The group were quick to leave their exposed, open-air spot the next morning and head north, into the forest beyond Corrial Port. After a good half hour of walking on empty stomachs Caley decided it best to stop and finally take in some breakfast, now that they had found a somewhat more sheltered area to pause in. It wasn’t to be a ponderous ordeal; the figures were well aware that staying still in one spot for longer than necessary was hazardous to their health, their freedom and even the future of their world. Other higher ranked Team Rocket operatives would be swift on their tail, ready to snap up whatever shallow rewards had been placed upon their heads.

 

Little did the travellers know that the second wave was only a mile or so away.

 

“Any success with locating their tracks, Ulysses?” a slender figure with neatly side-combed violet-auburn hair inquired in tones that almost made it sound like he wasn’t too concerned with whether his taller, bulkier partner did or not.

“Absolutely none” Ulysses grunted, tossing a clump of debris aside. “They’ve been real clever, Grant. They’ve covered the prints that was left behind.”

“Hm…” Grant remarked with equal nonplussedness, casting a glance at the computerized device in his gloved hand. “Blocking bioscan signals and covering their tracks. I suppose I really should have expected this from those trained under Team Rocket.”

“Can I stop diggin’ around in the dirt now?” Ulysses whined.

“I guess it would be a waste of time to continue,” Grant nodded. “We shall locate the nearby river and follow it northward. No doubt our prey will be seeking a little liquid refreshment.”

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

“How’s that shield holding up, Cory?” Caley was quick to inquire as the figures awaited the arrival of their breakfast. The golden-haired figure gave a slightly pained smile in reply.

“It’s not going anywhere,” he informed the trainer. Denise looked back at Cory worriedly.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m okay where the shield is concerned,” Cory replied, stretching an arm out slowly and causing it to emit a nasty crack. “But as for the rest of me… I don’t know. I feel kinda stiff this morning”

“There. All done!” James carefully placed the round bowl full of oatmeal on the log next to the fire it had been warming over as the others uttered sounds of approval. As the man began serving the lumpy mixture into several smaller bowls with a wooden handled ladle, Adam pulled a face. It was clear something had crossed his mind that he was finding very illogical.

“Hey…” he began. “Where’d those bowls and that ladle come from? I sure know Caley wouldn’t have been able to fit them in his rucksack”

“Ah, dere’s a simple explanation for dat one” Errol smirked, stirring at his oatmeal. “Phasepacks.”

“Of course!” Denise exclaimed suddenly.

“The waist-worn technology that gives the wearer access to an isolated portion of the Cyberspace realm known as Hammerspace. In that area, they can store far more equipment than they would be able to using bags or boxes.”

“Exact’ly!” Errol nodded. “Jess still owned her phasepack, havin’ been promoted to da elite rank, whereas Jimmy and I had ours taken away. Dat’s where she got dat other outfit from.”

“Good thing she had some eating receptacles in there,” James grinned widely, handing a bowl to Rose. “It would have been pretty awkward trying to eat out of the same bowl.”

“Not ta mention messy” the man exclaimed, having not noticed his companion’s rapidly heating countenance. The upset expression upon Jessie’s face at being reminded of her elite ranking (and in turn, her pigheadedness) had fast become one of anger as she sat next to Errol, hands shaking.

 

“Hey Jessie, would ya shift over a little? I could use some more elbow room”

 

At this point, the woman snapped, standing up and taking her bowlful of oatmeal before jamming it over the top of Errol’s head.

“You want more elbow room?” she yelled, turning round. “You’ve got it! I’m leaving.”

“But Jessie…” James began, his eyes taking on a look of deepest sadness as Errol sat there in shock, coagulated flakes slipping down his forehead.

“No buts!” the woman snapped. “I sacrifice my pride to hand you an apology and what do you do? You mock my mistakes! You remind me of just how foolish I have been!”

“We didn’t mean it like that.” James insisted, voice shaking. “We were just joking around…”

“Everything’s a joke to you, isn’t it, James?” Jessie retorted, as the others looked on in silent puzzlement.

 

“Well I refuse to be the brunt of your immaturity.”

 

And with that last statement, the woman stormed furiously back between the trees. James leapt up to run after her, only to be held back firmly by the shoulders.

“What are you doing?” he screeched, almost hysterically, as Errol shook his head. “We can’t just…”

“Yes, we can” Errol murmured sadly. “Jess jus’ needs some room ta t’ink, dats all. She’ll be okay afta she’s cooled off.”

James’ frantic struggling deteriorated into a lifeless slump.

“Buh-but she’s in danger out there” he whimpered. “The only Pokémon she has is Triply, and that creature doesn’t even know to fight properly. What if she’s captured?”

“He has a point, Errol” Rose frowned, standing up also. “I should go make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“You can’t!” Errol spluttered. “When Jess gets dis angry da only way ta fix mattas is to let her be alone. If anyone’s gonna watch ova her it’s gonna have ta be someone who can employ da ultimate stealth. Not even I am able ta escape Jessie’s level of detection.”

“I believe someone’s already volunteered,” Caley replied quietly. He was still trying to recover from experiencing Jessie’s sudden infuriated outburst. Everyone looked around to discover the spot Cory had been occupying was once again empty.

“Sure hope he knows what he’s doing,” Adam muttered as Errol tried to scrape the oatmeal from his hair.

“Da kid knows how ta care of himself” he remarked. “I’m more concerned about da state of my friendship…”

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

“Inconsiderate woman,” Cory muttered as he trudged through the forest, kicking twigs and pebbles out of the way. “How could she act so nastily toward Errol? I thought they were supposed to be friends.”

He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting the morning dampness of the wood calm his fractious thoughts.

“If it wasn’t for their friendship, I wouldn’t be trying to find her again right now,” he remarked to himself, parting the foliage and kneeling down by the passage of running water. “No matter what Errol says, I don’t think I’ll ever understand humans.”

