"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed, an ear rupturing shriek so
loud that Clairvora's shield failed for a moment while
he covered his ears. As a Rhyhorn charged at us, it's
massive stony feet thundering the ground, he realized
his task and weaved his paws in wide arcs. The force
field flashed into place at the last moment and the
Rhyhorn crashed into it with full force, knocking
itself unconscious .

"I thought you said three," I moaned. Fury licked my
cheek in comfort.

The girl looked at me matter-of-factly. have tensed on three now will you please be quiet, I
have to concentrate.> She cut off my questions with a
wave of her hand, startling me into silence. Her
fingertips glowed! They shone with the same pale
amethyst light as her eyes.

I winced as she pressed on the lesion, ignoring the
watery welts and pus, but was relieved by a cool
soothing strokes. She massaged and kneaded the burn
everywhere she touched brought solace.

After a moment, the purple cast faded from her
fingers. I blinked and sat up feeling my stomach. It
was gone! The scars were gone without a trace! The
skin was a little paler then the rest of my suntanned
skin, but none the worse.

I finally awoke from the amazing discovery to thank
the girl. She was exhausted. Her shoulders slumped,
her eyes drooped and the corners of her mouth were
tightly pinched. She looked older, not physically, but
spiritually.



I stood up, feeling none of the fatigue that had
plagued me earlier, though it was if the girl had
taken up that burden.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice filled with
wonderment.



It disturbed me how this young girl could seem so
wise, so all knowing.

I nodded and followed her,
the Clairvora bringing up the rear and supporting the
shield. Krystal and I moved easily through the battle,
an occasional foolish Pokemon would try to ram though
the Barrier but would only fall back with a headache,
but slowly.

Healing me had drained all of Krystal's energy and
needed me to lean on.

"Hey!" Marc raced towards us with a black eye and the
sleeve from his T-shirt missing. He tucked four
Pokeballs into his Rocket uniform and Charmeleon ran
at his side keeping off the attacking Rocket's at bay.


"Hey wait for…" I screwed my eyes shut and waited for
the…. "OMPH! Oww, my nosh!" I opened my eyes to see
him on his arse clutching his nose.

Krystal covered her eyes with one hand and
pointed with the other.

The Articolt! It was the Articolt Chilun had fought
the other night only now it took on a more sinister
form. It's lithe body moved easily through the squall,
sprinting the length of the quarry with its silvery
horn down and aimed at Marc.

"Quick, uh, Clair drop the shield, let him in!' I
cried desperately not wanting to see him skewered.

too long to reinforce the Barrier. Better, he die than
both of us.>

"Gawd no!" I croaked, knowing it was true.

Articolt was now only metres away. Marc just stared,
eyes wide, accepting his fate. I couldn't watch, yet I
couldn't look away. It loomed closer ready to stomp
him into oblivion.

WHOOSH
SWOOOP
SNAP

I released a thin cry as the Articorn's neck snapped
on impact and crumpled.

With a second glance, I saw, Marc and Charmeleon were
gone. I dropped Krystal from my shoulder and tossed my
head frantically.

"Heeelllppp meee!" I looked upwards for the source of
the voice. Marc's eyes were wide as he dangled by the
collar of his shirt, his long legs twitching. I held
back a giggle at his comical appearance. My eyes
strayed from him to Charmeleon hanging by his tail
being supported by Scott and his Flamed. It slashed
angrily and spat fireballs at the flying types that
pecked him mercilessly.

I looked further and stared in wonder. A dazzling
winged Rapidash soared gracefully; her flaming wings
creating a cushion of air to rest on. Her pelt was a
golden lustre, flickering rainbow hues as it caught
and reflected the light ten-fold.

Scott said something to her passenger and both came in
for a soft landing, depositing Marc and Charmeleon at
the base of the bubble.

The Zefire's wings furled to her sides revealing her
rider.

"Moon!"

