All or Nothing
I glared through the bars.

"Hey Knuckles, quit the sound effects!" The Rocket who
was guarding me had spent the past six hours cracking
his fingers. He glanced up from the tree stump he was
sitting on and smirked, flicking his fingers with a
series of crunches.

I growled again, eyes narrowed. He was on my list, a
list of those I planned to take out as soon as I was
free. I admit it was a long list but tolerance was in
short supply since we'd been captured five days ago.
Life in the cage was boring and monotonous. Up at
sunrise, annoy the guards until midday, nap till
sundown, eat dinner, annoy the guards, and go to bed.

"I'm thirsty, get me a drink." I told the guard,
sounding remarkably like Talorn, a haughty heiress.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, despair welled
in my heart threatening to overwhelm. I struggled not
to let my emotions show through the arrogant little
bitch guise I had taken on. With a final resolution, I
shoved it away and complained louder.

"Move it! It's summer and you don't want a poor frail
little girl like me to dehydrate do you? It mightn't
bode well with your supervisors." My eyes turned to
Renee and Ricky. They were yelling, well squeaking, at
the remaining Rockets hacking away at the tree's of
Ilex Forest.

"How did they get promoted ahead of you again?" I
grinned prodding the nerve further. "Wasn't it their
fervour and enthusiasm? You don't look to enthusiastic
to me," I chided and before I could continue with more
mindless chatter, Knuckles got up with a groan and
wandered towards the stores shed consoling himself,
"Only cos they sucked up."

I leaned back against the cold metal bars with a
satisfied smile. Peace at last. I took off my faithful
cap and ran my hand through what was left of my hair
with a sigh. The flames had devoured most of my hair,
now too short to put in a Ponyta tail and missing in
some spots altogether.

I needed to get out of here. It was unhygienic and no
warmth whatsoever. We were barely fed and my muscles
were beginning to cramp from lack of exercise. Most of
all I was alone, lost in a chasm of black desolation.
Sumalee was dead, Talorn and Apollo were dead, my
Pokemon were kept as far away from me lest conspiracy
and Cal…

"Any idea's champ?" I didn't need to open my eyes to
know that the same blank statement registered on his
face since he'd found out Suma and his Pokemon were
dead. Half his team had been wiped out and the other
three were grievously injured from Team Rocket's clubs
and whips.

I though about my four friends, sighing sadly. From
what I could decipher from the Grunts taunts, Aria,
the Aquatro, was ripping out her beautiful feathers
while toiling to moisten the ground to make it easier
for them to dig, Mystic, the Xatu, his powers being
manipulated to help Mewthree keep Sunsear and Celebi
prisoners. Sunsear was growing more rebellious by day,
Chilun, my Articorn, dragging timber day after day,
back and forth across the quarry like a beast of
burden and Fury, my best friend, my first Pokemon, was
fainted in her Pokeball, after harsh retribution, for
causing trouble amongst the Pokemon. I knew this was
probably the worst because she was claustrophobic and
was terrified of being in her Pokeball.

"Gahhh!" Woken rudely from my reflections, my eyes
snapped open and locked on the grunt laughing at me,
holding and empty cup of water. I stepped closer to
the howling Rocket, water dripping down into my stormy
eyes.

"Hah!" I snatched the thick tin cup and water cask
from his hand, stomped down on his foot and smashed
him over the head with the cup. Knuckles clutched his
head where a large red lump pushed from under his
Rocket hat while hopping on one foot. I could
practically see the toes throbbing through the boot.

I stepped back and sat beside Cal. I tipped the cask
back, letting the cool clear, O.K, no exactly, water
past my cracked lips, sandy tongue and down my parched
throat. Before I knew it, I had gulped down three
quarters of it. With a little resentment, I stopped
drinking. I wiped the top of the cask with my shirt. I
smiled at the irony.

It seemed stupid to worry about germs when in the back
corner was a growing pile of our own filth. I pressed
the nose to Cal's mouth and tilted back his head so he
would drink as much as possible, though still some
dribbled from the corner of his mouth. I screwed my
nose in revulsion as he coughed some back up onto my
shirt.

