.
"Vileplume is unable to battle", declared Iris in the least enthused judgement call ever. "The winner is Pikachu, and Ash."
Ash and Pikachu, however, were as excited as they'd ever been, running towards each other. Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms and began nuzzling his Trainer affectionately. Ash laughed happily, nuzzling his partner back. The Vileplume Trainer, by contrast, didn't say a word. He simply recalled the fainted Pokémon to its PokéBall and walked away. Iris rolled her eyes and walked up to Ash.
"You can't seriously still get excited to beat chumps like that", Iris complained as she rolled her eyes. "Once a kid, always a kid, I guess."
"Hey, you're the one who wanted to come visit us in Kanto", Ash snapped back. "This is what you signed up for."
Pikachu sighed in exasperation at the two's usual bickering, only for its ears to perk up and its head to turn.
"Pika Pika!"
Pikachu pointed, and Ash and Iris were quick to follow its gaze. There, walking towards them, was a man. He appeared quite disheveled, red in the face and out of breath, his clothes ragged and torn. His long blond hair was sticking out at all angles, and his forehead was practically drenched in sweat. But more interesting than the man himself was what he was carrying. It was a Pokémon Egg, but it wasn't in an incubator. Most of the time, Trainers that received Pokémon Eggs kept them in a small portable incubator until it was time for them to hatch, both so they could develop under ideal conditions and so the Egg was protected from the elements. To see this man carrying an egg out in the open like this was… Odd.
"Hey, are you okay?" asked Ash as he and Iris ran over to the man.
The man didn't answer. He simply collapsed in a heap, just barely holding his body up to keep from dropping the Egg. As Iris and Ash knelt and looked the man over, it quickly became clear that his clothes were suffering from more than just add and lack of care.
"It looks like his clothes were burned in a few places", observed Iris.
"And some of these tears look like claw marks", noted Ash.
"Pika…", added Pikachu, before its ears stood straight up.
"Huh? What's up, Pikachu?"
Pikachu jumped from Ash's arms onto the ground, its gaze steely and ready for combat. Ash, Pikachu, and Iris all tensed up, their eyes darting back and forth as they looked around. Something was nearby that Pikachu thought was dangerous. But where? Even if Pikachu could hear it, it wouldn't matter if they didn't see it. For just a few eerie moments, the trio stood around the man in a tight defensive formation in absolute silence.
…
…
…Nothing-
"Look out!" shouted Iris, throwing a PokéBall on instinct.
From out of nowhere, a Houndoom leapt forth from the bushes, its fangs alight with flames and a terrible growl escaping its maw. It lunched for the man, only to find itself blocked. Iris had called out her own faithful partner, Haxorus. The Dragon-type swung its head around in an arc, the ax-shaped tusks colliding with Houndoom's fangs. As Houndoom bit down, the combatants glared at each other with pure contempt. Houndoom let out another low, threatening growl, but Haxorus had been through many battles over the years. It wasn't intimidated.
With a grunt, Haxorus swung its head again, sending the vicious dog flying back. But Houndoom caught itself, flipping head over heels before landing gently on its feet. Before anyone could move again, though, the sound of a slow, sarcastic clap could be heard.
"Well done, girl", said a male voice. "That's the first time someone's managed to block an attack from my Houndoom since the superior's partner."
Stepping out from behind a tree, a man in a long black coat that covered him from head to toe appeared. As he stepped out to join his Houndoom, he stopped clapping and pulled down his hood, giving Ash and Iris a good look at him. His head was mostly shaved, with what little hair he had left styled into a ginger mohawk. With a ring piercing his crooked nose and green eyes depraved, it didn't exactly make him the most pleasant face in the world. But with his sinister chuckle and the way he complimented Iris, he might have come off as unpleasant either way.
"Who do you think you are?!" demanded Ash.
"They call me Apollo, and this Houndoom is my best friend", introduced the man. "And if you don't mind, that man you're protecting has something of mine, and I'd very much like it back."
Iris scoffed.
"The way YOU ask? Sorry. I don't take orders from bullies who use their Pokémon like weapons to get what they want."
Houndoom snarled and stamped its front legs, as if it were offended by what Iris had said. That instantly set Iris on edge. Most of the time, it could be counted on for obvious villains to have a poor relationship with their Pokémon. Something that could be exploited in a battle. But if Houndoom was willing to defend Apollo, and Apollo considered it his best friend, then that went out the window.
In contrast to Houndoom, however, Apollo simply sighed and shook his head with a pitying smile.
"Such a shame to let the good die young, but you might not be giving a choice", he threatened before extending an arm.
"Houndoom! Use Beat Up!"
Houndoom howled out before breaking out into a run. Haxorus and Iris clenched up into combat stances, waiting for the attack-
"No, you don't! Snivy! Attract!"
Ash was faster than either side. Throwing out a PokéBall, the small Grass-type snake emerged, and took immediate action. In a flirtatious way, she winked at her opponent, hearts swirling around her before flying towards Houndoom. As soon as just a single heart touched the beast, its whole demeanor changed. The previously vicious beast now had hearts for eyes, and it appeared absolutely smitten. It was unable to make a single move.
"Houndoom?!"
While Apollo was confused by this, Iris was quick to seize on the opening Ash had made.
