Chapter 24: Rough Seas
15 Years ago, Saffron City, Kanto
Sabrina hummed a pleasant little tune to herself. Her head bobbed back and forth while she sat on the bed, brushing the violet hair of a patchwork doll in her lap. It was an ugly little thing of mismatched colors and fabrics, the head of an Ursaring with button eyes, and a tiny tuxedo stained from years of use. Everyone else always looked disgusted by it.
It was the most beautiful thing in the world to her.
She held the doll aloft in the air. “Well, Lady Worthwart, you look amazing! Are you ready for our part?”
Lady Worthwart’s head lazily drooped to the side.
Sabrina giggled. “Of course there’ll be tea, silly!”
The eight-year-old girl hopped off the bed, bouncing towards a nearby table with a spring in her step. A fancy white tablecloth lined the table, with fine China resting upon it. Once she set Lady Worthwart in a chair at one end of the table, Sabrina teleported into the opposite seat.
The tea set on the table levitated into the air, pouring the two steaming hot drinks. Candy corn flew from the nearby cabinets, followed quickly by cheesecake biscuits and pickled eggs. The cup floated to her lips, and she tilted her head back, audibly slurping the tea. Then she bit into one of the cheesecake biscuits with a tiny gasp of joy.
“I must say, these are scrumptious! The chef outdid themselves today! Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Worthwart?” Sabrina asked, putting on her best Galarian accent.
Soulless eyes stared back at her.
Sabrina giggled, vigorously bobbing her head. “I agree! We positively must introduce Lord Cinderbottom to him one day. It’s simply to die for!” One of her cookies dipped themselves into the tea before being swiftly devoured. “Perhaps at his daughter's birthday, we can-“
A knock came from the door.
She grumbled. “Who is it?”
A butler stepped through the door. He was a wizened old fellow with big bushy eyebrows, more wrinkles than the days she’d been alive, and a finely pressed polka dotted suit and tie. “Terribly sorry for the interruption, Princess Sabrina. But your guest has arrived.”
Sabrina blinked and straightened out her beautiful purple dress. “Oh! Well, send him in!”
As if on cue, a man with sharp features stepped into the room and past her butler. A grizzled face, shortly trimmed black hair, and an even more impeccable black suit than her butler. There was a black fedora resting on his head, obscuring his eyes from her.
Most others her age would have been terrified of the man. Years of ‘Stranger Danger’ and similar lessons making them want to run screaming.
Sabrina smiled instead. “Hello, Mister Baron!”
The man sighed, removing his hat and setting it on her bed. His eyes were called, but there was something underneath the icy gaze that made her pause. “My name is Giovanni, my dear. Giovanni Sakaki Cassano.”
“You nearly missed the party.” She ignored him, a trio of sweet treats and tea teleporting in front of his face. “Please, come sit with us!”
The man took a seat, idly dipping a cookie into his tea. “This is a wonderful little party you’ve thrown, Sabrina.”
She giggled and rubbed the back of her head. “Awww, well thank you, mister! I couldn’t have done it without Lady Worthwart, though!”
Giovanni smiled at the patchwork doll and inclined his head. “I see. Thank you for your hospitality, then, Lady Worthwart.”
The doll refused to respond.
Sabrina patted Lady Worthwart’s head. “And that’s why you’re my best friend!” She cheered. “Mr. Giovanni, why don’t we play a game?”
“What kind of game?” He asked.
“Twenty questions. I ask a question, then you get to ask one. An answer for an answer.” She nodded her head as if it was the most genius idea she’d ever had. “Simple, right?”
“Like stealing candy from a baby.” He drawled. “Alright, you go first.”
Sabrina slurped her tea in a loud, unlady-like manner. “Hmm… why do you wear suits?”
The question seemed to throw Giovanni off. For a moment, he just stared at her. “Because I like them? Does there need to be any other reason?”
“But they're so boring!” She whined. “All black and gray and dozens of other lame colors. I think you’d look much better in something like… Orange!”
On command, his suit shimmered and shifted in on itself. A garish, absurd neon orange replaced the previous sleek black styling of his suit. Giovanni could only look down in sheer horror at what had been done to his clothes.
“This was a two million dollar… Dewpider silk suit.” A sharp intake of breath and a smile replaced the horror. “Thank you. I think you’re right. Orange does suit me better.”
She nodded triumphantly. She was always right! “Your turn!”
He drummed his fingers on the table. “Alright… how did you know who I was?”
“You told me, silly!”
A frown split his face. “When did I-”
“Ah, ah!” She teleported in front of his face, wagging her finger at him. “It’s my turn, mister!”
He blinked, a tiny chuckle escaping him. “So it is. Alright then, ask away.”
She puckered her lips and narrowed her eyes, hands on her hips. “Let’s see… what’s your favorite Pokemon?”
His lips quirked upward. “With the threat of a mauling hanging over my head? Persian. They’re quite the regal species and far more loyal than any Human I’ve ever met.”
Sabrina giggled. “Aww, don’t worry, silly. She may talk big, but Persian is a poser. She’d never hurt you after all you’ve done for her.”
His smile grew. “Careful. She wouldn’t like you sharing her secrets.”
“She’s a big softie. Some scratches under the chin are her weakness!” She declared, teleporting next to Lady Worthwart for a high five.
“My turn.” Giovanni said. “How long have you been a Psychic?”
She blinked. “Always. Dad says I’m a prodigy! Mom-” She flinched and shook her head. She didn’t want to think about that. “Right. My turn! Why do you listen to your mother?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m sorry?”
“She’s going to kill you, you know,” Sabrina said. “Once you’re done being useful.”
He didn’t bother denying it or asking how she knew. His mind was an open book to her. Everyone’s minds were. A never-ending stream of thoughts and emotions. Secrets were impossible to keep from her.
“I’m aware.” Giovanni told her. “She’s welcome to try.”
She giggled. “I knew you’d say that. Okay; your turn.”
“Alright….” He leaned forward, setting his cup of tea aside. “Do you know why I came here?”
She nodded, smiling proudly. “Of course. They sent you to kill me.”
Silence reigned between them. They held each other's gaze, a myriad of emotions flying off Giovanni. Surprise, the urge to flee, even a tiny bit of awe at her abilities – not just her telepathy. No fear or anger, though. Not like the kids at school.
Sabrina tilted her head.
Giovanni hummed. “And yet, here I am. You let me get this far. Why?” He asked. “You know why I came, and the defenses they placed around my mind obviously mean nothing to you. So why risk it?”
“You know why, dumb-dumb.” She teleported back into her seat to keep eating. “You were never going to kill me like they wanted.”
He took a deep breath. “I’ve seen more than enough death for one lifetime. I’m not about to add a child to my list of victims.”
Sabrina’s mind's eye saw it all. The bulging eyes of the first man he killed in the back of a sushi bar. The grueling horrors of raiding enemy trenches under the dead of night. A stench so rotten that it still haunted his nightmares all these years later. Even the fateful day he climbed to the top of Mt. Silver and collapsed the entire range on the invading army.
The first time she’d seen such memories, it had horrified her. She’d only just learned to speak when she’d witnessed it, and it took years for her to regain the ability. Even longer to stop the visions from influencing her dreams.
All she felt now was pity. Giovanni was just like all the other adults she’d met in her life.
Broken beyond repair.
“You know this can’t last, Sabrina.” He told her. “This fantasy you’ve created… it has to end at some point.”
The air tensed alongside her clenched fists. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not done playing yet.” She declared. “I’ll stop when I want to.”
Giovanni frowned. “Sabrina… do you remember how this all started? Do you even remember where you are?”
What kind of question was that?
Sabrina blinked. “Of course I do, dummy.” She said, “I’m in my palace and entertaining myself while my mom and dad are busy doing… adult things.”
Pity welled up inside Giovanni. “I see… such strength of mind, but it looks like not even you’re immune to it protecting you against your will.” He told her. “Sabrina, I need you to think very carefully. What was the last thing you remember doing with your parents?”
She scoffed, sipping her tea. “That’s easy! We went out to play some mini-golf with the peasants! I wanted to see mommy’s golf club and… and….” She frowned. “I don’t remember.”
That couldn’t be right.
“Yes, you do.” He gently prodded. “It was only a week ago. You were getting ice cream with them when- ”
Sabrina cried out in pain, hunching over and clutching her head. It all came rushing back. The taste of the sweet cream on her tongue, the smell of freshly cut grass, even the sound of families laughing together in the background. She’d wanted to play with the other kids and impress them with her powers. She’d reach out to telekinetically grab the golf clubs….
Then everything went wrong.
Reality started to flicker around the two.
Lady Worthwart grew dirty and mangled, one of her button eyes missing and tufts of stuffing falling from her neck.
Her butler shifted back and forth between the respectable man at her beck and call, and the hot dog vendor she’d seen that day at the golf course. He was even still wearing his grease-covered apron.
The tea in her hands shifted into an empty plastic bottle while the cookies on the table morphed into simple saltine crackers.
Her beautiful purple dress – fit for only the most perfect of princesses in the land – faded from existence. In its place was a baggy set of pants, a brown hoodie, and a black beanie hung over her bangs.
Even the very room she was in refused to stay the same. It flickered between the immaculate chamber of royalty to a simple bedroom every few seconds. A simple doll house materialized every time her paradise flickered from existence.
And the screams… she could hear them all. Human and Pokemon alike. As her mind warred with itself over the uncovered memories, the rules she’d imposed over Saffron City loosened. Millions of people could think for themselves for the first time in a week and comprehend their altered reality.
Their terror was snuffed out in an instant as Sabrina reasserted her control.
“I-it’s not my fault!” Sabrina screamed. “I just wanted to play with the other kids, but my mom and dad wouldn’t let me! They never let me do anything with my powers! They treat me like I’m some freak!”
This was all their fault! They’d made her do it!
Giovanni leaned back in his rickety chair, folding his hands in his lap. “Does the city deserve to be punished for it? Did your mother deserve to be turned into a doll?”
She flinched. The dollhouse in the corner of the room was empty… save for one thing. The very doll that had once been her mother. Even now, she could feel her eyes glaring into the back of her head. Judging her.
Hating her.
Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. “I didn’t mean to….” She mumbled.
“I know that,” Giovanni told her. “Your father does too. He’s the one who told the outside world about what was happening. He told us what you’d done.”
Sabrina didn’t bother asking anymore questions. She tossed everything else aside and tore into Giovanni’s mind. He reflexively tried to shield it from her, but it was like an ant trying to stop a tidal wave. She smashed through his barriers and dispersed the fog shrouding his memories from her.
He groaned in his chair, blood dripping from his nose.
Then she saw it all. Her father pleading with Giovanni to save her. Saffron City – once a sprawling metropolis of the modern era – reverted to a medieval castle ripped straight from a storybook. Technology disappeared altogether. Pokemon and people entering the city changed into knights and monsters of ancient legend. Even the very landscape itself took on a more fantastical aspect of fields of lava, trees of diamond, and rivers of wine.
And to the horror of the outside world, her reality marble was only growing. Miles upon miles of land fell under her sway with each passing day. By the end of a month, half of Kanto would be swallowed up by her mind. In two, it would spread to the entire region. Until finally, after six months… Johto would fall as well, and who knew when or if it would stop?
A fairy tale world under the sway of a little girl's broken mind.
For the first time since the Great War, the governments of the world stood united against the greatest threat any of them had ever seen.
Her.
She slumped into her seat. “I don’t want to do that… I can’t.” She whimpered. “But I don’t know how to stop.”
Giovanni was silent for a few moments. He wiped the blood from his nose with his sleeve and slowly stood up. He moved around the table to crouch down next to her chair, placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.
