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Alaska Acevedo never wanted to be a hero. Or a warrior. Or an icon. Or anything as ridiculous as that (well, maybe an icon). When she left to go on her journey, she simply wanted to prove you don’t need a starter to become a Champion. Unlike her childhood rival entering Kanto's biggest new reality show. Unlike the famous trainers who brought war to her doorstep. It was just meant to be Alaska and her Pidgey against the world.
Yet the gods have other ideas. As Alaska blogs her way across Kanto, she is drawn into a web of revenge, manipulation and violence. For a new war is brewing, with old enemies emerging from the shadows, up against a wounded region unwilling to fight another battle. It falls on Alaska to save the world - whether she wants the job or not.
Warning: Contains frequent uses of coarse language and descriptions of violence that some may find unappealing.
Index:
Prologue: Chrono Island (Here)
Blog One: Introduction
Arc One: The Beginning
Chapter One: One Step Forwards
Chapter Two: Love Thy Neighbour
Chapter Three: The Bird and the Seed
Chapter Four: Leaving on a Grand Adventure
Blog Two: Route This
Interlude One: Darkness Rising
Arc Two: A Forest and a Friend
Chapter Five: Falling Through Autumn
Chapter Six: Sandy in the Forest
Chapter Seven: A Battle of Wits and Wings
Chapter Eight: Revenge is Best Served in a Double Course
Chapter Nine: That Buzzing Feeling
Chapter Ten: If You Can't Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Hole
Blog Three: Toil and Trouble
Interlude Two: Evil Brewing
Arc Three: First Challenges
Chapter Eleven: Sorta Ready to Rock and Roll
Chapter Twelve: Follow the Shadows, He Said!
Chapter Thirteen: Trust This to be Unlucky
Chapter Fourteen: More Bang for your Buck
Chapter Fifteen: Down and Dirty in the Dirt
Blog Four: Celebrate the Good Times
Interlude Three: Thoughts of a Champion
Arc Four: Allies and Enemies
Chapter Sixteen: This Places Needs a Sweep
Chapter Seventeen: Climbing the Ladder of Success, and Kicking Your Competition in the Face as You Do So
Chapter Eighteen: In Mid-Plight with Paras
Chapter Nineteen: Let's Go Digging - for Answers!
Blog Five: A Right Pickle
Interlude Four: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Arc Five: Beneath the Surface
Chapter Twenty: Playing the Training Game
Chapter Twenty One: A Bitch on a Bridge
Chapter Twenty Two: This is Why I Failed Science
Chapter Twenty Three: Life Swap, Pokemon Edition
Chapter Twenty Four: My Monkey, My Enemy, My God...
Chapter Twenty Five: The Water's Fiery Mistress
Blog Six: So That City Went Well
Interlude Five: Six Degrees of Villainous Separation
Arc Six: Sparks of War
Chapter Twenty Six: Breeding... Sexy
Chapter Twenty Seven: Why Can't the Lights Be On
Chapter Twenty Eight: Getting Stoned
Chapter Twenty Nine: The Bronzed and the Bothersome
Chapter Thirty: Oh Zap!
Chapter Thirty One: Electric=MassCarnage2
Chapter Thirty Two: A Taste of Things to Come
Blog Seven: The Bright Side of Life
Interlude Six: Remnants of a War Zone
Arc Seven: The Power Game
Chapter Thirty Three: Oh the Analogies!
