Pokémon Rocket

[Kandykorn]

Author's notes: This is the first chapter of a story that Is very important to me as a writer, and I've wanted to post it for a while. I'm going to update it when I can, so stay tuned.

Prologue…

“...Hello there!”
I woke up standing in a white void. A man with gray hair, and thick black eyebrows stands before me. I jump back slightly, but the man seems indifferent. He has a blank expression on his face. I tried to say something, but he just kept speaking

“Welcome to the world of Pokémon! My name is Oak! People call me the Pokémon Professor!”

That was when I recognized him. The now dead Samuel Oak, former champion of Kanto. I stood up and brushed myself off.

“Yeah sir, I uh, I know you, you’re-”

“This world is inhabited by strange creatures known as Pokémon!” Oak continued, cutting me off.

“I know? I'm sixteen years old? This is commo-” I tried to reason with the dead Pokémon Professor once again cut me off.

“For some people, Pokémon are pets. Others use them for fights. Myself, I study Pokémon as a profession.”

“Once again, common knowledge.” I said. I grew up in Galar. We moved to Johto when I was eight. I understood the fundamentals of how this world worked.

“Well, that’s enough out of me. Are you a boy, or a girl?” Oak asked. I looked at him very confused.

“I- what? Sir, are you okay?” I asked. “Well, I guess not, because you’re dead.” Samuel Oak had been dead a total of two years. It was a great tragedy to a lot of the adults around, his death being pinned on a freak accident caused by one of his experiments. Champions from all over came to mourn his death, people like Red, Lance, and even Leon came to mourn the loss of the great man.

“Are you a boy, or a girl?” He asked again. His eyes were blank, almost devoid of emotion.

“I’m a boy, sir.” I answered. “Though I still don’t fully understa-”

“And your name?” Oak interrupted for the third time. I decided not to fight him anymore.

“Erick.” I answered.

“Well Erick, Your Pokémon journey is about to begin! Get ready to step out into the world of-”

“No.” This time, I cut Oak off. He stared at me for a second, like something in his brain had shifted. He looked confused.

“What?” He asked.

“I’m not going to be a Pokémon trainer.” I responded defiantly.

“Have it your way.” Oak scoffed, his face twisting into a sinister smile. “Keep making no money. Keep shutting yourself in. Continue to have no friends, no life.”

“I-” I didn't know what to say.

“You can just keep spending your life inside, playing ‘Animals: Salt and Pepper’ on your old used DS.”

“How do you know about that?” I asked. “How do you know about me?”

“Because, Erick, you are destined for great things.” Oak responded. He let out a laugh that shocked me to my core. I started breathing heavily. My heartbeat in my rib cage felt like the stomps of a camerupt over and over again in my chest. “Goodbye now” Oak waved. I started to fall.

I fell faster and faster, my heart pounding more and more. The stomp's rhythm picking up, sounding like the beat of a drum. Oak was gone, it was white all around me, wind rushed past my ears as I fell and then…

I jolted awake.

My whole body was in a cold sweat. I looked over and saw Chex, my Farfetch’d, was clutching on to his over-sized leek, fast asleep. I sighed softly, and flopped back onto my pillow. Posters all around me of Pokemon contest stars and champions lined my walls. My mom had put them up as an attempt to get me to leave. To go out with Chex and start my pokemon journey. But I wasn’t going to do that. The only way I would give up on my goal of becoming the best chef in the world, like no chef ever was, was some divine intervention, Like someone coming back from the dead or-

No.
That wasn't real.
That was just a dream.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 1:

Content warning: Cursing, minor sexism, and adult beverages being consumed by adults.

I walked down the stairs to the living room of my home. My mom was waiting at the table. Her messy frazzled blonde hair matched mine, as we both tended not to brush it as often as we should. Her Falinks were all over the place, its six bodies cleaning various parts of the room, or just chilling.

“Good morning Erick.” She said, There was a tone of voice that I couldn’t quite place about her. For now, I ignored it, walking to the kitchen and starting up the stove.

“Morning mom. Want anything specific in your omelet today?” I asked. I’d been making her breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever since I was a boy. I found out cooking was my passion, and Chex and I had been working on becoming professional cooks ever since.

“The usual is fine.” She said, There was something almost fake about the way she spoke. I heard her make her way upstairs as I began to crack some eggs in the pan.

“Chex, would you grab the moomoo milk from the fridge?” I asked. The farfetch’d did so as I whisked some peppers into the pan. Chex threw me the milk, which I caught without even thinking about it. I was in the zone, my arms moving into autopilot. Soon enough, breakfast was ready.

“Before we give some to mom, here you are Chex.” I handed him an omelet of his own. He smiled at me, setting his large leek to the side and starting to eat. I walked into the living room with my own plate and my mom’s. “Mom! Breakfast!”

Mom walked down the stairs holding…

Was that my bag?

“Thank you, sweetie. Please take a seat. We have something to talk about.”

“Mom I- What is this?” I asked, a little frantic “Mom I-”

“Sit. Your ass. Down.” Mom said firmly. I sat, and gave her the omelet I made for her and sat. “Erick, It’s been six years since you turned ten, and you still haven't left. You haven't gone on your pokemon journey.”

“Because I don’t want to!” I repeated, exasperated. “Not everyone needs to leave the house when their ten! I don’t even want to be a trainer! I want to be a chef! Like dad!”

“Don’t you dare speak about your father!” My mom yelled. I stopped dead in my tracks. “Your father was no man to look up to.”

“I just-” I searched for the right words in my head. “I just love cooking. I don’t want to go out and fight random kids on the side of the street. I don’t want to leave home before I’m an adult! And I don’t want to make Chex fight!”

“That Farfetch’d of yours is a fighting type.” My mom scoffed, joking in a way. She then shifted into a more serious tone. “I’ve let you loaf around this house for six years more than I should. Erick, you need to go out on your own. Professor Elm is starting a new program today, giving partner pokemon to kids who are delinquents. Who haven't left home yet. Kids like you-”

“I am not a delinquent!” I shouted. Chex Growled slightly. “And I already have a partner. Caught him with dad when I was seven.”

I immediately realized I had gone too far. Mom looked at me, shocked. Her face white.

“Get out.”

“What? Mom I didn’t mean it I-”

“Go to Elm’s. Get another partner. Then we can talk.” She said under her breath. It was more of a whisper.

~

I arrived at Professor Elm's Lab to see two other kids about my age. One was a girl with short red hair and freckles all over. She was fidgeting with the sleeve of her letterman jacket. She seemed very nervous. The other kid was wearing a clean light orange button up shirt. They were looking at themself in the camera of their phone, combing their hair. They turned to me, and smirked a bit.
“You here for the J.A.D.E. Program?” They asked.

“The- The what?”

They rolled their eyes at me. “The ‘Johto Advancement of Delinquents Education’ program.”

“I guess.” I sighed. Chex leaned his head against me.

“Interesting Farfetch’d you got there.” The Kid said. “You must be from Galar.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “I’m uh, Erick by the way. This is Chex.” Chex made a nod of approval.

“Shank.” They smiled back, shaking my hand. I almost laughed at the absolute ridiculousness of their name. “So are you here just for not leaving the house, or something more… Interesting? I mean, you have a partner already, yet you’re in this program, so what is it?”

“I didn’t leave. I don’t ever want to if I’m being honest I just didn’t want to upset my mo-” I was cut off by a shriek. Chex was staring a little confused at the ginger girl, who looked mortified. Chex seemed to shrug and walk back to me, and Shank laughed.

“Sorry Malls!” They smiled. “Molly over there is here because she wouldn’t leave home either. She’s afraid of Pokemon.”

“And you?” I asked “Why are you here?”

“Cybercrimes.” Shank laughed slightly. “I kept trying to buy shiny pokemon on the black market.”

“You can just… Do that?” I was a little taken aback.

“Yeah.” Shank said, absentmindedly. “But that’s the least interesting thing about me! I collect premier balls, I’m an Iono superfan, and one time, I met the Marnie in person.”

“Marnie?” I asked. “The one from Spikemuth?”

“Hell yeah dude.” Shank grinned

“I’m from Spikemuth too!” I smiled.

“Uh, so uh, Guys…” Molly stuttered, interrupting us. “Should we, uh, g- go inside?”

“I suppose.” Shank huffed. They were about to open the door when a group of three kids burst out on their own. They looked about ten, and they were holding a Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and Totodile respectively. I watched them walk away, and struggled to hold back my expression of annoyance.

“D- Don’t like watching other kids get to go on their adventures, huh?” Molly said quietly. “I can uh, relate.”

“Something like that” I sighed.

We walked into the lab as elm was crouched over something. He was clearly working hard, piercing something together that I just couldn’t quite see.

“Mister uh, Elm?” Shanks laughed awkwardly. Elm groaned without even looking up.

“Intern!” He yelled. A girl who couldn’t have been older than seventeen with dark skin and a large mess of curly black hair on her head, as well as a golden geodude with black rocks poking from it floating right behind her ran in.

“Yes sir?” She asked hurriedly. Her demeanor was very anxious.

“Make yourself useful and show the charity cases over to the Workroom B for me. I have my important meeting in Workroom A.” He slurred. I noticed a few empty bottles of ‘Budew lite’ around his workspace. “After that, you can get me another beer. Oh, and remember, you’re prettier when you smile.”

“Of course sir” She said, smiling, and then she led us over to a side room with light blue wallpaper. The second we were out of Elm’s view, she started to mutter all kinds of profanities about him. She left us alone in the room, and we stared at each other for a moment.

“That was certainly something that just happened.” Shanks laughed slightly. He glanced over to the table in the center of the workroom. “Oh look! These must be the pokemon Elm’s going to let us use!”

We all glanced over with a mixture of nervousness, excitement, and dread as we saw three labels in front of the premier balls, which were sitting in an open briefcase.

“Iron… Bundle? Iron Hands? Iron Valiant?” Shank read. “What are these things?

“No clue.” I said.

“Maybe it’s a nickname?” Molly suggested. I sighed.

“Well, I have literally no clue what they mean, but who wants what?” Shank grinned. I appreciated their energy if nothing else.

“I suppose I’ll take bundle.” Molly said. I was surprised to see her choose first, as she was most definitely afraid.

“Well, I’m curious about ‘Iron hands’, so that leaves you with ‘Valiant’” Shank grinned. I sighed and looked over to Chex, who did a ‘thumbs up’ best he could with his free wing. I shrugged and picked up the ball. The second I did, I felt a deep understanding in my chest. Whatever was in this pokeball was afraid. It was angry.

But more than anything, it was alone.

Suddenly a loud shout could be heard from outside the room. “You scatterbrained good for nothing woman!” Elm shrieked. “You’ve embarrassed me in front of a client! Get those losers out of there, now!”

“O- Oh. Should we put these back then?” Molly asked. “Sounds like they aren't ours.”

“Hand them to me, I remember what order they were in!” Shank said hurriedly. “Quick!”

Just as we did, Elm’s intern burst in through the door. “This is coming out of your paycheck!” Elm was screeching.