"Topaz! I wish I could say you look great but, well…"
She was right, half bald was not a good look for me.
As if to flaunt her own full head of hair, she flicked
the wavy lilac curls over her shoulder. "Sorry," she
apologised, realizing what she was doing.

I shrugged. "No worries."

Krystal's Clairvora released a series of clicking
'Clair clair's' directed at Krystal. She nodded and
the shield dropped.

she demanded. Moon and Scott shooed
the two powerful fire types into the assault and
stepped over the dead Articorn, their eyes staring
elsewhere. Moon shuddered, approaching with a
regretful gaze.


Krystal said mentally. she shouted. After a
moment the space beside her began to shimmer. We all
shifted and it emerged entirely.

the Girafarig brayed. He stomped his
cloven hooves impatiently, wanting to return to the
battle. > Giran snorted but agreed. Clair chirped and
clambered onto his head, avoiding the snapping jaws of
its tail and grabbed the knobs on is head. Static
volts of black sparked between them, adding their
strength to shield, turning it to a pale cream.

We lifted Krystal gently onto Giran's back and moved
forward at a quicker pace. Scott and Moon watched
through the bubble apprehensively. Moon would yelp
each time she saw one of her Pokemon take a hit, then
cheer as they took out their opponent. Scott would
react similarly, but less enthusiastically, growling
and smiling to himself as he regarded his strange half
and half Pokemon Super Pokemon or Mutemon as I called
them.

Some ranged from queer hybrid Pokemon like Flamed or
some were originals with interpolated characteristics
such as SkyHigh and it's Fire attacks. Others were
totally new and had no comparison. Two he kept his eye
on particularly, Orb, a pearly white sphere that was a
Voltorb with Eevee DNA allowing it to evolve into
different Pokemon with the use of a different Gem, and
a bizarre Mutemon he called Spider Master, a large
humanoid black spider with silvery webbing patterns
tracing it's body. It waved it's fine-fingered arms
dispatching it's opponents with ease.

After counting Scott's Pokemon, he had more then the
Southern Leagues allowed, at least seven. He explained
that although Super Pokemon have high attack, they
have low HP. So they permitted the use of eight. It
was true that they could defeat a Pokemon easily but
had trouble defending themselves.

That was another thing we had going for us. Despite
being out numbered, Team Rocket's Pokemon were poorly
trained. But the tiny attacks were adding up and soon
would be overwhelmed. A Pokemon would faint and we'd
be forced to expose ourselves for a moment. Those
moments were critical and many times the barrier was
established just in time.

At one point, a Sneezle broke the barrier as Dark
types were unaffected. It lunged at Krystal, still
weak from healing me, on Giran's back. Only Marc's
quick reflexes, pushing her off, and a willingness to
take the hit himself, saved her from being chopped
liver. So, instead of severing Krystal's head from her
shoulders with its wicked claws it carved a deep gash
from his shoulder to his elbow.

Marc's Charmeleon smashed it across the face with it's
Fire Claw and the ice type went down with little
trouble. In fact, we had to restrain Charmeleon from
turning it into a well-done steak.

He carried it bravely, as Krystal was still tired and
her power reserves were drying up. The wound was bound
tightly and he didn't even cry out as Moon gave the
wrap a final tug. I admit, I was starting to admire
him for his courage and altruism.
I turned back to the task at hand and coaxed us on
again. We finally stood before the hut and Krystal
gave it a quick mind wave and finding no life forms
inside except the Pokemon it their Pokeballs.

"I got it from here guys," I muttered grimly, feeling
the bubble for a way out. A hand settled on my
shoulder. I turned and looked up at Marc. His face
beaded with sweat, his brow furrowed and his arm
dragged uselessly at his side. In fact, as I looked
closer, he swayed slightly from side to side. When I
glanced at his makeshift bindings, he seeped blood."You'll need someone to watch your back." Despite his
blood loss, his voice was still strong.