“That’s because your father hasn’t been teaching you right. He’s tried, but he just doesn’t know what you need,” Giovanni told her. “I can help you stop all of this and learn to control your powers… if you’ll let me.”
Her stomach rolled with uncertainty and fear. Strengthening her will, she forced herself to look into the older man's eyes. “Do you… do you think I’m a monster?”
“No. You’re a scared little girl who never should have been burdened with all this power.” He told her. “Do you trust me?”
It was an insane question. She’d known him for all of a few minutes. He’d been sent here to kill her, and if her peak inside his mind was any indication, he was a far worse monster than she ever could have been!
And yet, it was that same look into his mind that told her she could. She’d seen his entire life and every thought he’d ever had. He didn’t want to use her or hurt her. He wasn’t even afraid of her, despite all that she’d done.
“I do.” She quietly admitted. “What should I do?”
“First, you need to calm down.” He told her. “Then? I’m going to introduce you to a friend of mine. Someone I think can help us control those powers of yours.”
She watched as he unclasped a Pokeball from his belt and released a single Abra into the world. His eyes slowly blinked open as he took in his surroundings, letting out a tired yawn and glancing around. When his eyes landed on her, he tilted his head aside.
He prodded her mind in greeting.
She returned the favor as gently as she could.
“This Abra is yours now. Consider him your partner Pokemon.” Giovanni told her. “I brought him specifically because he can help us.”
Sabrina blinked. “How?”
“It’s simple. We’re going to lock away your powers until we’re certain you can control them.” Giovanni smiled. “Together, the three of us will be capable of great things. And I promise, I’ll never let anyone ever hurt you or try to deny your greatness again.”
Sabrina smiled.
And reality snapped back to normal.
Ash stalked towards the outskirts of the city, his hands in his pockets. This late at night, most people were closer to the center of the city where the excitement of the festival was still raging. The closer he got to the edge of Sootopolis City, the emptier the streets became. Even so, Ash kept his guard up. You never knew when a gutsy criminal might decide to try their luck and mug the stranger walking alone.
“So, Looker really didn’t tell you why he needed to see you this late at night?” Latias chimed in his head.
While the rest of his team were confined to their Pokeballs, Latias opted to remain invisible and watch him from the skies. If anyone was foolish enough to ambush him, they’d find an enraged dragon descending upon them.
“All he said was that he needed us for a mission.” He thought.
“I figured it must be important if he’s pulling me away from my cover as Spartan.”
“Well, hopefully he’ll tell us once we meet him.” She replied.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
He didn’t blame her. There was something off about all of this, but they couldn’t do anything about it. They’d just have to trust that Looker and Interpol knew what they were doing.
It wasn’t much longer until they left the city limits and were walking along the cliff's edge. The lights of the city may have obscured the stars, but there was no hiding the beauty of the moon’s rays on the surface of the ocean.
Soon enough, they arrived at the meeting spot. A set of cherry trees overlooking the ocean. A rare set of greenery near the otherwise urban coastal city. He spotted Looker leaning against the tree, waiting for him.
And to his surprise, Petrovic was beside him.
Looker perked up when he arrived. “Good. You’re finally here.”
Petrovic folded his arms behind his head and spat on the ground. “Did ya bring the dragon?”
A branch fell from the tree and conked Petrovic in the head. Swearing, the vulgar agent hunched over and clutched his head. Latias materialized next to Ash, a cheshire grin on her face.
“I’m right here.”
“Fuck ya, ya overgrown lizard!” The man growled.
She scoffed.
“If I’m ever that desperate, I’ll just end it all then and there.”
“Oi!”
Looker cleared his throat. “That’s enough. You can torture Petrovic later, Latias.”
She pouted.
“But it’s so fun.”
Ash rolled his eyes, obscured by his mask. “What’s the mission you needed me for?”
“We don’t need ya, brat. We need the lizard – much as it pains me to say that,” Petrovic groused, rubbing his head. “Yer just part of a package deal. She won’t listen to anyone else.”
“With good reason.” Latias whispered into his mind alone.
“We’ve got a situation. There’s a threat to Hoenn’s national security.” Looker told him. “Normally, Hoenn would handle these things internally, but-”
“They fucked up and made things worse.” Petrovic cut in. “So, now they’re calling in the professionals to fix things for them.”
Ash glanced at Looker to see him reluctantly nod in agreement with their comrade. “What happened?”
“Roughly twelve hours ago, the Hoenn Minister of Agriculture was taken hostage by a remnant cell of Team Aqua.”
That caught him off guard. After they had seen the devastating power of Kyogre and Groudon, both Aqua and Magma had disbanded. Their members were either arrested or integrated back into society. It should have been the end of them.
He guessed that was naïve of him, though. Magma and Aqua were groups united by a vision of a better world. Even if most of them could be shown the error of their ways, there would always be a few holdouts that stubbornly clung to their ideals.
“How did it happen? Why hasn’t the news been talking about this?” Ash asked.
“They stormed the Minister’s private island and took everyone there hostage – minus the security. They were killed.” Looker said. “Hoenn tried to sneak some of their people onto the island, but they couldn’t get past Aqua’s blockade. Aqua said if they try anything again, they’ll kill the hostages.”
“As for why no one’s heard? We put a stop to that shit real fast.” Petrovic shrugged. “Jammed all frequencies and torched their connection to the internet. Only channel they have to talk is the one we left open for them.”
“But now they’re demanding we let them broadcast their demands to the rest of the world or they kill the hostages.” Looker finished.
Latias frowned.
“What do they want?”
“The impossible.” Looker said. “Cease all commercial fishing across the globe. Destroy all dams, oil rigs, and any other interference with marine life. They’ve even demanded we hand over the Blue Orb so they can control Kyogre.”
“They’re insane!” Latias cried.
“Kyogre would never obey the commands of a Human! He’d drown the world for that insult!”
“Won’t find any argument here. Eco-terrorists are a special breed of crazy.” Petrovic said. “Which is why we need ya. Yer invisibility and morphing abilities will let us attack them from the inside. If we’re lucky, the hostages might even survive.”
Ash nodded. “What’s the plan?”
Looker shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t been on the island, so I can’t give you anything more than stay alive and protect the hostages.” He said, “You’ll have to talk to the agent on the island if you want more.”
He and Latias shared a glance. “We have someone on the island?”
“We managed to sneak someone onto the island while Aqua was busy gloating about their victory to Hoenn. He’s got some of the most experience dealing with them.” Looker snatched a Pokeball off his belt and released a Gardevoir. “She’s one of that agent’s Pokemon. She’ll teleport you both to him.”
Ash blinked. “Both of us?”
Petrovic rolled his shoulders. “I’m going with ya. Need to watch yer back and make sure ya survive this. Besides, Commander’ll feel better knowing there’s at least one proper agent on the job.”
Latias narrowed her eyes.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He smirked. “What? Too dumb to figure it out yerself?”
Ash stepped between the two and held up his hands placatingly. “Easy, you two. We still need to work together for now. I’m happy to have you with me, Petrovic. I doubt I could do this on my own.”
“No, ya couldn’t. And since I’m in a giving mood, take this!” Petrovic tossed something at Ash.
He caught it in his hand and turned it over to inspect it. A sleek, black gauntlet met his eyes. Simplistic in its design, but Ash knew there was more to it than just fashion or extra protection. He slipped it onto his wrist and held it up to the light. It was snug and comfortable – almost like a second skin.
“What is it?”
“Another gift from the R&D department.” Petrovic said. “That, my friend, is an old-fashioned grappling hook.”
Ash paused. “Like… a
real grappling hook?”
Even with the distortion from his mask, his voice practically shook with excitement.
“Ripped straight from the movies.” Petrovic drawled. “Got a range of about ten meters and enough strength to punch through the same amount of steel. Not a damn thing in the world you won’t be able to attach to.”
“Or pull yourself towards or towards you.” Looker told him. “You can adjust the speed, so be careful. You could break your body if you go too fast.”
Ash barely heard them as his eyes soaked in the sight of the grappling hook. His fingers almost reverently glided over its smooth surface. “How do I use it?”
“Point it at the tree.” Ash’s wrist snapped up at the nearby tree. “Okay, so all you need to do is take a deep breath, tighten your fist, and-”
That was as far as they got. The only sign that the grappling hook had been shot was the slight tension he felt above his wrist and the whistling wind. Then, the cherry tree sprayed them all with splinters as the grappling hook pierced clean through its tough hide to the other side.
Rather than keep carrying through towards the other trees, it clamped down once it was on the other side and attached to the tree. Ash could only stare in shocked awe.
This was so cool!
Latias rolled her eyes.
“Seems a little like overkill.”
“Please don’t ruin this for me.” Ash begged. “This is like… one of my childhood dreams right here. Just let me enjoy it for a few seconds.”
That went doubly so for Arceus, if that bastard was listening!
Looker chuckled. “Well, you can also retract it by just releasing your grip. Should be simple enough.” He said, “There’s a few other features, but that’s all you should need for now. Are you ready?”
Ash retracted the grappling hook, enjoying the satisfying click as the nanofiber line settled back into place within the gauntlet. His sleeve fell over, easily concealing it within his trench coat. “As I’ll ever be.”
“We’ll save those people. Count on it.” Latias promised.
Petrovic shrugged. “Let’s just get a move on. Kid has a match tomorrow, and he needs his beauty sleep beforehand.”
Gardevoir’s eyes glowed. In an instant, the group was teleported away. Leaving Looker alone on the cliff's edge, overlooking the calm seas below.
Once the vertigo of teleporting such a great distance washed away, Ash took a moment to look at his surroundings. The sound of waves gently cresting up a nearby shore was the first thing Ash noticed. The next was the dense foliage of the rainforest on the island, accentuated by the sounds of Bug types settling in for the night.
Petrovic cracked his neck. “Alright, we’re here.” He glanced back at them. “Ya two good?”
Ash nodded. “I’m fine.”
Latias rolled her eyes.
“If I couldn’t handle a little teleportation, I’d be a poor Psychic.”
It didn’t take one to see Petrovic was holding his tongue on that.
“Right….” He turned to the Gardevoir. “You, walking fantasy. Where’s yer handler?”
The Gardevoir narrowed her eyes at him.
“Don’t gimme that look.” Petrovic said. “We got a job to do, and I ain’t about to waste time arguing with ya.”
“Maybe you should stop antagonizing her. You’re useless to us if she lobotomizes you.”
Ash turned towards the source of the voice and froze.
Leaning against the tree and illuminated by the moonlight was none other than former Team Magma Tabitha. While he’d gotten a little wider over the years and now wore a trench coat in place of his old ruby uniform, he was the same as Ash remembered. The same cocky grin, shaggy black hair, and brown eyes he’d seen help reawaken the monstrous Kyogre and Groudon.
His hand fell to his revolver and snapped up in under two seconds.
Tabitha tensed at the sight of the gun, but Petrovic stepped between them before anything could happen. For once, the older agent didn’t seem happy at Ash’s leap to violence.
Gardevoir’s eyes glowed threateningly, but Latias matched her display of Psychic power with one of her own.
“What the fuck do ya think yer doing?” He demanded.
“What’s he doing here?” Ash fired back.
“He’s one of us, dumbass.”
Ash tightened his grip on his pistol. “He’s Magma! He should be in prison!”
“So should you.” Petrovic fired back. “Lower the gun. I ain’t gonna tell ya again.”
After a moment of thought, Ash reluctantly lowered his gun. He didn’t stop glaring at Tabitha, though. Not even the mask he wore could hide the animosity of his stare.
“Good.” Petrovic relaxed a little. “Don’t go being a hypocrite, brat. He’s here for the same reason ya are.”
