Chapter 31

RAINDANCER

The rhythm of my thoughts

pushing me further to the edge

The echo of my soul

Freezing the soil beneath my feet

- Lifespark

I

"It's been well over an hour; I don’t like this," Seth mumbled as he rested his head upon Ninetales, nestled comfortably in the shade of an oak tree.

"I'm sure Fearow got the message to Lt. Surge," Emily replied, idly plucking clumps of grass from the ground under the towering walls encircling Vermilion City. "But it can't be easy trying to get us into the city."

"We don't even know if he's alive," Seth responded, the distant sounds of Rhydon and Aggron clashing in the distance serving as a disconcerting backdrop.

"It seems normal here. If Lt. Surge had been overthrown, we would have at least seen something," Emily stated, rising and walking past Seth to observe Vaporeon playfully frolicking in the lake behind them.

Seth succumbed to sleep as they waited beneath the warm embrace of the summer sun, oblivious to the Pokémon training and battles that unfolded around them. The reality of his world began to blur, and he immersed himself in a dream where Erin's smiling face played along a picturesque riverside with Noibat, Torterra, and Metang. The echoes of their shared laughter filled every crevice of this imaginary landscape.

Suddenly, a loud noise disrupted the dream, and Seth became aware of the bright sun, the warm breeze, and the image of Torterra uprooting a tree root to defend against an attack from Annihilape. His senses tingled, and he half-expected a sleepy arm to flail into his side as Erin often did. But the blow never came, and the harsh reality crashed back in on him. He lay there, eyes tightly shut, resisting the urge to confront a world without Erin. Then, a low growl reached his ears from Ninetales, forcing him to open his eyes and turn his attention toward the approaching woman.

She was dressed in Team Rocket's black attire, with the vibrant red "R" emblem standing out conspicuously. Her arms were raised, bearing nothing, in a gesture to show that she came in peace. Nevertheless, her actions failed to quell the fierce determination in the eyes of every Pokémon, which had instinctively positioned themselves between Emily, Seth, and this unknown threat.

"I am with Lt. Surge," her voice carried over while walking undeterred, maintaining her pace. Five Poké Balls gleamed in the sunlight on her belt, though she chose not to provide any protection. She approached the group's Pokémon, mere yards away, until Noivern crashed to the ground, hissing loudly. His massive yellow eyes locked onto her, but she simply lowered her raised hand onto Noivern's head. With a crash, Noivern collapsed to the ground as her hand disappeared into the white fur covering his throat.

"Who's a cutie? Who is a cutie?" she said, scratching his neck. Noivern's legs kicked wildly as a strange, joyful hiss escaped from him.

Every Pokémon, except for Annihilape and Ninetales, dropped their guard at the scene unfolding before them. "I told you I wasn't with them," she explained. "My name is Holly, and I am here to help you get into the city."

"Sorry," Emily began, walking forward and placing a gentle hand on Aggron as she approached Holly, with Vaporeon at her heel. "Bold clothing choice. You're lucky we didn't attack you on principle."

Holly responded, "There wasn't any other way. Seth, they're still searching for you like mad." She removed her hat, revealing her short red hair.

A flash of red light illuminated the area, and all the Pokémon, except for Ninetales, vanished. "Do I have to return her as well?" Seth asked, running his hand through her grey fur.

"I would. You killed everyone who saw Ninetales, but your wanted poster specifically mentions a golden Vulpix. The unique color of Ninetales might give you away," Holly explained.

"Fair point." With a low growl, Ninetales disappeared as well.

"Great, let's go. There's a lot to discuss. Oh, and Emily, could I have my Fearow's Pokéball back?" Holly held her hand out and retrieved the Poké Ball from Emily. They turned and began making their way down the hill, heading toward Vermilion's gate.

II

The lights radiated down onto the Vermilion City Gym, displaying a giant yellow battlefield made of steel. Each large sheet was drilled next to another, with faint white lines marking each side for competitors. Statues of Zapdos hung to the left of the entrance. Seth took this in, realizing it was his second time seeing the vast gym, but the first time he couldn’t consciously remember and take in his surroundings. All he could recall from the previous visit was the blurred memory of his son's still form.

"Ah, Seth, Emily, please come in, come in," Lt. Surge's giant frame stood on a raised platform that extended over the battlefield, with two staircases on either side leading up to what appeared to be a larger group gathered on the platform.

"And what if they use a legendary?" A soft voice drifted down the staircase as Seth and Emily followed Holly up to the platform.

"I don't think Team Rocket has them. They are back in Johto, I am almost sure of it," Lt. Surge said, standing at full attention. He was massive, towering over everyone on the platform by a foot or more.