"Man, I am never having kids," I muttered to myself as
I cleaned up Cal and myself. I put the rest of the
water in a corner and watched Cal helplessly.

Blank statement, drooling and soiling himself, he was
worse then senile. "Come on Cal, wake up to reality,"
I murmured dolefully.

I spent the rest of the afternoon, dragging the tin
cup up and down the bars like a criminal and dreaming
of the Azalea town PokeCentre. Of decent food, hot
water and things that flushed. The sunset came for the
fifth time and dinner came; stale bread and what could
have been a plum or a really old peach. I tossed the
fruit away and scarfed my half of the bread while
trying to get Cal to eat his. It seemed that bread was
becoming one of my regular meals.

When the sun had totally disappeared and a new Rocket
appeared to replace Knuckles. He was tall, very tall
for someone who could have been only a few years older
then myself. Spiked hair, frosted tips and shrewd
hazel eyes that followed me as I paced the length of
the cage over and over again.

"You've gotta be kidding Max," he grinned. "That tiny
little Cleffa caused all that damaged last week? Naw,
she couldn't hurt a Caterp… Ahhh!" he cried as a tin
cup sailed from my hand a connected with his temple. I
smirked.

"You see that? The little bitch hit me with a cup!"

"Yeah, well, I told you so Marc. She's more dangerous
then she looks." Knuckles bent over so that Marc could
see the lump on his head that had swelled thrice the
size in the last hour. "See? Did that with the same
cup." Max winced as Marc prodded it.

"But I'm not as stupid as you," Marc drawled, taking
his place at the stump and producing five Pokeballs.
"You know what the best part is about that battle. I
managed to get myself a whole new belt. Of course
they're mostly beginning Pokemon, but I'll train em
EZ." He pressed the button and the crimson light
twinkled into a Pichu. "One day this little guy's
gonna be able to knock a Dragonite unconscious. "

Pichu giggled and waved its arms. Remembering Matt's,
I stepped away from the metal bars and pushed Cal way
from them too, making sure we both had contact with
the ground.

"Hey cutie!" the idiot grinned tickling Pichu. Pichu
squealed and released a thousand rivulets of
electricity in to the air. I pulled Cal's head down
and glance up watching the lightning course through
the bars and Marc and Max flash like Christmas trees.

When the fireworks were done, I breathed a sigh of
relief and let Cal loll back into his previous
position, leaning against the bars staring at nothing.
Suddenly he jerked and convulsed and I saw a bolt
spill from the cage and through Cal in a desperate
urge to be grounded. I cringed, cursing my stupidity.
Cal groaned and returned to his stupor.

When I turned to see the Rockets, they were collapsed
on the ground, sparks still scurrying through their
hair. Pichu perched on top of them clapping his tiny
paws together with his rosy cheeks still glowing. Max
shoved himself from under Marc growling, a picked up
the Pichu ready to hurl it into the ground. But like
lightning, Marc was off the ground to and towered over
the man, glaring down. He took Pichu from Max and sat
him on his shoulder, careful not to ruin his hair.

Max grumbled. "Watch them, how do you think they could
reduce a hundred trained Rockets to less them fifty?"
With a final glare in my direction, Max left for a
shed I had identified as the mess tent. I returned to
watch Marc. He sat crossed-legged on the stump
arranging his Pokeballs.

Shouldn't be to hard to piss him off, I thought,
knowing all to well the mischievous grin was plastered
across my face.

"So Marc, Marco, Marky, Marcalark! Looks like you and
me are going to hanging out for the next twelve hours.
Just you and me ol' buddy, ol' pal, ol' amigo, ol'
chum, ol' mate! You're not much of a talker are you?
That's OK; I'll talk enough for both of us. I…"

"Shut up shortie," Marc interrupted and said to Pichu
on his shoulder, "Man, I can't believe they're worried
about these two. We got rid of their leader, the boys
had a mental breakdown, and all we gotta do is get the
midget to shut up and… OWW!" Marc yelped, his hand
flying to his forehead. Pichu toppled off his shoulder
as he jerked.

"As I was saying Marcalark, I'm a great shot with a
stone. Care for another demonstration? Yes? No? OK, I
bet I can hit that Pokeball in the middle… Yes! Told
ya!" I gushed as the five Pokeballs bounced off one
another and scattered around the clearing.

