Ash wasn't keeping track of time, but his mind insisted that at least an hour had passed as he and his friends made their way through the enemy turf that they had been plucked straight into. Trying to dodge encounters had proved a waste of time as his group fought off a few Pokemon ambushes along the way, along with one lone poacher. He had healed the team in between bouts, using a combination of berries and Valiant's Life Dew, in hopes of not only mending wounds but also keeping their stamina up, but he knew diminishing returns would rear their head sooner or later. Eventually, they were drawn in a specific direction when Valiant's mind pulsed, an unavoidable sensation of distress signaling itself.

  Ash's heart tightened as they approached what was clearly a campsite, made up of tents, crates, and sets of equipment that they did not bother identifying. He was about to tell his team to approach slowly when his breath caught in his throat- a large, immediately recognizable figure rounding a corner and gazing straight at them.

  Graveler were pretty intimidating to look at as is, but even more so when one was so randomly stumbled upon, at a time when stress was already so high. The shock wore off when the large, rocky creature let out a holler, and Ash immediately sent his team to dispatch the guard.

  He doubted things would have gone as smoothly in a one on one encounter, but in a four versus one situation, it was an efficient assault. The rock/ground type's vulnerability to water and grass had made him a sitting duck for Valiant and Tempest's joint effort to weaken, after Phenom's initial charge had left him open. Glaceon finished him while he was downed.

  Ash kept his eyes on the fallen rock Pokemon to make sure he wasn't playing dead. "Great work you guys. Valiant, has it gotten any stronger?" He eyed his friend sympathetically. The Kirlia seemed to have adapted to fighting and overall operating properly even when his emotional senses were hitting him hard, but no doubt Valiant still wasn't completely comfortable. Not if the distress levels were too high, at any rate.

  Valiant nodded, gesturing his hands as though to signal "it's here."

  The boy's eyes narrowed. Keeping his gaze locked on the unconscious Graveler for just a moment longer, he began carefully walking through the camp, his four teammates quickly surrounding him. Nobody else seemed to be here at the moment, which was more than a little unsettling. Would these poachers really leave their camp unattended with just a Graveler to stand guard? Someone had to be lurking around here somewhere…

  His view was hardly unshared: All four Pokemon seemed just as wary, particularly Glaceon, whose expression constantly shifted as Phenom and Tempest glanced around in suspicion.

  Then they heard it: Something shaking. Something muffled. It sounded like somebody was… struggling against something. Following the noise, the group turned a corner to the source of the sound, wedged between two large tents, almost like a makeshift alleyway. A cold fist closed around Ash's chest.

  A small girl with an icy blue ponytail was tied to a chair, struggling to no avail against the ropes binding her to the seat. A cloth was tightly wrapped around her mouth, muffling whatever screams she was trying to let out. Her eyes widened as she saw them.

  For a second or so, Ash's mind may have stopped working altogether. Of all things he may have expected to find at the camp, poached Pokemon may have been one thing, but a person?

  "What in the name of Mew…" he slowly came too as he rushed over to the girl, his team behind him. Her struggling seemed to get more intense as he approached her, and his heart hammered as the closeup view gave him a look at her eyes: They were wide with a kind of terror he wasn't sure he'd ever seen before.

  "H-Hold on…!" swallowing, he tried to keep his composure. "Just… just calm down for a sec!" even as he spoke the words, he felt like they were empty and hollow. How do you just tell somebody in this situation to stay calm at all!? "We're here to help, I promise!"

  Looking at the girl's reaction, he couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Was she slowly realizing he wasn't with the poachers? Had she never thought that in the first place, and was just scared on instinct? It didn't really matter to him at this moment. Reaching carefully, he pulled the cloth from her face. With a mild flinch, he half-expected an ear piercing scream the moment her mouth was no longer covered, but instead, all she got was a silent face drenched in tears.

  "Grandma!" Caleb screamed as his tears soaked against Ash's shirt. "HELP ME!"

  Sinking down just enough to be at eye level with the girl, Ash did everything in his power to push down the tension in his muscles, the rapid heartbeat hammering against his chest, and return the color to his face. Just breath, and breath…

  Suddenly he felt something. It was like a tug. A gentle tug. Almost slightly soothing. He didn't register it at first, but… he suddenly realized that it wasn't physically towards his body, it was all in his head. Literally in his head. Although not quite the same, it almost reminded him of whenever he and Janine held hands, but it was in his mind. For a split second, he glanced back to his group, who had stopped right behind him. His eyes fell on Valiant before turning back to the girl.

  She couldn't have been much older than Trucy; no older than Caleb at the absolute maximum. Her panicked eyes were cerulean, staring into his with what he could only guess was terrified uncertainty.

  "We're not here to hurt you," he spoke as gently as he could muster, but the frustrating pounding of his heart still had not fully disappeared from his chest. "My name's Ash, what happened here?"

  She didn't respond at first, still staring at him, her face almost as pale as a piece of paper. Finally, "I… I was walking home from school, and this lady came by and offered me some cookies. And then I-" she sniffled, her voice trailing off almost as soon as she had started talking. "I woke up in this chair and I don't know where I am."

  "You shouldn't take treats from strangers." was Ash's gut response, but this was hardly the time or place to say such a thing. Nonetheless, the girl didn't need to finish whatever she was saying for him to understand how she had ended up here. His heartbeat slowed a little bit, but the reduced pounding was replaced with something hot.

  "You're in Fuchsia right now," he spoke more steadily this time. "Not the city itself, but the wilderness. Do you know anything about these guys? And where are you from?" he gripped the ropes, trying to untie her. "I'll get you out."

  Her face was still stained, and her eyes were still watery, but the girl seemed to be finding her voice a bit better. "I-I'm… from Sunnytown. I'm Connie."

  "That's a nice name." Ash replied, trying to mask his frustration when the ropes wouldn't give. Was it really harder than it looked? "Do you know what these people are doing? Why they… took you? Or what they're doing here?" a sting of guilt pressed into his stomach. He shouldn't be overwhelming her like this…

  Connie sniffled again. "I… I don't know. They said some things…"

  "It's okay if you don't know," Ash was quick to reassure her after she trailed off again. 'Damnit these ropes…!' he suppressed a grunt as he tried working from a different angle.

  "There…" he paused for a split second as she continued. "I think they were talking about ghosts. There's this really big man. I think he's the boss. He's always walking around yelling and telling the others what to do. I don't like him."

  "Well don't worry, we'll be out of here soon." Ash bit his lip. He was making a promise, but how would he keep it? They barely even knew where they were at this point. And they were wasting time with these ropes…

  Standing up, he turned to his team, who had been watching in silence while keeping vigilance for any unwanted newcomers. "Tempest, can you get this?"

  The Krabby blinked before fully processing the question. Nodding slowly, he made his way over to Connie, his trainer moving aside to give him room. A small pillar of water appeared beneath his feet to lift him up as he reached for the ropes with his pincers. Connie flinched.

  "Take it easy," Ash reminded him. "Don't worry Connie."

  A few SNIPs later, and the ropes fell onto the grass. Almost reflexive in nature, Connie was out of the chair immediately, and Ash nearly started as her face instantly buried into his thigh, her arms wrapped around him tightly. Images of Caleb clinging to him sprung into his mind, but were gone just as quickly.

  "T-Thanks…" she was still crying a bit.

  Although he hesitated for a moment, Ash lightly patted the girl's head. "Right… we need to get going, quickly." They still needed to find Nebula, but finding Connie had been a massive deviation from whatever his expectations might have been. The thought of leaving without the Staravia sickened him, but at this point, he was at a loss for what to do, unless they could find the authorities quickly.

  He held onto Connie's hand as they made their way through the camp. Although he looked around a little bit, he was sure not to slow down to take in their surroundings; getting out was much more important than making out any specific details. As they neared what seemed to be the edge of the camp, however, an eerily familiar humming noise made itself known…

  And they had come across another cage of ghosts.

  Ash's face twisted in discomfort as his eyes scanned the unwilling inhabitants of the contraption. It was identical in appearance to the cage they had found before, with many of the same species of ghost Pokemon. As before, all were huddled near the middle, and there seemed to be nine of them. Every single one of them appeared to be totally sapped of energy, with tired, pained expressions lining all of their features. It made his stomach twist like a Poliwag's symbol.

  "You guys are all from Lavender, aren't you…" Ash did not notice his fists clenching as Connie clung to him a bit more tightly. A couple ghosts seemed to moan in response, as though acknowledging the boy's statement.

  "I think I remember now…" Connie started, before biting her tongue. "U-um… Ash, right?"

  "Yeah." Ash tried to speak gently, but it was a chore just getting it out as his voice trembled, let alone controlling whatever tone he spoke in.

  "The mean guys who had me tied up were talking about cages." she continued. "I wasn't sure what they meant at the time."

  "They're starting to feel sick." As a frowning Glaceon growled beside him, Valiant's voice filled Ash's head.

  Ash wasn't sure what he had been about to say, when his eyes suddenly fell on one specific ghost: It was a Misdreavus, and as their gazes met, even through the myriad of distress, her eyes seemed to very briefly show recognition, although he may have only been imagining it.

  It was enough to convince him to try and look a little more closely, however. "Ad… Admelia?"

  As the Misdreavus momentarily perked up, slowly shuffling a little bit closer to the group at an agonizingly slow pace (and flinching as she got closer to the bars) before stopping halfway, Ash saw the contrasting image of the young, mischievous, teasingly happy-go-lucky ghost that had garnered a reputation in Lavender for picking a random person in town to harmlessly follow around for a day. The one that had innocently pranked him and Tempest before leaving as though nothing had happened.

