A/N: Thanks go to winterfell for providing a description of the mutated Eeveelution, Kamiah. I'd like to thank winterfell, again, for providing a description of an adult version of Silver, Giovanni Walker's son and for giving me a reason for why Shira works for the JD.
Chapter 12: Mission — Capture Celebi
<You don't expect us to give up our bodies, do ya?!> spat a tough-looking Eevee in the Ilex Forest that night. Glaring down the opposing trio of Houndour, Mareep and Murkrow, the three Pokémon of which were owned by a Johton Team Rocket grunt, the aforementioned Eevee was different to the rest of his kin. On his small chest was a scar, depicting the letter 'x'.
The scarred Eevee, his brother and their two sisters had been sleeping peacefully, minding their own business when the enemy Pokémon disturbed them. Immediately getting into an argument with the Houndour, the two male Eevee learned of the Johton-based organization's plans... and something which involved them, which of course lead to the older male growling in defiance.
Until now, Team Rocket hadn't truly revealed why they were evil. In an elaborate two-pronged attack, they were determined to capture these Eevee and flush the Time Traveller out of her hiding place. The Eevee were destined to be experimented on, but the Time Traveller... if they could obtain Celebi, they saw this as being able to protect her from the twisted, malice-filled desires of the Johto Destroyers, while using her for their own gain. All the Commanders did was send out lowly grunts with their inferior intellect to fulfil their needs; it was like they were too busy to do the missions themselves.
<You mustn't resist,> the Mareep bleated.
<Or you'll pay the price,> the Murkrow squawked.
<Pfft! Pay the price?! What price, huh?!> The scarred Eevee countered.
<The price of death,> Houndour growled menacingly.
Mentally taken aback, the older Eevee turned and stared into the Dark and Fire type's narrowed eyes. <
He... he means business! I have to protect my siblings, I can't let them die here!> A bright white light flashed in the Forest, signalling the arrival of a saviour — though the Eevee didn't know it.
"What the hell are you three waiting for?!" the grunt yelled. "GET them!"
The Houndour, Mareep and Murkrow lunged in unison, aiming to scatter the four Normal types. However, as a family, they stayed together. Houndour and Mareep went after the older Eevee, while Murkrow targeted the younger ones. Working together, the canine and sheep cornered the scarred creature. The Houndour's jaws were flaming with fireballs and he growled even more threateningly than before. <You're gone,> he snarled and charged forward, biting the Eevee's throat, burning him, while Mareep watched on.
At that moment, a raven-haired woman appeared, focused her powers and sent a huge psychic shockwave at the criminal and his Pokémon. Houndour flew backwards with the scarred Eevee still in his mouth. The Johton-based Team Rocket grunt, as well as his Mareep and Murkrow, crashed into a cedar tree.
Now would be a good time, Chelsea, the woman broadened the range of her abilities and contacted Celebi.
<
As you wish,> the green fairy-like Pokémon replied. She allowed Sabrina to pick up the younger male Eevee and his two sisters, before thrusting her small hands out and completely froze time for about one minute. <
Shall we make our getaway?>
That would be wise. Any longer and they would have found you. It was only a matter of time; the grunt was so very close to your shrine, Sabrina answered. Her explaining over and done with, Sabrina and Celebi teleported out of both of the Ilex Forest and Johto.
*****
The next morning, Josephine and Arthur emerged from their Pokémon Centre room in a perceptibly quieter frame of mind than what they had been in last night. Rachel noticed a very faint sheen of red on their faces, and said nothing about it. Katie, having not been paired with a boyfriend of her own yet, knew nothing about subtlety and gawked at them with her azure eyes wide with a combination of shock and laughter.
"Oh my god! You guys actually did it?! You're only fourteen!" she exclaimed.
Josephine turned her head away, but Arthur snapped back in a controlled manner. "We're turning fifteen, you know that!"
"That's not the only thing they should be concerned about." Sabrina's voice was heard within the room, but there was something about it that Josephine fretted over. It had hardened a fraction since the redhead had last seen the raven-haired woman. "I saw the thought before it was even born in your mind, Josephine. Indeed, I won't beat around the bushes. Team Rocket's Johton-based forces were so very close to capturing Celebi last night, but that's not all. In order to flush her out, they targeted a family of young Eevee. Chelsea, if you would kindly show them."