"Haxorus, use Breaking Swipe!"
Haxorus leapt towards Houndoom, its tail glowing a bright shade of purple. Pirouetting like a spinning top, Haxorus's tail smashed into Houndoom's face with tremendous force. As Houndoom reeled back and let out a pained howl, Apollo was quick to counter.
"Don't let it, Houndoom! Use Foul Play!"
With Breaking Swipe hitting it, Houndoom temporarily came back to reality and complied with the quickness. It bit down on Haxorus's still-glowing tail and began to swing the dragon around as if it were a wrecking ball. When Houndoom finally let go, Haxorus was sent flying. It crashed into Snivy with explosive force, sending both Pokémon skidding back towards their Trainers.
"Snivy! Can you keep going?" worried Ash.
"Come on, Haxorus! Don't let that stop you!"
Apollo laughed.
"It's useless! Foul Play used Haxorus's own power against it! It doesn't matter how strong you are if that strength is your own worst enemy!"
But Apollo was wrong. His eyes widened as he saw the two reptiles in front of him rise to their feet again, ready to continue the fight. They weren't even breathing hard! So, either Haxorus was weaker than he thought, or both Pokémon were just strong enough to dish it out AND take it at the same time.
"Ash. Let me handle this one", Iris request, stepping forward alongside Haxorus and casting a menacing glare at Apollo. Ash nodded and cast a glare of his own at Apollo. Apollo laughed.
"Do all Kanto men hide behind their women? Where I'm from, men are men, and respect each other as such."
"Then I guess that makes the men of your hometown pathetic old geezers, doesn't it?" snapped Iris, who clearly did not appreciate the comment. Ash remained silent, not giving Apollo the satisfaction.
Who in the world are these two? They're just kids, thought Apollo as he clenched his fist. Still, as unnerved as he was, he returned their glares in kind, and let a deranged smile rise to his lips. There was something exhilarating about this situation. Finally, he and Houndoom could let loose against someone outside of their fellows. No holds bars.
"Haxorus, use Psycho Cut!"
Apollo couldn't help but smirk. This was it. The girl had made a mistake. Psychic-type moves didn't work against Dark-type Pokémon like Houndoom.
"Use Foul Play!"
Haxorus ran towards Houndoom, lowing its head as its tusks began to glow with crackling purple energy. Houndoom stood its ground, growling in anticipation. Haxorus drew closer and closer, and as it swung its head, Houndoom opened its maw to catch the attack.
"Switch to Giga Impact!"
Switch moves in mid-attack?! That was something Apollo and Houndoom hadn't been expecting. At the last second, Haxorus stopped itself mid-swing, and launched itself from the ground. Letting speed and momentum do the work, Haxorus smashed into Houndoom headfirst, resulting in a massive explosion. Haxorus jumped back, skidding to a halt in front of Iris and Ash. Houndoom, by contrast, bounced against the ground before landing in a crumbled heap in front of Apollo.
"On your feet!" commanded Apollo without a second of hesitation.
Houndoom obeyed, shakily rising while locking eyes with Haxorus-
"That's enough, Apollo", said a feminine voice.
Apollo, Ash, and Iris were confused, before their eyes widened at a sudden new arrival. Appearing quite literally out of thin air, she was wearing the same cloak as Apollo, though her hood was raised to hide her face, and she was accompanied by a Gallade. Apollo clicked his tongue and growled before he could stop himself.
"This is my battle!" he hissed. "Keep out of it, Artemis!"
"I can't", answered Artemis. "These are Ash Ketchum and Iris. Neither of us could hope to defeat them at our current level."
"Watch me", retorted Apollo. "Houndoom!"
But Houndoom, despite its loyalty, didn't try to continue the battle. In fact, it did the opposite. With a small scoff, firing crackling from its mouth as it did, Houndoom turned away from Haxorus and walked over to its two cloaked allies. That, unfortunately, told Apollo everything. Houndoom had battled enough to know that Artemis was right. With a sigh, Apollo smirked at the duo and stepped closer to Artemis.
"You're in luck, kids. You got a free pass today", he joked. "But next time, I swear I'll rip you to pieces."
"Hey, wait!" called Ash, trying to run towards them.
With that, Galllade's eyes glowed blue, and it, Apollo, Artemis, and Houndoom all vanished. Teleport. All Ash was running to now was empty air.
"What was that about?" asked Iris.
"I don't know, but I think we have some powerful new enemies", noted Ash.
"Sor…", Haxorus growled softly.
"Vee", agreed Snivy.
"Pika Pi!"
Ash and Iris turned their attention to Pikachu. Pikachu was standing by the unconscious man that Apollo had been after.
"Right. Now that we have a minute to catch our breath, we should get him to a doctor", said Ash.
"How about the Pokémon Center? We should probably get Nurse Joy to look after the egg he's carrying anyway", suggested Iris.
"You're right", agreed Ash. "Snivy, return!"
Pointing a PokéBall at the small grass snake, Snivy was recalled, safe and sound. Pikachu leapt to Ash's shoulder, and Haxorus chose to pick up the man in its arms. Even in his unconscious state, he was clutching the Egg tightly, so they may as well leave it there for now.
Unaware that they were being watched from the shadows, the two Champions and their Pokémon set off back towards Vermillion City.