  Ash exhaled as his gaze took in her expression, which was suddenly jumping out at him a lot more specifically than the other ghosts in the cage. "Don't worry," he started. "I'll be back. With help."

  "Will you now?"

  Ash's blood froze as he whirled around in the direction of the voice, and he could hear Connie squeak.

  The man had a carelessly ungroomed mane of dark hair, almost uncomfortable to look at on its own from how uneven it was. It was his size, however, that was truly alarming. Although he was no LT. Surge, he was a tall, stockily built individual who immediately looked like he had been in plenty of fights- and had not lost most of them, and his shoulders effortlessly carried the gray backpack strapped to him. He was carrying a large, black bag that looked a lot like what a delivery driver would put fresh pizza boxes in, but Ash doubted he was here to feed them. On all fours, a Zangoose was next to him, a blank and unreadable expression staring down the group as Phenom and Tempest's eyes quickly zeroed in on the normal type.

  "Something's off about the Zangoose, Ash." as if just in time, Valiant's voice warned him as Ash cautiously looked at the newcomer's accomplice. "But I can't tell what."

  Had he been given more time to look, Ash may have noticed the somewhat scarred appearance of the Zangoose, indicating a history of violent battles that clashed with the stoic expression on his face. The man offered no such opportunity, however.

  "Sorry I'm late, kids." he spoke nonchalantly while briefly holding up the large bag. "I had to go fetch something important, but no big deal. I see you've found more of our cargo." his eyes fell on Connie. "And are trying to make off with a specific one."

  The girl whimpered, quickly positioning herself behind Ash, and not letting her hands leave him. "T-That's him, Ash. He's the boss."

  Ash wasn't too surprised to hear that, but he only half registered the girl's words. Even as his blood rushed like a cold stream pumped along by his quickening heart, his eyes didn't leave the chief poacher. "Cargo?" The man had spoken the word as though he were referring to boxes of mail being shipped off to the opposite coastline."

  The man nodded. "Caesar Scarfist is my name, kid, and I'm afraid you're getting in the way of my company's business. " Although Caesar's expression seemed fairly calm, Ash did not need Valiant's emotional sensitivity to detect what was bubbling just underneath. He had seen and felt it more than once in the past: This man was a killer."

  The boy did not take a step back, tempting as it was. "What business? How is any of this business? Don't you see what you and your friends are doing to these ghosts!? And why is-"

  "One question at a time, kid." Caesar's sharp tone cut him off mid sentence. "You shouldn't be forgetting who's turf you're at right now." he nodded to the cage. "You like it? Real quality equipment, that stuff is. I've always had a thing for tools, and finding good ways to use them. Some people don't appreciate that kind of experimentative thinking, but it's a real boon in my field. Although it's pretty straight forward in this case: You're looking at one of the prime devices for capturing ghost Pokemon. The bars surrounding those creatures are very debilitating for most of the ghosts, and the result is what you see here. We were actually getting ready to cash in before you came along."

  "But… Why!?" Ash should have been scared. He was scared. Why wasn't he more scared? He felt he was and he didn't, but something else was pushing it all back, cutting in front of the line. "These are Pokemon!"

  "And this is a business," Caesar replied. "Your way of life is to go around training these creatures so you can win fame together. Me? I make a hefty penny doing stuff like this. There are many uses for Pokemon, especially certain attention worthy ones like most ghost types. My job is to gather 'em all up and see who would be willing to pay. Of course, the League hunts people like me and my group like we're prey, always gotta be the ones in control. Monopolize everything. Team Rocket is going to create a world where such monopolization no longer exists, so I'm always more than willing to lend a hand selling my best cargo to their ranks. In this case, though, it was a specific request."

  Ash didn't gulp. "These ghosts are from Lavender."

  "Indeed." Caesar answered. "With the right planning and the right tools, it's pretty easy to lure confused ghosts in large numbers. So many people look at them as scary demons straight out of a bad dream, but they're really just creatures of nature, prone to all you'd expect from a hunted Pokemon. Scarfist Company is in Team Rocket's good graces thanks to our consistent generosity, so they gave us a call and trusted us with the tools for the job. And it's gone pretty well."

  Ash's knuckles turned white. "Do you even hear yourself? You just admitted the ghosts are just like any other Pokemon. And they're scared! How could you hurt them like this just for money?"

  "Rules of nature, kid." Caesar's tone darkened. Beside him, Zangoose hadn't moved, eyes simply scanning the group. By now, Valiant and Glaceon were just as fixated on the normal type as Phenom and Tempest. It was clear there was only one way this encounter would end, regardless of what was said, and the latter two welcomed it. "Whether you accept it or not, this is how the world has always worked outside of the safe, pillow soft barriers you were raised behind. Predators hunt, prey try not to be hunted. You think every Pokemon in the wild gets by on a vegetarian diet? You survive by finding the best uses for your most profitable talents; it could be battle, it could be breeding, it could be anything, and if it happens to be capturing, bargaining, and trade, so be it. Pidgeotto never had any feelings, good or bad, for the Caterpie they snatched out of the grass. It's all business, and this business is consistent with nature." his chin slightly raised. "And in this specific case, I know it's going to a good cause. Like that girl you have with you. Oh, and by the way, I'm gonna need her back."

  His voice was not entirely hostile, mostly matter of fact, but even Ash knew what a threat sounded like. Behind him, Connie made a noise that sounded like an even moan as she hugged him tighter.

  "Good cause…" the boy chewed his lip, his stare directed at Caesar morphing into frustrated confusion. "What are you even talking about? You said Team Rocket asked you to catch these ghosts for them, but what does she have to do with that?"

  Caesar crossed his arms, the bag safely strapped to his shoulder; Ash wouldn't be surprised if the man was getting tired of talking, but he currently wasn't showing too many signs of it. There was a clear venom in his facial expression and tone of voice, but for as clear as it was, the aggression was always secondary, always overtaken by the tranquil confidence of a man in total control.

  "Hmm… I suppose I can humor one more question from you, but after that, we're going to need to speed things up. Your intrusion with your friend has already put us behind schedule. His grip on the large bag tightened as his arms descended back down to his sides. "I'm not sure if you're aware of Team Rocket's child soldier plan?"

  If Ash's blood could get colder, he may have felt like Glaceon's breath was mixing in with it. What Officer Jenny had told him and Paul suddenly felt as though it were a fresh memory, and not something that had taken place ages ago.

  Despite this, he managed an answer. "Yes… They… brainwash kids like me."

  "Brainwash…" Caesar repeated, as though he were half expecting such an answer. "Fancily predictable response coming from a brainwashed kid who's lived as a cog in Indigo's machine all his life. You're half right though; at least in the way you clearly think you are. Team Rocket's numbers are nothing compared to the League, but they are still a massive group, filled with many. What's the best way to combat the endless output of the enemy, however They need something stable and permanent for themselves. And it's a lot easier to do that with people who haven't been absorbed into the system yet. People like kids: Orphans, street rats, all the struggling ones who have fallen through the cracks. They're the easiest to reach, so Team Rocket takes them in. Trains and educates them for the mission to destroy the League and reset society."

  Ash's face wrinkled. For a guy who wasn't even a member, Caesar was speaking in such an informed manner, but that was only in the back of the mind, compared to how normal his words sounded with the tone he spoke them in.

  "And of course, they're a regular client of ours." Caesar continued. "Our normal work when doing business with the Rockets is to act as worthwhile suppliers, which usually means sharing our catches and sometimes equipment. But tools aren't the only supplies they accept, nor the only thing that would get you good money." Ash held his tongue as Caesar's finger pointed to Connie. "Executive Petrel is more than willing to pay an attractive sum to anyone who donates a child to their organization. How the supplier acquires the child is of no concern; a couple of my people picked that little one up in Sunnytown just shortly before receiving the call about the ghosts. With her and them being sold at once, things are looking pretty damn lavish.

  It was like a thunderclap had gone off in Ash's soul. By some miracle, he understood Caesar's words immediately: Connie had been kidnapped by these people so they could sell her to Team Rocket, and be turned into one of them. Somebody like Damian, and all of the other kids that had attacked him and Paul on the way to Celadon.

  "You… you can't do that." Something inside of him broke; he wouldn't know what it was until a few moments later. He could hear Connie's confused sniffles behind him. "How could you even-"

  "I'd say it's for the best, honestly." Caesar's shrug clashed with his sharp tone of voice. Much sharper than it had been before. "What's the alternative, growing up to be just another cog? The League is arrogant, bends civilization to their will. Their eventual destruction is an uphill battle, most importantly a reset button. I'd say being a part of that is a much more fulfilling life than drowning in an ocean of the obedient faceless." he gestured his arm out, eyes flashing. "Now then. Hand her over, along with all of your friends in front of you."

  All four Pokemon immediately sank deeper into their fighting stances, and for a moment, Glaceon and Phenom's growls were the only things Ash could hear, even as Zangoose stood up in full on his hind legs.

  "Please don't let him get me…" Connie's voice was half the volume it had been before, as though her vocal cords preferred not to move.

  "He won't…" As trailed off for a moment, a lump grew in his throat before being swallowed down. Pushed down by whatever force had then formed the glare on his face. "He won't."

  Across from them, Zangoose rubbed his claws as Caesar's brow furrowed, although his calm confidence had not yet gone away. "I'm being serious, kid."

