Interlude - The world reacts

Interlude - The world reacts

Solar Beam! Ash shouted. He pointed, and Bulbasaur unleashed a Solar Beam into the Nidoking that stood in their way.

Nidoking tried to resist, only to be blown off his feet.

Nice one Ash! Forrest called as he sent Beldum and his Graveler after a pair of pokemon each.

Overhead Aerodactyl, or as Forrest called it, Don, swept past, snapping his jaw upon another pokemon before hurling it away as it made another sweep of the street.

Double back at the end of the street, Don! Forrest called.

Don snorted in contempt, and Ash was surprised when Aerodactyl actually followed the command, harrying the trainers and pokemon still attacking Ashs group.

Onix shifted and defended their group with a groan when a cluster of pokemon got too close. Misty and her water pokemon moved up to back up Onix and waved Ash and Forrest to follow them.

Take em! shouted a voice from the side, causing Ash to twitch, arm raising to direct Pikachu, only to find it wasnt needed.

Mistys Tentacool, Psyduck, Horsea, and Wartortle all worked together to defend the group from an ambush of Team Rocket pokemon lunging out of an alleyway.

Youre not getting us like that! Misy snarled, her pokemon releasing a torrent of water to knock the pokemon back.

Hahaha! Way to go, little lass! shouted a boisterous voice.

Ash turned to find a highly tanned man standing next to a girl who looked like she should be attending or teaching at Poketech Academy. Around them, a group of powerful-looking pokemon were out.

The aqua-haired teen waved his hand, and his pokemon leapt into action. Only one remained near the pair.

Ash raised his pokedex out of habit.

Hariyama, the arm thrust pokemon. This pokemon practices its straight arm slaps in any number of locations. One hit of the powerful pokemon's openhanded straight arm punches could snap a telephone pole in two! said Ashs pokedex in a robotic tone.

Forrest groaned. You really need to update your pokedex, Ash. He then turned to the older teen. Brawly right?

Yup! Nice to see you, little man! said Brawly. The teen swept his gaze up and down the street. He grinned and nodded his head. "Alright, this street is clear!

Ash stiffened. What! There are still Ash whirled around only to gape as he realised that Brawly and the girls pokemon had dismantled everyone on the street. Don the Aerodactyl was giving begrudging looks of appreciation to a Machamp, and Misty was blinking slowly.

They were so fast! she said in a dazed manner.

Brawly laughed. Haha! Yeah! Roxys and my pokemon work pretty well together!

Roxy sighed. We do have a good synergy Brawly, yes.

Charmeleon, whod been tangling with a Machoke himself, glowered at a Medicham who seemed to be ignoring him. Don shrieked something, and Charmeleon snapped his head up. Char! growled the fire type.

Don turned his attention and waved his wings, rising in the air to tease Charmeleon.

Charmeleon shot a tongue of flame at the flying pokemon.

Ah! Charmeleon! Cool it! Thats Brocks pokemon! Hes on our side! Ash said.

Charmeleon huffed and Forrest stepped up. You too Don! I know you like to tease pokemon but Chameleon's the wrong pokemon to

Anything else Forrest had been about to say was disrupted as a loud boom rocked the street.

Ash snapped his head up to follow where the sound had come from, only to have his jaw drop as a powerful beam exploded out the side of the Silph Co. Tower. Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

Thats a Hyper Beam! Forrest said. He then gulped loudly as the beam didnt die off after a few seconds. A really powerful Hyper Beam!

There are people fighting up there? Misty said, only to gasp. Look out, theres some falling debris!

Forrest stiffened, before he and Ash pointed upwards. Knock it away with Gust/Whirlwind! they said.

For Ash, Pidgeotto and Butterfree rose up to knock away the falling building. Forrest could only enlist Don, who thankfully reacted straight away, knocking the threat clear.

The group sighed in relief when the debris was knocked into the building, where it fell in close onto a rooftop where no one would be hurt. Ash looked up at the hole that had been blown out of the tower.

Whos that pokemon? he said, raising his pokedex as he saw something hovering near the edge. It sort of looked like it was holding someone

Unknown. There is no entry in the database for this pokemon. Please keep the pokedex fixed on said pokemon, but be aware of escape routes should this pokemon be deemed dangerous! chimed the pokedex.

Ash blinked in surprise. Hed never had a pokemon cause that reaction with his pokedex before!

