I tore my gaze away from the fleeting forms and
concentrated on the wild scheme I was about to
attempt. The compound was still in chaos and they
wouldn't notice me. I bent down and checked the pulse
of a fallen Grunt. I breathed a sigh of relief that he
was just unconscious and not dead. For a fourteen year
old, I had seen to much death. I pulled of his shirt
and hat, hoping I looked the part of a Rocket.

I hurried head down and cap pulled low over my eyes,
towards Mewthree's stump. If I were really lucky, it
would still be incapacitated by Laurie's Mystic
Spiral, if not, it'd be ready and rearing to kill.
Unhindered by stepping over dead or fainted Pokemon, I
was on a beeline straight for it.

I crouched behind the remnants of Butch and Cassidy's
hut, ignoring the charred and burnt up roof. I picked
up three small round stones and flitted to a nearer
piece of debree. I peeked over the top, but quickly
ducked down again, keeping the image in my mind,
judging distance and trajectory. I pulled out the
quickly put together shangai. The elastic from a
Rockets underpants was too tight for my liking. It
would give the stone the speed but the accuracy would
be comprised.

I slipped a stone into the catch and pulled it back,
ready to let go at a moment.

With my back to the wood, I took a deep breath and
snapped up, let go of the catch and snapped down
again. I held my breath, waiting to hear if I'd hit my
target. A loud bellow of rage battered my eardrums. A
thin smile crept across my face. I took another deep
breath and skittered through the remains trying to
avoid attention until I was in a more favourable
position.

Again I put my back to what had been that stubborn
door and peeked again. Mewthree was using the last of
his exhausted energy trying to calm down Sunsear. The
radiance swung his head towards me and I glimpsed a
red raw eye with throbbing veins. The stone had hit
it's mark, now for the second.

I slipped another rock into the catch. I bobbed up,
took careful aim and fired the stone, bobbing down
again. A second tumultuous roar split the clearing. I
peeked again. Mewthree was just able to hold the
golden dragon in check, though his wings and tail
still thrashed savagely. From beneath a tightly closed
eyelid seeped red.

I winced. Sunsear my have been in the enemies control
but I still didn't like seeing him in pain.

Suddenly from the corner of my eye I saw a flash of
gold snap and fly at me. I swore as his well-muscled
tail careened towards me. I leapt into the air hoping
it would pass under me but I hadn't jumped high enough
and it snagged my foot. I toppled head over heel,
tucking my head into my shoulder and rolled into a
squat.

Knowing I had lost my surprise, I slipped the last
stone into the catch, pulled the elastic back as far
as it would go and loosed the stone. It hurtled
through the air, missing the tender sinew between his
nose, but inside the right nostril. It still did its
work, enraging the gold dragon beyond control.

Mewthree was doing his best to restrain him but was
fighting a loosing battle. In order to tighten his
hold on one of the most powerful Pokemon in the world,
he loosened his grip on Celebi. The bubble holding
Celebi turned a shade less foul so that I could see
his gossamer wings flapping steadily.

I sprung forward, sliding under the high swinging tail
and quickly coming to my feet. I shot a quick glance
at the stump. Mewthree was gone!

I swang my head around frantically looking for the
real threat. After a moment, I spotted it. Mewthree
had latched himself onto Sunsear's head. Mewthree's
aura expanded to envelope the violently tossing head
in an effort to subdue him.

Sunsear calmed down, but not enough so that Mewthree
could safely relinquish its hold on him. It made it
easier to avoid flailing limbs but already Rockets
were noticing the strange Rocket girl running between
the rare Pokemon's whiplash tail.

I successfully jumped the tail a second time and came
within range of Celebi's bubble. Inside I could see
almost all of his glimmering body.

I dipped into my ebbing reservoir of strength and put
on a burst of speed, leaping and snatching Celebi from
the air. I landed heavily and flew for the trees,
praying I could make it.