  "So am I." Ash's voice was sharp, even, and forward. "I'm getting help whether you let me or not. You're not taking her or any of the ghosts you've caught. Now let them out now."

  Although the boy's expression did not change, his blood did grow a bit colder again at the sound of Caesar's chuckle. "You might have missed which one of us came with the leverage, boy. After all, I know you're still looking for this." he unzipped the large bag he had been carrying for the entire conversation, and pulled something out.

  An unconscious Staravia.

  Ash's eyes might have been the size of the planets themselves. "Nebula!"

  "Don't move!" Caesar's voice boomed just as Glaceon and Tempest prepared to rush forward, and Zangoose's claw quickly found its way inches from the bird's stomach.

  "What did you do to her!?" Ash demanded. Behind him, Connie looked up shakily, and he realized he was scaring her. He kicked himself, but it wasn't enough to calm him down.

  "Don't worry about her yet, kid." Caesar ran his free hand across his belt as the now empty bag dropped onto the grass, before casually holding the Staravia in both of his arms. "I said leverage for a reason, this one is just unconscious. She was given a special anesthetic designed specifically for bird Pokemon to keep her locked in a steady, consistent state of sleep. Not comatose, but no restlessness either. Just enough for the job. The fall she took was pretty rough, but obviously nothing most Pokemon can't handle in the long run. We intend to keep her alive, but it's not like we'd be short on money if she wasn't. He handed Nebula to Zangoose, and it took everything Ash had not to scream as the normal type lifted her up until her head was right at his open mouth. He had no idea how he had even managed.

  "I'm a businessman, kid." Caesar reminded him. "And you don't get good at business without learning fair transactions. Isn't your feathered friend's well being more important to you? Giving the girl back and leaving the rest of the cargo to us is all you have to do."

  Behind Ash, Connie breathed. In front of him, his teammates trembled in anger. He himself was a living whirlwind of thoughts.

  "He isn't bluffing." even telepathically, the distress in Valiant's voice was incontrovertible.

  "Get your foot off the brakes kid," Caesar warned as Zangoose brought Nebula's head closer. "This only goes one way no matter what."

  Ash worried his mind would go blank when he finally noticed something in the distance. Something in the sky, coming up from behind Caesar and Zangoose. And it seemed to be quickening its approach…

  …

  … Was it a Golbat?

  As if a button had been pressed, he remembered what he and Janine had been talking about right before that Kadabra had shown up. But could this be…

  As the figure came into full view, he chanced it. "GOLBAT!"

  "Huh?" Just as Caesar and Zangoose realized they needed to turn around, the Golbat dived down, and although the Supersonic he let out was hardly comfortable for anyone, it was Zangoose who got it the worst: At point blank. The normal type howled, dropping Nebula to the ground as he clutched his ears.

  "Go, Valiant!" Ash pressed. His friend immediately teleported in front of the startled, stumbling Zangoose, and Hypnosis started doing it's work, but Caesar's reflexes were tremendous. In the same instant, the normal type disappeared in a flash of light, even as a second Poke Ball was flung out in his place. A Scyther burst out of the orb, swinging his blade in a surefire attempt to chop the Kirlia's head off, but Valiant dodged the strike without leaving Nebula's side. Putting his hands together, he formed a purplish-white fireball with the ease brought on by all of the constant training, and Scyther was forced to retreat back to avoid his Will-O-Wisp. The opportunity was immediately taken as Valiant teleported Nebula and himself back to Ash. As he did, the Golbat joined their side, and looking at the poisonous flier, Ash immediately recognized him: He was indeed Janine's, and the bat was openly relieved to see him and the others.

  "Golbat, is help on the way?" The nod was all that Ash needed.

  The group's attention immediately returned to Caesar and Scyther: The former glowered at them, although his rage seemed very controlled, and the latter held his blades out in front of him, as though making them as visible as possible. Tempest responded by doing the same with his pincers, and Phenom followed up by baring his teeth.

  "So be it." Caesar's voice was cruel and callous, the clear fatal intent doing nothing to compromise his composure. His hands moved at lightning speed; flinging three more Poke Balls to release an Arbok, Hitmonlee, and the largest, furriest Raticate Ash had ever laid eyes on. The rodent's teeth were at least twice the expected size, and he bared them with more than twice the aggression, as though responding to Phenom. Saliva dripped from the Raticate's mouth. Behind Ash, Connie was frozen. "I gave you one chance, and it's my fault if you didn't know any better. Hopefully it won't be too wasteful; we'll have to see if there's anything left of you guys worth salvaging when-"

  "SHUT UP!" Ash's voice was guttural, unfiltered, and unlike any way he had ever spoken before. He now knew what the source of that spark in his chest was, and he welcomed it. "I've had it! I'm done! With all of you!"

  Caesar's face twisted into something far more hideous than the gigantic, snarling rodent standing in front of him. "You-"

  "I said SHUT UP!" Connie let go of Ash, backing a couple steps away from him towards the cage, where Admelia and the other ghosts still huddled together in agony. Valiant mildly trembled, no doubt sensing how his trainer felt, but the rest of the team, despite visible reactions from most, were not distracted. "You know something, sir?" the boy's eyes may have glowed in the dark. "I was there! In Lavender. I was at the damn tower when Team Rocket destroyed it! You think it was a good cause!? These ghosts have been through enough! They lost their home, what more could anyone want from them!? You're not touching Connie, or them, and if you're gonna stand here and try to threaten us, all you're getting is a fight!"

  Somehow, Caesar's crooked smirk was even more unsightly than the contorted scowl his features had taken the shape of seconds before. "Is that so? Perhaps your last thought will be remembering that you're the one who said that." he raised his voice. "Kill whenever necessary, and bring the survivors to me!"

  "Valiant," every Pokemon on Ash's side, including Golbat, was attentive as he gave his orders. "Stay with me and Connie. Golbat, stay just overhead to cover the others. Everyone else, front lines!"

  They all charged at the same time, but Glaceon quickly overtook the others, just in time to narrow her eyes without fear at Hitmonlee's incoming Blaze Kick.

  /

  "Got you this time, you little bitch!"

  Training kicked in as the man tried to seize Janine's shoulder from behind. Her elbow jabbed just beneath his chest, forcing him to release his hold, and then Ivysaur snatched him. Pikachu's warning cry redirected her attention, however, and her eyes widened.

  Two other poachers were coming from the opposite direction, with Pokemon trying to surround them. Her mouth moved in an instant: "Pikachu, Thunder-"

  Looking back, it was all a blur. What felt like a million vines seized the enemy Pokemon, and poachers all at once. One of them cried out "It's them!" and the girl's heart lit up.

  Dark figures emerged from nowhere, an instantly familiar Tangrowth leading a group of Pokemon, mostly poison types. Her team started to move, but she raised her arms. It's okay, you guys!"

  A brilliant flurry of attacks, and all enemies, Pokemon and human alike, were passed out. At either side of her, Ivysaur and Pikachu gazed in shocked awe.

  The lead figure stepped forward. His uniform was a dark, blackish purple that cloaked nearly his entire tanned body, apart from his head. Even his hands were concealed by gloves, and his mouth by a mask, but Janine knew him instantly from the puffy, black ponytail and green eyes that looked like they would shine in the dark like a predator.

  As she addressed him, her tone was one of professional acknowledgement, and affection seeping through. "Akira."

  Although his voice had a hardened firmness to it, it was nonetheless fairly young, very close to what one would expect from a twenty two year old, and his tone was identical to hers as he knelt down to look her in the eyes. "Janine, are you alright?"

  "We are now," she nodded with a small smile, the hint of nervousness still seeping through her expression. "Us, anyway." Briefly, she turned back to her team. "They're with us, everybody. The help I sent Golbat to get." Even as she spoke the name, she quickly turned back to Akira. "Where is Golbat?"

  "He went ahead, despite our advisement not to." Akira answered with mild regret. "Your message mentioned a missing friend, and an abducted Pokemon. He seemed to be worried about them." His eyes scanned her team, composed entirely of Pokemon. "You haven't found them yet, I presume."

  "We can't leave without them." she insisted.

  "We will not," Akira confirmed, turning back to the squad. "Len!"

  Another familiar figure approached: A boy roughly two years older than her, with dark brown hair and gray eyes, the only parts of him that were currently visible. A Toxicroak flanked him, and the duo knelt into a slight bow as they stopped in front of Akira. "Sensei?"

  "You're with me." As Akira began to speak, the Tangrowth joined him and Janine at their side. Outsiders would have considered the look in the creatures eyes to be blank, but Janine knew from the moment she glanced at them that the Tangrowth, Typho, was alert and rapidly thinking. "We'll locate Ketchum and the Staravia while the rest of the squad keeps things secure here. More are on their way to sweep the area and teleport Janine-"

  "No." Instantly realizing what she had said, Janine's face lost a tiny amount of color as Akira and Len looked at her, but she continued. "I can't leave yet, we have to go too." She was grateful when Ivysaur and Pikachu nodded beside her.

  "Janine," Len stayed silent as Akira spoke to her with mild softness. "This group of criminals is hardened. It's best to get you away as soon as possible. Len and I can find your friend, you have my word."

  "And I trust if beyond faith," she pressed. "But I can't." Her eyes lined up with the grass and soil at her feet as she lowered her head. "I implore you to let me come along, cousin."

  Len offered her an even but sympathetic look while Akira's eyes scanned her team. "Are your Pokemon in good condition?"