The human-ized Celebi walked into the room with three Eevee nestled in her arms. "We managed to bring these ones back with us, there's a male and two females. Their older scarred brother was taken. I know in my heart he'll be experimented on. Sabrina and I already decided beforehand that we would delegate one of them to each of you. I hope you will approve of our choices and look after them." Chelsea's voice was soft not only with anxiousness, but a caring love for the surviving siblings.
She proceeded to give the second-oldest male to Josephine and Arthur, the first female to Rachel and Damien and the youngest to Katie. "Thank you, Chelsea." Their voices spoke in unison.
*****
In a Johton-based TR HQ...
"GIVE IT A REST, I SAID!" Apollonir yelled. "BUNGLING IDIOT! WE COULD HAVE HAD HER!"
"Commander Apollonir!" the grunt gasped. "Forgive my blunder, sir!"
"You two,
that is enough." Pandora's icy voice cracked the air like an electric whip. Pandora was sick to death of hearing Apollonir argue with her organization's grunts all of the time. While Apollonir had a point in the fact that they
could have had Celebi, there was absolutely no need to punish the hard-working grunt who had brought back the scarred Eevee for experimental purposes. That deed alone satisfied Pandora.
"Noble leader, when would you like me to begin the experiment?" A scientist asked of Pandora.
"Commence Operation: Cellular Merge now," the Johton-based Team Rocket leader replied.
The scientist nodded in compliance, just before an as yet unknown Commander spoke up, getting Pandora's attention. "Do you want me to take some of our forces and observe the happenings of the Johto Destroyers?"
"Yes, that would be a good idea. That was fantastic thinking on your behalf, Renata. You may leave as soon as you're ready," Pandora answered.
The black-garbed Commander Renata stood to attention and saluted her leader, before easing her position and leaving the room to find her best men.
*****
Half an hour later, outside a Johto Destroyers base...
"What are the Johto-based forces of Team Rocket doing anywhere near us?"
The platinum-blonde Renata and her men were soon blessed with the presence of a young lady, accompanied by a Gengar. Her cerulean hair bounced as she jumped down from the tree Renata and her troops stood under. Her dark skin contrasted with her grey skin-tight uniform. Her violet eyes studied the other female and her underlings as she tilted her head.
"Who are you?! You look more like an Admin," Renata countered.
"Far from it, to be honest. My name is Phoenix, but you will address me as Commander Lenaya. I'm a high-ranking member of Johto Destroyers," Phoenix answered in a tone of authority.
"I'm not addressing you as anything!" Renata yelled. "I, too, am a Commander. Commander Sirsa Renata is my full title, and I'm allied with..."
Phoenix cut her enemy off while she was in mid-sentence by simply raising her hand. "Blah, blah," she mocked. "I know who you're allied with. What I'm asking is what are you doing here? Answer now, or you'll regret the indecision."
"C-commander Renata, ma'm?" One of the grunts stammered. "I t-think we should leave this place."
"Silence, fool! You are not here to give me orders!" Renata slapped the man on the face. "Very well, Phoenix, you shall get your answer. My squad and I are here to monitor your activities in regards to Project 251 and what you plan to do to it."
Phoenix's eyes narrowed upon hearing Renata's slight on her rank. She sighed deeply, closed her eyes and looked at the ground. Without warning, she jerked her head up, opened her eyes quickly and stared directly into those of Sirsa's. The very air between her and Renata warped severely as her special ability attacked the Johton-based Team Rocket Commander's mind. Speaking as though in a trance, Commander Lenaya explained the side-effects of her ability to her enemy's grunts.
"What you're seeing before you is my special ability. It is called Telepathic Mind Rape, or TMR for short. I use it when I want to weaken the opposition's mind. The major side-effect is a barrage of emotions that leave the target defenceless for more of the same. Other, more minor effects include shattered mental shields, no emotions whatsoever, or a permanently damaged brain."
By this time, Renata was down on her knees, cradling her head in her arms, begging for mercy.