"You little!"

"Yes what was that? I have more rocks hear and I'll
get you every time." He continued to simmer for the
next few hours. I continued to babble.

"Did you know our DNA is 98% Mankey? Think of it, if
two or three pieces of your molecular structure
changed you could be in a Pokeball right now. Yep, I
can see it now; you're having fun, and swinging
through the trees. Then, from outta the blue a bone
comes spinning out of control and knocks you flying.
You get mad! You fire a shattering Thrash attack. It's
then you see the trainer… and he tosses a Pokeball
and you're evaporated inside. It shudders once, twice
and PING! Your caught!..."

"And your trainer orders a low kick. You crash into
the Goldeen with phenomenal power. It faints. Suddenly
you begin to glow. You evolved into Primeape!…."

"And you earn the Zephyr Badge…"

"The Mineral Badge…"

"And with a your last ounce of strength, you let fly a
crushing Megapunch that arcs across Kingdra's cheek.
It faints and you earned the Rising Badge defeating
the Johto League!"

My eyelids drooped, my throat dry as a desert and
thrice as grating. It was now 1 o'clock and had
recited the entire life of Marc the Mankey, and being
constantly told to 'shut up midget.'

"Say, all that talking's made me thirsty. Get me a
martini, shaken not stirred. Marcalark? Hurry! I," I
launched into a coughing fit, hacking and spluttering,
"Might not make it." I dropped to the ground in a
poor imitation of dying. I opened on eyelid and
glanced at the kid. He was slumped over the stump
snoring and drooling, the Pichu lying across his back.


"Humph! Fine then!" I sniffed then yelled to the rest
of the camp.

"WELCOME TO THE LATE, LATE, LATE SHOW WITH TOPAZ!" I
shot a quick look at Sleeping Beauty. All he'd done
was roll over. Heh heh heh! "WE'VE A STUNNING SHOW
LINED UP FOR TONIGHT! I'LL BE RECITING THE POKERAP
OVER AND OVER AND OVER, CLASSICS SUCH AS HOW MUCH IS
THAT GROWLITHE IN THE WINDOW AND THE SONG THAT NEVER
ENDS!" Marc didn't stir. "Man he must be able to sleep
through a Voltorb's screech," I muttered shaking my
head. Oh well. "AND SPECIAL GUEST STAR, MARC THE
MANKEY WHO IS ASLEEP ON THE JOB!" As if to prove my
point, Marc grunted and rolled off the stump and onto
the ground with Pichu beneath his arm.

I smirked.

From across the compound the supervising officers hut,
a candle flared and a shadow stormed from the doorway,
shaking its fist. As it drew closer I recognised it as
Angel, dressed only in his heart patterned boxer
shorts. His hair was mussed and he tried to smooth it
into it's usual waves.

"SEEM I WAS WRONG LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TWO
SPECIAL GUEST! MARC THE MANKEY AND ANGEL," I switched
my voice to one of the soft voice of the woman who
announces the models as the walk down the runway. "IS
DRESSED IN A LOVELY ONSOMBLE OF THE LATEST HEART
PATTERENED BOXERSHORTS AND THE WINDBLOWN HAIR. LETS
SEE IF WE CAN GET AN INTERVIEW. ANGEL, YOU LOOK LIKE
SHIT, IS THAT THE STYLE NOW?"

He ignored me as he blew past in a rage. He stood
looking down at Marc, his face twisted into a snarl.
Marc was curled into a ball with Pichu in the crook of
his arm and a goofy grin on his face. Angel spared me
a glace at me watching with clear anticipation, and my
hand wrapped around the bars. "Get ready Cal," I
whispered still grinning. "This is going to be better
then Jerry Springer!" Cal only snored. "The moment is
always lost on you, isn't it," I berated, shaking my
head.

"Wakeup you lazy slob!" Angel screamed, emphasizing
his words with a savage kick to the kidneys. Marc's
eyes flew open as he squealed awake, more surprise
then pain I think. He rolled aside Angels boots
crashing down where his head had just been.