"That is a massive gamble," Sabrina remarked, sitting on a couch across from Surge. Even in a seated position, her aura of complete control was palpable, especially when looking up to the Vermilion City Gym leader. Erika sat in a chair next to her, donning a kimono with flowers printed throughout the fabric.

Holly walked up to a man in military fatigues, similar to Lt. Surge, whom Seth had met on the day Erin was killed. At the end of the platform, leaning attentively against the railing, the boy that Emily had saved in Saffron City had black hair hanging out from under his red hat, partially covering his eyes.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to meet Emily and..."

"Seth Conklin," Sabrina interjected during Lt. Surge's introduction.

"Ah, you know him?" Lt. Surge asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"Yes, he won my gym challenge," Sabrina replied with a hint of disdain in her voice.

"I see, I see. Erika, have you met Seth as well?" Lt. Surge inquired, shifting his attention to her. Erika appeared much healthier than the last time they had met. Her skin and hair had more color, and even her once-frail frame seemed to carry more weight.

"No, I don't think so. Hello, Seth," she greeted him. He didn't protest and didn't care enough to correct her; his desire to finish the league challenge was over.

"Well then, you know Red," Lt. Surge's booming voice filled the air as he turned and gestured toward the teenager leaning against the railing, a whistle resting on his black t-shirt.

Red placed his right hand near his chin, then lowered it, showing a flat palm. He followed this with a V-shaped gesture using his right hand against his left, which was clenched into a fist. He finished by pointing at himself.

"He said, 'Thank you for saving me,'" Lt. Surge explained.

"No problem," Emily responded with a pleasant smile.

"Now that introductions are finished, we need to discuss the next phase of the operation," Lt. Surge continued, capturing their attention. “First and foremost, Red, how was Lavender Town? I don't see Dr. Fuji; I am assuming it didn't go well.”

Red shook his head and pulled out a prepared piece of paper, handing it to Lt. Surge, who began reading it.

“We actually knew Mr. Fuji,” Emily said, speaking up. “What happened to him?”

“Red said that he was attacked by Team Rocket and fled to the Pokémon tower there. He doesn't know if he was thrown or jumped, but he fell from the top floor,” Lt. Surge read aloud, looking at Emily and Seth’s solemn faces. “What's this about stones?”

Red pulled out two stones from his jacket pocket. One was a large stone that contained every shade of blue imaginable, with a dark black flame centered at the top. The other, smaller, gleamed with every color depending on how you looked at it. In the center, another flame but hollow with a single line running horizontally through it.

“Do you know what they do?” Lt. Surge asked.

He shook his head and began moving his hands quickly.

“Well?” Erika asked from the couch behind them.

“He says after his Charizard brought Fuji’s body back to his house he found them on a shelf with the name Charizard written under it. He doesn’t know what they do.”

“I actually do,” Seth muttered quietly, drawing their attention. “Misty, the gym leader, had those same stones; she used them on her Swampert, and it made it evolve even further.”

“That’s impossible; Swampert has no further evolution,” Sabrina said callously.

“Look, you guys are the gym leaders. How is it that Misty knew and possessed them and not you?” Seth answered back with all of them simply looking confused and irritated. “But anyhow, I would have your Charizard wear the blue stone, and you the smaller one.”

"Misty had always been in Team Rocket's good graces due to her cruel nature, but that's besides the point,” Lt. Surge answered. “Back to the main point, I've been planning this since Giovanni's takeover, and it's time to finally reveal myself and fight back in the open."

"How do you have the manpower?" Seth interjected, clutching the railing. "The gym leaders we've met, even Sabrina, have had little power to do anything."

"As I was saying," Lt. Surge continued, now with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I've been planning this ever since Team Rocket took control of the country. I have a little more than a few hundred trainers ready to attack on my order in the city, and with the element of surprise, there should be no issue."

"You don't have the element of surprise," Emily interjected this time. They all stared at her as she brushed her long hair out of her face, revealing a much fainter yellow bruise on her forehead. "Giovanni knows that you sent Red and us to Silph Co."

"And how does he know that?"

"We—I—let it slip that I knew about Johto's presence in Team Rocket. He concluded that you are the Kantonian in power who knew about that," Emily said, standing tall under Lt. Surge's intimidating gaze.

"Okay. Okay. I just needed to make sure I didn't make a mistake inviting you into this army," Lt. Surge replied, slightly recoiling from Emily but maintaining his composure in the center of the group. "I am surprised you know that fact. What worries me most of all is why hasn't Giovanni struck at me yet. It's been what, six days since your attack. He's had ample time, so why did he even tell you this?"