Forrest stared upwards. Whos that the pokemon is holding? Don! Get up there to

Once more, Forrest was cut off, and even though Don started to soar upwards, a white light shot up into the sky before vanishing.

Then something passed through Ash, and he found himself shifting as his mind felt serenity sweep over him.

Without knowing why, he simply knew that all would be well.

Ash felt something stirring within him; a feeling was growing from. Somewhere. It was something that hed never felt before.

Was this the thing that Forrest sometimes talked about when he was sitting atop Onixs head?

Was this aura?

It wasnt a bad feeling. It felt good. It felt right. It felt like a soft blanket being wrapped around him after a hard day of training, with all of his pokemon around him sharing a campfire with Forrest and Misty.

The few Rocket Grunts around that had been corralled by Brawlys pokemon stirred and moved to run. We need to get out of here! There are eyes! Theyre watching us! I never did it! Other people made me do it! they screamed as they tried to push through Brawlys pokemon.

For their efforts, they were knocked unconscious.

Ash turned to the older teen, only to find him looking back at the stadium.

Ash licked his lips. W-what is going on?

Brawly smirked. Something sick!

Ash looked around for someone throwing up. If they were close he didnt want to get caught in the splash. Gary already teased him enough!

Brawly caught his confusion and barked a laugh. That means something cool! Ah man, kids! he said with a shake of his head before returning to looking at the stadium. I think thats Sabrina whos doing something.

Misty tilted her head. How are we feeling that all the way out here? Were blocks away from the stadium!

Brawly grinned. I have no idea! he said, turning to Forrest. Youve known her longer, right, little man?

Forrest chuckled. I guess Sabrinas just that strong? he said slowly.

Misty shot the stadium another look before shaking her head. Well! Good for her I guess, but we need to keep moving to clear up Team Rocket!

They moved down the street towards Silph Tower only to find Gary, of all people, already there and being thanked by a group of men in lab coats.

His cheerleaders looked exhausted, while Gary barely looked winded. A girl stood next to him, looking amused as they had their hands shaken. At her side, a strong-looking Raticate stood guard.

Ash stepped forward only to pause when he recognised Gym Leader Erika moving into the Silph Tower with a red-haired girl, Police Officer Jenny and a group of men in police outfits.

A broad-looking woman with pink hair and a crazy amount of tattoos over her arms was patrolling around the sides of the building with a variety of bug pokemon.

Gary turned, and his pleased expression turned smug. Well, well, well! I thought I smelled something! Youre a little late to the party, Ashy boy!

The girl next to Gary sighed and turned. Oh great, I finally get to meet your boyfriend!

Ash/Gary is not my boyfriend! shouted Gary/Ash at the girl. The Raticate merely started twitching in a manner that Ash just knew meant it was laughing.

The girl grinned as Misty laughed. Gary and Ash shared a look of commiseration.

Girls just didnt get what it meant to have a rival!

Little sister! squealed a trio of girls and it was Ashs turn to smirk as Mistys sisters swarmed her. A minute later they turned their attention onto Forrest for some reason.

Another boy wandered up and started talking with the Raticate girl he seemed to know.

Ash looked around. What are we supposed to do now? he said with a tilt of his head. He scratched his chest, feeling at the strange sensation hed from before slowly fade away.

Gary looked around. Mr Mimes? he suggested. Ash liked the sound of that.

Last one there is a rotten Exeggutor! Ash said as he started running down the street. Misty shouted something after him, that Ash would later realise was directions, but he was too busy beating Gary to care about such things.

Yeessss! screamed Yolanda and Suzie at the television as Sabrina reached for the sky, glowing with power.

Cindy had her twin by the throat, shaking him back and forth as she stared at the screen. Shes doing a magical girl transformation! Shes doing it! Shes going to transform! she screamed as Sabrinas hair wafted into the air on an ethereal wind.

Flint reached out and took Cindys hands off Tommy; hed started to turn blue with how hard she was grabbing him.

He should have chastised her for it, but he was too caught up in watching Sabrina on the screen holding up a very familiar gem. Brock had always been rather circumspect about why hed been so interested in that gem.

He had mentioned having it made up for jewellery for Sabrina, but to see her wearing it as a ring?

Well, he and the older girls had all assumed Brock had proposed before noticing it was on the wrong finger. Yolanda had been very upset.

That was gone now as Sabrina unleashed what had to be her Ace.