“Please, come with me.” The intern said. We followed her out of the room. She seemed to not notice the pokeballs on the table had even been tampered with. I sighed in relief, and we swapped Workrooms to Workroom B. along the way we passed an older man wearing a suit. There was some sort of red emblem on his breast pocket, but I couldn’t quite make it out.

“Now, I’m going to seal the deal with my client in there, and you are going to show these shitstains that I care about the community, so the government will get off my ass about the starter pokemon, and if you fuck up one more thing today, I’m going to make it known to every seaport in Johto that you are never to leave this country. Do I make myself clear?” Elm seethed, practically spitting all over his poor intern. She stared defiantly back at him.

“Crystal.” She said. Elm left to go meet with his other client, and the intern sighed. Her geodude gave her a hug, and she turned to us three. “Hello J.A.D.E. Program.”

“What’s good?” Shank grinned. Their feet were on the table as they had made themselves comfortable. “He seems like a joy to work for, by the way.”

The intern smiled softly at the sarcasm. “My name is Shannon Dawson. I used to be a trainer, but my dream in life is to study regional forms. This is my partner, Nugget. She’s a geodude from Alola.”

“Is she shiny?” Shank asked.

“No shit, sherlock. Back off by the way, I know exactly why each of you is here.” She nodded to Nugget, who clicked a button, beginning a powerpoint. “Welcome, you three, to the first batch of the J.A.D.E. program. You three are the kinds of kids that would be targeted by the likes of team rocket to join their ranks.” She flashed to the next slide, showing a photo of Shank’s face. It was a picture of them flipping off the camera next to several women in bikinis, a pile of money, several masterballs, and five bikes scattered around the room “You’re Rambunctious.”

“I spent a whole afternoon photoshopping that.” Shank whispered, winking at me.

Shannon flicked it to the next slide, this time it was Molly’s picture, a school picture from a year ago. Her smile made her look like she was under an active threat “Unsure.”

Finally, it switched to my own face. A picture of me and Chex cuddling under a heap of blankets I’d taken for Instagranbull. “And most of all, Lazy.” She changed to the next slide, with three question marks. “You haven’t left the house to go out on your own pokemon journey. You haven’t applied to Elm’s office to get a starter of your own. Luckily, your parents did that for you.” She flipped to the next slide, it was a picture of champion lance. “Lance has issued this program as a way to prevent crime in Johto, requiring each professor to patron three older kids into their own journey. As such, you three will be given starter pokemon, Running shoes, and the older model of pokedex.”

Shank sighed. “Cool. Great. I’ll take Cyndaquil then.”

“Not so fast.” Shannon smiled weakly. “The government didn’t exactly fund us well enough to breed you fresh starters, so you three are getting some of Elm’s old research pokemon he no longer needs.”

“So we get trash?” Shank asked, annoyed. I sighed and Chex let out a grunt. Molly seemed a little relieved.

“No pokemon is trash.” Shannon snapped. Molly jumped out of fear. “Journeys are not about being the strongest. They are about following a dream. Any pokemon can be strong if you train with it enough.”

“W- What are the starters then?” Molly asked. Shannon looked at her and smiled a bit.

“Sorry for snapping, I’m just having a hard day.” Shannon said. “Your first starter option is from Galar, She was used to help Elm collect data on the eating habits of pokemon, and is known for eating the occasional tin can.” Shannon laughed, tossing out a pokeball containing a cramorant with a few gray feathers. It looked up at us and squawked, before sitting down contently.

“Next, we have a fiery little boy, he helped Professor Elm research evolution methods! He’s known for being a bit stubborn around the office, but he’s very food motivated.” She said, releasing a small Salandit who looked up at us curiously.

“Finally, we have a pokemon that was used to test resistance to heat. Turns out that sunlight and fire are two very different things!” She released a Maractus, who immediately tried to pet the salandit, before he burned her. “She really likes fire types.”

“So to recap,” Shank said. “We have a really old bird who eats trash, a Salandit who can’t evolve, and a Maractus who loves the one thing that kills it?”

“Yup” Shannon smiled. “But each of them is in their own right a fantastic partner, and I’m sure would be a great edition to any team if you gave them a shot.”
I noticed out of the corner of my eye, that Chex had gone over and started playing with the Salandit. I chuckled to myself slightly. “I guess I’m taking the little guy.” I smiled. Shannon looked down and saw the two playing and smiled.

“Very good! You gonna nickname him?” She asked. I looked down at him and he and Chex looked at me. I stared into his purple eyes, and smiled.

“Pepper.” I decided. “His name is Pepper.” Pepper smiled and came up to me, nuzzling his head into my foot. I hadn’t wanted to get a new partner, but the little guy was just so cute, and he and Chex got along. It was better than nothing.

“You really did choose the worst option there bud.” Shank smiled. “I’ll take the Cramorant, whom I will affectionately nickname Crammy.”

The Cramorant jumped up and into Shank’s lap. “Hi Crammy,” He said. I let out another laugh at the absurdness of Shank’s naming skills. They smirked at me. “Don’t judge me.”

“I- uh.” Molly was shaking slightly. The Maractus slid up to her and put out one hand. Molly timidly shook it.

“Would you like to name her?” Shannon asked.

“Pricilla.” Molly said. Pricilla did a little dance of approval.

“Well then, you three are ready.” Shannon smiled.

“Yeah! And you can stop talking to us like you’re more than a year older than us!” Shanks responded with mock enthusiasm.

“Stop harassing her, she probably gets that enough from Elm.” I smirked. She laughed slightly

“No, it’s quite alright.” Shannon laughed. “I get it. I am only seventeen. Just saving money to move to Alola to study regional forms down there permanently.”

“H- Hopefully the professor up there is nicer.” Molly laughed slightly.

“That’s the dream.” Shannon said. She grabbed a box for each of us, containing an old ‘Oak edition’ pokedex and a pair of running shoes. We thanked her, and left the room. Just as we were leaving, I saw Elm’s client leaving with the same briefcase that was holding those premiere balls from earlier. We thanked Shannon and exited the lab as well.

“I wonder what was in those Premiere balls.” I said as we walked down a sidewalk on our way home.

“Won’t have to wonder much longer.” Shank smirked. They reached into their pocket and pulled out three premiere balls…

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 2

I sat in my room, watching Chex and Pepper play fight with each other. I sighed as they tore open a pillow, covering the ground with feathers and fluff. Pepper was chewing on a piece of fluff. Chex gently replaced it with his leek, which Pepper happily gnawed on. I sighed contently, as my gaze shifted to my desk.

Sitting there was that premiere ball. ‘Iron Valiant.’

I had made Shank and Molly promise not to open them until tomorrow. Shank was disappointed, but they accepted begrudgingly. Molly was just happy we were doing this together. I was angry that they were stolen, but something in my heart made me distrust the man that was supposed to take them, but still, the theft was wrong.

“Think about it this way.” A voice said. I nearly fell out of my seat, looking over to my window. Standing on my roof with a goofy grin on their face was Shank. Sitting next to them was Crammy, who ruffled her feathers and sat down. “We saved them from wherever Elm was going to send them.”

“Shank!” I said, dumbfounded.

“Yes, Me Shank. You Erick.” they mocked. “Now, may I come in?”

“I- uh- yeah.” I said, they slid in. Shank was wearing a completely different outfit. This time, they were wearing a graphic T-shirt with tight jeans and a blazer over it. I looked down at my own clothes. The same ratty brown sweatshirt and baggy jeans as I was wearing earlier. I frowned at my own clothes.

“So, prettyboy, what’s up with not being able to open the premiere balls yet?” Shank asked, grining.

“You know why.” I said. “We- no, you, stole them! You stole pokemon!”

“‘Stole’ is such a nasty word.” Shank smiled. “Let’s say, permanently borrowed.”

“Whatever.” I sighed. “It wasn’t our thing to do. I don’t even know how you got them out without someone noticing!”

“Easy, swapped them for empty premiere balls.” Shank smiled, “Not seeing the big deal here.”

“The big deal?” I was angry now. “The big deal is, Shank, that we’ve stolen pokemon from someone who might need them! What happens when they find out? What happens when we can’t train them? You’ve made Molly and I accomplices to a crime!” I yelled.

“Erick! Why are you shouting?” I heard my mom’s voice from downstairs. I then heard footsteps on their way up. Shank slid under my bed as fast as they could, and I pulled out my phone. Mom opened the door.

“Hey mom, I’m on a call, with uh, a friend.” I said.

“Oh, I wasn’t aware you had friends.” my mom joked. I laughed awkwardly.

“Well you know, we’re talking about when we leave for our journeys tomorrow.”

Mom put her hand on my shoulder. “Seriously though Erick, I’m proud of you. Thank you for thinking about your future and becoming something besides a chef. I’m proud of you.”

“I- uh” I was obviously offended about how little everyone thought of my dream. “I mean, uh, me too! I’m going to go on my journey. But also consider that like, Cook is a valid career, because everyone needs to eat, yknow?”

“But you’re going to be a trainer, right?” My mom said, eyebrow raised.

“Y- Yeah, just uh, yknow, playing devil's advocate is all.” I bluffed. My mom sighed.

“As long as you’re not committing crimes, and you’ve left my house” Mom winked, and left my room.

“That was weird.” Shank said.

“Yeah well, I always thought so.” I said “I mean, my mom always tries to do what’s best for me but-”

“No no no” Shank responded “Being a cook. That’s weird. You don’t want to go out on your own adventure?”

“No.” I sighed. “It’s just, not for me.” I glanced down at Pepper and Chex, who were looking up at me.

“Weird.” Shank repeated. “But if it’s your thing, I respect it.”

“I-” I was too tired to fight. “Thank you.”

Shank looked at the floor and frowned slightly for the first time since I met them. They quickly corrected this, and looked back at me.

“Hey, I just came by to uh, check in, but Crammy and I are gonna head home.” Shank said. We looked at Crammy, who was gnawing on my roof absentmindedly. Shank pulled out their Premiere ball, ‘Iron Hands’, and looked at it, and then back to me. “Tomorrow, when we throw out these guys, you can uh, meet my other partner. Goopz.”

“I’d-” I thought about it. I wanted to be mean, but something inside me just couldn’t. “I’d love that.”

“Good, see you tomorrow.” Shank smirked, and they excited my widow with a wink.

~

It was a bitter autumn morning. We had gathered next to Molly’s house to release the dreaded white capsules. Molly looked nervous, and was still adjusting to having a pokemon partner. Shank was afitting a bow to Crammy’s head, smiling all the way. I was eating a homemade jelly donut. Shank walked up to me and smiled.

“So, you wanted to meet Goopz?” They smirked. I laughed uncomfortably.

“Sure, why not?” I sighed. Shank threw out a pokeball that held a ditto. But not any ditto.

A blue one.

“Goopz here was the only shiny I ever successfully bought.” They smiled. I looked at the ditto, who seemed dizzy, almost tired.

“He’s… Cute.” Molly said. I smiled at her.

“Pokemon growing on you?”

“More like I’m being forced to adapt.” She retorted. Shank giggled.

