"Good work, you two." Pikachu and Nebula contnetly leaned into Ash's touch as their trainer rubbed the top of their heads. As he stood up straight, he found his gaze lingering to the sky again. He couldn't see anymore fliers for the moment, so they should hopefully be in the clear.

His eyes moved between the four Pokemon he had out, settling on Pikachu and Nebula as his expression turned serious. "We're being attacked by Team Rocket." as they stiffened up, he continued. "That's not the most troubling part, though. These members are… children. My age." his face fell as he turned to Adam, still lying unconscious in the grass.

Pikachu let out a startled yelp at the news, while Nebula's face simply hung in disbelief. Ash shook his head. "I know it doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to process it myself. But we need to get to Celadon and inform the police. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can get some answers." After a few seconds to take in the information, the duo nodded in understanding as his hands made their way to his belt. "They almost stole you two and Tyrunt. They might come back at any moment, so we need to get out of here now-"

The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps suddenly broke their concentration, the group whirling around to face the source. Their guards involuntarily shot up as they noticed another group closing in, but their nerves were quickly replaced with a startled recoil as they took in who it was.

Paul was running towards them, Elekid and Sneasel on either side, Murkrow flying just in front of the group.

"Paul?!" Ash couldn't help the startled tone in his voice as the other trainer and his group stopped in front of them.

Judging by Paul's expression, he seemed fairly surprised too, although not as caught off guard.

"Wasn't expecting to run into you here. Murkrow noticed something going on in this direction." he nodded to the dark bird, who had perched herself on his shoulder, pointing in Pikachu and Nebula's direction.

Ash took note of where Murkrow's attention was. "We were attacked just now, by a few bird Pokemon, so I sent Pikachu and Nebula to take care of them." realization adorned his expression. "Wait, just a little bit ago, was that your Murkrow fighting those other two birds?"

Paul ran a hand through his hair. "We were doing our usual training today, same routine since we first came here, but before we could get much done, we were attacked by some group of morons in Team Rocket uniforms."

Ash nodded along, fists clenching. "I know it sounds crazy, but were they our age?"

"They were…" Paul's eyes, as if by accident, lingered on Adam's sleeping form. "...you've been busy."

Ash grimaced. "We were ambushed. That guy over there tricked us into following him, and then jumped me to try and steal my team. We fought off his friends and chased him down."

"Tch, what a mess." Paul looked off to the side, where his team was starting to converse with Ash's. There was an awkward tension between both parties, although it was hard to tell if it was because they had just battled one another two days ago, or simply due to the current situation.

Nevertheless, Valiant was quick to try and break the nerve racking atmosphere with diplomacy, Eevee lingering slightly behind him as he extended a hand to Elekid. The electric type stared at the psychic's hand for a few seconds, before turning to his trainer, as if to silently ask for confirmation. At Paul's nonchalant nod, Elekid accepted the gesture.

Ash allowed himself a brief moment to smile at the scene before returning his attention to Paul, his face turning more serious.

"I guess we're on the same side right now." Paul spoke as if making a simple observation. He nodded in the direction he and his group had been headed. "They're probably coming from the west."

"I was about to head to the city and get the police." said Ash. "Do you want to come?"

"I'll pass. I was actually on my way to find out where they are." the purple-haired boy looked back in the direction he had come from. "I was going to report them at the Pokemon Center, but I'm not running they're planning to actively seek me out."

Ash's arms fell. "You're not planning on picking a fight with them, are you?" That was an absurd idea. Who knew what could happen?

"They went looking for me first. This is just a counteroffensive. Besides, there's no reason to be afraid of these clowns." his gaze found its way back to Adam. "They're not the real deal. The only thing that makes them look scary are those uniforms."

"But, that's…" Ash trailed off. He knew he agreed with Paul. If Adam and the others hadn't been wearing deep black shirts with a large, red R in the center, what would that make them? Just a bunch of bullies going around and trying to steal Pokemon. Maybe they wouldn't seem like such a big deal then.

"Besides, this is payback." Paul continued. "It would have been one thing if they tried to come at us once and failed, but it doesn't seem like they're planning to let up anytime soon. At this point, I'm just annoyed.

"I don't blame you…" Ashs started. He was more than annoyed. Just remembering Adam swiping the balls containing his friends made his blood boil. "But the police need to be called. They'd handle this better than us." Even as he said that, he couldn't help but feel a mild temptation. Paul had a point. This was becoming personal. But seeking out a fight would only make things worse. What if adult members did show up? "We don't know for sure if all of them are children, though. It's not worth the-"

Ash was cut off by the sound of Nebula's voice. As all eyes turned to her, Ash followed where her wing was pointing. His face formed a nervous glare as his eyes fixed on the flying Pokemon in the distance.

One Spearow and two Pidgey were making their way to the group. Ash was about to send Pikachu and Nebula after them, when he suddenly noticed that they were no longer advancing. Instead, they were flying in circles, letting out loud squawks.

Paul seemed to understand. "I get it, they're trying to notify their trainers and tell them that we're here." he turned to Murkrow. "Get up there and see if you can find any Rockets."

"You too, Nebula." Ash nodded at the Staravia as Murkrow took off with an affirmative chirp. His feathered friend nodded back before flying after the dark bird. Increasing her speed, it didn;t take very long for her to catch up, as the duo ascended into the bright-orange sky, the sun now setting on the horizon.

Ash watched them go, before looking back to Paul and the others. Their teams had tensed up at the news, clearly expecting a fight.

"You're really planning to fight them." The rookie bit his lip.

Paul shrugged. "Now that they're here, we don't really have much of a choice."

It was true. Ash had his bike to try and outrun them, and he wouldn't be surprised if Paul did as well, but if they were using fliers, then that wasn't guaranteed to succeed. And they couldn't fight back and run away at the same time, otherwise they'd be leaving their teammates behind.

Nebula and Murkrow returned to the ground. Nebula's face was stern as she turned to her trainer, chirping evenly.

"She says there's over a dozen." realizing he was the only one who could hear Valiant's translation (it would be a long time before the Kirlia was able to speak to more than one person at once), Ash turned to Paul.

"Over a dozen Rockets." he relayed. The anxiety is returning. Even if they were only kids, that didn't make their odds any better.

"They really don't give up." Paul remarked bitterly. He took a look at his team, before running his hand across his belt. He seemed uneasy. "If you don't want to fight, I can meet those idiots head on while you get help. But the city is probably another couple hours away. I probably strayed farther from the Center than I realized, if you're all the way over here, so going there would take even longer." he grimaced. "Admittedly, I doubt I can beat them all at once…"

"I'd be more willing to do that if there weren't so many of them." Ash responded in affirmation. Then again, if there had only been a few, he probably would have stayed behind to fight anyway. Frowning, he turned to his own team. "I don't like it, you guys, but it looks like we have another battle on our hands." his stomach tightened. He just wanted this day to end, already. But if he didn't keep it together, it would end with them being dogpiled.

They all nodded in agreement. Turning to Paul, Ash added. "You said you wanted to go after them?"

"Either that or they'll come to us." Paul shrugged. His body was noticeably tense, despite his tone. "It makes no difference. We might as well give them less time."

Charging head first into Team Rocket… he and Misty had done that before, but it had been an accident. Ash tried to push that bad memory away. This time, they were going up against children their age, rather than cold-hearted adults. Out in the open, instead of confined to Mt. Moon's enclosed caverns.

'Would children try to kill us…?' Ash thought to himself doubtfully. The worst he could imagine them doing was roughing them up and stealing all of their Pokemon, not that it made him feel much better.

But it was too late to run now. He couldn't afford to be scared. So he won't be.

/

A sensation of anxiety had existed within the back of Valiant's mind ever since they had left Vermillion. He knew that their next target was Celadon, and he wasn't sure that it was ready. But there was only so much they could do to prolong that trip. After all, they had already chosen to go to Vermilion first, and with the battle against Surge resulting in a humiliating bust (the ending of his fight with Blitzle wasn't something the Kirlia would allow himself to live down), the inevitable decision to go to Celadon next was one of the few options that remained to them.

He had pushed it back for a while, simply doing what he always did. Helping Ash as much as possible while he still knew for sure he could, throwing himself head first into their training, and spending the downtime with Eevee and Tyrunt. It, as an added bonus, kept his mind off of things. He didn't want to feel nervous in the moment.

Unfortunately, this day had made that impossible, and it was his fault for brushing off his new concerns until the last minute. He had felt… something suspicious from that Adam boy, yet hadn't done anything until they were already in the trap. His species could detect emotions from other people. He should have trusted in that. Instead, he had ignored Adam's act, which had been in complete contrast to what the Kirlia had been picking up from the young Rocket.

Because of that, half their team had nearly been abducted, and now, they were in an even more dire position. Was this how he repaid Ash's kindness? Pikachu and Nebula had both helped rescue him from that Bug Catcher group and their trap. He had promised to help take care of Tyrunt. Instead, he and his neglect had gotten all three of them captured. It was sickening.

He'd have to make up for that now. Team Rocket wouldn't be running off with anyone tonight. Even if they were outnumbered, they'd held their own against them before. They would have won that fight at Mt. Moon if the Marauder hadn't interfered at the last second. That was the young Kirlia's justification, anyway.

And they weren't fighting them without help, anyway. The psychic had to admit that teaming up with Paul felt weird. Although the other boy had done nothing wrong, the way he carried himself made Valiant uncomfortable. Ash didn't seem to have a very good read on him, either.

But he was strong, and they of all people knew that after two days ago. That was what mattered right now.

Right now the group was jogging in the direction of their pursuers, who had already come into view. Valiant spared a glance at Eevee, the evolution Pokemon's face scrunched up from the tension. He sympathized, but the distance was starting to close before he had time to say anything to her.

/

The fifteen kids running in their direction came to a stop in front of a couple of large boulders a few meters away. As Ash and his group slowed to a halt, the boy spared a few precious instants to take in their surroundings, not wanting to take their eyes off of the Rockets for too long.

Much like the rest of the area, it was a flat ground covered in grass and soil, for the most part. But there were a few rocks here and there, albeit none the size of the two boulders.

His attention quickly returned to the Rockets. His team had gathered around him, Paul's own Pokemon doing the same with their trainer.