Everyone in the room could only watch in awe as Sabrinas Alakazam evolved again.

A third evolution!

Flint had heard rumours but to see it was true?

Two were thought to be the extent of what was possible! Was this what the captain who guarded the foundry had done with his Steelix? Or the old Cerulean Gym Leader had pulled off once against the Hoenn navy?

What would this pokemon be called?

Multiple spoons hovered behind the newly evolved pokemon in a display of power, and Munchlax waved his hands at the spoons.

Salvadore laughed, and Flint shot him a look. What did he say?

He said that pokemon has got to be the best at eating ice cream, with all those spoons.

Flint shook his head. Ice cream, indeed.

He stopped laughing when the unnamed pokemon unleashed a Psybeam that rivalled the Hyper Beam that the Farigiraf had used earlier. It didnt miss either, despite the enemy Alakazam teleporting away. Instead, it redirected the beams until it caught Alakazam and then blasted it for all it was worth.

In one hit, Sabrina blew away her foe, a foe Flint had seen use Recover while Sabrina had done what she needed to for this evolution.

The president clutched at the papers. How had they known? He should have been able to blame the Leagues heavyhandedness, and now he was doomed to be unable to recoup from this!

So caught up in his misery, the President never saw the small form watching from the shadows dart away, her fist pumping in victory.

Lance stood before the press, camera flashes going off that hed long since grown used to as Champion.

I am here today to sign into official Indigo law the passing of my first Executive Order for the Indigo regions. With the brazen assaults of Team Rocket in the past few months, we no longer have a simple criminal organisation but a terrorist organisation that only cares about their agenda!

Lance let his gaze sweep the room, staring into numerous cameras before he continued, his hand raised as if to forestall an argument that was not coming from any of the reporters.

They have impacted us in a way that can only be attributed to a terrorist group. I am declaring open bounties on any Team Rocket facility discovered and passed along. Team Rocket members are to be given little to no mercy, and certain protections are now waived due to their organisation's actions.

Lance considered his notes for a moment to give anyone watching a moment to process what hed just said. Any Team Rocket member that turns themselves in and gives actionable information will be given special consideration before the hammer of the League comes down upon you! he said, glowering at the cameras.

Team Rockets days are numbered! Mark my words! he said.

He then allowed himself a smile. To improve our polices response, I am adding a Second Executive Order with the formation of the G-men that will now cover all of Indigo and have superseding authority. Any police officer will be directly under them and will be required to assist the G-men. This will further streamline the capture and effectiveness of what used to be a limited task force. The powers and

Lance held back his smile as he laid out his dream. It wouldnt do for the world to know how pleased he was to expand the powers of the G-men.

Sadly, the nature of politics meant that disasters were just further opportunities.

He planned to make the most of this latest Team Rocket blunder.

Thanks to them, he now had a reason that the public could accept, as he worked to build a better world.

RAGH! roared Giovanni as he hurled his glass into the far wall, where it exploded. He scowled after it and stormed over to his cabinet, where he poured himself a glass of Shuckle port

He swallowed it down, and the sweet flavours helped to calm his rage.

The plan had been well, not perfect. In fact, it was much more brutish than usual. He sighed. It wasnt his best work.

But Hed seen the prize to end all prizes. The Masterball! The data to create the Masterball! Even better! He could use the moment to secure a humbling for one of the thorns in his side!

Hed tried for multiple objectives and now he had none of his objectives.

Hed wanted Will to advance, but through crook or hook, he didnt care. Wills advancement was a secondary goal.

The primary goal was always the Masterball.

Giovanni took another drink of the Shuckle port.

The world had changed. Theyd gotten soft. Weak. And nothing exemplified that more than the current political climate.

Silph Co. didnt understand what they had on their hands. Hed been forced to sit on the knowledge that Fiore of all nations was exerting pressure on Indigo to get concessions. The greatest advance in pokeballs ever and a levelling field for humanity was going to be destroyed!

The Masterball would secure humanity against the wilds of the pokeworld forever!

And Silph Co. was going to give it up due to political pressure!

Hed had agents securing information on Silph Co. for years! Theyd had the technicians for the pokeballs infiltrated, only for things to rapidly shift when the Masterball was created as a concept. It had seemed overkill at the timea pie-in-the-sky plan.

Silph Co. had made a prototype Masterball, an ungainly thing, coloured gold and silver, that had been deployed in the field once.

Theyd captured a Legendary pokemon without it putting up a fight.