  "My Beedrill is resting, everyone else should be fine with berries." she looked back at her team. "Do you want to keep going?" a chorus of affirmation lifted her spirits. Turning back to Akira her purple eyes locked onto his green.

  The man took in a breath before releasing it. "Very well," his voice still conveyed concern, but it was secondary to the dutiful tone of his delivery. "Refresh them, and then we must hurry."

  /

  "Liquidation, Tempest!"

  Body cloaked in surging water, the Krabby swung his pincer to deflect Hitmonlee's flaming leg. The fighting type staggered back from the strike before leaping away on one foot to dodge the retaliatory Scald. Just behind him, the giant Raticate charged with the glow of Zen Headbutt, ripping through the boiling water and crashing directly into Tempest's defensive stance as Iron Defense turned his body to metal.

  The brawl had escalated as quickly as it started, the nearby tents and crates already in shambles, but Ash was only worried about the cage of ghosts behind him and Connie. Thankfully, Valiant had kept them unharmed, having already needed to block a few incoming attacks, one of which had been a deliberate offense, and not a stray. Connie occasionally peeked from behind Ash to get a better look at the action, but could not decide whether she'd rather keep a close eye on what was happening or look away entirely. When he assured her that everything would be fine, she clung to him for a moment.

  Every order Caesar shouted was delivered with a clear, straightforward and violent intent, but Ash quickly found that the poaching leader's Pokemon were plenty murderous without their trainer giving them instructions. Every slice of Scyther's blades seemed like it was done with the intent to kill, Arbok and Raticate snapped their teeth like every bite was meant to rip prey apart like an entree, and Hitmonlee's feet aimed to pulverize, not incapacitate.

  As Ash had instructed, Golbat stayed just above the action, primarily focusing on firing Air Slashes, Air Cutters, Shadow Balls and Wind Blasts to further pressure their opponents, occasionally swooping down for an attack. It wasn't long before Caesar sent Scyther after the bat, blades glowing with Focus Energy as a single strike threatened to cut him through to the bones should the mantis land a direct hit. For all the bladed bug's aggression and bloodlust, however, the venomous flier's Heat Wave made it too risky to fully commit to those efforts, forcing Scyther to dodge backwards and giving Golbat an opening to strike with its wings. Wing Attack and Steel Wing battered his opponent, who raised the blades to protect himself, but still suffered some direct hits. No attempts to sink Poison Fang into Scyther had proven successful, however, with the most meaningful attempt backfiring with a Slash that, even partially avoided, stung like a Beedrill.

  Scyther's eyes narrowed like that of a stalking predator as the mildly wounded flier retreated with a pained hiss and visible cut in his side, firing a flurry of Air Cutter at the bat. Golbat recovered as quickly as he had been hurt, meeting the volley with his own before sending an Air Slash Scyther's way. The large bug swerved around the blade of wind and fired Swift at Golbat, whose brief moment it had taken to deflect the barrage of stars with Steel Wing had allowed Scyther to strike from above with a powered up Slash. Golbat's metal wings blocked the deadly strike just in time, but the force pushed him downwards, where Arbok lunged to snatch him in lightning filled teeth.

  A blur shot forward from the corner of their eyes, and Glaceon's tail rammed into the cobra's side. As Arbok was knocked away, she and Golbat exchanged nods just before her upwards Ice Beam forced Scyther to hastily abandon his attempt at a downward charge. The sound of her approaching attacker immediately whirled her around to clash Iron Tails with Raticate, who, rather than commit to pushing against her, was forced to break away to narrowly evade Golbat's Air Slash, only to catch a Frost Pulse to the head as Glaceon pursued.

  Hitmonlee seemed to channel Brick Break through his leg (although Ash could not be sure, having never seen such a technique before) as his left leg glowed orange without any flames, aimed with the sole goal of decapitating Phenom. The dinosaur's jaws pulsed with Psychic energy that trapped the fighting type's leg in an agonizing grip, using his assailant's momentum against him to fling him away before he could attempt any follow-ups. As Tempest reset his sights on sinking his pincers into the powerful kicker, Phenom retained Psychic Fangs while charging for Arbok. He was just about to in for the kill when the cobra's pattern pulsed with a disorienting glow, and the dinosaur's muscles worked against him: Trying to lock himself in place, his movements slowed, and his legs stiffened, threatening his balance.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  It was the cobra's turn to pounce: Phenom screamed as Arbok bowled him over, sinking an Ice Fang into his ribcage. The bitter agony of the cold violently assaulted the forming wound before the pained cry turned to a shriek of rage, and the Tyrunt blasted his attacker off of him with Roar. Leaping to his feet with defiant ease, Phenom launched a forceful Dragon Pulse into the snake, who only had time to widen his eyes before the blast detonated against him.

  Ash's eyes did his best to follow the chaos. As much as he trusted his team's judgment, he knew he needed to participate and guide them in any way he could. Unfortunately, compared to one on one encounters, giving orders was a lot more difficult when fights like these had so many participants, especially when they were constantly swapping back and forth between opponents. One moment Raticate's teeth were glowing with Hyper Fang, trying and failing to snatch Glaceon's backside in what looked to be more of an attempt to feed himself than defeat an opponent. The next moment, his large body was impressively punted away by Glaceon's Super Tail, only for Hitmonlee's Blaze Kick (wasn't he fighting Tempest just a moment ago?) to nail her in the side before she could give chase to finish off the injured rat. He thought he saw Caesar curse as Tempest went after Raticate instead, knocking the brutish rodent out with Crabhammer, but just as he tried to pay attention to what the poaching leader was doing, his attention was forced elsewhere: Arbok was back, once again pinning the Tyrunt with Glare as the snake's teeth formed into icy jaws.

  Golbat came to Phenom's rescue, launching a Shadow Ball from his gaping mouth to blast Arbok in the back from above. It was all he had time to do before blocking Scyther's attempted backstab with Steel Wing, but Phenom was freed from Glare's hold, eyes blazing with a familiar anger. The young dinosaur's leg pulsed with energy as he leapt up and brought it down onto the cobra's upper backside with Stomp. Although the poison type recoiled from the mighty blow, he still retaliated almost instantly (Ash would have been more impressed if this was a competitive match and not life or death), lashing out with a glowing tail; Poison Tail.

  Phenom was pushed off of the snake's back, and immediately struck in the head by Hitmonlee's forcefully precise kick. Ash could hear the cracking sound as the glowing foot collided with the side of the young dragon's skull, knocking him away and sending him rolling through the grass. Tempest tried to strike Hitmonlee from behind, using a brief Surf for a short burst of speed, but the fighting type whirled around and aimed another kick.

  A kick that was, with some difficulty, tightly caught in the river crab's Vise Grip. The water type's eyes tightened with cruel satisfaction as he squeezed against his opponent's seized leg, as though he were trying to snap it in two. Hitmonlee's eyes were just as tight: In struggle and frustration as his resistant pulling did nothing to get Tempest to relinquish his grip. For a moment it looked like it would, with the Krabby initially being pulled forward by the fighting type's efforts, but was thankfully short lived as his strength kept him grounded, leaving Hitmonlee balanced on one leg while the other soon pulsed with gradually worsening pain.

  And Ash finally found his chance to get a word in: "Golbat, Brave Bird!"

  The bat dive bombed into the trapped target: Hitmonlee only had time to see it coming, and squirm in panic, before his final attempt to rid himself of Tempest's Vise Grip was interrupted by the toxic flier, cloaked in an intense blue, smashing into his side just as the Krabby released him. Golbat bounced painfully off of the vulnerable fighting type, reeling from the costly recoil that came from using the move, but Janine had thoroughly engraved the coping method into him, somersaulting upwards through the air at a diagonal trajectory with folded wings before spreading them out wide, balancing himself in the air at a good distance. In that same moment, Hitmonlee tumbled into and through a tent further away, half collapsing the structure. His body was limp.

  Caesar did not even get a chance to curse the kicking Pokemon's defeat, as his aggravated attention was immediately redirected to Scyther's pained shriek. Glaceon's Ice Beam had knocked the bladed mantis out of the air.

  'How is some damn kid doing this!?' Caesar had seen his fair share of trainers, and this one was no second year. He clearly didn't battle like a rookie, but he knew in his gut that the boy was one. A first year stumbling onto their camp this deep in Fuchsia was slim enough of a chance, but to put up this form of resistance!?

  He was not worried, however. It was the boy's own loss if he did not know better than to assume he had them cornered, and with the rookie's attention firmly on the action, nobody saw him press the button on his wrist as he reached for his belt. The bracer he was wearing expanded into a protective metallic glove over his free hand, which then reached up into a half open section of his backpack.

  "Super Tail!" Glaceon's powered-up Iron Tail nailed Scyther in the head, and the mantis barely if at all had time to register the blow- he was already knocked out as his limp form was launched away. Arbok hissed in the ice type's direction before he saw Tyrunt leaping to his feet from the corner of his eye, and the situation dawned on him.

  The four Pokemon only had a second or so to gather together and stare down the nervous snake when a flash of light brought their attention to Caesar: Zangoose had returned to his side, but was staying put. It was only then that Ash noticed their attacker was wearing a metal glove, and holding something in it.