Chapter Thirty Four: A Shiny New Puzzle Piece
Chapter Thirty Five: Tart, Slapper, Cow, ETC
Chapter Thirty Six: Alaska Acevedo and the Electric Factory
Chapter Thirty Seven: How to Piss off Kanto in One Very Easy Step
Chapter Thirty Eight: I'll Drink to Your Death
Blog Eight: Yesterday Made Me Feel Old
Interlude Seven: Anger and Anticipation
Arc Eight: A Brush with Death
Chapter Thirty Nine: The Hungover Games
Chapter Forty: An Arrow of Hot and Shock
Chapter Forty One: Smells like Lavender... and Death
Interlude Eight: Meanwhile
Chapter Forty Two: A Surprise Around Every Corner
Chapter Forty Three: Dealing a New Hand
Chapter Forty Four: The Discovery Room
Blog Nine: Ghost of my Former Self
Interlude Nine: The Murderers and Their Victims
Arc Nine: A Time for Change
Chapter Forty Five: A Tunnel Too Far
Chapter Forty Six: Breakfast at Jericho's
Chapter Forty Seven: Fifty Shades of Green
Chapter Forty Eight: The Grass is Always Meaner
Chapter Forty Nine: It's a Freaks Game
Chapter Fifty: Change
Chapter Fifty One: The Mind That Never Sleeps
Chapter Fifty Two: How Alaska Got Her Groove Back
Blog Ten: Victory Thy Name is Alaska
Interlude Ten: Batted, Broken, Beating
Arc Ten: Sandy
Chapter Fifty Three: Take a Gamble
Chapter Fifty Four: Leaving the Earth Behind
Chapter Fifty Five: Life's a Beach
Chapter Fifty Six: Something Fishy This Way Comes
Chapter Fifty Seven: Washed Up
Chapter Fifty Eight: A Dose of Reality
Chapter Fifty Nine: The Tale of Sandy Samson
Blog Eleven: The Paths Untaken
Interlude Eleven: Six Degrees of Madness
Arc Eleven: In the Lion's Den
Chapter Sixty: Waking Up to a Brand New Death
Chapter Sixty One: Shock in the City
Chapter Sixty Two: Science Behind the Madness
Chapter Sixty Three: Parental Consideration Advised
Chapter Sixty Four: Fun Times at the End of the Tunnel
Chapter Sixty Five: Saving Private Acevedo
Chapter Sixty Six: Teenage Bitch
Blog Twelve: #YODO
Interlude Twelve: Motivational Speaking
Arc Twelve: Looking to the Future
Chapter Sixty Seven: A Game of Strategy
Chapter Sixty Eight: That Psychic Feeling
Chapter Sixty Nine: The Least Sexy Chapter
Chapter Seventy: A Neighbourly Chat
Chapter Seventy One: Keep Your Friends Close
Chapter Seventy Two: The Short Walk
Chapter Seventy Three: A Test Too Far
Blog Thirteen: I Should Be So Lucky
Interlude Thirteen: Doing it For Themselves (100th Total Chapter)
Arc Thirteen: Survivors
Chapter Seventy Four: No Escape
Chapter Seventy Five: Need A Hit
Chapter Seventy Six: Feel Me Now
Chapter Seventy Seven: Falling
Chapter Seventy Eight: Addicted to You
Chapter Seventy Nine: Poison Paradise
Chapter Eighty: Intoxicate
Blog Fourteen: Taking Over Me
Interlude Fourteen: Champions in their Field
Arc Fourteen: Fire and Ice
Chapter Eighty One: A Dream of Wars Gone By
Chapter Eighty Two: The Rules of Someone Else's Game
Chapter Eighty Three: Look at Me
Chapter Eighty Four: The World Keeps Spinning
Chapter Eighty Five: A Million Things I Haven't Done
Chapter Eighty Six: One With the Wind and Sky
Chapter Eighty Seven: She Had it Coming
Chapter Eighty Eight: Walk to the Fire
Chapter Eighty Nine: Nobody Will Oppose
Blog Fifteen: Staying Alive
Interlude Fifteen: Face to the Dawn
Arc Fifteen: War Games
Chapter Ninety: How Far We'll Go
Chapter Ninety One: Another Day
Chapter Ninety Two: Feel the Burn
Chapter Ninety Three: Sandy's Choice
Interlude Sixteen: Classless
Chapter Ninety Four: No Education
Chapter Ninety Five: No Dark Sarcasm
Chapter Ninety Six: No Thought Control
Chapter Ninety Seven: No Arms Around Me
Blog Sixteen: Wish You Weren't Here
Interlude Seventeen: Bricked Up
Arc Sixteen: The Final Pieces
Chapter Ninety Eight: The Morning After
Chapter Ninety Nine: Soul Sisters
Chapter One Hundred: So Here We Are
Chapter One Hundred and One: Scorched Earth
Chapter One Hundred and Two: Fiery and Furious
Chapter One Hundred and Three: Exposition Analysis
Chapter One Hundred and Four: Lucky Number Seven
Blog Seventeen: War Wounds
Interlude Eighteen: High Security
Arc Seventeen: Homecoming
Arc Eighteen: Everybody Dies OR The Irreversible Conclusion
Blog One: Introduction
Arc One: The Beginning
Chapter One: One Step Forwards
Chapter Two: Love Thy Neighbour
Chapter Three: The Bird and the Seed
Chapter Four: Leaving on a Grand Adventure
Blog Two: Route This
Interlude One: Darkness Rising
Arc Two: A Forest and a Friend
Chapter Five: Falling Through Autumn
Chapter Six: Sandy in the Forest
Chapter Seven: A Battle of Wits and Wings
Chapter Eight: Revenge is Best Served in a Double Course
Chapter Nine: That Buzzing Feeling
Chapter Ten: If You Can't Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Hole
Blog Three: Toil and Trouble
Interlude Two: Evil Brewing
Arc Three: First Challenges
Chapter Eleven: Sorta Ready to Rock and Roll
Chapter Twelve: Follow the Shadows, He Said!