Leaning forward and dipping his hands into the river, Cory splashed some of the water across his face, the droplets running down his skin like rain off a Psyduck’s back. He repeated the process, this time cupping his hands and drinking the contents.

“Still…” he continued, this time to a lone Surskit that had been dancing over the calmly flowing ripples. “It won’t stop me from trying to. Humans need to be given a little more patience. They’re not all bad.”

Cory paused, as the Surskit uttered a petrified squeal and vanished. He was certain he had heard a very faint whisper from the bushes behind him. The volume of the whisper had made it difficult to decipher whether the voice had been male or female, even to Cory’s enhanced hearing. It wasn’t long before the figure found out; in a matter of seconds a Pokéball flew past Cory’s arm, landing on the grass beside him and opening in a brilliant light to reveal a particularly dissatisfied looking Blaziken.

“Inferno!” a gruff utterance echoed out from the trees. “Grab that kid!”

Swinging round, the Blaziken administered a swift blow to Cory’s stomach before the figure could react. The adolescent toppled forward onto the grass, coughing violently. Raising his head shakily, Cory attempted to refocus his blurred vision but all he could make out were two black blurred shapes, one topped with dark teal, the other with a violet-red.

“Heh!” Ulysses smirked to himself as Inferno hoisted Cory roughly to his feet. “That was easy.”

“Maybe so” Grant replied calmly. “But don’t forget, this is one of those exiles.”

Cory growled at the deduction. He was already well aware who was responsible for this seemingly unjustified assault. Making any kind of retaliation was a useless idea now the Blaziken was fast holding Cory’s hands behind his back and Ulysses was swiftly binding his legs together. Grant leant forward, grasping at the figure’s face with his free hand in order to examine the figure more closely.

“I don’t recall this one being on the poster they gave us,” he commented, releasing his hand like an electric charge had passed through his fingers. “But, no matter. He was seen with them, so if he’s not one of them he’s at least a friend of theirs. Serves our purposes the same either way.”

“Yeah” Ulysses grinned, standing upright. “I hear the redhead chick’s got a hot temper but the rest are all soft. They’ll hand themselves in easy.”

Cory blinked, his vision now partially restored. Why on earth would his friends just hand themselves in? He felt the grip around his wrists tighten as if in response, then his eyes widened as the realisation hit him. Grant noted the horrified expression upon Cory’s face with a slight chuckle.

“I see you’ve caught my companion’s meaning. Annie and Oakley failed the direct approach, so we go for the hostage route. You’ve been rather clever in concealing yourselves, I must admit. But I honestly never expected our opportunity to walk right into our hands so effortlessly.”

The figure hung his head in a mixture of embarrassed shame as Ulysses flashed him a darkly mischievous grin. Grant looked back at the device in his hand and began to smile, everso slightly.

“Seems like they’ve let their guard down” he said, tapping a few buttons. “They’re located a few minutes walk north-east of here. Ulysses, you and Inferno keep watch on the boy. I’m going to go and assess the situation. Then we can let them decide between surrender…

 

…or letting Reaper satisfy his desire to coat his blades in blood.”

 

Ulysses chuckled as Cory watched Grant release his Pokémon, a Scyther, beside him before disappearing back into the woods.

Crud! he thought, with an expression of anxious disgust. That guy is sick…and this situation just got ten times more dangerous. The figure closed his eyes, sighed and hung his head miserably. I set out to find someone to patch up a friendship… he began. And all I managed to do was end up making matters worse. Maybe I shouldn’t have even bothered. I’m no use to them now. I’m-

…wait.

There is something I can do to help them!

Furrowing his brow, Cory began to concentrate deeply, psychically navigating the trees as he attempted to direct a telepathic signal in the direction of the one he would be sure to hear it.

Caley…

Caley….  . . listen to me .

.. you have to move . ..

 

.. .you have to move, NOW!

             

“Bleh,” Ulysses muttered as he sat down on a rock not too far away from Cory. “Why’d I always get stuck guarding something I can’t bust up?”

Cory tilted his head to the side a little as he carefully peered into the minds of the sleeping man and equally slumber-filled Pokémon counterpart. Just as he had suspected - nothing but the blatant persistent desire to fight needlessly.

Hm… they don’t seem all that bright, he thought. More muscle than brain. I bet I could easily baffle them. But how?

The figure pondered over this for moment or so. It wasn’t long before a devious smirk settled upon his face. He had recalled the recent contact Grant had made with him.

Of course! They pretty much hang on that other guy’s every word. All I have to do is apply a little deceptive tactic…and I’ll be free in no time.

Cory struggled to locate the appropriate information within himself. All of a sudden it seemed so difficult - the figure was certain he would have entered a state of serious panic if he hadn’t been concentrating so hard. At last he retrieved the instructions, but Cory’s difficulties weren’t over yet. As he began to apply the knowledge and alter his shape accordingly, the figure could feel his body having trouble responding to the request. His limbs uttered louder crunches than usual, causing Cory to wince in pain and bite his lip to prevent yelling and waking the very people he wanted to fool. The pain wasn’t anything new. He was already accustomed to experiencing discomfort through transformation - after all, unlike ordinary Dittos he had a skeletal structure of sorts. But never had the pain felt this bad, nor the transformation been so slow.  

What was going on?

Now wasn’t the best time to think this problem over. Cory decided it was something he would have to look into once he was free of the mess he had got himself in. The shape-shifting ordeal was over, for the moment. It was time to implement the next stage of the plan.

Clearing his throat slightly as he prepared to imitate a new voice, Cory furrowed his brow to give the fiercest expression possible and began to growl slightly. This was enough to catch Inferno’s attention. It threw itself onto its feet with a loud squawk, only to widen its eyes in utter astonishment. Ulysses spluttered as he was shaken roughly into consciousness.

“What’s your problem?” he grunted moodily.

“Zih-ziken!” Inferno stammered, pointing his free claw over to where their captive was stationed. Ulysses turned his head; a second later his face was overcome with a look of surprise that almost bordered on comical. For who appeared to be bound laboriously to a nearby tree but none other than Grant himself.