  It was a pink sphere, certainly larger than a Poke Ball, but small enough to be held in a single, big enough hand. An eerie purple pattern pulsed along the orb's surface, and Zangoose was eying the object strangely as the smirking poacher handed it to him, mouthing something that Ash could not pick up from where he was. The normal type hugged the sphere tightly against his chest, and just as Ash knew for sure that something was about to happen, his and Connie's attention was ripped away from the sight as Arbok attacked.

  Seemingly without self preservation, the cobra lunged forward, aiming a Sludge Bomb at the quartet. Ash could not tell if the globs of toxic waste were targeting any specific individual, but it hardly mattered when they bounced off of Glaceon's Mirror Coat. She was incapable of using the move without effort, but had grown effective at it nonetheless.

  The battle hardly ended fairly: Phenom pelted the large cobra with a a violent barrage of rocks that Arbok only had time to reel from before his tail was partially frozen to the ground by Glaceon and Tempest's Ice Beams, and his abdomen was sliced by Golbat's Air Slash. With a battle ready roar, Phenom charged the snake and smashed an Iron Tail into his jaw, freeing his tail just enough to send him rolling towards Caesar, stopping a few feet in front of his trainer. The cobra struggled to pick himself up, falling unconscious moments later, but that was when Zangoose howled.

  Ash was not sure how he would have described the noise erupting from the ferret's throat. General words like "horrible" or "disturbing" would be accurate, but didn't know whether to call the cry "hoarse" or "shrill" or something else. More than any other moment Ash would have used such a phrase to describe it, was literally like a button had been pressed, and altered the formerly quiet and reserved Zangoose's personality in an instant. The pulsing glow in the strange orb that the normal type clung too seemed to have intensified; and grown even more eerie and ominous. Valiant was shivering as Zangoose tossed the sphere over his shoulder, and Caesar seemed to pay it little mind other than looking to make sure he knew where it went.

  Connie's face was pale, and Ash could feel her grip on him grow tighter as he quickly rested a hand on her head. The ice cold sensation rushing down his spine did not disrupt his voice as he said "It's gonna be fine."

  The whole team, even Phenom and Tempest, were moving back in surprise at Zangoose's outburst. Snarls, grunts, and shrieks were let out like rapid gunfire as the furry Pokemon pounded his claws against the grass, and Caesar simply looked on with a small smirk and knowing look in his eyes. And then the normal type raised his head, and Ash was greeted with the most twisted, bloodcurdling, and near-otherworldly expression he had ever seen on a Pokemon's face as the ferret's crazed eyes mixed in with a manic grin that showed all of his teeth.

  The boy was certain that Caesar's partner was going to attack right there and then, but instead, his heart stopped for a second as Zangoose lunged on all fours, grabbed Arbok's unconscious body… and bit down the cobra's side. The ferret's teeth squeezed, binded, and violently chewed against the poison type's outer hide before ripping off a piece that leaked blood, hanging from his mouth before finally managing to swallow it. A leaking, crimson wound was left behind where the piece of flesh had once been on Arbok's body.

  The queasiness was drowned by shock, and even more by confusion as his stupor froze his vocal cords. "Wha…"

  Were Zangoose carnivorous? Janine might have known; she had studied many poison types, including foreign ones, and the famous feud between Seviper and Zangoose may have extended that to the fatal ferret in front of them right now, but nothing about this seemed normal to him.

  Caesar, perhaps just as disturbingly, simply grinned as though someone were eating a bowl of cereal. "He loves the taste of venom."

  Ash's face grew paler at that, but he was thankfully able to fight off his growing confusion in time for the implications to register. "Golbat!" As the bat turned to look at him, he pointed skyward. "It's not safe for you here, go find Janine and the others, hurry!" He was not too surprised when the poison/flying type began to protest, but was quick to cut him off. "I said it's not safe! I don't have your Poke Ball, so I won't be able to recall you if anything happens. We'll be fine."

  Golbat still didn't look happy, but Glaceon, Phenom, and Tempest all nodded in support of Ash as the bat exchanged looks with them. His expression remained concerned as he locked eyes with Ash, but nodded regardless before taking off into the air, and away from the fight.

  More noise redirected their attention to Zangoose, who was taking a second bite out of Arbok while Caesar just stood there and watched. Ash was half tempted to have his team rush the normal type while he was occupied, but he knew better than to assume it would go as well as he hoped. Zangoose was the only Pokemon Caesar had out, yet the man still seemed disturbingly calm about sending the unhinged ferret after four opponents at once. Speaking of which…

  "Valiant…" with some hesitation, Ash looked down at his psychic friend, who quickly turned his head to reciprocate his trainer's gaze. "I need you to join the battle."

  Valiant seemed as hesitant as Golbat, and Ash was not remotely surprised. "But you'll be open-"

  "I know!" As Ash interrupted, he subconsciously positioned himself further in front of Connie, who made no effort to dispute the movement. "But that Zangoose… I have a bad feeling about this. We'll be dead if we lose, forget open."

  Valiant still clearly did not like the order any more than Golbat had, but as he looked back at his teammates, who were watching varied mixtures of disturbed and prepared as Zangoose swallowed his second helping of Arbok flesh, he knew there was little time to argue, and even with there was, he rarely if ever disobeyed Ash's orders.

  "Be safe." his voice telepathic voice tried to sound soothing and reassuring, but was more shaky and uneasy as he joined his companions, making his way to Glaceon's side.

  Zangoose did not go for a third bite, once the second was swallowed, his eyes zeroed in on the quartet of enemy Pokemon. His gaze and grin were the same as before; just as horrifying, gross, and heart-stopping as the first, but now it was crookedly decorated with the blood staining the fur around his lips and chin, and the small bites of Arbok flesh lingering on his face like crumbs. His arms were partially spread out, in a way that still allowed his claws to be pointed forward. Even as he grinned, he was snarling, a small stream of saliva dripping from around his bared teeth.

  "I told you," though calm, the look on Caesar's face was dangerous; the spiteful aesthetic of a man about to readily kill. "One chance, no seconds. Even if I went back on my word, it doesn't seem like you'd take it." He raised an arm. "The girl lives, do whatever satisfies you to the others."

  And then his fingers snapped.

  Zangoose was like a rabid dog when charging on all fours. With each bound, his front claws dug into the soil, pulling out dirt and scattering particles as he advanced. For as much as Phenom and Tempest's gut instincts wished to meet him head on, they stayed put as Glaceon dashed ahead of the group, and her tail pulsed with Focus Energy as she encased it in metal. Zangoose's right claw lit up with a darker energy, amplifying his own strength as his claw also turned to metal, and then attacks met.

  It may have been the loudest CLANG Ash had ever heard from two metal attacks colliding with one another, but that was hardly his concern as he watched both combatants pushing against one another. Especially after a moment or two- something was wrong.

  Glaceon's face was twisted with strain as she put all of the force that her strength could muster into the clash, but Zangoose was still pushing back. His Metal Claw, amplified by Hone Claws, refused to budge, and her tail was shaking against the pressure as her legs threatened to slide back. Her normal type opponent was trying just as hard as she was to double his efforts, to greater results.

  And then she was pushed back.

  Ash couldn't stop his hands from reaching his chin as the ice type was sent rolling through the dirt as Zangoose successfully shoved her away, winning the contest of strength. Super Tail, the move that all but knocked out nearly everyone that Glaceon struck with it, and the biggest example of her magnificent strength from evolution, had been overpowered.

  The rest of the team seemed equally shocked, but Zangoose gave them no time to process it for more than a split second. After shoving Glaceon away, his head reared back, fire charging beneath his lips as he lunged forward and launched a Flamethrower at the downed ice type. Glaceon was already getting up, meeting the fiery blast with a Water Pulse. As the two attacks collided, Phenom and Tempest moved- the former's jaws crackled with lightning while the latter used Surf for a short burst while his pincer pulsed with Crabhammer.

  Zangoose targeted Phenom first: he lowered his head, pulsing with psychic energy, and rammed into the dragon, sending him tumbling away. Tempest used the opportunity to swing at the large ferret, but the normal type was already turning on him with a Brick Break. The orange fist pounded into the Crabhammer, and Tempest felt a jolt of pain as the two punches pushed against one another. The Krabby was overpowered more quickly than Glaceon had been, and sent further back as Zangoose's eyes snapped towards the barrage of electric leaves Valiant was sending his way. A second Flamethrower easily incinerated the volley, and the Kirlia tensed as their enemy rushed for him next, preparing a Shadow Claw.

  He saw Glaceon returning from the corner of his eye, charging him from the side with Iron Tail. Abandoning his goal to eviscerate Valiant, he rounded and slashed at her, meeting her metal tail with his distortion channeling claw. Glaceon was flung back again, but this time she retained her balance, and as Zangoose attempted to torch her with another blast of fire, her body shimmered with Mirror Coat. She strained in discomfort as the Flamethrower pushed against her, feeling the heat assaulting her skin even against the protective aura surrounding her, but with a loud grunt, she rebounded the attack back at its sender.

  Zangoose had not been expecting that, eyes widening just before he was engulfed in his own flame. As he howled, Tempest assaulted his back with Bubblebeam, leaving him staggering as Valiant charged a Moonblast. The Kirlia flung the giant sphere of lunar energy with a grunt of his own, mustering all the strength he had, and the attack detonated against Zangoose head on. He was flung back with an angry yelp, but still landed on his feet, sliding across the grassy soil in a crouching position while snarling in the direction of his attackers. More saliva was leaking from his lips.

  The normal type quickly turned to see Phenom rushing him from the other side, charging a Dragon Pulse in his jaws. The dinosaur let out his best roar while firing the blast, but it was met with an Ice Beam that destroyed it in an explosion of cold air.