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"He really wasn't planning on letting us live. We were nearly caught up in the explosion," Seth explained.

"Then the assault will take place today," he declared, releasing an Abra from his belt. "It's time to deliver the letters." In a blinding flash, the Abra vanished from sight.

"That's a stupid idea," Sabrina chimed in.

"Yeah, we need to plan this out," Erika agreed.

“We can't wait for Giovanni to act, if he suspects me then we don’t have long.” Lt. Surge answered back. “Red you in? For Professor Oak, right?”

Red fixed his gaze on Lt. Surge, pressing his thumb to his chest with all his fingers pointing upward. There was a fierce anger in his eyes that struck both Seth and Emily. To Seth, he felt the intensity of that anger, which only surfaced in the presence of a void, but to Emily, she couldn't help but empathize with it.

"Does this mean the eviction will be today as well?" Erika asked.

"Eviction?" Emily asked, looking over to Lt. Surge.

"After we deal with Team Rocket, we will have to forcefully remove everyone in the city to make room for the Kantonians who have survived on the outside of these city walls," he responded.

"These people are Kantonian," she said, getting to her feet. "You're just going to kick them out of their homes? All of them, even families?"

"They can't stay here," Lt. Surge sat down in a chair behind him, putting his hands together and placing them under his head. "I don't want to do this, but after Celadon and Saffron City, it's become clear to me that the citizens who have enjoyed the benefits of Team Rocket can't remain here."

"It's true," Erika expressed. "My people were sympathetic at first after we saw the horrors in that basement of the Casino. They even held strong in the initial phase of the siege that Team Rocket placed on us. But as soon as the rationing started, they turned on me. I barely made it out alive."

"You two were there in Saffron. I saw you. You saw those cowards turn on me," Sabrina added to Erika's point.

"Being scared, being selfish is not a crime. If it was me and Red, would be the only people allowed here," Emily yelled out, now taking the center between them. "You haven't even begun to think this through. What about the people who depend on the hospital here? What the fuck are you going to do about commerce? I have been here for just a day, and I can see it's dependent on the harbor. Are you going to replace all those workers with people who might have never seen an ocean?"

"We can worry about all of that after we deal with Team Rocket," Lt. Surge responded, still sincerely.

"For how long? You're a militant. What do you know about running a city?" She responded harshly.

"What do you know?" he responded back simply.

"Nothing! But I'm not trying to remove innocent Kantonians from their homes."

"We three have run our respective cities each for over a decade," Erika reminded Emily.

"Ha! Don't make me laugh. You all are glorified mascots. Seth, back me up." She turned her head to him, but he didn't meet her gaze.

"Emily, I gave you your time, but quite frankly, I don't give a damn how you feel about me," Lt. Surge answered, getting back to his feet. "But how do you feel about killing Team Rocket members? Seth?" Surge asked with a knowing and manipulative expression.

"Just point us where," Seth replied.

"I will help you deal with Team Rocket, but I refuse to help you in hurting Kantonians," Emily answered.

"Duly noted. Now then, this is the plan," Surge pointed to a map of the city on the desk in the middle of the platform.

III

The waves of Vermillion City splashed across the flood walls behind Emily and Seth, filling their shoes with saltwater before retreating.

Fraxure pushed the dead but still spasming Simisear body from his left tusk, and it fell with a thud. A trembling Team Rocket member stood in front of them for a moment before sprinting away.

"Doesn't it bother you that he's forcing us to play bait?" Emily asked. The sea breeze rushed past them so furiously that it was difficult to even see her face.

"No," Seth said simply. Noivern, who was circling the sky, let out a loud hiss before everyone else got into position.

"He is manipulating you and the kid, using his pain to do what he wants. You see that, right? Not to mention this tyrannical plan to empty out the city," Emily said, grabbing his wrist to force his attention on her.

"I do, but it doesn't matter. Like I told you at Sarah and Erin's grave, 'His life was my life, and now his death will be my death. I will scorch this entire world because that's all I have left.'"

She placed a hand on his bearded face, and a tear fell from her eye. But she said nothing. There was nothing left to say, no remedy for the pain, no path to healing.

A sea of black began to flood out of every part of the city, rushing towards them. "Seth Concklin!" A new, blank face called from the head of the small army that was closing in on them. A powerful light overtook the entire boardwalk as Pokémon were released, trapped between the buildings of Vermillion and the anger and rage from Seth, Emily, and their Pokémon. "Recall your Pokémon and surrender!"

"He said we had to hold out for a few minutes to draw out all of them. Are you ready?" Seth muttered softly to Emily, who nodded in return.