“To do the right thing?” Ash sarcastically asked.
Petrovic snorted. “To kick Aqua in the balls. Ain’t no one in the world better at doing that than Magma.”
Tabitha sighed and stepped forward, standing behind Petrovic as a Human shield. “I can speak for myself.” He said, “Listen, Spartan. You don’t have to trust me. But at least trust that I’d never let these Aqua bastards get what they want.”
Ash looked away. “I still can’t believe he’s here.”
“Better get over that. Interpol’s big on forgiveness, in case ya haven’t noticed.” Petrovic drawled. “Now, enough melodrama. We’ve got a job to do. Unless ya’d rather that Minister get domed in the back of the skull?”
What was he supposed to say to that? The world must have been close to ending if Petrovic was the one talking someone out of being violent. Ash holstered his pistol and didn’t say a word.
“That’s what I thought. Tabitha, what’s the situation?” Petrovic asked.
Tabitha sighed. “Nothing good.. Counted close to thirty hostiles on the island, maybe more inside the Minister's mansion. As for their little blockade, I’ve seen a couple ships and submarines patrolling the water.”
“So, in other words, we’re hopelessly outnumbered.” Petrovic snickered. “Guess it’s an even fight then. Where’s the agent that came ahead of us? The blue-haired one?”
“He went to scout ahead and see if he could sneak inside the mansion.” Tabitha said. “If he can get the Minister and his staff to safety, then we don’t have to worry about blowing our cover.”
So, they had one more agent on the island with them? That was reassuring. Hopefully they weren’t like Tabitha. Ash needed to know there were people he could trust to watch his back.
Thankfully, he knew he could trust Petrovic.
“Plan is simple. We need to split up and attack the mansion from multiple angles. Take out their sentries first, then sneak inside and work our way through the ones inside until we find the Minister.” Tabitha glanced at Latias. “Which is where she comes in. She needs to handle the small fleet they have surrounding the island.”
She blinked.
“How am I supposed to do that without making them suspicious?”
“You’re the Psychic dragon goddess. I figured you’d be able to think of something.” He frowned. “If it’s too much for you to handle, then just wait nearby. If things go bad and our cover gets blown, you need to move fast and destroy those ships. Got it?”
Latias turned towards Ash.
“What do you think? Is it a good plan?”
Ash’s gut reaction was to say no out of sheer mistrust. But….
“He’s been here longer than us. We have to trust that he knows what he’s talking about.” Ash reluctantly admitted. “Keep your invisibility up at all times. We don’t want to risk you here.”
Latias nodded.
“You got it, boss.”
With little more to be said, Latias disappeared before their eyes. The only sign that she’d left was the almost imperceptible whistling of the wind and the rustling of the leaves in the treetops.
“If that’s all, then we’d better get going.” Tabitha’s eyes trailed down to Ash’s holstered revolver. “You got a suppressor for that?”
Petrovic clicked his tongue. “Knew there was something I forgot to give ya.”
A sigh escaped the former Magma Admin. “Idiot. You’re lucky I brought a few spares.” Reaching into his coat, he pulled it out and tossed it towards Ash. “Don’t want you getting trigger happy and putting us all in danger.”
Ash caught the suppressor and attached it to the barrel of his gun. “Thanks.” He begrudgingly said.
“Gardevoir should be able to keep our minds all linked together. If any of us finds something the others should know or needs help, she’ll make sure we know.” Tabitha said. “You good with that?”
No, he wasn’t. He’d have to get over it, though. Their minds needed to be connected for this to work. That kind of instantaneous communication was priceless in times like this.
Something gently pushed at the barriers surrounding his mind. His hair stood on end and his pulse quickened, but he took a deep breath to force himself to calm down. Ash lowered his mental safeguards and allowed Gardevoir inside.
At that moment, he was connected to them all. Petrovic, Tabitha, Gardevoir, and another mind that he didn’t recognize. When he tried to push for more, he found himself rebuffed by their barrier. Ash winced at the wave of discomfort that washed over him and shook his head.
He guessed that the other agent's identity wasn’t important right now. He’d be a pretty big hypocrite to begrudge someone else wanting to keep themselves hidden. He was the one wearing a mask, after all.
Ash frowned. “This feels different than when our Psychic does it, Petrovic.” He mumbled. “I can feel you guys there but… it’s like we’re still separate. Not sharing our thoughts.”
“Only Human Psychics can pull that off, Ash.” Petrovic told him. “Most Pokemon telepaths can let us speak with our minds. Battle Meditation is a little outside of their wheelhouse.”
That was disappointing. Something like that would have come in handy here. It was a damn shame that Anabel wasn’t here, but he understood. Too many people were watching her to just let her walk away.
He wondered why that was? Were minds somehow uniquely able to pull that off where Pokemon couldn’t? Or did Pokemon just not consider the technique worth learning? Somehow, Ash doubted it was the latter.
Interpol wouldn’t allow that kind of arrogance to get in the way of results.
“Mansion is this way.” Tabitha gestured for them to follow. “Just keep going in this general direction and you’ll run into it eventually. Remember, stay hidden. Only attack their sentries if you can take them out quietly.”
Ash nodded as the three went their separate ways, each heading towards the mansion where the hostages were. Their minds were still connected, but he knew he’d be on his own if he ran into any trouble.
Or perhaps not entirely alone, after a couple of minutes carefully moving through the underbrush, Ash stopped and fished out Lilligant’s Pokeball. Once she was released into the world, she looked up at him and blinked.
Without Latias around to act as a translator, Ash wouldn’t be able to understand her. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t communicate.
He crouched down. “When you spread your roots into the ground, you connected with the ecosystem, right?”
Lilligant nodded.
“Do you think you could control it?” He asked.
It was a crazy suggestion. Grass types could alter and change the environment – even become one with it to a degree – but outright controlling it? That was something he’d only ever seen Legends pull off.
But if it was possible? This would all become a whole lot easier.
She took a moment to think. Hesitantly, Lilligant nodded. Roots sprouted from beneath her floral dress and pierced the earth. She held up her leaf hands and spread them apart, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head.
“It might not work, and it’ll take some time even if it does.” Ash waited for her nod. “Right. Well, it’s better than nothing. I need to move fast, so the second you think you can pull it off? Just tap my foot with a root. Lives depend on it.”
Lilligant nodded curtly and closed her eyes, concentrating on her task. With that done, Ash turned and continued his trek through the forest.
They had a job to do.
Latias hovered in the night sky above the island. Her feathers naturally camouflaged her against the pitch-black sky, not that anyone would be able to tell what she was. She’d look too much like a Zubat or some other nocturnal bird to bother worrying about.
From this high up, she had a perfect view of her enemies below. True to Tabitha’s words, there were a lot of ships forming a blockade around the island. Seven armored ships equipped with heavy cannons and machine guns circled the island, but only one of them was a destroyer from the war. The rest were modified fishing boats or salvage ships. Beneath the waves, there were three submarines that moved in formation and hunted for enemies trying to sneak onto the island.
Fortunately, they were terrible at their jobs.
Which still left her with the ships below. How was she supposed to disable them all without alerting the others? She may be fast, but she wasn’t anywhere close to fast enough to pull that off! It wouldn’t be a problem if she could just outright attack them, but she couldn’t.
Not without putting Ash and the hostages at risk.
Which meant she had to play this stealthily. One wrong move and everything would go to hell.
Latias sighed and hovered down towards the first ship that she saw – the ugly old destroyer that still had its scars from the Great War. There were a few crewmembers on the dock, either manning the guns or otherwise patrolling the exterior with bored expressions. She slipped past them with ease thanks to her invisibility, once even getting so close as to breathe on some Aqua Grunts neck.
He shivered.
“Damn, it’s cold tonight.” The man mumbled before continuing on his way.
Latias shook her head, telekinetically opening a door and floating below deck. The halls were dimly lit and cramped, just barely wide enough for her wings to fit without having to contort themselves. Despite her reservations, there weren’t many of Aqua’s people wandering the halls.
She reached out with her mind to gently peel back the curtains of their own. Everyone was focused on their job, running the ship and waiting for Hoenn to launch a rescue attempt. The few who weren’t at their stations keeping the ship running were in the mess hall.
She floated by the open doors to the mess hall and floated above the small group of Grunts chowing down. Dewgong chowder, from the looks of it. How delicious.
“Look, all I’m saying is this seems like a bad idea.” One of the Grunts said between slurps at his chowder.
“Which part? The one where we attacked a Minister’s private island? Or the fact the bosses thought we’d actually get a broadcast out in the middle of that huge festival?” Another asked.
“All of it!” The original Grunt groaned. “This just seems like more trouble than it’s worth. This isn’t like when Archie was still running the show. When Hoenn comes after us, we’re gonna lose.”
The other Grunt shrugged, dipping some bread into his chowder. “You listen to the captain, we’ll be in and out before anyone gets here. Hoenn isn’t gonna risk their Minister being killed in the middle of all this.”
“Or they ignore the captain's dumbass demands, we kill the Minister, and suddenly we’re the most wanted men in all of Hoenn.” The original complained. “Am I the only one who see’s how stupid this was?”
Yes, he was. Latias could tell. One of the benefits of reading people’s surface-level thoughts was learning their opinions on things. In this case? That most of them were either stupid or fanatical enough to think they could get away with it.
What a shame for this poor eco-terrorist.
A previously silent Grunt spoke up, not bothering to cover his mouth. “I’m more worried about this mysterious benefactor the captain found.”
Benefactor? That was concerning.
The first groaned and leaned back in his chair. “I know! Who just gives away millions of dollars in weapons and Pokemon?”
“Or has the influence to make sure the Coast Guard and Navy stayed out of our way while we approached the island.” The second said, “It feels like we’ve bitten off more than we can chew.”
“You think the captain knows that? Or is he just too stupid to see he’s being used?” Another asked.
“Would it matter? Either way, we’re in the deep end now. No choice but to sink or swim.”
The group collectively groaned. “Really? Now, of all times?”
“It was too good to pass up!”
Latias cringed and left the group to rightfully berate their friends’ terrible sense of humor. While she floated down the halls and headed towards the engine room, she couldn’t help but wonder who their benefactor was. If Aqua had gained an ally strong enough to do what they claimed, then there had to be more going on than just a simple hostage situation.
Aqua was a dying group on its last legs ever since Archie officially disbanded it. Even she had heard about it, evenall the way in Alto Mare. These splinter groups wouldn’t outlive the next decade, and the same could be said for the remnants of every other crime syndicate, revolutionary group, or terror organization they’d dealt with.
It was inevitable.
All they were good for now was being pawns in someone else’s game. The question was what game were they playing, and who was their opponent? Who could have the power and motivation to do this?
As she entered the engine room, she was surprised to see only twenty people here. There were a few officers to look over them all, but most of them were regular members of the crew. It honestly surprised her that a ship this large could run with so few people here. The engine room was easily bigger than most houses she’d ever seen!
Then again, she wasn’t an expert in maritime crew standards. She certainly wasn’t an engineer. So for all she knew, this all made perfect sense.
Either way, it didn’t matter.
Latias telepathically reached out and touched the minds of the engineering crew. Slowly, she teased back the fog that shrouded their minds and slipped past their mental barriers. Thoughts, emotions, lovers, shameful secrets; everything was laid bare to her.
She started slowly, at first. Filtering subtle commands and suggestions into the crew heads. A few of them would drop their tools in the middle of routine maintenance. Others would blankly stare off into spare for a few moments until someone snapped them out of it.
A devilish smile split her face. Good. Now that she knew she could influence them, she could get to work sabotaging the ship for real.