“You idiot!” Cory in Grant’s shape yelled. “Look what you’ve done to me!”

“Buh-but-but…” the bulky figure stammered as he approached. Cory didn’t give him a moment to even try and think things over.

“Do I look like a kid to you?” he snapped. “Who knows how far those exiles have travelled from us by now! The Boss’ll have our heads because of the short-sightedness of you and that overgrown poultry!

 

Release me this instant!”

 

Cory brought himself to a standstill. He was almost beginning to convince himself.

“You heard him” Ulysses exclaimed, scuttling round the back of the tree. “Help me get Grant untied!”

Inferno muttered under its breath at the insult before swiping at the bindings holding Cory’s wrists. Ulysses returned to attempting to work matters out in his overly-exerted mind, wringing his hands as he did so.

“I don’t get it…” he remarked shakily. “If he was… then how’d he get.. . and you.. . “

“You’d know if you had been keeping an eye on him instead of taking a nap,” Cory grunted, rubbing at his wrists. “Now help me up before I do something I regret.”

Ulysses leant forward and reached out a hand to grasp hold of Cory’s and pull him to his feet. As he made contact, the man felt a sharp sting run up his arm. He released his grip hurriedly before staring at his palm in some shock. Having a little more malleability from his previous transformation, Cory was able to slip into his next form somewhat easier. Upon hearing the somewhat disturbing noises Ulysses looked up from his hand and caught a glimpse of himself staring straight back and grinning mischievously.          

“What the…?” he spluttered. It was all he got time to say - within moments, Cory in Ulysses’ shape had delivered a heavy blow to the side of the real Ulysses’ head, knocking him out cold. Inferno dived toward Cory, screeching manically, only to be encapsulated in a bright beam of red light and retracted from view.

“Thank you,” Cory smirked, placing the violently shaking Pokéball he had snatched from Ulysses’ belt beside the unconscious figure’s untidily recumbent body.

“I’ve had such a wonderful time, but now I must be going. I got a world to help save, you know.”

And with that he vanished, back into the woods.  

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

The trainer blinked confusedly. He was certain he had heard something, but the tangled mixture of the sorrows of those around him coupled with his own worry over their lack of movement was making it very difficult to make out any words.

“Dere dere, Jimmy” Errol tried to sound comforting as he patted his friend on the back. “Don’t blame yaself fer what’cha said. You didn’t mean any harm from it, she’s jus’ feelin’ real sensitive right now, dat’s all. It’s ta be expected. I mean, she’s been t’inkin’ and realisin’ a lotta stuff recently.”

James turned his head away, completely unconvinced.

“I should be used to receiving the brunt of her rages by now.” he remarked.

 

“So how come they seem to hurt more now than they did?”

  

James paused as he picked up on the expression upon Caley's face. He was standing completely still, his eyes wide and tinged with the unmistakable signs of psychic interference.

“We have to move,” he relayed in monotone.

“There’s someone coming?” Denise asked.

“I’m guessing that’s the case,” Caley replied slowly. “Cory just said ‘You have to move’. He didn’t say why. We’ll be sitting targets if we don’t heed his advice”

“Maybe so” Errol began. “But we’re sittin' targets dat aren’t going down wit'out a fight. I’m not goin' ta run away like some coward!”

“Me neither” Rose stated, stepping forward and letting Sia out from her Pokéball.

“Or me!” Adam took to agreement, releasing Cyzel. James, Denise and Caley exchanged uneasy glances for a moment while Errol glowered into the foliage, seemingly at nothing.

“I don’t believe we got a choice either way,” he muttered. The others looked at him, somewhat puzzled, but Errol was concentrating too deeply on the view ahead that he didn’t notice. “I know you’re out dere” he said loudly. “So why don’cha show yaselves an’ stop wastin’ our time?”

“Very well, exile,” a male voice spoke calmly. The bushes rustled slightly, as a tall violet-auburn haired figure wearing a Team Rocket Elite uniform stepped out from between them. James’ mouth dropped open a little at this point.

“You’re… you’re that creepy operative from Johto, Grant Simpson!”

“You are correct,” the figure replied. “But despite my seeming vulnerability I wouldn’t try anything if I were you.”

A Scyther stepped out from the darkness to stand beside its trainer with an almost maniacal expression upon its arthropodan features. The smile present upon Grant’s face as he continued was most unnerving.

“The reason being my associate Ulysses has your young friend tied up in the woods. I realize full well that my one Scyther, powerful enough though he is, may not succeed in defeating all of you and your Pokémon. But if any of you try to attack me, Reaper is under strict orders to return to where we have your friend hidden…

…and administer a swift extermination.”

<Slashing fun!> Reaper snickered to himself, grinning wickedly. Almost at once the entire group had their eyes narrowed in response. They were certain Grant wasn’t bluffing, but it didn’t mean they were any less cautious over his words. It was more of case of not wanting to believe. Errol felt he was somehow responsible for this current situation, and for that same reason, he felt even more responsible to help his companions out of it.

“You have one of two choices,” Grant instructed. “Surrender, or your companion will die.”

The travellers were caught in awkward suspense for a few moments. None of them were willing to make any moves, but if they didn’t they feared the latter of those two choices would occur regardless. They began to look at Caley, hoping he may have drawn up a solution they had not yet thought of. But he didn’t seem to be focused on the current situation at all; yet again the trainer was staring out at nothing with slightly blank eyes.

“Duck?” he murmured in puzzlement.

“So…” Grant spoke up again, in exactly the same tone he had used before. “What will it be?”

 

“DUCK!”

 

Caley threw himself aside, snatching hold of Denise and Adam’s jackets and pulling them down with him as a plume of flame cascaded from between the trees, engulfing Reaper and searing the side of Grant’s uniform. James yelled, throwing himself to the floor while Errol somersaulted nimbly out of reach of the fire and Rose narrowly avoided its searing grasp.

