This is the ninth episode of Season 2 of the “Adventures Series!” Pathetic, isn’t it? Yeah, there has been a lack of episodes do to a multitude of reasons. Being that it’s almost been a year already since its start, this season will be ending soon. There are only a couple more episodes, which will probably air beginning in mid-July. Season 3 is tentatively scheduled to begin on September 30th, which would be the 2nd Anniversary of this series. I am currently reworking the storyline to compensate for this missed time this past season. But don’t fret... only a few things are being taken out because there are no longer relevant to the plot. There are also some things that I want to add in that weren’t in there before. I hope that next season will be the best ever. I’ll be looking to pump some new life into the series. Now, for a few notes. The contest I’ve been having all season is still on! There are two new trivia questions posted at the end of this chapter! They are # 9 and # 10. The answer to # 6 is also posted at the end, but with some space in between for those of you who don’t want to read it. I am still offering the grand prize: an appearance by the winner’s ACC [author created character] or the winner himself or herself in a future episode of this very series. Remember, you can answer as many times as you want, but only the first three to answer correctly will earn points towards that prize. To answer, you must e-mail me! Readers at Fanfiction.net, this goes especially for you! I will not accept an answer posted in a review! The reason why is because if your answer is wrong and all of the points for the question have not been given out, I can reply back to give you another chance. For those of you who don’t know, my e-mail address is jgg121@yahoo.com. Special Note for All Pokémon Fanfiction Mailing List Readers: I have begun posting updated versions of the episodes from Season 1 of this series at Fanfiction.net. Only the first 6 episodes are up as of this time. I do intend to have all 33 up by summer’s end. If you’re a new reader who wants to catch up on things, or an old reader who might have forgotten about a certain event, you now have the chance to look back at see what you missed. This is the only place you can read them. I will not be posting them on the list. I also will not accept personal requests for episodes to be sent to anyone. That should be everything! Now, without further ado... Disclaimer: Cassie Banks, TJ Smith, Arius McFly, Patti Masters, Calamity, Jane, and Pidgeo are characters that all were created by me. They may not be borrowed without my personal written consent. The song “Back at One” is sung by Brian McKnight. Any Pokémon or other references to the anime series belong to the show’s original creators. Author’s Warning: Rated PG-13 for intense violence, suggestive sexual contact, and Pokémon experimentation gone wrong... not necessarily in that order. ***** Friday, August 19th, Mandarin Island, Orange Islands International Airport Thousands of people make their way through the terminals, either coming off incoming planes or getting on outgoing ones. An assortment of sounds ring through the air; from an airplane taking off, to the shuffling of papers and suitcases, and a few noisy passengers complaining why their flights just got canceled. One person sticks out in particular, though. A Pokémon League trainer, and a young one at that. Sporting a plain orange short sleeve shirt, green and white shorts, and a pair of old yet still fairly usable white sneakers, the young man had his eyes tuned in to a nearby TV set while waiting for his flight to begin boarding. On the TV screen is another familiar Pokémon trainer. A girl with lime green hair, accented by two ponytails, was in the middle of an opening round battle. The TV had been muted, but the boy seemed to be able to follow the match pretty easily. At first glance, it would like that he was interested in the Pokémon match-up... a Beedrill and a Ditto who at the moment resembled a Butterfree, the Pokémon that the opponent had started with. But the young trainer has his eyes fixated on the Ditto trainer, as the match ended with a surprisingly powerful tackle attack. As the young boy saw the fans cheer for the young girl, her name flashed across the screen for the television viewing audience. Duplica Imite. Five wins out of six matches to date. Currently tied for second, Group G. <1> The boy sighed as he thought about how he’d greet the girl when he arrived at the Indigo Plateau. For those of you hadn’t figured it out by now, the boy is Duplica’s boyfriend. As for a name? Well, it’s good ‘ol TJ Smith, a trainer from Viridian City. The brown-haired trainer continued to think about the days he had with his girlfriend before they parted ways last month temporarily to continue their Pokémon journeys. At the time, the two of them were inseparable. Who would have thought that after all of the flirting that he had done with girls his age (as well as a couple who were much older), that he had found the perfect girl. His thoughts about Duplica were interrupted by an announcement over the PA system. Woman’s Voice: Attention all passengers! United Indigo Airlines, Flight 360, heading for the Indigo Plateau, is now boarding at Gate 9. Repeat, now boarding passengers for United Indigo Airlines, Flight 360, to the Indigo Plateau at Gate 9. TJ reaches into his pocket, he pulls out his plane ticket and starts heading towards Gate 9. Not too far behind, three suspicious figures in trench coats are conversing in a lone corner of the terminal. One of them is carrying a brown suitcase. Their bodies were completely covered, except for their faces. The one holding the suitcase was a man with black hair, and the shortest of the bunch. He looked to be in his early thirties. The other two, a bald man who was in his late twenties, and a pink haired woman who was in her early twenties, stood just opposite of the suitcase bearer. Bald Man: Remember, you must detonate the bomb at high noon tomorrow. Woman: The boss said to make sure you pick the field that has the most spectators. Suitcase Bearer: Got it. Bald Man: And don’t forget that if you fail, the boss will send us to kill you. Understand? Suitcase Bearer: I don’t fail! Woman: (crossing her arms over her chest) Just be sure you don’t. Giovanni will not tolerate failure from the likes of you. The man runs towards Gate 9 without so much as a wave goodbye to his fellow terrorists. The other two members simply turn around and walk back towards the main entrance. ====== A few hours later, along Route 26K <2>, which was renamed so after it had been discovered that a route in the Johto region was also numbered 26, as this one was, we see a small little house standing alone in the middle of nowhere. Upon a quick peek inside, one can spot the cluttered mess of papers, clothes, dirty dishes, and dirt alike all around. On a nearby computer sits a computer and a fax machine. Lying in front of the fax machine was a message written completely in some weird code. The owner of the house, though, had translated the code into English right onto the paper in pencil. It read as follows: {Agent Banks, I apologize for interrupting your vacation with Agent McFly, but this mission requires your combined expertise. One of our resident spies has discovered information pertaining to a project currently under production at Team Rocket Headquarters, just outside Viridian City. Unfortunately, he was unable to retrieve any data before he was caught by Team Rocket. Don’t worry, he managed to escape, so a rescue mission is not needed. Still, we need that data right away. This mission needs to be completed within thirty-six hours. A map of Viridian City and its surrounding areas will be coming through your fax shortly. It will help you locate the base. Also, the aforementioned agent also located a floor plan of the base and was willing to loan it to you. You should receive that in a minute or so. You need to infiltrate the base and then locate and download all computer information on this secret project. After that, all data must be erased from their main base's memory. If possible, provide proof of any experimentation that looks like it is part of the project. Attempt at all costs to avoid contact with any Team Rocket members. Do not contact us after the mission is complete. We have instructed Agent Masters to rendezvous with you in Pewter City in forty-eight hours. Remember that if either of you is caught and/or killed while attempting to complete this mission, we will disavow any knowledge of you for our own protection. Good luck.