One of the engineers making some repairs to a wire system snipped the wrong wires, shorting out the entire console.
Another at a different station absent-mindedly dismissed a pressure warning. If and when the engine was put under stress, it would shut down completely.
One accidentally shut off the AC in the room. With a little subtle manipulation on her part, the heat continued to rise more and more with each passing second. With the engine giving off heat of its own, many of the engine crew had resorted to stripping their shirts off to continue their work.
Soon enough, the chief engineer had gathered his team together and started to berate them. The crew had the decency to look ashamed, especially since none of them could really say why they were making such rookie mistakes.
Latias withheld her laughter. This was fun!
“You can say that again, sister!” An unfamiliar voice laughed inside her mind.
She whipped around, strengthening her mental barriers and searching for the source of the voice. Her feathers raised and claws flexed defensively at the sound of the voice. “Who are you? How did you get into my mind?”
And how on earth had they been able to find her!?
The voice promptly ignored her.
“You’re being a little easy on them, though. They’re trying to kill people and extort the world, so I think we can be forgiven for being a little harsh. For example….”
Her feathers tingled as the air filled with ambient Psychic energy. A pipe above the engineering team rumbled. That was the only warning any of them had before it burst, spewing piping hot steam directly into the chief engineers face.
The chief engineer reared back and squealed, clutching their face and falling onto the ground. They squirmed in place while their team tried to pull them away from the danger. If what she was feeling was even half of the truth, that man was in agonizing pain.
Laughter echoed in her head again.
“See? Much more effective. Now the ship is down a chief engineer, and the crew will be beside themselves with worry!”
“Who are you?” She demanded again.
“That eager, huh? Alright. Let’s have a face to face. Meet me in the sky above the ships.”
She felt the presence leave her mind. Even with her mind to herself, Latias was on edge. There was no use panicking, though. They’d wanted to help, even if she didn’t know why. What’s more, they’d already shown they could slip inside her mind without her knowing.
All she had left to do was meet them. If they are an ally, then her job would get a lot easier. And if they were an enemy? Well… she’d just have to deal with them. Hopefully, it wouldn’t have to come to that.
She didn’t want to think about what might happen to her team or the hostages.
Moving as fast as she could, Latias flew down the halls of the ship until she reemerged on the top deck. After a moment of searching for the source of the voice, she reluctantly flew high into the sky and didn’t stop until the ships below were little more than a speck in the distance.
She waited a few moments. When nothing happened, she sighed and lowered her invisibility.
Something whistled nearby. “Well, well. What do we have here? Never thought I’d see one of you like this.”
A Latios appeared before her eyes. Superficially, one would say he looked like a carbon copy of her with blue feathers. The differences were subtle, but there. A larger wingspan, differently shaped eyes, sharper claws, and a larger bulk.
He almost reminded her of her brother but… no. Even then, he was too different. The eyes were the wrong color, his feathers were too blue, and the easy confidence was far different from her brothers tense paranoia.
“A Latios… what are you doing here?” She asked.
Her counterpart shrugged. “Same reason you are. Interpol got called in to solve a problem, and I’m one of the best suited to the job.”
She blinked. “You’re with Interpol?”
“Well, my partner is so by extension that means I am too. C’est la vie, or so the Kalosians say.” Latios hummed. “Speaking of which, I could kill for a crepe right about now.”
“Focus, please.” She told him.
“Serious, huh? Guess I can’t blame you. I’ve heard you’re pretty new to this.” Latios smiled. “Don’t worry. On the scale of an easy job to FUBAR, this is about a 3. Trust me, we’ll have this sorted out just in time for breakfast!”
“Is food all you think about?” She deadpanned.
“You do this job long enough and you’ll learn to enjoy the little things.” He shrugged. “You really want to complain when I’m here to help?”
Fair point.
“Do you have a plan?” She asked, “Because all I’ve got so far is to keep messing with their crew. Not sure how long I can do that without them getting suspicious, though.”
“Yours is good, but mine’s a little different. Better, some might say.” He grinned. “Rather than mess with the crew, we’re gonna sabotage the ships themselves. And at the right moment? We’ll get to watch them go boom!”
She frowned. “How exactly are we supposed to do that? I don’t know the first thing about Human ships!”
“Oh, you sweet summer child.” Latios’ grin widened. “Just follow me lead. I’ll happily show you the ropes.”
Ash carefully trudged through the forest's dense foliage, careful not to step on any fallen branches or trip over a stray root. He hadn’t run into any trouble yet, and he was thankful for that.
It gave him time to think about what he’d learned. Looker and Anabel had told him from the beginning that they worked with criminals when they had to. It was why they were able to pull him into their ranks so easily. Even in Alola, Ash had begrudgingly been willing to accept they needed to arm and puppeteer Skull. They needed bodies to fight this war, and Skull had more than enough to go around.
But there was a world of difference between using a gang of small-time criminals to stop worse ones, and accepting former terrorists into your ranks.
Ash could still remember the sheer terror he’d felt that day. When Groudon and Kyogre awoke, it had felt like the entire world was coming to an end. A storm so powerful that each raindrop felt like a hammer blow and every gust of wind tossed them around like rag dolls. An ocean that raged like the ancient god it served, tearing entire ships apart and nearly subsuming the entire island they were on.
He could still remember how the orbs Aqua and Magma had thought they could use to control the newly awakened Legends had instead corrupted those who wielded them. Drove everyone who so much as touched them – Human and Pokemon alike – made with murderous intent. Friend or foe, it didn’t matter.
Most of all, however, he remembered the sheer dread he’d felt as Kyogre turned its overwhelming power towards the island. How small and powerless to change anything he’d been. If it hadn’t been for Groudon awakening and protecting them, they’d all have died that day.
Tabitha had played a part in all of that. He wasn’t some small-time criminal, but one of Magma’s heads. He’d nearly brought on the end of the world! If Interpol was willing to recruit someone like him as an agent, then who else did they have working for them?
Ash shook his head. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about this. Lives were at stake. He could talk to Looker about this later. For now, he needed to focus.
He heard hushed whispers coming from up ahead and quickly ducked behind a tree. He peered out from the shadows to see two Aqua Grunts patrolling the woods with their Mighyena at their sides and rifles lazily slung over their shoulders. Despite having taken a Minister and his staff hostage, they didn’t look overly worried.
Ash’s hand fell to his revolver. Those Mightyena would get close to smell him soon, and with the firepower those two were carrying? He didn’t fancy his chances if they came looking for him. The best move was to strike first while they weren’t ready.
The smart thing to do would be to take out the Mightyena first. Once they were out of the picture, he could retreat into the forest without having to worry about being tracked. Then it would just be a simple matter of picking the Grunts off when they least expected it.
But that would give the Grunts a chance to radio back to the rest of their group on the island. The hostages would be killed and his team put in even more danger than they already are. With no other alternative, he’d have to kill the Grunts first and hope he could handle the Mightyena before they overwhelmed him.
He took a breath to center himself. As the small group slowly drew closer, Ash felt something tap his leg. When he looked down, he saw a simple tree root waving up at him. It took him a second, but then he realized this must have been Lilligant.
She’d pulled it off. He didn’t know how much control she had or how far it extended, but she’d done as he asked. That made things a hell of a lot simpler. He doubted she could see him, but she must have been able to sense or see him somehow.
He could work with that.
Ash quickly traced a danger symbol into the bark of a tree with his finger, followed by a question mark.
A root slithered up the trunk and contorted itself into a thumbs up.
Good, she knew what he was dealing with then. He quickly drew two stick figures of the Grunts and roots attacking them. He even went to the trouble of drawing little X’s for eyes on them.
Once she gave him another thumbs up, he nodded and watched as the root retreated into the ground.
Ash listened for the patrol and waited for them to draw closer. The wet grass squelched under the stomping of their boots and their chatter quickly grew louder. With one final deep breath to center himself, Ash leaned out from his hiding spot and raised his revolver.
The first shot hit one of the Mightyena square in the skull, killing it before it even realized it was in danger. The Grunts and the other Mightyena all leaped back in shock, but it was too late. His second shot missed the Mightyena’s head, instead puncturing its throat.
The result was the same. Rather than attack, the beast crumpled to the ground and couldn’t make a sound.
The Grunts got over their shock quickly and tried to raise their rifles to shoot him, but roots shot up from the ground and tore the guns from their hands. Before they could so much as scream or even try to run, even more roots and branches lashed out from the darkness.
Lilligant’s plants ripped away the Grunts remaining weapons and Pokeballs, tossing them into the depths of the darkness. The roots coiled around the limbs of the Grunts and slithered over their mouths, constricting so hard that Ash could have sworn he heard bones snapping. They struggled in vain against nature’s ironclad grip and were hauled up into the treetops.
They’d dealt with the patrol in seconds. Two Pokemon dead and two Grunts alive and captured. All it had cost was two bullets and a bit of his time.
His heart wasn’t even beating fast.
Ash frowned, holstering his revolver. Just as he was about to move on, a wet gasp drew his attention to the side. The Mightyena he’d shot through the throat laid there in a pool of its own blood next to its former comrade. Without a Pokeball to put it in stasis and no Pokemon Center for miles around, there was no chance it could survive.
He stalked towards the black canine and crouched down in front of it. Their eyes widened in fear and uselessly tried to kick themselves away. Ash froze, his gut squirming with shame and discomfort.
This creature was afraid of him. No matter what master it served or how willing it may have been, it didn’t deserve to die afraid. The last face it saw shouldn’t be some emotionless mask with the voice of the demon.
Reaching up, he pulled down his hood and slowly peeled his mask off his face. Ash forced himself to look into the Mightyena’s eyes and reached out to stroke their head. He wanted to hold it close in its last moment, but he couldn’t afford to.
Blood was such a pungent odor that he’d be sniffed out in seconds by any other patrols.
“I’m sorry.” Ash whispered. “I don’t know what’s on the other side… but I hope it’s something worth looking forward to.”
The Mightyena whimpered.
“I can end it for you, if you want.” He smoothed his hand over their head. “It’s just a matter of time. It doesn’t have to be painful.”
Pity from the man who killed them… Ash’s gut twisted even worse.
Once the Mightyena nodded, Ash silently drew his dagger from its sheath. He gave the Dark type a moment to prepare themselves, then slid his dagger through their ribs and into their heart. There was a sharp intake of breath… then nothing.
The Mightyena had passed on.
Ash sheathed his dagger and stood up. Pulling his hood up and securing his mask back into place, he left the clearing and continued his trek towards the center of the island where the mansion was.
It didn’t take him much longer to find it. Only another few minutes of moving through the forest and carefully avoiding patrols where he could. Thanks to Lilligant, most of said patrols were dispatched without him ever even needing to show himself.
She was impressive. Interpol had trained her well. She’d have come in handy for more than a few Pokemon Leagues – perhaps even helped him snatch victory if he’d had her by his side. But then again, maybe not.
The strength you needed for Interpol was a lot different from what you needed to win a Pokemon League.
Ash gazed past the tree line towards the mansion. It was a pretty big place with walls almost as tall as the mansion itself, a beautiful garden surrounding a pool, and even a helicopter pad. It’d almost be paradise if the helicopter wasn’t on fire and the garden tarnished by violence.
There wasn’t anyone patrolling the grounds of the mansion. Team Aqua must have split themselves up, sending half out to patrol the forest while the rest stayed inside to guard the hostages. Lucky him – it’d make sneaking inside much easier.”
He spotted an open window on the second floor. A gift from the unknown agent on the island, or something one of the hostages did before the attack? Either way, Ash didn’t plan on looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Ash raised his grappling hook, aimed at the wall next to the window, and fired.