“So are we ready?” They held up their premiere ball.

“I- I guess.” Molly said. Pricilla hugged her leg.

“Let’s do it.” I said. I was scared, and as I held the ball, I felt the fear of whatever was inside.

“Let’s count down?” Molly suggested. We nodded.

“One.”

“Two”

“Thr-”

“Wait!” Shank Interrupted. “On three, or after three?”

“What?” Molly asked.

“Like, do we throw the balls on the number three, or is it like One two three then we throw?” they explained. “Like ‘one two three’, or ‘one two three bam’”

“One two three bam” I rolled my eyes. “Molly, start over the countdown.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three.”

We threw out the balls.

Standing in front of us were pokemon I had never seen before. It seemed like a delibird, a Hariyama, and either a gardevoir or a gallade.

“The hell?” Shank said.

I walked up to Iron valiant. It looked back at me with cold eyes.

“Hello.”

It made a beeping sound in response.

“I’m Erick.” I said. “I… I think I’m your trainer now. Or something.”

Another beep. I took a step toward the robot. It took a step back, scared.

“I’m not going to hurt-” I took another step forward, and it narrowed its eyes at me and quicker than a flash, it drew a blade and pointed it at me.

“Okay Okay. My bad.” I took a step back. It looked at me, but did not move. “I’m not going to hurt you. It’s okay.”

Pepper walked up to him and pleased one clawed hand on its leg. It looked down, and went neutral. It then bent down, and reached out a finger toward Pepper. Pepper bit it affectionately, and I giggled.

“I think you’re stuck with me, though I have no idea what you even are.” I smiled a little.

The iron valiant beeped again. I called it back into its pokeball as it stared at me, and I got the feeling that it understood.

I looked around at Shank and Molly, who seemed to have had similar conversations with Bundle and Hands.

“What were they?” Shank asked, staring at the ball in their hands.

“No clue.” I said. “But I’m getting the feeling that it was good you took them. They feel lonely. Hurt.”

“Yeah.” Molly said “But at the very least, I’m glad that went well and all-”

She was cut off by the sound of an explosion in the direction of Elm's lab.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 3:

The explosion was deafening. Without really thinking about it, Shank, Molly, and I just ran. Molly, away from the explosion, because obviously. Shank moved toward the explosion, once again because obviously. I followed Shank, because I had little else to do.

Pepper ran ahead and began to look around the corner just as a large boulder flew from the booming sound of another explosion. Pepper yelped and dodged out of the way quickly. Shank and I peaked around the corner to find Elm’s lab, covered in flame.

Outside were three men in black outfits with red “R”’s on them. Shank grimaced.

“Team rocket.” He mumbled. We could hear them yelling out taunts as the building continued to burn.

“That’s what you get for messing with the boss!” one yelled. He had pink hair and an arcanine in front of him.

“Yeah!” another said. She had longer brown hair and a zubat.

“Imagin’ tryna pull a fast one on Geovanni, and tellin’ him you gots three future paradox mons!” The third smiled. He had a pencil thin mustache and a tyranitar, as well as a whip in his hand.

“Paradox mons?” a voice whispered behind us.

“Helix Christ!” Shank jumped. We looked behind us to see Molly looking scared and confused. Her Iron Bundle and Meractus behind her.

“Probably what we stole?” Shank shrugged. “If I had to guess.”

“Please! I Had them! My lab!” Elm screamed out pathetically. “Shannon’s still in there!”

I looked closer to see that elm was right. Shannon was on the roof of the lab, batting away flames with a green looking grimer.

“Shank, we have to help her.”

“How?” Shank said. “Crammy and Goopz are way too underleveled for a fight like this!”

“Pricilla too.” Molly sighed. I grimiced, knowing the same to be true for Pepper and Chex.

“Then…” I thought long and hard. “We use the paradox mons.”

“No!” Shank said. “Then we’ll have rocket on our asses! I can't have that reputation! I’d be kicked out of the game corner for life!”

“You got us into this mess.” I reminded them “So you’ll help get us out.”

“Fine.” Shank sighed. “But only because I like you.”

“What’s the plan?” Molly asked.

“Well, it’s pretty simple….”

~

Ten minutes passed. Elm was sobbing. Time for Shannon was running out. The world was crumbling. The rocket grunts laughed and laughed. That’s when a large thwack was heard.

“What the?” one rocket grunt yelled. Her zubat had fainted. “Guys!”

The three turned around to find two galarian farfetch'd going to town on their pokemon.

“Heh. you dumb little idiots.” The one with the whip cried. His friend called his arcanine to flamethrower, which fainted one of the two, who turned back into its ditto form. As Goopz fainted, Chex cried out, Hitting the arcanine with his second critical hit. Suddenly Crammy, Pricilla, and Pepper dove in, continuing the fight.

While the grunts were distracted, the rest of the plan unfolded. From behind the burning lab, Three idiot teens and their stolen robot friends saved a very disheveled Shannon.

“Guys, I just-” She breathed out “What the hell were you thinking?”
“Our bad.” Shank smirked.

“Your.” Molly corrected. “Your bad.”

“Fine.” Shank sighed, readjusting their shirt.

“Whatever it is, we have to save your partners. These team rocket grunts are nothing to scoff at!” Shannon said.

I looked at iron valiant. They in turn nodded at me. They knew what needed to happen.

We ran out to a horrid scene. The rocket grunts had taken out every pokemon except for Pricilla and Chex, who seemed to be holding on for dear life. The tyranitar and arcanine were closing in. the giant green lizard lifted its foot to crush the poor pokemon as…

A large hand stopped it.

“Yes Homer!” Shank yelled out. I smiled to myself about the goofy name for such a powerful creature, but that seemed to be a shank standard, so I let it be.

“Iron Bundle, Use Icicle crash!” Molly yelled out, surprisingly confidently. I guess a few days worth of trauma can do that to a person.

“Valiant.” I commanded. “Stop the arcanine!”

“The paradox mons!” The rocket grunts yelled out as Iron bundle one shotted their tyranitar, and Iron valiant almost knocked out the arcanine.

“Sorry, Rockets.” I smiled slightly. Chex smacked the arcanine for the third critical hit this battle.

“No fair!"

“This is almost as rigged as my family game night!”

“We’ll get you next time!” The three ran away. “We’ll be watching!”

I turned around to my friends, who were healing their pokemon or celebrating, and smiled. I turned to Chex.

“Great job budd-”

But he was glowing.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 4:

Some people would be overjoyed at an evolution this early into their (not) pokemon journey. I however was not. It could not have come at a worse time. Shannon, Shank, Molly and I were running as fast as our sore feet could take us forward and into the forest as our legs could take us. Most of our pokemon were down, and those that were not were giant robots that we hadn’t fully had time to communicate with, or in the middle of evolving into a sirfetch’d in my arms. If my life were some kind of subpar fanfiction or something, I’d probably scold the author for not waiting a few chapters about us getting to know the “paradox mons” as that grunt had called them. Or maybe more simply a few sentences. about how Sirfetch’d looked, or how Chex felt about its evolution. But that could wait.

We rounded the corner of a tree. The sweet smell of honey and berries filled my nostrils. Shank perked up.

“Do you hear that?” They smiled softly.

“Hear what?” Molly said. Her timid nature seemed to be returning to her at an alarming rate.

“Nothing.” Shank leaned on a tree. “I think we’re good. For now.”

“Is everyone okay?” Shannon asked. She seemed concerned. We all nodded. “Good. Now what the hell were you three thinking? Stealing Elm’s dealmakers!? Some of the money from that transaction was going to get me out of this region, which if I’m being quite honest is barely a region of its own!”

“Sorry! Sorry!” Shank rolled their eyes. “I didn’t mean to create a fuss! I just, when I picked up homer’s pokeball, he, he seemed-”

“Alone.” I finished for them. They nodded. Shannon sighed long and looked at the three of us solemnly.

“Sit down. Rest. Heal your pokemon. Tonight I’ll tell you what you’re caught up in, but for now, I need to take a walk.” and with that, she left.

~

Molly, who apparently is very good at pitching tents, was busy playing with a piece of wood. Shank was sitting in the tent, complaining that they ‘only brought thirteen outfits’ and that it ‘wasn’t near enough clothing to be going on a journey.’ Our pokemon were frolicking about, and even the paradox mons seemed to be enjoying themselves. I was playing on my old, beaten up 3DS, wondering how this could have happened to me. Two days ago I was hidden in my room, researching ways to cook a slowpoke tail. Now I was out in the wilderness with stolen pokemon, probably being chased by a gang of some kind.

At least, I suppose, my mom thought I was out on my journey, so she wasn’t worrying.

As if I’d go on a journey.

“So, uh, Erick? Shank?” Molly said softly. “Wh- What were you guys thinking of for, like, things to eat?”

“Oh!” I perked up slightly. “I actually have something for that in my bag!” I began to rummage around inside it. My mom had packed all sorts of stuff in here. A compact bike? A Pokeblock maker? A fishing rod? Who needed all this stuff? As my hand grabbed at my fishing rod to move it out of the way, a booming voice that I was slightly familiar with yelled aloud:

“Now’s not the time for that!”

I jumped back as the voice of Samuel oak tormented me once again. “Did anyone else hear that?”

“Hear what?” Shank asked.

“Nothing.” I said, looking back into my bag as I finally found what I was looking for. A large cooking set I had gotten for my birthday last year. “Found it! All I need now is some berries, and maybe a mushroom, and we can feast!”

“You got it boss!” Shank did a mock salute, before running off with most of the pokemon in order to find some ingredients. I poured some rice into the pot and put it over a campfire Molly had made. Chex hopped up on a rock and helped me make sure the rice didn’t burn or anything. I looked at Molly with a small smile.

“How come you know how to do all this camping stuff so well if you’re so scared of pokemon?” I asked.

“Well.” she smiled back. Pricilla leaned against her. “My father’s name is Winston. We’re from Hoenn, and the only pokemon I ever grew up around was his little zigzagoon. I never got the chance to meet any others. But I hated it there. In his mansion. So I ran away. Like, once a week. I’d learn survival skills, build tents, and prosper. But every time I would get far enough… It would show up.”

“I- what is ‘it’?” I asked.

“It was a Pokemon like none I’d ever seen before. A swirling mass of purple and green light that seemed to form a face with a devilish grin. It smiled at me and made me turn around. Every. Week.”

“That’s horrible.” I said sadly.

“Not even the worst part.” Molly sighed. “The worst part was my father telling me every night that I wasn’t good enough. That I-”

She was cut off by Shank coming back, covered in sticks with a stupid grin on their face, and a caterpie on their head. I looked apologetically at Molly, who shrugged.

“I have found your ingredients, master chef!” They called out. They handed me a bunch of berries and mushrooms, which I prepared best I could. “This, by the way, is Jangly boi.” They pointed at the caterpie on their head.

“To recap.” I teased, flabbergasted. “You have a ditto named Goopz, a Cramorant named Crammy, a Paradox form of Haryama named Homer, and a caterpie named Jangly Boi?”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that” Shank defended themself. “Besides, you two didn’t even name your paradox mons!”