"I don't need a cripple watching my back," I said
snidely, looking pointedly at his arm.

Krystal slide form Giran's back. "Then I'll come too,"
she murmured woozily. She swayed like a drunk coming
home at three in the morning.

"Even better, two for the price of one," I sneered
derisively.

"We'll all go." Scott looked at me with disapproval.
"Laurie and our Pokemon have us covered out here.
She's a more than capable trainer." He closed the
matter with a tap on Giran's wither. He was rewarded
with a nip from the other head. Scott scowled at it
but moved Moon and I forward at the nape of our neck.

"Fine!" I stalked to the edge of the shield and waited
for the Psychic Pokemon to disengage the Barrier.

As I stepped out a gust of fresh air caught me in the
face, refreshing me tremendously. I breathed deeply
and an evil smile spread across my face. I was free!
It was stupid to stall like this in the open but I
enjoyed stretching my limbs without the guard
threatening to blow my head off.

I stood in front of the door and pressed against it
firmly. It didn't budge. Marc got up ready to help but
I held my hand up with a casual air. I took a step
back, judging the distance and strength I might need.
I moved into Kamai as Sumalee had taught me before
coming into this gawd forsaken hole, left foot forward
and the other back on the ball of the foot.

Without warning, in one swift fluid movement I brought
my left knee to my chest and jumped into the air
lashing out with my right foot, driving it hard into
the door with all the pent up rage and frustration I'd
been hoarding for the past week and over.

"KIAAAIII!"

The door shuddered on its hinges, creaking loudly
while I, unable to get my feet beneath me fast enough
landed on my arse.

I quickly got up, trying to regain some dignity, and
rapped the door lightly expecting it to topple off its
hinges, nothing. I tried a firmer push but still
nothing. Soon I was straining against the door,
cursing and swearing as the onslaught raged on around
us. I pounded on the door, then fell back glaring at
it.

Moon tapped me on the shoulder, ready to try her luck
on the stubborn door. She studied it placidly for a
moment and then bent down pulling one of those hook
things out off the ground and twisted the handle. It
swung open with a creak. She shrugged and stepped
inside with the others and the Pokemon following, not
giving me a second glance.

I stalked after them and as I passed the door, I gave
it a solid kick. The door broke and crashed to the
ground. I gapped at it incredulous,

"Stupid door! Flame it Fury!" I muttered angrily. Fury
growled and the door burst into flames. She must have
been practising her Tamed Flame Technique.

Feeling a little better, I opened the tawdry curtains
and looked out at the still seething battle. Our team
wasn't losing, but it wasn't winning either. I let the
light flood in and set to work searching for the
Pokeballs.

It was annoying cos the room was shelved with, TV's,
refrigerators, stamp collection, plush toys and china
sets. It seemed that Butch and Cassedy had no idea
what was meant by, 'rough it'.

"Ooooh! A cookie jar!" I lifted the lid, pulled out
two or three, and shoved them in my mouth, chewing
loudly. Oh man, it was sheer heaven. You try living
for more than a week on mouldy bread and then eat a
triple choc cookie. You would have traded your soul
for it.

"Mmmm."

"You're meant to be looking for your Pokemon," Scott
said irritated, looking down at me.

"I umpph shheee." I grinned, giving him a good look at
the partially chewed bickey.

He flicked some of the crumbs I spat at him of his
Tshirt. "What?" he asked disgusted.

I swallowed. "I am, see. Their not here." I produced
the now empty cookie jar. Scott rolled his eyes. I
shrugged and put it back, moving down the shelf,
checking in and around each item.



]

I put the porcelain doll back on its shelf and crossed
the distance between Krystal and I in a second. I
snatched my red Pokeballs from her and looked at them.
Four were full, Chilun, Mystic, Aria and Bolt. "I
attached them to my clips and looked mournfully at the
fifth.

Apollo.