} ====== Route 22, just outside Viridian City - overlooking Team Rocket Headquarters That night, two young trainers, a boy and girl, dressed in black jumpsuits, laid on their stomachs as they watched Team Rocket headquarters from about a mile away, on top of a hill. The boy, Arius McFly, was peering through a pair of binoculars, while his female partner, Cassie Banks, kept reading over another copy of the fax message that they had received from headquarters that morning. Both tasks were hard to do... not only because it was so dark, but also because it was raining rather hard. Arius had to constantly wipe the binoculars in order to see clearly, while it got harder and harder for Cassie to clearly read the words on her piece of paper, as the rain had begun to smudge some of the ink. Otherwise, the two laid in position very quietly. That is, until a stopwatch on Cassie’s left wrist beeped to signify that it was exactly midnight. The two then stand up. Arius presses a button on the binoculars to shrink them to a miniature size. He then attaches a press on clip to it before clipping onto the white shirt inside his jumpsuit. At the same time, Cassie quickly tears the piece of paper into pieces, and then throws them into a nearby garbage can. She then turns to her partner, and boyfriend, and gives him a thumbs up. Arius: Let’s get going. Cassie: Right. Remember, we’ve got ten minutes until the next guard gets into place at the gate, so we have to hustle down there. Arius: Okay. We’ll meet back here in forty minutes. (thinks to himself as Cassie begins to run off) Wow, I would have never imagined how good Cassie would look in a wet black jumpsuit... Cassie: (yelling back) I heard that! Arius: (surprised) What? Arius runs after Cassie and catches up to her in a matter of seconds. Cassie: I said I heard that. Arius: What are you talking about? Did I think that or did I say that out loud? Cassie: You thought it. Arius: Then how... Cassie: I have a Kadabra, remember? I’ve been training to improve my psychic skills. (winks at Arius) You can’t control a psychic Pokémon correctly without them. Arius: You sure about that? I don’t think you have to be a psychic necessarily. Cassie: Of course I do. Patti told me personally. Arius: (snaps his fingers) Rats. Cassie: If you’re worried about me invading your privacy, though, forget it. I haven’t perfected the technique yet. Arius: (thinking to himself again) That’s good. At least I have a chance to think about her in my dreams. Cassie: (hearing Arius’ thoughts) Trust me, Arius. You don’t need a dream to think about me. You think about me twenty-four seven. And I know it too, so don’t try and deny it. Arius: Man, there’s no escaping your psychic mind, is there? Okay, I won’t deny it. But I can’t help it... you’re so beautiful. Cassie: (smiles, sighs, and then shakes her head) This mission is very important. Try to think about completing it and not about how to impress me on our date tomorrow. Arius: Okay, I promise. Oh, and Cassie... Cassie: What? Arius: I wasn’t kidding about the part when I said that you’re beautiful. Cassie: Sure, whatever. Arius knew that Cassie was lying. She was focused on making sure that this mission was successful, but in any other situation, she would thank him for his compliment. Cassie was one of those people who always tended to keep her mind focused on the task at hand. She smiled secretly to herself, unaware that Arius was watching her. Arius sighed, knowing that Cassie had non-verbally acknowledged his compliment. Granted, it was only for a second, but even that was enough to make Arius happy. With Arius taking the lead, the two headed for the front gate of Team Rocket Headquarters. As they ran, they kept watch for any Rockets that might be hiding. They knew that this was no game, but they swore to themselves that they weren’t going to fail, no matter what. ************************************************************************ Adventures Series, Episode 42: “A Blast from the Past” Story Written by Freedom Fighter ************************************************************************ Narrator: In a secluded area just outside Viridian City lies the secret headquarters of Team Rocket. No one knows that this base is here, hence they would also have no idea of what goes on inside these walls. Anyone who’s been inside the base and is not a member of Team Rocket has never come back out. Tonight, on this dark and dreary night, two individuals will attempt to do the impossible. To survive a trip inside in order to complete the mission they had been given. They’re aware that this will be far from easy, but they’ll see their mission to the end, whatever the outcome may be. Let’s see how they manage to pull this one off... A lone Rocket walks out of the front gate and takes his post. Unfortunately for him, the rain and a small patch of fog had made it difficult to see more than ten feet in front of him. So it was obvious that he did not see Arius tackle him from behind and quickly tie and gag him. As the Rocket struggles to get free, Cassie walks out from the fog bank and snatches a key chain full of keys from his belt. After securing the Rocket to a nearby tree, Arius follows Cassie past the gate, which she had by then already unlocked. Within less than a minute, they made their way inside the main building of the complex without spotting any guards. Without a word, the two nodded to each other, and then ran off in different directions. ====== Cassie heads upstairs to where the offices of Team Rocket’s top officials are located. She locates the office of Giovanni, the organization’s leader. Quickly glancing behind her to make sure that no one is around, she runs over to the door and jiggles the doorknob. Finding it to be locked, she takes out the chain of keys and looks for the one which will open the door. It only takes Cassie about a minute to find the right key and open the door. Upon entering the room, she spots a security camera hanging from the ceiling, in the corner of the room closest to her. Acting fast, she closes the door and dives under the camera, into its blind spot, as the camera turns towards the room’s only entrance. Cassie holds her position as she sits under the camera, waiting for something to happen. ====== Meanwhile, Arius is sitting down at a computer in the surveillance room. The lone Rocket who had been on duty there just minutes ago was lying on the ground unconscious. With a few quick flicks of his wrists, he fixes it so that the camera in Giovanni’s office repeats the same five minutes of tape endlessly. Good thing too, because if his superiors found out that he ended up messing up something as easy as this, who knows what they would do to him. As he gets up from his seat, he taps his right ear twice and begins talking. Arius: Cassie, the dog chases the rabbit ‘round in circles. Cassie’s voice: (with a hint of confusion) What? Arius: The tape is now looping. You are free to proceed with the mission. Cassie’s voice: Why didn’t you say that in the first place? Arius: That IS what I said the first time. (sighs) I’m going to see what else I can find. Remember, we have twenty-five minutes until they send someone to check the front gate. Get the necessary data and then book it! Cassie’s voice: Roger. Over and out. Arius taps his ear twice again to turn off his earpiece. He then turns to the unconscious guard. He unties and ungags him, puts the body back onto the chair, and then pulls out a mini-pocket camera from his jumpsuit. He turns it on. Arius: (adjusting the camera) Ten minutes ought to do it. (turns towards the guard) Okay sleeping beauty, smile! The camera flashes a bright white. Arius then quickly pockets the camera, the rope, and the handkerchief that he used to gag the Rocket, and runs out of the room. ====== Back in Giovanni’s office, Cassie is busy searching the room for a more detailed map of the compound. She was hoping to obtain so she could find the mainframe computer easily. After ten minutes, though, her search had come up empty. Cassie: I can‘t believe this! I‘ve found absolutely nothing! (deep in thought) Now let’s see, if I were the leader of Team Rocket, where would I hide a map? Better yet, where would I find a mainframe computer? (an idea suddenly comes to mind) That’s it! Cassie throws out two Pokéballs. A Rattata and an Eevee emerge from the two containment capsules. Cassie: Rattata! Eevee! Help me search for that map. If either of you find anything, let me know. Rattata: Rattata! Eevee: Vee! The two Pokémon head to the other side of the room as Cassie resumes her search. With the three of them searching, it doesn’t take long before one of them finds the map. Rattata and Eevee come running back to their master. Eevee is holding a rolled-up piece of paper in her mouth. Rattata yells to get Cassie’s attention. Cassie: (turning to face her two Pokémon) What’s up, you two? (she spots the paper) Huh? What’s that? Cassie takes the paper from Eevee and then unrolls it. It turns out to be the map that she had been searching for. Cassie: Good job you two. (heads over to a nearby lamp, turning it on so that she can read the map in the light) Let’s see. (she glances over the map a couple times before pulling it down from her face) That’s weird. According to this map, the mainframe should be just beyond (pointing to the wall to her left) that wall! She rolls the map back up as she walks over to the wall in question. Her two Pokémon follow her over. Cassie: That can’t be possible! When I was walking up here, there weren’t any doors on this side of the hall. So how can the mainframe computer be behind this wall? ====== In another part of the compound, Arius is quietly sneaking around as he attempts to avoid the guards. He then stops dead in his tracks as he hears voices on the other side of a wall. He moves towards an open door. Peering carefully inside the room, he sees four