Chapter Thirteen: Trust This to be Unlucky
Chapter Fourteen: More Bang for your Buck
Chapter Fifteen: Down and Dirty in the Dirt
Blog Four: Celebrate the Good Times
Interlude Three: Thoughts of a Champion
Arc Four: Allies and Enemies
Chapter Sixteen: This Places Needs a Sweep
Chapter Seventeen: Climbing the Ladder of Success, and Kicking Your Competition in the Face as You Do So
Chapter Eighteen: In Mid-Plight with Paras
Chapter Nineteen: Let's Go Digging - for Answers!
Blog Five: A Right Pickle
Interlude Four: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Arc Five: Beneath the Surface
Chapter Twenty: Playing the Training Game
Chapter Twenty One: A Bitch on a Bridge
Chapter Twenty Two: This is Why I Failed Science
Chapter Twenty Three: Life Swap, Pokemon Edition
Chapter Twenty Four: My Monkey, My Enemy, My God...
Chapter Twenty Five: The Water's Fiery Mistress
Blog Six: So That City Went Well
Interlude Five: Six Degrees of Villainous Separation
Arc Six: Sparks of War
Chapter Twenty Six: Breeding... Sexy
Chapter Twenty Seven: Why Can't the Lights Be On
Chapter Twenty Eight: Getting Stoned
Chapter Twenty Nine: The Bronzed and the Bothersome
Chapter Thirty: Oh Zap!
Chapter Thirty One: Electric=MassCarnage2
Chapter Thirty Two: A Taste of Things to Come
Blog Seven: The Bright Side of Life
Interlude Six: Remnants of a War Zone
Arc Seven: The Power Game
Chapter Thirty Three: Oh the Analogies!
Chapter Thirty Four: A Shiny New Puzzle Piece
Chapter Thirty Five: Tart, Slapper, Cow, ETC
Chapter Thirty Six: Alaska Acevedo and the Electric Factory
Chapter Thirty Seven: How to Piss off Kanto in One Very Easy Step
Chapter Thirty Eight: I'll Drink to Your Death
Blog Eight: Yesterday Made Me Feel Old
Interlude Seven: Anger and Anticipation
Arc Eight: A Brush with Death
Chapter Thirty Nine: The Hungover Games
Chapter Forty: An Arrow of Hot and Shock
Chapter Forty One: Smells like Lavender... and Death
Interlude Eight: Meanwhile
Chapter Forty Two: A Surprise Around Every Corner
Chapter Forty Three: Dealing a New Hand
Chapter Forty Four: The Discovery Room
Blog Nine: Ghost of my Former Self
Interlude Nine: The Murderers and Their Victims
Arc Nine: A Time for Change
Chapter Forty Five: A Tunnel Too Far
Chapter Forty Six: Breakfast at Jericho's
Chapter Forty Seven: Fifty Shades of Green
Chapter Forty Eight: The Grass is Always Meaner
Chapter Forty Nine: It's a Freaks Game
Chapter Fifty: Change
Chapter Fifty One: The Mind That Never Sleeps
Chapter Fifty Two: How Alaska Got Her Groove Back
Blog Ten: Victory Thy Name is Alaska
Interlude Ten: Batted, Broken, Beating
Arc Ten: Sandy
Chapter Fifty Three: Take a Gamble
Chapter Fifty Four: Leaving the Earth Behind
Chapter Fifty Five: Life's a Beach
Chapter Fifty Six: Something Fishy This Way Comes
Chapter Fifty Seven: Washed Up