“What in blazes?” the Elite snapped, whirling round as his Pokémon fell forward, unconscious from the unexpected assault. Standing behind him was a Blaziken with a small pinkish jewel embedded in its forehead, cracking its knuckles.

“Inferno, you stupid chicken!” Grant bellowed, red-faced. After finally losing his temper he had not taken notice of the unusual shiny addition to the Blaziken’s countenance. “What is the meaning of this? Ulysses! Come get this dim-witted creature of yours!”

“Heh, some Rocket agents youse are if ya can’t even control ya Pokémon” Errol smirked, as James snickered. The travellers had already worked out that this traitor happened to be Cory in disguise and were happy to rile the Team Rocket operative all the more over it.

Grant withdrew the Scyther into his Pokéball and snorted in disgust while the Blaziken behind him looked back expectantly into the foliage. It didn’t have long to wait - Jessie dashed into sight followed by another Blaziken which leapt from behind a nearby tree, aiming a burst of flame at the one that was already standing there. Cory made a move to leap upward but halfway through the motion, there resounded a sickening crunch from his person, causing him to falter and consequently become engulfed in a searing fiery embrace.

“What the…?” Grant began, as Ulysses stumbled into view with an infuriated expression and a large bruise across his cheek. “What is going on?”

“That thing tricked me!” Ulysses snarled, pointing at Cory in Blaziken form who was currently struggling to keep an upright position after such a harsh blow. “It’s some kinda talking Ditto!”

“WHAT?” Grant exclaimed loudly before growling under his breath. “Those morons in charge of cross-region information transfer are going to have some major explaining to do.”

“Okay..” Caley remarked under his breath. “Our biggest threat has been eliminated. Cory is back in our sights.”

“So does that mean we can return the trash to where it came from?” Jessie inquired, rather mischievously.

“Oh! Oh! I’ve got a marvellous idea for how, Jess” James grinned.

“It’s gonna have ta wait” Errol cut in seriously. “Da kid still ain’t outta trouble yet. Look!”

The man pointed out a shiny black and red sphere held in Grant’s right hand. His companions gasped - they knew that design all too well. They were the distinct markings of a generic Rocket Ball, which meant either the Elite holding it was about to unleash another Pokémon…

…or worse, capture the one that was already there. Cory was certainly in no condition to fight the pair off alone, and his friends were more than cautious over sending in support. A misplaced shot could easily finish the job Inferno had so viciously started.

“We can salvage this,” Grant muttered, raising the metallic sphere as if the rest of the members behind him had suddenly ceased to exist. “Inferno already got one direct hit, and from the looks of things it took out a good deal of its energy. Ulysses, immobilise that Ditto.”

“You got it,” his wide-shouldered accomplice smirked. “Inferno! Blast that pathetic imitation with a Hyper Beam!”

 

“NO!”

 

The travellers gasped as Errol leapt between the advancing Blaziken and its heavily injured doppelganger who was fighting desperately not to revert back to its original state.

<Out of my way, human> the creature snarled, holding up its fists. But Errol angrily stood his ground.

“What are you doing, you idiot?” Jessie exclaimed anxiously. “You have even less a chance of surviving an attack from that thing than Cory does! You’re not even a Pokémon any more!”

“Maybe not in da body…” Errol growled. “But I ain’t backin’ down. We gotta stick up for one anudda!”

<Then so be it> Inferno grinned darkly, the glowing white sphere between his hands getting brighter and brighter. <You can both go down TOGETHER!>

 

“Now, Rilly!”

 

Cory pulled Errol out of the way as a jet of water blasted past them and into Ulysses’ Blaziken, knocking it backwards into its owner and causing its partially charged Hyper Beam attack to scatter in all directions.

“Like you said, Errol,” Denise smiled widely, stroking Aquarill on the top of its head. “We’ve got to stick up for one another.”

“It was a good thing you did that, in a way,” Rose nodded in agreement. “It gave Caley a few extra precious moments to think up the next move and relay the warning of the oncoming attack to Cory.”

“Speaking of which…” Denise remarked, looking back at the two figures being looked over by Jessie and James. “Is he okay?”

“He’s pretty weak but he’ll make it” Caley replied softly.

“Ugh!” Jessie spluttered in Errol’s direction. “You’re so reckless, so overestimating yourself, you’re…!” She paused, an expression of realisation taking over her face which was quickly replaced by a faint but deeply relieved smile. “.. . you’re just like you used to be.”

Errol chuckled at this.

“Ya do care, don’cha Jess?” he murmured. James stepped over and helped his companion up cheerfully before glancing toward Jessie.

“See! Fur and whiskers, do not our old friend Meowth make!”

“Hey I hate to break up an epiphany” Rose cut in. “But right now we still have two other problems to deal with.”

Jessie smirked craftily, causing James and Errol to do the same.

“And we know just how to do it,” she replied.

 

“Denise? We’re going to need a little loan on your part…”

 

Ulysses retracted his thoroughly doused and disorientated Pokémon and turned around uncomfortably, looking back at Grant.

“Now what?” he inquired, almost shakily.

“We have failed,” Grant stated in a matter-of-fact way. “It is pointless to deny it. But we failed purely from a lack of information which we have now obtained. Perhaps that piece of information will help us and others not to make the same mistakes again. For now, we retreat.”

“Hold on a minute” Jessie’s voice cut in. “Who said we were going to let you off?”

“Huh?” Ulysses uttered, somewhat taken aback.

“At least not wit’out a little gift,” Errol tagged on. It was so well timed a newcomer to the scene would have trouble believing none of this was rehearsed.

“And what better to pass on to undeserving criminals than one of our own repeatedly tried and tested blastings off?” James added with a wink.

“What are you idiots talking about?” Grant snapped.

“Of course,” Jessie cooed, putting her hands on her hips with an expression that looked as if she was talking to a six year old. “The man wants a demonstration.

 

Show him the ropes, Li!”