A boy with dark-blue hair and sunglasses on his forehead exchanged a few quick words with a brunette girl before leaping on top of one of the boulders. A disgusting sneer appeared on his features as his eyes traced the two trainers and their team.

This must be the boss of the group. What was his name again? Ash could have sworn a name had been mentioned before, but he had been too panicked to pay attention.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this convenient now?" Damian crossed his arms as if he owned the ground they were walking. "You're just the two we were looking for!"

A low rumble escaped Eevee's throat, but slowly settled down as Valiant placed a hand on her back.

Paul's scowl probably would have sent a few of the Rocket kids running if they didn't have the advantage in numbers. "So you were singling us out?"

"I was taught that a good hunter looks for the best prey." the leader's voice was insufferable. It was as inherently smug as Gary's. A malicious glint twinkled in his eyes as he responded. "We've had eyes and ears all over this area for a fair amount of time now. We know you two are the best here, so it was pretty logical." The smugness in his eyes gave way to angry fire as his face contorted into a hideous scowl. "But you've made things so aggravating for me! First you ruin two perfectly good ambushes, and I'm assuming that buffoon Adam got caught trying to get away!" snarling through his teeth, it looked like he wished he could spit toxic waste in their eyes, if given the chance. "You've turned what was supposed to be a great day into a shitshow! And we've all lost our patience!" his foot smacked against the boulder he was standing on a couple of times.

A sudden spike of anger surged through Ash's chest. All of a sudden, he cared little for whatever came out of his mouth.

"Well I'm so sorry we didn't lie down and let you steal our friends from us!" The boy's team normally would have lightly flinched at the uncharacteristic rage in their trainer's voice, but right now, they all felt the same way he did. "Have you ever thought about how much you've ruined our day for us?!" Did this jerk seriously think he had the right to throw a temper tantrum after what he and his friends had put them through? That his group were the victims in this?!

Damian's chuckle was hollow. "Don't try to turn this around, you stupid nuisance."

"Speaking of "stupid"," Paul chimed in. "What possessed you imbeciles to fanboy over a bunch of criminals?!"

"Fanboy?!" Damian's face was crimson to the point Ash thought smoke might start coming out. The blue-haired boy began rapidly patting away at the R on his uniform, before spreading his arms out wide. "We're the genuine article! We are Team Rocket, and don't you forget it!"

Was he telling the truth?! Ash couldn't even tell anymore.

"If you're the real team Rocket, then why?!" he spat angrily. "Don't you understand what these people do?!"

"We don't care about any of that stuff." replied a girl in the group.

Ash's face fell. "W-What…?"

"We're tired of the law." added a boy. "We don't play by the League's rules."

Ash's mind went blank. What they were saying was so… blatant.

"Don't bother, Ash." looking over to Paul, even the purple-haired boy seemed startled by the shameless declaration. "These people… they aren't right."

"But what they're saying-"

"Doesn't make sense! I know!" Paul's outburst only lasted for a moment or two, before he attempted to regain his composure. "We're not changing anything right now. We need to fight back."

"Good idea…" Damian sneered as two Poke Balls appeared in his hands, simultaneously enlarging. "I'm tired of talking to you two low-lifes. We'll be taking everything you have! ATTACK!"

He chucked the orbs into the air. Out of one Poke Ball, a Charmeleon emerged, tail flame blazing with impressive intensity as the fiery lizard stood in front of the boulder. Overhead, a Noctowl appeared in a flash of light, wings flapping as the bird rose into the air.

The other kids let out high-pitched battlecries as they chucked their Poke Balls into the air. A sizable group of Spearow and Pidgey followed Damian's Noctowl into the sky, the blazing sunset serving as the perfect backdrop for their ascent, while an assortment of other Pokemon joined Charmeleon on the ground. Damian took out a third Poke Ball and released an Abra, which remained by his side as a few of the other kids joined them on the boulder.

Even as Team Rocket were unleashing their Pokemon, Ash and Paul were sending out their remaining teammates. Grotle, Teddiursa, and Skorupi appeared at Paul's side as quickly as he could get the Poke Balls open, while Tyrunt and Tempest appeared next to Ash. Although Tempest's eyes lit up with fire at the sight of the commotion, Tyrunt fell onto his bottom in shock.

Ash mentally cursed himself. That's right. He was the one member of the team that didn't realize what was going on…

Thankfully, Paul was already speaking. "We're fighting team Rocket!" his voice was raised as he turned to the teammates that he had just released, pointing to Ash and his group. "Ash and the others are on our side. We're going in hot!"

"What he said!" Ash spoke as quickly as possible before turning to Nebula. "Nebula, I need you to hold off their aerial fighters!" he pointed his finger skyward as the Staravia nodded, spreading her wings before kicking off towards the sky.

"Murkrow, follow her!" Paul quickly added, pointing after Nebula's form as the dark flier let out an affirmative squawk, spreading her own wings before taking off in pursuit of Ash's friend. As Noctowl and the rest of Team Rocket's fliers charged the duo, the purple-haired boy returned his gaze to Damian and the others, and the squad of Pokemon that they had assembled on the ground. He began jogging backwards to clear some distance. "Grotle, stay back and act as a guard. Everyone else, bring the fight to them!"

"Valiant, Tyrunt, you both stay back too!" Ash piped in, backing away as well. "Pikachu, Eevee, Tempest, go on the offensive!"

The chaos ensued.

With several meters now separating Ash and Paul from the Rockets, there was plenty of room for the mayhem of combat as nearly every Pokemon sent out by their attackers rushed forward to meet the group head on, only Damian's Abra staying behind, floating next to his trainer while intently observing the commotion. Valiant, Tyrunt, and Grotle backed away, however, positioning themselves a few feet in front of their trainers, although Tyrunt lingered behind the other two. Valiant briefly turned his head to face Ash with an even stare.

"I'll protect you." his gaze didn't leave the battle after that.

Scurrying into the fray, Tempest's eyes darted around the mass of opponent's that the and his group were on a collision course with, trying to scope out whoever seemed the most threatening. As his eyes set on Charmeleon, his gaze contorted into a sneer, pincers crossed to intercept the stream of fire erupting from the lizard's throat. Even as he grinded his feet into the grass, the intensity of the blast pushed away at him, forcing him back by what felt like two feet. The heat seared against his body, the burning sensation stinging his pincers as they took the brunt of the assault.

He was thankfully able to rely on his water typing and ability to ensure that any true harm was minimized, but as he felt the force and power carrying the attack forward, he knew he had found his opponent.

As he advanced forward, however, something smacked him in the side, forcing him away as the Nidorino shoved him out of Charmeleon's sight.

Turning to his new opponent, Tempest clicked his pincers in frustration. It would have to do.

Making up a decent chunk of the enemy roster were Poochyena and Rattata, often zeroing in on their targets in pairs. Skorupi unleashed glowing needles from his stingers as though he were operating a machine gun as the weaker but numerous quadrupeds set their sights on him. A few feet away, Elekid's orange fist found itself connecting with a Poochyena's jaw, sending the dark canine flying away with a pained bark as a Ratatta jumped the electric type from behind. Elekid growled in displeasure as the rodent's teeth sank into his head, his body erupting in electricity that replaced Ratatta's aggressive gnawing with agonized screams.

A Tyrogue's foot took aim at Pikachu's head just as the mouse had repelled a duo of Rattata with a bolt of lightning, the Thunderbolt forcing the two rats to split off in separate directions to avoid electrocution. As Pikachu ducked onto all fours to pursue one of them, however, the foot passed over him instead, just before he could take off running.. Now alerted to the fighting type's presence, Pikachu whirled around, charging head first into his attacker's abdomen as Spark coated his body in electricity.

With the overwhelming numbers at the opposition's beck and call, Eevee wanted to spin around while using Swift, and rain down her projectiles on everybody. She knew she couldn't do that, however, as there were plenty of Pokemon on her side as well. She had to settle for precise Shadow Balls and Iron Tails as she charged through the Rattata and Poochyena attempting to claim her as their prey. From the corner of her eye, she observed Charmeleon taking aim in Ash and Paul's direction. The two trainers already had protection, but some Ratatta and Poochyena were already slipping through the chaos to target them, so Valiant and the others had enough to deal with as it is. Slipping into Quick Attack, the quadruped kicked into top speed as she weaved through the Rocket Pokemon targeting her and her allies. Charmeleon saw her coming from the side just in time to raise a glowing claw to meet her Iron Tail.

Ash and Paul were shouting occasional orders to their respective teammates as the battle raged on, but it was increasingly difficult to keep track of everything. The status quo of the mayhem was ever-shifting, as their Pokemon swapped opponents, knocked an enemy away only to be greeted by a new one, or broke away from the fighting to try and help someone else. Ash was sweating as his eyes constantly darted in all directions, trying to see who was where, and doing what.

In front of him, a group of Rattata and Poocheyena were already making their move, prompting the trio guarding him and Paul to take action. Valiant remembered Grotle all too well, and how humiliatingly one-sided that their match back in Pewter had been. Thankfully, the bulky grass type's presence was far more reassuring when they were not on opposite sides, and despite staunchly focusing on the approaching enemies, Valiant still noticed the efficiency that Grotle showed from the corner of his eye, Paul's large starter Pokemon surrounding himself in sharp leaves that sliced away at any opponent that drew too close, before firing them away whenever their targets were bunched together, taking out multiple assailants at once.

The few that did slip by the grass type's defenses were blasted right back into the deadly shield of leaves by Tyrunt's Roar. One particularly bold Poocheyena had attempted to jump the dinosaur from the side, only to be clenched tightly in the royal heir Pokemon's relentless jaws.

Just as he finished zapping a Rattata into submission, Valiant saw Eevee get smacked away by Charmeleon, who turned his focus on grotle's leaf shield after repelling the evolution Pokemon with a well-placed strike of the tail. Throwing himself in front of the grass type, the young Kirlia wasted no time materializing a golden wall to intercept the Flamethrower that escaped the lizard's jaws.

The psychic felt the windforce slamming into his body as the blast crashed into the Light Screen. Wincing, he kept his arms held outward to maintain the barrier, squeezing his eyes shut as the heat seeped through to his hands.

Nevertheless, the blast had been neutralized, and before Charmeleon could attack again, a Shadow Ball from Eevee kept him occupied, prompting a deep sigh of relief from Ash. Turning his gaze upwards, the boy saw Nebula, Murkrow, Noctowl, and the rest of the Rocket fliers dancing high above their heads, the orange glow that radiated from the sky and clouds serving as a beautiful backdrop for the intense aerial brawl.