Chapter Fifty Eight: A Dose of Reality
Chapter Fifty Nine: The Tale of Sandy Samson
Blog Eleven: The Paths Untaken
Interlude Eleven: Six Degrees of Madness
Arc Eleven: In the Lion's Den
Chapter Sixty: Waking Up to a Brand New Death
Chapter Sixty One: Shock in the City
Chapter Sixty Two: Science Behind the Madness
Chapter Sixty Three: Parental Consideration Advised
Chapter Sixty Four: Fun Times at the End of the Tunnel
Chapter Sixty Five: Saving Private Acevedo
Chapter Sixty Six: Teenage Bitch
Blog Twelve: #YODO
Interlude Twelve: Motivational Speaking
Arc Twelve: Looking to the Future
Chapter Sixty Seven: A Game of Strategy
Chapter Sixty Eight: That Psychic Feeling
Chapter Sixty Nine: The Least Sexy Chapter
Chapter Seventy: A Neighbourly Chat
Chapter Seventy One: Keep Your Friends Close
Chapter Seventy Two: The Short Walk
Chapter Seventy Three: A Test Too Far
Blog Thirteen: I Should Be So Lucky
Interlude Thirteen: Doing it For Themselves (100th Total Chapter)
Arc Thirteen: Survivors
Chapter Seventy Four: No Escape
Chapter Seventy Five: Need A Hit
Chapter Seventy Six: Feel Me Now
Chapter Seventy Seven: Falling
Chapter Seventy Eight: Addicted to You
Chapter Seventy Nine: Poison Paradise
Chapter Eighty: Intoxicate
Blog Fourteen: Taking Over Me
Interlude Fourteen: Champions in their Field
Arc Fourteen: Fire and Ice
Chapter Eighty One: A Dream of Wars Gone By
Chapter Eighty Two: The Rules of Someone Else's Game
Chapter Eighty Three: Look at Me
Chapter Eighty Four: The World Keeps Spinning
Chapter Eighty Five: A Million Things I Haven't Done
Chapter Eighty Six: One With the Wind and Sky
Chapter Eighty Seven: She Had it Coming
Chapter Eighty Eight: Walk to the Fire
Chapter Eighty Nine: Nobody Will Oppose
Blog Fifteen: Staying Alive
Interlude Fifteen: Face to the Dawn
Arc Fifteen: War Games
Chapter Ninety: How Far We'll Go
Chapter Ninety One: Another Day
Chapter Ninety Two: Feel the Burn
Chapter Ninety Three: Sandy's Choice
Interlude Sixteen: Classless
Chapter Ninety Four: No Education
Chapter Ninety Five: No Dark Sarcasm
Chapter Ninety Six: No Thought Control
Chapter Ninety Seven: No Arms Around Me
Blog Sixteen: Wish You Weren't Here
Interlude Seventeen: Bricked Up
Arc Sixteen: The Final Pieces
Chapter Ninety Eight: The Morning After
Chapter Ninety Nine: Soul Sisters
Chapter One Hundred: So Here We Are
Chapter One Hundred and One: Scorched Earth
Chapter One Hundred and Two: Fiery and Furious
Chapter One Hundred and Three: Exposition Analysis
Chapter One Hundred and Four: Lucky Number Seven
Blog Seventeen: War Wounds
Interlude Eighteen: High Security
Arc Seventeen: Homecoming
Arc Eighteen: Everybody Dies OR The Irreversible Conclusion
Awards:
Prologue: Chrono Island
September 7th, 2008
There is nothing like a building spontaneously combusting to confirm your suspicions about its occupants.