"What's the point of a watch if it doesn't watch the
prisoners!" he hissed. "That's how they screwed up
last time. The patrol was drunk. Do you no what
happened to them? No, neither do I. These two are
dangerous and have ruined four of our assignments!" He
glared at me. I grinned back stupidly and waved.

"You're telling me! Look what she did to me!" Marc
bent down so that the smaller in stature Angel could
see his bump, just above the temple.

Angel flared and sent Marc reeling with a smashing
back fist. I leapt back as he crashed into the cage
with a grunt.

"Nice one, I'm impressed Angel!" I mocked.

"Silence! We'll get to you eventually and Marc, one
more mistake and the Boss will do more then fire your
sorry arse."

With that he whirled around, white hair flying strode
back to his tent.

"Oh well, not as good as Jerry Springer, but
definitely Ricky Lake," I conceded to Cal.

"That's it!" Marc declared, fist clenched tightly. He
seethed. His face a mask of barely concealed fury. His
eyes blazed, his teeth clenched and jaw taunt. "I've
had it! They've bossed me around for the last time.
High and Mighty Angel, Incompetent, Renee and Richard,
Backstabbing Luke. He bent down and picked up the
snuffling Pichu and cradled him.

"What if I help you get them back? I said calmly. I
watched his reaction carefully.

The anger faded from his eyes and replaced them with
the same sharp look as when he first came. "How?"

"Give me a second." I hadn't a bloody clue as to how
I'd do it. I couldn't have Marc use my Cell phone to
call the authorities cos the Rockets were monitoring
radio waves and blocking all within the forests
perimeter. After a time I remembered Adam had said the
Pokedex transmitted very low frequency waves so not to
disturb the magnetic pulse of Porygon, Voltorb or
Magnimite. If I used some of that flower mail I'd
bought and downloaded in Violet City. Maybe… The only
problem would be it would be sent to where my Box
Pokemon were held, in Pallet town at Professor Oaks
Lab.

"Bring me my Pokedex," I told him finally.

Marc thought for moment nodding. His eyes lit up.
"What do I get out of it, Shortie?"

My mouth dropped open in disbelief. I stepped up to
the bars, reached up, it kind ruined the effect I had
to stand on my tiptoes, and snagged the collar of his
Team Rocket uniform. "How bout your life?" I spat.

"Is that a threat?"

"You murdered my friend, two of my Pokemon, locked the
rest of them up and turned them into beasts of burden,
reduce Cal here to a slobbering yobo and kidnapped the
Guardian of Time, what do you think?"

"I'm about to free you, I deserve a little love," he
mewled. "Doesn't Marc deserve a little love?"

I pushed him a way disgusted. "So?"

"I will in exchange for that." He looked pointedly at
the Radianz wrapped around Mewthree's stump.

"Sunsear isn't mine to give."

"Then the little one."

"Just do it."

"Ok you convinced me." Marc disappeared. I hoped that
when the Rockets had discovered and raided our camp
they wouldn't have looted it too. Marc returned with
Suma's blue Pokedex, chewing on a chocolate bar. I
scowled and took the Dex from him. Greedy little pig.
I was starved from what little we'd been fed. Marc
suddenly surprised me when he produced two muesli bars
and gave them to me. Maybe he wasn't so bad.

I chewed it in one hand and pondered the Pokedex in
the other, crossed legged on the ground. "What should
we write Cal? If we say too much, we'll have trainers
flocking in and they'll be as bad as the Rockets,
trying to catch the Radianz, Cooee and the Echotrance.
Too little and not enough firepower, maybe none."
Cal made a gagging sound as Marc tried to feed him
through the bars.

"Is that one C or two?"

"Why do you bother talking to him," Marc muttered.
"He's nothing but a big baby."

Cal suddenly coughed and spit up on him. "Ewww!" Marc
whined shaking his hand.

"See now you've insulted him." I scolded him.

"Look you better hurry up. Dawn comes and I won't get
another turn for more then a fortnight. By that time
the reinforcements will be here."

"And Celebi's dying."

How'd you know that?"

"That vacuum bubble Mewthree keeps him in. Each time I
look there seems to be a little more black then
green."

"Oh," Marc murmured downcast. He wiped the spit off
his uniform. "Why's he dying?"