/

Nebula did not remain still as she zipped across the orange sky that glowed intensely above the battlefield. She weaved around the air, brief clashes with Noctowl only lasting a few seconds at most before she turned her attention elsewhere, knowing that the various Spearow and Pidgey circling the owl (and spreading out to surround their targets) could dogpile either her or Murkrow at any minute. The dark flier performed a similar routine, firing off quick jolts of Thunder Wave to keep any approaching individuals at bay.

The Staravia's wing plunged into a Spearow's head as the opposing flier was sent rolling away to the ground beneath them. Immediately turning to the trio of Pidgey attempting to divebomb her from behind, Nebula casted a gust of Whirlwind with a mighty flap of her wings, effortlessly repelling the three assailants before turning to the side and slipping into Quick Attack, sights set on Noctowl.

The vicious owl had just finished launching a barrage of golden stars from his beak, the onslaught pelting against Murkrow's crossed metallic wings, failing to do harm, but successfully pushing her back. The Noctowl noticed Nebula's advance from the corner of his eye, swiftly turning his body to face her as a wall of glass was formed in front of his now outstretched wings. Nebula's Steel Wing smashed into the Reflect, which persisted despite her momentum knocking the owl back a foot or two, her target remaining unharmed.

The Staravia snarled through her clenched beak as she pulled herself upwards to avoid the barrage of golden stars that Noctowl fired at her as the Reflect fizzled away. She could probably break through the barrier if she activated her ability, but immediately pushed away the thought. She'd be left wide open if she did such a thing, and would be placing herself on a strict time limit before her body ran out of steam. With the number of opponents compared to her and Murkrow only being a duo, caution was fundamental.

Another option was to use Double Team and catch Noctowl off guard, but she didn't want to confuse Murkrow. She'd have to find another way to outplay the enemy.

Batting aside a bold Pidgey that had attempted to assault her alone, Nebula turned to lock her sights onto the persistent owl, sharp blades of wind erupting from her wings and slicing through the air towards her target. As the Air Cutter drew near, Noctowl reared back one of his wings, which glowed ocean-blue, before tossing a far larger blade of wind to carve its way through the barrage. As the Air Slash effortlessly tore through each of Nebula's own blades, its momentum not slowed in the slightest, the Staravia crossed her wings together, both of which turned to metal just in time to absorb the impact. She remained unharmed as the metallic armor coating her wings soaked up the blow, but found herself knocked back, and off balance, by the force of the attack. As she attempted the right herself, a Spearow slammed into her back, which would have sent her rolling forward, had it not been for the Pidgey that charged her from the front and smacked her in the face.

As quickly as it had happened, however, Murkrow was already upon the Spearow, cloaked in the aura of Aerial Ace as her Steel Wing smashed into the side of the opposing bird's head. As Nebula rolled backward from the Pidgey's attack, the dark flier turned to face the other enemy, her eyes flashing as a disorienting sensation suddenly overtook Nebula's second attacker.

Having already regained her composure, Nebula took advantage of Pidgey's dropped guard, firing off a Wind Blast that catapulted the smaller flying type away. Now in the distance, pidgey descended towards the grass below.

Noctowl was cloaked in Aerial Ace, charging beak-first for Murkrow as a small group of Rocket fliers circled around the dark bird. Immediately covering herself in her own Aerial Ace, Nebula blazed across the orange sky, smashing into the advancing owl and cutting off the attempted offense. Both birds felt a sting of pain in their heads as they bounced off of one another upon impact. Behind her, Murkrow turned to address the quartet of Spearow and Pidgey rushing for them. Spreading her wings, she began flapping madly, her wings glowin icy-blue as a blast of frigid, snowy air collided with their mutual attackers.

The moment she recovered from the previous collision, Nebula was already firing a Wind Blast at Noctowl, who swayed to the side to just barely avoid the forceful barrage of air. The owl maintained his momentum as he performed a sharp, sideways turn as his body once again became enveloped in Aerial Ace, all the while lowering his head as it glowed a deep blue. Nebula was already bolting forward with Quick Attack, however, her Steel Wing colliding with the Zen Headbutt. Although the Staravia barely staggered back from the clash, Noctowl was sent rolling away a few feet, a minor pain in his head adding onto the slightly lingering ache from the previous clash.

Pressing her advantage, Nebula shot forward once more, Steel Wing raised and preparing to strike down on her opponent's head-

Noctowl's eyes widened in fury as his beak suddenly shot wide open. A horrible shriek escaped his beak, Nebula's eyes suddenly widening in agony as the Supersonic assaulted her eardrums. Staggering back, she could feel her vision blur, and her aerial balance wane.

Grinning, Noctowl closed the distance and raised a metal wing. Nebula could somewhat make out the movement, however. Her senses were all turning against her, as she struggled to summon the focus to break free from the pain and disorientation that imprisoned her. She had to persist, before she became overwhelmed for good. With her ears still in agony, the Staravia coated one of her own wings in metal, hastily raising it to block the incoming strike. As Noctowl's Steel Wing violently clanged against her own, the momentum behind the blow sent her rolling through the air before righting herself with noticeable haste. Her ears still in pain, but her disorientation steadily fading, the Staravia halted the owl's second advance with two quick, consecutive gusts of Whirlwind, before lowering her head and blitzing forward with Quick Attack, charging beak-first into Noctowl's abdomen. After being painfully knocked back a meter or two, gasping for air, the Rocket owl righted himself and snarled as the Staravia prepared to approach once more. Swaying to avoid the Air Slash fired in her direction, Nebula once again slipped into her top speed as her wing took on another metal coating. Her Steel Wing smashed into the Reflect that Noctowl had hastily constructed, just in time. This Reflect was not as perfectly made as the previous one, however, and as Noctowl was pushed back a greater distance than the last time he had used the move, the Rocket flier felt the shockwaves behind the blow push somewhat painfully against his face, while seeping through the small cracks formed in his barrier.

As the glass wall dissipated, Nebula turned her head and spotted Murkrow launching towards, having been forced backwards by two Pidgey that had struck her at the same time. Catching the dark flier just long enough to halt he momentum, the Staravia rushed for the attackers, both wings coated in metal and slamming against their heads. Behind her, Noctowl was pursuing with both wings coated in metal, only to be forced to hastily change trajectory, just barely avoiding the rapidly approaching Thunder Wave that Murkrow had fired to intercept him.

With Noctowl slightly off course, Nebula maintained her Steel Wing, using U-Turn to reverse her direction without sacrificing momentum, and locking onto the Rocket owl at maximum speed. She closed the distance within mere moments, and although her opponent held out both of his own metallic wings to block the two of her's, she was the one with the momentum backing her assault, sending the enemy flier rolling through the air with very little control. Off to the side, the remaining enemies attempted to separate and encircle Nebula and Noctowl, only for their vision to be abruptly cut off as a black cloud from Murkrow's beak engulfed them.

It wouldn't take long for the group of Rocket fliers to clear away the Haze, which Nebula kept in mind as she observed the commotion from the corner of her eye. She prepared to rush forward towards the owl again, only to suddenly see Murkrow already advancing towards their mutual target.

Noctowl heard the dark flier's declarative cry, turning his head just in time to see Murkrow rushing for him, both of her wings coated in metal. Hastily, he only had time to raise one metal wing to intercept the attack. As the momentum carrying Murkrow forward knocked the owl off balance, Nebula grinned as she closed part of the distance before taking aim. Sharp blades of air rocketed from her wings, and just as Noctowl attempted to fully right himself, the Air Cutter sliced into him. Nebula's gaze remained hyper-fixated on the Rocket owl as he desperately attempted to remain in the sky, all the while shrieking from the onslaught as somewhat blood-soaked feathers were sliced off his body, the red liquid beginning to leak from the cuts produced by the barrage.

Taking a deep breath, Nebula focused herself in preparation for what was to come. With a blaring holler escaping her now wide-open beak, a pure-white aura engulfed her entire body, her heart pounding from the energy rushing through her bloodstream. At the same moment, Murkrow turned and unleashed a gust of icy air towards the remaining Spearow and Pidgey, just as the Haze was blown away by their collective efforts. The enemy group was forced to part ways, cutting off their own advance in hopes of evading the Icy Wind, leaving noone left to interrupt Nebula's attack. Her form now outlined within the blazing aura of Double-Edge, the Staravia zipped through the sky, shockwaves spreading throughout the nearby air as she violently collided with her opponent.

Agony surged through Nebula's body as the shrieking Noctowl plummeted down to the grass, but through all the violent recoil assaulting her, the Staravia managed a pained grin as she watched the opposing owl's descending form. Using Double-Edge had been a clear risk with other enemies still remaining nearby, but she needed to ensure that her attack finished Noctowl for good.

Turning to the side, the Staravia narrowed her eyes as she took note of the advancing Spearow and Pidgey. Most were attempting to assault Murkrow, a couple getting shot down by two consecutive Thunder Waves, but a select few were also circling around to Nebula herself.

Her body aching, Nebula took in a deep breath before exhaling, attempting to relax her muscles and focus herself, before flying back to Murkrow and rejoining the dark bird in the fray.

/

The Electroweb Pikachu had launched to ensnare two Poochyena was neutralized when a Sandshrew dove head-first into it. As both dark canines ran off to help another pair gang up on Sneasel, the mouse leapt back to avoid a strike from the ground type's claws.

The chaos of the brawl was overwhelming. Pikachu could barely hear what few orders Ash was able to get out, especially with Paul and the Rockets attempting to issue their own. Pidgey and Spearow were falling from the sky, occasionally landing in the middle of the fighting. One had crashed down on top of Elekid, who had needed to be rescued by Skorupi before a Mareep could capitalize on the opportunity.

All around him, stray attacks were flying from every direction as the group slowly whittled away at Team Rocket's numbers. They were making progress for now, but who knew how long their reserves would last? If they ran out of steam, it would all be over.

One Rocket Pokemon continued to persist, however: the Charmeleon that Damian had sent out. The lizard's fire lit up the grass as the battle raged on, and Tempest's attempts to reach the powerful fire type were always thwarted by another Rocket Pokemon forcing his attention away. Eevee had thrown herself headfirst into the fray, sights completely locked onto the fiery lizard to the point of tunnel-vision. It seemed as though she was trying to keep him busy, and prevent him from going after the trainers or joining any of the other fights, with how persistently she continued to go after him.