Not that the League knew that; they thought that the data Silph Co. used to claim the title of Masterball was simply based on the capture rates of some study where a single Masterball had been reused over and over without breaking from being put through capture and release processes.

They had done that, but theyd also captured something else. Something more.

A true Legendary pokemon!

The prototype, known as the GS ball, had been stolen from the Silph Co. testing site only for other agencies to intercept the agent.

To this day, Giovanni didnt know who had the GS ball or which Legendary had been captured.

In the furore of multiple agencies attempting to secure the prize, the researcher, the testing site, and the GS ball itself had gone up in smoke, both literally and metaphorically.

What was known was that the prototype Masterball worked.

It was only then that Silph Co. committed itself to the continued creation of the project, still unsure of the depths of what theyd created.

Hed tried to slip more technicians and researchers into the development process but hadnt been able to get anyone! Silph Co. had further increased their security. Hed only been able to learn about the project as it advanced thanks to the marketing division of Silph Co.

Those updates had allowed them a look into what was going on within Silph Co.

Giovanni thought he could have waited. It had been a sure thing! Eventually, theyd sell, and he had money, power, and favours ready to spend such that it wouldnt even be a cost for the chance at capturing a Legendary properly! Adding another alongside Mewtwo was a goal. If he got in first he could guarantee his, and Team Rockets supremacy!

And then Fiore had been discovered.

The useless sops that had been the joke of the past war, dictating terms of their reintegration!

How Indigo had won the war only to lose, Giovanni could not understand. Giovanni hadnt ever thought the weakness of the current League would be something that annoyed him. That very same weakness had been something hed exploited for years!

With Fiore coming back into the fold, theyd secured demands that no Masterball be created when they entered the international scene.

Giovanni had been at a loss.

Theyd had none of the design data, none of the names of the actual researchers, and nothing beyond that the Masterball was being created this month to be able to act on.

He knew that Silph Co. had no choice but to have it done now.

With Fiores demands, any further Masterballs would have to pass through jungles of red tape, given how the League was capitulating to Fiore.

And then a chance fell into his lap.

A disgruntled researcher had been picked up by one of his Agents and been passed along to an Executive whod forwarded a plan to Giovanni. Theyd had an in, a gaping hole in the security of Silph Co. But only for a limited window of time.

Theyd workshopped a plan.

It had been daring and bold, and it could have achieved so much!

And now it, like the last attempt at the GS ball, had left him holding nothing but ashes.

Hed tried for too much. He could

The door swished open and Giovanni stood, his hand tapping his pokeball to disgorge Persian who glowered as Madame Bossue and her damnable Gardevoir sauntered in.

Giovanni sat. So, it was not to be a violent takeover attempt, then, but rather a soft poison apple?

Giovanni didnt let himself smile. His mother wanted to retake control of Team Rocket.

Well, this might have been a blow to the Indigo branch of Team Rocket, but Giovanni had more plans. Perhaps He began to toy with a new plan, one that would be but a facade.

His mother smiled as the door closed.

Giovanni glowered outwardly even as he smirked mentally. Hed learnt everything she had to teach and would lead her right where he needed. He prepared to make her dance to a fake tune, all the while planning how to rise again, stronger than ever before.

Team Rocket would use this disaster.

In a darkened room, a three-digit hand rose and twisted in front of a face that belonged to no human.

Mewtwo considered its hand.

It had a hand.

It had a hand, and it had memories that werent its own.

It didnt understand how to process these memories.

They were strange and foreign.

Its training suggested that it expunge the memories from its mind.

And yet

It couldnt bring itself to.

It had felt emotions.

To a mind unused to such things, they were wild, painful, and wonderful.

They added so much to life, making it more vibrant.

How strange.

Mewtwo had not considered itself empty before but now it felt the hollow within its being like never before.

It had known it was there but now Mewtwo had the words and thoughts to better understand the hole where nothing seemed to fit.

How perplexing.

Mewtwo tapped its fingers together, copying the beat of a song that a boy had once hummed to a girl as they walked along on their journey.

It rather liked that memory. But should it get rid of them?

It continued to tap away idly.

No.

Not yet.

This would require more consideration.

Much more consideration.

It hadnt had the troubles of thought and emotion before

But that didnt seem like such a bad thing.

Mewtwo looked up and began to ponder itself and its situation.

And slowly, chains began to corrode within its mind.