"Celebi's dying cos the forest is like, um, I don't
know, his life force or something. Each time you cut
down a tree you kill a little bit more of him."

Finally I had pressed in the message and hoped it
would be sufficient to bring the right amount to help
us.

BIG ROCKET TROUBLE

ILEX, SEEK ECHOTRANCE

I attached it to Talorn's empty ball confirmed I
wanted it transferred. It blipped and flashed three
times before reverting back to it's original screen. I
now knew somewhere in the compound Talorn's Pokeball
was replace by Bolt's. It was now transported to Oaks
lab. I hoped he would find it by morning.

I closed the Pokedex and passed it through the bars.
"Hold on to it, they might have some computer genius
here and divert the message before it's read. K?"

"Genius? Here?" Marc barked a laugh and slipped it
inside his pocket. "Yeah, Yeah. How do we get out of
here?"

"We?" I replied sceptical.

"You expect me to hang around here while ol' Sicaris
howls for my blood?" He flashed me a cocky grin and
added, "Of course the ladies will be after me for
other reasons."

I rolled my eyes and curled beside Cal, pulling my
shirt over my knees and my ars through the sleeves in
a feeble attempt to conserve body heat. I thought of
Fury and hoped she was alright, before drifting into a
dreamless sleep.



I awoke the next morning to find the sun had risen
further into the morning sky and Marc gone. His
replacement was a woman named Sarah. I had fun making
snide remarks about the 'zit' in the middle of her
head and watching her frantically look for it in a
mirror. When unable to find it, she covered her face
with an inch of make up. I couldn't believe she was
actually stupid enough to believe me, but then again
it was Team Rocket.

While aggravating Sarah and the other passing Grunts,
I watched the trees carefully. Three days and many
false alarms later, there were shouts and curses and
people running to the other side of the compound.

From the confusion, I saw Marc; he weaved between the
Rockets flooding in the opposite direction. He flashed
me a quick, 'no worries' glance and barked to the
guard "Move it! We have intruders and everyone has to
stop them.

The grunt didn't hesitate only joined the thirty or
forty other Rockets Chasing the intruders.

Everything was out of control, the perfect
distraction.

"What's happening? I asked, throwing myself at the
bars.

"We have help" Marc frowned, his brow furrowed. He
looked worried.

"What's wrong?" I snapped. There was maybe Cal's and
mine only chance of escape. Screw Marc, I was getting
out of here. He flushed. "We need a key…."

Idiot! "Use your Charmeleon and melt the bars, you
ignoramus!"

"It won't work," he retorted. "Their covered with a
melt proof lacquer. We need the key, we need Richard
and Renee."

"Damn it! "Try lure them here, say I have a super rare
Pokemon I'm hiding or something."

Marc whirled around, not waiting to hear the rest of
what I had to say.

I snarled and bent down to sit Cal up. He was better
then he had been in days. He could eat by himself and
talked… to himself, but no need to agonize over petty
details. Now all I had to do was get him to stand up.
Damn it! OK! I picked up the empty water cask and
prepared to smash him with it.

"Psst, Sumalee?" I jumped and reeled around to smash
whoever surprised me. Luckily it slapped harmlessly
against the bars. A girl with long, wavy ivy green
hair peered through the bars.

"No she's dead, but I sent the letter. I'm Topaz."

"Kay. We have to get you outta here."

"No," I interjected "We already have that covered,
free the Pokemon and look for a set of entirely red
Pokeballs and those engraved with a C. If you find
them, bring it to me immediately." I clasped the cold
bars tightly. A zephyr of wind swept the clearing, I
shivered. "Give me your hair pin." I demanded, holding
out my hand.

Kay pulled it out and placed it in my hand, smiling
warmly. "Good Luck."

I snorted. I didn't need luck I had skill. I twisted
and moulded the pin into shape and threaded my arm
through the bar, glancing anxiously at the battle.
Pokemon danced and ducked, thrust and parried it's
opponent. I slipped the pin into the lock, jiggling
and swivelling the head until I found the catch and
after a moment worked it under.