  "Phenom, get back!" Ash started, but it was too late. Zangoose was already rushing his friend, striking him with an icy fist to the side of the head. The boy couldn't help taking a mild step back as the young dragon was punted away, in the same manner he was used to when Glaceon's Super Tail sent her opponent's flying. "Crazy strong…"

  '

  He wouldn't have realized he had muttered that out loud if Connie hadn't sniffed beside him. "Are…are we going to lose?" her voice would have broken his heart if it wasn't busy hammering in his chest.

  "No," he hated himself for not being so sure anymore, but she was more than scared enough, and they were going to find a way through this beast, one way or another. "No, we'll be fine. Valiant, help Phenom! Cover him you guys!"

  Phenom was struggling to his feet, and Zangoose was still focused on him, gaze blazing with bloodlust. Valiant sank into his shadow, traveling as fast as he could while Glaceon and Tempest gave chase and fired Ice Beam, the former pulling ahead with her superior speed. Ash cursed to himself as Zangoose whirled around to meet them with a Flamethrower, easily clashing with both Ice Beams and forcing Glaceon back, but Tempest charged straight through the fire.

  "Don't be reckless, Tempest-" Ash's warning did not come out in time to stop the electrical fist that Zangoose smashed into the river crab's gut, and Tempest wheezed as the mighty blow punted him away. Glaceon snarled, and already had a Water Pulse ready to block the Flamethrower that she knew was coming. As the clash of attacks detonated into steam, Zangoose turned back to Phenom, who was now on his feet next to Valiant. He fired his own Ice Beam at the pair, who vanished to the other side of him in a flash as the psychic held onto his Tyrunt friend.

  At the same time, Glaceon was rushing towards him again, and Ash actually swore out loud as Zangoose barely swerved away from the Super Tail aimed for his head. Glaceon cursed as well, feeling her tail only graze her target's fur before she was forced to defensively swing it to block the fiery fist sent her way in retaliation. She snarled again as she felt the Fire Punch burning against her. Zangoose raised his other arm, attempting to slash into her shoulder with Metal Claw, but she leapt back to avoid it. Rearing his head back, he fired a Flamethrower, and instead of blocking it, she leapt away again to gain more distance. The grass where she once stood was incinerated, leaving behind lingering flames.

  Zangoose held his arms to his sides, pumping his elbows down as his gaze turned skyward, and he let out another blood curdling howl that quickened Ash's heart rate more. "Phenom, knock him off balance! Glaceon, get your Super Tail ready!"

  "We'll see about that," Caesar grinned. "Zap that dino!"

  Phenom was already racing forward, his movements slowed but not halted. He wanted to blast Zangoose with Hyper Voice, but was instead forced to leap away from the Thunderbolt. Glaceon took her chance anyway, and as Zangoose dodged her attack, Tempest was upon him again.

  "From a distance!" Ash hurriedly called out. His water type companion complied, firing a Frost Pulse from either pincer. Zangoose vaulted over both and rushed the river crab, a clenched fist charged with lightning. The Krabby's body turned to metal as he braced himself, and was sent sliding back far enough to remind Ash just how absurd this Zangoose's strength was.

  The beast was on all fours again, Valiant's eyes narrowed as he realized he was the target. Zangoose's right claw was pulsing a deep blue. The Kirlia chose to stay put, sinking back into his Shadow just in time for the Crush Claw to bury its way into the dirt that he had been standing in just a second prior. The ferret's eyes were irate at the escape of his prey as Valiant rose just behind him, charging a Psyshock. It was a terrifying miracle when Zangoose turned around just in time, crossing two Metal Claws together in protective instinct. The blast detonated against him, and he slid back with a stagger.

  Phenom rushed him, firing off a barrage of rocks. Glaceon rushed him, charging Super Tail at Ash's orders. Caesar shouted, and Zangoose's Thunderbolt forced her to dodge just before the Rock Blast painfully pelted him. At first Zangoose staggered more, but then his howl's grew more angry than pained (although the pained tone did not disappear). Valiant teleported as the ferocious normal type defiantly charged through the volley, but his Thunderbolt landed only a split second after Zangoose's Metal Claw smashed into the Tyrunt's jaw.

  Ash called out as Phenom rolled limply through the dirt, but Zangoose's roars were more pained and angry than before. Glaceon and Tempest did not move fast enough: Valiant's eyes doubled in size as the ferret snarled through his teeth, and, even in the midst of being zapped, turned towards him and smashed him in the ribcage with Metal Claw next.

  "Valiant, no!" A laceration formed as the Kirlia was punted away, and Glaceon's eyes burned with vengeance as she rushed the enemy. Trailblaze amplified her speed as she swung the mother of all Super Tails, only to be met with a Fire Punch. Her momentum gave her the advantage this time, and Zangoose felt a pain in his fist, but her eyes widened at the flames forming in his jaws, and she was blasted point blank. "Glaceon!"

  Screaming, the Flamethrower sent her tumbling a few feet back, and just as she began to regain her balance, Zangoose was looming over her. Charged with Hone Claws, his left claw clenched into an orange fist, and he smashed a Brick Break straight into the side of her head. She did not cry out this time; she simply rolled away, as limp as Phenom.

  Zangoose roared with triumph, and Ash's face was a sheet. All of a sudden, he did not have the strength for reassuring words, and even if he had, they would have been lost anyway as he soon realized that Phenom had not gotten up. They were both knocked out cold.

  He still had enough bearings to recall the two of them, even as his desperation dominated his voice. "Valiant, Tempest, regroup!"

  "Scared now, are we?" Caesar sneered from the other side. "I hope you remember what I said at the start. Rip em' up, Zangoose!"

  Valiant teleported next to Zangoose, and the two only had time to exchange a split second look. Valiant's was troubled, while Tempest's was uneasy but defiant. They were roughly halfway between Ash, Connie, and their enemies, and the girl screamed as Zangoose rushed on all fours.

  "Slow him down with Thunder Wave!" Ash did his best to put some strength into his orders. "Scald!"

  It was bleak, but the best they could hope for was to hold Zangoose and Caesar back long enough for help to arrive. Golbat had already confirmed it was on its way; there was no way they were winning this fight, but there was hope.

  Zangoose cared very little for the streak of lightning that Valiant fired at him, blasting it with Flamethrower as his advance refused to slow. Tempest swerved to the side with Surf to better aim the boiling water that he launched from his pincers, and but the ferret whirled around and deflected the stream with a Thunder Punch. That was when Valiant fired Psyshock, taking a small leap backwards to gain some extra distance. Zangoose swung a Metal Claw, attempting to deflect the psychic blast, but he was only using once claw this time, and it struggled for a moment before he was sent staggering. By some hideous miracle, he still whirled around in time to catch Tempest with a Brick Break while the river crab tried to pound him with Liquidation, and was sent tumbling back for his efforts.

  Valiant Teleported a few yards from Zangoose's side, charging a Moonblast. Zangoose met the attack with Flamethrower before rushing through the smoke on all fours. Once more, he stabbed downward with a glowing Crush Claw, but Valiant dodged. Hissing in rage, Zangoose fired a Flamethrower in pursuit, and the Kirlia quickly surrounded himself in psychic energy. The barrier intercepted the blast, but he could still feel the heat.

  Zangoose ripped his claw out of the dirt, and rushed even faster than before, eyes hungrier than ever. His other claw pulsed with ghostly energy, and before Valiant could properly react, carved straight through the shield.

  "NO!" Ash shouted.

  "Take his head off!" Caesar called.

  Valiant felt the jarring whiplash of his barrier being violated, and he stumbled onto his bottom. He did not even have time to lock eyes with the large, brutish ferret as Zangoose swung the Shadow Claw straight down.

  And was blocked by Tempest.

  It was like the Krabby had come from nowhere, standing between prey and predator with two metallic pincers that definitely stopped the ghostly claw in its tracks. Valiant blinked, trying to get to his feet while staring at the display. He was about to prepare a Thunder Leaf while Zangoose was occupied when the normal type fired a Flamethrower over Tempest's head. The hastily formed barrier was not enough to fully block it, and with a yelp, Valiant was sent tumbling back, conscious but down, and Tempest was on his own.

  "DOUBLE!" Caesar pressed. A second Shadow Claw formed, and Zangoose's offense was no longer stopped in its tracks. Now it claimed a new target, and Tempest's arms violently shook from the pressure. His pincers were being pushed down, caving from the far superior strength of his opponent.

  "Stay strong, pal!" Ash tried to call out in encouragement, but the distress was taking over again. Janine and Golbat would come through- they just needed to hold out a little bit more-

  Tempest's legs began to buckle. Valiant was still getting to his feet. Whatever time was needed, they no longer had. The Krabby's eyes strained with frustration and pain as Zangoose continued to push down against him, readying a Thunderbolt.

  Valiant let out a cry, and as though in response, Tempest's eyes widened in a blaze.

  And his body became cloaked in white.

  Ash's heart skipped a beat. The glow surrounding the water type was vibrant. It was violent. It was pure. Even if the light had not been murder on the eyes, all one would make out was the basic shape of a Krabby. A Krabby being pushed down by a surprised but forceful Zangoose.

  But then the advance halted, and the shape began to grow in size. The normal type could not let the Thunderbolt loose; all of a sudden, all of his concentration was spent on trying to maintain the physical force pinning his opponent to the ground. But it was not Zangoose's strength that was wavering: The resistance against him grew along with the size of his opponent, and the light surrounding Tempest scattered and vanished as a roar escaped his throat, and he shoved his attacker away from him.