 

“Triiiisk!” the silvery mecha Pokémon exclaimed, promptly unleashing the incredible blast of energy she had been charging all this time straight at ground beneath Ulysses and Grant’s feet. The force of the resulting explosion was so great it propelled the two yelling Elites into the air, over the trees and toward the sky where they vanished in a flicker of light.

“T’anks fer travelling Tisker airways!” Errol called cheerily into the sky as the remainder of the group stood there, mouths wide open. “We hope youse have an uncomfortable landin’!”

And with that the trio promptly collapsed into fits of hilarity.

“I’ve always wondered what that looked like from down here!” James remarked, giggling profusely.

“So that’s what they meant when they talked about ‘blasting off’” Rose murmured to herself as Denise scratched the back of her head and Adam just pulled one of his usual ‘what a bunch of weirdoes’ faces.

“You did that a lot?” Caley asked, astounded.

“We used to be on the receiving end on a regular basis” James told him, rubbing the wetness that had culminated from so much laughter out of his eyes.

“Hafta admit I much prefer dis end though,” Errol chuckled, placing Cory’s exhausted pinkish form carefully upon his shoulder.

 

 

“Now… how’s about we get movin’ before any more dopes catch up wit’ us, huh?”

 

 

The group was quick to progress forward, across the river and toward the open fields beyond. Jessie was steeped in silent, awkward contemplation as she travelled at the rear. Errol cast the occasional worried glance at Cory while James gazed up at the dipping sun amongst the clouds in an almost dreamy manner. He wasn’t thinking over much at all - the man was too absorbed in his happiness over finally being reunited with both his close friends. At the front, Caley strode onward ceaselessly despite the pained, deep exhaustion showing through his determined expression. It was clear he needed to rest longer than the travellers had previously done so, but the drive to succeed was pushing him. In fact it was pushing him to such an extent beads of sweat were pouring down his face and his legs were starting to shake with every given step. Denise passed the trainer a deeply concerned look.

“Caley…” she uttered, while Adam swiped at the tall grasses around him. “I really feel we need to take up camp somewhere.”

“But we’ve hardly walked more than a few miles” Caley replied in laboured tones.

“Denise is right” Errol piped up. “If not for your sake, den at least for da kid. Dere’s somet’ing seriously wrong wit’ him an we need to find out what it is before its too late.”

He motioned toward his shoulder where Cory was draped, groaning softly. Upon closer inspection one could see that his limbs were quite swollen and of differing proportions.

“Well that sure doesn’t look healthy” James remarked with a partially disgusted expression. Jessie bit her lip.

“Medical treatment for a Pokémon is going to require a visit to a Pokémon Center,” she shuddered inwardly. “And for a genetic creation like that its hardly an option. We’re going to be provoking far too many questions.”

“I hate to admit it but she’s right” Rose sighed. “Pokémon Centers are out of the question. And we don’t have the facilities to help treat Cory.”

“But we can’t just let him suffer like this!” James spluttered.

“What else can we do?” Adam shot him a withering glance. “Go back to Team Rocket? ‘Excuse me, I just wondered if I could borrow your Pokémon medical equipment for a few hours’. Sure, that’s an option…if you don’t mind being captured and mutilated in the process.”

“Don’t be such an irrational twerp” Jessie snorted. “There has to be another solution to our dilemma”

“Maybe we can ask the people who live in that big kooky looking house if they have any medical equipment,” James grinned. The others looked up, about to respond in puzzlement as to the location of this house when it hit them right in the eyes. Even from half a mile away the building was almost impossible to miss. It was the most confused structure any of the travellers had ever seen in reality - a combination of what appeared to be a greenhouse, a lavish abode, an observatory and passages between each section that looked as if they had been stolen from a child’s play area. After the stunned silence at the sight of such a curious building had worn off, Adam uttered another dry inquiry.

“And what are the chances of there being any Pokémon healing machines in that place?”

“Pretty high, actually,” Denise smiled. “The positioning of this house would require its owners to stock their own medical equipment for any Pokémon they own.”

“Well what are we waitin’ for?” Errol exclaimed, picking up his pace. “Lets get a move on!”

“Keep your wits about you, Errol!” Rose called after him.

 

“Remember, this could all be a trap!”

 

As the group approached, the patch of sky above them and the house began to darken rapidly. Within a matter of minutes, droplets of rain began to fall as the air chilled and an ominous rumble echoed through the air.

“Guh-guys?” Adam stammered, struggling to keep the fear out of his voice. “Suddenly I don’t think th-this is such a great idea any more.”

“Do you think the place is another one of those old abandoned cursed haunted houses, Jess?” James inquired, seeming none the more perturbed for the swift alteration in weather.

“I wouldn’t be surprised” the woman remarked, rolling her eyes like it was an everyday occurrence. “In which case, I seriously doubt there’ll be any usable equipment in there.”

“I’m still goin’!” Errol exclaimed, moodily swiping the water from his face. “We don’t know it’s a haunted house fer sure!”

The figures were brought to a standstill as with a loud crack, a blast of lightning seared the ground before them.

“Is that a big enough pointer for you?” Adam squeaked, backing away. As if in acknowledgement of his fear a cackling laughter resounded from the now silhouetted building against the thunderous backdrop.

Foolish mortals! a voice boomed from above the rooftop. You dare possess the tenacity to set foot in my most sacred grounds!

By this point, the majority of the group were starting to show some apprehensiveness over this encounter. Even Errol, with his intense fortitude, was glancing up in a mixture of worry and panic. It was only Rose who took a step forward, squinting up at the vaguely humanlike countenance stood boldly atop the building.

“Um, pardon me for asking but who are you exactly?”

WHAT? the figure bellowed, sending Adam into a cowering stance behind Denise and Jessie and James into one of their typical fearhugs. I am the Great Jakaka, overseer of the fields you have desecrated with the soles of your unworthy human feet! And for adding further insult to such an injury of my land, you shall be punished considerably!

A massive flash followed by another rumble of thunder was heard as the rain began to pour down in torrents. Her companions behind stood frozen in terror but Rose’s expression was firm as she folded her arms and drew breath to send back another loud exclamation over the noise of the adverse weather. Then someone beat her to it.

