Story Notes:
Well, this is my first non-horror story and my first on AGNPH so I hope you like it. Now onward into the liquid abyss!!!
A Surprising Twist
*A phone booth in the woods near Verdanturf*
"Are you sure it's time yet? Not even six hours ago you told me to wait for the right moment." Cassidy had a skeptical tone to her voice, wondering to herself if Giovanni's idea was sound.
"There have been some complications. The Order has noticed the little stunt you pulled with Roxanne, and even now is searching for the boy. This has to be done immediately. I will not tolerate failure!" With that, Cassidy's doubt faded and was replaced by resolute confidence.
"Yes sir! I will retrieve the boy at once." She saluted smartly and hung up the phone.
Giovanni
"It won't be long now..."
*Back at the Pokémon center, five minutes later*
"Quick Houndoom, use night shade..." I woke with a start. The room was pitch black, and for some reason I couldn't move! I felt strong arms grip me and I tried to struggle free, but just then I felt a cloth cover my face. It smelled rather strange, and when I breathed it in I felt a little dizzy. My eyes began to blur (even though it was already pitch black) and I lost consciousness.
Nurse Joy walked into the room only to find dissipating darkness and a note. On the note it read 'The light has been quenched by the darkness. Let chaos rule supreme! Let this be a warning to the finder of this letter. The darkness will rule. If anyone wishes to survive, then submit to the rule of Team Rocket.' It was signed, of course, by Cassidy.
"Oh no! How will I tell his partner's he is gone? Oh, this is not good," She said with frustration. "Not good at all."
*Neo, back at the revitalizer pod*
I woke up somewhat dazed. I slowly rose, only to hit my head on something hard. I panicked at first, but saw it was just glass so I figured Chris must have taken me to the Pokémon Center. I looked around to get my bearings. Across the room from me I saw Rena, lying in one of the regular beds for Pokémon who were just here for a rest. In another one of the same beds I saw the Golbat from yesterday, so I figured Chris must have caught it. What a relief. That thing was scary.
Just as I was thinking this I saw Nurse Joy come into the room. She looked a little concerned and held a letter in her hand. I didn't really think much of it as she walked up to me and removed the glass over my pod. She beckoned me to follow her as she went and woke Rena and the Golbat as well.
"I have some bad news for you all," Nurse Joy said with a frown. She seemed to be having a hard time speaking. "I really don't know how to say this, so I'm going to be blunt. Your trainer has been kidnapped. The only thing in his room was this note from Team Rocket."
I was speechless. He was gone? He was really gone? There had to be some kind of mistake. Team Rocket couldn't have gotten him, not after all we had been through! I looked over to the others to see Rena crying. This had to be hard on her. The Golbat looked indifferent, but then again, he really didn't know Chris. Nurse Joy was just watching me, wondering what I would do. I went over to comfort Rena. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. "It'll be alright, we'll find him," I consoled, much to the surprise of Nurse Joy.
"You can talk?!" she asked in a somewhat shocked voice.
"Yes, I can. May I have that letter? My friends and I need to find our trainer. He did everything he could to help us when we were taken, so we need to do the same for him," I said with a serious tone, trying to not only convince myself that we could do this, but also convince the Golbat to help.
"I couldn't," she replied after her initial shock wore off. "I can't let you go and get yourselves killed! As a Pokémon nurse it's my duty to keep you safe. He's gone. There's nothing you can do." Nurse Joy said sadly but firmly.
With that I knew I would have to take a less diplomatic approach. I wouldn't have done this if I thought there was any other way, but I had to or we would never be allowed out of the Center. I growled at Nurse Joy. I raised my claws menacingly and Rena, taking the cue from me, joined in, lowering her horn.
"A-alright! You don't have to go that far! At least let me get you his supplies first. You have a long trip ahead of you." She said this in a shaky voice, a bit scared of the Pokémon who turned violent for no apparent reason. She understood though. She knew it was because of our trainer that we were doing this, so she got his supplies, along with a couple super potions she said she gave us, "just in case."
