Chapter 3: A Fateful Encounter
In a warehouse not far from the laboratory, the man and his Scizor was resting. They had chosen this warehouse since it is quite familiar to them: dark, cold, and musty. Like all hiding places they have used throughout the world. He was stroking the metallic coat of his exhausted Scizor who had just finished clearing the place from the Rattatas and the Raticates.The silver sheen of the Pokemon was lost, replaced by a grubby, dirty black.
"We'll be finishing this mission soon," the man crooned to his Pokemon. "Once that bastard son of mine is out of the way." Scizor was silent. The usual bug buzz from its wings was absent. It seemed like it fell asleep.
"Knoe," the man said, as he closed his eyes.
~~~~
Dante was back in the lab. It was only 8 in the morning, so there was still no one in the lab. The lab was always left unlock since Hawthorn is a very trusting man. Sandgem is also not very populated, so the less reason to leave the door locked. And Knoe always comes in a little after 9, too early for the Professor to rise. He still might be in his room upstairs, still sleeping. Dante muffled a giggle as he imagined Hawthorn in his boxers, mouth hanging open, with a little drool running to his pillow. Dante proceeded to the laboratory table containing two Pokeballs as quietly as he could. He got it, and pushed the buttons. The Professor's Munchlax and Alakazam appeared.
"Hi," Dante said timidly. The Muchlax looked at him quizzically, while the Alakazam smiled. "Can we play again?" Dante, still young at heart, called out his Buizel.
"Munch!"
"Ala!"
"Let's play hide-and-seek then!" Alakazam teleported immediately. Dante closed his eyes, and slowly counted to ten, while Munchlax and Buizel hid.
"Ten! Ready or not, here I come!" Dante nearly laughed in excitement but suddenly remembered the sleeping Professor. He searched the whole lab for the Pokemon. Munchlax, he found hiding underneath a desk, Alakazam behind a cabinet, and Buizel inside it. Dante was laughing with the Pokemon when, suddenly, the door burst open. Dante scampered underneath the desk with his Buizel, while Alakazam hid inside the cabinet. Muchlax was hiding behind a golden Arceus statue. The stranger wasn't Knoe. It was a different person.
He was wearing a black suit, too big for him that it reached its knees. He was moving with perfect authority, like ha had the right to be inside the laboratory at 8:30 in the morning. Dante estimated him to be only a little older than Knoe. He was rummaging the drawers calmly, but deliberately. Suddenly, the Professor came down from upstairs.
"What the...?" he said. The man threw a Pokeball to him. A Machamp appeared and quickly pinned the poor Professor to a wall. Using one of its four arms, it covered the Professor's mouth, and held him with two. The other one was raised as if to punch him.
"Calm down, Professor. I was merely searching for... Ah. Searching for a way to save the world." He laughed and resumed his search. However, Alakazam forcefully opened the cabinet door and started to send out a Shadow Ball. The man didn't flinch at this sudden appearance. In a flash of light, Houndoom blocked the attack. Alakazam mustache bristled. He faced the Machamp, and stated forming the Shadow Ball, but a quick Crunch from Houndoom ended it. Alakazam quickly went down after a Flamethrower.
"Don't resist, Professor. You'll just tire your Pokemon," the man said without taking his eyes of the paper. "Tsk. Not this." Suddenly, the front door opened. The man from yesterday appeared.
"Scizor! Quickly, X-Scissor!" The Scizor rushed towards the Houndoom, and it received the attack. It fell down in a slump. The first man looked up from a paper.
"You!" He glared at the newcomer.
"I heard they will be using a high-ranking official, but to use you? This have gotten to be more important than I thought," the man said. "And to hostage the Professor? Despicable," the man threw a Pokeball and Magmortar appeared. "Fire Punch!" MAgmortar attacked the Machamp who released the Professor at the last moment. The Fire Punch hit dead air. Machamp sent a Cross Chop to Magmortar which barely did damage.
"In then years time, do you think you can already defeat me now?" the man with the Scizor said. "Do you honestly think, that with your newfound experience, and friends, and knowledge, you can actually survive a skirmish with me? Huh?" he mockingly laughed.
"Yes. I certainly can now, Master," he replied. He sent out a Nidoking. A two-on-two battle between Scizor and Magmortar versus a Nidoking and a Machamp.
"You've got yourself pretty Pokemon, but do you think that is enough?"
"Yes. With this! Nidoking, Megahorn! Machamp, Cross Chop!"
"No!" Scizor evaded the Megahorn, while Magmortar took the punch. It bounced off. Scizor's claws glowed white. "Bullet punch and Lava Plume, quickly!" Nidoking went down with both attacks power.
"No! Machamp, Cross Chop Scizor!" But Scizor was ready. It flew off and quickly sent another X-Scissor. Machamp slumped to the ground.
"You still can't defeat me. My son is still better than you!"
"No!" the man recalled his Pokemon, and ran out of the window. It broke to thousand pieces. Dante watched the whole battle with utmost interest. It was like watching a League battle in TV.
Hawthorn was gasping for breath, as the man approached him.
"He'll be back, for sure. I know him. He is that persistent to get what he wants," the man said.
"What did he want? Who is he? Why is he here? Who are you?" Hawthorn breathlessly asked. The man just smiled at him.
"He wanted you knowledge. He was here to know something from you, extract something useful. He is an official of a secret organization," he calmly replied.
"Who are you?" Hawthorn posed the question the man avoided to answer. "You are the man from yesterday. Why did you save me?" he added.
"Glad you remember me," the man said. He held out a hand as if inviting the Professor to shake hands. "Yale Masashimoto, The Setta."