Molly and I glanced over at Iron Valiant and Iron bundle.

“I guess we haven’t.” Molly said.

“We could now?” I said. The robot looking pokemon tilted their heads. “I’m about done with this curry.” I handed the spoon off to chex. “Plate these for four, and spread the leftovers out for all the pokemon please.”

Chex nodded. As a Sirfetch’d, his comically buff limbs lifted the pot with ease. I looked up at Iron Valiant. They looked at me.

“What do you want to be called?” I asked. It beeped at me. I didn’t lose eye contact. After a pause, it held its hand out.

I reached out mine.

The second our fingers touched, I was hit with a burst of flashes. A cave with crystals. The champion of Paldea. A pair of train drivers. Chains. A dark room. A cattle prod. Pain. The same man that I had seen leaving Elm’s office. More Pain. Fear. My own face.

I jumped back, understanding.

“Valentine.” I responded. “Your name is Valentine.”

Pepper and Chex walked over to valentine, and gave it a hug. The robot looked confused, but appreciative. I smiled.

“Welcome to the team, Gale.” I heard Molly say.

“Bravo.” a voice, cold, smooth, and benevolent said. We turned around as fast as we could. Valentine drew their blade. Shank nodded at Goopz, who shifted themself into a doublade, Shank grabbing both of the swords and brandishing them. Chex, Crammy, Pepper, and Pricilla did their best to look intimidating too, as Homer and Gale stood defensively around Molly.

Out of the bushes in front of us, entered the three grunts from earlier, their pokemon seemingly healed, as well as a Persian, The man I saw exit Elm’s lab, and what looked to be a robotic version of volcorona, that was completely chrome. The man was holding a small knife to the throat of a woman who we immediately recognised as Shannon. Shannon was bound and gagged, and looked apologetically at us.

“Hello. My name is Giovanni.” the man smiled.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 5:

“Giovanni? As in Giovanni, leader of team rocket? Giovanni, as in international crime lord Giovanni?” Shank said. They looked at Molly and I, almost impressed. I swore I saw Shannon roll their eyes. Shank readjusted their grip on the swords that Goopz formed, but did not lower their stance. “I’m a fan.”

“Charmed.” Giovanni responded. He seemed genuine, but in a weird condescending and evil sort of way. “Carmen, Carol, Dave, would you three give my guests and I some privacy?”

“Yes sir!” the grunt with the pencil thin mustache. The three then walked off, Each glancing at us as they hurried off.

“I- Uh” Molly stuttered. “Aren't you in our campground? Making y- you the guest?”

Giovanni simply laughed. “Ah, but you three are in my region.”

Shank looked over at me and mouthed something along the lines of ‘Oh Em Gee’. They had changed into a red shirt with golden trim. I rolled my eyes at them.

“What do you three know about those things that you’ve stolen?” He pointed at the future paradox pokemon, who I now realized for the first time since Giovanni had entered our campground looked tense. Chex and the other pokemon were eating off to the side. They seemed unbothered by the threat.

“N- no sir. No we don’t.” Molly sighed “Shannon said she’d tell us when she got back from her walk.”

“Splendid, that means I’ll get to explain.” Giovanni smiled. He had a soft, condescending aura about him. In one swift motion he cut free Shannon’s gag. He then helped himself to a plate of curry that was supposed to be Shank’s. “Please. Sit. Join me. You know, I used to be like you three.”

I looked over at Shannon, who glared forward. Shank gave me a nudge and shrugged, grabbing what was supposed to be Shannon's plate and sat down. Molly and I followed suit. We all sat around the fire. Shannon was still at knifepoint as we ate. The air was tense. Our pokemon were looking, frightened at Giovanni. The robotic automatons that were just seconds ago finally warming up to us seemed most frightened of all. The iron bug staring them down.

“You know, this is actually quite good.” Giovanni remarked as he ate. “I’m assuming you made it, Erick?”

“How do you know my name?” I asked.

“All in good time, Erick.” Giovanni said. His persian growled softly.

“What is that pokemon?” Shank asked, pointing at his robotic volcorona.

“Ah, this is my iron moth.” he said, pointing at the mechanical insect. “She was the first of many. My reason for wanting these powerful, future versions of these magnificent creatures.”

“Wh- what’s a moth?” Molly asked.

“Don’t worry about it.” Giovanni chuckled.

“Okay.” Molly sighed. She looked almost as scared as I felt. Shank, however, looked in awe. Shannon looked tired, but over it. Giovanni finished his plate and set down his fork.

“You three have been quite the troublemakers. Originally, I was going to kill you.” Giovanni chuckled. “Would have been simple, really. But you three managed to actually befriend those god forsaken mechanical weapons, a feat that even elm couldn’t do. You got them to listen.”

Molly, Shank, and I apparently looked confused. He chuckled again.

“Sorry, you all must be lost. Let me simplify this explanation” the boss smiled. He patted his persian. “I have confidants in every region. When I was told about Lance’s silly J.A.D.E. program, I thought ‘this is too easy.’”

“How so?” I asked.

“I mean, he was practically bringing together every kid that would be interested in joining my empire.” he laughed. “It was marvelous. It would be my next masterful scheme. I set all my resources on researching you three. Until…”

“Until what?” Shank said. They were practically on the edge of their seat.

“Until my confidant from the paldea region found a kid with a donphan unlike anyone had seen before.” Giovanni smiled. “She called it ‘iron treads.’ It was beautiful. I quickly devised a research team to go out and find these future mechanical acclimations of pokemon. They found several. They were the perfect weapons. But three would not listen no matter what we tried. Finally, I sent them to professor elm. I was sure he could get them to listen. I offered him whatever he could want. Money, Budew lite, powerful research partners. The greedy bastard accepted, of course. By that point I had completely forgotten about the J.A.D.E. program-”

“Rude.” I snorted.

“But fair,” Shank nudged me. “Now shut up, he’s almost done!”

“Ahem.” Giovanni cleared his throat. “In any case, After you three ruffians had stolen what was rightfully mine…” he stood up, and walked over to Valentine. They stood dead still. He reached one hand out, and booped them condescendingly in where their nose would be. He chuckled slightly, and stared at the three paradox pokemon for a little longer than one would think normal. “Of course, at the time I didn’t know you three had stolen them. I thought elm had. So I had my minions… dispose of him and his pesky assistant. I would have succeeded had you three not stepped in. Unfortunately though, showing off your paradox pokemon allowed me to do research on you. The premiere balls you stole happen to have trackers in them, so finding you was doubly easy.”

“I see.” I said.

“What do you want with them? With me?” Shannon spoke for the first time since she’d been ungagged.

“With you?” Giovanni laughed. “I’ll dispose of you, but the other three, I’ve come to offer a deal. You’ve trained pokemon. It took me months to train in days. I see potential in you three.”

“Potential?” Shank asked. They were positively giddy.

“Yes, Shank. I’ve come to offer you three jobs. As grunts for team rocket.” Giovanni said.

“I-” I was taken aback. “Will we have time to think about it?”

“I’m not a monster.” Giovanni laughed. “You have an hour.”

“Will we get to keep Gale, Homer, and Valentine?” Shank asked

“I suppose. But only if you join me.”

“If we join, will you let Shannon go?” Molly asked.

“Of course Molly, of course.” he smiled. “You know, it was a very brave thing you did, signing up for J.A.D.E. on your own. Leaving your home in hoenn. Sleeping on the street for days. It was brave. Stupid, but brave.”

“Hey, stop!” I yelled. “Would you leave, and give us our hour now?”

“Sure. an hour.” Giovanni smiled. “Well, fifty seven minutes now.” He winked. He then walked into the forest, leaving with his persian, and letting iron moth watch us.

~

“So, we’re joining him, right?” Shank asked.

“I don’t know.” Molly said. “It’s creepy how much he knows about us.”

“We don’t have a choice.” Shank said. They very much obviously wanted to go with Giovanni.

“I’m with Molly on this one.” I said. “But what if he threatens our parents? Plus, he could take Homer, Gale, and Valentine.” I walked over to Val and put a hand on their shoulder. I then glanced to Chex and pepper, who tilted their heads and nodded solemnly. “We have to join him.”

“Fuckin’ great.” Shannon sighed. “Have fun commiting crimes. I’m just gonna go then.”
“Wait, we could help you get to alol-'' I started.

“No. you three are genuinely considering joining the largest organized crime group in the world. I’m done here.” She said, her geodude untied her ropes. She then pulled out a pokeball, summoning a Pidgeot. “Bye.” and with that, she flew away. I expected the Iron moth to do something, but its eyes seemed focused and unwavering at the three of us.

“Giovanni?” I called out.

“Yes?” a voice to my left said. Giovanni stepped out of the trees with Carmen, Carol, and Dave. “Made a decision?”

“If we join you, you have to promise not to hurt our loved ones.” I asked.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled.

“Are we actually doing this?” Molly asked.

“Yes we are.” Shank said, more excited then I’d ever seen them before.

“Welcome to the team.” Giovanni grinned. He held out a hand.

That was when I heard it.

Pounding in my chest all over again. The stomps of a camerupt.

Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom

I reached out to shake his hand. The beating continued.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

My vision started to tunnel. It was getting louder, almost rythmatic as blood rushed to my ears.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

I shook his hand, and my vision went out.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

“Erick!” Molly and Shank yelled out together. That was the last thing I heard before I was out cold. the only thing I remember is the beating of the drum.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 6:

I woke up in the white void again. Professor Oak was staring out at seemingly nothing. “That was a choice. One I can't say I didn’t expect, but certainly one I hoped you wouldn’t make.”

“I-” I was dumbstruck. I sat alone on the floor of his void. “Who are you?”

“I told you once. I’m Samuel Oak. I am a pokemon proff-”

“Who are you really?” I asked.

“Samuel Oak.” he repeated, still staring off into space. His back to me.

“No, you can’t be.” I said. None of this made sense. None of it made any sense.

“Sure it can,” he smirked. “Anything’s possible.”

“Not this.”

“How can you know?”

“I- I guess I can’t” I was scared. Confused. “Why am I here?”

“You’ve been making some interesting choices, Erick.” Oak said, a frown beginning to form beneath his unfocused eyes.

“Well, what would you have me do?” I was angry now. “Put my mom in danger? Put myself in danger? You think I want this? I want to go home and cook! I want to keep Valentine safe!”

“Unfortunately Erick.” Oak said softly. “You don’t have that choice.”

“I-” I stopped “What?”

“You will never go back home, and you will never be able to be just a cook.”

“You’re not even real.”

“It’s your destiny! Your purp-”
“Y'know what?” I interrupted him “Destiny is a load of bullshit. I don’t want to do… whatever it is you want me to do.”

Oak just laughed.

“You’re funny Erick. I’ll give you that.”

“What even is this destiny of mine?”

Oak paused for a moment. “You, Erick, are destined to meet a god, and then…” He paused again. “And then fulfill your destiny”

“That was super vague.” I rolled my eyes. “But normally, chosen one stuff is. It’s such an overused piece of nonsen-”

“You are not the first.” Oak said, it was almost like something in him snapped.