Rockets huddled around a table. He couldn’t quite hear them from where he was. He knew that he couldn’t get any closer without getting caught, though, despite the fact that time was of the essence. Glancing towards the other side of the room, he saw two bunk beds. That was a relief. He knew that they had to hit the sack soon enough, and then he could search the room. He had a feeling that whatever they were talking about was probably essential to Team Rocket’s so-called secret project. ====== Back in Giovanni’s office, Cassie, Rattata, and Eevee were on another search. This time, they were searching for a way to get to what they thought was a secret room on the other side of the wall. Cassie decided that she needed to do some more thinking, so she went over to Giovanni’s desk and took a seat in his chair. Rattata and Eevee jumped onto the desk to join their master. Just as they did, Cassie thought of another idea. Cassie: (jumping out of her seat) I’ve got it! In jumping up, though, Cassie didn’t realize that her legs were still under the desk. As a result, her right knee hits the desk’s underside. Pulling it out from underneath the desk, Cassie begins hopping around the room in pain, holding her bruised knee. Cassie: (crying in pain) Ow! That hurt, that hurt, that HURT! As Cassie continues to hop around, the wall that she had been inspecting just a minute ago began to pull back. As the pain from her knee subsided, she looked just in time to see a huge computer pull out of the wall and into the room. Cassie: (putting her right hand behind her head, facing the camera) Heh heh... I knew that would do it. Rattata and Eevee, both still on Giovanni’s desk, roll their eyes after their master’s lame remark. ====== Back to Arius... The lights in the room that Arius had been watching had gone out just a minute ago. Knowing that time was running out, he decided to take a chance and go in. Opening the door which had been closed shortly after the lights went out, he sneaks towards the table where the four Rockets were conversing. Despite it being dark in the room, he noticed an object lying on top of the table. His instincts were telling him that the trinket was very important. So it was natural for him to snatch it so that its contents could be studied. Arius: (grabbing the device off of the table) Hmmm... it’s hard to see in the dark, but if I didn’t know any better, this looks like some sort of viewing device. As Arius heads back into the hallway, he closes the door behind him. Unknown to him, though, four pairs of eyes had been watching him the whole time. Not wanting to take a chance on missing him and accidentally knock each other out, they had decided to wait until Arius had left. Only then did the four Rockets get out of their beds and prepare to get him. ====== Back in Giovanni’s office, Cassie was in the process of hacking into the mainframe computer. Cassie: (tapping away at the keys) Let’s see, if I do this, press ‘1’ a couple of times, hit a random set of keys followed by ‘delete,’ (screen flashes the word ‘OK!’) then that should do it! A menu pops up on the screen, listing several options. She clicks on one marked ‘Secret Projects.’ A new list pops up, detailing every single project that Team Rocket was working on. Luckily for Cassie, there was only one. It was labeled ‘Project CB.’ She attempted to open the file, but it prompted her for a password. Cassie: (sarcastically) Just great, the file’s password protected. There’s got to be a way to unlock it. Out of nowhere, Rattata jumps up and onto Cassie’s left shoulder. From there, he jumps onto the keyboard and presses a random set of keys. Unbelievably, that sequence of keys spells out the password. Well, it did, before Rattata pressed the delete button. Surprisingly, though, the words ‘Password Approved’ appear on the screen. Cassie gasps in surprise as Rattata smiles back at her. The mouse Pokémon then jumps off of the keyboard. He flashes a quick smile at Eevee, who now stands at Cassie’s feet. Eevee is not impressed by Rattata’s actions, and thus she ignores him. Cassie: I’m glad that I’ve got Pokémon like you two. How did you know the password, Rattata? Rattata: (shrugs his shoulders) Ratta-tat. Cassie’s attention quickly turns back to the computer, as a movie begins playing. A big red R appears on the screen in a black background. A weird voice then begins speaking. Special Voice: The following is a production of Team Rocket, Inc. (voice gradually getting meaner) Anyone attempting to reproduce this tape for any reason will be subject to torture, will have their Pokémon taken from them, will be subject to injury by those employed by Team Rocket and their families, and anything else we can think of, no matter how dirty it is. (in a nice voice) Have a nice day! Cassie glances down at her two Pokémon, with a puzzling look on her face. The two of them, also confused by the cryptic message, shrug their shoulders... or at least as best as a Pokémon can. Footage from a security camera begins playing on the screen. On it, Cassie spots five scientists... none of which she recognizes. One was an old man that looked like he was in his sixties, standing in the center. Cassie assumed that he was the head scientist. The other four: a woman in her late fifties, a man in his early thirties, another man in his mid-twenties, and another woman in her early twenties, were standing on either side, showing off slides and adding input as the movie continued to roll. They seem to be standing in some type of conference room, looking at the camera. From what Cassie could figure out, the room probably had a few people in there viewing the presentation. One of them was most likely Giovanni... why else would they copyright this tape, anyway? Although Cassie could not hear what the scientists were saying, the head scientist was giving a verbal voice over documentation of the events. Old Scientist: Day One. Me and my four fellow scientists presented our theory for an experiment that would combine two Pokémon into one to Team Rocket. For our own protection, I will not identify myself, any of my fellow colleagues, or anyone else that was present at this presentation. Cassie: (speaking out aloud) Combine two Pokémon into one? How can that be possible? Old Scientist: It took a little convincing on my part to have Team Rocket provide the funds needed for the experimentation. After all, this had never been attempted before. But they agreed, intrigued by our theories, so they gave us the workspace, as well as two years to develop a breakthrough. We couldn’t wait to begin. Our experiment had the potential to bring about the next generation of Pokémon evolution. The tape broke up for a few seconds before another picture appeared. Cassie is now viewing a giant laboratory filled with beakers, test tubes, and the whatnot. The camera moves to the right slightly, as we see the two youngest scientists of the group experimenting with some chemicals. Old Scientist: Day Sixty-Three. Two months after we had received funding for our project, we finally got the laboratory that we wanted. It took awhile for Team Rocket to find an adequate facility for our experiment, but it was well worth the wait. Today we are officially beginning our experimentation. (screen changes as we see the other male scientist working on a computer) We had calculated the possible methods for carrying out our experimentation. (screen changes to the two older scientists) We have worked out all of the possible combinations, and then narrowed them down to a list of those which could be feasible at this point in time. (screen changes back to the two younger scientists) We are looking for the perfect combination of chemicals that would allow two Pokémon to combine their DNA. After the male adds a drop of a liquid to the beaker, it blows up in their faces. The two now have black soot all over their faces and their upper body. Old Scientist: Of course, that part wasn’t as easy. Cassie: (in thought) Could it really be possible to merge the DNA of two Pokémon successfully? And why would they take that risk? They wouldn’t dare test on real Pokémon... would they? The screen goes blurry again before the screen returns to the laboratory. The scientists are now further along in their experiment. The group is standing by a weird looking machine that resembles the one used by trainers to trade Pokémon. This one, though, is a little bigger, and it holds a test tube filled with red liquid. The tube is connected to the machine, which in turn is connected to a computer that is recording the experiment. Old Scientist: Day Ninety-Nine. With the help of some of Team Rocket’s best, we finally have created the machine that will carry out the task of merging the DNA of two Pokémon into one. The red liquid in the test tube is hydrodextrosesulfate, a new compound we discovered earlier this week. In simulated tests, we deemed its interaction in the process sufficient enough to test on live subjects. Cassie: They wouldn’t... The tape skips over a few minutes. When it resumes, Cassie gasps as she now sees that the young male scientist has two small cages in his hands. One contains a wild Rattata, and the other a wild Pidgey. Old Scientist: Since Rattata and Pidgey were readily