"This is your last—" In a blur, the Team Rocket member was gone. The rest of them looked around for their commander, but the answer came as two halves of his corpse flopped to the ground, followed by a rain of blood on anyone unfortunate enough to be below Noivern's attack.

"Dragon Pulse!" Seth roared out. Noivern drew his mouth back as purple energy started to gather within it, drawing the attention of most of the Team Rocket members. Then chaos consumed the boardwalk with multiple simultaneous attacks.

"Togekiss, defend!" A Togekiss used its body to collide with the pulsating purple energy, which simply dissipated upon contact.

A Hitmonlee ran up, launching a rolling kick at Seth, but inches before he could make contact, his body froze in mid-air from Metang's psychic attack and was smashed to the ground moments later. Rhydon stepped in front of Seth, crushing Hitmonlee's face beneath his weight.

A Leavanny began charging up towards Emily, but in a single motion, Ceruledge decapitated the Pokémon and the Team Rocket grunt commanding it. After both heads collided with the wooden floor, Emily heard another voice in the crowd of their enemy yell out, "Shadow Sneak!" A Banette transformed into a shadow on the ground in an instant, reappearing and slamming one of its fists, covered with a thick purple cloud, into Ceruledge's already caved-in chestplate.

She fell to the floor, both blades piercing the wooden planks that formed the boardwalk. In between Banette's hands, a shadow ball formed, but before it could release, Ampharos picked up the back of Banette's head, and the ball soared into the ocean's waves, creating a burst of water raining down on them.

"Thunderbolt!" Emily called out to Ampharos, and a bright light illuminated from Ampharos all over her body, flooding down over Banette until one eye popped out of its head, its body clenched tightly on itself, blisters forming all over its grayish body as smoke rose from the top of its head until Ampharos dropped it dead on the ground.

A group of five Team Rocket members and their Pokémon ran against the railing on the flood wall while trying to flank them. About fifteen yards up, a giant wave smashed into them, knocking everyone to the ground. As the water receded, it was as if the water grew hands, gripping each person and Pokémon tightly until they slipped beyond the railing, leaving behind only their screams and Vaporeon, who was walking on top of the railing.

Noivern was taking on an Archeops, Mothim, and a Corviknight. He had just been blasted by Archeops, lunging a chunk of the wall from a nearby building, opening up Corviknight for a devastating Steel Wing. Annihilape went to shadow punch an oncoming Gengar, but Gengar disappeared under the wooden floor, only to appear behind him and unleashing a Shadow Ball that collided with his backside. His fur and skin twisted and contorted, and blood sprayed to his feet.

"Seth! There are too many!" Emily called out from behind Aggron's defensive stance as enemy Pokémon closed in, trapping them closer to the railing. More Team Rocket members started flooding onto the boardwalk, surrounding them.

"Fall back!" He roared out in response. Just as Annihilape, the furthest Pokémon from them, closed the distance, Ninetales leaped out from behind Torterra and unleashed an ocean of blue flames that danced over them. However, it was useless. Inteleon, Politoed, and Gastrodon stood ahead of Team Rocket's Pokémon. Just before the flames hit, each of them pulled the ocean below the boardwalk, creating a vast wall of water that the flames pummeled against and then snuffed out.

"Fraxure, come back!" Emily called out. The small Pokémon walked out against the armada of Pokémon closing in, its eyes shining a bright white. A Vespiquen darted toward him, its clawed arm locked back to attack Fraxure. Purple flames started to swirl around him, and just as Vespiquen tried to strike, Fraxure's tusk impaled its head, and disappeared behind the growing ball of purple fire.

Haxorus emerged from the flames, its yellowish-green scales reflecting the sun's light as it stood in front of the group, roaring at the flood of enemies surrounding him.

"Guillotine!" Emily called out over Noivern's scream of pain as it got slammed by another Corviknight's Steel Wing. The three Water Pokémon, Inteleon, Politoed, and Gastrodon, whose heads fell to the ground, followed by their bodies. A jet of pulsating purple energy collided with Haxorus, dropping him back from a Turtonator.

It was hopeless. There were just too many. Seth looked at Rhydon's back as he stood stoically with his arms up, blocking a flying brick. Ninetales was bellowing another blast of fire, trying to hold back the oncoming storm of Pokémon, burning a Spidops, its greenish long arms incinerating to ash but soon replaced by a Zangoose.

IV

Two short, piercing whistles faintly echoed as gray storm clouds crept over the Team Rocket army. Noivern was soaring once again, charging despite the three deep gashes on its bleeding body. Flames collided with the Corviknight, causing its body to turn bright red as it fell from the sky, crushing two Team Rocket members and a Nidorino. Charizard, with Red on his back, flew low, accompanied by two more faint but sharp whistle sounds from Red, followed by a pillar of fire that scorched the middle of the attacking Team Rocket group.