It was time to end this.
"So, how's it been traveling with Bronze again, Dom?"
Domino sighed. “His name is Silver.”
Annie shrugged. “Whatever.” She audibly sipped at her milkshake, her golden curls bobbing from the movement. “How’s your time with your boyfriend been? Must have missed it.”
“A free vacation where I get to see the sights of foreign lands, eat on the company dime, and not get shot at every other day?” Domino smirked, dipping her cookie into her smoothie. “You’re damn right, I missed it.”
Oakley rolled her eyes. Unlike the two of them, the sole violette had chosen to be a bit more mindful of what she was eating. A simple corn dog with mustard. “Hilarious. You two could almost be mistaken for comedians instead of professional criminals.”
Domino and Annie exchanged a glance before snorting with laughter.
Domino leaned back in her seat with a smile. It was nice to see the two older Specters again. They’d agreed to meet at one of the many clubs in the city that was entertaining the horde of tourists who had come for the Falling Star Festival. This late at night and with a match tomorrow, it had been easy for Domino to give Silver the slip.
He never had been a party animal. The guy really was way too serious for his own good. If she wasn’t so serious about keeping her cover with him, she’d drag him out for a night of fun with Annie and Oakley.
If nothing else, it might convince him to take the stick out of his ass.
Then again… that was his charm. That stern glower of his and his no-nonsense attitude could be funny when he could be convinced to point it somewhere besides her.
Domino leaned back in her seat and looked out over the railing at the city below. They’d found a nice rooftop club to spend their time in. While plenty of people were still partying and drinking, the three of them were seated at one of the tables and eating their weight in junk food.
Nothing made you feel like royalty quite like this.
“How’re you two enjoying the festival so far?” Domino asked.
Oakley shrugged. “It’s a nice change of pace from planning heists, that’s for sure.”
“Come on, sis. You know that’s not true.” Annie drawled. “Think about all the priceless relics we’ve taken over the years! Weapons, paintings, jewels; what could be better than that?”
“Maybe actually getting to spend some of that cash we take in?” Oakley retorted, jabbing her sister in the cheek with her half-eaten corn dog. “You never let me actually use it!”
Annie lazily shrugged one shoulder. “Money’s not for spending. It’s so that I can lounge like a dragon and bask in my success.”
“You’re about as lazy as a dragon, that’s for damn sure.” Oakley grumbled.
“Oh, hush. Why spend our money when we can just convince someone else to do it for us?” Annie chuckled. “Half the time they thank us for it, so what’s the harm?”
“She’s got a point. If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” Domino grinned. “And the company made sure we’ve got more than enough to get the job done.”
Oakley sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You two are hopeless.”
“Don’t act like you’re any better. You’re just as vain as the rest of us.” Annie sniped.
Before Oakley could say anything, Domino chuckled. “Ah, I’ve missed you two. It’s not as fun when you’re not around.”
The two older operatives exchanged a glance before smiling. Annie raised her milkshake in a salute while Oakley lightly punched her shoulder.
“Well, feelings mutual. Who knows what kind of insanity you get up to when we’re not around?” Annie chirped. “I hear you’ve even got the ear of the big man himself. One of his favorites.”
Domino snorted but couldn’t deny the swell of pride she felt. “Favorite, huh? You sure you didn’t hear the word pet in there at some point?”
Annie shrugged. “I was trying to be polite.”
“Hope you don’t let that get to you.” Oakley said. “It’s just the jealous little shits from your cohort angry they don’t get the good jobs. Or the pay that comes with it.”
She knew that. Domino had always known she was different from the other kids she trained with. They may all have been Specters, but they didn’t have the same fire that she did. That burning desire to prove her worth and get the job done, no matter the cost.
Giovanni had seen that when he first met her in that alley so long ago. Time and again, she’d shown that she was a cut above the rest in both her skills and loyalty. It was why she only ever got the most important missions.
Even if she still didn’t know why this Silver kid was important, it didn’t matter. Giovanni wanted him protected, so she’d guard him with her life.
What more of a reason did she need?
She smiled. “I’m just fine. Don’t worry about me.” She rolled her shoulders. “So, I know I’m not supposed to help, but my curiosity’s getting the better of me.”
“You want to know how the preparations for the big day are going?” Oakley guessed.
Domino gave her some finger guns. “Bingo!”
Annie yawned. “It’s going fine. Usual stuff. Bribes, bombs, disguises. Nothing to really worry about.”
“Can’t I get more than that?” Domino pouted, puffing out her lips and flashing her puppy dog eyes.
Oakley gave her a flat look. “We’re not some horny trainer who’s been wandering the wilds for months. You know that won’t work on us.”
Domino snorted, shaking her head. “It was worth a shot.”
“Look, all you need to know is that Silver will be fine. We passed out his face and yours as people to avoid like the plague.” Oakley told her. “If the Grunts know what’s good for them, they’ll remember that.”
“And if not, you kill them. Plenty more where they come from.” Annie chipped in. “Doubt Big G will care if they get killed over this.”
“It’s not them I’m worried about.” Domino sighed. “Silver’s one of those hearts of gold people. Rescues Meowth from trees, saves Growlithe from burning buildings, and always rushes head first into danger.”
“So, he’s an idiot? We knew that when you first started traveling with him.” Annie pointed out.
“Yeah, but now he’s about to be smack dab in the middle of a massive crisis.” Domino propped her head up on the palm of her hand and looked out over the city. “Knowing him, he’s gonna try to act all selfless and throw himself in the middle of things.”
“Well, you’ll just have to plan around it. You didn’t honestly expect the job to be easy, did you?” Oakley asked.
“No.” She groaned. “Just let me complain. I listen to you guys do it all the time!”
The two older agents shared a laugh at her expense.
Arrogant pricks!
“What about Interpol?”
Annie slurped her milkshake. “What about them?”
Domino frowned. “Aren’t you worried they might screw things up?”
“Not really.” Annie said. “There’s only like ten of them here. Pet said they’re only even here because the UR is forcing them to be. They don’t suspect a thing.”
“I’d be more willing to believe that if they hadn’t sent Looker’s team. They have a damned Legend playing guard dog. Not to mention sneaking Ketchum into the list of competitors.” Domino pointed out. “It just seems off. Why send them if it’s just a pacifying gesture?”
The two agents growled at the mention of the Legend. They’d already hated Latias for ending their perfect mission streak and nearly sending them to prison. Once they realized their memories had been altered, however?
They wanted to skin the damn thing alive.
Domino sympathized. Those altered memories were the cause of Alto Mare’s destruction. As far as she was concerned, that dragon was responsible for the death of an entire city.
Just like her….
“It might be that they just got unlucky. Maybe the UR chose them specifically because of how big this thing is and they need peace of mind. Or maybe they wanted Ketchum and that dragon of his to get some experience against strong opponents.” Oakley rattled off. “Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter. They’re here.”
“Which means that dragon is ripe for the taking.” Annie practically purred. “A powerful Psychic and a Legend? Ambrosia is gonna have a field day.”
“And you two get a chance at revenge.” Domino pointed out. “Not that I can blame you. Just be careful. It wouldn’t be the first time Interpol’s ruined a good thing for us.”
“Don’t worry. If they were really a threat, Pet would make sure we know.” Oakley told her. “It’s the whole point of his job, after all.”
“I guess you’re right. Must just be my paranoia talking.” Domino smiled. “Do me a favor. When you fight that dragon and the Ketchum bastard? Kick him in the balls for me.”
“You didn’t even have to ask.”
Once Ash was inside, he realized he was in a guest bedroom. Despite the home invasion, it was clear there hadn't been a scuffle here. The door had been gently shut, the bed was immaculately made, and the closet was still closed tight. There wasn't even a hint of dust or dirt anywhere to be found.
Which meant the mysterious agent must have been the one to leave the window open for him. Ash would have to thank him when this was all said and done.
He enlarged Pikachu's Pokeball and released his partner on the bed. His golden friend took a moment to look around the room. He gave Ash a questioning stare, sniffing the air and scrunching his nose up in disgust.
"We're here to rescue one of Hoenn's Minister's." Ash told him. "I need you to use those enhanced senses of yours. If you smell or hear anything coming our way, give me a signal."
Pikachu nodded sharply, hopping onto Ash's shoulder.
Just like old times.
Before Ash opened the door to leave, he paused and glanced up at the vent in the corner of the room. Anyone who could fit inside there would have access to the entire house mansion unimpeded. Ash was too large and heavy to fight inside, and he didn't fancy a repeat of Alto Mare by sending Pikachu off to scout ahead.
Thankfully, Interpol had solved that little problem.
He raised his wrist up to his face and activated the haptic keyboard of Interpol's Poketch. He scrolled through the list of Interpol's available Pokemon, thinking of plans for each monster that could come in handy here.
When he spotted a familiar purple pile of ooze, Ash smiled and requested its transfer. A thin hatch slid out from the side of the Poketch after a few seconds, the miniaturized Pokeball sitting in the tray. Plucking the red ball from the tray and snapping it shut, he released a Muk into the room.
The sapient pile of ooze and grime looked around the room, its foul stench only held at bay by the filters in Ash's mask. Pikachu wasn't nearly so fortunate if his coughs and watery eyes were any sign.
"This is a hostage situation." Ash told the Muk. "We're dealing with Team Aqua remnants. I need you to sneak into the vent and pick off any Grunts you can. Or try to rescue the hostages. Just don't be too obvious. We can't afford to have you blowing our cover."
Muk blinked up at him sternly for a moment before gliding across the carpet. They slithered up the wall and slid through the thin grate of the vent. Soon, it disappeared from sight. All that remained were a few stray drops of toxic sludge and a stench that would never come out.
He pitied whatever poor sap Muk came across first.
Ash waited for Pikachu to give him the all-clear and then stepped out into the hallway, his revolver raised and a dagger in hand. The coast was clear. Not a sign of anyone nearby.
Nodding to himself, Ash silently stalked the halls. While he checked his corners with every turn, he took to silencing his footsteps by walking on the balls of his feet.All the while, Pikachu kept his ears and nose open. Just as they were about to round another corner, Pikachu tightened his grip on Ash's shoulder.
Ash looked at his partner and was met with a stern look. The electric rodent held up two fingers on his paw, then gestured to the corner they were about to pass. His partner’s cheeks sparked, eyes flashing with anticipation. Ash nodded, flexing his fingers around the pommel of his dagger.
He steadied himself and rounded the corner, his revolver leveled to where their heads would have been-
Only to see the Aqua Grunts and their Pokemon on the ground. There were no signs of battle in the hallway. No blood, no bullet holes or knife wounds, not even smudges on the carpet or the smell of gunpowder in the air.
He bent down beside the bodies. On closer inspection, there weren’t even any wounds on them. They were all alive… just unconscious. And if they’re frantic eye movements and sharp, quiet gasps were any indication? They’d all been trapped inside some kind of nightmare.
That could only mean one thing: There was a Psychic at play here.
Ash frowned. “Petrovic, Tabitha, I found a group of Grunts and their Pokemon knocked out. Was this one of you?”
It took a second, but Tabitha’s voice came through. Nothing like the instant communication Anabel or Latias offered. “You can thank our mystery friend for that. He got here before the rest of us. Been working his way through the mansion and picking them off one by one.”
“Is he a Psychic?” Ash asked
Petrovic’s laughter echoed through his mind. “Hell nah. Those bastards probably wish they were so lucky.”
Ominous….
Ash shook his head. This was pointless. There were hostages to rescue. If that other agent really was behind this, then there was no use worrying about it. As long as it wasn’t his mind at risk, everything was fine.