The reptilian beast made his might known throughout the clash. Shadow Balls were deflected by Dragon Claws and Metal Claws, Flamethrowers and Brick Breaks were hastily dodged to avoid serious injury. Even now, Eevee was bruised just enough to be noticeable by all of the attacks that had grazed her, along with a few of the smaller hits that Charmeleon had managed to land on the evolution Pokemon. Teddiursa had managed to join in on the fighting for a little bit, but after eventually getting knocked away by a Brick Break, was ganged up on by a trio of Poochyena and Rattata, and dragged back into the chaos. Skorupi had occasionally been able to lend some assistance as well, but could only do so from a distance as Charmeleon's flames kept him at bay.

Eevee was far from helpless, however. She had been fixated on Charmeleon since the brawl began, and was still summoning the energy to attack him, no matter how many setbacks that his power forced her into. Pikachu never had more than a few seconds to look around before addressing his next opponent, but every time he did, the young mouse had always been amazed to see the quadruped still duking it out with the fearsome lizard. And during the struggle, she had still managed to ensure that her efforts bore fruit: There were indeed bruises on the fire type's body from the Shadow Ball and Hyper Voice that she had managed to land, and his jaw was bleeding, courtesy of a high-speed strike from Iron Tail.

As the Rocket's numbers began to wane, fewer Pokemon went after Ash and Paul, instead trying to turn around the mayhem that the rest of the team had begun to somewhat take control over. Despite this, however, Valiant, Tyrunt, and Grotle did not leave their positions, for fear that the sight of an opening would elicit their enemies to change their mind.

The Sandshrew crossed two Metal Claws together to intercept the Iron Tail that Ash's starter lashed out with. As the ground type slid back from the blow, Pikachu returned to all fours, body glowing orange as he sprinted forward as fast as Quick Attack could carry him. With the force of Slam powering his blow, the electric type rammed his opponent headfirst in the stomach, prompting Sandshrew to clutch his belly, gasping for air as he fell to his knees.

Now on his hindlegs again, Pikachu fixed the ground type with an even glare as he coated his tail in metal. One strike to the head should do it-

"Pikachu, duck!"

Behind the mouse, Tempest had swatted a Rattata away before taking aim at the rodent's Poochyena companion. The dark canine hand rolled away from the stream of bubbles that rushed out of the vicious water type's pincers, leaving them on a collision course with the back of Pikachu's head.

Thankfully, the electric mouse had just barely heard Ash's warning call over the chaos of the war, and although he wasn't aware of whatever danger he was, quickly sunk back down onto all fours just in time for the Bubble Beam to pass over him, instead striking Sandshrew.

With the ground type now out of commission, Pikachu refocused himself, just about to get moving again when something struck him from the side. The Poochyena tackled the mouse to the ground, some saliva hitting Pikachu's face as the snarling canine pinned his back against the dirty grass.

The dark type leapt back just in time to avoid the quick jolt of electricity that Pikachu had attempted to zap him with, before sinking into a pouncing position, and leaping directly over Ash's starter, jaws prepared to sink their teeth into-

A fist collided with Poochyena's face on his way down, leaving the dark canine whimpering in the grass with a fractured jaw as Pikachu picked himself up to see Teddiursa nodding at him, before moving on to deal with another opponent.

Even as he breathed a quick sigh of relief at the close call, Pikachu did not stop moving, tail completely erect, and crackling with lightning, as he rotated on all fours, analyzing the current state of the battle. Poocheyena was struggling to his feet after Teddiursa's strike-Pikachu quickly finished the job with Brick Break-and it didn't seem like anybody was in need of too much help at the moment.

His gaze, however, fell on Eevee and Charmeleon. Both of the fire type's claws were lit up with the tried and true energy of Dragon Claw, as the lizard lashed out with calculated precision to sink them into Eevee's body. The evolution Pokemon was as graceful as a dancer, performing tiny, backwards hops to dodge her opponent's swipes. A final, particularly forceful strike from the lizard prompted her to take advantage of the opening. As she dodged the swipe, her tail became coated in metal. This time, instead of hopping backwards, she leapt forwards, the Iron Tail smacking into the fire type's head.

As Charmeleon staggered back, Eevee was already back on the ground, a Shadow Ball forming in her jaws. The lizard crossed two Metal Claws together just in time to block the orb of distorted energy, and although he staggered back a foot or two, he quickly recovered, rearing his head back and unleashing a blast of fire in the normal type's direction.

The Flamethrower erupted out of his throat at a phenomenal pace, ripping across the air as it threatened to smash into Eevee without relent. Even as she dodged to the side with a deft leap, the evolution pokemon could feel the windforce behind the mighty blast, especially as it continued onward, leaving a trail of burning grass in its wake.

Pikachu acted quickly. Eevee was strong, but that Charmeleon was probably the most powerful combatant in the fight. With nobody else in a position to lend a hand, he knew he'd be a joke of a teammate to leave her to fend for herself.

His feet and paws carried him across the grass, dodging around the remaining Rattata and Poochyena that attempted to strike at him. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a Pin Missile flying in his direction, a stray shot from Skorupi. A leap into the air left the attack to pass over him, instead bombarding the Mareep that had been fighting Sneasel (who immediately capitalized on the opportunity and knocked the electric type out).

As he closed in on Charmeleon and Eevee, however, the mouse's eyes fixed into a glare as a Machop appeared in his path, sinking into a battle stance in hopes of intercepting him. Just as he began to coat his tail in metal, a Spearow fell from the sky, slamming into the fighting type's head. As Machop toppled over, Pikachu passed over him and Spearow with a quick jump.

Eevee was lashing out at Charmeleon with another Iron Tail. Charmeleon's orange fist collided with the attack, the Brick Break eliciting a pained growl from the normal type as she was forced backwards.

The burning scent filled Pikachu's nostrils as he passed by the fiery patches of grass surrounding him and the two combatants. He wondered if Eevee had become desensitized to the smell, or if she was just too focused on the fighting to take notice. Whatever it was, he did his best to keep the distracting sensation out of his mind as he took a leap for the fire type, Zap Tail ready to lash out.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Charmeleon saw Pikachu coming from the side just in time, the lizard's fist becoming enveloped in fire as both combatants struck at one another. The Fire Punch solidly collided with Zap Tail, and Ash's starter winced from the painful burning sensation as the flames on his opponent's fist assaulted the metal coating of Iron Tail. At the same time, however, Charmeleon felt a jolt in his knuckles as the electricity did its work, and as Pikachu flipped backwards from the clash, his momentum sent the fire type staggering away, his fist somewhat bruised.

Pikachu landed on all fours just in time to leap away from the retaliatory Flamethrower that the frustrated Charmeleon unleashed, the blast carving its way through the air and leaving behind more burning grass. The young mouse landed beside Eevee, turning to look at her, only to find her gaze fixed on him.

The look in her eyes seemed fairly even as they briefly stared at one another. The normal type offered him a nod before returning her attention to Charmeleon, a low growl escaping her throat as the fire type advanced towards them.

"Dragon Breath!" The duo's ears stood up as Damian's shout passed over the noises going on elsewhere on the battlefield. Pikachu prepared to dodge, but the fire type began rushing forward as the purple flames appeared in his jaws, closing the distance to make the blast more difficult to avoid. Abandoning his attempts at evasion, Pikachu instead swiped forward with Iron Tail, which slammed into the blast that his opponent hand aimed at him. Grinding his teeth together, the young mouse strained as the force of the blast pushed him back, before finally letting out a cry as his tail managed to continue forward, pushing away the remaining flames as Eevee closed in on Charmeleon, capitalizing on the distraction. Her Hyper Voice was narrowly avoided as the lizard continued charging, lashing out with a Dragon Claw. Pikachu's Iron Tail met the attack head on as he leapt forward to strike at the taller fire type. Although the metal coating shielded him from harm, he quickly found himself outmuscled by the enemy, who shoved him into the ground.

His fur was covered in filth as he bounced away, before sliding back on all fours. Growling, Pikachu erected his tail, forming an orb of electricity at the tip as a rotating tail swipe from Charmeleon forced Eevee to leap back. The lizard returned his focus to Pikachu just in time to meet the Electro Ball with a Flamethrower, which, after a brief struggle, smashed through the electrical attack and continued onward to Pikachu, some of its momentum lost. Ash's starter could feel the heat of the attack as he dove to the side, but was not struck. Glaring at the fiery powerhouse, the electric mouse took a deep breath before splitting into three.

"Smokescreen!" At Damian's orders, Charmeleon opened his mouth wide, a stream of thick, black smoke covering the nearby area. Pikachu and Eevee were quickly caught in the cloud as the fire type rotated in place to spread the smoke as much as possible. Trying to suppress the urge to cough (and not necessarily succeeding) Pikachu allowed both of his clones to fizzle out. The usage of Double Team wouldn't mean much anymore.

Instead, he rushed forward, body cloaked in Spark. He had no idea where Charmeleon was, so instead he charged in the last direction he had seen the beast. Unfortunately, he never struck anything, and came to a stop as some of the smoke suddenly began to part, accompanied by a familiar loud noise.

Eevee's Hyper Voice forced sections of the cloud to separate, clearing up some of her vision before she attempted to catch her breath. She didn't have long, however. Charmeleon was already upon her, a blast of purple flames exiting his mouth and traveling downward towards her position. As she rolled to the side, Pikachu came out of nowhere, a Static Tail ready to slam into their mutual opponent's jaw as he kicked off of his feet and into the air.

Charmeleon's teeth became drenched in fire as he chomped down on Pikachu's tail. Even as the electricity brought about an unpleasant sensation in his mouth, locking up the muscles in his jaws, his teeth gnawed away at the tail in his mouth, the fire burning away at the metal as Pikachu grinded his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, tears leaking.

After flinging the mouse downward, Charmeleon attempted to open his mouth for another Flamethrower, only to find his jaw muscles reacting more slowly than normal. Static Tail had done its work. In frustration, his fist became coated with fire, lashing out and striking Pikachu in the face. A combination of blunt force and burning elicited a pained scream from Ash's starter as he was launched backward, tumbling into the dirt. Charmeleon then turned around just in time to sidestep away from a charging Eevee's point-blank Hyper Voice. Raising his tail, the lizard lashed out again, twirling his body and leaving his tail to violently slap the normal type away.