“Oh.”

“Every time a champion dies, we are replaced.”

“Who was the first?” I asked.

“His name was Volo.”

There was then a pause. Oak looked out into space.

“So, I ask again.” I sighed. “Who are you?”

“You’ll find out.” Oak sighed. “When this vessel died sixteen years ago, and the power was transferred to you, I saw every possible timeline that you’re in.”

“This is some Doctor Strange nonsense.”

"You were the most likely to succeed"

"Shove a sock in it."

Oak laughed again. “Goodbye, Erick. I’ll be watching.”

And then I woke up.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 7:

“Erick! Erick!” I awoke with a jolt to Shank shaking me. They were wearing a black jumpsuit with a red “R” embroidered on it. I looked down at myself, and I was wearing the same.

“Yeah? What happened?” I asked. Chex and Pepper ran up to me.

“We’re in the team rocket barracks now.” Molly sighed. “Because you accepted a stupid deal that got us stuck working for a criminal organization.” She glared at me.

“Woah woah woah.” Shank tried to reassure Molly, but from what I could tell, it seemed like they’d had this conversation before. “He was just doing what he had to, right?”

“Right.” Molly rolled her eyes. “Sorry Erick.”

“No no,” I sighed. “You’re right to be upset.”

“Erick.” She put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“I-” I started, but Shank laughed uncomfortably, cutting me off.

“We should first worry about the fact that Giovanni’s already given us jobs!” Shank handed us each a paper. Molly’s read ‘healing station’, mine read ‘kitchen duty’, and Shank’s read ‘fieldwork’

“Cool, thanks.” Molly said, and she grabbed the paper and hurriedly exited. Shank looked over to me.

“Dude.” they said. “She’s mad. Really mad.”

“I-” I said. “I know. I am too, a little.”

“Why?”

“I-” I pulled out the premier ball that contained Valentine from my pocket. “I don’t know.”

~

Kitchen duty was nice. It was a distraction from the stress. Pepper, Chex and I were working on the one thing I could do without fucking up, and that was cooking. We stirred together pastas, cooked magikarp filets, and fried up some miltank burgers. The other people on cooking duty left me alone, and I could listen to music while I worked.

“Hey!” A voice said from the counter. I turned around to see a sweaty Shank smiling back at me. “Could I get the torchick nuggets and some applan juice?”

“Sure.” I said, and started to make the food. “How was the fieldwork.”

“Tiring.” Shank rolled their eyes. “I got the crap beaten out of me by some kid who’s rattata was in the ‘top percentage of rattatas’. Then I stole an ekans from a kid who wouldn’t shut up about shorts.”

“Sounds joyful.” I smiled sarcastically, handing them their order. “Have you heard from Molly yet? I want to talk to her about everything. I want to apologi-”

Suddenly, the loudspeaker sounded loudly. “Rocket grunts Erick Van, Shank DeVay, and Molly Rich, please report to Giovanni’s office at once. I Repeat, Rocket grunts Erick Van, Shank DeVay, and Molly Rich, please report to Giovanni’s office immediately. Thank you… LOSERS!”

“I feel like the losers was unnecessary.” I sighed. We made our way toward Giovanni’s office, passing grunts and admins alike, all whispering and giggling to each other. I ducked my head, while Shank did finger guns at some and smirked.

~

“Hey Molly.” I said as we stood outside Giovanni’s office.

She pretended not to notice. Giovanni ushered us inside. “Welcome, welcome.”

“What do you need, boss?” Shank asked. At the word ‘boss’, Molly scoffed.

“Nothing too big.” He said, petting his darling persian. “Just checking to see how you three are settling in.”
“Oh, quite well sir.” Shank smiled, trying desperately to mask the awkward energy Molly and I were exuding.

“Good. Good.” He smiled. “Just one quick request.”

“What?” Molly asked.

“Your paradox pokemon.” He laughed. “I’d like to take them for the ni-”

“Absolutely not.” Molly said.

“It's just to research. Nothing mo-”

“No.” I said, stepping up. I nodded at Molly, who rolled her eyes and glared at me.

“Very well.” Giovanni smiled.

“That’s it?” Shank said. “You're not going to take them by force?”

“I’m a mobster. Not a monster.” Giovanni chuckled once more. “If I wanted to steal them back, I would have done so already. Good work today. Go rest. I’ll see you in the morning.” He smirked. “Oh, and join me for breakfast tomorrow, would you?” he ushered us out. As the three of us walked back, Molly looked at me.

“I don’t need your help, Asshat.” She said, “We're not even friends.”

“I was doing that for Val, not for you.” I shot back.

“Guys can we cool it down a bit-” Shank asked.

“Oh, so you didn’t try to help me? You don't even care about me?” Molly pushed me.

“Maybe I don’t.” I said.

“That’s what I thought.” Molly said. “The only reason you hang out with us is because we’re the J.A.D.E. fuckups.”

“I- wait, that’s not-” I started, trying to take back what I said.

“You both don't even like me! You spend most of your time talking about how weak I am, or flirting with each other!” Molly yelled. “Making dumb decisions! You two got us entangled in a mob!”

“I-” I started.

“We-” Shank said.

“No.” Molly said. “I’m not a J.A.D.E. kid anymore. I’m a rocket grunt. We’re done.” she started to walk away

“Wait!” Shank called out. “I’m sorry!”

“We’re sorry.” I said.

“Too little, too late.” She said, “See you at breakfast tomorrow.”

As she left, Pricilla flipped us the middle finger best she could.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 8:

“I just wish you guys would stop fighting.” Shank sighed. “It’s been four days!”

They were right. The four longest days of my life had passed through. Working, gambling, training, and weirdly a lot of yoga. Shank, Molly, and I were all growing tired of the criminal enterprise we found ourselves tangled in. Every time Molly and I crossed paths, it was awkward. I knew I should probably apologize, or get us out of here, or something. But something didn't feel right. My weird prophetic visions had all but disappeared, which was weird, and even worse, Valentine was mad at me too.

“Whatever,” I responded. “At least we’re not those two.” I pointed at a group of two rocket grunts and a meowth. They had blue and pink hair, and the meowth appeared to be able to talk. They were arguing about some ‘twerp’ they still couldn’t catch.

“But even when they're fighting, those three talk!” Shank protested. They were holding Jangely boi close, who was now a metapod. “You two just glare at each other.”

“I-” I sighed “doesn't matter. World still turns.”

“Fine then.” Shank rolled their eyes, “but I’m done being the middleman as it were.”

“Fine!” I gruffed back. “I don't need you either.”

“That was really aggressive for what I just said to you, but okay.” Shank said. “I’m gonna go talk to Molly.”

-

Stupid Shank.

Stupid Molly.

I don’t need them.

I don't need anyone.

That was my mantra going to bed tonight. And as I drifted to sleep, I heard something strange but also familiar.

It was like the drum rhythmically, but much softer. Almost like a bell, chiming.

Ring ting ring ting ring ting.

It was soothing, soft.

I woke up in a void made of black nothingness. A figure approached me. It Was inky and black and had silver flowing hair. It was everything and nothing. It was the single most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my life. It wasn’t human, but a pokemon, and I knew its name from the stories.

Darkari.

“Ge- Get back” I said, taking a step back “Go away! Begone demon!”

Darkari stared at me coldly, the world seemed to warp around it. It took another step and then…

“Shut up.”

“What?” I asked.

“Shut up.” Darkari repeated. “Stop acting like a pissy baby moron.”

“I’m…” I raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?”

“When my master told me to watch over you, to give you visions and train you to fulfill your destiny and ste- i mean, uh, and do the thing you’re going to do, I wasn't warned you’d be such a prick.”

“Wow.” I was flabbergasted. “Okay, just wow.”

“Listen, sorry kid. You’ve just got, like, severe main character syndrome.” Darkari sighed. “It’s not that deep. Talk to your friends. Spend time with your pokemon. Hell, make new friends! But stop moping around like a fucking baby.”

“That was.” I was shocked. “Wait, do I have to now? Who do you even work for?”

Darkari rolled its eyes. “I work for ligma.”

“Ligma?”

“Ligma balls.” It said, laughing hysterically.

“That was extremely mature.” I sighed.

”live a little” It responded.

“So you’ve been the one giving me visions of Samuel Oak?”

“Yup.” Darkari said gleefully. “Just remember, kid. Stop being so serious. I’ll be around.”

“Wait! I still have a questio-”

And with that, I woke up.

 

[Kandykorn]

I was doodling today, and drew the three sillies, so I thought I’d throw them in here!

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 10:

“Hey.” Fira smiled as the three of us made our way to the meeting location in the computer room. “Glad you’re onboard, Erick.”

“Ahem.” Shank cleared their throat.

“And friends!” Fira smiled. They threw their hands up in mock-surrender. “Are you two Molly and, what was it, Dagger? Knife?”

“Shank.” Shank and Molly said at the same time. There’s this weird coldness in the air that I can’t quite place, and a pause.

“Cool your pants you two.” Fira winked.

“So…” I say. “Are we leaving? Or?”

“Sure, Sunshine.” Fira winked. I blushed slightly, very much not used to this kind of attention. Shank rolled their eyes. Fira whistled, and a Kantonian farfetch’d walked in the room, at the end of its leak, a key. Chex looked at it and puffed up his feathers, clearly trying to seem more masculine, strong, and cool. The farfetch handed the key to Fira, who smiled. “Thanks Cheerio.”

Fira then slotted the key into a slot behind a ‘hang in there’ poster featuring a Litten. A secret pathway opened up, hissing out dust and letting in a ray of sunshine. “Well, I’ll see you all later.” and then Fira turned to me. “And I’ll see you, Sunshine, tonight.”

~

On the outskirts of town, Molly and I were setting up camp. I had agreed to meet Fira at ‘red clauncher’ at 9:00 sharp. Shank had been grumbling in their tent.

“You should talk to them.” Molly raised an eyebrow.

“I-” I sighed. “I know.”

“They like you, stupid.” Molly said.

“I know.” I repeated, but then did a double take. “I kno- what?”

“Shank? They have a super big gay crush on you?”

“No. That can’t be it.” I blushed. Shank? Liking me? That’s crazy. I literally could not deal with this right now.

“Don’t believe me?” Molly smirked. “Ask him.”

“I-”

“Now, ‘sunshine’.”

“Molly, if I didn’t need you to finish setting up our tents, I would throttle you right now.”

“Sure. Now go.”

And sure enough, I made my way over to Shank, who was playing with Cramey. They looked over to me, and I promptly avoided eye contact.

“Did Molly tell you?” They asked.

“I- tell me what?” I lied. Shank sighed.

“So, what about her is so special?” They asked.

“I don’t” I sighed, slightly frustrated. “It’s a moral obligation, so she doesn't tell Giovanni, and you know that.”

“Yeah but-” Shank sighed. “What about like, the way you blush when she calls you ‘sunshine’? You don’t blush when I call you ‘Prettyboy’.”

“I-” I looked at the ground, embarrassed.

“Whatever.” Shank huffed. “Can we just pretend this didn't happen?”