He stood up and stepped over the bodies, continuing his journey through the halls. The deeper he went, the more of the unconscious bodies he found. Just like the first, each of them struggled in their slumber against some unseen terror.
He stepped past them all without a second thought. Eventually, he paused in one of the larger hallways lined with fine art and stained glass windows. Pikachu closed his eyes and held his paw in the air, ears twitching. His rat companion nodded and pointed at the far wall.
Ash raised his hand to the side of his mask, flicking a hidden switch. His vision changed to something akin to an X-ray, and suddenly he could see everything that Pikachu heard. A group of skeletal figures were gathered in the center of the room on their knees, hands tied behind their backs. Ten more Human figures circled the group with what Ash could only assume were Mightyena at their sides.
He switched his vision back to normal. He’d need to handle this carefully. One wrong move and all the hostages could die. The best option would be to find some way to draw them all out, but he wasn’t naïve enough to think that was possible. If the guards even suspected anything was wrong, they’d kill the hostages just to prove a point.
Hmm… maybe he could ask Petrovic and Tabitha? They might have some ideas about how to-
A gunshot shattered the tense silence of the night.
Ash’s blood ran cold. The crowd of hostages all flinched and their whimpers could be heard through the drywall. The Mightyena started to growl and advanced on the group while the Grunts shared muffled words with each other.
They were going to die.
Ash’s hand flew to his belt and snatched up Bewear’s Pokeball. He released her into the world. The imposing Alolan bear reared back with her paws raised, ready for battle as always.
“Smash the wall! Now!” He ordered.
She didn’t hesitate. Bewear took a couple of steps back then charged through the wall, barreling through it like it was paper mâché. The rubble exploded outwards, showering everyone in the room with shards of stone.
“What the hell is going on!? Who fired that shot?” Tabitha screamed in their minds.
Ash ignored him. He followed closely behind Bewear, using her body as a shield. It was nearly pitch black inside the room. Ash could only see thanks to his mask automatically adjusting to the lack of light. The Grunts and their Pokemon were still caught off-guard and rearing towards the sudden entrance in shock.
It wouldn’t last.
And now that he was inside? He saw that they were all wearing night vision goggles.
“Thunderbolt, Pikachu! Bright as you can!” He ordered.
Pikachu used Bewear’s head as a springboard and leaped high into the air above everyone. He growled, unleashing a powerful blast of lightning on a cluster of the Mightyena in the room. The creature shrieked and convulsed on the ground, but that wasn’t what made it so effective.
His partner radiated such blinding light that some of the Grunts dropped their rifles in shock and tried to block out the light. The rest of them still recoiled in alar, firing blindly into the light. The only thing their stray shots managed to hit were the far walls and a few – no doubt expensive – pieces of art lining them.
Ash’s revolver snapped up towards the Grunts who still held their guns. Five bullets for ten enemies… he’d have to make it work. His first shot hit the enemy Grunt center mass, piercing a lung and flinging the body backwards. He’d already leveled his pistol at a second one and scored a clean headshot before it even hit the floor.
Most of the Grunts had ripped their night vision goggles off their faces and tossed them aside. Ash honed in on them and let off two more shots, striking two Grunts clean through the chest. Before he could get off another one, some of the Grunts raised their rifles and opened fire in his direction.
Bewear roared, shielding him with her massive form. The bullets riddled her body and ripped through her fur, but didn’t go any further than skin deep. A trio of Mightyena snarled and charged towards her in a pincer movement.
One leaped through the air and lunged for her throat. Bewear caught the bloodthirsty canine by its skull and crushed it in her paws with the same as crushing a grape. Keeping her grip tight on the body, she swung it around like a mace and smacked the other two of its pack aside with a meaty thwack.
The Grunts kept firing on Bewear. Her fur was matted with blood and Ash could hear her grunts of pain, but it was all in vain. His strongest partner reared her arm back, hurling the corpse in her paws at the group of Grunts.
All but one of them managed to jump out of the way. The unlucky one cried out in alarm as the corpse smashed into his chest with the force of a sledgehammer and knocked him into the air. He flew through the air with such force that he smashed through the far window on the other side of the room.
“Oh, fuck this!” One of the Grunts shouted.
He tried to raise his gun towards the hostages, but Ash was faster. The Grunts throat exploded in a shower of blood as Ash’s final bullet struck true. The man dropped his guns and brought his hands up to clutch his throat, but it was pointless. There was no stopping the bleeding.
Before Ash could celebrate, the other Grunts in the room had all regained their bearings. They leveled their rifles towards the group of hostages. Civilians one and all, they were all still too stunned by the sudden violence and the assault on their senses to realize what was about to happen.
“Pikachu! Thu-”
It was too late. The deafening thundercrack of gunfire drowned out his voice before his partner could turn his lightning on the Grunts. Time seemed to slow down as Ash watched the group of hostages fall under the barrage of gunfire.
Or at least… that’s what should have happened.
The instant before the Grunts fired their weapons, a mass of purple sludge dripped down from the vents above the hostage and formed a protective dome around the civilians. Even as dozens of bullets riddled the shield, they were stopped in their tracks and melted into black sludge by the gelatinous hide of the Muk Ash had released into the vents.
The Grunts swore and tried to reload their guns, but it was too late. Pikachu ceased his attack on the Mightyena and turned his attention to the ecoterrorists. His cheeks sparked with rage and a cry of fury echoed through the room before a blast of lightning struck the Grunts.
With how tightly their muscles convulsed, not a sound escaped their lips.
There were only two Grunts left now. Both had taken cover behind a set of pillars in the room. In the few seconds it took Ash to reload his revolver, he saw that they had released a Hariyama and Shiftry into the room.
Ash took a breath while Pikachu ceased his attack, allowing the paralyzed bodies of the Grunts to drop to the ground. The faint clank of bullets hitting the ground met Ash’s ears as Bewear forced them out of her body, regenerating before his eyes.
The two Grunts leaned out from behind cover, rifles raised in the air. Hariyama and Shiftry both took a step forward.
Bewear and Pikachu matched their steps with their own.
Before anyone could make a move… the shadows struck first.
A wet gasp drew everyone’s attention back to the Grunts. A pair of misty tendrils made of pure shadows lanced through both of their chests, lifting them up high into the air. Their limbs flailed and they screamed in pain.
Everyone – Human and Pokemon alike – watched in horror as a living nightmare crawled out of the shadows. A creature of blood and bone and tentacles and mist all at once, constantly shifting form and growing in size. The only constant in the ever-shifting horror was the glowing red eyes hidden behind the mist.
Shiftry was the first to recover from their shock. Green blades of energy sprouted from the leaves on its wooden arms. It leaped through the air towards the vile shadows who had killed its master.
The temperature dropped like a hammer through glass.
Arctic winds flooded the room, blasting the Shiftry head-on and coalescing around the living tree. Just as quickly as the winds of the blizzard appeared, they vanished. The frozen form of Shiftry fell to the ground with a delicate clink, tiny cracks appearing in the outer casing.
Any doubt about whether or not it was still alive in there was shattered when a mace of pure shadow smashed through it with ease, showering the room in shards of ice and frozen tree bark.
The tendrils holding up the corpses of the two Grunts whipped around, tossing them aside like trash beneath its boot. Then the creature turned its gaze towards the remaining Hariyama. A set of jaws appeared before them all, lips peeling back to reveal a set of jagged teeth, serrated saws, and even more tendrils of shadow.
Hariyama took one look at the abomination and turned to flee. Normally revered for its iron-clad discipline and nearly unmatched physical prowess, Hariyama tripped over itself to sprint past Ash’s team and out through the hole they’d made in the wall.
Another gunshot – a shotgun, if he heard right - drew Ash’s attention towards the entrance they made, even with the horror that had emerged from the shadows standing before them. Hariyama stumbled back into view, clutching a hand to its bloody knee where it had been shot. It tried to raise its hands to defend itself, but another blast of buckshot into its other knee dropped the creature to the ground.
It had only just started to push itself off the ground when the origin of the shotgun blast stepped into view. It was a Human wearing a black trench coat and a mask, just like Ash. The figure effortlessly dodged to the side of Hariyama’s desperate attack. Then there was a flash of steel, and a familiar dagger buried itself in the skull of the creature.
With a simple twist and flick of their wrist, the agent tore their dagger from Hariyama’s skull. They strode past the corpse and into the room, stepping over the rubble with practiced ease.
Pikachu’s cheeks sparked and Bewear’s muscles flexed but Ash held up his hand to stop them. “It’s alright. He’s with us.”
“Hmm. Glad to see you’re thinking.” The agent said. “That wasn’t too bad of an ambush.”
Ash recognized the voice.
“I assume the monster behind us is yours?” Ash asked.
He nodded. “She is indeed. Darkrai, you can stop trying to intimidate everyone.”
“At once, Master.” Something whispered into all their minds. It was… strange. Ash could have sworn he heard an old radio host, a sultry Kalosian woman, a terrified young boy, and a posh Galarian nobleman all at once. He was sure that if he focused, he’d be able to pick out even more voices.
Ash turned around. Just as he suspected, the darkness receded and took the monster with it. In their place was the hovering form of Darkrai, all somber shadows and white mist forming some vaguely humanoid shape.
He glanced back at Muk. Once it was clear the fighting was over, the living blob of rot and decay shrunk back to its normal size. Thanks to its quick thinking, the hostages inside were safe… albeit sick from the stench of the purple ooze if their pale face were any indication.
The other agent hummed. “The Minister isn’t here.” He said. “Spartan, we need to split up if we’re going to find him. Clock’s ticking.”
Ash nodded. “I’ll take the west side of the mansion, you take the east?”
“Works for me. We’ll need to move fast.” He glanced back at the hostages. “You should leave some of your Pokemon here to protect the hostages until we’ve dealt with Aqua.”
Ash glanced back. “Pikachu, you and Muk stay here. If any more of Aqua’s people threaten the hostages, deal with them.” He said. “Don’t forget to undo their bindings while you’re at it.”
Pikachu shot him a thumbs up, scampering towards the group of hostages.
Bewear and him shared a nod before they took off, sprinting out of the room. Darkrai vanished in the shadows and the other agent followed suit, taking off in the opposite direction of Ash.
As they sprinted through the halls, Bewear took the lead. While they hadn’t run into any more enemies yet, they knew it was only a matter of time. With how durable she was, Bewear was the best bet for tanking the first shots of any fight.
And they both knew they’d get themselves dragged into a fight soon enough. The deeper they went, the more gunfire they heard. That could only mean that either Tabitha or Petrovic had gotten into trouble and needed help.
If he were a betting man? The Minister would be wherever they were.
This time when they found the room with the gunfire coming from inside, they didn’t hesitate. Bewear barreled through the wall and shattered it with ease. Ash raised his revolver and hid behind his trench coat as a shield… only for them both to pause.
Standing in the center of the room was Petrovic. He was alive and covered in blood, but from the grin on his face and pleasant tune he was whistling, none of it was his. He was surrounded by the bodies of Aqua Grunts and their Pokemon. His own Weezing and Skuntank lingered behind him, equally as gruesome as their partner.
Petrovic looked as he reloaded his pistol, completely unphased by their violent entrance. He smiled lopsidedly and waved. “Ash! So good ya could join me!” He said. “Sure took yer sweet time.”
Ash lowered his revolver. “What the hell happened here-”
Petrovic clicked his tongue, holding up his finger. “Hold that thought.”
The veteran agent stepped forward and slammed his boot on the wound of one of the bodies. To Ash’s surprise, the man wasn’t dead and screamed at the pain of the boot on his back. Petrovic just rolled his eyes and put two slugs in the back of the man’s skull, silencing him forever.