Gasping for air, Pikachu tried to push himself onto all fours, but could only manage his forepaws, his legs now propping him up by the knees. A distance away, he could see Eevee struggling to get up as well, and Charmeleon looking between them, before setting his sights on him. As the lizard advanced, Pikachu pushed against the dirt once again, trying to force his body up as the aches, burns, and fatigue assaulted what seemed to be every muscle he had. He knew the stakes of this battle. He tried to call upon that stressful adrenaline, the same one that had kept him going against Raichu back in Vermillion.

There was a time when he didn't trust Ash. The rookie had been inconsiderate, demanding, and stressful to be around. As a Pichu, the electric mouse had wished he had never been given to the boy.

He wasn't entirely sure what changed. The care and desperation Ash had shown when pichu had been injured on the way to Viridian? The promise for a fresh start after Team Rocket's hilariously botched attempt at raiding the Pokemon Center? Even as they had entered the forest, the electric mouse hadn't been fully sure about his new trainer, but he had become optimistic. Meeting Nebula had made things especially pleasant.

If he had to put a paw on it… It was that week spent in Pewter, and the subsequent fight with Brock, that had truly changed his perspective. Somewhere down the line, Pikachu was no longer just optimistic. He was loyal.

He and Ash collectively had a horrible start to the Season. But although he couldn't speak for his trainer, Pikachu rarely thought of that anymore. His place was by Ash's side. Noone would remove him from that spot. Certainly not Team Rocket.

A startled expression adorned the mouse's features as he abruptly realized that he was now on all fours. His body was shaking, his muscles were aching, and his brain wanted to shut off, but he was standing.

And Charmeleon was still approaching. He couldn't completely make it out over the chaos, but Pikachu could have sworn that he also heard a warning cry from Eevee.

But one sound sliced through the mayhem surrounding him. One noise bypassed everything else, and found its way into the mouse's ears. Loud and clear, as if nothing else had been going on at all.

It was the sound of his trainer's voice.

"Pikachu, use Spark and Slam together!" Pikachu didn't put any thought into the command. He simply processed it, and executed his trainer's orders. His friend's guidance.

For good measure he slipped into Quick Attack, his body taking on the blue aura of Agility. This would be the most decisive blow that he could manage. The orange aura surrounded him, the electricity engulfed him.

And then, with a loud battlecry, he plunged headfirst into Charmeleon's abdomen.

The sensation almost reminded him of Volt Tackle, albeit one that his body was actually capable of handling. The sound of the shockwaves behind the impact were immensely satisfying, and with a loud cry, and gasp for air, Charmeleon toppled over.

With the lizard forced to his bottom, Pikachu gasped for air again. The sounds of Damian's panicked screams washed over him. Just ahead, he could see Noctowl crashing onto the ground between Elekid and a Nidorina, which prompted the screams to become louder. From the other side, he could see Eevee approaching. She was walking on a limp. Both of them were well past their last legs. They needed to deal the finishing blow.

The electric starter raised his tail, struggling to coat it in metal. Straining himself to summon the electricity. Just one more blow. One more hit was all they needed to-

Charmeleon's eyes shot open.

Eevee halted her advance, and suddenly, a surge of heat assaulted Pikachu as the air around him practically turned to fire. A crimson glow was radiating from the fire type's body, and-

Blaze.

Charmeleon was on his feet now, the grass beneath him lighting up, the flame on his tail now twice the size, and several times as bright. As he reared his head back and roared to the orange sky, the fiery aura surrounding his body surged outward, the intensity enough for Pikachu stagger back, squealing in pain from the heat alone. The lizard's pupils looked like they were made of fire, like the heart of a volcano.

In the background, Damian's voice was fanatical. "Do it, Charmeleon! Set fire to all of them!"

The Flamethrower that escaped from Charmeleon's jaws immediately stole the attention of everyone present. The humongous inferno blazed a dark, yet blinding red as it ripped through the battlefield, threatening to swallow Pikachu whole as the screaming mouse summoned the strength to dive away.

Charmeleon wasn't aiming for him or Eevee anymore, however. Instead, the fearsome lizard turned in every direction, the merciless stream of fire igniting the battlefield around them, with little care for who was hit. There was a violently bloodlusted fury in his magma-like gaze, his indiscriminate assault claiming the unconscious bodies of any defeated Pokemon that had yet to be recalled as the young Rockets scrambled for their Poke Balls. The grassy battlefield suddenly lit up, the fiery trails gradually spreading and overtaking the other areas where the rest of the group was.

The young mouse blinked back the tears threatening to stream down his face as he ran for dear life, the smoke stinging away at his eyes without remorse. Looking back, he saw Eevee scrambling to safety as well. How do they fight this monster now? He was already stronger than them before he-

A terrified scream stole away his attention, the electric type's head jerking in the direction of the noise. Eyes widening, he saw Sneasel, kneeling on an injured leg, surrounded by the growing inferno.

The rodent's body froze at the sight. Sneasel was vulnerable to fire, and seemed to be out of steam as it is. The fire encircling him was closing in, and if it-

Pikachu's eyes darted in the direction he had been running. The entire battlefield hadn't been engulfed yet, with many Rocket Pokemon retreating to the north along with Tempest and Paul's team. The battle was still going on, but the Rocket's numbers were all but diminished.

And Tempest was the closest, smacking two Poochyena away before firing off a Scald.

Pikachu chewed on his lip. Tempest was the perfect Pokemon to save Sneasel from the fire. As powerful as Charmeleonw as, especially now that he had his Blaze ability, Tempest was resistant to fire, was easily the most durable combatant here, and could use his water to further protect himself.

But he almost hesitated. What was the point in asking Tempest to help? He didn't care about anything but fighting. He was just some soulless barbarian. He wouldn't turn around and assist someone else willingly.

Desperation overtook that hesitance, however, and it was as though pikachu's vocal cords had a mind of their own. Cupping his paws together, he called out to the vicious crab, who turned away to look at him. He had his attention, at the very least.

Frantically, Pikachu pointed towards the fire. There were a few sections of the battlefield fully ignited now, and Sneasel was trapped in one of them. Tempest was approaching to get a closer look, stopping at the sight of the dark-ice type kneeling between the flames. It was getting worse. Sneasel was coughing as the smoke entered his lungs, and some of the closer sparks of fire were licking away at his body.

Tempest's eyes narrowed at the sight of Sneasel's condition as Pikachu looked at him pleadingly. He should have figured. It was obvious the water type wasn't going to-

Relief washed over Pikachu's features. Perhaps the water type had a heart after all. Or maybe he simply respected the electric mouse enough to do what he asked in this situation. The rodent didn't know which one it was, but he didn't care. A surge of hope filled his chest as the young Krabby raised his pincers and advanced towards the fire.

That relief was short-lived, however. Just before Tempest could start spraying, something tackled him from the side. A Tyrogue. And Pikachu could see two Poochyena charging towards the scene as well.

The panic returned. The water type picked himself up with ease and began fighting back, but he was now surrounded. He was holding his own, but had no way of making it to the fire.

Another squeal from Sneasel stole away Pikachu's attention. His ears drooped. This was it. There was nothing else-

His body moved on its own.

"PIKACHU!"

He could hear Ash's desperate scream over the crackling of the flames. Faintly, a bark of terror from Eevee entered his ears.

He kept running.

Quick Attack, Agility, if he did this at top speed, the amount of time he spent in contact with the fire would be limited-

PAIN.

For one moment, or maybe even two or three, he forgot what every other emotion in the world felt. Only one sensation spread across his body, leaving room for nothing else.

He passed through the flaming barrier. The smoke assaulted his lungs. The burning. The searing. The heat. It washed all over his body.

He kept moving. The last remnants of his strength carried him forward, even as the patches of grass he stepped on ensured that every movement would be as painful as the last.

He dove for Sneasel, wrapping his arms around his target. The dark-ice type's body temperature made itself known, clashing with the horrific burns assaulting the mouse's body. Piakchu didn't stop moving, but he did everything that he could to cover up Sneasel completely, as his momentum carried them through the other side of the fiery barrier.

And then they were out.

He couldn't breathe. He could barely see. The fire clung to his fur as he lay on top of the Pokemon he had just rescued. Sneasel was all but passed out, and Pikachu could feel his own consciousness fluctuating as his senses went haywire.

Despite everything, he did feel something looming over him. A presence. Rolling over, now positioned on his back next to Sneasel, he was greeted with the sight of Charmeleon, standing over the two of them, crimson aura flaring as brightly as ever.

And his eyes still held murderous intent.

Pikachu tried to move, but couldn't. He called on the adrenaline that had driven him to save Sneasel. To get back up the way he did earlier in the fight, but it never came. His body would perform no miracle.

It was as though his muscles had completely shut down. Even as the fight or flight responses kicked into his brain, he felt his eyes struggling to stay open. His head struggling to lift.

Charmeleon didn't wait. His mouth opened. The ball of fire was forming. The Flamethrower was-

A blur passed over Pikachu's body. In Eevee's jaws, a ball of distorted energy was forming. Ignoring the searing heat that assaulted her body as she came in contact with the fire type's aura, the evolution Pokemon ducked downward, positioning herself directly underneath him…

And fired the Shadow Ball point-blank into his throat.

The lizard's claws raced to his throat as the air left him. Choking in agony, there was nothing he could do as Eevee leapt up, driving the Iron Tail into the side of his head.

The beast toppled over, the aura around him fading, before disappearing outright.

Piakchu's eyes felt continuously heavier, yet put increasingly more effort in their attempts to stay open. Eevee turned away from Charmeleon's now unconscious body, looking down at the electric mouse with a frown. Which was quickly replaced with a sad smile. The two locked eyes for a moment, but Pikachu's consciousness had finally given out. Soothing murmurs escaped Eevee's throat as she rubbed her head against his cheek. It was fine, she said. He was going to be okay, she said. He went to sleep hearing those.

He was going to be okay…

/

Damian's face was pale as a blizzard as Charmeleon dropped to the ground. He had already been forced to recall Noctowl, and now…

"Ch-Ch-CHARMELEON!" The boy's voice was ear-piercing as his hands yanked away at his dark-blue hair, with little care for how painful it was. "Get up now! This fight isn't over yet!"