"Ahha!" I exclaimed triumphantly. I guess having a
broken bike lock does come in handy sometimes. A
shadow fell across my light and snatched my arm,
digging into the hollow of my shoulder. I grunted and
tried to smash the Rocket with my free hand but
misjudged my aim and hit the bars. I yelped in pain
and then cried out harder as the Grunt bent my arm at
an impossible angle. I gasped and, trying to move
closer and relieve the pressure.

"That's for killing Jason and Taran," he grunted.
Before he could bow my arm further a voice yelled out.
"Flamed, help her!"

A huge shadow arced through the air, it's immense
wingspan blocking out the morning sun. It's wickedly
clawed paw, whipped across the grunts midsection,
sending him flying into the air and landing ten meters
away. I gaped, swallowing hard as the Pokemon landed
gracefully in front of me.

"Eep!" I squeaked. The creature was like none I'd ever
seen, like a cross between a Dragonite and a
Charizard. It had Dragonite's stocky frame but
Charizard's pebbly red skin and flamed skin.
Dragonite's webbed wings extended from it's back
accompanied by Charizard's expanse. Its face had
Charizard's regal ruse but with Dragonite's antennae
and kind soulful eyes. I blinked and moaned in its
resonating voice. "Flaaammmmed."

My fingers itched for a Pokedex. I reached out and
stroked its muzzle.

"Cool huh?" A tall 18 or 19-year-old boy with smooth
black hair dropped from between its wings. "It's a
Flamed, a Dragonite/ Charizard hybrid as you probably
guess." He looked around calmly. "Whirlwind SkyHigh!
But we'll talk later, Sumalee, we got to get you outta
here. Stand back and protect your friend."

I complied, pushing Cal's head down and putting myself
between him and Flamed. "Okay Flamed try and aim your
attack only at the bars. Ready? Dracon Bea…"

"Wait!" Marc raced through the Rockets and Pokemon
like a flash. "Hey watch it.!" He protested, jumping
over a Likitung fending off a Jinx's Doubleslap.

"Hold it hotshot! I got it under control." Marc
sniffed at the older boy waving him away. Pulling out
the broken pin and replacing it with a set of keys,
the lock clicked and the door swung open. I couldn't
help but smile at them. I quickly turned sombre and
tried to take Cal over my shoulder. I must have been
on adrenaline last time because Cal wouldn't budge.
The other boy slipped past Marc and picked Cal up
easily.

"Get Cal somewhere safe. He's no use here until…" I
trailed off. "Just get him out of here. I have to find
my Pokemon."

"No problem, Sumalee…"

"It's Topaz, Sumalee's dead," Marc snapped before I
could say anything. My shoulders drooped and my eyes
misted.

"I'm sorry," the boy apologised with genuine sympathy.
"SkyHigh! Finish it off and come here!" he called to a
Fearow across the quarry. I wasn't sure it heard but
sure enough it belched a mushroom of flame setting the
Murkrow alight and whistled back towards us. I stared
at it. The Fearow was bright orange with tendrils of
red curling through its wing tips and its comb was a
crest of flame, like a smaller version of Moltres.

"A Fearow with fire characteristics," he explained
placing Cal, still staring blankly, across the
SkyHighs back.

"How do we keep him on?" Marc pointed out. He kept on
eye on us and the other on Flamed as he guarded us
from the Rockets. Flamed whirled around batting a
Primaepe away with his well-muscled tail.

The boy and I looked perplexed. "Here." Marc pulled
the laces from Cal's shoe and wrapped them around his
wrist and SkyHigh's neck. "Voila!"

"Mhmm," I murmured, though not too convinced.

"Don't worry, SkyHigh will look after him," the boy
reassured.

"SkyHigh!" it squawked confirmation. It pushed into
the air, hovering a moment to balance Cal and then
caught a morning thermal soaring higher and dodging
the attacking Pokemon.

"Holy shit! Look out!" I screeched. An Aerodactyl
rocketed upwards; it's jaws, wide enough to swallow
SkyHigh whole, wide open. It's scissor teeth snapped
on its tail dragging it down.

SkyHigh struggled, trying to keep its passenger safe
and it's feathers intact.

The boy swore, leaping onto Flamed's back. "Go!"

