The Battle of Saffron

"A-All right...!" She said, making a mad dash between the fallen rockets. Any members who tried to approach her were quickly dealth with with Gyarados's tail.

"Net..." he muttered as Koreik thought deeply. "Go aheade and create one by hand. There's no more time for us to look for it. We expect it done TODAY, understand?"

As his Pokemon continued to deal with one Rocket after another with speed and strength that only a fighting type like Hitmonlee could show, Akio turned to Zeiro and said, "You've gotten pretty good. Reminds me of that first day in Pallet Town. Still, these guys are tough."

"Y...yes, very well, sir," the scientist said as he walked over to the nearby table. "The only thing that can subdue any Pokemon, are the feathers of ancient Pokemon who cannot be defeated. The Legendary feathers of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres will be the net..."

Aki saw Sierra run into the building. She grinned at the chance to make things easier for herself and stood up. "My pupil is on her way, so I should deliver the final lesson myself... but first let's see how she's come along." She pressed a button to contact the Saffron Gym Leader. "I need you to intercept the girl that just walked in. Don't show any mercy."

"It's nice bossing them around, isn't it?" a monotone voice spoke behind Aki. At the entrance of the room two large men stood in the traditional Team Rocket garb, the R's removed and replaced with yellow lightning streaks. From behind them walked another man, smaller in stature but ten times more menacing. He looked at his finger nails, and then to Aki. "Been a while since we met in person, Aki. You look good." The blonde who had tried again and again to murder Zeiro sat down on the other side of the desk. He looked to the mirror.

"Huh, so the little gnat survived." He sighed "Tougher than I thought."

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"FLAMETHROWER!"

A stream of flame lashed out to the Rocket members, lighting the ground around them up in a bonfire. Rocket grunts ran in all directions, some with their clothing set ablaze.

A new face stepped up next to Akio and Zeiro, turning his black and red hat backwards as he did so. The same face they had seen in Cerulean city. He punched his fist into the opposite palm, rolling his neck as he did so.

Tyson Chevalier had arrived.

"Never liked these Goons" he said, smiling to Akio. "Oh, hey, you're the kid from Brooke's gym, right? Sup man?" He patted him on the shoulder, but the time for small talk had ended. More grunts had run on them, getting ready for battle. Tyson could only shake his head. "Well, so much for goin' easy on you guys. Magmar!"

A flash before the trainers materialized into a solid being. Red and yellow came together in a flame pattern, black braces on the wrist of the man-sized fire creature. A thick brow fell over unimpressed eye, the beak of the pokemon puckered as if it was about to kiss these attackers goodbye. It growled "Mag......Mar....." then turned back to it's trainer.

"It's clobberin' time, buddy! Go to work with a couple of Fire Punches!" The pokemon nodded, clenching two fists that soon engulfed in flame. It ran at the Grunts without a second thought, sending them flying with strike after strike. Ty scratched the back of his head. "He gets a little carried away, sometimes."

"Ahhhhh! What are you doing here?!" Meladii frozed as she saw Volt coming in at the same time she did. She never liked the guy...too scary and violent for her tastes. "How many times do I have to tell you NOT to come in at the same time I do?!" (it makes perfect sense...)

"THen get to work." He grunted, motioning his head to a case nearby. "The feathers are in there. IF that Master Ball isn't done by the time I come back...well...I'll leave you to figure that out." with that said, he walked off.

Zeiro blinks at the newcomer before shaking his head and focusing on the task on hand. "LEt's go! No time to waste!" He shouted, running towards the building as he returns Gyarados to its pokeball.

Aki closed her eyes lightly at the sound of the monotone male behind him. She did not turn around, already knowing that Volt and Meladii were in the room behind her. She pointed up at the screen where the three males were outside fighting. "Now that you two are here you can do your jobs. Considering that you, Volt, messed up the operation of the S.S. Anne for your own personal gain, you have a lot to make up for. As for you, Meladii, I hope that you won't be lending that Akio boy a bike again. You failed once already, so don't expect another chance beyond this. I can control where they will go. Go where you please, and take the birds with you. Articuno has been taken already, so I think you two can distribute the others among yourselves."

Akio ran into the building as well with a sigh. He was as serious as always. Inside the building was a front deck, and next to it were three strange squares. There seemed to be no other doorways or even windows in the room other than the one they came from. "This... is strange..." Akio said as his Hitmonlee came in behind him. "How do we move through this room?"