available, we decided that we should use them for our early tests, knowing that we could easily move on to another one if one was injured during our experiments. The two cages are placed in the device, one under each tube. The two wild Pokémon struggled to escape their cages, looking for freedom, but unaware about the fate they are about to share. Old Scientist: This is Test Number Zero-Zero-One. We are attempting to merge the DNA of a Rattata and a Pidgey. It is now 15:54, and we are starting the experiment. (the scientists are now all over the lab, checking data and running the machines at the same time) All is well. The machine has started up successfully, and the two Pokémon have begun to show signs of struggling. It looks like they will merge. Suddenly, both wild Pokémon fall into unconsciousness. Then just as quickly, both begin to convulse very rapidly. The five scientists are running all over the room, attempting to stop the test. The young female had run over a defibrillator <3> from the other side of the room, in case it was needed. The two Pokémon stopped moving, and she, obviously noticing that something was wrong (which Cassie couldn’t see, since most of the machines were off-screen), began to attempt to save the Pokémon. She went to the Pidgey first, which was the closest to her, and sent several thousand volts of electricity to his heart. Several times. After which, seeing that there Pidgey was already gone, attempted to revive the Rattata. She repeated the process, but the Rattata by that time had also lost the will to live. Old Scientist: (sighs, then says aloud slowly) Test Number Zero-Zero-One has failed. We have lost both test subjects. Cause of death was the exhaustion of both Pokémon’s hearts. Test was stopped at 15:57. Reason why the experiment was unsuccessful is unknown. Will try to compile data to attempt to discover the reason for failure. (sighs again) Looks like we have a long way to go. Cassie: (slowly, in disbelief) I can’t believe my eyes. I would have never imagined that Team Rocket would do something like this... Her Rattata couldn’t believe it either. He was in total shock. Rattata just stared at the computer screen with unblinking eyes. Eevee tried to snap him out of it, but it was no use. Rattata could have been mistaken for a statue if there was anyone else in the room but them. Cassie’s so heartbroken over the situation that she doesn’t even recognize Rattata’s current state... or Eevee’s attempts to break him out of it. She continued to watch the screen, wondering what other poor Pokémon these scientists tormented in the experiments. ====== Meanwhile, Arius had managed to find what he thought was a secure place to hide out for a few minutes. This is when he got his first glance at the object that he had taken from the barracks. Arius: (turning it around and around in order to examine it more fully) I’ve never seen anything like this before. Where do they get stuff like this? He finds the ‘on’ switch and hits it. A blue screen on the little device lights up. Arius: Just as I thought. It’s a viewing device of some sort. (he catches something out of the corner of his eye) What’s this? In the lower left hand corner of the blue screen is a small picture of what appears to be a CD. It was then that he identified the device as a miniature TV/ CD player and recorder. Examining the device for a second time, he quickly identifies the other buttons: play, record, stop, rewind, fast forward, and eject. Curious, Arius presses the eject button and a hatch opens in the back. He finds a small CD, probably about only four inches long in diameter, in there. The only marking on it is a small number written in ink on top of an attached label. Arius: (reads the number aloud) Three-six-nine-nine-zero-seven-two-three-seven. It must be the CD’s identification number. (thinks to himself) A lot of help that’ll do. Arius looks at the miniature CD again, and then back at the viewing device. Arius: (to himself) Well, I didn’t steal this thing just to add it to my ever growing collection of CD players. I stole it so I could examine what those Rockets were looking at. He puts the CD back in the player and closes the door. He then pushes the play button. A video automatically starts. Arius: (as a date starts flashing on the screen) March 16th. That must have been when this was taped. Could they have been working on their project for that long? Just as he begins to watch the video, he turns away just as fast. It seemed that the video was footage from somebody’s honeymoon. He had determined that from the brief glance that he did get, as he saw a wedding dress lying on the ground in front of the bed. The newly married couple was at the moment making out in bed. Arius was about to turn it off when the bride began talking. Bride: Samuel, this has been the best night of my life. Samuel: Mine too, Delia. Mine too. Arius looked suspiciously at Samuel, who seemed to be about twenty years or so older than Delia. But it wasn’t that which made him think... it was the fact that he was trying to place where he had seen Samuel before. Arius: (to himself) I think I’ve seen him before. But where? Delia gave Samuel another kiss before stepping out of bed (off-screen so that Samuel was the only person that could see her naked body) and heading to the bathroom. Samuel lays back with his head resting on his two hands behind it. Samuel: I never thought that having another honeymoon would be this enjoyable. <4> Ghostly Voice: Oh? And ours twenty-seven years ago wasn’t? Samuel: (looking around) Who said that? Ghostly Voice: I did, deary. Samuel: (his eyes focusing on someone off screen) But how can this be? I didn’t even tell you that I was getting remarried. Arius watches with interest. The professor couldn’t be talking to the woman he was just making out with. Arius scratched his head confusedly as the camera turns to show Professor Oak talking to nothing but air. Ghostly Voice: Which is exactly the reason why I came to talk to you! The owner of the ghostly voice appears before Samuel. It is Agatha, the oldest member of the Elite Four. <5> Arius watches the video closely. It appeared that Samuel was talking to himself. He couldn’t figure out why there was a hint of fear in his voice. He had no idea that Agatha was there. He couldn’t hear her, either. Agatha: We divorced eight years ago, and you have the audacity to marry another woman without telling me? Samuel: Well, you see, um... Agatha: And to believe that she’s twenty years or so younger than you are. What’s the matter? I’m too old to bear a child now, so you go after someone who still can? Samuel: Agatha! It wasn’t anything like that! We had been dating for about a year before we tied the knot! Agatha: Secretly, I bet. Had I known that you were dating, I would’ve put a stop to it right there and then. Samuel: If you’re thinking that I took advantage of her, then you’re wrong. Delia and I have a special bond together. Agatha: (interrupting) Yeah... one that you and me broke when we divorced. Samuel: It was time to move on. We practically hated each other’s guts. We couldn’t even live in the same town together without arguing every five minutes! Agatha: It’s all because of you and your stupid research! There are other scientists that could’ve done that work for you, no problem! Do you know how hard it is to be the wife of a husband who spends twenty hours a day working in a laboratory? Samuel: Hey, you were to blame, too! You were always out competing in Pokémon League tournaments. You spent nine months out of twelve per year out of town, attempting to keep your spot on the Elite Four. And whenever you weren’t doing that, you were traveling all across the country promoting the league. Agatha: (getting angry) I can’t believe that you’re blaming me because our relationship failed! If anyone is to blame, it’s you! Samuel: I beg to differ! I would have been happy if you had spent at least a few weeks a year at home so we could make up for lost time. But you never made that sacrifice for our marriage, and that’s why it fell apart. Although Arius had known for several minutes that the CD didn’t contain any information relevant to his mission, his interest was still piqued over the conversation that Samuel was in the middle of. Who knows... Team Rocket had to have had the CD for some reason, and he wanted to find out why. Little did he know, though, that the four Rockets from the room that he had stolen the device from, were slowly ganging up on him from behind. ************************************************************************ Outside, two strange figures and a Pidgeotto dressed in Team Rocket garb approached the front gate. That’s when they noticed that a gagged guard was tied up to a nearby tree. One of the figures, a female, walked over and ungagged the guard. Guard: Two of them jumped me. One of them took my keys. They may be headed upstairs towards the boss’ office, but I’m not sure. I’m sorry! She put the gag back on the guard, shutting him up once again. The male walks up to her, nods, then leads the way into the base. She, as well as the Pidgeotto with them, follows suit. ====== Back in Giovanni’s room, Cassie was in the process of finishing up the video she had been watching. Both Rattata