For two years, the residents of Chrono Island had wondered what went on behind the blue-grey doors of the mysterious factory. The two-storey building was tucked away at the bottom of the island, hidden by trees and far from the main town, but it was still a sore point for the locals. No one knew who worked there or what its purpose was, but every week someone would show up at the supermarket or a town meeting with a new story of figures skulking around at night and large boats arriving at the private dock.
So when the factory suddenly and without warning exploded, no one was particularly shocked. Of course, they were taken aback by the explosion – on a quiet Saturday afternoon where the only thing people were waiting for was the high tide, to have the earth quiver and a giant plume of orange-tinged smoke rise up from the trees was a little surprising – but once the initial shock passed, most people agreed that it had only been a matter of time.
It took a few hours for firefighters and their team of Blastoise to put out the flaming building, and by the time investigators were allowed in, most of the town had gathered on the forest's edge to watch. They were all stunned by the sight that awaited them: most of the walls had collapsed, the roof had completely caved in, and half the floor had been blown apart. There were no signs as to what had caused it, and everything that remained had been burnt black with ash, but that didn't stop the crowd standing around the melted barbed wire fence from speculating.
"I always heard they were making supplies for the Celadon Game Corner."
"Wasn't that run by Team Rocket?"
"Barry was fishing when the explosion happened. Told me he saw three people come running out of the building just before it happened."
"Well, Steve says he saw the Champion flying away on his Charizard, and those friends of his were there as well."
"Oh my lord, that would explain it – I told Mary she was being silly when she said she saw that Leaf girl and her Blastoise swimming away. Do you think they did it?"
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, Team Rocket is just the beginning. We are getting closer and closer to the apocalypse with every passing day!"
"Shut up, Carol, no one asked you."
As the locals gossiped and squabbled over rumour and heresy, Detective Inspector Arthur Reynolds focused on the facts at hand, even if he imagined what the townspeople were saying was true. This was no gas explosion, whatever had happened here had come from a device or machine, the cracked crater proved that. Though as Reynolds cast his eyes over the charred rubble, he knew the decimated machines that were scattered around him like soldiers on a battlefield would be far above the intellect and expertise of their forensics department.
We might as well pack up now, there's no way in hell we're going to find out who's responsible. Reynolds felt a tang of guilt even thinking that, but he had seen enough over his career to know it was a fact. As the only arson expert in the Sevii Islands, he had been called to the scene barely minutes after the explosion had shaken the island. He'd been here for nigh on six hours, but he had known as soon as he arrived that everything there was to see was already laid out before them.
Reynolds tore his eyes away from the ash-filled hole and turned his gaze to a nearby office. "John!" He barked, and was pleased that, even after all these years, his hoarse voice was able to command attention from everyone around him.
A young, blond man rushed over eagerly, like a Growlithe returning to its trainer. "Yes, sir?" He asked with unnecessary vigour. Arthur gazed down at the junior officer and internally sighed. He had been like that; bright-eyed, cheery, hopeful. But now Arthur was nearing retirement, his hair and sagging eyelids giving away his age, and his joy for the job had long faded. He had seen too many horrors, most of it over the last few months, and had been thinking about the next stage of his life when the call through that afternoon, a reminder that his work was not done with him yet.
"We should wrap things up for the night. We are losing light, and we are never going to find anything turning over ash in the dark."
"Shall we keep people on site to guard?" John asked.
"Err, you and Wilson can, and I'll see whose on duty to take over later," Arthur said, and John nodded and rushed off. The detective watched him go with exasperation before following after, giving the ruins one last look as he walked stiffly back to his car. Whoever had done this, whether it was Rocket or the Champion, was long gone and out of his reach, literally and figuratively. With no bodies to make it a murder inquiry, the case would sit on his desk unsolved for years, long after the site had been cleared and everyone had forgotten about the mysterious factory that one day vanished.
If the inspector had taken a moment to look back before heading down to the police boat docked at the pier, he might have seen the ground where he had just been standing move. As it was, no one noticed as one of the floor tiles slowly rose upwards, shifting aside ash and rubble. The townspeople distracted by scandal and the investigators dulled with boredom paid no attention as the tile was shoved onto a pile of ash, leaving a hole in the middle of the floor. The two hands that shortly followed were utterly ignored, as was the man they belonged to as he pulled himself up into the factory.