"I owe that kid, anyway." Volt stood up, hands placed into his pockets. "I'll take Zapdos. Don't wait up." With no more to say, he simply left....but not before looking deep into the eyes of Meladii. What could he say? Making her shiver was fun.

"They look like transporters." Ty said, Magmar in tow. He took out the pokeball, returning his companion to it and placing it on his belt. "I think we just kind of get on them. I've never seen one, myself."

"E-erk...." Meladii looked at the ground with a semi pale face. She didn't think Aki found out about that...and Volt was definately not helping. "A-All right...I'll Take Moltres, then..." With that said, she grasps the pokeball beflre running off.

"It's obvious they want to split us up." Zeiro muttered. He was waiting for them to finish cleaning up the grunts. "At any rate...is it a smart idea to split up at this point?

"We have to keep moving, and going the same way will just slow us down," Akio said. He rushed over to one of the teleporters, tossing a Pokeball to Zeiro. "Take this! Use Specter if you get in trouble, but be sure to give him back, alright?"

"W-Wait, what?!" Zeiro shouted, fumbling for the pokeball before glaring at Akio. "Idiot! I already have 6 pokemon! Besides, you'll need him more than I do!"

Akio blinked as he didn't realize that Zeiro had 6 Pokemon. He thought for a moment, then said, "Alright, then toss me one of yours. We'll make it a promise to make it back to each other later. Nothing wrong with helping each other in a situation like this."

Zeiro couldn't help but face palm, groaning as he glares at Akio. Looking at hte boy, he won't take no for an answer. "...Fine...Take Eevee, then." He shouted, tossing ap okemon with the tiny brown pokemon.

"Whoa.....move away from the angry boy....." Ty said, looking to Zeiro with a widened-eyed stare that screamed "this kid's crazy". He just walked to one of the transporters, waiting for the dang thing to turn on so he could leave the angsty kid and his very optimistic friend.

Akio caught the ball with a small smile and said, "Thanks, Zeiro. I'll take good care of your Eevee." With that said, the transporters started to glow. Akio looked down to it just as he disappeared. When he reappeared, he was slightly in the air. He came down on his feet, beginning to look around. "Okay, so where did that take me?"

'Hmph...idiots." He muttered as Zeiro teleports into an unknown area. He takes a few steps around teh room, glancing around. "Now then...where are you...?"

Akio was suddenly surrounded by a ring of fire as Moltres glares down at him. Underneath the fire bird was Meladii. She simply stared at the ground, refusing to look at Akio.

Akio covered his arms defensively as he looked over to see Meladii. "Hey, what're you doing?!" he called out, then looked up at the fire bird she had to have been commanding. It was obvious what was happening. "Fine, I get it... Tails!" The small fox appeared in front of Akio as he threw the ball. He stood its ground as Akio glared down at Meladii. He knew this had to be the final battle for the two of them.

Ty looked as his body began to fade, tripping out by the creepy effect. He reappeared in another room, looking around to try and see where exactly he was. If he couldn't find a way, he might as well blow some stuff up.

The room around Zeiro lit up with a blinding light, surges of electricity pulsing around him at every turn. The angry eyes of the legendary Zapdos bore down upon Zeiro, a screech leaving it's beak. Beneath it stood the blonde and sinsiter features of Volt, the Vermillion Gym Leader and a man Zeiro would know very well.

"Gotta hand it to you. Never thought I'd have to see your face again." He stood his ground, his coat flapping in the sheer force of Zapdos. "Can't say I'm not going to enjoy beating you down again, though."

Zeiro used his arm to protect his eyes from the sudden light until they managed to adjust a little. Moving his arm to the side, he glares at Volt. "We'll see about that...Nidoking!" He tosses out a pokeball, revaeling a giant purple dinosaur of sorts. He lets out a mighty roar as it glared at Zapdos. ~Thanks to the Moonstone I found due to that little S.S. Anne incident, I was able to evolve him after he evolved into Nidorino during that training session.~

"You guys will pay! I may have not been able to protect Zapdos or Moltres, but I'll be sure to rescue them!"

Meladii clenched her hands as Akio got ready to attack. She looks up at him befoer shaking and holding her head. "I can't do it! I can't fight you!" she cried, falling to her knees.

An angry wail came into the room as Aki yelled over the intercom. "You traitorous fool! Moltres, do away with this woman!" The bird turned to the woman, opening its mouth and preparing a mighty flame. "I gave you Moltres because it was the only one of the three you had no chance of defending yourself against! Die in the flames of your betrayal!"