Even as he spoke the words, however, his eyes surveyed the scene, the panic flowing through his blood.

Nearly everyone on their side had fallen. The fanatical Krabby was violently dragging a Tyrogue across the ground. The Elekid had just finished zapping a Snubbul into submission. The last of the Spearow and Pidgey had fallen from the sky, the Staravia now swooping down to lift up a Poochyena, and ram it headfirst into a Machop. Murkrow was firing bolts of electricity down onto what remained on their team.

His arm was shaking without control as he recalled Charmeleon. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. How dare these two entitled cretins screw up his operation?! What had gone wrong?!

It mattered not. The fear of losing overtook frustration.

"Abra, get us out of here!" Unlike most psychics his age, this Abra could teleport more than one person, and at a fairly great distance. It was just a matter of rounding everybody up. He turned to the rest of his team. Only a few were on the boulder with him. He needed to call the others-

He froze as he saw a few of the enemies already blocking their path to the boulder. They wouldn't make it. He turned to Abra, his voice now even more frantic. "NOW!"

"Damian, wait!" Abra's eyes ceased flashing as the girl next to his trainer spoke up. "There's only four of us here!" she addressed herself, Damian, and the remaining two terrified Rockets.

"There's gonna be none of us if we wait, you bimbo!" the girl flinched backwards as Damian spat out the words. Looking back down to Abra, his voice became filled with venom. "I said get us out now you useless piece of… USE TELEPORT!"

Recoiling, the Abra frantically gathered his thoughts, before he, Damian, and the other three Rockets disappeared in a flash of light.

/

The bright-orange sky was beginning to darken, as what was once the sight of an intense showdown became the scene of its somber fallout.

Eleven of the Rockets had been left behind by Damian's desperate retreat, and were quickly incapacitated by Valiant and Elekid. Tempest was traversing the former battlefield, apathetically spraying Water Gun from his pincers to put out the fires left in the wake of Charmeleon's drunken rampage.

"Pikachu!" Ash's desperate legs carried him across the grass, eyes zeroed in on the unconscious yellow body Eevee was snuggling against, and the Sneasel beside him. Seeing his starter disappear into the flaming wall had been like witnessing the planet break apart, producing a sensation far exceeding anything he had felt when watching Adam running off with his Poke Balls. "Buddy, buddy! I'm here! Are you okay?!" Eevee parted from the mouse's form as Ash dropped to his knees and cradled the electric type. A few patches of fur had been completely burnt off, and it was all the mouse could manage to flutter his eyes open and fix his trainer with a small smile.

Nebula and Murkrow landed beside them as Paul knelt down in front of Sneasel. Most of their teammates were beginning to approach them as well. Only Tempest remained separated from the group, continuing to absentmindedly spray away at the fire.

"Elekid, the burn heals." Paul's expression was shaky as he looked over the dark-ice type. He wasn't in fatal condition, but…

The electric type saluted before rummaging through his trainer's backpack. He pulled out two vials, one of which Paul tried to hand to Ash.

The boy perked up. "We have our own-"

"My Sneasel is alive because two members of your team risked their necks." Paul's eyes lingered to Eevee as he cut Ash off. "I don't like debt."

With no time to refute, Ash nodded and took the vial. Nebula fussed over Pikachu's burns as their trainer applied the medicine. He returned the mouse immediately after. He'd likely need further medical treatment to fully recover at a good rate, but at the very least, any serious injuries should be mitigated.

Paul did the same for Sneasel, before turning to the rest of his team. Aside from Grotle, everyone was fairly banged up. Ash could see the same for his own team, outside of Valiant and Tyrunt, although Tempest wasn't nearby for him to look at.

"We need to get to the authorities." Paul pointed out, rising to his feet and giving a reassuring nod to a concerned Grotle.

Ash frowned. "The closest Center is in the city. That's an hour from here at best, right?"

"We could hightail it on our bikes, but we need to watch over them." he nodded towards the unconscious Rockets. The unconscious children. Along with the defeated Pokemon that hadn't been recalled. Although the majority (or at least half) of their team had been returned safely, many Rocket Pokemon still remained. The purple-haired boy returned to his backpack, pulling out a piece of paper and a clipboard. He then took a pen from one of the backpack's pockets. "We'll send a flier. I'll write a message, talking about what happened. Celadon's police station isn't right at the city's borders, so the flier would have to go through the city itself to reach it, which could be risky, and it might be difficult to find. The Pokemon Center in this area is a safer bet, since it's out in the open. Nurse Joy will call the authorities, and the flier can bring them here." he looked between Nebula and Murkrow. "But one of you needs to stay. We need somebody keeping watch from the air. Just in case any of these delinquents' friends come along."

Picking himself up, Ash tapped his foot for a moment as Paul began to write. "They both know Double Team. If they run into any more of Team Rocket's patrol birds, they can use their clones as a decoy to slip past."

Paul nodded in approval. "Good idea." he set his eyes on Nebula. "Nebula's bigger, she'd have an easier time gripping the clipboard. I'm sure either of them could do it, but best to play it safe." Murkrow seemed to agree, as she nodded along with her trainer.

"Right." Ash responded, kneeling down to pat Nebula on the head. "You up for it, girl?" A nod.

A few moments later, Nebula and Murkrow took off into the darkening sky, the Staravia holding onto the clipboard. Murkrow offered her a quick farewell before the dark bird began circling around the area, while Nebula shot off in the direction of the Pokemon Center.

As Tempest put the finishing touches on clearing out the fires, a wave of collective fatigue washed over the group.

It was going to be a long night yet.

/

"So, looks like junior had a bad day."

Damian glowered at the figure standing in front of him. He and Abra were in a dimly lit basement, the latter sitting on a box as his trainer tapped his foot in frustration.

"Can it. I don't need to hear you rubbing it in."

In front of him, the teenaged boy brushed aside a strand of his long, red hair before crossing his arms. He wore a silver uniform, the red R in the center having a shiny texture to it. "You haven't earned the right to say that, Damian. Over a week on steakout, and you come back empty-handed. After getting eleven members of your squad captured. Soon, the entire area you were occupying is going to be on lockdown, and it's only a matter of time before the remaining members you have scattered about get scooped up by the police. Not a very good showing for your first time leading a team."

Damian's face twisted. "It wasn't because of me. It was them!" the younger boy gripped his head. "Those two… those... screw them!"

But the teenager just scoffed. "So that's your angle? They wouldn't have even had a chance to screw you ovrer if you hadn't been so incompetent. Your overzealous use of fliers likely gave away your position, when they were supposed to help you with reconnaissance. You rely on half-assed ambushes with very little planning. Everything about your approach was lazy, ill-scripted, juvenile-"

"SHUT UP!" The teenager's face remained steadfast and stoic as he caught Damian's fist in his hand, even as the boy strained himself to push back.

"Incompetent people are usually the ones who don't know their place, either." It was all the red-haired boy said before shoving Damian away. The younger boy slammed into a nearby crate, his back aching as he sank to his bottom.

"Now, now, friend, aren't children supposed to be handled with care?" The voice that entered their heads was laced with laid-back sarcasm as another figure stepped out of the shadows. The teenager's face scrunched up.

"Stay out of this, clown. I can handle my own subordinates."

"And yet I was assigned here as well. You didn't forget about me already, did you?" the figure leaned back and rubbed both hands against his head with comical exaggeration. "Oh, woe is me! What purpose shall I serve if not recognized by even-"

"Okay, the theatrics can wait." The teenage boy cut off the newcomer, but realized the figure was only complying because he felt like it. Truth be told, neither of them had the authority to get demanding with one another. Running hand through his red hair, he turned back to Damian, who was in the middle of picking himself up, holding his bottom with a wince. The teenager crossed his arms, fixing the younger boy with a neutral glare. "Fortunately for you, this mission wasn't an officially authorized operation, so there's no need for me to issue any punishment. I will, however, remember this day at any point where the time comes for me to evaluate you."

Damian's face was still contorted in frustration, but his body language was more submissive than before.

It was true. The mission held no real importance. Just an initiation in preparation for actual assignments. Not even any real objectives. He and his squad had to make those for themselves.

"Listen to me." The teenager spoke, and Damian growled. His head looked slightly off to the side with a grimace. The older boy's tone didn't change. "You are to look at your superiors when they address you." with a frustrated sigh, Damian turned his head back, and, with some hesitance, made eye contact. A bead of sweat found its way down his face, his muscles tensing, reflexively causing his body to lean backwards, just barely enough to be noticeable, and he hated himself for it. "You should know that I was in your shoes once. Eleven years old. Thrust into this line of work. First ever mission taught me that plans rarely ever go the way you want."

Damian scoffed. "So we're kindred spirits?"

The older boy ignored the sarcasm, his hand pressing against the crate behind Damian's back. "It means I know you. Who you are, and what you're going through now. I can help you through it, but no assistance in the world is possible without cooperation. If you want to have it easier than I did, then start shaping up, and listen to somebody who speaks from experience."

"And if I don't?"

"Fine by me. It'll just make us even more alike. Now…" straightening himself back up,m he crossed his arms again. "What were their names again?"

"Ash and Paul." Damian felt his blood beginning to boil from the memory.

"And your scouts were taking pictures, correct?" at Damian's nod, the teenager held out his arm. "They are now Team Rocket's property. Hand them over." without a word, the blue-haired boy handed him six photos, which he sorted through with analytical eyes. "Hmmm… probably rookies. Not likely to be important, but these are going in the database." he returned his eyes to Damian. "That's all for now. Things will be quiet for about the next few days or so."

"We won't have to worry about being bothered." the figure pointed out.

The teenager nodded at him. "Indeed. Nobody outside our organization knows our division is currently stationed here in Celadon City. We have as much time as we need to prepare." turning to Damian, he pointed towards the door. "One of my men will show you to your bunk. Apart from authorized areas, you and the remaining three members of your squad will naturally have free reign over the hideout, but are to remain indoors until the real mission begins. Understood?"

A reluctant salute. "Yes sir." Damian's voice sounded like the mental fatigue of the day was finally beginning to take its toll on him. With no more exchanges, the younger boy turned and made his way to the door, gaze slightly angled to the floor.