A sour taste hit Ash’s mouth. “Was that really necessary?”
Petrovic shrugged. “I blew out one of his arteries. Man was dead anyway, so I might as well put him out of his misery.” He said. “I figured ya’d be all for me showing some mercy.”
That wasn’t what he’d call it.
“Where’s the Minister?” Ash asked instead.
Petrovic scrunched up his face with exaggerated effort and hissed. “Ah… bad news. Poor bastard took a stray in the fight. He’s over there.”
Ash follow Petrovic’s finger to see the Minster slouched over the bar in the room, a pool of blood beneath him and his arms tied behind his back. If Ash didn’t know any better, he’d almost think he’d been executed.
“That’s not good, Petrovic. The entire reason we came here was to rescue him!” Ash shouted.
“Nope.” Petrovic popped the P. “Our mission was to deal with Aqua before they could get a broadcast through and terrify the region. Rescuing was always a secondary priority. Just poor luck his cards were clocked.”
Ash clenched his fist. “Did you set this all off?”
“I’ve got no idea what yer- Oi!” Petrovic snapped his pistol up.
Ash only had a second to react before he felt an arm wrap around his throat and the barrel of a gun pressed up against his skull.
Well… shit.
Petral had been in some sticky situations before. Being stranded at sea for three months on nothing but a tiny life raft had been difficult. Infiltrating Interpol and gaining their trust had been even more difficult, even with the other double agents and Nanu covering for him. And then of course, there was the Great War….
The less said about that, the better,
Compared to all of that, this was nothing. One brat with a gun to his head and a desperate ecoterrorist looking for a way out? He could shoot his way out of that faster than it took him to toast some bread in the morning.
Though, he didn't want the kid dead. Hmm… that'd make this a bit trickier.
"Alright now, let's not do anything too hasty." Petral drawled. "Ash, how you doing? Keeping calm?"
Ash's mask betrayed no emotion. "I'm fine."
Petral believed him. His voice may have been synthesized and his face covered, but there was a lot more to reading people than their face and voice. The body could tell an entire story in a glance. Steady hands, a relaxed but ready posture, calm breathing….
He'd seen trained agents turn to terrified and sputtering messes when they were this close to death. Ash? This kid had ice in his veins. He may have been inexperienced and stupid, but he knew how to handle pressure. Hell, after how he killed Gozu in Alola, he'd almost say the kid thrived on it.
Shame he'd have to die, even if today wasn't that day.
"Both of you, be quiet!" The Grunt shouted, gun shaking in his hand. "You, purple freak! Drop the gun and return your Pokemon!"
Freak? Rude.
"Not happening." Petral drawled.
"You think I won't kill him? Do what I say or I'll kill this bastard!" He stammered.
"And you'll join him about a second later." Petrovic said. "Come on, be smart about this. Just let my boy over there go, and you'll walk out of this alive."
The Grunt snarled. "You think I'm stupid? I saw what you did! I saw how you killed everyone else! I know I'm not just walking out of this."
Weezing and Skuntank both shifted next to him. They were just itching to put an end to this fool. One word and Weezing would flood the bastard’s lungs with toxic gas, decaying him from the inside out. Skuntank would rip him to shreds, making him watch the entire time. Hell, he was sure that if he asked, Ash's Bewear would pummel the man into a fine red mist.
But that'd put the twerp at risk. He needed to be diplomatic… it'd been years since he'd done that, but he shouldn't be too rusty. Damn this cover for making violence so easy, though. Blood was a bitch to wash out of clothes.
"Yer friends were shooting at me. Can hardly blame me for defending myself." Petral said. "I'll have to do the same to ya if Ashy-boy there dies."
He noticed Ash flex his fingers with annoyance. Was he not a fan of the name? Time to file that one away for later.
"Listen to him." Ash said. "You don't have to die here."
"I'm supposed to trust the word of a bunch of killers?" The Grunt growled.
Pot calling the kettle black right there.
"We're with Interpol." Ash told him.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? I know what you people are like!" The Grunt growled.
"It should. We're big on gathering intel – bit of a hobby of ours." Petral chimed in. "We thought Aqua was a washed-up group on the verge of dying out. This shows us we were wrong."
Or gave off the impression, at least.
"That gives you bargaining power." Ash said. "Let me go and give us everything you know about the other remnants of Aqua, and we'll guarantee your safety."
The Grunt laughed hysterically. "A guarantee from a guy with a gun to his head? Hell, you could take that straight to the bank!"
"Way I see it, ya got two choices." Petral retorted. "Either ya shoot my friend and die like a dog. Or ya trust we need yer info more than we want to kill ya."
"Our whole purpose is to think of the greater good." Ash said. "Letting you go to wipe out the last of Aqua's remnants? That's a deal we'd take in a heartbeat."
"And ya know quite a bit about them, don't ya?" Petral suggested.
It didn't matter if he did or not. Any fool could see that his only way out was to go along with this and agree to their terms. Even if it was a lie, he could always try to escape later or claim the other remnant cells had gone to ground when this attack failed.
He'd fail, but that slim chance was like a glimmer of hope in the darkness. And for a desperate man looking for a way out? Hope was the greatest lie of them all.
"O-okay… yeah, I can do that. Fuck those other guys. I didn't even want to do this; I just went along with it for the money." Came the Grunts flurry of excuses. "So, if I let him go and give you what I know, you promise to let me go?"
Petral held a hand over his heart. "Scouts honor."
Slowly, the Grunt released his hold on Ash and stepped back. While Ash put some distance between them, the Grunt tossed his gun aside and held up his hands. "See? I kept my word."
He grinned. "I know. Smartest decision you've made all day."
His gun snapped up and a shot deafened the room. The Grunt didn't even have time to realize what happened. His head just snapped back, blood spattering against the far wall as his body collapsed into a crumpled heap.
"A plus for effort." Petral quipped.
He expected shouting. The righteous anger of a good man witnessing injustice. Maybe more accusations of betrayal and broken promises. Some pointless lecture on how they were supposed to be better than this.
So imagine his surprise when he turned to see Ash just staring at the body in silence.
"Something wrong?" Petral asked.
"…." Ash shrugged. "I'm just disappointed."
He snorted. "In me?"
"Myself. I guess I'd hoped you'd do the right thing." Ash shook his head. "It doesn't matter. We still have a job to do. The Minister may be dead, but at least we managed to rescue the rest of the hostages. They'll be safe once we deal with the rest of Aqua."
Petral frowned. There the kid went shutting down again. Burying his emotions and focusing on the danger in front of them. It was exactly what Interpol looked for in its agents, and exactly why the feral brat was dangerous. A Legend in the hands of someone like this was a ticking time bomb.
He smiled. "Glad to see you're thinking clearly. Come on, let's go show these bastards why you don't mess with Interpol.
Explosions shook the island.
For a moment, Ash feared that it was all over. One of the Grunts had radioed back to their fleet blockading the island and doomed them all. That the behemoths of the sea had turned their massive cannons on them and unleashed a fiery doom only a Legend could rival.
Oblivion never came, though. The mansion and surrounding forest weren’t destroyed in a bombardment. The only sign that anything had even exploded was the smoke rising above the treeline.
When he, his Pokemon, and the others all emerged onto the beach after trekking through the forest, he could see why. The small fleet that Aqua had brought with them were nothing but smoldering wrecks. Fire raged on the surface of the once calm ocean surface, illuminating the shore in an orange glow. The smell of smoke and burning oil overpowered even the salty brine of the sea.
“What happened here?” Ash asked.
Tabitha looked up at the sky, pointing upwards. “If I were a betting man? Them.”
Ash followed his finger to see Latias descending from the skies. He wasn’t surprised to see a Latios following closely behind her nor to see the blue dragon float over to the mysterious agent and his Darkrai.
Ash ignored that for now and turned to Latias, stroking her head as she came close. “What did you do?”
“Latios had the bright idea to place barriers in the barrels of their cannons. That way if they fired, all they’d do is blow themselves up.” She responded.
“It worked well enough on the smaller ones. We even punched holes in the submarines and flooded them. We had to get creative for the big one, though.”
He frowned behind his mask. “What do you mean creative-”
Another deafening explosion cut him off. A plume of fire and debris erupted from the large warship in the distance as it split in half. The heat was worse than a summer’s day in Hoenn’s desert without water, but only for an instant.
Pikachu whistled from his place on Ash’s shoulder.
“Impressive. Your idea?”
Latias shook her head.
“That was all Latios. We waited until they found out what you were doing on the island and set fire to their ammunition stores. Then… well… kaboom.”
Lilligant hummed.
“A rather effective strategy. Latios was trained well.”
“I can only imagine how scared the crew must have been.” Bewear rubbed a recently healed wound.
“I hope they lived long enough to struggle and see their hope turn to ash.”
The rest of them collectively shared a glance. Bewear was… something else. Undisputedly the strongest member of the team, but she was by far the most fatalistic. Ash couldn’t fault her for that, though.
Losing a child must have been the worst feeling in the world.
“Right… well, good on taking out the fleet.” Ash said. “We wouldn’t have made it out alive if you hadn’t taken care of them. So, thank you.”
“Always happy to help. Especially when it comes to saving the day like a big, Arceus damned hero.” She preened with pride.
Ash felt a pair of eyes staring at him. He looked behind him, past the rescued hostages to see the mysterious tamer of Legends standing off to the side at the shores of the beach. Latios and Darkrai hovered nearby, but the agent’s focus was entirely on him.
Gesturing for the others to follow him, Ash gently brushed past the crowd of hostages to stand across from the agent. The mask hid his reaction, but Darkrai and Latias must have realized they were here for they turned and bowed their heads in greeting.
“Need something?” The agent asked.
“You were staring at me.” Ash said. “I want to know why.”
The agent shrugged. “You have a Legend at your side. I’ve not met anyone capable of that besides me before. My curiosity got the better of me.”
Ash crossed his arms, leaning back. “I’m surprised seeing Legends still surprises you, Tobias.”
The man across from him was silent for a moment before chuckling and shaking his head. Reaching up, he pulled the mask off his fast and tossed it aside. His flowing livid blue locks fell around his face and over his left eye.
Tobias smiled. Even after all these years, he was still taller than Ash, even if only by a few inches. “I wondered how long it’d take you to figure it out.”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t hard. You didn’t even bother to hide your voice… but Latios and Darkrai there gave it away. No one else in the world has them on their team.”
Something prickly and leathery scratched at the back of his mind. He felt Darkrai’s lone red eye boring into his soul. He suppressed a shiver. “No one else has proven worthy.” Came the hushed whisper of a little girl’s voice.
“Still, it’s good to see you again. I always knew we’d meet again one day, Ash.” Tobias said.
Ash paused. “You know who I am?”
“Of course I do. I was one of the people who recommended your recruitment into Interpol. I even offered to help Looker train you.” The older man said. “But I had a mission in Kalos to handle at the time, so it couldn’t happen.”
He’d recommended Ash? That was… well, it lined up with what Drew had told him. Interpol had its eye on him for years. Tobias’ surprise appearance in Sinnoh must have been some sort of test, then. Despite his loss, Ash was glad.
Tobias was one of his strongest opponents. Worthy of respect. And now, as it turned out? A brother in arms.
“I wish you’d been there. You could have helped….” He trailed off.
“At Alto Mare?” Tobias guessed. “Aye. I could have. I’m sorry about what happened. I hope you don’t blame yourself for what happened back then. There was nothing you could have done.”
That was what his therapist said. He was even starting to believe that on his good days.