  Zangoose landed on his bottom.

  And the Kingler stood tall.

  Ash's heart skipped another beat, and even Connie gasped as Valiant, now fully on his feet, took a step back. Caesar swore. Zangoose growled. Tempest's eyes narrowed.

  The Kingler's eyes narrowed.

  Zangoose rose to full height, but he no longer towered over the competition. Tempest had always been big for a Krabby, but now, even straight out of evolution, he was somewhat above average for a Kingler, and could look his adversary in the eye without angling his head. A confident, energized, battle-eager gaze clashed with a bloodcurdling lust for maiming smashing.

  "You did it Tempest…" Ash's voice was quiet as he stared the two down, and then his face lit up. "You did it!"

  "He did nothing!" Caesar snarled. "Have you heard a fat lady on stage yet? You're about to; Thunder Punch!"

  Zangoose roared as he reared his fist back, crackling with more lightning than ever as he took a swing for Tempest's face. The Kingler's body turned to metal as he assumed a defensive stance to block the attack. When the attack struck him, he did not budge, and the sparks bounced off of the surface. As the bloodlust in Zangoose's gaze shifted to one of half confusion, the river crab pushed back , but this time the normal type caught himself before he could land on his bottom, falling to his bottom, flipping over and sliding back before returning to his feet as Kingler's pincers rapidly clicked.

  Connie's face was still terrified, but it did not disrupt the awe in her voice. "He's so strong…"

  "Zangoose is strong too," Ash realized halfway through that he was speaking allowed. "But Tempest just…" his heart quickened for a different reason this time.

  Had he really been trying to… buy time and wait to be saved?

  His face tightened, his eyes grew firm. So did his lips, but eventually, they formed a small smile,

  "Come back to us, Valiant!" The Kirlia's eyes had not left Tempest until he had given the order. Breaking his gaze away from his teammate, he began to move; certainly slower than normal, but he wasn't struggling too much. As he repositioned himself back in front of his trainer and Connie, Ash's eyes locked onto the large river crab. "Tempest!" The water type turned his head just enough to look back at him, but kept his pincers held up in preparation for Zangoose's next attack. "These assholes are finished."

  Adrenaline rushed through Ash's soul at the smirk Tempest sent back his way.

  "Thunderbolt!" Caesar's voice boomed.

  "Block it with Mud Shot!"

  Zangoose fired the powerful streak of electricity, every intention in his being focused on frying Tempest to a crisp, but the globs of mud that the Kingler launched out of either pincer were much bigger than before. And much faster as well. They easily smashed through the lightning bolt sent the water type's way, and Zangoose swerved to avoid them whilst charging on all fours, letting out what may have been his most murderous howl yet- unless Ash was just imagining it.

  "Crush Claw!"

  "Crabhammer!"

  Water erupted beneath Tempest's feet, and Surf propelled him forward. Already, Ash could tell there was something different about this Surf: It was bigger, yes, but it did not take him too long to realize that it was stable. Hardly something the river crab could use indefinitely, but Tempest had gotten progressively better with the move as a Krabby, and now, as a Kingler…

  It was much faster than normal as well, as if in complete defiance of the tremendous amount of weight he had gained. Riding the pillar of water, he bowled straight into Zangoose, tackling him into the grass. The normal type recovered quickly, rising into a crouching position before readying himself, and the two brawled.

  The energy and vigor of two combatants, both fueled with very equal but different forms of adrenaline, bounced off of one another as the two traded blows. Claws clashed with pincers, scraping away at Tempest's outer. Pincers smashed into claws, before the most forceful punch yet finally socked Zangoose in the jaw, knocking him over. Instead of pursuing, Tempest reactivated Surf, carrying him backwards a few feet instead of forwards, and landed a couple of yards directly in front of the group, standing tall and protective with his pincers raised.

  "Great work, big guy." Ash sucked in a breath. "If he charges, fire a Scald and then charge right back with Liquidation."

  As though on que, Caesar called out. "Thunder Punch!" And Zangoose was blazing towards them on all fours. He swerved to avoid the twin blasts of boiling water that Tempest shot out of his pincers just before launching himself straight into him with Surf, and his body became enveloped in surging water. He nailed Zangoose on the other side of his jaw, but his opponent stayed upright this time, and pounded the electrical fist into the Kingler's abdomen. Tempest hissed in pain as the Thunder Punch sent him sliding back, mildly staggering as Zangoose followed up with a Thunderbolt that bathed him in agonizing lightning.

  "Crush Claw, rip his eyes out!"

  "Scald, then Chokeslam!"

  Tempest fought through the pain to blast Zangoose with more boiling water, and as the ferret shrieked, seized him in a Vise Grip while lifting himself up with Surf. Claw's claws wrapped around Tempest's pincer, prompting the Kingler to strengthen his grip as the normal type struggling to pry it off of him. Despite the river crab's best efforts, Zangoose succeeded just in time, slashing across Tempest's chest with a desperate Crush Claw before gasping for air. Even as Tempest scattered backwards, however, he took the opportunity, and nailed Zangoose in the stomach with a Metal Claw. His opponent doubled over, eyes a shining crimson.

  "Razor Shell!" Ash pressed, and he could feel their chances improving with every move.

  "Crush Claw!" For once, Caesar was starting to sound desperate. It was euphoric.

  Tempest lunged, and Zangoose swung back. The open pincer, bladed with water, clashed against the pulsing claw like two knights with claymores. For the first moment or so, Zangoose's strike pushed Tempest's back, and the pincer began to shake, but then it stabilized, and then two were even. Moments later, Zangoose's claw began to shake, and Caesar roared as his partner was shoved backwards, struggling not to lose his balance as he staggered away.

  "FROZEN BULLETS!" Now Ash was roaring.

  "Thunderbolt right now!" Caesar screeched.

  Tempest was faster. Before Zangoose could recover, the volley of ice slammed into him, pelting against his chest and stomach and forcing him onto his bottom.

  "LIQUIDATION!"

  Tempest could see and taste the victory in front of him. He cried out his deepest, loudest, and most passionate battle cry as Surf launched him into the downed Zangoose, body surging with water as he struck him in the face with the strongest, most merciless and forceful punch that his muscles could produce. The normal type only cried out for a brief moment before tumbling with a daze. He landed on his back, lifted his battered and bloodied head, and then passed out in the grass.

  "Yes!" Even in the midst of the current situation, Ash's face was split in half with a grin.

  "Curse you pipsqueak!" Caesar backed away, his gaze filled with more rage than fear as Tempest set his sights on him next. "If you come closer-" and then his eyes widened at a flash behind him, and his face split into a smirk.

  Tempest was halfway to him when Kadabra appeared, charging psychic energy through her spoon.

  Ash's eyes were wide. 'No, he can't get away now!' He didn't have time to feel surprised that he was nervous: They had won the fight, and Caesar running away wouldn't change that, but… "Look out!"

  Tempest deflected the blast with a metal pincer, but even as he rushed forward faster than before, Caesar had already made it to Kadabra.

  "Sayonara." Despite his earlier smirk, there was no gloating in his tone of voice. Only frustration.

  Kadabra's eyes flashed.

  And then a yellow blur bowled straight into her.

  "The shit!?" Startled, Caesar staggered away.

  Ash was just as caught off guard, and although his breath caught in his throat for a moment, it was all he needed to process what had happened before his face glowed, and he locked eyes with his bruised but very much alive starter. "Pikachu!"

  The mouse called out to him as Valiant rushed Kadabra. She was only halfway through picking herself up when a large Shadow Ball detonated against her, and put her out of commission.

  Caesar roared unintelligibly as Tempest resumed his advance at an even quicker place, as though determined to beat out and further interruptions, and tackled the poacher to the ground. Ash took Connie's hand, apologizing as he pulled the startled girl along with him. He released her next to Valiant before breaking into a full sprint.

  "GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" Caesar's voice was not human. He struggled against the mass of armored shell pinning him unapologetically against the soil, but he could barely move. "You're gonna BURN!"

  He suddenly froze, face whiter than any sheet as Tempest's pincer clamped down onto his shoulder. Cold air began seeping through, and the poacher's howl was equally inhuman.

  "Tempest, stop!" He immediately stopped producing the frigid air, keeping his target helplessly pinned as he looked up to see Ash and Pikachu coming to a stop in front of them. Behind them, Valiant and Connie were approaching more slowly, before stopping at a safer distance. "Just restrain him, that's enough."

  The large river crab nodded, but still sneered spitefully at Caesar as Ash knelt down and looked into the man's hateful eyes. The battle was won, whether the man had gotten away or not, but they would see things through.

  "You're going to jail no matter what," Ash spoke steadily. In the position he was in, there was nothing dangerous about Caesar at all. "Now tell me where the rest of the ghosts are being held so I can go get the police."

  "That won't be necessary."

  Ash, Valiant, and Connie all whirled in the direction of the voice, and although Tempest did not move from his spot (Caesar equally powerless all the same), his full, suspicious attention was on the new arrivals as well. Pikachu's ears simply perked up, but he did not react nearly as quickly.

  Fully on alert, Ash felt his spine tingle at the sight of the four: one man and one boy cloaked to the point where all he could see were the eyes and hairs. Accompanying them was a massive Tangrowth and a Toxicroak. All four seemed entirely calm, stoic, even. Almost without worry.