“Well-” I started to protest.

“Cool. goodnight.” Shank went into the tent and pulled out three shirts, probably picking which to wear tomorrow. Molly walked over, holding a ‘Liquorvanillish stick’ and chewing loudly.

“Sounds like that went well.”

“...I’m going to go make some rice and beans.”

“You have fun with that.”

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 11:

That night, going to sleep was easy, but the dream was…

Not

I woke up to see two figures seemingly arguing.

“You can’t meet him yet!” The first figure, who I confirmed to be Oak-Darkari after another quick glance.

“...” The other figure said inaudibly. I couldn’t make out much of them, they seemed to be more shadow than person.

“He’s not ready! He’s barely good enough to have made the choice to leave team rocket!” Oak-Darkari said. I stayed quiet, listening.

“...”

“Give me another week, please.”

“...”

“No, don’t tell him. Please, one more week.”

“...”

“Fine, f- four days.” Oak-Darkari stammered, for the first time since I’d seen him showing a slight fear. The shadowy figure then disappeared. I cleared my throat.

“Oh, hello.” Oak-Darkari said, his head spinning around 180 degrees like a noctowl and smiling at me as though nothing had happened. His jaw then unhinged and out popped the true form of darkrai, who grew two long, quite frankly slightly silly looking legs and walked over to me. “Erick, I gotta say, that talk with Shank? Truly one of the conversations of all time.”

“Could you not?”

“Yeah whatever. Erick, have you read a christmas carol?”

“I-” I was so confused. “Yes?”

“Well, in four days, you’re going to be visited by three other gods, all in the bodies of now dead heroes of our land, and champions of my boss.” He explained, toying with the severed head of the body he was just inhabiting.

“And you just tell me this now?” I asked.

“There’s more.” He didn’t have a mouth, but if he did, I bet he’d be smirking. “If you fail to complete your destiny by midnight the day after your third hero visits you, you will unfortunately die.”

“What?”

“Oh also, the gods will be kind of themselves, but also kind of the people they inhabit. Like it'll be a two-in-one kinda deal.”

“That was not the part I was upset by and you know it.” I said, running a shaky, panicked hand through my own messy blonde hair.

“Well, like I said. Stop being so serious.”

“How long do I have, total?”

“Four days with me, one day for every ghost, and the day after. A week and a day, essentially.”

Eight days.

Darkrai flicked the head of Oak away. “Oh, by the way, forgot to say this, I can’t give you much info, that’s for the big three, but what I can tell you is this: You’re gonna need to do some reading to find the answer, but when you find out where you need to go, there’s going to be a ‘Bell’ that goes off in your ‘Tower’, so to speak.”

“Why did you do air-quotes for the words bell and tower?”

“Bye!” He said, cutting me off once more before he disappeared.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 12:

Molly and Shank were looking at me like I was the craziest person in the entire world. I had just told them about the dreams I had been having. I figured it was a good Idea to Finally get all of this off my chest. Molly had stared at me the whole time like I was crazy. Shank seemed to be not paying attention. They clearly had more on their mind. I didn't blame them.

“So you’ve been getting weirdly prophetic dreams and not telling us?” Molly asked. “And not to mention, you blew off Fira last night, so rocket’ll be on our asses.”

“I- yeah, you're right.” I sighed.

“Why should we even believe you?” Molly asked. “What proof do you even have?”

“None, I guess.”

There was silence. for a second everything froze. I felt the weight of my words against my shoulders. I sounded crazy. my two best friends in the entire world thought I was crazy. I saw it and looked down at the floor. Molly laughed slightly. Shank coughed. In the distance a bird chirped, probably a spearow.

“So, we go to Bell Tower.” Shank said, pointantly.

“What?” I asked.

“Bell Tower. obviously that's what Darkari or Oak or whatever was hinting at.” They laughed. “Come on, I thought you’d figure that one out, Erick.”

“But before we go.” Molly sighed. “We need to be stronger. This sounds dangerous.”

“Training?” Shank said. “I think we should fill out our teams first.”

“Both?” Molly said, raising an eyebrow. “It’s about a two day trip to bell tower from here, and so we have two days to prepare. I think there are maree-”

“Wait wait wait.” I stopped the two of them. “You guys are just in? No questions asked?”

“I mean, yeah dude.” Molly said. “We're friends. That’s what friends are for.”

“Okay.” I said. “What’s the plan?”

~

Molly and Shank’s plan was a five-step bulleted list that was, in all honesty, a pretty solid plan.

1: Catch new team members so we each have parties of six.

2: Train said parties, and make sure there’s a bond with each pokemon.

3: Go to Bell tower.

4: Find that god.

5: fulfill Erick’s destiny or whatever.

Honestly I couldn’t have asked for a better plan. For step one, Molly insisted we make ‘balanced’ teams, at least typewise. She had read books about savages of old who bred pokemon for perfect abilities to force them into cataclysmic battles, and she didn't want to go that extreme, but “having type variety would be nice.” She had said. Shank had agreed, but also made it abundantly clear that he wanted each of us to name our pokemon.

Our teams before our catching spree were as follows:

Molly: Pricilla (Meractus), and Gale (Iron bundle.)

Shank: Goopz (shiny Ditto), Crammy (Cramorant), Jangely Boi (Metapod), and Homer (Iron hands.)

Erick (that’s me): Chex (Sirfetch’d), Pepper (male salandit), and Valentine (Iron Valient.)

We had two areas closeby to explore, a forest and a field. While Molly timidly chased after a Heracross with Pricilla, Shank tackled a Maril to the floor. I meanwhile, had my eyes set on a Mareep and an eevee, who seemed to be hanging out by a river.

“Hello you two?” I tried. The mareep looked up at me, and hid behind the eevee in fear. The eevee glared at me. “Oh I’m not going to hurt you. Please don’t glare like that.”

Chex walked up to the eevee and smiled slightly, offering it a berry. “You see,” I continued. “My pokemon and I, we’re not super big on fighting. Hell, Pepper here would avoid it at all costs. Valentine’s been through a lot of violence themself.”

The mareep accepted the berry with a loud chomp, but the eevee looked at me with another raised eyebrow. Valentine walked over, and the eevee jumped and skitted away. Valentine bent down and offered it a pot of honey. The eevee’s mouth watered. “I won't lie to you though.” I sighed. “Right now we’re on a dangerous quest, and I’m going to need you two to help me with that. I need you two to join my team. Will you accept?”

They stared at us for a moment, before finally nodding. “Great!” I smiled. “You will be henceforth known as Harmony the mareep, and…” I trailed off, wracking my brain for a name for this eevee. “And Rocket. Rocket the eevee.”

And for the first time since I’d seen Rocket, it smiled.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 13:

After all that catching, it was time to show the others what we had found. I was slightly worried, because I had hucked a ball at the last minute at a goldeen I had named Salt, so I wasn’t sure if the other two had gotten their teams to six as well.

Molly decided to show everyone first. Gale closed its eyes and stepped back to proudly display the rest of its team. There was Pricilla the maractus, and a Heracross, Slugma, Houndour, and Chinchou.

“These are Gertrude, Hansworth, Cambridge, and Steve.” Molly introduced. Shank eagerly patted each of them on the head. I smiled.

“You know, you guys really didn’t have to do thi-” I started.

“Nope!” Shank interrupted.

“I just mean that you guys are some of my best frie-”

“I don't want to hear it. I have two pokemon of my own to introduce.” Shank shushed me again with a grin on their face. They sent out a tyrogue and a spinarak. “Introducing LittleMac and Buttface.”

“I like it.” Molly smiled slightly. While her tolerance of pokemon had gotten a lot better, being around this many still gave her the creeps sometimes.

“Allright well.” I sent out Harmony, Rocket, and Salt. Harmony and rocket did a like, cool duo’s pose when they landed. Salt however, flopped around. I introduced them quickly.

“That’s great then.” Shank said. “I suppose it’s time for step two?”

“I dunno.” Molly said. “It’s getting a little late.”

“But if Erick goes to sleep, then we have another ‘prophetic vision of doom’” Shank argued. “I say we stay up a bit, get to know these mons. See what moves they have!” They pulled out the dex Elm had given us.

“Okay. I suppose an hour couldn't hurt.”
I looked out to my (now full) crew. Chex, Pepper, Valentine, Harmony, Rocket, and Salt. I quickly recalled salt, who seemed to be actively drowning in air. Rocket and Harmony were playing with Chex and Pepper, and they both were seemingly getting along fine. Chex snorted slightly, and began to train the other three, taking up a sort of leadership position. Valentine made a whirring noise.

“I would train with you Val, but I know you hate fighting.” I sighed. Val nodded. Then, they pointed at Rocket and Harmony, as if to say ‘Talk to them, moron.’

“Okay, okay. I’m going.” I sighed. I called back Chex and Pepper into their pokeballs. Val nodded and hoped into theirs out of their own volition. Harmony and Rocket, newly leveled up, looked at me in confusion. “Hey you two.” I smiled. “I wanted to get to know you, you know, now that we’re hanging out. And you’re helping me on my quest and stuff.”

Rocket and Harmony looked at each other and then back to me. I pulled a ball out from my pocket. “Wanna play?”

Harmony smiled, and Rocket made a small noise.

~

After an hour or two of playing and training, Harmony was a Flaffy, Jangley Boi was a Buttterfree, Hansworth was a magcargo, and LittleMac was a hitmontop.

“And we have all day tomorrow to train!” Shank grinned. “At this rate, we’ll be the strongest trainers in Johto, beat your stupid destiny in the face, and then I can go on to be a crime lord, Molly can do a proper pokemon journey, and Erick can be boring and cook!” He raised a glass of ‘Shaymin up’ in a toast. “To us, and our soon-to-be champion level teams!”

“Not so fast.” a somewhat familiar voice said from the bushes. The sound of a whip cracking was heard, as from the bushes emerged Four team rocket grunts. Carmen, Carol, Dave…

And Fira.

Dave pulled out what looked to be a large boombox, and clicked a button. Music started playing under what I now knew to be the team rocket motto.

“Prepare for trouble.” Dave smiled

“And make it quadruple,” Carol continued.

“To protect the world from devastation.” Fira shouted.

“To unite all peoples within our nation.” Carmen smirked.

“To denounce the evils of truth and love.” Fira said, specifically highlighting the word love. I grimiced. Shank snorted.

“To extend our reach to the stars above!” Dave cried out, his voice the loudest I’d ever heard it.

“A pillar of all that cannot be saved, It’s me, Dave!” Dave rhymed.

“With my newly caught partner Marill, get ready for me, Carol!”

“I’m someone who’s anything but common. Because, I, uh, I- I’m Carmen?” Carmen said, clearly more out of practice than the others. Carol and Dave gave him a thumbs up, indicating they thought he was doing a good job. He smiled, and turned away, just in time to avoid seeing the other two making faces at him and laughing at his terrible attempt.

I don’t like you three, not even one bit, Especially you Erick, you ghosting little piece of sh-” Fira started, but Dave cut the music and interrupted.