"However, I shall be lenient this time. Don't let me catch you information thieves sneaking around here again," Phoenix broke off her attack and the grunts fled from her sight, protecting their Commander.
*****
Back at Saffron City...
Sabrina sat stock-still in a private room at her Gym. "Oh no," she whispered. "It's happening. I have to warn the others." With that, she instantly teleported out of the Gym and materialized at the Pokémon Centre. Noticing that the others were just leaving the building, she caught Josephine's attention.
"Sabrina? What's wrong?" the redhead questioned in a hard tone.
It's the older, scarred Eevee. They're doing something to him. I heard something about Operation: Cellular Merge. Whatever they're planning, you lot have to go there and stop them, the woman with jet black hair telepathically warned them.
Without even looking at each other, their decision was unanimous. "We'll do it. Operation: Cellular Merge will be shut down. You can count on us."
"I can't teleport you as it is too great a distance, but Alakazam can. He's used to that sort of thing. Alakazam, your presence is required!" Sabrina tossed her starter's Poké Ball out and the tall, yellow, bipedal fox appeared after the light died down.
Reading his mistress's mind required only a split-second to comprehend the order. <
I want you all to grab hold of each other, then your leader should hold me!> After they complied with Alakazam's instructions, Sabrina had to shield herself from the biggest flash of white light she'd ever seen as her partner teleported away to Johto.
*****
In the same Johton-based Team Rocket force's Headquarters as before...
Their auras loomed ever closer. Kamiah rubbed a blue paw over his lighter coloured ear, wincing as the scales pulled lightly against his fur. Swivelling his feline head back and forth, the hybrid glimpsed the blue fish-like tail and the scales running across his back. He hoped his targets would hurry. He was interested in completing the mission.
Chase and Soren were nearby, with both of them pretending to be Team Rocket members. Helena, Ho-oh in human form, had instructed them to keep an eye on Kamiah, in order to see if there was any way for him to be turned back to the side of good. So far, they'd had no luck, for during the mutated evolution, Kamiah's mind seemed to have been twisted and filled with dark thoughts. But there was no harm in keeping on trying, just as long as they didn't get caught in the process.
*****
The human-ized Pokémon representing the Shadow and the Darkness stood opposite each other. It had not even been half a week that the Chosen were back in Kanto and Mewtwo and Darkrai were already confronting the other.
"You do know that the Lord won't approve of this?" Matthew questioned abruptly.
"Quite frankly, I don't think he would care. Unlike us, he chose to bind himself to a human form until this whole fiasco was over. The other reason he did that was to help the Johton-based forces of Team Rocket, though I daresay Donovan will get his revenge sooner or later." Desmond answered back, just as brusquely.
"Donovan? What's he got to do with this?"
At this comment, Desmond smirked and folded his arms. He was inwardly surprised that Mewtwo hadn't been told about Dialga's lust for revenge on Arceus, that Dialga's entire being wanted payback for being cursed. "I'm sure Pandora will tell you if you ask her nicely," Darkrai replied.
Immediately, Mewtwo's eyebrows shot up. "Palkia? She's here as well?!"
"Not
here, as such. But yes, she's in Johto."
Very slowly, it seemed, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in Matthew's mind. "Arceus cursed Dialga, didn't he? That's why Palkia and Arceus moved to Johto and became prominent members there, isn't it? And why Dialga is a high-ranking member of the Johto Destroyers, am I right? Dialga wants revenge..."
"Correct on all accounts. My god, you've got a clever brain," Desmond taunted.
"That's enough, you two." A new, feminine-toned voice entered the discussion. A woman materialized and stopped suddenly, her azure eyes searching the faces of the two males. She was a slender being and her long pink hair was done up in a ponytail which cascaded onto small shoulders. Mia was dressed in a pink blouse and a long pink skirt, with the woman's elegance increased tenfold by the flowing effect of her garments. Her hands were as white as a ghost's and her lips finally formed a smile when she read the facial expressions of Matthew and Desmond.
"Mia, what are you doing here?" Matthew asked.