and Eevee were back in their Pokéballs, after she discovered what had happened to Rattata a few minutes ago. She decided that a little rest would give them time to try and wipe those gruesome memories from their minds. Cassie was having trouble doing so herself. Over the last few minutes, she had watched three more tests fail... and their subjects dying horrorifically, with each one being much worse than the one before. In the first instance, the subjects turned a pale green before dislodging an organ or two. In the second, the bodies of both subjects shriveled up as if their lives were being sucked away, and in some way, they were. In the most recent test, the subjects ended up spontaneously combusting. Cassie was about to pass out just like her Pokémon had when she finally came across a test that had worked. On the screen, the five scientists had just completed their first successful test. They had managed to merge the DNA of two Pokémon: a Dugtrio and a Spearow. The scientists had given the Pokémon the codename of Speartrio. <6> Afterwards, they explained how they succeeded. After nearly two years of trying, they had finally found the right mix of chemicals to safely merge DNA. By this time, though, they were down to their last few subjects. Five, to be exact. It turned out that the Dugtrio and the Spearow were the healthiest of the remaining subjects, and thus they selected them for the test. It wasn’t long after the test had started that the scientists realized that they were finally going to accomplish what they had set out to do. They rejoiced as the machine spit out an egg, of which the baby Speartrio was in. After checking the new Pokémon’s vital signs, they deemed that the experimentation part of their project had been completed. They provided blueprints for all of their work to prove their success, and also to save on tape for future reference, should the original copies be misplaced. Cassie smiled. This must be what she had been searching for all along. Stopping the video, she ran over to the desk and found a green unlabeled computer disk in one of the drawers. She heads back to the computer and types in a few commands. The computer then begins to work, as it compresses the file. Unknown to Cassie, the silent duo and their Pidgeotto were working their way up towards Giovanni’s office. They were creeping silently enough to keep from being heard. The male takes a small silver ball out of his pocket and clenches it in his fist. Back in the room, Cassie was in the process of downloading the file. Luckily, the disk she had chosen had been empty, so there was just enough room for the file to fit. She was in a hurry because she knew it would only be a few minutes until the guard at the front gate would be discovered, and she still had to meet up with Arius. Cassie breathed a sigh of relief. She now had the file on that small disk. All that was left to do before departing was to delete it from the mainframe computer. She just had to hope that there weren’t any other disk copies lying around. She was aware that she wouldn’t have time to find them. Just outside the door, the mysterious figures prepare to burst in. They could hear someone moving inside, and they were determined to make the intruder pay for breaking in to Team Rocket’s base. Inside, Cassie read aloud the final prompt on the screen. Cassie: Final warning. Are you sure you want to delete this file? (presses the ‘Y’ key on the keyboard) Yes! As the computer worked to remove the files, the door suddenly bursts open. Cassie can’t immediately see who it is, because the invaders have thrown out several smoke bombs. She also didn’t see the Pidgeotto that slams right into her mid-section. This causes the disk that she was holding to fly out of her hands and onto the floor. Unable to see five feet in front of her and desperately coughing for air, her attackers reveal themselves. Male and Female: (simultaneously) Prepare for trouble and make it double! Female: To introduce the world to devastation! Male: To love our team and unite our nation! Female: To denounce the values known as truth and love! Male: To extend our knowledge to the stars above! A woman with her pink hair rolled up in a ball and dressed in an orange Team Rocket uniform appears to Cassie’s left. Female: Jane! Likewise, a similarly looking green long haired man wearing glasses appears to Cassie’s right. Male: Calamity! Jane: Team Rocket, the best when stealing Pokémon is right! Calamity: Surrender now, or prepare for a fight! The Pidgeotto that just hit Cassie lands between the two and sounds off his part of the motto. Pidgeo: Pidgeo! The best of the best has returned! The three sweatdrop when they discover that Cassie is ignoring them and instead looking for the computer disk. Cassie: Now where did that disk go? Jane: (coughs) Excuse me, but where are your manners? Calamity: It is a crime to ignore the Team Rocket motto! Cassie: (without looking at them) What motto? Every two Rockets I meet have some weird variation of that stupid dialogue that you guys call a motto. (becomes shocked when she realizes how close she is to them and that she had given away her position) Uh oh. The sound of a Pokéball opening can be heard in the room, although in the smoke it is impossible to tell who threw it. Pidgeo: (smiles) Looks like someone needs another lesson in respect. (tackles towards Cassie) As in respect Team Rocket’s property, you little... A Meowth appears out of the smoke, surprising Pidgeo as the feline pounces on the bird. Cassie: (from somewhere in the smoke) Good work Meowth! Now use your fury swipes attack! Meowth digs his claws into Pidgeo’s skin several times. He screams out in pain. Pidgeo: Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Get this Meowth off of me! Jane: Let’s teach this little thief why we’re unbeatable. Calamity: I’m with you on that one! Jane gives her Pokéball a kiss before throwing it. Calamity rolls his into a nearby wall. Jane: Pinsir, go! Calamity: Kabuto, let’s get going! By this time, the smoke had completely cleared out of the room. The two Rockets could see their Pokémon, as well as a battered Pidgeo, but there was no sign of the intruder. Pidgeo: (pointing a wing towards the doorway) She’s escaping, you idiots! Jane and Calamity: (turning towards the door at the same time) What? Sure enough, Cassie and her Meowth were already in the hall, heading for the stairs. She was also holding the computer disk in her right hand. Jane and Calamity look at her suspiciously before turning towards the mainframe, which only now they remember that she was using. The four words that were on the screen made the duo so angry that they ran out the door with their two Pokémon without question. That left Pidgeo on the floor, alone and bruised from battle. Just before passing out for a little rest, he managed to get a glimpse of the message on the screen. ‘File has been deleted.’ ====== In the hallway, Cassie uses her free hand to pull out Meowth’s Pokéball. Cassie: (aiming it towards Meowth, who was only a few feet behind her) Meowth, return! Meowth returns to her Pokéball. Cassie returns it to its place and pulls out a different Pokéball. She does this as she arrives in the main hallway. She then peers over the railing separating the second floor from the first. Cassie: (stops running) Time for a little shortcut. (throwing the Pokéball) Come out Bulbasaur! Bulbasaur: (materializing in front of Cassie) Bulbasaur! Cassie: Bulbasaur, use your vine whip as a rope so I can climb down to the first floor. Bulbasaur: (smiling happily) Bulba! Bulbasaur extends its vine whip to the floor, and Cassie slides down the vines. She then recalls Bulbasaur back into his Pokéball. Cassie: Good work Bulbasaur. (looking around) Now to find Arius. Jane and Calamity suddenly appear at the top of the stairs. They start yelling at Cassie. Jane: (interrupting Cassie’s train of thought) Hey you! We’re not through with you yet! Calamity: Do you know how dishonorable it is to run from the great Team Rocket? Cassie: (as she starts to take off running in the opposite direction) Nope. Jane: Pinsir, go after her! As Calamity recalls Kabuto to his Pokéball temporarily, Pinsir runs ahead to try and stop Cassie. Just ahead, in another hallway, Arius is on the run from a few Rockets himself. Although he no longer had that miniature TV with him, he was running with one of his own Pokéballs in his hands. Both Arius and Cassie were looking behind at their pursuers, instead of ahead, where the two hallways that they were running in were about to meet. As expected, the two collided without knowing whom they ran into. The two of them are now sitting on the ground, both holding their heads in pain. Only then do they realize that they had bumped into each other. Arius and Cassie: (simultaneously) It’s you! (pointing towards each other) What happened to you? What happened to me? Why don’t you tell me first! Pinsir: (running towards the pair) Pinsir! Arius and Cassie scream in fright of the approaching Pinsir. Arius: (getting up while grabbing Cassie’s hand) We can put two and two together later. Right now let’s get out of here! Cassie: (holding back Arius for a second) Wait! I need to find that disk! Arius picks up a disk from the ground and