It seemed I was denied my anticipation. Rockets cut my
path in front and were closing in behind. I cursed
and sheered left. Five or six Rockets gave chase and I
changed direction again. I was already turning slowly
as they sought to herd me back to their main strength.
Only a fool would have kept to that route. I wheeled
right, hope against hope I could break their ring.

But suddenly they came to their senses and used their
Pokemon.

"Socury, Dragon Breath." A nimble Velours Raptor like
Pokemon breathed out, the cloud wrapping around me.

I held my breath, struggling not to inhale as I ran
blindly. I knew that should I breath in, I would
become paralysed. I could no longer hold it and
gasped, sucking in the toxic gas.

My muscled rapidly cramped and became taunt, seizing
up. I couldn't move and with my weight thrown forward
I toppled to the ground I couldn't bring up my arms to
brace my fall. The only thing I could do was edge my
weight slightly to one side and fall onto my shoulder,
sending shockwaves down my arm and back up.

Luckily I still tightly gripped Celebi between my
fingers. Numerous Rockets were beginning to close
around me. A pain ripped across my back. I rolled my
eyeballs as far as I could and caught a wisp of red
hair.

Tobias.

Terror surged through me as I remembered my first
deadly encounter. I wished to me able to screw my eyes
tightly shut, to blink him away. Every time we met
brought pain, only on his behalf.

"You just don't learn do you, you little dog." He
kicked me again, a whimper escaping my frozen lips.

"Enough Tobias, we still need her," a cool calculating
voice commanded and pushed though the throng to stand
above me. "Give me Celebi Topaz," Angel said coolly,
holding out his hand.

"You idiot! I can't even let go of him. And even if I
could you'd have to pry him from my cold dead
fingers!" I snarled, or at least tried to. What it
came out as was, "Oo iyoh! I ca eyon oh oh hing. Und
eyen eh I hoo, hoohi hie hoh I ol eh ingeh!"

Angel must have got the idea because he replied
smugly. "If need be Topaz, if need be."

He plucked a Pokeball off his belt and pressed the
release button. After a moment it manifested into
Ivysaur.

"Saur saur!" she greeted, wrapping a vine around
Angels ankle affectionately. Angel bent down,
scratching her behind the ear. Do you still have the
PRZCURE Berry, Saura?"

"She nodded enthusiastically and used her vines to
withdraw a small purple berry from the blossoming bud
on her back, handing it to him. Angel smiled at the
Ivysaur then turned back to me. He gave me a friendly
encouraging smile, which was never a welcome sight,
before shoving the berry into the back of my throat,
forcing me to swallow.

The berry fought all the way down and had I been able
to I would have collapsed in a coughing fit. I felt
the juice trickle down my throat and my limbs began to
loosen slowly. Despite the discomfort, I regretted the
paralysis passing. It meant that he could easily take
the now crystal-clear Celebi bubble.

My fingers began to twitch as they uncramped an as
soon as Angel noticed he snatched Celebi from my
grasp, caring little for their stiffness. I groaned. I
groaned and tried to move my limbs. Useless.

Before I could move fully, Angel snapped to Tobias,
"She's yours to dispose of now," his face twitched,
remembering. "Make it painful."

"With pleasure," Tobias grinned, a mirror image of
Angels. Angel and the crowed of Rockets dispersed,
knowing that the big buffy bloke like him could easily
take on the whimpering little messed up kid in front
of him.

"Stop bawling!" he spat, searching the ground. "Here!
Now you'll be sorry you messed with me!" He swung
around, a stick whistling through the air as I
cowered, wait to feel its bite.

A black and gold blur hurtled through the air,
snatching the stick an inch from my face, landed and
wretched it from Tobias's grasp. The Umbreon bared his
teeth, snarling viciously. Its ears laid back
quivered in anticipation of ripping off one of
Tobias's arms.