"Wait!" Marc yelled. I threw my gaze to where he was
pointing. A black blur flew at Aerodactyl; it's
massive bulk ramming into its stomach. Aerodactyl only
had time to give one surprised squawk before
spiralling to the earth below. Shockwaves shuddered
through the ground, a cavernous puncture in the
Aerodactyl's chest. In the air above us a black
Dragonite stared mournfully at the dead Aerodactyl and
the Rocket it had crushed, its horn tipped with blood.
It's ebony body eclipsing the sun like a patch of
midnight that hadn't been cleared away.

I glanced at the 18-year-old. "Yours?"

He shook his head. "Kay's" As the Black Dragonite beat
it's wings I saw a flash of pale skin and whispery
green hair.

"Scott! She yelled. "I got SkyHigh covered!" She saw
me. "Here!" A red dot plummeted from the sky like a
meteor.

"Duck!" We skittered out of the way and it crashed
into the ground imbedding itself.

A Pokeball! My Pokeball! I dove for it and frantically
scratched away the dirt. I pulled it free and turned
it over in my hands. It had the flame etched into it
just above the release button. Fury!

"Come on girl!" She burst out in a blaze of crimson
forming into a quivering Quilava huddled into a ball,
eyes tightly shut. I went to stroke her head but the
flames flared to life scorching it. I bit back a cry
and whispered softly, "Fury."

"Quil?" Her translator was gone and her voice
trembled, unbelieving. "Quila…" Her eyes peeled open
and flickered. "Quil!" She leapt into my arms.
"Quilava, quil, quilava!"

"Shhh," I cooed "You'll be alright now, but we have to
get you somewhere safe."

"Quil!" Fury blurted curling closer.

I didn't know what to do. Should I give her to
SkyHigh, hovering uncertainly, or let her come with
me, where she could be caught and imprisoned again.
"You can come, but I can't carry you."

She only licked my face gratefully. Scott waved
SkyHigh away with Cal on its back and Kay and the
Black Dragonite trailing after it.

"We have to find mine and Cal's Pokeballs." I said
determined. "If you can keep the Rockets distracted a
little longer, I'll be able to find them."

"Don't worry, Moon and Laurie are on it."

"Moon?" Before I could say anything more, Scott was on
Flamed and away.

Marc grinned. Pulling himself up to his full hight,
towering over me and declared with a note of
arrogance. "No problem, I'll look after you." He
flicked his spiked brown hair into place and pulled
out his five Pokeballs.

"Go!" From each of the Pokeballs the light manifested
into tiny forms

"Pichu!"

"Totototo!"

"Charrrmeleon!"

"Flaf fi!"


"Eee Veee!"

I snorted. "I don't need your help. You only have baby
Poke…"
Before I could finish the sentence A Rocket woman
rushed at me, hissing and scratching like a Meowth.

"Pichu!" Pichu leapt into the air, bounced off Marc's
head and onto her face. "PIIIICCHHHUUUU!"

Lightning crackled and wrapped around her in a bright
yellow blanket. The woman fell to the ground chard and
paralysed.

"Ahem!" Marc coughed.

"Fine my Pokeballs are red and Cal's have a C engraved
on it." I pushed past him. Fury tagged at my heels
felling a Pokemon with her Flame Wheel. Marc ran after
me yelling at his Pokemon.

"Eevee, um, Quick Attack! No not agility! Charmeleon
forget the trees, this is not a bonfire! Flaffy
Thundershock! Good girl! Now Totodile wet it. Pichu
Spark! Charmeleon don't flame Flaffy. No, don't
retaliate Flaffy!"
Were all Rockets such novices? I growled my
frustration and raced between battles. A Jolteon's Pin
Missile punctured a Quarral. Two Growlithes bit and
slashed at each other, neither giving an inch. A
strange armoured Dragonair with Gyarados's gaping jaws
and razor sharp teeth barraged a Marowak with Dragon
Rage. A Butterfree emitted high-pitched sonar around
it, confusing the Pokemon including the strange
Dragonair/ Gyarados hybrid. It thrashed, crushing the
tinier Pokemon and sent Marc's Flaffy flying with a
crack of its tail.

"Flaaaafffy!" it bleated before fainting.

Marc hesitated between following me and helping
Flaffy.