"Tails, let's go!" Akio called out as he and his Pokemon both moved in front of Meladii just as the Pokemon let out a mighty Flamethrower attack.

"You know the only reason I ever joined Team Rocket was because of my parents!" Meladii shouted, sticking her tongue out at the intercom. "I don't care who yoru boss is...he's not the boss of me and neither are you!" HEr eyes widen as she backed away from Moltres, even more so as Akio tries to play the hero. "Y-You idiot!"

"If I may interject..."

An invisible shield appeared in front of Akio and Meladii, diverting the Flamethrower away from them as Koreik walks in the room with a strange pokemon with a giant mustache and carrying two spoons. Soon, Meladii started floating over to him in confusion.

"No need to have a heart attack...I can deal with this brat before dealing with this traitor." he said as the screen fades away. "I assume that's perfectly fine with you, right? Besides, I doubt you'll want to clean up the mess."

Akio grunted as he saw the other member of Team Rocket that he knew all too well had arrived. Hearing Meladii's story brought things into perspective slightly, but now wasn't the time to think about it. He pointed out at the man and said, "Use Flamethrower!" The fox roared and sent out a massive Flamethrower attack at the man, knowing it would probably do little against them.

"I'm glad to see you there for once," Aki said through the intercom. "That boy was going to use Moltres' flames to empower his Vulpix. Its Flash Flare ability would have absorbed the flames and turned them into power. Be sure to watch out for that boy. The girl will be easy enough to deal with once he is dead."

"This is why I tell you not to overreact and rush into things." He said to Aki through teh intercom. "Golem, Magnitude." A flash of red appeared in front of him, revealing a rather large rock pokemon. Golem glares at Tails before crying out, jumping and slamming against hte floor. This caused the room to shake and debris to fall at Tails.

Magnitude 7.

"Seeing as how I am the master of Ground types, I'm sure you wouldn't want me to destroy this area, do you?" Koreik said to Aki. "In that case, you'll just have to provide me with a location if you will...Alakazam can teleport us there."

"Tails, dodge it!" Akio called out as the Vulpix used its speed and agility to nimbly move past the rocks as Akio glared at the intercom. They both read my moves and countered them on the spot. They're even stronger than Meladii, and Tails can't fight Ground types. I have to switch, but... He looked back up to Moltres, knowing that he'd have no defense against it without his Vulpix on the ready.

"Why not take him to your Gym, then?" Aki said through the intercom. "Or if that's too far, the Saffron Gym should do fine. It really makes no difference. Just be sure to take the traitor girl with you. I want her to see what happens to her new friend!"

"My Gym is fine." Koreik said as he returns Golem to its pokeball. "Besides, it's better to split this brat with his pesky friend. WE don't want them meeting up and having fully healed pokemons with that troublesome power. Sadly, my intercom broke so I wont be able to contatct you from there." With a snap of hisfingers, Alakazam's eyes glowed brighter as an aura surrounded all the pokemon and people in the room before disappearing into thin air.

They soon reappeared in a dark building. As Moltres appears last, the building lights up, revealing a simple gym with a balcony behind Koreik. "Welcome, boy, to the Viridian Gym." He said darkly. "My proficiency is with Ground Pokemon as you already saw...but unlike the otehr Gym leaders, I have many different types of pokemon at my disposal. Golduck, Hydro Pump!"

From the darkness behind Koreik was a humanoid blue duck pokemon with a crystal on its forehead. He swings his head back before launching it foward, opening its mouth to unleash a deadly stream of water at Vulpix.

Volt showed no reaction the the Nidoking whatsoever. He held all the cards right now. They were playing his game. "Try to make this a little entertaining for me." He took a step with one foot, widening his stance. With a flick of his head his hair fell back, out of his face. Zapdos flapped it's wings, another surge of electricty covering the walls and ceiling as it did so.

Akio blinked before he disappeared. He appeared in the darkness, unable to see anything around him. When Moltres appeared and illuminated the area, he turned to the man Koreik with a glare. He already knew this man had powerful Ground type Pokemon and that most of his attacks did nothing to them, even ones that were suppose to be extremely effective. Still, he knew that even his Pokemon had to have a weakness somewhere.

When the water came at his Vulpix, Akio immediately grabbed a Pokeball and said, "Aqua, Protect!" The turtle appeared and moved its arms defensively in front of his companion. It shielded it from the water, parting it as it reached to them. "He says he's a Ground user, but he has a Water type. He must have Pokemon that know Ground moves even when they aren't Ground Types."