shows it to Cassie. Arius: This one? Cassie: Yeah, that’s it! Calamity: (yelling from down the hall) There she is! And she’s got someone with her! Arius: (trying to identify Cassie’s pursuers) Huh? Cassie: Let’s go! Now! The two sprint down the hall, attempting to escape Team Rocket. As they got closer and closer to the front gate, the number of Rockets chasing them increases to twelve. Calamity and Jane were leading the pack. Finally, the two of them cleared the gate, with Team Rocket closing in. They noticed that the guard they had tied up earlier had not moved. So did Team Rocket. But no one stopped to untie him. This made the agent really angry, as he continued to struggle to free himself from his bonds. Ignoring the fact that it was still raining outside, Arius and Cassie run towards Viridian City without a thought of shielding themselves. They were too occupied with trying to escape. That turned out to be a bad mistake. Calamity pulls a gun out of his pocket and opens fire on our heroes. They duck to avoid a few stray shots, but they were well aware that they wouldn’t survive this mission if one of those shots were on target. Cassie: How many of them are behind us? Arius: (turning around to look) It looks like there’s about a dozen. Cassie: We can’t handle them all by ourselves! Arius: (thinks for a minute, before skidding to a stop) We’ve got to try. Cassie skids to a stop and almost slips in the process. She runs a few feet back to her partner’s side. Cassie: (grabs Arius’ shoulder) Are you crazy? There’s no way we can beat that many Rockets by ourselves. Arius: (takes out one of his Pokéballs) You never know until you try, Cass. Cassie: (a little annoyed) I thought I told you not to call me that. Arius: Why? Just because people used to refer to you as Cass the A... Cassie: (cupping her hand over Arius’s mouth) You tell anyone else about that and I’ll... Arius: Don’t worry, no one else knows. Anyway, where were we? Cassie: Arius? (yelling at him) I’m not done talking to you yet! Arius ignores Cassie and starts running back towards Team Rocket. Cassie: (shakes her head) Why do I even put up with him? Arius: (still running) I hope you guys are ready for a fight! Jane: We sure are, but I’m not too sure about you! Calamity: (aims the gun at Arius’ head) Nice to see you again. Not! Arius: Jane and Calamity! Calamity fires. Arius tries to turn around and run back the other way, but he slips in a patch of wet mud and falls on his back. That causes Calamity’s shot to fly over Arius’s head and right by Cassie’s, missing her left ear by only inches. Cassie: Arius! Cassie stops beside Arius, and kneels down to check on him. This gives Team Rocket enough time to surround the pair. Jane: The chase is over! Calamity: (pointing his gun towards Cassie) Hand over that little trinket that you stole, if you know what’s good for you. Arius: (whispers to Cassie) What IS on that disk, anyway? Cassie: (speaking aloud so that everyone can hear her) Everything that we need to complete our mission. Arius: (pulls her back down and whispers to her again) Are you crazy? Cassie: (smirks while whispering back) Funny, I could have sworn that I asked you that very same question. Cassie puts the disk in her pocket as two Rockets walk over and grab her. Neither Arius or Cassie react, for fear of being shot by Calamity on the spot. The others watch Arius carefully for any signs of movement. Jane and Calamity smiled as their teammates put Cassie right in front of her. Without any word, Jane walks over to Cassie and searches her. In seconds, she pulls out the computer disk, as well as six Pokéballs, two at a time. Jane hands the Pokéballs to the two Rockets standing next to her. After doing so, she nods at Calamity, who then approaches Cassie with his gun pointing towards her head. Calamity: Well, it looks like you’ve worn out your usefulness. He places the gun against Cassie’s forehead. Calamity: You know, it’s too bad I have to shoot you. You two would have made great additions to our team. (looks straight at Cassie) Especially you, my darling. Then again, members of a traitorous organization such as yours don’t deserve to live. Cassie: What do you mean traitorous? And how do you know about the Pokémon Trainers’ Association anyway? Calamity: So that’s the name of the organization. Silly girl... you’re too much of a blabbermouth to be a spy. Cassie: Look who’s talking... Calamity: Anyway, I thought you would have known about this by now. I haven’t been in Team Rocket that long, but any Rocket member knows that the founders of the Pokémon Trainers’ Association were former Rockets themselves! Arius and Cassie: (eyes wide open in shock) What? Jane: (laughs) You mean you didn’t know? Calamity: Of course they didn’t know. Do you think these two innocent trainers would have joined it if they knew that in advance? Cassie: (on the brink of tears) You’re lying! Calamity: Am I? (cocks the gun once) You’re not going to have the opportunity to find out. Arius: Cassie! No! Arius tries to run towards Cassie, but three Rockets immediately tackle him on the spot. Cassie closes her eyes as Calamity pulls the trigger. Click. Click. Click. Calamity’s gun had run out of bullets. Seizing the moment, Cassie opens her eyes and immediately kicks Calamity between the legs. The camera shows Calamity’s head and shoulders. His eyes are wide open as he grits his teeth in pain. He then falls down and grabs his private spot, in the process releasing his grip on his empty gun. The two Rockets that had been holding her down absentmindedly release their grip on her and go to Calamity’s side. Jane: You idiots! Forget about Calamity and get her! Before anyone could react, Cassie makes a dive for Jane’s waist and pulls a smoke bomb from her tool belt. Cassie: Arius! Cover your mouth! With that, she throws the smoke bomb towards the ground, and motions to cover her mouth. Among contact, smoke begins to billow out from the ball as it starts to cover the entire area. In the confusion, Arius gets loose from his captors while Cassie makes a scramble to get back her Pokémon and the computer disk. When the smoke clears, all of the Rockets look around for the duo. Calamity is helped to his feet, his private area still stinging from that harsh kick that Cassie had given him. Jane was the first to spot Arius and Cassie, about five hundred feet away, with all of their belongings in tow... including the disk. She saw Cassie call out one of her Pokémon: a Kadabra. Arius: It looks like we’ve worn out our welcome. Cassie: No kidding. (turns to Kadabra) Kadabra, flash! Arius and Cassie join hands as Kadabra’s psychic energy gathers around the trio. In the blink of an eye, the darkness of the landscape lights up. And as the bright light fades away, the Rockets look over and discover that our heroes are gone. Jane stomps over to Calamity and grabs him by the collar. Calamity begins to panic as Jane begins snorting angrily in his face. Jane: Of all of the times that you could have run out of bullets, you had to pick this one! Calamity: Jane, calm down! Jane: Calm down? Do you know what’s going to happen to us if the boss finds out what just happened? Calamity: I have a pretty good hunch... Jane: We have to track down those two kids now! Jane puts Calamity back down, and then she begins barking commands to the others. Jane: I want every single Rocket here to get in contact with our associates in Saffron City, as well as any agents on assignment in the Kanto region. No matter what it takes, we will track them down and get that disk back! And whatever you do, don’t let the boss find out about this! Team Rocket members: Yes ma’am! As they split up in different directions, we see Arius, Cassie, and Kadabra hiding in a tree not too far away. Cassie: (patting Kadabra on the head) Nice work Kadabra! Kadabra: Kadabra! Arius: (points towards one of the Rockets) Can you believe those guys? Look at them run around like they’ve got ants in their pants! Cassie: (pulls out the disk) Forget them. We’ve got the disk. That’s all that matters. (puts it away) Let’s teleport out of here so we can get to the rendezvous point. Arius: (nods in agreement) Right. Cassie: Kadabra, would you do the honors? With that, Kadabra teleports the two agents and himself to Pewter City. ====== Just a few hours later, United Indigo Airlines, Flight 360, was passing by the Tippecanoe Mountains. As they made their way through a storm seemed to be brewing. Inside the plane, TJ was lying asleep in his seat. He was busy thinking about Duplica and how she’d react when he greeted her at the airport. TJ: (thinking) Why wait? I can use my new cell phone to call her now. He takes it out and begins to dial the number for the Indigo Plateau Information Desk. TJ: Hello? Yes, I’d like to contact a friend of mine who’s competing in the tournament. Her name? Duplica Imite. Yes, I’ll hold. A couple of rows back, the suitcase bearer from before was looking out the window. He was getting a little concerned about the weather. Suitcase Bearer: (to himself) Boy, I hope all of this unsavory weather doesn’t cause the bomb to go off prematurely. Back at Team Rocket Headquarters, Giovanni had made his way to the front gate, where all of the other Rockets were searching for Arius