A chorus of screams filled the sky but was eclipsed by a roaring, "Thunder!" Seth could barely see the top of Raichu as a blinding lightning strike hit the left flank of the Team Rocket force.

Before he could comprehend the chaos, another command from Lt. Surge was heard, "Wild Charge." Lightning pummeled the left side where Lt. Surge was standing, followed by his Electivire, running through the crowd as Team Rocket grunts and their Pokémon fell dead, victims of either the electricity stopping their hearts or the fierce impact of the colossal Electivire colliding with their meager frames.

Emily heard more screams from the right flank as a pink mist began to flood and hover just overhead. A dozen Pokémon or so, followed by their trainers, began to rise in the air, stiff and rigid, before their bones cracked and their bodies folded inward.

The last thing Seth and Emily heard before refocusing on the battle was a charging cry from what seemed like a giant army of people. Ninetales spat fire at the turned targets, sinking them into an ocean of blue flames. Noivern finally gripped the Archeops, tearing the ancient Pokémon's head from its shoulders with an iron grip.

Torterra stomped on a charging Doublade, its steel hilts cracking under its immense weight. Annihilape, without any commands, jumped back into the fray, sinking its fist into numerous targets' chests. The Team Rocket force slowly dwindled as Lt. Surge, Sabrina, and Erika, along with the accompanying army, pushed further and further into the surrounding force. Noivern and Charizard attacked from the sky, creating a circle of chaos for the last moments of their enemies.

V

"Please, you can have the city. We'll leave, just let me live," pleaded the last Team Rocket member, a young girl with flowing black hair that was singed, her face so covered in soot it was as black as her hair. Erika's Breloom tore through her skull, collapsing her body onto the ground.

What was left amidst the dozens upon dozens of corpses that littered the boardwalk was Lt. Surge, standing in the center, surrounded by his army, Red, Erika, Sabrina, Seth, Emily, and their Pokémon. There was so little open space to stand that they squeezed the bodies further onto the wooden floor, the blood dripping into the sand and water beneath.

"Alright, that was great. We need to split up now," Lt. Surge bellowed out, standing on a pile of bodies for even more height than his already imposing stature gave him. "Erika and her team, you are taking the residential areas to the left of the city." Erika stood on top of Tangrowth and began marching forward with her small army of trainers and their Pokémon beside them.

Sabrina hovered in the air for a moment below her Alakazam, with Musharna close beside her. "My team, we are hitting the industrial sector to the right!" She disappeared as she was lowered, leaving behind only heavy footsteps.

"My team!" Lt. Surge roared out. "We hit downtown. I'd like to keep civilian casualties low, but we need to rush this evacuation. That takes priority." Emily watched him with disdain as he disappeared as well, with only his faint voice echoing behind him. "Red, close down this harbor."

The boy got back on the back of his Charizard, the same fire burning in his eyes, before taking off into the sky. Seth and his Pokémon began walking into Erika's group before being stopped by Emily grasping for his wrist.

"Don't do this, Seth," Emily begged.

"It's what needs to happen to get rid of Team Rocket. I thought that's what you wanted," Seth replied.

"Not like this. We aren't them. Please, Seth, you're a good person. Don't do this." Tears started to seep down her face as a giant wave collided with the flood wall, splashing water around them.

He didn't respond but shook his head before attempting to leave her, until she pulled him back even harder.

"You saved me from the Brute! You gave Brian a family after he lost his. You traveled through a mile of fucking shit to save your son! You have good in you, don't do this!"

"I am the reason Erin is dead!" Seth yelled out finally, pulling his hands back furiously and looking at his family apparitions over her shoulder. "Because I killed that awful piece of shit who took my wife from me, they killed him!" The thing he had been dreading to tell Emily spilled out into the open. Instead of a weight being lifted, it felt as if the entire world was now crushing down on him as he looked into her tear-stricken face.

"You don't think I don't know that? You came back with blood-soaked hands, and the next day I found the boy that I loved dead."

"Then why didn't you just leave me then? Why even try to explain that there is this good inside me, when you know there isn’t.”

"Because you are my family. You're all that I have left, and you are the reason I am still alive today. You saved me," Emily said, grasping for his hands.

These parasites in the walled cities don't get to live in their safe confines, while my family is underground. The only reason I breathe is to kill Giovanni and destroy Team Rocket. I will do whatever I can to achieve that," he turned away from her and situated himself between Ninetales, Primeape, Torterra, Rhydon, and Metang, with Noivern flying above them disappearing in the hollow depths of the city.