He'd leapt in front of a bullet, saving me from
Tobias's itchy trigger finger. I sighed sadly, my eyes
tearing a little and attached it too.

"Cal's?"

"Yeah their here too." Moon held up the six normal red
and white Pokeballs with a C engraved above the
release button. Three full, three empty. Wartortle,
Vaporeon and Typhoon had survived the deadly battle,
Politoed, Quagsire and Golduck had sacrificed
themselves too save Celebi.

My mind saw Golduck's last heroic deed, protecting
Sumalee but neglecting his own safety. Disappearing in
a wave of Solar energy with a silent cry etched upon
his beak.

His sacrifice had been for nothing, Sumalee and her
Pokemon still died. Druean, Butterfree, Firelion,
Gehib, Shahman and…

"Maverick! He's still out there. I gotta find him…"

"Not so fast," a voice purred. I spun on the ball of
my foot to see Butch and Cassedy guarding the door.

"There's five of us, two of you. There's no bet on
who'll win," Marc scoffed.

"Then we'll even the odds," Butch murmured slyly.
"Mewthree…"

"Shit! Everyone under the shield now!" I yelled,
snatching Marc's undamaged arm and jerked him closer
to Giran and Clair, who frantically tried to
re-establish the shield. The other three rushed from
the other sides of the room for the Psychic Pokemon
with confused and bewildered looks across their faces.
They hadn't seen it's awesome power, they hadn't
witnessed the destruction it could cause, they hadn't
seen their best friend go up in smoke, all with a
thought…..

The screen was almost up and Mewthree had almost
reform its molecular structure.

I sucked in a sharp breath. Fury was outside the
Barrier! She hissed and spat, flames healing furiously
around her in a sultry aura. Her eyes blazed with
their own luminous light, with such hatred it became a
tangible thing in the shadows.

The shield was almost complete, closing at the bottom.
I swore and dived through the cleft underneath it,
gaining myself a long red gravel burn down my thighs.
I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the stinging.

"Fury! I screamed. A spasm shook he body, her eyes
widened, a look of pure shock and fear. I had seen
that look a few times before when I had accidentally
waked my brother Scott from sleepwalking. The flames
were immediately quenched and I took that moment to
snatch her.

Mewthree flashed into being, instantaneously hurling a
smouldering Psybeam of pulsating colours at the poor
defenceless girl holding a Quilava in the middle of
the floor. For the second time that day, I waited to
die. I screwed my face as if I'd been sucking a lemon
and waited. Time slowed to a crawl as the beam inched
closer and closer.

I suddenly felt an invisible and hand grasp my waist
and toss me aside. I crashed hard into a shelf. The
china set it held toppled from their frames smashing
into a thousand pieces as they crashed onto me, Their
fragments pelted my body as I cowered keeping Fury and
myself safe. Tiny slivers of porcelain wedged under my
skin and rubbed against raw flesh.

The rain of ceramic, came to a standstill and I
carefully opened my eyes. A huge crater stood where I
had been moments before I felt Krystal's psychic grip.
I shut my eyes again, finding it hard to breath,
thinking I could have been there. I could have died,
just like…

Even behind my lids I could see the wild whirling of
colours flashing through the room I swallowed hard and
looked about the room through slitted eyes. Mewthree
stood, his squat body highlighted in front of Butch
and Cassedy. Cassedy screamed but it was muted in the
throb, throb, throbbing of the Psychic energy filling
the room. Mewsthree's arms were thrown outward palms
forward venting a crackling bolt of ebony.

At the receiving end of the attack were my rescuers,
trapped inside the weakening Barrier. Moon was
confused, not knowing what to do but still bravely
comforting Clair and Giran straining to hold the
screen.

Scott stood behind Krystal, his hands on her
shoulders, supporting her dwindling power, his face
set in an unreadable statement, nodding at what Marc
was screaming.