"Why you little!" Tobias roared, taking a step forward
to smash Umbreon, when a bolt of lightning seared
through the air, striking the spot between his feet.
Tobias froze, confusion and panic evident on his face.
He then saw the Jolteon, growling with a malicious
grin that said, "I could fry you in an instant."

Tobias gaze flicked from one to the other then made a
made lunge for Umbreon. He darted away behind him and
pounced on his leg, tearing away the fabric and
crunched into the bare flesh, sinking his teeth in.
Tobias screamed.

I felt a stab of panic. The Rockets would have heard
it a mile away. Sure enough, the first were already
skidding from behind, eyes locking onto me.

The first threw himself at me, hands held out as if to
strangle me, I could only watch.

The grunt froze in midair, stuck straight out as an
arrow. His face was smeared like he'd been chasing
parked cars. I watched curiously and saw a glimmering
in the air, a barrier. I twisted painfully, searching
for it's source.

Then, behind me I saw an Espeon and Xatu easily
maintaining a shield. From behind them stepped a boy
from the shadows. He paused murmuring to his Psychics,
then turning to me.

"Come on," he said softly beckoning.

My reply came as a mix of garbled words, I was still
paralysed. The boy's brow creased and said something
to the Espeon.

She mewled and then her aura grew around her in my
mind I could here the faint beating of Wings. After a
moment, her aura rejoined Xatu's to reinforce the
barrier. A variety of Rocket Pokemon leapt at it only
to be thrown back several meters like and electric
jolt.

Speaking of electricity, Jolteon had ensnared Tobias
in a Thunderwave while Umbreon still licked his maw
with a malicious parody of a grin.

A Flareon and Vaporeon had materialized from thin air.
The Vaporeon surveyed these on the other side calmly,
her eyes betraying her thoughts as they shimmered from
a cobalt blue to a stormy grey and back again. Her
mermaid tail snaked the ground restlessly.

The Flareon was quite the opposite. He poked his
tongue, yipping what could only be insults and wagging
his long fluffy tail in their faces. The opposing
Pokemon were rabid hurling themselves at the Barrier,
tossed them into the air and running at Flareon again
while he was in fits of laughter.

Meanwhile the boy had slide down from the trees to
stand beside me. He took my arm over his shoulder. A
loud snap crackled as my back straightened and I
winced.

I tilted my head trying to get a better look at him.
He was tall, so tall that only the tips of my toes
touched the ground. Shaggy, golden hair draped his
head, almost hiding his startling blue eyes that
looked like chips of ice.

14, maybe 15, I thought to myself.

"13 actually," he murmured.

"Shit another one!" I croaked, regaining the power of
speech. The boy sat me down gently onto the steep of
the hill, looking mareepish.

"Sorry, I'm used to people guarding their thoughts
while I'm around. Don't worry Kay will be here soon

I nodded, but still prudent. I kept my thoughts
jumbled so that he couldn't make heads or tails of
them. He seemed to relax and millimetre at that.

Without warning, another Umbreon pierced the shield
taking the boys Umbreon by the throat. The two rolled
on the ground, a whirlwind of black and gold. None of
the other Eeveelutions could do anything for fear of
hitting their friend.

Then a Houndoom dove at Flareon while a Houndour
followed suit, tackling Vaporeon head on.

Four more dark types cleared the shield, each taking
its opponents to the ground. The boy shouted orders
left and right like a drill Sargent while his followed
to the mark and managed to gain the upper hand until
another dark type engage too.

We were steadily being over powered. I feverishly
wished I hadn't sent Fury away and force myself onto
rickety feet, the boy steadying me. A Quarrior,
evolved Quarral, darted at us but Espeon edged it
backwards with a series of slashes and bites.

An tremendous boom rocked our ears overhead pursued by
a black streak. The streak spiralled down, passing
through the Barrier with little difficulty. It halted
in midair with a pump of his expanded wings knocking
everyone to the ground with a wave of pressurised air.