"Don't stop! Recall it!" I yelled. Suddenly a
Scyther's blade whistled through the air missing me by
inches. It dispatched a Furret and wheeled towards me
blade extended.

I froze. It occurred to me later that your life
doesn't flash before your eyes it's too bloody quick
and all you can do is freeze and pull a stupid face. I
did just that, waiting for my last moment of
consciousness before my head rolled from my shoulders.

"Quil!" Fury barked, stars of light flying from it and
pelting the Scyther, driving it back step by step.

"Now finish it, Flame Wheel!" The fire whirled around
it like larger versions of Firespin. After a moment of
intense heat, the bug type fainted. I smiled with
relief, but at once noticed the blue Caterpie woven
silk band at it's ankle. It had only mistaken me for a
Rocket.

"Bloody hell!" But I couldn't wait around for the
Scyther, I urged Fury on, my eyes darting everywhere
for someplace they'd keep my Pokeballs.

1) They'd given it to some Rocket for suitable
service, or

2) Butch and Cassidy still had them.

After scanning the area, I saw no sign of Chilun,
Mystic or Aria. With a grunt of frustration, I locked
onto my target, a large, crudely mended hut, but
clearly stood out from the rest with its gaudy paint
and hangings. You'd think that by the age of thirty,
Butch and Cassidy would have some kind of dress sense,
but they didn't.

I rushed on, chasing Fury.

Then from the corner of my eye, a blur of purple and
blue energy careened towards me. I sidestepped, trying
to avoid the stray psychic attack. It caught me in my
abdomen, driving me backwards with a fiery thrust. I
could no longer keep my balance and toppled backwards,
the Psychic comet passing over my head. I twisted
trying to break my fall but pain clouding my senses.

No, wait. My senses were already clouded. I was
seeing triple and my hearing was flickering on and off
like Christmas lights. Three blurry Fury's appeared by
my shoulders whining softly. Then she merged as one
and was far away as was her voice. A moment later she
was tall as a house and her usually soft 'Quillll,"
was a droning ring. I tried to collect my fleeing
thoughts but the eluded me.

I went to suck in a lungful of air, instead they
cramped, making me gasp.

Fury began to howl as enemy Pokemon crowded around us.
A Geodude hurled a rock and I waited for impact, for I
was too weak to stop it.

Surprisingly it was knocked aside by an unseen force.
I cried out but a childish voice shushed me.

< Quiet> Beneath half closed lids I saw a petite
figure. She knelt beside me, and tried to lift my
shirt as I weakly pushed it aside. "Can't see, can't
breath!" I wheezed, try to communicate the urgency for
she couldn't have been older then ten.

the
childish voice echoed through my thoughts, the only
thing piercing the fog wrapped around my mind. A
slender hand passed over my eyes and with a shiver of
power, the fog receded. As it left me, the pain
sharpened and my throat constricted making it harder
to breath even harder to breath.

"Gawd!" I moaned.

I focused my eyes on my saviour, a tiny
10 year old girl, her dark burgundy with a long white
streak running the length of her abstract hairstyle.
What caught me most were her pale amethyst coloured
eyes that stared intensely at the wound.

fixed. Clair, watch my back.> The girl nodded at the
small black racoon with a layering purple mask.

it answered quickly in the same
resounding voice as his trainer. It waved its clawed
paws in intricate patterns. As he did this the world
outside turned darked as a pale grey bubble enveloped
us. As if proving the shield was there, a Spearow
dived from above and smacked into it, sliding down the
pane and slumped to the ground.

The bubble shimmered in and out of view but the
Clairvora's gestures grew larger and faster and the
screen was sustained.

Convinced her Pokemon could hold the force field, she
concentrated on the Psyburn across my stomach. I
lifted my head trying to see and cringed. It was one
thing to see it on someone else, but on myself was
enough to make me vomit what little I had to eat.

I swallowed hard as she prodded it. My abdomen was a
mass of red and white tissue and pus. My skin was
wrinkled as if I had stayed in the water too long.

she instructed. I'm going to have smooth out your skin. I'm afraid
it's going to be quite painful.>

My eye's bulged at the word painful and the corner of
her mouth curled at it's edges.