We managed to convince the Golbat to come with us as well. He seemed indifferent, but said he really did want to help his new trainer after all the trouble he had caused, if only just to meet him and apologize. When Nurse Joy gave me Chris's pack I hoisted it onto my shoulders. She told us of an old power plant that was rumored to be owned by Team Rocket, and then wished us luck as I led our ragtag group out of the Pokémon Center.
*Chris's point of view, at an old Team Rocket warehouse*
I woke up bleary eyed. The first thing I noticed was that I was being dragged along by two burly guards. The second was that I could see again. "Well well, whaddaya know, he's awake. Oy! Cassidy! Yer friend 'ears awake. Why don'ee show him the grand tour?" The guard had a thick accent, so I could barely understand him, but he had definitely said Cassidy. With that my head shot up, only to see a small fist fly into my face. For the next few seconds I was seeing stars.
"That was for Butch!" I heard her say vehemently.
"'Ey, ye know the Boss wan's this 'un alive!" The guard protested. As my head cleared all I could do was thank who ever their boss was fervently in my mind. Something was bothering me though. That's right, My Pokémon! I quickly looked down to my waist. "Don' even look. They're not there. Cass' over here in all her infinite wisdom grabbed ye without rememberin' to check fer your Pokémon. There's no way ye be goin anywhere." At this he looked down at me for some reason with a slight almost reassuring smile before looking completely serious. How could someone saying this actually look happy to see me? I wasn't happy to see him, and I sure as hell was not happy to be with Cassidy. I guessed I must have imagined it.
"Where are we? Why did you take me here?!" I shouted, directing my anger towards Cassidy, because something about this man made it hard for me to be angry with him.
"Wouldn't you like to know? Let's just say that you are going to be here for a long time," she said, smiling wickedly. "Take him inside; I have business to attend to."
"Ay Miss Cassidy. I be doin that now." He then hurried me into the building, leaving the other guard with Cassidy and keeping me from breaking free by his self. Once we were inside he bent down to my ear. "You be the child, correct?"
"Why do you want to know? And better yet, why should I tell you?!" I said defiantly. Of course this gave the man the answer he wanted. What he said next though surprised me.
"Ye be havin nothin to fear from me. I be a member o' The Order. My job was te infiltrate this base. I got meself a high level guard job here cause we knew this be where the Dark Ones would keep ye if they ever knew who ye are. I can't get ye out o here, but I can alert The Order that yer here. Until then, you need te lay low and do what yer told." His explanation caught me off guard, so I just nodded.
"What about my Pokémon?" I asked, thinking of Rena and Neo.
"We be gettin them back ter ya once we's can gets ye outta here. Don't worry, yer safe wit The Order." he explained in his guttural accent.
With that he led me to a door and pushed me inside. I looked back to see the door close in my face and locking with a click. I then grudgingly turned around to inspect the room I was in. I guess it could have been worse. There was a bed and sink, as well as a conjoined bathroom, although it was nothing more than a small closet with a toilet. I didn't know what else to do, so I just lay down on the bed and cried.
*Video phone conversation between the guard and the head of The Order*
Head
"Are you sure he was the boy? What you are suggesting is dangerous Horatio."
"I be positive, and even if I were te be wrong, what could we call erselves if wa didn't a' least try ter save te boy?" The head of The Order seemed a bit taken aback by this accusation.
"Alive, for starters, but I trust your judgment. Keep an eye on him. Make sure he is kept safe. I will send an agent to rescue him."
"Ay ay. I be makin sure nothin happens ter the lad. *noise in the background* I gotta go! Good luck ter ya!" Horatio quickly hung up the phone and turned around to find Cassidy in the doorway.
"So who was that?" Cassidy asked him accusingly.
"That be none o' yer concern. Who I talk to is me own business." Horatio replied defensively.