“Woah fira, I know it’s your first field mission, but uh, you have to rhyme with your name.” Dave explained. “Try again.” he started the music back up.

“I cant believe at our date you didn’t Appear-a, and Incase you forgot, my name is Fira?”

“We’ll work on it.” Carol sighed.

“Anyway, team rocket blast’s off at the speed of light!” Carmen said.

“Surrender now, or prepare to fight!” Dave continued.
“You should be scared, you chumps. We bite!” Carol smiled.

“Can I kill them yet?” Fira asked. “Like is it over?”

“Our intro sequence?” Carol asked.

“Yeah.”

“Oh yeah no, go for it.”

And with that, Fira lunged into an all out attack, each of the four members of rocket releasing every member of their teams, and drawing various weapons (A whip, a baseball bat with a knife taped to it, a regular knife, and a regular baseball bat.) I silently cursed myself, trying to find a pokeball that could save me. “Valentine, Valentine…” I said under my breath, frantically searching for the pokeball that contained my ticket out of there.

I looked up. Fira screamed out, swinging her baseball bat, and hitting me square in the forehead. Everything almost immediately went black. The pounding started again.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 14:

Bells ringing. Drums pounding. At this point I had a whole damned percussion section in my brain. I looked around the grayish void, hoping to find some comfort. I noticed something moving in the distance, but before I could get a closer look, I got a tap on the shoulder.

“So.” Darkari said. “Seems your case of ‘this is very serious’ hasn’t worn off. That’s a choice.”

“Would you stop?” I asked.

“No.” Darkari laughed slightly.

“Thank’s for the tip about Bell tower.” I sighed.

“I didn’t give any tip.” Darkari smiled. “Today I was thinking we could scroll down memory lane.”

“What?” I asked, but before I finished, we were in Giovanni’s office. Arround a dinner table, being served hashbrowns, orange juice, and bacon, Were Shank, Gio and I. There was of course an empty seat where Molly was going to sit. As I remembered, she was not particularly fond of me or anything Rocket at this point. She had skipped out.

“...and then I said, ‘just kill him!’” Giovanni laughed. Shank also cracked up, while past dream vision me did an awkward laugh as well.

“Don’t worry, they can't see you.” Darkari said.

“Oh, okay.” I responded without paying attention, remembering this memory vividly.

“Anyway,” Giovanni said. “Unfortunate that Molly could not make it today, no?”

“Yeah she uh…” Shank looked at the empty seat. “She’s sick.”

“Yeah.” past me said helplessly.

“Well that’s too bad.” Giovanni smiled. “But, in her place, I have invited a star grunt of mine. Come on in.”
Then, into the memory entered Fira. I never got her name, but this was where I met her. The rest of the breakfast was smalltalk. Once Giovanni had stopped eating, he stood.

“Thank you three for coming, but of course, not everything can be pleasantries. I do have business to attend.” he waved at a grunt to the left of him, who brought him a briefcase. “You three will attend to your regular duties, I presume?”

“Yes, sir.” the three of us said at once.

“Good.” Gio said “Erick, would you stay a moment longer?”

The other two left. I looked at Giovanni. “What is it, sir?”

“Have you been having…” He paused. “Weird dreams?”

“I- What?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

“Well I- Yes, sir.”

He narrowed his eyes, and the memory ended. If I remembered correctly, he dismissed me, and never spoke to me since.

“What was the point?” I asked darkrai. “I mean, of showing me that?”

“To show you what you could have become.” Darkarai waved its hand. “I’m showing you what you could have been.” A picture of me with a suit on, Valentine, Chex, and weirdly, Rocket by my side. “If you had stayed with rocket, you would have become a monster.”

“Yeah but I didn’t”

“But you could’ve.”

“You know,” I sighed. “You’re giving me very mixed messages right now. I’m not supposed to take anything seriously, but this seems pretty serious!”

“I’m showing you the consequences.” Darkari frowned. “I can’t be just an evil nightmare god all the time. Sometimes oak’s presence seeps in. He likes you, kid.”

“He does?”

“Yeah.” Darkari sighed. “He wants you to succeed.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Then I saw it again. Movement on the horizon. “What’s that?” Darkari asked.

“You don’t know?” I asked.

“Nope. No clue.” it shrugged.

The blob came closer and closer. It was almost brown. I didn’t quite understand what it was until

“Rocket? Is that you?” I asked.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 15:

“Get up.” Someone said, The lights were bright. Too bright. My head was spinning as the pain zipped around my brain in the worst headache of my life. “Up! Now, we haven’t got all day.”

I heard a thud, and then, almost as if on delay, I felt a sharp pain in my ribcage. “Shitaki mushrooms!” I yelled out. I heard a familiar laugh.

“Welcome back, Erick.” Giovanni said. Next to him was Dave, Baseball-bat-with-knife-taped-to-it drawn, ready to hit me again. I looked down at my throbbing chest and saw I was bleeding. I whinced. “I just have a few questions.”

“Shoot.” I coughed. My mouth tasted almost like copper.

“Where are they?” Giovanni asked.

“Who?” I responded. Dave hit me again, this time with the blunt side. I screamed to no one in particular as searing white pain rushed through my chest.

“You know damn well who, Erick.” Giovanni grimaced. “Your friends. The ones who got away with most of your stupid pokemon. Shank and Molly.”

Where were they going? The pain made me forget almost everything. I thought about it hard. “Time’s ticking Erick.” Giovanni furrowed his brow. “I was kind to you boy, but refuse to give up this information, and you won’t be the only one I ‘have a chat’ with.”

“N-no” I said. “Not mom!”

“Her, sure.” Gio smiled. “But she’s nothing compared to… this eevee here.” Giovanni spun around a chair, and ‘ducklett taped’ to it, was Rocket. “I know they were helping you with your dreams. I know they were going to help you get to where you need to be to go to your promised land. To do whatever it is Arceus wants from you!”

“Arceus?” I asked. “Like, the guy from the bible? No no, I have a differen-” I was cut off by another blow to the chest. Involuntarily, I spat up a little blood as I felt ribs break and tendons rip.

“Tell me. Where. He’s taking you.” Giovanni said. “So I can take back my paradox pokemon, and fulfill the destiny you are unworthy of having, or I will.” He snapped his fingers, and Dave pointed the knife-taped end of his bat toward Rocket. “Have Dave here murder your dog.”

“What’s a dog-” Dave began to ask.

“A small furry-” Giovanni cut himself off “You know what, it’s nothing. Don't worry about it. I’m going to kill this eevee in five. Four. three-”

“Wait! Wait! I’ll…” I strained my brain for a location, any location that wasn’t bell tower. “He wants me to go to… Spikemuth”

“In galar?” Giovanni asked.

“Yes.” I said, trying to be convincing. “It’s uh, where Marnie plays. She’s a rockstar.”

Giovanni stared at me for a while. The silence stretched out longer than it should. I felt sweat beginning to bead around my ragged unruly hairline.

“Dave, book me and this loser a flight to spikemuth, and then watch these two. Don’t let them escape.” Giovanni growled. “And for Helix sake, get a Chansey or Audino in here and clean up the traitor. I need him in peak physical condition for the ritual.”

~

Two hours later, I had been healed, and Rocket untapped. What must have happened was after I was knocked out, Molly and Shank took all my pokeballs they could and got out of there. I tried to stand up, and winced. They had brought down a woman who they referred to as ‘Evil nurse joy’, who had patched me up, but I still hurt like hell. Moving anything torso related made me feel like I was on fire, and not in the cool way. I looked over to Rocket, who was the only pokemon on me. She was pawing at the door.

“Rocket, are you oka-” I started, but the eevee turned back at me and glared.

“Fair.” I sighed. “You’re probably missing Harmony, huh.”

Rocket nodded.

“You and her, you guys are like, what? Friends?”

Rocket shook her head.

“Dating?”

Another shake, this time accompanied by a ‘bleh’ face.

“Siblings?”

A nod.

“That makes sense. We’re going to get out of here, I promise.”

Rocket made a noise of disapproval.

“Yeah yeah, okay. I know, I’m not too confident either. But we gotta get out of here. I need to talk to Molly and Shank and properly thank them. You gotta get back to the team. Plus, Shank can’t cook for shit, so those two are all alone right now.”

Rocket made a sound that almost sounded like a laugh. I looked at the clock.

10:57 pm

“I might need to go to sleep soon. It might be good to pass the time.”

Rocket looked at the clock and cocked her head.

“I have a question. Was that you in my dream?”

Rocket nodded.

“How?”

Rocket rolled her eyes and pointed at her mouth. With her front-left paw.

“Right, right.”

11:00 PM

“Goodnight Rocket.” I said, trying to lay down, and wincing hard. Rocket immediately ran over and curled up next to my chest, Her warm body pressing against my bandages. I smiled slightly, and drifted to my presumably percussion filled sleep.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 16:

Drums and bells. You get it. They seemed to be getting quieter.

I woke up to find Rocket curled up next to me, and smiled softly, before turning to see Darkari, who was staring at Rocket.

“Kid, in all my years of this gig, no one’s ever brought a pokemon with them into the dream.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I’m not really doing it on purpose.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Darkari sighed. There was a slight pause in the conversation.

“So are you gonna give me some wisdom? Or show me a memory?”

“I mean, we can?” Darkari sighed. “Look kid. You have two nights with me left, and then you get ‘scrooge’d’ as it were. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is not to panic.”

“That’s it?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Darkari said. He snapped his fingers, changing the color of his void back to its original white.

“So you can’t like, tell me how to get out of rocket hideout?”

“Nope.”

“Or how to heal my wounds?”

“Nada.”

“Or even why Rocket is here?”

“It’s your dream kid. I’m just living in it.”

I patted Rocket to try and calm down, furrowing my eyebrows. “So you can’t do anything?”
“I could scare you shitless?” Darkari shrugged. “It’s been a while since the boss let me do a good scare.”

“I’m going to pass.” I glanced at Rocket. Rocket looked in distaste at Darkari.

“Eevee.” she said gruffly. Darkari’s eyes widened.

“That is a very rude thing to say, young lady.” He laughed. “Respect.”

“What’d she say?”

“She called me a no-good whore-faced piece of shit.” Darkari said almost gleefully. “It was the first funny thing anyone’s said in a hot minute.”

“Oh.” I said, glancing at Rocket. “Wait, all that in one ‘Eevee’? Really?”

“The Pokemon language is strange.”

“I mean. Fair.” I said. “So should I just wake up… or...?”

“Do whatever.” Darkari said.

“And you’re sure you can’t help at all?” I asked.

“Well, maybe I could put in a favor for something to happen.” Darkari said. “But the effects won't hit for a while.”

“...do you want to play connect four?”

“Sure.” Darkari smiled, snapping his fingers. A connect four board appeared, and the three of us played until morning.

~

I woke up to the taste of dried copper in my mouth, followed by excruciating pain in my chest. To think that just a few days ago, I was complaining that I had to go on a regular pokemon journey was wild.

“Morning.” I heard an unfamiliar voice say. It was feminine and smooth, and I looked around to see where it came from.

“Hello? Who said that?” I looked around.