On the Black Dragonite's back, Kay screamed, her cries
being lost in the storm of Dragonites wings, motioning
wildly to get on. The boy recalled Flareon and Espeon
and Xatu, his only unfainted Pokemon and climbed
behind her.

I moaned pushing myself up, slowly and painfully,
pulling up beside them. Kay whistled loudly and the
sonic boom roared again as we explode upwards. Already
exhausted and my head spinning, I lapsed into
blackness.I opened a groggy eyelid, expecting to be greeted by
cold, hard, steel bars. Instead, I was tucked deep
inside a warm sleeping bag. Opening the other, I saw
it wasn't mine and the events of the past fortnight
had been real and not some loathsome dream.

Rolling over I felt the weight shift and a small yelp.
Fury's head scooted around the hood and grinned at me
happily.

"Quill!" she chirped. When I looked puzzled, she gave
up on trying to get me to understand and jumped inside
the sleeping bag, snuggling against me. Despite being
a while past midday, I fell back asleep.



I coughed, dragging in a breath. I spat out a mouthful
of fur and pushed Fury away.

"Bloody oath, I'm not that hungry." But in truth, I
was ravenous. My stomach rumbled and Fury growled back
as if it were a threat. I rolled my eyes and propped
myself up on my elbows. The sun had just slipped
beyond the horizon and I realised the last fading
strains of the mysterious song.

Now motivated I sat up, crawling from the sleeping bag
and looked around. A chilly breeze blew around me so I
rubbed my bare arms vigorously, trying to warm myself
and get the blood flowing. My uniform was almost
Suddenly brown and totally shredded, I didn't even try
to pull the tattered remains of my shirt over my small
pot belly.

Fathers daughter, I smiled fondly remembering him in
his blue shearers singlets, stubby shorts with a beer
in one had and his other turning the steaks on the
barbeque.

With a wistful sigh, I searched the area. A small
orange light flickered a little way through the trees
. High above I saw Cooee shadowed form. The orange
glow played with the glossy sheen of his feathers.
Even though it was dark I could still see his raging
read eyes boring into me. When I returned his stern
gaze he fluffed his feathers and launched into the air
towards the fire, his exquisite plumes trailing after
him.

I blew my fuzzy fringe out of my eyes and jogged after
him. Ironically, my fringe had survived and conquered
the ravages of captivity while my thick raven blue
hair, which I often prided myself on in spite of it's
constant knots and split ends, hadn't.

Each of the Rescue Force sat drawn and grim on long
wooden logs around the warm glow of the campfire,
speaking softly with each other. Echotrance's huge but
delicate form nestled in the treetops with Cooee
beside her.

Scott was at the head of the procession, his head down
and face sober. "I thought I told you to stay at camp
Jake. What would have happened had we not come back
and you gotten yourself killed? We all would have been
screwed." His hands between his knees held loosely. As
he rolled his hands, I saw two Pokeballs. Two empty
Pokeballs. He palmed them like a couple of tress
marbles, staring at them blankly.

"What was he supposed to do?" Laurie spoke up. She
lifted her head, her pale blue hair fell around her
ears. He eyes were red and I could see they shone with
barely contained tears. "Jake only did what he though
was right. If he hadn't Topaz would be dead."

Jake nodded. "Her mind was weak, she already was
dieing and those glass shards worked their way into
her blood stream. It took a long time to get them out.
I guess she was lucky se was unconscious."

I looked at my legs sure enough they were dotted with
long red marks and broken skin.

"I should have taken my chance and killed the lot of
them!" Kay spat out them as if she didn't want the
word on her tongue. Unlike the others grim mood, she
was avid. He long ivy hair swirled as she gestured.
Her face was contorted in ugly hate. In her hand was
also an empty Pokeball but she clutched hers tightly,
her knuckles white.

"You've got to have seen what we've been through,
Topaz especially." My jaw dropped open. It was Cal. He
spoke calmly looking into the fire for answers. The
flames danced inside his ebony pupils. Gone was the
fog that had clouded them for a week or more to be
replaced by an assured crystal clear azure.