“Jake Ryan!” came a hysterical yell of a female voice from within, causing the shadowed figure to start in alarm and almost fall from the rooftop.

 

“What have I told you about making freak storms over our house? It is ruining my flowerbeds!”

 

The figure regained its balance and uttered a bemused grunt while the sky above the house began to clear, almost as swiftly as it had clouded over before. As the early evening sun returned to the rooftop, the travellers blinked to adjust their eyes to the light and take in who exactly had pulled such a cruel prank. They found themselves blinking again, unable to believe what they were seeing. For what was clearly perched upon the apex, wearing a red backward-facing baseball cap, dark glasses and brightly coloured clothing with Pokémon League related insignia emblazoned all over it, was none other than the stunted countenance of a seventy year old man.

“You disgrace the Guardians and their creator with your blasphemous behaviour!” the same voice resounded out of a nearby open window. The face of a short brown-haired woman in her early forties emerged to join it. Jake muttered, looking behind him, and a moment later a Claydol and a Raichu materialized out of thin air. It seemed they had been hiding behind a psychic veil courtesy of the Claydol’s power while providing the terrifying atmospherics. Adam gave Denise a rather stunned sideward glance.

“Tell me I ain’t seeing what I think I’m seeing,” he remarked in lowered tones.

“I’m sorry Ad, I can’t” Denise responded. “This situation, regardless of how absurd it looks, is really happening.”

The woman continued to glower as Jake’s Claydol raised its tiny pointed arms, sending itself, its trainer and the Raichu gracefully from the roof and down beside the window.

“No wonder we never have any visitors,” she snapped, the travellers looking on with wide-eyes. “With you always scaring them away. Look what you’ve done this time, you’ve practically sent those poor travellers into a state of shock!”

Jake placed his shrivelled hands on his hips nonchalantly and raised an eyebrow.

“Eh, nothing another good shock won’t fix” he grinned, as the Raichu by his leg chuckled and began to spark. The sound alone was enough to cause Errol to join Jessie and James in their fearhug. Somehow electricity was a lot more frightening for them when it was being emitted by yellowy-coloured rodents.

“You shall do no such thing!” the woman exclaimed.

“Yeesh, it was only a joke…” Jake muttered, looking behind him. “With the way you act you’d think no one in this region has any sense of humour.”

“N-not when it involves bein’ petrified,” Errol stammered moodily while Jessie snorted and began to roll up her sleeves. “How dare he exploit our biggest phobia in such a humiliating fashion! I say we teach him a lesson”

“You can’t do that!” Denise hissed. “Not to a man his age, that would be abominable!”

“I hate to admit but despite his behaviour, Neesee’s right, Jess” James sighed. “And besides, lowering ourselves to such a level wouldn’t prove anything.”

Jessie pondered over this before groaning and pulling her sleeves back down again.

“You know James? Your logic can be terribly annoying sometimes” she remarked, her companion smirking to himself. Caley took the moment to make his move toward the two figures standing by the window, a tired pleading expression upon his face.

“We’re everso sorry to disturb you, sir,” he began in the most respectful tones he could manage, despite Jake’s attire. “But we desperately need your help. We’ve travelled all the way from Corrial Port on foot and one of our friends has become ill. We were wondering if you had any equipment in your house we could treat him with…”

It was at this point Jake could no longer keep a straight face and crumpled into fits of chuckles, much to Caley’s astonishment.

“You hear that, Zap?” he grinned in the Raichu’s direction. “The guy thinks this place belongs to me! Oh if only, eh?”

“Raiiii,” the Pokémon nodded, putting on a mock prestigious pose. The two promptly fell about laughing all over again while the woman looked on with an expression of deepest displeasure. She turned her attentions to Caley and a warmer, more apologetic visage descended.

“Please forgive Jake’s immature behaviour” she told the group. “Despite his age, he still has much to learn about growing up. My name’s Molly Ryan and this house actually belongs to my husband Franklin and I. I’m sure he’d be more than glad to take a look at your Pokémon. And I’d be happy to provide a rest stop, it looks like you could certainly use some comfy beds for a night!”

“What is she implying?” Jessie growled under her breath, instinctively searching for her compact. “How dare that old crone make a statement about my appearance. I don’t wish to stay under the roof of someone so rude!”

“And of course…” Molly continued, having not heard a word of Jessie’s ranting. “A nice hot meal into the bargain”

“Rude, maybe” Jessie remarked, her face suddenly alight with joy.

“But certainly generous. Come on James, let’s not waste this opportunity!”

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” the man chuckled before the duo happily walked straight past Jake, opened the front door and entered the house. Errol shook his head slightly while Denise and Caley blinked in stunned silence, Adam groaned and Rose looked awkward.

“Those two really know how to make themselves at home” she commented. Molly chuckled at this, motioning for the others to approach.

“And I’m glad! For the moment, my house is yours. Treat it well and don’t provoke Jake, whatever you do.”

Molly retreated into the kitchen, shutting the window as she did so and Adam scowled at the aforementioned figure while he made a hurried departure from the open air. Denise was quick to follow, but Caley seemed more intrigued by the Pokémon standing by Jake’s sides. He knelt down to look at Zap as Rose slipped past.

“I have to admit as reckless as it was, that prank you pulled back there was very impressive,” he commented.

“Wasn’t it just?” Jake grinned gummily. “Zap and Jumbo are experts at the ol’ atmospherics. Jumbo provides the rain while Zap casts the lightnin’”

“Excellent teamwork!” Caley nodded, most impressed. Jake leaned over a little to ease his back, placing his hands on his hips as he did so.

“So you’re a Pokémon trainer, eh?” he inquired.

“Yeah, I guess I am,” the youth replied. He hadn’t really given much thought to it, but having spent most of his time running away from something or other he wasn’t really sure whether he’d done enough Pokémon catching to be considered a trainer. Then again, catching Pokémon wasn’t really what being a trainer was all about.