“Danger? Where?” I heard the voice again. Rocket ran to my side. Pieces began to take place in my head.

“Rocket?” I asked.

“What?” She responded.

We both screamed at the same time.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 17:

“Nope nope nope.” I said aloud. “Nope. Not happening. Nopity nope nope.”

And, like a parrot, Rocket responded “Nope, Nuh uh, don’t even get near me.”

“I- Rocket?”

“Erick?”

There was silence for a second. “So” I started, filling the void of the cell-like room with my weak voice. “How can you? I mean, what can you? I mean, What in-”

“I have no fluffing clue.” Rocket sighed. She looked at the floor. I stared at her, dumbfounded, and tried to let out a very painful sigh. The probably broken ribs in my chest shifting uncomfortably.

“How did you get into my dreams?”

“I have nothing about that, Mr.Fieri, but why don’t I ask you about existential problems about your existence.” Rocket snarked back.

“I- Fair.” I said. I glanced at the walls. “Soon we’re going to go to Galar. It’s funny, I, uh, I wanted to be a chef there. Like my dad.”

“Yeah.” Rocket said. “And that Giovanni guy’ll probably kill us when we get there.”

“Yup.” I sighed. I tried to stand up, but the pain in my chest was almost unbearable.

“No, don’t stand up.” Rocket warned. “Sit down. Rest. That’s what’s best for you right now.”

I did as she asked. Everything, for a second, stopped hurting. Then I took a breath and it hurt again. Breathing even hurts. I’m never going to get out of here.

~

“Up.” Fira’s voice urged from the doorway. “You have a plane to catch.”

“I-” I started. “Okay.” Fira walked over and pulled me up, nudging Rocket to the side with one foot. She then dragged a very much in pain me over to the official entrance to rocket HQ, through the cassino, and out the door. Waiting outside was a helicopter, and Giovanni.

“I’ll take him from here.” Giovanni said. Fira shoved me forward, and Giovanni loaded Rocket and I into the helicopter. As it took off, there was a horrible silence, filled only by the whirring of the copter’s blades going back and forth around and around.

“You know Erick.” Giovanni smirked. It was the most evil I’d seen anyone be. “When I found out it was you they needed, I was surprised. You’re so weak. So… Unmotivated. So worthless.” He leaned back in his seat. I glanced at the floor, which was leaving at an alarming rate. “I said, ‘Mewtwo my dear, it can’t be him’. But he insisted. So I went out and found you. Like I found Oak. Like I found Red. But what makes you so different from them is fascinating. You arn’t strong, like red was. You arn’t smart like Oak. What you are, Erick, is resilient. You don’t die. Like a cockroach.”

“A wha-”

“You’ll know in due time.” Giovanni shushed me. I was too weak to argue. “Erick, we are about to break the boundaries of time and space, aren't you excited to fulfill your destin-'' He trailed off his sentence, staring to the side. I glanced at where he was looking, and to my surprise, there was Shank and Molly. Shank had a book raised above his head. But the most striking thing about this display, was the fact that they were casually riding on the legendary bird Ho-oh.

 

[Kandykorn]

Shank’s Chapter.

Hi, it’s me. Shank DeVay. International crime lord, millionaire playboy/rapper/mob boss, and certified plumber.

Okay, technically only that last one is true.

I bet you’re wondering like, how I came to be riding on Ho-oh. It’s actually a pretty fun story, I think. A story that starts in a forest five minutes after a rocket attack, where Molly and I were being the definition of calm…

~

“What in the everloving shit are we going to do!?” I yelled out to seemingly nobody.

“Calm down Shank.” Molly said.

“We're way over our heads, we barely made it out of that shit alive! And we’re over the legal limit for number of pokemon you can hold! We’re gonna have Jennies on our asses in less time than you can say ‘magikarpet ride’” I continued to ramble.

“Calm down Shank.” Molly repeated. She was slightly more agitated.

“And I bet Erick doesn't even care about all this goddamn work we do for him! God if I didn’t adore him, I’d slit his handsome little-” I started.

“Shank, if you do not shut the fuck up, your boyfriend is going to die.” Molly said calmly but firmly.

“I-” I frowned. “...He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Whatever.” Molly said. “We help him because he’s letting us live our dreams. I’m getting to go on a real adventure and face my fears away from my dad. You’re getting to meet criminals and learn from them.”

She had a point. Ever since we had met Erick, this magnetic property about him that seemed to attract danger had inadvertently given us our dreams. It probably had to do with his prophecy or whatever, but I digress. He gave me the story I wanted to be in.

I owed him everything.

“What now?” I asked.

“We go to Bell Tower.” Molly said, looking into the distance. “It’s the only clue we’ve got.”

The two of us threw out Jangely Boi and Gertrude, and prepared for our flight to bell tower. Whatever was there, it had hell to pay.

~

Are you enthralled? I’m enthralled. Reading Shank’s story is so much more interesting, right?

I mean, I know Erick’s story is much more compelling or whatever, but fine. Don’t worry, we’re about to get to the thrilling story of how Molly and I caught Ho-Oh, and saved my damsel in distress, Erick.

~

There was nothing in this entire bell tower. The only thing worth noting was an old book, that was blank on every page except this nonsense writing on the cover.

“This means nothing!” Molly said, frustrated. She punched the wall and groaned.

“Yeah. This whole thing means nothing.” I concurred. “I bet Erick with his chosen one bullshit can read it.”

“This is so dumb.” Molly groaned again, walking over to the edge of the balcony. We were currently at the top floor of the tower. The view was breathtaking, but ultimately worthless.

“You’re right.” I sighed. “This book is just as worthless as anything.”

“I mean, what’s the point? It’s been a whole day. Erick’s dead, and his eevee is being tortured for sport.” Molly said pessimistically. I laughed slightly at the absurdity of it all.

“We’re fucked out here for arceus sake.” I said, just before I heard a sound I’d never heard before. A slight drumbeat. Bells chiming. A chorus of a thousand perfect, beautiful voices. I looked at Molly. Molly looked at me.

“Fuck.” we said at the same time.

~

I mean, thrilling stuff right? The way I accidentally said the word that did the thing? Erick is probably soooooo jealous right now. He wishes he was cool like me, doing plot shit.

Or he’s more concerned with the fact that his ribs are shattered and he can talk to pokemon now. I guess we’ll see. Anyway, here is the thrilling conclusion of the Shank chapter, which I’m affectionately calling:

“Red-Dead Shank-demption 2: electric boogaloo.”

~

As we watched, Arceus descended from the sky. It was beautiful.

“Hello Erick. I’m surprised you’ve found me so soon and-” He stopped, noticing Molly and I. “who the fuck are you?”

“Molly and Shank, sir.” Molly said, bowing almost immediately.

“I- where in the everloving shit is Erick? How did you read the cover?” Arceus asked.

“I was complaining and I said-” I started, but I was interrupted by literal god.

“You said my name! In vain?!” It asked, furious.

“I-” I considered this. “Yes?”

“By the power invested in me, you will never get into heaven.” Arceus furloughed its eyes.

“Wasn’t planning on making it there anyway.” I smiled.

“Sir, please!” Molly said, staying bowed down. “My friend here is a non-believer, but ignore his stupidity. We are friends of Erick. We can bring him to you. But we need assistance! Please, hear our prayers!”

Arceus looked at Molly a little while longer, and nodded.

~

And yeah. I'm sure you know the rest. We were given Ho-Oh for temporary use. I threw a great ball at it for the bit, accidentally caught it and named it ‘Ho-Oprah’, Arceus smited me, I dodged it somehow, yadda yadda. You get it. None of that is important, obviously.

Anyway, we made it to Erick, so that means the next chapter will be from his POV. That sucks (poke)balls.

Bye I guess.

Remember the Shank chapter as the best chapter.

 

[Kandykorn]

Chapter 19

“God fucking dammit!” Giovanni screamed in my ear, pulling a gun out of his pocket, and immediately firing it at the giant bird. The blasts were deafening. Shank and Ho-Oh dodged out of the way downward, and for a second, they were gone. “Fuck! This cannot happen! You cannot do this! I won’t let you! You’re my only hope to get back!”

“Nope.” Shank’s voice called out from behind, and suddenly I wasn’t standing on the ground. “Oprah! Now!”

“Not. Again.” Giovanni whispered. I looked down at Rocket in my arms, who looked at me with paralyzing fear. Giovanni threw out two pokeballs. The familiar chrome Iron Moth was let out, as well as…

Mewtwo.

“Get them! Now!” Giovanni yelled. We booked it, as Ho-Oprah threw me onto her back with the other two. Jangely Boi and Gertrude flew back to try their best to slow the two down, the helicopter in pursuit. Shank looked back to me, and before I could say anything, their lips were on mine.

The kiss wasn’t perfect. My lips were chapped and bloodied. He missed my lips a little. We were flying hundreds of thousands of feet in the air, fighting against an angry mob boss. But it was also beautiful. It was my first kiss, and it might be my last, and it was perfect just for that.

“Don’t you ever get captured again, you stupid beautiful idiot!” Shank said. “You’re so lucky our dumbasses love you, because you NEEDED saving.”

“I- Yes Shank.” I said, blushing profusely. “Would you want to go out sometime?”

“YES.” Shank rolled their eyes. “Obviously.”

“Guys, this is super cute and all, but-” Molly started, as an explosion sounded to the left.

“Yup! Right!” Shank said, refocusing on piloting ho-oh. Molly handed me back my pokemon, and Rocket looked me dead in the eye.
“Let me fight?” She asked.

“You’re just an eevee.” I said.

“Trust me.” Rocket smiled.

“Okay.” I responded, smiling.

“Erick, who the fuck are you talking to?” Molly yelled, having her Magcargo and Houndoom fire off powerful fire attacks at the oncoming attackers.

“Can you not understand Rocket?” I asked

“What!?” She asked.

“I-” I considered my options for a second. “I’ll tell you later.” I glanced back at Rocket.

“You’re in.” I smiled. Then I threw out Valentine, Harmony, and Salt. All of which were now in their fully evolved form.

“Oh yeah!” Shank glanced backward. “We did some training!”

“Hey coach!” Salt, now a seaking, gleefully said.

“Woah!” I was taken aback. “Harmony? Valentine?”

“Yes?” Harmony said. Valentine stayed quiet. Rocket ran over to harmony and gave her a hug.

“Okay, Rocket, Harmony, Provide more support to the body. Valentine, you go in for takedowns.”

They nodded.

“And me?” Salt asked. I picked him up.

“You just need to use your strongest move where I point you!” I said. Mewtwo and Iron moth were gaining on us at an alarming rate. Valentine jumped up, and immediately began to fight with Mewtwo. Mewtwo struggled against them as we flew forward. Harmony and Salt and I fired at the Moth, and Rocket was rummaging through shank’s bag.

“Rocket! We need you!”

“I know, I’m just looking for-” Rocket stopped, and smiled slightly. “This.” She picked up a little green stone from Shank’s bag. Shank looked back and groaned.

“Not my rock collection!”

But it was too late. Rocket was a leafeon.