Darkrai raised her claw over her heart, bowing her head in mourning. The voice of an old chain-smoking man echoed in his mind. “Listen to our master. There is nothing we could have done to stop it either. The sinking of Alto Mare was unavoidable once Team Rocket learned of the Soul Dew’s location.”
Ash bit his tongue. He knew that wasn’t true. The only reason it fell was because he’d been there and someone had followed him back to the garden. If he hadn’t been there, none of this would have happened. If only he’d been smarter or stronger….
Latios floated in front of him.
“So, Pikachu, long time no see. Looking good for a pint-sized furball.”
Pikachu snorted and hopped onto Latios’ back.
“Remind me again who it was that knocked you on your ass in the Sinnoh League?”
“I must have hit your head harder than I thought. It was a draw, you rat bastard.” Latios drawled.
“When one of us is a god incarnate, I’d say a draw is just as good as a plain old win.” Pikachu’s smug aura was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
“First Regice, then you and Tapu Koko? Guess I better change my name to Legend Slayer at this rate!”
Latias frowned.
“Pikachu… didn’t you get thrown around by a Snivy with no training?”
Pikachu gasped in horror.
“HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT!?”
Latias giggled evilly.
“You talk in your sleep. Must have been quite the beating if you still dream about it!”
“It was one time! I was having an off week!” Pikachu cried.
Latios laughed haughtily.
“Not so hot now, are ya?”
Darkrai chuckled, covering her mouth with her claws. It was like nails on a chalkboard.
“I wouldn’t get so prideful, Latios. I still remember the day you got trapped in the honey of a Beedrill hive. You were nearly eaten alive.”
His eye twitched.
“Oi! You leave my addiction out of this!”
Darkrai and Latias shared a look.
“Men.”
“What’s that supposed to mean!?” Latios and Pikachu shouted at the same time.
Lilligant giggled and patted both their heads patronizingly.
“That you’re both completely lovable idiots. There’re no captains at the wheels to your controls, so you’re cruising through life with empty skulls.”
Pikachu and Latios stared at the living plant in horror. They slowly drifted to the ground, sulking before everyone’s eyes.
Bewear nodded, patting Lilligant’s head.
“Well said. A proper tongue lashing always teaches troublemakers how to fall in line.”
Tobias laughed and shook his head. “Your team is certainly interesting, Ash.” He said. “I look forward to facing them in battle and seeing how much you’ve grown.”
He blinked. “You think we’ll fight in the tournament?”
“Assuming Team Rocket doesn’t launch that attack of theirs before? Yes.” Tobias said. “We’re the two strongest contenders. By now, everyone knows we won’t be beaten by anyone else. We’ll fight eventually. I expect an even better battle than we had years ago.”
A spark of excitement lit itself inside Ash. Something he hadn’t felt since Alola. The anticipation of a good fight and a chance to see how far he could push his team in battle. He’d thought he lost that since entering the tournament – and maybe he had when it came to normal Trainers.
Tobias was no normal Trainer, though. He was an Interpol agent with Legends at his disposal. That was the kind of challenge he used to live for.
“I’ll do my best.” Ash told him. “I may not have a full team like back then, but I’m a lot stronger now. Interpol made sure of that.”
“Speaking of, how are you feeling? Are you adapting to our life well?” Tobias asked.
He was silent for a moment, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “It’s been… difficult. The constant lying, near-death encounters, and violence isn’t something I’m used to. Petrovic and Looker say I’m doing well, but I don’t know if I want to.”
“Do you wish we’d shuffled you into witness protection instead?” Tobias asked.
Ash sighed. “No, I don’t. I may not like what I have to do, but I’m helping make a difference. Fighting the bad guys and saving people. It’s more meaningful than just traveling and fighting in more tournaments.”
“Maybe. But you were happier back then.” Tobias patted him on the shoulder. “When it’s all over? You should do that again. Recapture that joy you once had without the threat of all this hanging over your head.”
It was a nice thought.
Shame he didn’t think he’d ever be able to enjoy a journey like he used to.
“I get the feeling there’s something else on your mind.” Tobias smiled. “You can talk to me if you want, Ash.”
It was crazy. Tobias and him hardly knew each other outside of a single battle from years ago. And yet… Ash felt that he could trust the man. Enough to tell him his worries, anyway.
“It’s about Tabitha. He was a member of Team Magma. He helped nearly end the entire world.” Ash reluctantly said. “He should be in prison. Instead, he’s an agent of Interpol. I’m just not sure how I should feel about it, that’s all.”
Tobias hummed, nodding. “I see. Well, it sounds like you should go talk to him then.”
He paused. “What?”
“Talk to him. Ask why he worked for Team Magma and why he agreed to work for us.” The older man said. “Interpol doesn’t work with people interested in destroying the world, Ash. We may not be as clean as the Rangers, but we still try to make sure our agents are sane.”
Ash looked back across the beach. Tabitha was sitting at the water’s edge, wrapping some bandages around a wound on his Gardevoir’s shoulder. Despite his better judgment, he guessed it couldn’t hurt to talk with the man.
Shaking his head, Ash left his team with Tobias and walked towards Tabitha. The man noticed his approach, but didn’t look up from tending to his Pokemon’s wounds. “What is it you want, Spartan?”
“What happened?” Ash gestured to his Gardevoir.
“She took a shot meant for one of the hostages we were rescuing.” Tabitha tightened the bandages around the wound. “Nothing she hasn’t felt before. Benefit of being a Psychic is she doesn’t need her limbs to fight back.”
Self-sacrifice from these two? He couldn’t say that was something he expected.
“I know that’s not why you came over.” Tabitha stood back up, rolling his shoulders. “So, why did you want to talk?”
“Tobias said I should ask why you joined Team Magma. He thinks it’ll help me understand you more.” Ash admitted.
Tabitha snorted. “Did he? More like help clear your conscience about Interpol, I’ll bet.” He shook his head. “Fine. It’s not like I’m hiding it or anything. How much do you know about the Great War?”
“Enough to know it was bad. I took history classes like everyone else.” Ash said.
Not that he was the best student. So many lazy mornings spent falling asleep when the teacher wasn’t looking.
“Books don’t paint the whole picture. I was still a kid when it was going on, but I remember what it was like. The fear and paranoia people had. The rationing, air raid drills, and broken families.” Tabitha spat on the ground. “Broke any sense of pride I ever had in Hoenn.”
Ash kept silent.
“Once I was older and started my journey, I met this activist. He was passionate and bright. He had visions of a world free of war and suffering. One where everyone lived in harmony.” He snorted. “You wouldn’t think it by looking at him, but Maxie knew how to inspire people.
“That all sounds noble, but what was your plan?” Ash asked. “Assuming you could control Groudon and weren’t corrupted by them. What would you have done?”
“We’d raised more land for Humanity. More land means more living space, more crop fields, more resources for energy production. Most wars are fought because everybody wants more of something.” Tabitha said. “We figured that if we gave people that, there’d never be another war again.”
“Not all wars are started over resources, though. Hatred and ambition are prevalent as well.” Ash pointed out. “What if you created all these resources and people still wanted war?”
Tabitha shrugged. “We’d have a living Legend at that point. All we’d have to do is smash their governments to pieces and people would fall in line. Better them than the millions who’d die in a protracted war.”
“And the environmental damage? I’m no expert, but I get the feeling that just erasing entire swathes of our oceans would have some effect.” Ash said.
“Maybe. Nothing we couldn’t overcome, though.” He sighed. “Point is that I joined Magma because I wanted to make a difference. Keep the world from descending back into madness. When Magma was destroyed and Interpol offered me a chance to keep working for that future, why wouldn’t I accept?”
It was… an understandable reason, even if Ash still didn’t agree with it. No matter how much he claimed to want to help the world, he’d still worked for Team Magma and terrorized Hoenn. He’d nearly ended the whole damn world for his vision.
But now he seemed to accept it was impossible. If he really was willing to put his skills to better use protecting the world under Interpol’s watch, then could Ash really criticize him? Arceus knew that Ash was no saint himself.
Not after everything he’d done.
“I see… Thank you for telling me.”
“No problem. Figured I might as well.” Tabitha glanced over Ash’s shoulder. “Heard you’re working with Looker and Petrovic full time. You probably don’t want my advice, but be careful.”
“Why?” Ash asked.
“Looker’s a danger magnet. Always gets himself and his teams in over his head. He’s a good man and he’d take a bullet for anyone who fights with him, but it’s more than a rookie like you should be dealing with.” He shook his head. “As for Petrovic? Come on. You’re not stupid. You must know what he’s like.”
Ash frowned. “That reminds me… you weren’t the one who fired the first shot tonight, were you?”
Tabitha scoffed, as if he were insulted. “I’m a professional. I wouldn’t be that sloppy.”
He figured that was the case.
“I think Petrovic might have been the one to set it all off. I don’t know why, but-”
Tabitha narrowed his eyes, holding up his hand to silence him. “You got any proof of this? Did you or a witness see it happen?”
Ash shook his head. “No. All I have are my suspicions and a dead Minister.”
“I suggest keeping them to yourself then. At least for now.” Tabitha whispered. “Accusations like that aren’t something to sling around. For what it’s worth, I believe you. Petrovic’s a loose cannon.”
“But?”
“But he’s also a decorated agent. An attack dog Interpol likes to set loose when they’re done playing nice.” Tabitha said. “Don’t go making an enemy if you don’t have to.”
“I guess you’re right.” Ash looked away. “I may even be wrong. Petrovic has saved my life. I owe him the benefit of the doubt.”
“That’s a good way to look at it. If nothing else, it’s better to have him on your side than against you.” Tabitha shook his head. “If you have to, talk to Looker. I’m sure he’ll understand enough to keep quiet. Everyone’s heard of the bad blood between them.”
“Is there a story there?” Ash asked.
“I’m sure there is, but I don’t know it. Maybe one of these days, you can convince one of them to tell it.” Tabitha yawned. “Anyway, I gotta contact Command to let them know we’re safe, and you lot need to get back to the festival.”
Ash nodded. “You’re right. I have a match tomorrow.”
“And we wouldn’t want everyone’s favorite dark horse to fall because he forgot to sleep.” Tabitha said. “Good luck, Spartan. Courtney and I’ll be rooting for you.”
He blinked. “Courtney?”
Tabitha grinned. “Just an old friend from my Magma days. Maybe I’ll introduce you one day. I’m sure she’d love to meet the man under the mask. Fair warning, though, she can be a little… off when you first meet her.”
“Off how?” He asked.
“Let’s just say social graces are meaningless to her. And if she says she wants to analyze you? Oh boy, you better forget it.” Tabitha chuckled. “Girl could strike fear into entire legions when she put her mind to it.”
Analyze? That reminded him of someone….
“She wouldn’t happen to have violet hair, would she? Early twenties? A complete disregard for personal space?” Ash asked.
“Yeah… you know her?” The former Magma asked.
Ash kept silent for a moment. “In a manner of speaking.”
If by met, he meant walking into a sparring ring and getting his ass handed to him. When Anabel had told him he’d be sparring with someone new, he figured they’d go easy on him. Imagine his surprise when she had him pinned to the ground. Those legs of hers were surprisingly strong. Could have snapped his arm like a twig if she wanted.
“Well, guess I’ll have to ask her who it is under the mask then.” Tabitha said. “Hope you didn’t make yourself too interesting to her.”
“She said she’d analyze me some other time once she was done tossing me around the mat.” Ash said.
Tabitha started to laugh hysterically. “Ahaha, oh you’re screwed. Say goodbye to your limbs, boy.” He grinned. “I give three months before she breaks you, tops.”
Ash turned away. “Good night, Tabitha.”
Laughter followed him. “You too. Stay safe, kid. I’d hate to hear you got yourself killed.”