If anyone had paid him any attention, they would have assumed immediately he was a scientist. The man's profession had seeped permanently into his appearance, his lab coat, dark glasses, pale complexion, and slicked back hair turning him into a walking stereotype. The only thing that broke his costume was the fresh, shining wound over his left eyebrow and the many scorch marks muddying his coat.
The scientist hovered beside the hole for a moment to ensure he had not been spotted before scuttling towards what had once been his private office. Though it was more open air now that all four walls had collapsed, leaving only a cracked desk and half melted filing cabinet behind. The sight made the scientist groan into his clenched teeth. He frantically pushed rubble off the desktop, keeping a watchful eye on the disinterested officers, until he found his laptop buried beneath. The discovery momentarily filled his heart with joy, but he only had to hold it up to the fading light to see the hard drive had melted.
"No, no, NO!" The man hissed, and he threw the useless device aside. He had seen this coming; the attack had happened quickly and without warning, and his enemies had made sure to target his computers. He knew that every digital copy of his work was gone, and it took all his willpower not to scream to the heavens.
Angry, helpless, he turned towards the melted cabinet. Similarly, much of the contents had been destroyed in the fire, but in the bottom drawer, there were several folders and a mobile phone that had escaped the flames. Relieved, the scientist turned the device on, the ruins of his office briefly illuminated by blue light before 'GIDEON'S PHONE' appeared on the screen. Footsteps in the distance told him he could not celebrate here; he grabbed what he could and ran back to the hole as stealthily as possible.
Only once the tile was back in place did Gideon turn the lights on. The dim bulbs illuminated the metal bomb shelter that was now home. He had built the room years ago in case of situations like this, but he had never thought he would actually have a need to use it. The room was tiny, made smaller by the number of belongings packed into it: a table, scientific equipment behind clear cabinet doors, an overflowing bookcase, two beds, a fridge, microwave and oven, and an outdated computer and small TV. It would be enough, but Gideon had little interest in comfort when, for the second time in his cursed existence, he had potentially lost his life's work.
"Let's see what the scum have left me with." He began sifting through the folders, trying to contain his rage. He could not afford to start over again. The lab had not been perfect, but it would have served the purpose of rebuilding the Rocket empire, carrying on Giovanni's legacy – his legacy. Now the few meagre resources he had managed to save from their former strongholds were gone, all his plans, formulas and strategies turned to ash. Gideon hoped there was something meaningful in the folders, but as the minutes went by he found only instructions for machines he could not possibly rebuild and plans for defunct projects he had no hope of resurrecting alone.
"USELESS!" Gideon roared and threw the folders across the tiny room. Papers became loose and scattered in the air, landing in a mess on the floor. Gideon sat on his rigid bed watching them fall. Starting over was not impossible, but with no plans, no resources, with nothing to build on, the statistics were not in his favour.
Gideon looked at the ceiling, wondering what might happen if he went back up there and handed himself in. He began calculating how many of the locals he could kill before they got to him when he noticed a strange light; it was purple and moving as though alive, and had not been there when he had gone up before. He stared at the floor and spotted the source instantly: it was a computer disc, but to the untrained eye it could be a portal to another world. It shone unnaturally, the glowing pattern swirling and moving in a way no normal computer disc should. Yet, as Gideon sank to the floor, grasping the circle as though it was some holy item, he remembered just how abnormal it truly was.
"Operation Lavender…" Excitedly, Gideon flung papers aside until he found the ones he needed. He remembered now; how he had buried the project, hidden it away so no one could find it. Gideon told everyone he would destroy it, but he had kept every bit of data, all of which was here: all the instructions, all the resources he needed, all the places to go and people to find, it was all here. This was all Gideon needed to complete Giovanni's master plan, the reason for everything they had done.
Grasping the disc in one hand and the papers in another, Gideon fell to the floor, laughing. The children had tried to end him again, they thought they had succeeded. They may have won, for now, but they had handed Gideon exactly what he needed to destroy them all, and ensure that, once and for all, Team Rocket would reign supreme.
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