"Alright, don't bite my head off. I'm going, and I was told you are need in the lab. You better get going as well."
"Ay, I'll be t'ere."
*The headquarters of The Order, in the point of view of the Operative Kyle the next day*
I was woken suddenly. The intercom in my room went off with a ~BZZT~ Agent Tappainer, you're needed in the briefing room. "Alright, I'll be right there," I said groggily as I hit the intercom button. I looked over at the clock and groaned. It was only six in the morning. I rolled out of bed and wondered through the nearly empty halls on the way to the briefing room, wondering vaguely what this was about. It had better be important.
I stepped into the quick change station right before the briefing room, which was really a marvel of modern technology. I stepped in and it identified me. It then dressed me for the job I was assigned to. I noticed I was in a black stealth suit, so I knew this had to be some sort of reconnaissance or rescue mission.
Once I was fully suited up I walked into the briefing room. Once I saw who was at the head seat I quickly straightened up. It was the head of The Order, Dr. Maynard. I sat down and asked with all seriousness, "What's the situation?" At this, the good Doctor just laughed.
"Why always so formal, John? You never did know how to loosen up." Dr. Maynard was the only person who could get away with calling me by my first name. I always went by my middle name, Kyle. For some reason my first name just bugged me.
I tried my best to loosen up, and then I asked him the same thing. "So, what is the situation?"
"You never change. I guess that's why I like you; I can always count on you to take things seriously. Now, I have something very important for you to do. You remember the Prophecy of the boy of light, correct? Well, it seems that Team Rocket has him prisoner."
"They what?!" I shouted. "That can't be, they must have the wrong boy. We've been searching for him for years!"
"That may be so, but they do have him. You're mission is to get him back," he replied in a calm controlled voice.
"How am I going to do that? Do we even know which warehouse he is being kept at?" I inquired.
"Yes, as a matter of fact we do. He is being kept at the same warehouse Horatio is stationed at."
"Shit, that's not good." That warehouse was the most heavily fortified warehouse of them all. It had electronic sensors all over the place. If anyone other than Team Rocket set foot near there, the alarms would go off in an instant. This was not going to be easy.
"Don't worry; you've noticed you were given a stealth suit, right? Well, look on the chest piece. There should be a small grey button. Go ahead, give it a push."
I was curious as to exactly what this would do. Our technicians were always coming up with cool new gadgets and I was interested as to exactly what they had done this time. I pressed the button, then all the sudden disappeared!
"Where'd I go?!" I shouted in panic.
"Relax. All the suit does is makes it so light passes through you. It should also mean infrared sensors should go right through you as well."
"So you mean I could slip right through security?" I asked, intrigued. At that point I had found the gray button again and pressed it to return to the visible spectrum.
"In theory yes, unfortunately, we don't know exactly how good the security at the enemy warehouse is, so we can only hope this will work. For instance, they could have thermal sensors. Then you might be in a real pickle."
This really made me nervous, but before I could protest, he continued on.
"Once you're inside, you will need to find Horatio. His location will be shown on your HUD once you turn on the helmet functions of your suit with the white botton on the shoulderpiece. He can help you get to the boy. You will need to leave immediately. There is an armored truck waiting outside for you. Now, get going!" At his insistence I hurried out the door to the waiting truck.
*Meanwhile, in Rena's point of view*
This couldn't be happening. My Master, my trainer, my lover was gone. Why would Team Rocket do this to me? First they murder my original trainer, and then they take my second one away! I would make sure they paid dearly for this. I wasn't just going to get Chris back, I was going to make them hurt. There was no way I would let the same thing happen again.
"Are you alright?" Neo asked for the third time since we had left the Pokémon Center.