and Cassie. Giovanni: (yelling) Calamity! Jane! Come here at once! The two aforementioned Rockets made their way to Giovanni. They addressed him promptly. Jane: Yes, boss? Calamity: What’s up? Giovanni: What’s up? How about telling me what all of this noise is about? And why half of the guards are running around in the rain? Calamity: (nervously) Well sir, you see... Jane: There were some intruders in the complex. You see, they managed to download a data file from the mainframe computer. Giovanni: Which file? Calamity: (gulps) Project CB. Giovanni: CB? That’s the cross-evolution research project! How could you let them get away? Jane: We’re sorry, sir! Calamity: They caught us by surprise. Giovanni: Well, it will be no surprise what I’m going to do to you two if you don’t find those two spies immediately! Jane and Calamity: Yes sir! The two run off to rejoin the others in their search. As Giovanni heads back in, he sees the other Rockets from the airport had returned. Giovanni: Ah, at least someone here can do a job right. Is the bomb armed? Bald Man: Yes! Woman: Our little ‘friend’ has no clue of what’s about to happen. Giovanni: Splendid. Proceed immediately. I want to hear the news of that individual’s passing within the hour. Woman: But sir, what about the others on the plane? Giovanni: Let’s just call them collateral damage. Bald Man: (salutes Giovanni) Yes sir! As Giovanni walks away, the bald man pulls out another remote control. He prepares to press the button that will set the bomb off. ====== Back on board the plane, TJ waits patiently for his call to go through. A loud crash of thunder is heard from outside the plane. He looks up and sees the ‘fasten seatbelt’ light go on. Suddenly, a voice booms over the loudspeaker. Stewardess: Attention passengers! We are about to fly through some turbulence, so we are advising you to buckle your seatbelts. The captain has told me that this is a passing storm, and we should be through it in fifteen to twenty minutes. Thank you for your cooperation! TJ buckles his seatbelt as he hears a click from the other side of the phone. It then begins to ring. ====== Meanwhile, at the Indigo Plateau, trainers all around are preparing for their battles, despite the fact that the sun was still not up. Over in one of the dormitories, Misty was putting the finishing touches on her hair. Duplica was watching the morning news on her bed, waiting for Misty so that they could go to breakfast together. Giselle wasn’t in the room because she slept elsewhere that night. Duplica: So Giselle slept with this guy named Joe last night? Misty: They both used to go to Pokémon Tech. They were old friends. I was surprised when Ash told me he was in town. He’s competing as well. Duplica: Just how close are they? Misty: I’m not really sure. They didn’t look like they had any chemistry together... until Ash told me what he saw when he was supposed to meet them for lunch last Tuesday. Duplica: So what did happen? Before Misty could answer, the phone began to ring. Duplica picked up the receiver. Duplica: Hello! TJ: Um, hi. Remember me? Duplica: Of course I do! Hold on a second! Duplica covers the mouthpiece momentarily and signals for Misty to go on without her. Misty smiles and nods. She grabs her Pokéballs and heads out the door, closing it behind her. Duplica: TJ! It’s nice to hear from you again! TJ: It’s been awhile, I guess. Let’s see... it’s been three months since we last saw each other at the Imite House. Duplica: It’s seemed longer than that to me! Duplica then hears a loud crash from the other end of the line. Duplica: What was that? TJ: We’re kind of working our way through a thunderstorm now. Duplica: Are you sure it’s safe to talk? TJ: Of course I’m sure. There’s nothing to worry about. Duplica hears another loud crash. This time, though, the line goes dead. Duplica: Hello? TJ! TJ, are you there? ====== Back on the plane, screams could be heard all over the cabin. TJ has also realized that he had been disconnected. He puts his phone aside momentarily as he looks out the window and sees that the wing engine on his side has caught fire. The stewardess comes back on the PA. Stewardess: Everyone please calm down. The captain is turning off the engine on the left wing, which should extinguish the fire. We encourage you to keep your seatbelts on and to relax while we rectify this problem. TJ breathes a heavy sigh of relief. He picks his phone back and redials the number to Duplica’s room. A minute later, Duplica answers. Duplica: TJ! What happened? TJ: The engine on my side caught on fire. Duplica: Are you okay? TJ: Yeah, I’m fine. I think we’re going to try and make it the rest of the way with this engine off. The stewardess was pretty confident that it’s only a minor problem. Duplica: That’s good. A third crashing sound fills the air, even louder than the first two. The plane quickly jolts forward. It begins to descend rapidly into the mountains. Screams once again fill the cabin as loose objects alike begin flying towards the front of the cabin, knocking several people out. The stewardess is knocked off her feet and is sent flying right into the door leading into the first class cabin. TJ ducks as low as possible into his seat to avoid any flying debris. Upon pulling the cell phone back to his ear, he hears Duplica yelling from the other end. Duplica: (yelling) TJ! What’s going on? Are you alright? What was that explosion? TJ: (over all of the screaming) I’m not sure. Suddenly, the oxygen mask compartments from above open up and its contents fall out. This sends most of the passengers into a frenzied panic. Up in the cockpit, the pilot and co-pilot are busy trying to right the plane. Co-Pilot: The tail’s gone, sir. I think we got hit by the storm! Pilot: Radio a mayday to the nearest airport. With one engine out already and this terrible storm, our chances of saving this plane don’t look to good. Co-Pilot: (slowly) Aye aye, sir. A rumble of thunder, followed by a flash of lightning, fill the air. The co-pilot turns on the radio and begins to broadcast his signal. Co-Pilot: Mayday. Mayday. This is United Indigo Airlines 360. Mayday. We have a lost the left side engine and our tail while flying through some turbulence. Our current position is in the Tippecanoe Mountains, roughly 65 miles west of Indigo Plateau. Our current altitude is 30,000 and falling fast. Mayday. Mayday. United Indigo Airlines 360. We’re in trouble. We’re in trouble. Back in the passenger cabin, TJ looks out the window and sees the mountains getting ever closer. TJ: Duplica, I think we’re in trouble. Duplica: Are you going to be alright? TJ: I don’t know. We’re going down pretty fast towards some mountains. Duplica: (beginning to cry) TJ! You‘re going to be okay! Please don’t leave me! TJ: I don’t think I have a choice. We could come down at any moment. Duplica: (crying) Please! Haven’t we gone through enough already? As if matters couldn’t get any worse, the pilot comes on the PA with some sad news. TJ puts his phone down for a brief second. Pilot: Passengers, this is your captain speaking. Please put on your oxygen masks and fasten your seatbelts. This also goes for all crewmembers. We are descending at a rapid rate and our outlook is not looking too good. We’re going to try to make an emergency landing at Tippecanoe Town Municipal Airport in five minutes. (sighs) May God bless us all for whatever the outcome may be... Now, sounds of crying as well as loud screams ring throughout the cabin. TJ looks over and sees that some people are already bending forward in their chairs, putting their heads between their legs. The realization has finally reached TJ, as he begins speaking into the phone again. Duplica: TJ! TJ: (thinking) Duplica’s already breaking down, and she has no idea what’s going on. I’d better break it to her slowly. If I can. I’m getting scared myself. My career could be over. (gulps) Well, here goes. (speaking into the phone) Duplica. Duplica: (sniffling) Yes? TJ: Let’s forget about what’s happening right now. Let’s just remember all of the good times we had. Duplica: Don’t say that! You’re going to make it through this. TJ: (slowly) There’s this song I heard once. I think it reminds me of us. I hope you like it. Duplica: TJ. Music begins playing, as the scene changes to Tippecanoe Town. On this sunny day, TJ is walking away from the town and towards the mountains. He then begins to sing a ballad, as scenes from his past begin flashing across the screen. [It’s undeniable that we should be together It’s unbelievable, how I used to say that I’d fall never] (Flashback # 1) <7> Duplica: Well, I guess I’d better get going. I’d like to see some of the other matches. TJ: Hey, Duplica, right? Would you like to come with me? I heard there’s a good match out on the Grass Field right now. Duplica: Great, let’s go! (End flashback) [The basis is need to know If you don’t know just how I feel] (Flashback # 2) <8> Duplica: Say, you want to go with me, Cassie, and Jeanette to the movies tonight? TJ: I’ll think about it, Duplica. (they both get up) Thanks, Duplica. You’re a true friend. TJ hugs Duplica, which catches her by surprise. TJ lets go, then waves goodbye while walking away. TJ: Thanks again, Duplica! Duplica: (still slightly