"Tobias has given her hell from the beginning of her
journey. He believes it could only be resolved by," he
paused thinking, stroking Maverick at his side. "By
physical means. Just before entering Ilex, he
confronted us again and challenged us to a battle.
When he lost, he threw an Everstone at Fury and
Maverick. Mave didn't care but Fury was distraught and
put a lot of pressure on Topaz. Just when we weren't
ready for it, we got involved in this, this, this
war!"

His eyes glazed over, recalling the fateful night what
seemed like eons ago and yet only last night.
"Darkness, chaos, the smell of burning flesh, and
blood. Everywhere, you could see it, smell it, feel
it. You couldn't avoid it, everywhere." He shuddered,
picking at some clean clothes someone had loaned him,
as if looking for bloodstains.

"She helped me over and over again that night. And
then, even I heard it, stuffed in a hollow of rocks
Topaz had stuffed me into to keep me safe from my own
stupidity. Sumalee, my Golduck. Oh god, their screams.
And she watched Sumalee just as she watched her
Pidgeot and Houndoom die."

I listen entrance, recalling every excruciating second
as the Solar flare careened it Sumalee. It screamed
through the air, its high-pitched whine mingling with
Sumalee's and mine.
Her eyes were wide. Her mouth was wide. Her black and
red streaked hair streamed behind her. Never in my
life had a Seen or felt such fear or terror. Then it
flooded over her, uncaring, unmerciful.
"No…" I whispered to myself, among the shadows of the
trees. I shook all over and I felt my face flushed and
sweaty. Fury put her paw against my leg. I looked down
at her, startle from my visions.
"Are you OK?" she quilled, though I couldn't be sure
she said it. I nodded and returned my attention to
Cal. He had recovered himself and continued.
"You wouldn't believe the outrages things she said to
the Rockets. I may have been in my own little world,
but I could still hear and see things. I know she
sports a set of scars from the time she told a guard
where to shove is whip and then knocked him
unconscious with a stone. I admire her very much." I
felt a warm fuzzy glow all over. "Even though she's
the most stubborn, sarcastic, and pessimistic person
I've ever met." That screwed it. I didn't know whether
to punch him or leave him be. "I bet tonight she
proved herself a hundred times over."
The Rescue Force nodded, some grudgingly others
eagerly. The glow returned. Flattery works wonders.
(Note to Readers: HINT HINT) I saw Jake twist and look
in my direction. I shrugged and stepped into view.
They all turned and stared at me with new respect. I
shifted uncomfortably.
"Come sit down, Topaz." Scott said, with a knowing
glance. I sat down between Krystal, Fury at my side
and Laurie handed me a bowl of stew that I gulped down
greedily. "I guess now that you're here we can get
down to business, how do we free Celebi?"
"Uhuh" Marc said folding his arms. "I thin the real
question her is do we free Celebi? Why should we risk
our gorgeous necks for that little pipsqueak?"
"Because the fate of the world is at risk," called
Echotrance from her roost. She fluffed her feathers
and gave him a dirty look.
"So? I say we get the hell out of here and sell the
rights to Steven Speilbunk. Make a fortune and die
comfortable when the end of the world comes."
"Selfish pig!" Cal swore. "It's you who got us into
this mess in the first place!"
"Hey!" Marc yelled. "I'm just looking out for the most
important one in my world, me."
"All you Rockets are cowards! You lie, you steal, you
murder!" Cal shouted.
"Come say it to my face!" Marc shouted back, smirking.
Cal roared, leaping to his feet ready to throw himself
at Marc, fists flying. Quick on his feet, Scott was
already standing between them, holding them apart. Cal
struggled to pass him while Marc made faces.
"Cool it Cal, he's not worth it," Scott murmured,
quoting the age old line. He took cal by the shoulders
and steered him around the fireplace back to his seat.
Across the fire, Marc only yawned and gave him the
finger.
Scot growled, clearing the fire and snatching him by
the collar of his Rocket uniform and lifting him up to
stare him in the eye.
"Look, I don't know why your hear. Your welcome to
leave any time you want, you all are, but know this
Rocket, every Pokemon in the forest is howling for
your blood. Should you be unaccompanied by any of us,
they will tear you apart like a piece of paper. If you
prove to be a problem, you will be thrown out whether
you want it or not."
"Give him a break," I interjected smoothly, stepping
between the two as Scott had done moments before. "He
may be a shifty, egotistical Rocket, but he's proved
himself an ally. And we need all the help we can get."
"But he was a Rocket first!" Kay sneered.
"And one of us last," I retorted. "I'll make sure of
it." I threw him a warning glance before sitting down
and picking up my bowl. Feeling full made me feel a
lot better.
"This isn't helping," Moon said as she scratched her
monster Arcanine. It was at least twice the size of a
regular Arcanine and the usual black on orange
markings was a blood red on black. It's ruby eyes
watched us intelligently, either accepting or
rejecting what we said in it's own opinion. It gave us
all a censorious glare.
"Your right. First, how did you get here?" Cal said
reluctantly.
The Rescue Force shared a look of perplexity. They
most likely came here separately and meeting up by
accident. I looked up at Echotrance. Or not.
"I got a call from Professor Oak," Moon said finally.
"He said there was big trouble deep inside Ilex
Forest. He told me about the Rockets, and to find
Echotrance. Also he said to bring my strongest
Pokemon. We didn't learn details until Laurie and Jake
found Echotrance."
The others nodded in agreement.
"So if we die, they'll send more," Cal concluded. He
sat mulling it over, hand on his knuckles.
telepathically.
Again they nodded.
"So what do we do?" Scott said, spreading his arms.
"No direct attack. We tried and fail completely. Even
if all nine of us came in guns blazing, we'd still be
screwed. Believe me, none of us have a hope of
defeating even Sunsear," Cal declared.
I nodded. I was on my third bowl of stew. Who knew
when my next meal would be.
"I think I know." Everyone turned to stare at Laurie.
She blushed. "A trick."
"Like a distraction?"
"No confusion. Total utter confusi0on, they won't know
where to look…."