/

Beneath the now deep black, star-filled sky, Ash and Paul sat at the boulder, the latter keeping track of the time on his Pokedex with Grotle and Skorupi next to him. The scorpion would stare at Ash on occasion, although he didn't take notice of it much, his thoughts elsewhere.

On the way to the Center, Nebula had indeed come across another patrol of fliers, but was able to use Double Team to sneak by as Ash suggested. Paul's message was delivered without any other issue, and Nurse Joy contacted Celadon's police immediately. The force was led to Ash and Paul by the Staravia, and immediately began rounding up the defeated Rockets. After hearing their story, Officer Jenny had requested taking a look at the two trainers' belongings, which confused them, although they complied. It wasn't very long before the area had become an investigation site.

Most of the unconscious Rocket Pokemon who had been caught in the fire had been left in need of immediate medical attention, but for a couple, it was already too late. The thought lingered in Ash's head. The leader of the group… Damian, wasn't it? He had completely stopped caring about any and all collateral damage, and ordered his Charmeleon to set the battlefield ablaze. Even knowing he was putting Pokemon on his side in danger. It had been the exact opposite of what Pikachu had done.

Thankfully, Jenny had assured him and Paul that the other Pokemon would survive once given the care they needed. The two trainers hadn't had enough burn heals to treat everybody, and unlike Pikachu and Sneasel, the Rocket Pokemon would need more advanced medicine anyway.

As the police did their work around them, the group was gathered by one of the boulders. All Ash wanted to do was sleep, the events of the day, and the late hours, triggering a surge of drowsiness that he desperately wanted to stop fighting off. At this point, he didn't even like moving his body.

Some of the Pokemon among the group were a different story, however, having forgone any attempts at staying awake. Valiant, Skorupi, Tempest, and Elekid were all still up, the former two sitting beside their trainers, and the latter two lingering near the border, trying to find something to pass the time.

It hadn't taken Eevee long to go to sleep, her dozing form leaning against Valiant as tyrunt snoozed a few feet away. Elsewhere on the boulder, Nebula, Murkrow, and Teddiursa had all recently gone to sleep, while Grotle slept near Paul. The grass type, however, appeared vigilante even while unconscious, and it occurred to Ash that he was probably sleeping lightly.

Valiant shifted just enough to take a look at Ash, carefully making sure not to disrupt Eevee. The Kirlia had bags under his eyes. It was clear he wanted to go to bed just as desperately as his trainer did. Ash had tried convincing him to do so, but the psychic didn't seem comfortable with it in the current situation.

Reaching over to pet his friend's head, Ash's eyes found their way to Skorupi, who was looking at him intently again. Ash found the scorpion's behavior confusing, but Paul spoke up before he could make any comments.

"My Skorupi seems to recognize you." the other trainer pointed out. Ash and Valiant perked up at that.

"Is that why…?" Ash stared at the scorpion, who looked to his trainer and nodded.

"Have you ever run into any before?" Paul inquired.

Ash nodded. "Viridian Forest. Second day of the Season. Pikachu and I tried to capture one, and failed."

"I see." Paul turned to Skorupi. "Well, that's where I found him."

'Could he really be the same one?' Ash thought to himself. The battle with Skorupi certainly wasn't one of his and Pikachu's most pleasant memories, the boy viewing it as another example of his rough start as a trainer. He wondered if Pikachu recognized Skorupi as well. He'd have to ask him later, since right now, the mouse and Sneasel were both resting in their respective Poke Balls.

Before the conversation could continue further, some activity caught their eye. The police seemed to be finished surveying the scene. Two officers were walking past them, Ash's eyes widening as he recognized the figure they were escorting.

Adam's expression hung as he walked between the two policemen, hands cuffed behind his back. His body language appeared completely demotivated. As they passed the boulder, his gaze turned sideways towards Ash.

The rookie felt a sudden, unexpected wave of guilt wash over him as the Rocket boy shot him a dull glare. It was the only interaction the two of them had before the officers continued onward, guiding him into a vehicle.

Ash's eyes found their way to the grass. Children… children were being arrested, because they joined Indigo's most dangerous terrorist organization. He still couldn't fathom it, and his fatigue wasn't helping his thought process.

"We're just about done here." he, Paul, Valiant, and Skorupi all snapped out of their thoughts as Officer Jenny approached them, her attempt to maintain her professional demeanor doing what it can to mask the pity in her expression. "Some of my men discovered their camp nearby. The equipment is all being confiscated. Based on your story, there are likely members lurking all over the surrounding area, so we'll be searching through to round them up." she sighed. "But you two are done here. Thank you for notifying us, and…" her eyes betrayed her true emotions, lingering slightly downward. "I'm… sorry…"

"...Why?" the word involuntarily left Ash's mouth.

Jenny already knew what he meant, but asked anyway. "Yes, Mr. Ketchum?"

"Why are they…" Ash managed to look her in the eyes. "Working with them?"

"I was going to ask the same thing." Paul chimed in as Valiant offered a somber nod. "What reason do people our age have to do things like this? I've heard of children running gangs before, every Region has at least a few of those. But Team Rocket is no gang." he looked off in the direction Adam had been led. "And you seemed pretty sure that they're legit."

"I am…" Jenny confirmed, trying to return to her serious state. "And it's not something I wanted people like you to be exposed to. This has been known to the League for about… five years now, I think." a loud sigh escaped her lips. In the tension, it might as well have been echoing across the surrounding scene. "Although they hardly make up the majority of the group, Team Rocket does have children in their ranks. Some even your age. Rare, in the grand scheme of things, as most of them are adults, but we've had repeated reports of minors openly working with their organization as well."

There it was. The confirmation he had been fearing ever since the ambush. Ash couldn't look her in the eye anymore, and he found no comfort in the burnt up grass. His eyes instead shifted to Valiant and Eevee, the latter still snoozing with innocence.

"But… for what reason? What's their motive? It doesn't…"

Jenny placed a hand on his shoulder to cut him off, before standing up straight again. "I'm afraid… not everything is that simple, kid. I wish there could be an easy explanation for stuff like that, but if there was… well, groups like Team Rocket wouldn't exist." she bit her lip, a lingering fire in her pupils. "These aren't ordinary children. Some of them were likely left with nowhere to go, and were scooped up by the wrong people. Others still might have simply been a part of the many gangs that Team Rocket has annexed over the years. Many were probably…" her breath caught in her throat. "Raised by the organization themselves from a young age. Probably have parents or other family in their ranks…" her expression seemed to be evening, but her clenched fists told the true story. "That's the reality behind incidents like this. I know you wanted an easy answer, and I'm sorry I couldn't give you one."

"That…" with some hesitance, Ash met her gaze again. "Makes sense." he hadn't thought of that. He should have known Adam and the others weren't like him, and felt stupid for not considering it.

"Team Rocket is a group of many, many rock-bottom lows, you two." Jenny continued with a nod. "It's why we always tell everyone to never engage with them alone." she bit her lip, as if suppressing a snarl. "And one of their greatest misdeeds will always be the deliberate indoctrination of children. Especially those who just needed some comfort in their life to not be led astray from right and wrong." her voice was heavy again. "Children are… easily influenced, on a fundamental level. Have them go through the wrong things at a young enough age, and give them guidance from the wrong party… Anyone of any age can get corrupted, obviously, but if someone's young enough, the foundations of their basic mindsets are still being laid out. People like Team Rocket, who already have a history of propaganda, gaslighting, and other forms of manipulation, can lay out these foundations at a very early age. Twisting a child's sense of what's acceptable and what's not, preying on their hardships, and turning them against the world."

"Tch…" Ash couldn't tell if Paul was shaking in anger or fear. Rage at how morally bankrupt Team Rocket must truly be to do such a thing? Or terror at what they were capable of? Not just in battle, but in psychology as well?

'This… this is what the League has to deal with…?' the boy tried to get a grip on the situation., The fact that a group so evil and dangerous hadn't conquered Indigo already… that Team Rocket was still considered the underdogs in comparison to the empire that they were trying to destroy… Just how powerful was the League? He knew full well that Lance and the Elite FOur were unbeatable, but to keep an organization like this at bay… it had to go beyond all of that, didn't it?

The Indigo League was a well-oiled machine, and as Ash Ketchum's fear of Team Rocket grew, his respect and admiration for the forces fending them off, expanded equally so.

"I've brought your belongings back." In the situation, Ash and Paul hadn't even noticed that Jenny had been carrying their backpacks until she set them down on the boulder. 'I should point out that counterfeit bills were found amongst your money. Both of you."

Mutual alarm from both trainers. "What?!"

Jenny turned to Ash. "You only had a small amount. You said that Adam kid battled you, right? He probably gave you fake prize money." She turned to Paul next. "You had a little bit more, but not a lot. It's likely that a couple of their members battled you in disguise, gauging you. We may have to look over any other trainers in the area, just to make sure they weren't scammed as well."

Ash bit his lip, his gaze returning to Valiant and Eevee again for a moment, before summoning the strength to look back at Jenny. The mix of strength and compassion she showed was soothing in its own right. It was clear that she was struggling to maintain the strength part, to look powerful and professional amidst the two rookies that she was attempting to comfort. It was her job, after all. That stance was slipping up a bit, her bold exterior cracking every now and then. But he didn't mind. If anything, it just added to the consolation.

"Are you saying… that just any trainer we run into could be a Rocket kid in disguise? And what about the adults? Could that guy at the Poke Mart's cash register that I bought my last batch of potions from be an undercover Rocket too…?" Now he was shaking.

Valiant frowned at his trainer's paranoia. "Ash, I…"

"Probably not." Jenny spoke urgently. "It's true that the possibility will always be there, but Team Rocket hasn't overrun society, or anything. If they had, they would have succeeded in their conquest a long time ago. And with their activity seeming like it might start to increase, many higher-ups are proposing an increase in background checks, and urging any groups not directly associated with the League to do the same. A couple Elite Four members have already firmly taken that stance, as has the Champion himself. It's been discussed ever since Mt. Moon."

Ash seemed to be reassured by that, but Jenny was frowning nonetheless. There was fury in her eyes. This… this was what Team Rocket did. The fact that the group evene existed was a growing black mark on Indigo's society. They murdered innocents, brainwashed children, stole as they pleased, promoted anarchy, and instilled fear in children like these two, kids who were enjoying their journey that they'd probably waited their whole lives to embark on. It made her skin crawl. Sick to her stomach. Her blood boiling.