stunned) Okay, then, TJ, see you later. (End flashback) [Then let me show you now that I’m for real If all the things in time, time will reveal Yeah] (Flashback # 3) <9> Duplica: You really want to know, TJ? TJ: Yeah, stop killing me with the suspense. Duplica: All right, here’s your answer. (her conscious speaking) I hope I know what I’m doing. She closes her eyes, puckers her lips, and gives TJ a quick peck on his lips. Duplica: How’s that for an answer? The only way TJ can respond is by grabbing Duplica and giving her a long, wet kiss back. (End flashback) As TJ begins walking up the mountain road, four fire trucks and two ambulances stop right in front of them. A gaggle of EMTs and other emergency personnel get out and start running up the road to where TJ sees a billowing cloud of smoke. [One, you’re like a dream come true Two, just wanna be with you Three, girl it’s plain to see that you’re the only one for me and Four, repeat steps one through three Five, make you fall in love with me If ever I believe my work is done Then I’ll start back at one] TJ finally locates the source of the smoke. An airplane has crashed into the side of the mountain... and into hundreds of pieces. A few police cars pull up. A dozen officers get out to clear the area and help search for any survivors. One of them pushes TJ and directs him back down the mountain. As he complies, he begins dreaming about the past again... [So incredible, the way things work themselves out All emotional, once you know what it’s all about, and] (Flashback # 4) <10> At the Imite House, Duplica had just finished her last show for the day. As she heads off-stage for a quick break before going off to sign autographs, someone steps in front of her. Duplica: Excuse me young man, but if you‘re looking for an autograph you gotta wait out by the stage. That someone, who is TJ, doesn’t move out of Duplica’s way. Duplica: Did you hear me? TJ: Don’t you remember me? Duplica: (examining TJ carefully) Now that you mention it, I think I have seen you before. You’re one of my older fans, aren’t you? [Undesirable, for us to be apart Never would of made it very far] TJ takes a picture out of his pocket and shows it to Duplica. It’s a picture of them that was taken by a photographer after one of his battles. TJ: Maybe this’ll refresh your memory. Duplica examines the picture carefully. It then comes to her... Duplica: TJ? TJ: (smiles) Duplica! You remember! The two share a tender hug, followed by a passionate kiss. (End flashback) [Cuz you know you got the keys to my heart Cuz] Suddenly, TJ is at the Indigo Plateau. There, a taxicab is waiting for him. He gets in and sees that he is sharing it with a young woman and her daughter. TJ closes the door as the driver starts driving it towards the trainers’ dormitories. [One, you’re like a dream come true Two, just wanna be with you Three, girl it’s plain to see that you’re the only one for me and Four, repeat steps one through three Five, make you fall in love with me If ever I believe my work is done Then I’ll start back at one] The cab pulls up in front of the dormitory where Misty, Duplica, and Giselle are staying. Ash, Brock, and Pikachu wave from nearby as Misty runs over to them. None of them notice TJ walk into the dormitory, despite the fact that he walks right in front of them. [Say farewell to the dark of nights I see the coming of the sun I feel like a little child, whose life has just begun You came and breathed new life into the lonely heart of mine You threw out the lifeline Just in the nick of time] TJ enters Duplica’s room unnoticed. He sees Duplica over on the phone, crying. Back on the plane, TJ continues to sing to Duplica as flashes of light ring throughout the cabin. The airplane is just seconds away from colliding with a mountainside. [One, you’re like a dream come true Two, just wanna be with you Three, girl it’s plain to see that you’re the only one for me and Four, repeat steps one through three Five, make you fall in love with me If ever I believe my work is done Then I’ll start back at one] With that, the phone line goes dead. Back in her room, Duplica releases the receiver from her hands. She begins to weep openly. Unknown to her, though, TJ was right next to her, providing some comfort. ====== The following morning, in Pewter City, Arius and Cassie are sitting in a restaurant, watching the news. They are dressed in their regular clothes now. Suddenly, a black haired woman wearing a black T-shirt and some blue jeans comes in and takes a seat at their table. Arius: It’s been a long time. Cassie: Nice to see you again, Patti. Patti: Pleased to see you two are alive. Have you heard the news this morning? Arius: About the plane that crashed? What does that have to do with us? Patti: You two have been assigned to investigate it. Cassie: What? Patti: Sources say that a Team Rocket member on his way to the Indigo Plateau was onboard. We want to find out what his mission is and see if the agent is still alive. Arius: Just what sources are you referring to? Patti: Whatever do you mean? Cassie: Team Rocket told us that the founders of the Pokémon Trainers’ Association were Rockets! Patti: That’s preposterous! That’s nothing but a lie! Cassie: Are you sure? Patti: Positive. Now get going. Arius: What about the disk? Cassie pulls it out of her pocket and shows it to Patti. Cassie: Yeah. Weren’t we supposed to retrieve that secret information from Team Rocket? Patti: (getting up to leave) Hang on to it. You’ll need it later. Cassie: Wait! What do you mean by that? Patti hands a twenty-dollar bill to the attendant on the way out. Patti: (points to the table where Arius and Cassie are) Give those two over there whatever they want. The waiter nods and goes over to the duo to get their order. Arius and Cassie sit back down, wondering what their next move would be... End Episode 42 ************************************************************************ Adventures Series Trivia Questions: # 9 - At the start of this series, what is the combined age of Ash, Misty, and Brock? # 10 - Name all of the Pokémon Jessie and James used to capture Articuno. ************************************************************************ Author’s Notes: <1> For those of you who watch the World Cup every four years (that’s soccer / football, folks), you know that in their preliminary rounds that they divide teams into groups of four. Same thing applies here when I refer to Group G... except that I’m referring to the Pokémon League Novice Tournament, and the groups have eight competitors each. <2> A little more background on the route name thingy... for those of you who remember “Changing History,” the episode that Cassie appeared in for the first time (I think it was part of “Three Short Stories” in Episode 8), the route back then was numbered 26. Of course this was before I had known about Gold and Silver, and the subsequent fact that Nintendo would continue adding numbers on to those already established in the Kanto Region. So instead of renaming it again (to Route 47, which I think would’ve been the next available number) and risk another conflict should another Pokémon game come out, I stuck a ‘K’ on the end. I don’t know if I’ll do any stories in the Johto region, but if I do, I will refer to its Route 26 as Route 26J. I really hope this doesn’t confuse anyone. ^^;; <3> Definition, according to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: defibrillator - an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore the rhythm of a fibrillating heart <4> For those of you who remember “Here Comes the Fine Toothed Comb,” (“Three Short Stories: Master Ball Edition”) I had designated both Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum under different names. At the time, Oak’s first name was Larry and Mrs. Ketchum’s was Marie. This was all before I learned their real names (Samuel for Oak [“Don’t Touch That ‘dile” from the anime] and Delia for Mrs. Ketchum [“Pokémon the Movie 2000”]). It is changed here, and will be changed in the older story whenever I get around to revising it. <5> Yes, the Elite Four from the first Pokémon games are still in power. <6> Guess where you’ve seen this Pokémon before! <7>, <8>, <9> References back to older episodes in the series (# 9 “Let the Games Begin!”, # 12 “One Step Closer“, and # 13 “Mighty Misty, the Pokémon Trainer!”). <10> These are new scenes. These have never been seen before in this series. They take place about three to four months before this episode. Gary Oak has always thought of himself as Pallet Town’s best trainer. But with the departure of his cheerleading squad and the rise of his rival Ash Ketchum to fame as one of the Pokémon League’s most promising trainers, he’s beginning to rethink that statement. In our next episode, Gary returns home to try and reunite the squad. But will they be willing to go on the road again? Don’t miss Episode 43, “Just Me and the Cheerleaders.” Copyright Date: 6/27/01 Adventures Series Trivia Question # 6: Exactly how much did Misty and Arius pay for their hotel room in Vermillion City? Answer: Five hundred thirty-eight dollars and twenty-five cents ($538.25). That’s a lot of money for a room for two. Especially since they had to bet against a couple to get it! (Episode 5)