  Beneath Tempest, Caesar's eyes narrowed. "You."

  It was the man who had spoken. "I apologize for our late arrival, Mr. Ketchum," the gentle professionalism in his voice clashed with his unsettling appearance. "But it seems you have performed quite laudably on your own." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out an ID card with an emblem that lit Ash's eyes up with recognition: The Marsh Badge. "I am Akira Kyo, with the Fuchsia Gym under Leader Koga. Please allow us to take things from here."

  RELIEF. The feeling hit Ash like a pleasant, soothing tidal wave's worth of Valiant's Life Dew, along with the realization that it was over. "Okay," he nodded eagerly before turning back to Tempest. "You can let him go."

  Tempest clearly wasn't eager to release his hold on Caesar (nor did Ash blame him), but with some hesitation, but as all eyes fell on him expectantly, he nonetheless moved back and released his hold on the man. The moment he did, Tangrowth's vines shot out, and the poaching leader found himself in a new prison to struggle against. Perhaps this one was far worse.

  The boy made his way over to Valiant and Connie, the former standing down and choosing to join his trainer's side. The Kirlia's eyes were on Akira, who made his way over to Caesar's scowling, vine-bonded form, while Pikachu's attention was on Caesar himself, and Tempest's on Tangrowth.

  "Caesar Faylist," the the mildly gentle touch in Akira's tone was gone, and Ash was listening to the words of a warrior who would cut a man down. "Far off from your usual areas of choice, but it seems Indigo is about to become a slightly better place."

  "In your eyes." even in his restraints, Caesar spitefully sneered. "Things will really be better when your high horses buckle at the knees. We came here to make a statement, I have nothing to apologize for."

  "I don't need your sorrow," Akira assured. "Just you and the rest of your gang locked up. Although from the sound of it, not all of you are here. Still have more rats scurrying back at the hideout, I presume?"

  Caesar spat in Akira's direction, but winced the next instant as Tangrowth's hold on him temporarily tightened. Tempest almost chuckled as Toxicroak approached the man, holding an orb.

  Ash's eyes lit up. "That's the thing he gave to his Zangoose, sir!"

  "Indeed," Akira confirmed aloud. He did not take the orb, merely allowing Toxicroak to show it to him. "There are rare breeds of Zangoose with an ability called Toxic Boost, which allows them to draw on toxins to boost their strength. Faylist's Zangoose is among them, and this is called a Toxic Orb. An extremely illegal item that can only be found in unlawful markets."

  Ash had never heard of a Toxic Orb, but he imagined it functioned exactly as the label suggested. His eyes found themselves back on the defeated Zangoose as Akira's attention returned to Caesar.

  "I don't suppose you'd be generous enough to inform us the easy way where your base is?"

  "Tch," Caesar grunted. "What do you think? My generosity isn't wasted on people who do nothing but take and profit."

  "And yet you waste it on Team Rocket."

  "They give back to those who see through your shit." Even when recoiling from the tight grasp of Tangrowth's vines, Caesar just barely managed to raise his head highly, if only for a moment or two. "I told you, I apologize for nothing."

  "And neither do. Sleep Powder, Tangrowth."

  Caesar's eyes widened. "Hold on a sec-!" The powder came out of the vines himself, and he was out in as fast as the order had been given.

  "Whoa…" Ash breathed. "That's some strong stuff."

  "Typho is very experienced," Caesar responded matter of factly. His voice was not as hardened anymore, although he still sounded more warrior than man. His eyes narrowed in worry as they fell on Connie. "Who is she?"

  "Connie," Ash answered. "A girl from Sunnytown. They, uh…" he took another breath. "Kidnapped her."

  "I wish I was surprised…" Akira sighed. "The Scarfist have a… history, doing such things."

  "ASH!" Ash turned just in time to see purple blur crash into him. A familiar pair of arms wrapped tightly around his body and prevented him from being bowled over as Janine pulled him in for an embrace that briefly lifted his feet off of the ground.

  The startled sensation that rushed through his body was immediately replaced with an even stronger surge of many things that made him feel far better than he ever could have imagined coming out of a brush with peril. Familiarity was one of them, prompting him on instinct to return the hug while silently marveling. Janine's grip wasn't cartoonishly tight to the point of being painful or rib breaking, but she was so strong!

  Regardless, he soon found himself pulling her closely as well, and looking behind her, he could see her team coming up as well, Golbat included. It really was over.

  As they separated, their hands briefly stayed on each other's shoulders, and he could see a whirlpool of emotions on Janine's face. He wondered what she saw on his.

  "I'm glad you're alright," he said, finding smiling easy.

  "Same here," her soft tone was a comforting reminder that everybody had made it through. 'Did you find Nebula?"

  "She'll need a doctor," Ash nodded, consciously tugging on the Staraptor's Poke Ball, safely on her belt. "But she should be fine."

  "Good…" her tone was still shaky, in a way that put a Butterfree or too in Ash's stomach, but she turned more tranquil as she released him in full, and gestured towards Akira and Typho, who watched them quietly. "Ash, this is Akira, my cousin. And his starter, Typho, of course." She looked over to the uniformed boy, who was now approaching them with Connie and Toxicroak. "And this is his apprentice, Len, and his partner Toxicroak. Guys, this is my friend, Ash Ketchum, and his team."

  "It's a pleasure to meet you." Akira offered a light bow, which Len mimicked.

  "Yeah, same…" Ash trailed off. It was suddenly occurring to him that he was meeting Janine's family. Of course he had met her aunt Aya before, and back in Cerulean had met Misty's sisters for both better and worse. So why did this feel different…

  …Aya hadn't dressed in such mysterious clothes, for one thing, and Misty's sisters definitely weren't. And looking at the ID card Akira had showed him brought him back to the reality of where he was headed. And even that gave him more than one feeling, rushing through his blood.

  Fuchsia City. The city that had been their goal for so long. Before Lavender. Before Gary at the lodging. For as long as he could recently remember. The heart of the domain of one of Indigo's most prestigious Gyms, led by one of the greatest of all Gym Leaders. The Kyo Clan's home.

  …

  …Janine's home. And the home of her father.

  The father that stood between Ash Ketchum and his fifth badge.

  /

  The sky was getting dark outside the large, abandoned power plant. Away from camp, one finger leaned at the edge of the cliff overlooking the building.

  The Iron-Masked Marauder sneered. "The greatest appetizer of all time, served up to me. I can never thank the President enough for recommending me to Commander Archer."

  "Speaking aloud to yourself, I see?" not too surprised, he turned around to see Necro, the Mr. Mime, smiling at him with a tilt of the head. "I do enjoy a good round of self buttering talk every now and then. Why, there was one time when I did so in a room full of humans. Humans who, the difference is, have no idea what I'm saying unless I allow it! Don't you wish you had your own special language, big man?"

  Marauder ignored Necro's prattle, something he had grown used to long before he had been hired by Team Rocket. Instead of humoring the psychic, he simply stood up straight and turned to face him. "I did not know you were coming, Necro. Did Ariana kick you out because you miscalculated her level of tolerance?"

  "Perish the thought, she and I get along like ketchup and syrup, only possible with tastes as unique as hers! I was simply sent to relay a message regarding the equipment you were asked to donate to Scarfist Company."

  "In other words, you have bad news." the Hunter rubbed the bridge of his nose.

  "I'm afraid so. They no-showed the arranged meeting, and according to Petrel's intel, it appears they were all arrested by Fuchsia's Gym and police force. The equipment, consequently, has been confiscated."

  "Tch," Marauder breathed through his nostrils as he turned back to the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the Power Plant. "Normally, I'd be pretty irritable at such news, but thankfully, things will be looking up sooner rather than later."

  "Oh of course," Necro nodded rapidly. "I trust you'll appreciate the fine tuning Ariana has done to the prototype. I did assist, of course!"

  "Yes indeed…" At the mention of the Master Ball prototype, the Hunter took it out, twirling it on his finger like a basketball. "It will be of excellent use to the cause, ahead of the fully finished product."

  "And I'm sure you are already elated to have come here, even with the main event still so far off!"

  "The main event…" Marauder echoed with a simple, yet excited grin. "Yes, it is obviously the biggest to look forward to. But there is nothing wrong with being patient, when there is still so much more great stuff to come."

  /

  The black sky was decorated in stars as the group approached the entrance to Fuchsia City. Along with Akira and Len, Ash, Janine and Connie were escorted by a duo of police officers. The psychics that had brought them here had already gone elsewhere, likely to bring Caesar to wherever he was to be held. Typho brought up the rear of the group, while Toxicroak walked side by side with Len. Pikachu was resting in Ash's backpack, while Valiant and Tempest walked with Ivysaur.

  As the entrance came into view, countless days of training, trial and travel appeared to pay off all at once. Ash's desire for a comfortable bed was briefly replaced with the satisfaction of a first year who had conquered the wilderness of Fuchsia, and in fact traveled from Pallet Town in southwestern Kanto, all the way through to its symmetrical opposite. A place avoided by the vast majority of his level. A place he was proud to be at.

  At Ash's side, Janine's eyes widened at the familiar woman standing at the entrance. Aya's Ace Trainer uniform and dark green ponytail only took a couple of moments for him to recognize, and no time period for her niece.

  The purple blur that had bowled into Ash earlier returned, but this time smacked into a sturdy, iron wall as the purple haired girl wrapped her arms around her aunt, who softly planted her lips on her forehead while returning the embrace.