But that's why she was a police officer. It was why she was so dedicated to law enforcement. Because as long as groups like them existed, the League would never run out of people to protect this Region from.

"I promise you…" the combination of the definitive boldness, yet motherly consolation in her tone held Ash, Paul, Valiant, and Skorupi's undivided attention. "I'm going to do everything I can. And so are the Gym Leaders, Ace Trainers, Elite Four, Champion, and anyone else with this responsibility. We won't stop until all of them are put away. For good."

"And the children?" Ash asked with some hesitance.

"The League puts high priority into rehabilitating people like them." Jenny assured. "I can't say it solves everything, but their situation isn't ignored. Even some adults in the group aren't black and white, or might have been preyed on somehow. Countless members have no excuse, but those who do, like those children you fought today… It makes judgment a more complex process than just laying down a guilty verdict. The organization itself is the root of the evil." she shook her head. "But I really don't want you two to worry about that. You've seen enough, and hopefully, this is all you see." she gestured forward. "For your own sake, I won't say anything else." her tone was final. "It's very late, and you two need rest. We're going to be escorting you to the city. We'll make sure you reach Celadon's Pokemon Center without issue."

"I wasn't headed to Celadon." Paul perked up. "Would it be okay if I'm taken to the Center in this area? That's where I've been staying."

Jenny nodded. "Of course, some of my men can take you there, too. However, this area is probably going to be on lockdown for at least a day or two, as we search for the remaining Rockets scattered around here. So you'll likely be confined to the Center itself and its immediate surroundings." at his nod, she added. 'Of course, I'd naturally recommend taking that amount of time to recuperate anyway." she gestured for the purple-haired boy to follow her. "Come with me, I'll get you sorted out." nodding at Ash, she continued. "Wait here, Mr. Ketchum. You'll be leaving with us in about ten minutes."

"Great." Ash couldn't help the urgency in his voice. Soon, it would all be over. He could sink into the Pokemon Center's bed sheets, and forget all about Adam, Damian, and today.

Paul returned his team, including Skorupi. An audible sigh escaped his throat as he turned to Ash. "Well, can't say I expected our next meeting to go this way."

Ash shook his head. "Me neither." Valiant nodded in agreement.

He wanted to remind Paul that he wasn't planning on losing next time they fought. That he better watch out, because they will see each other again. But he couldn't muster the words. His exhaustion had made him forget all about competition.

So instead, he just waved at his acquaintance… rival. Yes, although neither of them spoke it, that rematched had been what kickstarted a rivalry. That was what they were.

It didn't seem like Paul had the energy for competitive goodbyes either, as he simply returned the wave, before following Jenny towards the rest of the police.

/

Valiant was the only Pokemon Ash didn't recall, the young psychic still insisting on remaining out. The boy appreciated the familiar company (as much as he appreciated Officer Jenny for just her presence alone), but still worried that his friend was pushing himself too much.

Time seemed to distort as they rode alongside Jenny in her vehicle. He wasn't keeping track of how long it took to reach the city. He just relished in the sensation of relief that washed over him as the towering buildings came into view. Celadon was beautiful at night.

Beside him, however, Valiant's own relief was mixed with one of apprehension, as he looked around the many buildings that they were passing by. Much like Ash, his fatigue made his emotions rather difficult to read.

There were no more delays. For better or worse, they were in Celadon City. Home of Gym Leader Erika. And also…

As heavy as his eyes were, Ash's still widened with a smile as the magnificently humongous Pokemon Center came into view.

Team Rocket, the Iron-Masked Marauder, the League's everyday struggles in maintaining peace amongst such criminal activity… he didn't know nearly as much as there was to know, but the police had assured him and Paul that such knowledge wasn't their place. That they were just kids. That they needed to focus on being trainers, and starting their respective careers in the best way possible.

In a vacuum, such things would have sounded like condescending platitudes, but in context, it was the best consolation that he ever could have hoped for.

He didn't know everything. And he was glad he didn't. Who knows what would happen if he did?

For now, they were in Celadon. This was what mattered. And what they needed to focus on, was whatever journey awaited them in the high-class metropolis.

/

Celadon wasn't just a sight at night. There was beauty in its dawn, as well. The air was crisp, clean, the kind that would summon the urge to inhale, just for the sake of taking it all in.

The sight of the sun gloriously rising above the skyline was as good a signal for a new day, and a new start, as any trainer could ask for.

But many people in the city probably didn't need that new start. Not everybody had a stressful night, or even an abnormal one. For some people, this was just a new day, and that was all it was.

And that was what it was like at Breeder's Lane, the signature breeding-centric section of the city, and the reason why Celadon was the breeding capital of Indigo. Between the books, gear, and the breeder's themselves, Celadon was unrivaled in the practice, a place that many trainers go to when looking for guidance. Where many clients go when looking for business. All because of this sizable section, that had gotten its name for the people working within it, who embodied everything right about the practice.

The lights of the salon turned on as a woman with teal hair stepped into the room. Beside her, a Vulpix brushed her head against her leg, prompting her to kneel down and pat the young, fiery fox with a smile.

Her eyes found their way to the digital clock on the wall. 7:30 AM. Another day of business. If she didn't have such passion for her line of work, it would have grown monotonous a long time. Ago. Weekly lectures, phone calls with clients, tending to customers, and that was just the barebones description. It was a job that you needed to like to truly succeed at. Those who didn't enjoy it were all the more likely to be overwhelmed, frustrated, or demotivated. And yet, those with a true love for the occupation almost always excelled. After all, caring for Pokemon went hand in hand with passion.

She had applied that passion to every aspect of her job. It was how she reached the top of the charts, but most importantly, it was how she ensured the absolute best of her work. For that reason, she hardly ever minded the business of her position, or the hard work required. Most of the work didn't even feel like work. It was just what she did.

Nevertheless, she was certainly busy, even by breeder standards. Having Erika as a regular client certainly played a role in that. But that was what schedules were for. She had long since ironed out the balance. And on occasion, she was able to have a quick talk with Elacia on the phone in between it all.

The bell sounded prompting her to head to the doors, Vulpix in toe. As they were still locked, she needed to open them manually.

The sliding doors parted to reveal a girl, purple hair tied back into a ponytail. She gripped the straps of her backpack tightly, as the Ivysaur at her feet shuffled.

"Good morning." There was an obvious, cheerful tone in her voice, but it was accompanied by the effort to be professional. Based on first impressions, she was fairly good at balancing the two together.

Recognition adorned the woman's eyes. "Good morning! Janine, wasn't it?"

Janine seemed surprised. "You know who I am?"

The woman grinned. "Your aunt has shown me pictures before. Come in." Janine nodded in thanks as the woman gestured her and Ivysaur into the salon. "It's great to see you in person." She spoke kindly. "I've been in contact with your family for years, but I've never met you before."

Janine nodded. "Aunt Aya recommended that I see you at some point while I'm here, and I actually caught your lecture yesterday, too. I got my badge from Erika a couple nights ago, but I'm planning to stay in the city for a bit longer. There's a lot to do here."

"Heh, congrats." the woman extended her hand. 'Well, we should make introductions, then. My name is Suzie."

"Good to meet you too." Janine accepted the offer and shook, before looking down at Ivysaur. "This is my partner, Ivysaur." The grass-poison type extended a vine, which Suzie shook. As they parted, the girl straightened herself, before looking Suzie in the eyes. Her expression didn't turn serious, but proper. An attempt at business. "I did need some help regarding a team member of mine, so I was hoping you could give me some answers."

Suzie nodded, leading the young girl through the room. "You came just in time for opening hours. Early rising really is a trend in the family, isn't it?" she inquired good naturedly.

"It always was." Janine confirmed. "Father was always strict about it."

"So I've heard…" the breeder responded, before turning back to Janine and clasping her hands together. "So, what can I do for you? Feel free to sit down, by the way."

Janine nodded in thanks, finding a chair as Suzie took a seat across from her. "It concerns a catch I made about three weeks ago. My last two captures have been foreigners. That's not too much of an issue, as I've obviously studied poison types extensively, but it's the specific Pokemon." she shuffled a bit before getting comfortable. Ivysaur perched himself next to her chair, looking up at the Breeder. "My latest catch, I was fine with. I know enough about the species to raise them properly. It's the one before that. My studies haven't really covered it so… I can't say I know much. Obviously, there's the Pokedex, but that's limited to the League's database. And for this particular Pokemon, there's not much on it."

Suzie nodded along. It made sense. The League was understandably inconsistent in terms of how much information they had stored on each foreign Pokemon. Breeders like her often tried to help with that, giving them the information that they needed in order to update the data, but that was usually on a case by case basis. The Indigo League, much like the other Leagues, always had so much to stay on top of. Essentials that were fundamentally necessary. Stuff like this slipped through the cracks all the time.

But that was part of what she was here for. Her knowledge certainly wasn't perfect either, but she had done what she could. Knowing about foreign Pokemon was very important for breeding, especially as they became progressively more common throughout Indigo. Studying was more important than ever. A decent handful of her clients, especially as of recent, have been trainers (particularly rookies or second-years) who had recently gotten their hands on a Pokemon that they knew very little if nothing about.

She took a moment to appreciate how Janine presented herself. The breeder would very much admit that she had an obvious bias, given that she already had history with the young girl's family, and was more than happy to do business with her as a result, but the young rookie seemed to have an aura of confidence, very much not unlike the people that she was raised amongst.

"And you've had this teammate for three weeks?" her voice turned professional, but didn't lose all of it's casual familiarity. "How has it been for you so far?"

"Well, he has evolved since I captured him, but he might have already been close to that point. I haven't had much of an idea of where to go with him from there. I can make educated guesses on what moves he can learn, but I don't have much definitive knowledge to go off of." she frowned. "He's been stagnant. It makes me feel guilty, since I know exactly what I'm doing with everybody else."

Suzie raised a hand in reassurance. "These things happen Janine, trust me." she nodded towards the girl's belt. "The best thing to do is just take it from the top. We'll sort everything out and see if we can lay the groundwork for some long-term plans to go off of. What species is this Pokemon of yours?"

Nodding in affirmation, Janine removed a Poke Ball, before enlarging it. Ivysaur stepped aside to make room. "Thanks. He's a species from Galar."