Seemingly ignoring the question, Mew got straight to the point. "The Chosen have just gone to Johto to see if they can help Kamiah, a former Eevee forced to undergo a mutated evolution. They will need all of the help they can get." Having finished her explanation, she stared at both of them. It was almost straight away that they realized her point.
"We're on it," Desmond said.
Yes, mother, Matthew responded telepathically, knowing that Desmond wouldn't be able to hear him.
"Go now, then." Mia answered, and dematerialized.
Several minutes later...
Having found the Chosen, with Rachel and Damien standing to one side, Desmond nodded briefly at Matthew. The human-ized super-clone strolled up to the boy and pushed his right hand up against the male teenager's right shoulder blade. A burning pain seared from the spot of contact, but Damien issued no cry of pain. He was used to being marked. When the pain subsided, Damien looked both Legendaries in the eyes, before speaking up. "This was in the legend, wasn't it? The original Chosen who was marked by you both ended up dying, didn't he?"
Matthew and Desmond nodded in unison. "Yes, but that was of old age, not a death from the war."
"Let's just get this over and done with," Arthur's voice came from behind them. While the two Legendaries had been talking with Damien, Josephine and Arthur had crept up to a window of the Team Rocket headquarters, peered in and saw Rocket members swarming around some freakish Eevee evolution. They also saw Chase and Soren pretending to be Team Rocket members.
"Wait, something's happening," Josephine hissed from her spot at the window. The other Chosen, as well as Desmond and Matthew, hurried over and peered in. What they saw stunned them. In between Josephine and Arthur looking through the window until now, Kamiah's mind must have awoken to the presence of a Legendary inside the headquarters, because the hybrid was now clearly pointing a forepaw at Soren.
Chase and Soren froze as the grunts, Admins and Commanders faced them. Slipping on a pair of highly-advanced goggles, Pandora saw Soren for what she really was. "Hmph, well, well. Hello, Suicune. If you thought you could trick me with that illusion, you're out of your mind. Apollonir, you will stand in for Renata, since she hasn't fully recovered yet. Use the NEC,
now!"
As a giant cage began appearing from underneath the floor from a simple flick of Apollonir's fingers, Chase jumped out of the way. "No, Chase! Don't leave me here!" was all Soren could cry out before the electrified steel bars of the enclosure shot a massive amount of the elemental energy at her, forcing her to drop her illusion and reveal her true form. The energy continued pouring into Suicune's body, causing her to fall unconscious.
From outside, Matthew and Desmond weren't going to let this brutal, barbaric treatment of a fellow Legendary continue. Combining their Aura Sphere and Dark Pulse techniques, they blasted a hole in the side of the building, charging inside afterwards, with the Chosen following in their wake.
As the haze from the explosion cleared, the Chosen and the Legendaries found themselves facing off against Arceus and Palkia. The God of all Pokémon was a white, four-legged creature about two-thirds of Lugia's size, with a yellow energy ring on his body, perpendicular to the middle of his back. His ring was in the same colour of all of the elemental plates that could be found in the world. <Humans
and Legendaries? Working together?> Arceus' deep voice boomed.
"You can't talk!" Matthew yelled. "You were masquerading as a human, too, you know!"
<Silence, Mewtwo! I have my reasons, as does Palkia! Explain to me why you are here, with humans.>
Mewtwo fell silent, but Arthur spoke up. "We came to see if we could free the mutated evolution of Eevee, and then when we do show up, we find you keeping Suicune hostage in an unconscious state. Explain that!"
<I do not have to explain myself. Kamiah is a loyal experiment, and he will be staying with us. There is nothing you can do to make me change my mind. Palkia, if you please.>
Palkia drew back her arm, as the orb on her other limb shone cerise. <I do not wish for it to have been like this,> was all she uttered as the Spacial Rend attack shot towards them like a meteor.
*****
Time had passed but to him nothing had changed, barring the stupid cowlick in his short red hair, which he had gotten to lay flat on his head. He lazily blinked crimson eyes at the mirror. The lines on his face were deeper, the frown more prominent. He was certainly taller, possibly six feet even. He grimaced quietly at how white he was. Wearing mostly black really didn't help with a tan after all. He pulled his red and black jacket over the black belly shirt. Sighing, the twenty one-year-old ran his fingers over the smooth black fabric of his pants. He still dressed like a kid, after all this time. Giving up, Silver wrapped the grey cape over his clothing. Not much else to do now.