"Fine," I said absentmindedly. But I was not fine. I was aching on the inside and my throat was dry. I felt like I had cried for weeks, and that there were no tears left in me. They were going to pay, I guaranteed it.Chapter End Notes:Please, if you reread my story, tell me what you think of the edited version in your review as well
"Are you sure it's time yet? Not even six hours ago you told me to wait for the right moment." Cassidy had a skeptical tone to her voice, wondering to herself if Giovanni's idea was sound.
"There have been some complications. The Order has noticed the little stunt you pulled with Roxanne, and even now is searching for the boy. This has to be done immediately. I will not tolerate failure!" With that, Cassidy's doubt faded and was replaced by resolute confidence.
"Yes sir! I will retrieve the boy at once." She saluted smartly and hung up the phone.
Giovanni
"It won't be long now..."
*Back at the Pokémon center, five minutes later*
"Quick Houndoom, use night shade..." I woke with a start. The room was pitch black, and for some reason I couldn't move! I felt strong arms grip me and I tried to struggle free, but just then I felt a cloth cover my face. It smelled rather strange, and when I breathed it in I felt a little dizzy. My eyes began to blur (even though it was already pitch black) and I lost consciousness.
Nurse Joy walked into the room only to find dissipating darkness and a note. On the note it read 'The light has been quenched by the darkness. Let chaos rule supreme! Let this be a warning to the finder of this letter. The darkness will rule. If anyone wishes to survive, then submit to the rule of Team Rocket.' It was signed, of course, by Cassidy.
"Oh no! How will I tell his partner's he is gone? Oh, this is not good," She said with frustration. "Not good at all."
*Neo, back at the revitalizer pod*
I woke up somewhat dazed. I slowly rose, only to hit my head on something hard. I panicked at first, but saw it was just glass so I figured Chris must have taken me to the Pokémon Center. I looked around to get my bearings. Across the room from me I saw Rena, lying in one of the regular beds for Pokémon who were just here for a rest. In another one of the same beds I saw the Golbat from yesterday, so I figured Chris must have caught it. What a relief. That thing was scary.
Just as I was thinking this I saw Nurse Joy come into the room. She looked a little concerned and held a letter in her hand. I didn't really think much of it as she walked up to me and removed the glass over my pod. She beckoned me to follow her as she went and woke Rena and the Golbat as well.
"I have some bad news for you all," Nurse Joy said with a frown. She seemed to be having a hard time speaking. "I really don't know how to say this, so I'm going to be blunt. Your trainer has been kidnapped. The only thing in his room was this note from Team Rocket."
I was speechless. He was gone? He was really gone? There had to be some kind of mistake. Team Rocket couldn't have gotten him, not after all we had been through! I looked over to the others to see Rena crying. This had to be hard on her. The Golbat looked indifferent, but then again, he really didn't know Chris. Nurse Joy was just watching me, wondering what I would do. I went over to comfort Rena. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. "It'll be alright, we'll find him," I consoled, much to the surprise of Nurse Joy.
"You can talk?!" she asked in a somewhat shocked voice.
"Yes, I can. May I have that letter? My friends and I need to find our trainer. He did everything he could to help us when we were taken, so we need to do the same for him," I said with a serious tone, trying to not only convince myself that we could do this, but also convince the Golbat to help.
"I couldn't," she replied after her initial shock wore off. "I can't let you go and get yourselves killed! As a Pokémon nurse it's my duty to keep you safe. He's gone. There's nothing you can do." Nurse Joy said sadly but firmly.
With that I knew I would have to take a less diplomatic approach. I wouldn't have done this if I thought there was any other way, but I had to or we would never be allowed out of the Center. I growled at Nurse Joy. I raised my claws menacingly and Rena, taking the cue from me, joined in, lowering her horn.
"A-alright! You don't have to go that far! At least let me get you his supplies first. You have a long trip ahead of you." She said this in a shaky voice, a bit scared of the Pokémon who turned violent for no apparent reason. She understood though. She knew it was because of our trainer that we were doing this, so she got his supplies, along with a couple super potions she said she gave us, "just in case."