Marc was livid. His face twisted in and ugly statement
of loathing. He jabbed an accusing finger at Mewthree.
His mouth opened and closed as I tried to read them
through the exotic hues. All I could understand was
the string of insanities the punctuated more than half
of what he said.

All in the middle of this was Krystal, her body alive
with purple light. Her pose mimicked Mewthree's, legs
wide, arms forward, labouring against the supreme
force smothering her. Tears streamed down her face,
ready to collapse from utter exhaustion and pain. Sobs
wracked her body as Scott held her steady, encouraging
her to keep going.

Her telepathy penetrated my thoughts scattering them
like ash on the wind.



The air wavered like a road on a scorching day. One by
one, each came into being. Espeon, her own lavender
hazes merging with crystals, bracing her trainer. An
Alakazam teleported to her other side. His spoons
symbolizing his power, adding to that to the other
four. Venomoth fluttered above her head, his eyes
shining a white light. Every flap of his purple wings
sent a twinkling dust that clung to the Barrier dying
it in purple speckles. Last but not least, a Togetic
flicked into view wagging her delicate glowing fingers
back and forth in time with the beating of her wings.
Her Girafarig twisted under her arm, nuzzling closer
while her Clairvora skittered up her waist and onto
her shoulder.

When the last of her Pokemon came into contact,
Krystal's power exploded outward, bathing the room in
violent purple tones.

Even I could no longer maintain the illusion of being
dead and curled into a ball trying to hide mine and
Fury's eyes from the almost blinding light.

At the blast of telekinetic energy, Mewthree was
thrown to the floor, struggling to stand under the
combined power of Krystal and her Pokemon. But slowly
yet surely managed to gain his feet once again. I
could still plainly see he bore the weight of the
oppression heavily.

Mewthree, struggling, pushed it arms outwards with his
balled fingers flared his wrist together like some
kind of deformed flower.



It drew its arms back, wrists still together.



I tiny black haze shoe, but Mewthree's body prevented
me from seeing what he was hiding. I glanced at
Krystal, her eye's were wide in horror.

Mewthree pushed his arms out, revealing a
black sphere swelling between the 'flower petals.' It
erupted into a shaft of the Kamahamayha, an ultimate
attack. It collided with the barrier shattering it
like glass, chiming like tiny bells as they hit the
floor.

"Mystic Spiral!" I voice screamed. A helix of black
and purple swirled around me, imbuing me so that I was
no longer tired or in pain. My skin healed over the
bleeding shards of glass imbedded in my skin. It
didn't hurt now but I would have to remove each sliver
later.

The attack had the exact opposite effect o Mewthree.
It writhed in agony, the Psychic energy neutralising
it and the dark energy encasing him, drawing his
lifeblood.

"Quick! Todd and Richie can't do this for much
longer!" a soft voice called, but the urgency in her
voice compelled us to obey. From the centre of the
warp stepped a tall thin girl. Pale blue hair fell to
her ears in a curt little bob while her eyes darted
left and right, unsure of what to do next. Then, an
Espeon, and Umbreon leapt to stand on either side of
her, exuding their ambiance into the swirling vortex
holding Mewthree trapped.

Despite their best efforts, their was no way they'd be
able to keep it up. Umbreon's ears hung loosely by
it's face and Espeon seated profusely, chest heaving.

Krystal took the hint and, her lilac glow increased
tenfold until I couldn't look at her directly.

she yelled over the hum of the Mystic
Spiral. With a sudden flash, the world disappeared and
in the blink of an eye it reformed again outside.

As I opened my eyes for a moment, and huge explosion
rent the hut into a thousand pieces, scattering them
across the quarry.

I blinked away the dots and got up, shaking off the
loose shards of glass and stroked Fury. "Good, your
awake."

"Quilllll," she moaned but twisted from my arms and
onto the ground. She yipped, her flames igniting again
and shook herself vigorously.