"Mr. Walker, sir?" A hesitant voice piped up.
"How many times have I told you to just call me Silver?! I will be ten times the man my father was!" Silver snapped back at the researcher. "Now what is it?!"
"Extremely high abnormal energy readings are being detected from the enemy base in Goldenrod City, Silver." Another scientist responded after the first fell silent from fear.
"Base signatures are distinguished on the thermal radar, Silver!" Yet another scientist hollered.
"What are you waiting for, idiot?! Who are they?!" Silver yelled back.
"The energy readings indicate that Arceus, Palkia, Mewtwo, Darkrai and an unconscious Suicune — plus some teenagers — are in the base at the moment." The second technician answered.
So... it's begun, has it? Hmm, things just keep getting interesting, the Johto Destroyers leader thought. "Alright, I'm sending Phoenix, Donovan and Shira in!" A very livid glare from Arianna prompted him to add that she, too, could go. "Take these with you." Silver called out to Arianna and threw her a couple of spheres; they were jet black in colour with a silvery-grey letter imprinted on them. The letter on the balls represented the containment spheres used by a Pokémon poacher from an age long ago, because they were, in fact, the same objects he used — Dark Balls.
As Phoenix, Shira Davina, Donovan and Arianna left; Silver turned back and continued watching the intensifying battle which was Arceus and Palkia VS Mewtwo, Darkrai and... Raikou? "What the ****ing hell?!" he swore. "Where did Raikou come from?!"
On the way to Goldenrod City...
Like her Johton-based Team Rocket counterparts, Apollonir and Pandora, Shira was very tall. As she walked alongside the other three, the human-ized Shaymin observed Phoenix's behaviour, before returning one ghost-white hand — both of which had beautiful sapphire coloured bangles on them — to her side. Running the fingers of her other hand through her sea green hair, which went down to the base of her spine, her emerald eyes viewed the surrounding area. The woman was slender, and the fact that she wore white attire helped pronounce this even more. It was a clean pale coloured piece of clothing which had a jagged green bolt on it.
Her eyes bore a hole into Phoenix's inquisitive expression, as she considered what to say to her. As she studied Commander Lenaya once again, they had a particular glow about them, which revitalized the cerise flowers on her head.
Able to walk backwards, a feat not many humans could successfully pull off, she faced Phoenix properly. This allowed her completely white boots to make a soft squishing noise in the rain-laden grass.
"Shira...? Don't make me ask again," Phoenix spoke brusquely.
"I believe that I could destroy them if things got too out of hand. Or maybe, it was that Silver convinced me that all of my peace and hope would do nothing and the best thing to do would be to destroy the world and start anew," Shira answered softly, sighing as she thought back to the day she accepted Silver's proposition and started to willingly work for the Johto Destroyers.
The group hurried along in silence for a while, as they thought about the carnage that lay ahead of them. They wondered on the result of the battle, who would lose and who would win. By the time they got through these thoughts, they'd arrived in Goldenrod from Ecruteak and found half of the Radio Tower in ruins.
Arianna let out an impressive whistle. "Wow, not," she spoke loudly in a contradicting way. However, all four of them knew what was happening inside. A war-like battle between five Legendaries was occurring to determine the fate of Rayne's fallen sister and Kamiah, the mutated evolution of Eevee.
Treading very carefully, the quartet made their way inside the damaged building and was just in time to witness Arceus break Raikou's front right leg. All five Legendaries were sweating and trembling badly from exhaustion, but it seemed Arceus refused to give in. Yet, when he saw the four Johto Destroyers members, he did stop. Sensing that Shira and Donovan weren't really humans, he nodded at Palkia and both of them changed back into their human forms.
"We'll finish this another time, useless Chosen!" This comment was directed at Josephine and her companions, but they paid no attention to it, for help had arrived. Sabrina's Alakazam had just teleported in, knowing they needed to make a getaway and, as the usual flash of bright light detailed their departure, Apollonir and Pandora failed to notice the disappearance of Suicune and Kamiah.