We managed to convince the Golbat to come with us as well. He seemed indifferent, but said he really did want to help his new trainer after all the trouble he had caused, if only just to meet him and apologize. When Nurse Joy gave me Chris's pack I hoisted it onto my shoulders. She told us of an old power plant that was rumored to be owned by Team Rocket, and then wished us luck as I led our ragtag group out of the Pokémon Center.
*Chris's point of view, at an old Team Rocket warehouse*
I woke up bleary eyed. The first thing I noticed was that I was being dragged along by two burly guards. The second was that I could see again. "Well well, whaddaya know, he's awake. Oy! Cassidy! Yer friend 'ears awake. Why don'ee show him the grand tour?" The guard had a thick accent, so I could barely understand him, but he had definitely said Cassidy. With that my head shot up, only to see a small fist fly into my face. For the next few seconds I was seeing stars.
"That was for Butch!" I heard her say vehemently.
"'Ey, ye know the Boss wan's this 'un alive!" The guard protested. As my head cleared all I could do was thank who ever their boss was fervently in my mind. Something was bothering me though. That's right, My Pokémon! I quickly looked down to my waist. "Don' even look. They're not there. Cass' over here in all her infinite wisdom grabbed ye without rememberin' to check fer your Pokémon. There's no way ye be goin anywhere." At this he looked down at me for some reason with a slight almost reassuring smile before looking completely serious. How could someone saying this actually look happy to see me? I wasn't happy to see him, and I sure as hell was not happy to be with Cassidy. I guessed I must have imagined it.
"Where are we? Why did you take me here?!" I shouted, directing my anger towards Cassidy, because something about this man made it hard for me to be angry with him.
"Wouldn't you like to know? Let's just say that you are going to be here for a long time," she said, smiling wickedly. "Take him inside; I have business to attend to."
"Ay Miss Cassidy. I be doin that now." He then hurried me into the building, leaving the other guard with Cassidy and keeping me from breaking free by his self. Once we were inside he bent down to my ear. "You be the child, correct?"
"Why do you want to know? And better yet, why should I tell you?!" I said defiantly. Of course this gave the man the answer he wanted. What he said next though surprised me.
"Ye be havin nothin to fear from me. I be a member o' The Order. My job was te infiltrate this base. I got meself a high level guard job here cause we knew this be where the Dark Ones would keep ye if they ever knew who ye are. I can't get ye out o here, but I can alert The Order that yer here. Until then, you need te lay low and do what yer told." His explanation caught me off guard, so I just nodded.
"What about my Pokémon?" I asked, thinking of Rena and Neo.
"We be gettin them back ter ya once we's can gets ye outta here. Don't worry, yer safe wit The Order." he explained in his guttural accent.
With that he led me to a door and pushed me inside. I looked back to see the door close in my face and locking with a click. I then grudgingly turned around to inspect the room I was in. I guess it could have been worse. There was a bed and sink, as well as a conjoined bathroom, although it was nothing more than a small closet with a toilet. I didn't know what else to do, so I just lay down on the bed and cried.
*Video phone conversation between the guard and the head of The Order*
Head
"Are you sure he was the boy? What you are suggesting is dangerous Horatio."
"I be positive, and even if I were te be wrong, what could we call erselves if wa didn't a' least try ter save te boy?" The head of The Order seemed a bit taken aback by this accusation.
"Alive, for starters, but I trust your judgment. Keep an eye on him. Make sure he is kept safe. I will send an agent to rescue him."
"Ay ay. I be makin sure nothin happens ter the lad. *noise in the background* I gotta go! Good luck ter ya!" Horatio quickly hung up the phone and turned around to find Cassidy in the doorway.
"So who was that?" Cassidy asked him accusingly.
"That be none o' yer concern. Who I talk to is me own business." Horatio replied defensively.
"Alright, don't bite my head off. I'm going, and I was told you are need in the lab. You better get going as well."