"Electric types in place."
"Check."
"Water types in order."
"Check."
"Psychic Pokemon ready."
"Check."
"Runners ready with decoys."
"Last are being prepared. Cheeeck."
Kay and I were revising the plan, for the first time
since the sunset. After a good nights sleep I was
feeling refreshed and breaky made me think straight.
Food for thought I guess. We spent that day, which was
likely to be our last, improving the plan and enjoying
ourselves.
There was no point in training my Pokemon.
(a) Bolt refused to be trained.
He just sat there staring blankly when ever I yelled a
command. Sometimes at the most annoying times he'd
choose too, like when I held him an inch from my face,
shaking him trying to get a Thundershock out of him,
but most of the time he was hidden away in his ivory
tower.
And (b), one should enjoy the last day of their life.
Laurie gave me a pair of spare clothes, a T-shirt and
jeans and just hung around.
Little Maverick was delighted to be free, though he
would sometimes look around confused for Sumalee. As
the midday, sun cooled down the little fella began a
game of tag and soon we were all joining in.
But the fun was over. The sun had dropped below the
horizon a t least three hours ago and it was almost
D-day. Everyone should have been into position for
onslaught of the plan.
I was one of the most important people of the mission,
one of four Key Runners along with Moon, Laurie and
Jake. I rode Chilun, Moon on her Zefire and Laurie and
Jake were to be carried by Volcanine, Moons evolved
Arcanine beneath his bushy ruff. Though I was of the
lesser of the three, I was still important.
I had to switch on, get my mind set on my task and
concentrate on it as if my life depended on it.
Wait a minute, my life did depend on it.