“Where are you from, kid?” Jake continued with the interrogation. Caley didn’t bat an eyelid but underneath his unresponsive exterior there was a figure swelling with pleasure at having someone taking interest in his affairs.

“Prela Village. It’s a long distance west of here.”

At this point, the Raichu stepped forward and held out a paw hopefully. Jake chuckled as Caley looked down in puzzlement.

“Zap would like to shake your hand, he’s never met a trainer from Prela Village before.”

Caley paused. A part of him felt somewhat embarrassed over the whole idea, while another part felt quite honoured. He swiftly moved toward the latter, reaching his own hand toward the Pokémon. A split second he found himself wide-eyed and flat on his back, his entire body quaking as peals of laughter were uttered above his head.

“Forgot to warn ya there, buddy” Jake snorted

 

“Zap’s a bit of a livewire!”

 

Molly was quick to usher Errol and his delicate charge up the long staircase toward the next floor. Rose and Adam followed out of curiosity, while Denise stayed back to help a disorientated and mildly shocked Caley through the front door and aim appropriate narrowed glares in Jake’s direction as he passed amused comments about the hardiness of Tattoan trainers, or more the lack of it.  

“Thoid door on da left…” Errol murmured to himself, traversing the hallway. Rose turned to look behind her with a slightly disturbed expression; somehow she had the distinct feeling they were being watched. “Aha! Dere we go.”

It was easy to spot, having been the only door plastered in newspaper cuttings. Errol was quick to rap upon the surface with his free hand while the other steadied Cory’s limp form upon his shoulder. A few moments later it swung open to reveal a bemused-looking boy in his mid teens dressed in lengthy casuals with shoulder-length ochre hair to match. He tipped his head slightly, the expression barely altering as his eyes took in the painfully deformed creature and the humanoid figures who accompanied it.

“May I help you?” he inquired. It was uttered in a tone that made it hard to tell whether the one saying it was being sarcastic or not.

“Are you Joseph?” Rose piped up, attentions partially diverted by all cuttings.

“That’d be me, yep” the boy nodded.

“Da lady downstairs told us youse would know where ta find Franklin” Errol relayed. “We really needs some help fer da kid here.”

“I’d say,” Joseph remarked, concern creeping over his face. “That Ditto looks in a painfully bad condition. What happened to it? Looks like it tried to transform into too many things at once!”

“We’re not sure ourselves, to be honest” Rose murmured, refraining from correcting Joseph over saying Cory was a Ditto. “But whatever’s happened, Cory needs immediate attention.”

“I’m sure dad’s got something that’ll help” Joseph agreed with a slight smile as he edged out into the hallway, shutting the door to his room behind him. “Follow me.”

“Scuse me for asking” Adam finally spoke after a short pause. “But how come that woman didn’t show us where this guy was herself?”

“It’s a complicated scenario” Joseph groaned a little. “To cut a long story short, there are Pokémon existing in the observatory that she cannot stand. And sometimes they have a tendency to creep down here.”

“That would explain why I felt like I was being watched…” Rose muttered to herself, wondering what these Pokémon could be. Joseph approached the narrow metal ladder that was screwed firmly to the wall at the end of the hallway, scaled it with ease and tapped sharply on the ceiling. The resulting noise was surprisingly metallic.

“Dad, there’s some people here to see you”

Rose, Errol and Adam looked up in unison as they heard purposeful footsteps above their heads, followed shortly by a kindly but very serious voice. It was more than apparent that the one using it was deep in thought.

“They’ll have to come back later” he said. “I’m deep in the middle of study right now.”

“But dad” Joseph whined. “They have a Ditto that’s in really bad condition and needs treatment.”

There was a noticeable pause. The group behind Joseph stepped back instinctively as with a loud creak a portion of the ceiling moved upward to reveal a concerned, slightly worn-looking countenance topped with grey-green chin-length hair and rectangular rimmed glasses.

 

“Bring it up,” came the firm statement.

 

The group found themselves emerging into a plethora of advanced machinery, bathed in a strange whitish aura and surrounded by the humming of internal components and the beeping of the occasional calculation. Rose’s eyes grew large as she took her gaze from the equipment up toward the high domed roof, and back down to meet the face of her adolescent companion who seemed equally impressed by the sight. Errol looked on with deepest anxiousness as Franklin Ryan carefully laid the Pokémon’s painfully shaped body upon a long platform.

“It appears to be extremely exhausted,” he remarked, typing a command into a console nearby. “But a Ditto would naturally revert to its natural shape if unable to hold another. This looks to me like the creature has been caught between forms somehow.”

“Dat’s what we figured” Errol agreed. “But what on oith could cause such a t’ing?”

“Hopefully this biological scan will be able to give us a few answers” Franklin replied, as the device over Cory whirred into action. Rose stepped toward, taking in the brilliant light as it inched ponderously over the Pokémon’s body.

“Heat readings are abnormally high,” Franklin read out loud. “And the creature’s molecular structure is unusually excited. Has Cory been in contact with any unknown energies lately?”

“Not that we know of,” Rose shook her head. Joseph shot her a suspicious glance.

“What do you mean? How could you not know if your Pokémon was hit by something? That’s a highly irresponsible way to handle things, if you ask me.”

“He’s not my Pokémon,” Rose groaned. The boy’s trainer spirit had made itself glaringly apparent.

“He’s not anyone’s Pokémon except his own. He isn’t always in our sights.”

Errol raised an eyebrow as Joseph folded his arms in a displeased manner and muttered something under his breath about not being able to handle one’s Pokémon properly and making up excuses.

“This seems an awful lot of equipment for simple Pokémon healing,” Rose deducted. “I recall you saying you were studying something - are you a professor?”

Joseph looked aside somewhat awkwardly as Franklin’s face took on a whole new expression. His shoulders sank and he uttered a deep sigh.

“In a way… I guess I am,” he murmured. “But it was a forced occupation. Circumstances dictated that I took this route, for the well-being of my family.”