Moon ran up behind me, her Glaceon at her side. "We
have to get out of here!" she blurted, tugging at a
shredded sleeve. "Thundar has spotted more Rockets
coming"

"Thundar? More Rockets?" I thought back, Marc had said
something about reinforcements coming. "Look, I can't
leave without Maverick or Celebi," I said firmly,
shaking her off. "You get out of here, I'll make it."

"Don't you see?! The reason we made this raid was to
save you. If you don't make it, it'll be a total
waste. Laurie has already lost one of her Pokemon and
so has Kay and Scott. GET OUT NOW!" She finished red
faced and still keeping her eyes on the trees.

"I can't leave," I answered insistently and turned my
back on her, running for the cages. When I got there,
I looked in the cages, a sick, sad, Pokemon trapped in
each, yapping, whining, squealing, squawking, roaring
for help. I regretfully past each one until I found a
sad little Totodile. His pebbly blue skin was pale and
gaunt, like he hadn't eaten for days.

"Come on Maverick, it's Topaz."

His eyes lit up at the sound of my voice.
"Tototototototo! He squawked gleefully, looking
frantically to see if his trainer was behind me. I
sighed and took his cage down, inspecting it closely.
Three sides were steel bars and Marc was right. It
seemed to be fire proof. The back was a steel plate
and had the same slick feel as the bars. After a
moment, I grinned. I didn't have to melt it, just heat
it.

"I choose you, Mystic, Chilun and Aria!" Each appeared
in a twinkle of red light, looking tired and weak. But
as they saw me, I'm touched to say. They were suffused
with new life and hope. Mystic clung to my leg, Aria
trilled joyfully and Chilun nuzzled my cheek.

"Not now," I snapped but couldn't help smiling.
"Mystic, Chilun, watch our back. Aria, over here." I
turned the cage so the back of the cage faced Fury and
Aria. "Fury, Flamethrower. Fury gushed forth a flood
of flame directed at the steel plate. I heard Maverick
whimper inside. After a short time, the plate glowed
red hot.

"Aria, douse it!" Aria cooed and aimed her own blast
of icy water at it. The water hissed and spat as it
touched the scorching metal, steam billowing into the
air. I thought briefly that maybe the steam would
attract the attention of an Officer Jenny in the
Azalea or the next town, but turned it aside when I
remembered trainers continually past through here,
lighting their camp fires.

"Aria hold it, again Fury." We repeated the process
many times until even I could hear the creaking of the
metal straining against the fluxing expanding and
contracting.

"OK Maverick, your turn, Scratch it." Maverick
tittered excitedly and went to work at the backing. A
loud screeching like fingernails on a black board
sounded and the metal was sliced from top to bottom. I
tiny blue claw poking through. With another grating
slash, the back fell out and Maverick leapt into my
arms with a jubilant "Diiiiiiiillllle!"

A low growl rumbled in the back of Fury's throat. I
could practically hear her brooding, "Oh sure, carry
him.

"Don't get jealous," I chided. "I've a special mission
for you."

Her ears pricked, but then lay down again in
suspicion, eyeing our retreating team. "I need you to
guide the rest of my Pokemon to Moon's camp. Don't
give me that look, you're the strongest on my team and
I'm relying on you to defend them." Chilun and Mystic
protested at the indignation loudly, shooting dark
looks at her between Icebeams and Niteshades. Fury
ignored them and looked at me with eyes that clearly
said "What about you?"

"I," I paused. "I have to find Tobias." Fury growled
again. "Come on Mave's counting on you."

I sat Maverick down and he threw his arms around her
with a happy squawk. With a defeated whine, she shot
me a cross between, "This is your fault," and "I
don't want to lose you again." She loosed a warlike
howl and she dashed head long into the fray with
Chilun prancing beside her, Mystic on his back and
firing parting shots at the enemy, Aria soaring above,
darting between aerial tackles while shouldering an
excited Maverick bouncing between her wings. Less then
a moment later, they had disappeared into the trees.

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