"Ay, I'll be t'ere."
*The headquarters of The Order, in the point of view of the Operative Kyle the next day*
I was woken suddenly. The intercom in my room went off with a ~BZZT~ Agent Tappainer, you're needed in the briefing room. "Alright, I'll be right there," I said groggily as I hit the intercom button. I looked over at the clock and groaned. It was only six in the morning. I rolled out of bed and wondered through the nearly empty halls on the way to the briefing room, wondering vaguely what this was about. It had better be important.
I stepped into the quick change station right before the briefing room, which was really a marvel of modern technology. I stepped in and it identified me. It then dressed me for the job I was assigned to. I noticed I was in a black stealth suit, so I knew this had to be some sort of reconnaissance or rescue mission.
Once I was fully suited up I walked into the briefing room. Once I saw who was at the head seat I quickly straightened up. It was the head of The Order, Dr. Maynard. I sat down and asked with all seriousness, "What's the situation?" At this, the good Doctor just laughed.
"Why always so formal, John? You never did know how to loosen up." Dr. Maynard was the only person who could get away with calling me by my first name. I always went by my middle name, Kyle. For some reason my first name just bugged me.
I tried my best to loosen up, and then I asked him the same thing. "So, what is the situation?"
"You never change. I guess that's why I like you; I can always count on you to take things seriously. Now, I have something very important for you to do. You remember the Prophecy of the boy of light, correct? Well, it seems that Team Rocket has him prisoner."
"They what?!" I shouted. "That can't be, they must have the wrong boy. We've been searching for him for years!"
"That may be so, but they do have him. You're mission is to get him back," he replied in a calm controlled voice.
"How am I going to do that? Do we even know which warehouse he is being kept at?" I inquired.
"Yes, as a matter of fact we do. He is being kept at the same warehouse Horatio is stationed at."
"Shit, that's not good." That warehouse was the most heavily fortified warehouse of them all. It had electronic sensors all over the place. If anyone other than Team Rocket set foot near there, the alarms would go off in an instant. This was not going to be easy.
"Don't worry; you've noticed you were given a stealth suit, right? Well, look on the chest piece. There should be a small grey button. Go ahead, give it a push."
I was curious as to exactly what this would do. Our technicians were always coming up with cool new gadgets and I was interested as to exactly what they had done this time. I pressed the button, then all the sudden disappeared!
"Where'd I go?!" I shouted in panic.
"Relax. All the suit does is makes it so light passes through you. It should also mean infrared sensors should go right through you as well."
"So you mean I could slip right through security?" I asked, intrigued. At that point I had found the gray button again and pressed it to return to the visible spectrum.
"In theory yes, unfortunately, we don't know exactly how good the security at the enemy warehouse is, so we can only hope this will work. For instance, they could have thermal sensors. Then you might be in a real pickle."
This really made me nervous, but before I could protest, he continued on.
"Once you're inside, you will need to find Horatio. His location will be shown on your HUD once you turn on the helmet functions of your suit with the white botton on the shoulderpiece. He can help you get to the boy. You will need to leave immediately. There is an armored truck waiting outside for you. Now, get going!" At his insistence I hurried out the door to the waiting truck.
*Meanwhile, in Rena's point of view*
This couldn't be happening. My Master, my trainer, my lover was gone. Why would Team Rocket do this to me? First they murder my original trainer, and then they take my second one away! I would make sure they paid dearly for this. I wasn't just going to get Chris back, I was going to make them hurt. There was no way I would let the same thing happen again.
"Are you alright?" Neo asked for the third time since we had left the Pokémon Center.
"Fine," I said absentmindedly. But I was not fine. I was aching on the inside and my throat was dry. I felt like I had cried for weeks, and that there were no tears left in me. They were going to pay, I guaranteed it.Chapter End Notes:Please, if you reread my story, tell me what you think of the edited version in your review as well