It seemed a sensitive route to take, so Rose decided not to travel it any further. She fell silent and took to watching the dialogs upon the screen of the console instead. Franklin’s gasp cut into the awkward silence.

“I don’t believe this!”

Joseph turned toward the console display, a puzzled expression upon his face. Then his mouth dropped open a little. The figures behind him exchanged uncomfortable expressions; they could already tell where this was heading. Franklin looked back at them sternly as he moved aside to purposefully show them the results of Cory’s scan.

“This isn’t a Ditto, is it?” he remarked. “Dittos have no defined skeletal structure, not even after transformation.”

The group sadly lowered their heads and shook them slowly.

“He’s not a pure Ditto, no” Rose sighed. “He has other genetic data to increase the strength of his transformations.”

“Genetic…data?” Joseph struggled to utter the words as if they were burning his tongue as he did so. “It’s a mutant?”

“Before youse leap ta any conclusions, we played no part in his creation, or da creation of da other enhanced Pokémon” Errol snapped. “In fact, we were da ones who rescued dem from further pain an’ mutilation.”

“And who was it had caused that pain in the first place then?” Joseph inquired, unconvinced.

“Team Rocket, who else is twisted enough to try a stunt like that?” Adam rolled his eyes.

“Team Rocket?” Joseph spluttered. “Oh come on… that organization’s been disbanded for years!”

“Where have you been, kid? Unda a rock?” Errol spluttered.

“Give him some leeway” Rose smirked, with a somewhat apologetic glance in Joseph’s direction.

“He hasn’t seen half the things we have.”

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

“What was that supposed to mean?” Joseph exclaimed. The group had been cast into the hallway below after Franklin insisted how terribly difficult it was to concoct a solution to Cory’s dilemma with such commotion occurring behind him.

“It meant dat we’re experienced in fields you’ve never even dabbled with,” Errol replied, walking back toward the staircase. “An’ fer da most part, it’s a good t’ing ya haven’t. But to fill in da news youse appear ta be missin, Team Rocket are far from dead and buried.”

Joseph paused at the top of the stairs, causing those before him to pause also and look back inquiringly.

“Who are you people?” he asked slowly. Errol, Rose and Adam exchanged somewhat worried expressions at this point. Would telling the boy be more likely to hinder than help their situation? They hadn’t any believable responses to pass between them, and they weren’t going to get a chance to concoct any. The latter end of Molly’s sentence was the next thing to reach the group’s ears.

“…members of Team Rocket? Oooh, you don’t say.”

“Good grief…” Errol shuddered, reaching the lower floor. “Can’t I leave youse two alone fer one minute wit’out ya blabbin’ our whole life story?”

“Cool it, Errol” James leant back and took another bite out of the cherry and raisin cookie that was in one hand. “We don’t get paid overtime”

“We don’t get paid at all, James” Jessie remarked, rolling her eyes and looking in the direction of the group in the doorway. “At least not any more. Why are you so fussed anyway? We’re out of that league now, aren’t we? What’s the worst that could happen?”

 

“I am!”

 

Joseph stormed into the room, pushing past Rose and Adam in the process before coming to a halt and glowering darkly at Jessie and James.

“I can’t believe you people would have such nerve as to practically walk into our house and assume that we don’t have defences of our own” he growled. “Don’t underestimate us. If you know what’s good for you you’ll leave now, and not try anything funny.”

Molly pulled Joseph back sharply with an embarrassed glance at the mostly unnerved travellers.

“I’m ever so sorry” she explained hurriedly. “Joseph has disliked organisations of any kind ever since he was thrown out of the Pokémon Theorists group for being too opinionated. But nothing as extreme as this!” She turned back to her son, frowning. “What has got into you? I just so happened to find listening about their club very fascinating.”

“Team Rocket isn’t some everyday little club, mom,” Joseph protested. “It’s a despicable crime ring! These people are criminals!”

“Were criminals” James pointed out helpfully. Joseph swung back on him with a scowl.

“And that makes it better how?”

“It means we saw what we were doin’ wasn’t helpin’ matters and bailed outta it,”  Errol stated. “Much to da team’s disgust, mind. Now dey’re chasin’ us across Tatto ta prevent us from rightin’ our mistakes, amongst udda t’ings”

“Oh how dreadful,” Molly exclaimed, placing a hand to her mouth. “What happened, exactly?”

“It’s all very complicated” Denise sighed from her point on the sofa nearby. “To cut a long story short we ended up setting a lot of potentially dangerous experimental Pokémon free from Team Rocket’s laboratories.”

“Experimental Pokémon?” Molly sounded even more shocked than before.

“Sadly, Joseph is right,” Rose spoke up. “Much of Team Rocket is filled with sick and twisted characters driven to exploitation of people and Pokémon on their own greed-fuelled quests for power. But there are also others who were dragged into the organization without knowledge of its deeper motives. People like us. And it isn’t at all easy to escape the web once one is caught in it. Many have died trying.

 

I expect we would have ended up the same way if it had not been for Caley.”

 

She motioned toward the figure next to Denise who was draped in the opposite corner of the room wearing a pained expression, clutching an ice pack to his head.

“His pure determination gave us back the will to succeed in escape. We’ve been on the run ever since.”

Molly began to smile gently as she motioned for those standing to be seated.

“You are very brave people” she commented, picking up an empty tray from the lounge table. “And I can sympathize with your plight. Situations aren’t often as simple as they first appear to be. Now…who’s up for sandwiches?”

Jessie and James were quick to respond while Rose inquired over the availability of coffee. Errol looked on without question, bearing an expression that clearly displayed his cogitation over Molly’s penultimate statement. Denise continued to attend to Caley concernedly while Adam threw himself down beside the armchair containing Zap’s recumbent form.

“Your grandpa sure is weird,” he commented bluntly in Joseph’s direction. The adolescent uttered a partially amused snort at this.

“Weird, he might be. But Jake’s not my grandpa” he remarked.